Volunteering at the YRMC Gift Shop is Good for You
Are you thinking about becoming a volunteer at the
YRMC Gift Shop? Good for you! And we mean, literally,
“Good for you!” YRMC Gift Shop volunteers report that
they are reaping benefits on many different levels. Here are
just a few:
Good for your social life.
Several YRMC Gift Shop
volunteers tell us that what
started as a volunteer shift has
resulted in lasting friendships.
Barbara Hein was new to the
area when she decided to join the
Gift Shop team. She says it was a
great way to make friends and get
involved with like-minded people. YRMC volunteers often
have lunch together in the cafeteria before their shifts begin,
or get together after hours to attend various community
events. Some YRMC volunteers even travel together.
Good for your health. Research by the Corporation
for National and Community Service shows that people
who volunteer have lower mortality rates, lower rates
of depression and fewer physical limitations than those
who donʼt volunteer. Additionally, a 2013 study of more
than 1,600 older adults found that the participants who
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volunteered at least 200 hours per year were 40 percent less
likely to get high blood pressure than non-volunteers.
Gift Shop volunteer Susan Anderson tells about the
emotional and psychological benefits of volunteering, “It
makes me feel like Iʼm a part of
a bigger thing and I like that,”
she says. Barbara Hein agrees, “A
lady came in this morning and she
was feeling a little overwhelmed. I
think she felt better after she spent
some time with us. It just makes
me feel like Iʼm doing something
good. I believe in paying it
forward.”
Good for our community. By volunteering in the Gift
Shop, youʼre helping to provide vital support to YRMC
and its many services. All of the proceeds from Gift Shop
sales go right back into hospital services, like patient care
programs and health and wellness initiatives that benefit our
community.
Good for your home décor, wardrobe and gift-giving
power. Youʼll be among the first to see the unusual items
brought in to the Gift Shops, carefully chosen from vendors
and trade shows throughout the year. YRMC Gift Shop