“I love helping people!” says Mary Aldrich. “When this volunteer role was suggested, I jumped at it.”
As a former cab driver, Mary knows how important transportation is, and in a small town, cabs are not always available. Thanks to a new volunteer program, when travelling nurses arrive in Smithers, they can now rely on the welcome of drivers like Mary, a Northern Health volunteer who greets people from all over Canada and makes them feel at home.
“I really enjoy it,” says Mary. “I like meeting new people and seeing where they come from. I’m the first person they see getting off the plane and I ask a million questions!”
Staff are very grateful for the volunteer drivers.
“This is a pilot program, and it has been a lifesaver,” says Lodge Manager Shelley Stoddard. “Agency nurses are filling critical gaps in our workforce, and this makes sure they’re well taken care of. It removes so much stress knowing that I don’t have to run out to the airport to pick someone up, especially on my days off!”
For Mary, it’s all about pitching in to make the community stronger. “I’ve been blessed, and this is a way I can easily give back. It’s just an hour or two, and I’m doing my part to make it possible for these nurses to take care of our people.”
Northern Health appreciates volunteers all across the North who step forward to make a difference in health care.
Become a volunteer in your community like Mary by visiting our volunteer site.
Interested in travel nursing? Visit GoHealth BC for more info!
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