Southern Maine Health Care President Nate Howell congratulates Sharon Roberge of Saco for winning SMHC’s Lauren Shulman Volunteer of the Year Award for 2019. Roberge has been a SMHC volunteer for more than eight years and has gifted 1,500 hours to the organization. SUBMITTED PHOTO

BIDDEFORD — At the recent Charles and Virginia Allard Volunteer Luncheon, Southern Maine Health Care officially thanked their volunteers for contributing more than 20,000 hours in 2018.

During the ceremony, Sharon Roberge from Saco was recognized with the prestigious Lauren Shulman Volunteer of the Year award. This nomination-based honor is bestowed upon the volunteer/s who best exemplifies “the volunteer spirit,” with enthusiasm and support for the organization, as well as dependability and contributions of time and energy.

“Congratulations to Sharon for receiving this well-deserved recognition,” said SMHC President Nate Howell. “Sharon has been volunteering at SMHC for more than 8 years and has gifted us 1,500 hours of her time. Sharon is a selfless and enthusiastic volunteer who provides a welcoming, caring and friendly atmosphere for our patients, visitors and staff. She brings comfort to our patients and is a go-to resource for staff. We are very fortunate to have many devoted volunteers like Sharon who are vital members of the SMHC team.”

Men and women from all parts of York County volunteer at SMHC. Whether they help a few hours a week or several days a week, volunteers provide a crucial link between the medical centers in Biddeford and Sanford and the people they serve. Some volunteers work in areas where they are in direct contact with patients, others are involved in “behind the scenes” activities which enhance the care provided by the hospital.

SMHC volunteers are important members of the organization’s health care team. The age of SMHC volunteers spans almost an entire century, from teenagers to those in their nineties.

For more information about volunteering, call Melissa Nadeau in Biddeford at 283-7225 or Kim LaChance in Sanford at 490-7322.

Southern Maine Health Care is a national award-winning health care organization with a nonprofit mission “to improve the health and health care of the communities we serve.”  It includes a full service, acute care medical center in Biddeford, with York County’s only inpatient mental health unit. Emergency care, surgical services and diagnostic and therapy services are available at SMHC’s Medical Centers in Biddeford and Sanford.

SMHC offers primary care and multi-specialty physician services, diagnostic and therapy services and Walk-In Care centers in York County communities including Biddeford, Kennebunk, Saco, Sanford and Waterboro. SMHC is Joint Commission accredited and has been recognized for quality excellence by numerous outside organizations. SMHC is part of the MaineHealth system, a growing family of health care services in northern New England.

To learn more, visit www.smhc.org.