Floyd Honors Lifetime Achievement Recipient

Floyd Medical Center recently presented Gordon Leiter with their Good Samaritan Lifetime Achievement Award for meritorious service as a volunteer with Heyman HospiceCare.

Leiter was honored for the hundreds of patients, and their families, that he has helped over 24 years as a volunteer.

“Gordon Leiter is one of the kindest people I have ever known,” said Bonnie Jones, Volunteer Coordinator for Heyman HospiceCare. “His humility, patience and dedication are an example for all of us about how to care for others.” The award was presented Friday at Floyd’s annual volunteer appreciation luncheon at Berry College’s Krannert Center, as part of Floyd’s commemoration of April as National Volunteer Appreciation Month.

The luncheon honors the more than 200 volunteers who serve at Floyd Medical Center and Polk Medical Center. Volunteers are recognized for their dedication and contribution to the American Red Cross at Floyd, Floyd Medical Center Auxiliary, First Steps, Heyman HospiceCare, Floyd Healthcare Foundation, Floyd Medical Explorers, Arts in Medicine and Support Services

Additionally, Jean and Lester Ritter, were named Good Samaritan Volunteers of the Year. The Ritters have volunteered at Polk Medical Center for more than 16 years. Jean works in Polk Medical Center’s Gift Shop, while Lester greets visitors at the hospital’s registration desk.

“I love the people we take care of every day,” Jean said. “When my husband and I retired, we wanted to find something to do that allowed us to interact with people regularly, and we get to do that with some great people at Polk.”

Like Jean, Lester says the people are what make being a volunteer so enjoyable.

“The people we work with and those that we get to help every day are the reason I love being a volunteer at Polk Medical Center,” he said. “They’re the reason I keep coming back."

In addition to the Ritters, three other individuals were nominated for the Good Samaritan Volunteer of the Year: Vera Brock, a retired nursing professor, volunteers in the Employee Health department at Floyd Medical Center performing the very specific duty of ensuring that all employees are immunized for Hepatitis B. This role requires hours upon hours of scanning employee lists, updating them and sending letters to employees.

Brock has volunteered since 1990 as a CPR instructor at Georgia Highlands College. She formerly provided CPR instruction for the American Red Cross on a volunteer basis. Today, she also serves with the Garden Lakes Baptist Church Food Pantry, a satellite of Rome Action Ministries.

Glenda Fincher, a Floyd volunteer for 11 years, currently serves as the Auxiliary’s President. She has volunteered in the Gift Shop and the surgery waiting area, as Recording Secretary and Chairman of the Poinsettia Sale, and participated on the Cancer Navigators Team. Fincher also volunteers as a Breast Health Advocate for The Breast Center at Floyd. She is a member and officer of both the Rome African Violet Study Group and the Camellia Garden Club, and volunteers with her church.

Jessica Smith volunteers with Floyd’s Arts in Medicine program, delivering art supplies to patients to allow creativity to become part of the healing process. Smith also volunteers at Kiki’s Kids Camp for diabetic children and in the children’s art tent at the annual Chiaha Festival.