Sisters share love of volunteering

Sue Pettit volunteers in the Emergency Department, while her sister, Judy Sassaman, volunteers in the Cheery Corner gift shop at Elkhart General Hospital.

“The honest answer is that I was a 20-year-old and living at home waiting for my husband-to-be to graduate from college. I was bored and a friend suggested that I volunteer in the Emergency Room with her. I might say that we were both young and naive,” Sue recalls about becoming a volunteer.

As the years passed and the numbers grew — from nine rooms to 30-plus rooms in the ED, Sue says she realized that she was receiving even more than she was giving to others as a volunteer.

“I feel good about volunteering. I have volunteered for many organizations, and each time I have grown from the experience of helping different people. Their simple ‘thank you’ means everything. I volunteer because it makes me a better person and has been a great factor in my personal growth,” Sue said.

Her sister, Judy, enjoys the time she spends in the Cheery Corner.

“I volunteer because I like being with people and it’s something to keep me busy every week,” she says. “I also enjoy seeing what is new and changed at the gift shop. But the best moments are helping someone pick out a gift for a friend, someone who is recovering from surgery, a gift for a new baby or just listening when someone needs to talk.”