ARLINGTON — Jim and Debbie Rankin enjoy their quiet work in the background of the emergency room at Cascade Valley Hospital in Arlington.
Valued volunteers, the Rankins file paperwork, organize shelves and drawers, and make sure supplies are stocked. Jim Rankin, the retired Arlington fire chief, helps train the high-school seniors who come to the hospital to fill community-service requirements for graduation. He gets to visit with his former colleagues when firefighters and paramedics bring in patients.
Together, the Rankins snap together the freshly laundered hospital gowns, to make them faster for folks to pull on.
The tasks may seem small to the Rankins, but their contributions mean doctors and nurses can focus on patients, hospital spokeswoman Jennifer Egger said.
The Rankins have been volunteering at the hospital about two years.
“We just want to make sure it runs smoothly for them,” said Debbie Rankin, 63. “When things are neat and in order, people can find things a lot easier.”
She puts together the informational packets given to folks awaiting hip and knee surgeries. She also makes coffee. She starts in the acute care unit before moving to the emergency department. Her husband, 75, jokes that her laugh can be heard throughout the hospital.
“I love being able to be here and interact with people,” she said. “It’s fun. I enjoy everything I get to do and the people I get to meet.”
Jim Rankin also assists the hospital with emergency drills — a natural fit after his decades in public safety.
The Rankins provide an example of volunteering for the high-school kids, Egger said. They work hard, follow the rules and have fun.
Cascade Valley Hospital volunteers must be at least 14 years old. Retired people are welcome, as are students interested in pursuing a career in the health field. Debbie Rankin recommends the job for anyone who is going through a hard time or who has lost someone, to get out of the house, meet new people and to give back. For more information, call 360-618-7850.
“People have such a capacity for giving,” Egger said. “They just need a direction to point it in. The Rankins are the perfect volunteers.”
Rikki King: 425-339-3449; rking@heraldnet.com.
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