More than 200 people gathered for a volunteer appreciation luncheon on Monday, April 22 to honor and celebrate the many faces that make up Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System's volunteers.  

System leaders welcomed volunteers as they entered The Piedmont Club in downtown Spartanburg. Others stood at the buffet line to serve the volunteers their meal, all to signify the system's gratitude for those who sacrifice their time and energy serving others.  

Several system leaders offered remarks to the volunteers to express their gratitude and the impact the volunteers have made on patient care. 

Brian Earnest, Vice President of Revenue Cycle, shared a famous quote from Fred Rogers, a man affectionately known as "Mister Rogers" from his preschool public television series "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood."  

"What if heaven is the relationships we make here, and that rather than waiting for a world that we might one day inherit or merit, we have an opportunity and a few years while we are with each other to make of this world the world of which we speak and dream?"  

Earnest said this quote reminds him of the compassionate care and commitment of Spartanburg Regional volunteers, some of whom have been volunteering for more than 20 years.  

"I think of your individual acts of kindness and compassion together each day. You move us and the organization individually and collectively closer to that view of heaven on earth," Earnest said.  

Spartanburg Medical Center President Phil Feisal and Cherokee Medical Center President Cody Butts also delivered opening remarks. Volunteers then enjoyed a buffet and received prizes. 

Margaret Suits, who said she is "only 90" years old, has volunteered with Spartanburg Regional for over 25 years and still serves weekly. Originally a "farm girl" from Southern Illinois, Suits became an avid hiker and once hiked the Appalachian Trail with friends.  

The time spent hiking parallels the energy she has put into volunteering with the healthcare system. She currently volunteers at Spartanburg Medical Center – Mary Black Campus by greeting patients as they come in and helping them navigate their way around the hospital.  

"My second home is the hospital. I am so comfortable there," she said. "I just enjoy helping people. It's just important for visitors to come in, and they have someone there with a smiling face."  

To learn more about Spartanburg Regional's volunteer opportunities, go to SpartanburgRegional.com/volunteer.