SISTER JANE KIEFER GETS BAUMSTARK AWARD

In a room filled with angel decorations, Lynette Ballard told more than 350 people they had the best job in the world.

Ballard, president of the American Society of Directors of Volunteer Services of the American Hospital Association (ASDVS), was speaker during the annual St. Francis Auxiliary and Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon Thursday. Theme for the event at Drury Lodge was "Volunteers are a Gift from Heaven."

During the luncheon, the annual Vernice Baumstark Award was given to Sister Jane Kiefer. The award, named for the first Auxiliary president in 1959, goes to those who have given outstanding service to the hospital.

Sister Jane began as a social worker for St. Francis in 1976, and later became director of social services and then chaplain in the pastoral care department.

During the event, a new $1,000 scholarship for health-care students was named in honor of Edythe M. Davis, who recently retired as executive director of the Medical Center Foundation.

"Ask someone to do something in a way they can't say no," said Ballard. She told the crowd they were the ones who could not say no. She said 1995 statistics show that 93 million adults give their time, each year in the service of others.

She said volunteers were heroes creating acts of God in people's lives. "They are life's heroes. They may not wear medals but they take the risk, the challenge and make the sacrifice (of time)."

Ballard, who is the director of Volunteer Services at St. Anthony's Medical Center in St. Louis, said there is a lot going on in the world of volunteerism.

"I visited the United Kingdom in February," she said. "I visited hospitals and the volunteer organizations. They do a lot more there than push tea carts around."

She said their volunteer system is not coordinated. "Their volunteers are fragmented but they do tremendous work." She said pulling volunteers together is a strength of American volunteerism. "They (United Kingdom) could learn a lesson from us on how to work together."

Beaming, Ballard said she has been asked by the Points of Light Foundation, a private volunteer organization founded by President George Bush, to attend the President's Summit On Volunteerism in Philadelphia this month. "Everyone who goes must make a commitment to be involved," she said.

The ASDVS has committed to assist the American Hospital Association in raising $5 million to be used to involve 100,000 children (ages 8 to 14), particularly those at risk, in thinking positively about healthy living.