Celebrating the Heart of Anderson County Hospital: Our Volunteers

At Anderson County Hospital, volunteers are an essential part of who we are. Every day, they generously share their time, talents, and compassion to support our patients, visitors, staff, and the community. Their dedication helps create a welcoming environment and strengthens our mission of providing exceptional care close to home.

The Anderson County Hospital Auxiliary has proudly served the hospital since the late 1960s. While their services have evolved to adapt to the hospital’s changing needs, our volunteers’ dedication has never wavered.

Today, Auxiliary members are a welcoming presence throughout the hospital. From greeting patients and visitors at information desks in the main lobby and surgery waiting areas to answering questions and offering comfort during stressful moments, they help make the hospital feel more personal. Their contributions extend beyond the front desk: They create handmade mammography capes and pillow pals for children receiving emergency care, recognize team members through staff appreciation events, deliver treats to physicians, and support countless special projects throughout the year.

Volunteers also make a lasting impact through fundraising efforts. They organize raffles and coordinate one-day sales events that feature books, games, jewelry, and gifts. For the past three years, volunteers have collected donations for memory tree ornaments and dedicated a special tree to honor the memory of friends and loved ones during the holidays.

“We use these funds to provide scholarships to Anderson County graduates and hospital employees and help the hospital purchase items that benefit the staff or support patient care,” says Kathy Norris, Anderson County Hospital Auxiliary president. “We also support the Anderson County Hospital Foundation and help with their events. Our contributions may seem small, but they benefit a lot of people.”

The auxiliary provided a nice lunch for the Foundation's golf tournament last fall and will offer treats for walkers at the Heeling for Health event on Sept. 19.

In addition to Foundation gifts, recent purchases include a device charging station in the emergency waiting area, six new umbrellas for the café patio, and several new emergency response bags for Anderson County EMS.

The Anderson County Hospital Auxiliary is also actively involved with Hospital Volunteers of Kansas (HVK), an organization that connects more than 35 hospital auxiliaries across the state. Through networking, education, and leadership opportunities, Auxiliary members continue to learn, share ideas, and advocate for health care initiatives that benefit Kansas communities. Several Anderson County volunteers have even served in state-level leadership roles through the organization.

The Auxiliary now has around 35 members who contributed more than 3,500 hours of volunteer service in 2025 alone. Those hours represent much more than time; they reflect kindness, commitment, and a shared desire to make a difference.  

“There are a variety of ways to get involved,” says Kathy. “Our members have different talents, abilities, and interests. Some have a lot of time to give, while others have time restrictions, but we try to find opportunities for each volunteer to contribute during the year.”

While volunteers work hard to serve others, they also enjoy building friendships and community along the way. The Auxiliary hosts social gatherings for members throughout the year and collaborates with volunteers with the Allen County Regional Hospital Auxiliary in Iola to share ideas, network, and learn from one another.

“It’s a great group, and we enjoy our time together,” Kathy says.

As we celebrate the Anderson County Hospital Auxiliary, we extend our heartfelt gratitude to every volunteer who gives so generously of themselves. Your service touches countless lives, strengthens our hospital, and helps make our community healthier and more connected.

Anderson County Hospital Auxiliary 2026 officers are Kathy Norris, president; Shari Friesen, vice president; Cindy Hamilton, secretary; Joen Truhe, treasurer,  Helen Norman, member-at-large and Nancy Horn serves as the scholarship committee chairperson..

The Anderson County Hospital Auxiliary welcomes new members. To learn more about volunteering and scholarship opportunities, talk to any auxiliary member, call the hospital’s volunteer coordinator 620-365-1021, or visit SaintLukesKC.org/VolunteerACH.