Volunteer honored for effort

Since she began volunteering at Sunnyview in 1998, the teen had donated more than 1,500 hours of volunteer service.

The freshman at LeMoyne College in Syracuse told The Evangelist that she was required to do volunteer work as a student at Notre Dame-Bishop Gibbons School in Schenectady. Since her grandmother, mother, aunt and cousin all worked at Sunnyview, it was natural for her to apply there.

"I like being around people," she added.

The teen did clerical work in the volunteer office and also took a paying job in Sunnyview's kitchen when she turned 16. Melissa noted that while her mother worked in the building office, her other relatives all worked in the kitchen, so her grandmother was her supervisor for a while. Still, she said, the job was an easy fit.

"I worked about seven days in two weeks," she said, noting that she squeezed in the volunteer work around school and sports by doing homework late in the evenings.

Sunnyview volunteer services director Joan Laviolette said that Melissa's generosity saved the hospital hundreds of dollars that could be spent instead on equipment for patients. For her efforts, Melissa was named junior volunteer of the year and received the Duke Skelton scholarship for college.

The teen plans a career in education, majoring in psychology and hoping to teach second or third grade. But even though she's busier than ever, she said she'll probably volunteer at Sunnyview when she comes home from college for the summer.

"It made me feel like I was doing something good," she explained. "It showed me dedication."

(11-07-02) [[In-content Ad]]