OZH VOLUNTEERS


A Heart for Service V


BY DWAIN HEBDA | PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF OZARKS HEALTHCARE


olunteers are the heartbeat of any organization, especially a hospital. And nowhere will you find two bigger hearts for service to others than in Norval


Merrick and Mildred Young, who devote their time to making patients and their families feel welcomed during their stay at Ozarks Healthcare.


FAITH AND FISH TALES “I like people. I like to try to help people,” said


Norval Merrick, 78. “I’m not saying this to just belittle anybody, but I often wonder why a lot of people who sit around the house can’t volunteer to do something. That just kind of amazes me.” Merrick has been a volunteer for nine years, and


he never tires of the human encounters that his three-hour shift brings his way.


16 | OZARKS HEALTHCARE | SPRING 2021


“It was three years ago, I guess,” he said. “I wheeled a man out to his car from the wound care center, and we got to talking on the way while waiting for his wife to bring the car around. I said, ‘What’s your hobby?’ He said, ‘I love to fish.’ I said, ‘A lot of those guys do that.’ “He said, ‘I’m going to go fishing this weekend. I


really enjoyed this visit with you and I appreciate you wheeling me out here, so I’ll tell you what I’m going to do. I’m going to go fish this weekend, and if I catch some fish I’m going to call back and let you know through the hospital that I caught a bunch of fish.’ We just hit it off. It was a really neat experience.” On this day, the Iowa native is just about to return


to duty after some health issues sidelined him for a spell. He can think of no better way to express his gratitude for his healing than to serve someone else.


Above: Norval Merrick, 78, has been a volunteer for nine years.


Opposite Page: Mildred Young, 84, has been a volunteer for 20 years.


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44