Diane Gardner was honored as Volunteer of the Month for June at a recent Marysville City Council meeting. The Marysville woman was recognized for her countless volunteer hours and leadership through the Patient Link Program at Providence Regional Medical Center in Everett.

"Diane has a lot invested in Providence, and the time, effort and compassion she gives are indispensable to the Providence family in its mission to provide compassionate care," said Mayor Jon Nehring at the council presentation. "We applaud her for her work at the hospital, and for all she does in her community."

One day a week, Gardner participates in the Patient Link Program (PLP). Her time involves visiting all patients who have been admitted to the hospital within the prior 24 hours of her scheduled start.

Visiting with patients gives Gardner the opportunity to apply her communication skills and endless supply of compassion to work for sick people, at a time when they need it most, Nehring said.

Her extra hospital volunteer time is devoted to orienting all new volunteers to the hospital by teaching a 3-hour class, for which she helped develop the content.

Gardner also devotes time to train individual volunteers in the Rounding Program, the volunteer group that replenishes name labels in patient charts and offers patients reading materials or other items to make them feel more comfortable within a hospital environment, Nehring said.

Gardner was recently chosen to lead a tour for special need students who might be able to volunteer in selected areas of the hospital. Currently, along with hospital leadership, she is developing the orientation program for high school students who volunteer during the summer.

Volunteer Department leaders recently honored Gardner for assisting them last year with the orientation development and implementation of the program for the new wing of the hospital, said Nehring. The project involved many hours, including visits to the new wing as it was being completed.

In April 2012, Gardner became a recipient of a "Spirit of Volunteering Award" at the hospital's Annual Volunteer Recognition Dinner.

Away from the hospital, Gardner volunteers her time as a substitute teacher in her church Bible class. She also donates blood at the blood bank and serves food once a month for the Salvation Army.

Nehring shared words at the council award presentation from a high school project that profiled Gardner, written by a granddaughter.

She described her grandmother as a woman of strength and wisdom, a great storyteller with plenty of youthful drive, and an expert bread baker in her limited spare time.

On behalf of Gardner, the mayor encouraged community members to consider joining the volunteer group by contacting the Volunteer Department at Providence and "make a positive impact."

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