On April 22, East Cooper Regional Medical Center hosted a luncheon for hospital volunteers in honor of National Volunteer Week. The week of April 17-23 honors all volunteers, not just hospital volunteers.

Doug and Mary Thomas of Isle of Palms have been volunteering at East Cooper Regional Medical Center since 2001. Together they have accumulated more than 2,100 hours of volunteer service.

"Volunteering is very satisfying to my wife and me. It's fun, and we feel appreciated, not only by the patients, but also by the nurses, physicians and employees," Doug Thomas said. "It's a good feeling to know we may help contribute to the friendly atmosphere at East Cooper."

During National Volunteer Week, ECRMC held an event each day to thank the volunteers for the many hours of service they contribute. Monday's event was a continental breakfast. Tuesday was movie day, complete with popcorn, candy and sodas. Wednesday was an ice cream social, and Thursday was bingo. The Friday event was a gourmet luncheon served to the volunteers by members of the hospital's administrative team.

Shirley Nilsen, community relations and volunteer coordinator at East Cooper Regional Medical Center, said, "Volunteers play a vital role in providing quality care to our patients. They work throughout the hospital -- helping nurses, transporting patients and serving as coordinators for the surgical waiting area. They also manage the hospital gift shop and use all the profits to benefit local charities and student scholarships."

East Cooper Regional Medical Center, part of Tenet South Carolina, is a 100-bed acute care hospital located at 1200 Johnnie Dodds Boulevard in Mt. Pleasant, S.C. The hospital has been serving the medical and health care needs of the greater Mt. Pleasant community since 1986. To learn more about East Cooper Regional Medical Center, visit www.eastcoopermedctr.com