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Volume 140, Issue 43
www.Polkio.com
October 28, 2015
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Critical shortage of helpers
West Valley Hospital needs more volunteers, including Connections drivers
By Jolene Guzman
The Itemizer-Observer
WVH needs you
DALLAS — Patricia Lu-
canio has roamed the halls
of West Valley Hospital for 34
years.
She isn’t a doctor or nurse,
but a volunteer — and she’s
loved every minute of it.
“I don’t know what I
would have done if I had to
have retired and not done
this,” Lucanio said.
Now 91 years old, she has
doctor’s orders to step away
due to health concerns. She
plans to continue what
seems to be a calling for her
once she gets the OK. She
stops just short of guaran-
teeing a return.
“When the doctor says it’s
OK, maybe not as much,”
she explained. “I’ll do it, if I
have to do it one day a
month. Just keep going.”
West Valley Hospital
needs more of that kind of
dedication now as volunteer
ranks have fallen to a point
of “critical shortage.”
Jennifer Best, volunteer
services coordinator, said
the hospital only has 24 ac-
tive volunteers, down from
more than 70 a few years
ago.
“We had a lot of volun-
teers that were 70 and
(older),” Best said. “Over the
last few years, they’ve de-
clined in health, so they’ve
had to leave us.”
Best estimated that 85
percent of volunteers are of
retirement age or older and
now she needs new volun-
teers to fill the shoes of
those like Lucanio, who have
been forced to step down.
Volunteers are needed in
multiple departments to do
a number of jobs, from help-
ing with admissions, helping
patients navigate the hospi-
tal to doing clerical work.
Admitting, the emergency
West Valley Hospital is
looking for about 25 new
volunteers of all ages.
For more information
or to volunteer: contact
Jennifer Best at 503-623-
7311 or email jennifer.
best@salemhealth.org.
Also visit www.salem
health.org/about/volun-
teers.
DALLAS
Dallas approves re-
vamped economic de-
velopment strategy.
»Page 2A
FALLS CITY
department, rehabilitation,
and drivers for the Connec-
tions van are just a few areas
where extra help is needed.
The Connections van,
which picks up patients
without transportation, is in
especially critical need.
“That is a very unique
service for a hospital to have
a van that will go and pick
patients up,” Best said.
Volunteer applicants of
any age — from high school
students to retirees — are
welcome to apply.
As Lucanio tells it, volun-
teering at West Valley is a re-
warding experience.
“I love it. I like the people.
The staff at the hospital is
very, very nice and they are
always so good to you. And
the patients — hardly ever
do you meet a patient that is
unhappy,” she said, noting
some patients are afraid, but
volunteers need not be.
“It’s not scary at all,” she
said. “Once you start walk-
ing those halls, it just makes
you feel so good.”
Best added that for high
school or college students
interested in the medical
field, volunteering is valu-
able in the potential for
earning scholarships and
providing a first-hand look
at how medical profession-
als work.
Volunteering requires a
time commitment, typically
Falls City walking
bridge needs a helping
hand.
»Page 5A
INDEPENDENCE
Celebrate Dia de los
Muertos and honor
your deceased loved
ones.
»Page 2A
MONMOUTH
Western Oregon Uni-
versity cross-country
runners competed in
Great Northwest Athlet-
ic cross-country cham-
pionship on Saturday.
»Page 11A
EDUCATION
JOLENE GUZMAN/ Itemizer-Observer
Patricia Lucanio, 91, will have to slow down her volunteer service at West Valley Hos-
pital, doctor’s orders. She has “loved every minute” of her service at the hospital.
said the job requires people
to be reliable and compas-
sionate.
“It takes a really special
person to be a volunteer,”
Best said. “We go to work to
get a paycheck, and they
come here because of how it
makes their heart feel.”
See WVH, Page 6A
Dallas’ football team
defeated Lebanon 35-7
on Friday. The Dragons
have outscored their last
two opponents 55-7.
Adopt-a-Family
needs ‘adopters’
DALLAS — Holiday
program Dallas Adopt-
a-Family is searching for
families, agencies, or-
ganizations and busi-
nesses to “adopt” fami-
lies in need.
Those interested in
helping should call the
Dallas Adopt-a-Family
Committee at 503-507-
6269.
Families in need can
apply for the program
Nov. 16 through 20
from 4 to 6 p.m. or Nov.
21 from 2 to 4 p.m. at
the Academy Building,
182 SW Academy St.
Suite 220, Dallas. Bring
a current utility bill to
show Dallas address.
Adopt-a-Family
matches Dallas families
with local groups. Each
families receives a
Christmas dinner and
one gift for each child,
infant through 18.
LUKAS EGGEN/Itemizer-Observer
DAYS
PLANNING
FOR YOUR
WEEK
»Page 17A
»Page 12A
Central FFA’s Haunted
Caves promises thrills as
people explore rooms
filled with creepy dolls,
clowns, a deranged den-
tist, spiders and a straw
bale maze, where crazy
youths in masks are wait-
ing to chase you with
chain saws — completely
safe, of course. The caves
continue Friday and Satur-
day from 7 to 10 p.m. at
Central High School. Ad-
mission is $4, or $3 for stu-
dents with an associated
student body ID card. FFA
students await around
every turn to ensure your
Halloween experience is a
spooky one, lurking in
corners and hallways to
give you a good fright, all
in the name of a good
time — and a good cause.
Money goes to help sup-
port Central FFA students
through scholarships and
to help pay for their pro-
grams.
7
Meet the Cavy Queen
Emily Roberts, a junior
at Dallas High School,
as she heads to national
competitions with her
rabbits.
SPORTS
at least one three-hour shift
per week. Schedules can be
flexible, with daytime and
evening shifts available.
In addition to time, Best
Night of the Living Dolls
THE NEXT
IN
YOUR
TOWN
wed
thu
fri
sat
Learn about the ef-
forts to restore the
Willamette River at a
showing of the ilm,
“Upriver” at Western
Oregon University.
6:30 p.m. Free.
Do some early holi-
day shopping and
support West Valley
Hospital’s scholar-
ship program at the
Books are Fun fair.
8 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
Step back in time for
a medieval adven-
ture at Kingdomfest.
The event includes
games and candy.
It’s Halloween and
the last chance to
buy fresh veggies
and fruit from the
farmers markets in
Independence.
9 a.m.-2 p.m. Free.
Showers
Hi: 61
Lo: 50
Partly Cloudy
Hi: 61
Lo: 49
Showers
Hi: 60
Lo: 54
5:30-7:30 p.m. Free.
Showers
Hi: 62
Lo: 50
sun
Don’t forget to set
your clocks back as
Daylight Savings
Time ends, and
check the batteries
in your smoke de-
tectors.
Thunderstorms
Hi: 58
Lo: 43
mon
tue
It’s never too late to
learn an instrument.
Join the New Hori-
zon’s Orchestra each
week at Central
High School.
6:30 p.m. $25/month.
Why wait until after
the holidays to start
dropping those un-
wanted pounds?
TOPS meets weekly
in Dallas.
6-7 p.m. Free.
Showers
Hi: 54
Lo: 37
Partly Cloudy
Hi: 55
Lo: 38