LOVELOCK - The Pershing County Volunteer Program logged 6,336 volunteer hours from July 1, 2012, to March 29, 2013. The volunteers were recognized with a cupcake social on April 23 at the Pershing County Community Center.
The PCVP provides volunteers for six areas within Pershing County: the Pershing County Senior Center, Pershing General Hospital and Nursing Home, Pershing County Library, Pershing County Cemetery Board and the Marzen House Museum.
PCVP Director Bonnie Stockman said there are 82 volunteers registered with the program. She was encouraged by the amount of volunteers.
"This is twice the number of volunteers we had five years ago," she told the group attending the social. "But we can always use more. So tell your friends."
Among other speakers at the event was Pershing County Safety Coordinator Pam Munk, who spoke to the attendees about the importance of work place safety.
Volunteerism is so important to the functioning of the county that Pershing County commissioners signed a proclamation declaring April 21-27 as National Volunteer Week in Pershing County.
Commissioner Carol Shank expressed the county's gratitude to the group during the social.
"The county is so appreciative of the service you provide. We wouldn't be able to provide these services if it were not for you. These services would not be available if the county had to pay for them," Shank told the volunteers.
Using minimum wage, the value of the hours that volunteers have provided would have cost $52,272, she said.
"We know you are worth a lot more than minimum wage," Shank said.
Volunteers gave 597 hours of their time to Pershing General Hospital and Nursing Home between July 1, 2012, and March 29, 2013. Barbara Knisley logged in the most hours with 135.
Library volunteers spent 759 hours working at the library. Library volunteer Mandy Springer logged in 716 of those hours.
"I volunteer here because I'm obsessed with books. I can feed my addiction here. People should volunteer where they have a passion. Get out of the house and do something," Springer said.
The Marzen House Museum had 278 hours of volunteer time, with Tom Stoker putting in 51 of those hours.
The Pershing County Cemetery Board recorded 121 volunteer hours, with Loa Long having 78 of those hours.
The Lovelock Community Food Bank, which also provides help with the Northern Nevada Commodities, used 2,096 volunteer hours. Penny Higby provided 499 hours. Higby said she started by doing paperwork for the food bank and "it just mushroomed from there."
"I think it has a lot to do with how you were raised. I volunteer; that's just what I do," Higby said.
The Pershing County Senior Center reported the most hours of all entities with 2,920. Ashley Hemp provide the most hours of the 30 volunteers at the center with 356. Hemp has volunteered at the center for six years. She also volunteers at the Lovelock Elementary School.
"It feels good to volunteer. It's like my job," Hemp said.
After announcing the hours volunteered and recognizing the top volunteers, Stockman said, "Ladies and gentlemen, you've done a lot this year."
In a later interview, Stockman said the PCVP still needs more volunteers.
"We've accomplished so much with these volunteers. Just think of what we can do with more. We always need more," Stockman said.
To find out more information about volunteering with the PCVP, call Stockman at the Pershing County Public Health Nurse's office at 273-2041.
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