Rainy Rose named Volunteer of the Year
by Michael BakerPublic Relations
Every week, on Tuesday and Friday, Rainy Rose checks in at the Volunteer Services office and makes a beeline to see her babies.
For five years, Rose has volunteered at the newborn, neo-natal, and special care units at MUSC. She still approaches each day with the same enthusiasm as her first, when she delivered a bundle of homemade blankets to the babies in the Special Care unit.
“I saw a woman, cradling a baby, wearing this blue jacket,” Rose said, pointing to the garment she now wears each day, “and I knew I wanted to volunteer. I’ve never regretted that decision.”
Ann
Edwards, left, and last year's winner Betty Adams, present Rainy Rose with
her Volunteer of the Year jacket.
Everyone at MUSC is grateful for her choice, too. Rose was named the 2002-03 Ann D. Edwards MUSC Volunteer of the Year for her remarkable displays of compassion, integrity, and generosity during her work with the university. Edwards, the former First Lady of MUSC, personally presented the award.
The honor took Rose by surprise, and she was visibly moved upon receiving the winner’s embroidered Volunteer of the Year jacket and an engraved silver plate.
“I still can’t believe it,” she laughed. “To tell you the truth, I came within a hair of sleeping in that jacket last night.”
Rose makes it a point to spend time with the babies who have no one else to care for them. She said that the most rewarding part of her efforts at Volunteer Services was bringing a bit of comfort to those in pain. After all, she is no stranger to hardship.
About three years ago, Rose was diagnosed with breast cancer and had to take a year off from her volunteering activities. Her focus never strayed, however, and she was determined to get well. More importantly, Rose wanted to get back to the Tuesday group, a handful of volunteers who met while donating their time to MUSC and have since become close friends. Rose credited her fellow volunteers with helping her through the difficult time.
“They are some marvelous women,” Rose said. “Being able to work with them is the best medicine in the world.”
Susanne Banks, the director of Volunteer Services, praised Rose for her attention to the little things in life. She recalled how Rose is just as happy stuffing envelopes as she is rocking a baby to sleep, and how she always makes handmade Christmas presents for the other members of the Tuesday group. Rose even makes sure to give everyone a kiss goodbye before she leaves at the end of the day.
“She truly cares about each and every person at the hospital,” Banks said.
Perhaps what is most admirable about Rose is that she doesn’t see anything unusual about what she does for the babies at MUSC and for her friends at Volunteer Services.
“It’s simple, really,” Rose said. “When it comes down to it, it’s all about one thing: love.”
The 2003 Volunteer of the Year Award was presented as part of MUSC’s annual Volunteer Awards Banquet, which recognizes all of those who volunteer their services at the university. MUSC President Ray Greenberg, M.D., Ph.D., and his wife, Leah, were also on hand to present the “Bee-Loved” volunteer awards, and the evening ended with a video tribute to America and to all of the volunteers at MUSC.
The banquet was made possible by fundraisers including the Gold Coast
Promotions jewelry sale and the arts and crafts sales.
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