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Mark J. Mundy, president and CEO of New York Methodist Hospital, addresses award winners at NYM's Annual Volunteer Recognition Ceremony.

On April 26th, the New York Methodist Hospital (NYM) board of trustees, Hospital administration, staff and friends gathered with hundreds of NYM volunteers for the Annual Volunteer Recognition Ceremony. The ceremony celebrated the contribution of NYM's 1,232 volunteers, a number breaking the previous year's record. All told, those volunteers gave almost 100,000 hours of their time to NYM in 2011, and over 40,000 of those hours were spent in direct contact with patients.

"Being a volunteer here goes above and beyond the call of duty," said Mark J. Mundy, president and CEO of NYM. "That you've chosen to dedicate yourselves to New York Methodist speaks to that inner core, to that sense of self, and to what life is all about."

The theme of the evening was A World of Diversity: One Purpose, and emphasized the wide array of backgrounds and experiences that the volunteers have brought to the Hospital in pursuit of a common mission. Volunteers at NYM come from all walks of life, and collectively speak over 26 languages and dialects.

The evening included an awards presentation that spotlighted the service of several outstanding volunteers.

The Partners in Nursing Award was presented by Joann Amitrano, R.N., and Kathleen Treacy, R.N., vice presidents for nursing at NYM, to Mona Afable. Ms. Afable, a Bedford-Stuyvesant resident, is a former ballerina and future R.N., and discovered that nursing was her true calling through years of volunteering at New York Methodist.

The Community Spirit Award was presented by Steven Silber, D.O., vice president for medical affairs, to Nicole Sciarrillo. Ms. Sciarrillo, who lives in Carroll Gardens, was instrumental in expanding NYM's Sparks of Life program, which seeks to brighten a patient's day by bringing musicians, singers, magicians, yoga instructors, puppeteers, and other artists to volunteer their time and talents at NYM.

The Extraordinary Commitment Award was presented by Colleen McManus, vice president, to Mindy Dowd. Ms. Dowd lives in Kensington, and has given over 800 hours of her time to NYM since 2009, volunteering in multiple departments.

The New York Methodist Medical Board Award for Volunteer Impact was presented by Emil Baccash, M.D., medical board president, to Zoya Grigoryan, Tahreem Javed, Elizabeth Ceci, and Liza Cervantes, all volunteers in NYM's Health Literacy program. They reside on the Upper West Side, Flatbush, Bensonhurst, and Greenpoint respectively, and as volunteers, present health-related information in various NYM waiting rooms, empowering patients to manage their health in a more informed way.

The Emergency Room Award for Excellence was presented by Michael McDougall, R.N., emergency department nurse manager, to Anna Biele Fischer, a Windsor Terrace resident. As a volunteer in NYM's Project Contact program, Ms. Fisher supported the Emergency Department team, and credits the program with solidifying her decision to pursue a career in medicine.

The New York Methodist Auxiliary Award for Outstanding Service by a High School Student was presented by Joan DePrizio, president of the auxiliary, to Mohammed Sadic. Mr. Sadic, a Brooklyn Tech student, lives in Kensington and stood out at NYM with his unforgettable conversations and moments with many patients and professional staff.

New York Methodist Hospital encourages all interested individuals to apply for volunteer opportunities at the Hospital.