Nogales, Arizona

Volunteers

Volunteers are crucial to all Clinic activities. This section features non-health care volunteers. Our volunteers are dedicated to the children. Some have been volunteers with The Clinic for 30 years or as little as a year. They keep coming back because of the good they see happening at The Clinic and how the patients are helped. We feature 6 volunteers here and will rotate through our volunteers every month or so. Please check back often to learn about our volunteers. New faces added April, 2012

	Georgina Montiel is a volunteer interpreter in the Vision Department. She lives in Rio Rico and has volunteered less than 1 year. “I think I’ll be here every month for as long as God lets me. I’m Hispanic, and seeing the Anglos donate their time in such a happy way makes me feel obligated and actually makes me feel bad that I didn’t do it before. It’s just tremendous the work that is done here.”
The Rev. Lucie Thomas is Rector of St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church where the Clinic is located. She has been a volunteer interpreter in the Orthopedics Department for 8 years.  She helps parents complete the necessary forms for trips to Shriners Hospitals for patient surgeries. “I think The Clinic does wonderful work. We have a great bunch of volunteers and wonderful patients. The parents who get them here and do the therapies and other things the patients need between visits are admirable.
	Martha Paz y Puente has been a volunteer interpreter in the Vision Department for 1½ years. She is from Mexico and currently resides in Nogales, AZ with her husband who is the Mexican Consul General. “The Clinic is beautiful—the best thing that has ever happened to me. I translate for the doctors, get intakes, and see that people go out feeling like a new person.”
Lynne Nelson volunteers with tour groups. She helps organize the tours, shows The Clinic video and hands out packets to tour groups. She welcomes people and gets them excited about going on a tour. “I just like that I can give a little bit of my time, and the people here are wonderful and the children are so absolutely glorious with their smiling faces.”
	Marjorie Ruse has been a volunteer for 10 years. She works in the Produce Distribution area where she sorts and bags produce that is donated by the local Food Bank for patients and their families. “I just love helping the kids and the camaraderie.”
Brian Connolly has been a volunteer for about 4 years. He arrives about 7:00 a.m. and gets things from the storage shed or unloads cars and trucks—whatever people need help with. “I like helping the kids and just seeing the kids and despite their problems they all seem to be happy. Working here gives me satisfaction”