Honoring Kenmore Mercy Hospital's longest serving volunteer

Gerry Petko knows a thing or two about volunteering. She has been a volunteer at Kenmore Mercy Hospital for a very long time and says "I enjoyed every minute of it" adding "I don't know where the time went." While the hospital has hundreds of volunteers and each is special, Gerry Petko is a little extra special. She counts her year of service in decades. Jerry started volunteering in 1957. This month she is celebrating her 60th year as a Kenmore Mercy Hospital volunteer. In those early years, Gerry says volunteers did everything, fashion shows, information desk, she says "we had a snack bar in the basement that kept us real busy." These days Gerry does her volunteer work from home, knitting and crocheting items that are sold by the hospital auxiliary. Her best seller is her "no-sew blankets" which she admits "sell like hotcakes." One thing she gets in return she says with a chuckle is "sanity." Many things have changed in Gerry Petko's six decades at Kenmore Mercy Hospital, but what hasn't changed is the bright smile she shares and her willingness to freely give her time and talent. You can find out more about the volunteer program at the Catholic Health website.