Dorrie Aber-Noyek first became a volunteer at Memorial Regional Hospital because she wanted to do whatever she could to help. That was 33 years ago and, now, at the age of 101, the Hallandale resident has logged thousands of hours of volunteer service.

Every Thursday morning, Dorrie arrives like clockwork to deliver the mail throughout four floors of the hospital. “She moves faster than many of us half her age,” joked David Reinmund, Director of Volunteer Services for the Memorial Healthcare System’s Eastern Operations. “We are very lucky to have her as a part of our team. ”

Volunteer Dorrie Aber-Noyek receives 100th birthday congratulations from David Reinmund, Director of Volunteer Services, Eastern Operations, and Debbie Tedder, Chief Nursing Officer, Memorial Regional Hospital.

Dorrie says she really enjoys her time as a volunteer “courier” and feels that just as much as she has given, she has gotten back much more. One of the big benefits, according to Dorrie, is the people she has gotten to know through the years and the friends she has made. Many of them came out to celebrate her 100th birthday last year at the hospital.

Volunteers of All Ages

Throughout the Memorial Healthcare System, there are more than 1,000 volunteers on record at any time. While a majority are retired adults like Dorrie, there also are large groups of teens and college students.

Among the long-time volunteers are even a number of couples. They play an integral role in day-to-day operations by handling the refreshment cart, delivering mail, working the information center and even bringing in their dogs as part of Memorial Regional Hospital’s Pet Therapy program.

That’s the point, according to Reinmund. “We want all of our volunteers to feel like they’re a part of our professional healthcare team,” he said. “They are here to do what’s right for our patients and their families.”