Honored last week for their hours volunteering, members of the Hugh Chatham Memorial Hospital Auxiliary received service awards.

Every 100 hours spent helping through volunteering are counted and recognized at the luncheon event, hosted this year during national volunteer week.

There were so many volunteers attending the awards luncheon that extra tables and chairs had to be added to the venue at Elkin First Baptist Church.

"There is no better way to celebrate than with this large a turnout," Patricia Wagoner, director of Volunteer Services said of the record-breaking number of volunteers present last week. "It speaks volumes about the hospital, community and the spirit of volunteering."

Wagoner went on to describe the ceremony as only a small way to show how much the hospital appreciated the Auxiliary's efforts. Betty Cockerham, the Auxiliary President, expressed her pride and gratitude as well.

"You help offer, not just physical care, but loving care as well," Cockerham said.

The guest speaker of the event was Ricky Bowman, Surry and Stokes County District Attorney. Wagoner, who worked with Bowman in her first career within the judicial system, said she asked Bowman to speak because he knew first hand the importance of volunteerism.

Bowman, whose wife works at the lab at Hugh Chatham, told the gathering about his family and personal experiences with volunteering. He spoke about the decades he's lived through, and points in time when the ideas behind volunteering were fading.

"The 1980s seemed, for a time, to have a downward swing," Bowman said. "But the 90's picked up whether from the economic prosperity or the greatest generation retiring."

Bowman said that in his profession he had regular contact with the worst society has to offer without fear.

"Yet when I go to the hospital I'm scared to death," Bowman said. "I'm afraid at the very place that is there to help people. It's you people that take the fear away with a smile, kind word and care."

The board of trustees was unable to attend the luncheon because of a schedule conflict but passed on their appreciation through Wagoner at the end of the ceremony.

"As we go through our hospital renovations, you'll be more and more vital in directing our visitors, a very important roll," Wagoner quoted CEO Stephen Pennington.

Ninety-three volunteers were presented with pins for their hours of volunteering at the hospital. One member receiving his first 100 hour recognition was Logan Freeman, a 15-year-old junior volunteer who took off school to come to the luncheon. He started at the hospital through a school program and stayed on the rest of the year because he said he enjoyed it.

"It says a lot about our youth," Wagoner said of his dedication.

On the opposite end of the spectrum Grace Lafoon was honored for over 2,300 hours and was one of the original charter members of the Auxiliary when it was founded in 1952.

"Giving back to the community is so worth while," Lafoon said after the luncheon. "You get to meet a lot of good people doing it."