It is said that America's spirit is most evident in its volunteers. The giving of one's time and effort is undoubtedly admirable, but in a hospital setting filled with raw emotions that range from joyous to heart-rending, the volunteer spirit means even more.

The Valley Health System depends heavily on its volunteer corps, and it is with great pride that we feature three remarkable people who have spent thousands of hours making what can be a frightening experience bearable and comfortable.

These volunteers do not receive monetary compensation, but they agree that what they receive in return for their time is even more precious -- the knowledge that they have made a difference.

Marlene Homer/Valley Hospital
Retired college history professor Marlene Homer has logged more than 7,700 volunteer hours since 1995, when she decided to become a volunteer after witnessing the compassion of a Valley Hospital nurse.

You can find Valley Hospital volunteer Marlene Homer at the hospital's main information desk three days a week.

When Marlene's mother was taken to the hospital's emergency department, Marlene overheard a person asking a nurse for refuge from the cold. With both kindness and dignity, the nurse offered assistance. It was then Marlene decided to become a Valley Hospital volunteer.

Today you'll find her behind the hospital's main information desk three days a week, greeting visitors, giving directions, chatting with patients waiting for their rides home, assembling the paperwork necessary for various medical charts and working on special projects.

Marlene's dedication to her hospital volunteer career is rather ironic considering how many times she's been a patient throughout the years. Born with cerebral palsy, she's undergone numerous painful surgeries since birth.

She now depends on a walker for mobility, but attitude is everything and the same spirit and courage that surfaced when she refused to be sentenced to a wheelchair keeps her coming back for her shifts at Valley Hospital.

In her position, Marlene's face is often the first that greets visitors. And while you may not recognize her from the photo on this page, just look for the mile-wide smile, listen for the cheerful "hello" and know that someone remarkable is waiting to help.

Mary King/Summerlin Hospital
Volunteerism has been a lifelong mission for Mary King. Beginning at the age of 13, Mary assisted in Red Cross efforts that gave her not only the desire to continue helping others, but also the desire to become a nurse.

In 2001, Summerlin Hospital volunteer Mary King received the Nevada Hospital Association's Award for Excellence in Volunteerism.

While Mary never did become a nurse, she has perhaps made an even greater impact by volunteering more than 3,400 hours at Summerlin Hospital.

Mary's influence on the hospital predates the hospital itself, as she worked on a volunteer steering committee prior to the facility's 1997 opening. Since then, she has served for three years as volunteer auxiliary president and worked closely with the public in several different departments.

Although Mary seeks no recognition for her efforts, she has not gone unnoticed. In 2001, she received the Nevada Hospital Association's Award for Excellence in Volunteerism. Her involvement in dozens of hospital efforts, ranging from the Salvation Army's Angel Tree program to fund-raising bake sales to Cancer Survivor's Day, made her a more than deserving recipient.

Mary says it's the people she is able to help that make her volunteer time so rewarding. An incident in which she helped a proud new father find bubblegum cigars, even though the hospital gift shop did not carry them, stands out in her mind. Another is her assistance to a patient's family unable to afford a hot meal.

Mary's learned a lot about people through her years at the hospital, but the best part of volunteering is what she's learned about herself along the way. "Volunteering gives you insight into what other people experience," she says. "And it gives me a better appreciation of the life I have."

And finally she admitted that on top of it all, there's been an additional, unexpected bonus to dedicating her time. "Making people happy keeps me feeling young," she says.

Jessica Dreyfuss/Desert Springs Hospital
Fourteen years ago, Jessica Dreyfuss sat in Desert Springs Hospital's surgical waiting room anxious for her brother's procedure to conclude. She was nervous and frightened even through she had been in similar situations before. Her husband had undergone numerous surgeries over the years in their native California.

Desert Springs Hospital volunteer Jessica Dreyfuss says, "My priority in life is people."

Her brother's procedure was a success and her relief at the news fueled a decision that would lead to more than 3,900 hours spent helping others in the same circumstance.

Jessica volunteers in the hospital's surgical department. "Someone needs to be there to help people through tough times," she says. "Whether it's holding hands with families or joking with anxious patients before their procedures, I do what I can to help."

She's seen a lot at her post, but several widely different instances stand out in her mind. She once had to act quickly in the waiting room to help a young child who was accidentally burned by a parent's hot coffee. She remembers holding and comforting a mother devastated by the death of her daughter. And now, many years later, she tells with a smile the story of how she held the hand of a prominent local physician who was nervous prior to a minor, scheduled procedure, proving that doctors are just people, too.

"My priority in life is people," Jessica says. "Bringing satisfaction and happiness to people gives me the same satisfaction and happiness. It's simple. Volunteering brings out the best in me."

Seeing the best brought out in Jessica soon affected her husband. "He was a copycat. He went out and volunteered, too," she says. "Volunteerism is contagious. I like to spread the good word."

Jessica is happy not only to spread the good word about volunteering, but also about the nurses and surgical technicians working with her at Desert Springs Hospital.

"What I do is nothing compared to the miracles that these people perform," she says. "It always surprises me how many people in pre-op say that they demanded to be taken to Desert Springs for whatever they need done. It makes me proud."

Pride and satisfaction are the rewards of volunteering for Jessica, who summed up why she spends so much time at the hospital despite an active retired lifestyle.

"After my shift on the way out, people will often thank me profusely," she says. "They'll shake my hand. They'll hug me. And although I wasn't in the operating room, it doesn't matter. I go home feeling like I'm wearing a halo and wings."

How to Become a Volunteer
It's easy to become a volunteer within the Valley Health System. Follow these three easy steps:

A. Choose a hospital at which you would like to volunteer your time.

Desert Springs Hospital: Located at 2075 E. Flamingo Road on the city's east side between Eastern Avenue and Maryland Parkway.

Summerlin Hospital: Located at 657 Town Center Drive just west of Summerlin Parkway and adjacent to Hualapai Avenue.

Valley Hospital: At 620 Shadow Lane, centrally located, close to downtown and near the corner of Shadow Lane and Charleston Boulevard.

B. Visit the front information desk of the hospital of your choice and fill out a volunteer application form or visit the hospital websites.

C. A few days after you've completed the application, the volunteer director from the respective hospital will contact you to conduct an informal interview.

For more information on becoming a volunteer, please call or visit:

Desert Springs Hospital
894-5601 www.desertspringshospital.net

Summerlin Hospital
233-7532 www.summerlinhospital.org


Valley Hospital
388-4668
www.valleyhospital.net

And beginning this fall, volunteer opportunities will be available at Spring Valley Hospital, the fourth Valley Health System hospital, currently under construction in southwest Las Vegas at Rainbow Boulevard and Hacienda Avenue. Visit www.springvalleyhospital.net for more information.

The Valley Health System c/o Valley Hospital Medical Center 620 Shadow Lane Las Vegas, NV 89106