Tony Sousa of Bar Harbor was named Mount Desert Island Hospital’s 2012 Volunteer of the Year in recognition of his contributions to the community. Sousa received the award at MDI Hospital’s Annual Volunteer Celebration on June 28 at the Bar Harbor Regency Stone House.
For more than five years, Sousa has brought his talents for music to Birch Bay Retirement Village and the Don and Beth Straus Center. “Tony is one of the most talented and giving persons that I have had the pleasure of knowing,” said Diehl Snyder, MD, who presented the award and is a close friend of Sousa’s. “He loves music and shares it to lift spirits, calm troubled waters, and build connections with everyone around him.”
In addition to presenting the Volunteer of the Year Award, Thursday’s event celebrated the superlative contributions made by MDI Hospital’s 290 volunteers. “Our volunteers give of themselves selflessly and provide an invaluable service to our organization and the community,” said Brenda Sprague, MDI Hospital’s volunteer coordinator. “Many of our volunteers are also supportive of other organizations, which is a testament to their commitment to our community.”
According to Sprague, volunteers contributed 5,052 hours throughout the organization. Volunteers support MDI Hospital directly, the MDI Hospital Auxiliary, Birch Bay Retirement Village, the Don and Beth Straus Center in Southwest Harbor, on boards and committees, and on therapy dog teams. And while their tasks may vary, their role is single focused: to support the hospital organization provide care for the people of the greater Mount Desert Island community.
The MDI Hospital Organization welcomes volunteers from students to seniors and everyone in between. To learn how you can get involved, contact Brenda Sprague at 288-5082, ext. 1198.