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Updated: 7:15 AM Feb 10, 2010
"Operation Snowball" Gets RMH Staff Into Work
Rockingham Memorial Hospital is gearing up for another round of winter weather with a program they call "Operation Snowball."
Posted: 5:41 PM Feb 9, 2010Reporter: McKinsey Harris Email Address: McKinsey.Harris@whsv.com |
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Rockingham Memorial Hospital is gearing up for another round of winter weather with a program they call "Operation Snowball."
From sleeping in the hospital to staying in hotel rooms, the staff is dedicated to their work at RMH.
But for those needing rides into work, there's a group of volunteers dedicated to do just that.
About six years ago Operation Snowball volunteer Jerry Scripture signed up to drive RMH staff into work during winter weather.
Scripture says he got quite a surprise this winter when he received his first call.
"It was like way early, 5 a.m. or something like that. I got a call from Kevin Bailey, and he said, 'How'd you like to pick some folks up and get them to work?' And I thought, 'Oh, this is what I volunteered for,'" says Scripture.
And after running his first route, Scripture says seeing the staff's commitment made it all worthwhile.
"The community has needs that this hospital's meeting. And it's the staff that make it go, and the people that are here committed. And if they're committed enough to want to be here to help people. the least I can do is use that fancy new SUV to help them get here," says Scripture.
Nursing Coordinator Jenny Walls says wintry road conditions have been an issue for some staff.
"Every department is, you know, needed. We can't function independently of each other, so we have to function as a team to get here," says Walls.
And for the staff that aren't sleeping at hotels or in the hospital, Walls says this program is a big help.
"It's wonderful. We wouldn't be able to function fully without them, because when the snow's really high and there's not public transportation and people maybe don't have 4-wheel drive, we depend on them to get people here," says Walls.
And with snow hitting the Valley until Wednesday, Scripture says he's okay with that.
"I never know, but I'm glad to go," says Scripture.
Scripture says he's noticed the number of people needing rides has gone down as staff starts to stay closer or even in the hospital to make it easier.
More than 100 staff members were sleeping in empty parts of the hospital during the most recent snow storm.
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