Leaders with Dowagiac’s Borgess-Lee Memorial Hospital recently honored the men and women who give up their time to help tend to community’s sick and injured.

The local hospital hosted its annual Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon last Thursday, in conjunction with National Volunteer Week, which took place April 23 through 29. Borgess-Lee COO John Ryder and Volunteer Coordinator Beth Cripe recognized the hospital’s volunteers for their service and awarded several of the veteran volunteers with the President’s Volunteer Service Award for their years of duty.

The award, created by President George W. Bush in 2003, is given to individuals, families or groups who volunteer for hundreds or thousands of hours over their lifetimes. Borgess-Lee is one of 14,000 organizations certified by the President’s Council to hand out the award.

Receiving the award Thursday were:

Bronze Service Award (100 cumulative service hours)

• Marge Rambow

Silver Service Award (250 cumulative service hours)

• Pat Franz

• Marty Kaszar

• Ada Springsteen

Gold Service Award (500 cumulative service hours)

• Gladys Smith

Lifetime Achievement Award (4,000 cumulative service hours)

• Bernie Laymon

The volunteers received an official President’s Volunteer Service Award lapel pin, a personalized certificate of achievement, a congratulatory letter from the president and a letter from the President’s Council on Service & Civic Participation.

The hospital currently has 34 active volunteers. Last year, people donated 2,923.25 hours of service to the hospital, volunteering in the surgery/SCU waiting room, the lobby desk, oncology department, emergency department and patient room visitation, ordering for and managing the gift shop and bake sales.

The Dowagiac Union High School choir, directed by Jeff Robinson, provided entertainment during the luncheon.