February 16, 2007
Call him “Mr.” President
1st male leads GMC-Davenport Auxiliary
DAVENPORT, IOWA - It’s hopelessly outdated to refer to the pink-smocked Auxilians as the “pink ladies” of Genesis Medical Center, Davenport.
Not only are there blue-smocked men among their ranks, there’s a man at the Auxilian helm for the first time in the century-old history of Genesis and its predecessor hospitals.
“Mr. President” is Gary Jessen of Davenport. He’s bringing a new view to an Auxiliary that already has earned honors as the top fund-raising auxiliary in Iowa and raised more than $1 million for Operating Room and automated medication-dispensing technology. He’s one of only several male hospital auxiliary presidents in Iowa, says the Iowa Hospital Association.
Jessen, a 56-year-old former production supervisor on disability retirement, is now using his managerial talents to lead 364 tireless Auxilians whose volunteer services range from running gifts shops, assembling admitting packets, greeting visitors, arranging flowers and stationing surgical waiting rooms. The Auxilians – along with the 878 other volunteers at the hospital’s two Davenport campuses – are crucial to the success at Genesis.
“I’ve taken some ribbing, but the female Auxilians have been very supportive and treated me as their equal. It has been a really good experience,” Jessen says. “They are wonderful volunteers who put in so many hours. I know the hospital couldn’t do without them.”
Jessen began volunteering at the hospital in January 2003, shortly after he left the workforce because of emphysema. He discovered he couldn’t stay home for long. Today, in addition to his duties as Auxiliary president, he co-chairs the Family Lounge on the East Rusholme Street Campus. There, he and other volunteers become the communication link for families awaiting word of loved ones who are in surgery.
It’s a very big task, said Sandy Hull, who manages the volunteer force at Genesis Medical Center, Davenport. “There are a lot of tears and anxieties in the Family Lounge, and many times people will pace up and down the halls,” Hull says. “The volunteers do what they can do to keep the families reassured and try to relieve their anxieties as much as possible. They’re constantly working to make sure those families are very comfortable.”
Even though Jessen insists he brings no distinctively male qualities as president, Hull says differently. He and other men make up about 10 percent of the Auxiliary, a change from years past when membership was an entirely female domain.
“When we were looking for a President-Elect, we kept hearing that Gary was doing such a good job and we thought ‘Why not bring a man on board to bring something different to the plate?’” Hull says. “He’s more direct, and has brought another aspect to the thinking of the Auxiliary. Members have welcomed him, and he’s done an excellent job of bringing the East and West campuses together.”
The Auxiliary of Genesis Medical Center, Davenport was born from the unified auxiliaries of predecessors Mercy and St. Luke's hospitals. It has been Jessen’s goal to further motivate and unify members, some of whom have volunteered for decades at either of the two hospital campuses. He also hopes to attract younger recruits in the face of an aging pool of Auxilians.
“I have experience in the role of a supervisor, but when you’re leading volunteers it’s totally different because they don’t get paid,” Jessen says. “If you make their situation too uncomfortable they’re not going to stay. I’m always trying to find ways to motivate people in the right direction.”
Volunteer commitment and dedication are plentiful at the Illini and DeWitt campuses, too. Anyone from teens to seniors can make a difference in the lives of patients and visitors. For more information on volunteering, call:
Davenport, (563) 421-2186; DeWitt, (563) 659-4215; or the Illini Campus at (309) 792-4218.
###
