For Dottie Herr, volunteering is a way to spend time with people, all while doing something for your community. “It’s an opportunity to give back.”
From State College, Pa., Dottie is a former registered nurse. She received her degree from Harrisburg Polyclinic Hospital School of Nursing and worked at Centre Crest for most of her career. After retiring, Dottie volunteered briefly at the food bank in Bellefonte alongside her husband before needing to prioritize babysitting her grandchildren. Then, two years ago, she came across an email from Monique Behrer, Volunteer Resources Supervisor at Mount Nittany Health — an email looking for volunteers. “When I decided to go back and do some volunteer work, I decided to go back to the hospital instead. I don’t regret it. I really enjoy what I’m doing here.”
Dottie is a Patient Floor Volunteer. She assists the unit clerks in picking up needed items, including delivering flowers to patients, noting which equipment may need re-sterilized, and helping with other tasks. She walks on and between patient floors to ensure staff have what they need.
She especially enjoys working with the Volunteer Pet Therapy Program. Once a week, Dottie pairs up with Kristi and her therapy dog Max, a friendly yellow lab, to visit patient rooms. Dottie will knock and ask patients if they would like a pet therapy visit. “I have the most interaction with the patients through the Pet Therapy program. I enjoy that the most,” Dottie shared.
After an hour of patient visits, the trio breaks for lunch, visiting with staff to ensure team members are able to see Max. “People love the dogs. They bring a smile to a lot of people’s faces.”
Training new volunteers is also part of Dottie’s role. Many new volunteers are college students associated with the medical field. Dottie doesn’t have any trouble training the students and they quickly become familiar faces around the hospital alongside other team members.
For others that may be considering volunteering, Dottie encouraged, “It’s a socialization and a way to do something for your community. It’s both.”
Dottie joined the Mount Nittany Health family in March 2024. Since then, she’s accumulated over 400 volunteer hours.
Please join us in thanking Dottie and the rest of our volunteers for their dedication and immeasurable contributions to our health system. By supporting our organization and enhancing the patient experience, their work ultimately strengthens our mission, “Healthier people, strong community.”
If you or someone you know is interested in becoming a volunteer, visit mountnittany.org/volunteer. Questions can be directed to Monique Behrer, Volunteer Resources Supervisor, at mtb0523@mountnittany.org.