Dottie Herr began volunteering with Mount Nittany Health just over a year ago. Although she started the process back in 2019, the COVID-19 pandemic delayed her plans as the hospital temporarily paused its volunteer program. When she received an email last spring about the renewed need for volunteers, she jumped at the opportunity.
With her grandchildren now older and more independent, Dottie sought something meaningful to fill her time. Having spent most of her adult life working in healthcare, the hospital felt like a natural place to give back.
“It’s a good feeling to know my presence is helping the nursing staff, and I’m providing a service,” Dottie shares. “I’ve had the opportunity to meet new people, and I’m enjoying the socialization volunteering has provided.”
Dottie has served in many areas throughout the hospital. On patient floors, she supports unit clerks, transports items to and from medical records, assists with equipment deliveries, and runs items to the lab and dialysis unit. She also ensures the main desk is stocked with wheelchairs, helps deliver flowers, assists with patient discharges, and guides visitors to their destinations.
However, one of her favorite roles is with the hospital’s pet therapy program. “The hospital currently has 11 dogs visiting on various days of the week,” she explains. “I am the lead volunteer for Max, who is a golden retriever, and his owner. I really enjoy visiting patients with the dogs and the interaction with the patients. It is amazing how much a visit from one of the dogs brightens the patients as well as the staff and visitors.”
Dottie frequently steps in to help with other therapy dogs if their lead volunteers are unavailable. “’You just made my day’ is a statement we often hear after a visit from one of the dogs from not only patients but staff as well,” she adds.
Her background in healthcare played a significant role in her decision to volunteer. As a registered nurse with many years of experience, primarily in long-term care, Dottie understands firsthand the value volunteers bring to the medical environment.
“That definitely had something to do with my decision to volunteer at the hospital,” she says. “I recognize the importance of volunteers in helping the medical staff provide care to the patients, and it’s an environment I feel comfortable in.”
Dottie hopes her volunteer work helps alleviate some of the burden on the nursing staff. “The areas where I volunteer and services I provide are leaving the nursing staff free to provide better care to the patients,” she says. “I love to see the smiles from patients and staff when visiting with Max or one of the other pet therapy dogs. If the visit keeps a patient’s mind off their medical issues, if only for a short time, then the visit from Max or one of the other therapy dogs is serving its purpose.” She also hears from nurses that the therapy dog visits help reduce their stress levels—something she experiences as well.
When asked what advice she’d give to someone considering volunteering at Mount Nittany Health, Dottie doesn’t hesitate: “Get involved! It gives a sense of providing a service to the community as well as a sense of fulfillment that I’m helping in some small way.”
Mount Nittany Health is deeply grateful for dedicated volunteers like Dottie, whose compassion and experience make a meaningful impact every day. Her willingness to step in wherever needed, her connection with patients and staff through pet therapy, and her understanding of the healthcare environment exemplify the spirit of service that strengthens the hospital community.
If you see Dottie volunteering, stop and say hello—she is always eager to share a smile and a kind word. Volunteers like Dottie enhance the quality of care and bring warmth and a sense of humanity that resonate throughout the halls of Mount Nittany Health.
To learn more about volunteering with Mount Nittany Health, visit mountnittany.org/mount-nittany-health-foundation/volunteers. Questions can be directed to Monique Behrer, Volunteer Resources Supervisor, at mtd0523@mountnittany.org.