Winona Health Volunteer Manager, Kris Walters, receives state award

Kris Walters, Winona Health Volunteer Manager, received the 2018 Heart of Minnesota Outstanding Volunteer Resource Professional Award at the Minnesota Association of Healthcare Volunteers annual conference in Brooklyn Park on Thursday, September 13. The award was established by the Minnesota Association of Healthcare Volunteers to honor a volunteer manager who provides supportive, enthusiastic leadership, and works to provide meaningful volunteer services to enhance the lives of patients, residents and others in the facility in which they work. The Winona Health Volunteers shared the following comments in their nomination: Through many years of Kris’s leadership, we have been inspired as volunteers to contribute our talent, energy and compassion to Winona Health. She gives us endless words of encouragement and advice and listens to our concerns and ideas so we can give confidence and support to our patients, staff, visitors and residents. Kris is always available at our events to help with the details so everything runs smoothly. She has requested that each volunteer chair write a “standard work” set of procedures, which helps us to run each event efficiently and smoothly. Every year Kris organizes an Awards Banquet honoring volunteers. She researches extensively in order to convey humorous, accurate and loving comments about each one of the honored recipients, making every award personal and meaningful. Winona Health Volunteers say that Kris exemplifies the Volunteers’ purpose: Caring. Serving. Giving. For information about the Winona Health Volunteers and volunteer opportunities, visit www.winonahealth.org/foundation or call the Winona Health Volunteer Services Office at 507.457.4342. Photo:  Winona Health Volunteer Manager, Kris Walters (second from left), with Winona Health Volunteers Sue Anderson, Barb Pozanc, and Mary Jo Fitzgerald at the Minnesota Association of Healthcare Volunteers annual banquet.