In April 1974, President Richard Nixon signed Presidential Proclamation 4288, creating National Volunteer Week. Every year since then, each president has issued a new proclamation commemorating this celebration of those who give freely of their time to help others.
In the first proclamation, Nixon wrote:
“The spirit of voluntarism, one of the hallmarks of American life, has rarely been stronger than it is today. It has been estimated that one out of every five Americans is contributing time and talent in some kind of voluntary service. American volunteers are improving the quality of life in remote villages and in urban slums in the United States and working to improve the quality of life for others in distant corners of the world. These efforts most frequently touch the lives of the poor, the young, the aged and the sick, but in the process the lives of all men and women are made richer.”
That spirit lives on today in the volunteers who choose to donate their time in hospitals to support patients, families, and health care workers. Thousands of women and men spend their time in hospitals every day asking for nothing in return. They can be found everywhere in a hospital — welcoming visitors, fundraising through gift shops, delivering meals, providing transportation, and sometimes simply offering companionship.
They represent the best in all of us, and they model the compassion and tenderness that is at the heart of health care and at the heart of California hospitals.
This year, as the national observance to celebrate volunteers turns 51, on behalf of all hospitals in California, we thank our volunteers for being there every day. Their time, talent, and presence inspire us all.
