Volunteer goes ‘beyond commitment’

Wednesday, July 9, 2008

Click here to enlarge this photo Staff photo by DARWIN WEIGEL Alexus Kinney, 14, of Lusby poses with Solomons Nursing Center resident Roger Cook of Lusby. Kinney, a sophomore at Patuxent High School, is spending the summer volunteering at the nursing center. E-Mail This Article | Print This Story

Kinney, of Lusby, began volunteering at the St. Mary’s Nursing Center in Leonardtown two years ago and opted to volunteer at a facility closer to home this year.

‘‘It’s really easy to work with the residents and they are fun to talk to,” Kinney said.

Kinney has surpassed volunteer hours required for graduation from Patuxent High School and continues to volunteer her time because she said she enjoys both the residents and the people she works with.

‘‘I have been blessed,” said Sandie Johnson, activities coordinator with the nursing center.

According to Johnson, Kinney’s presence at the nursing center has done wonders for the residents.

‘‘She makes a change in the residents as soon as she walks into their room ... You see who they were, not who they are now,” Johnson said.

Kinney spends the day assisting residents with daily activities, transporting residents to different locations throughout the center, assisting employees and other volunteers and in her spare time, she said she likes to just hang out with some of the residents.

One resident Kinney has connected with at the center and out of the center is Polly Patterson, whom Kinney calls ‘‘Ms. Polly.”

Patterson lived near Kinney before moving into the nursing center.

‘‘I have known her since I was 4,” Kinney said.

Kinney said like most of the residents, Patterson treats Kinney as if she were her own granddaughter.

‘‘I like it very much,” Patterson said of Kinney volunteering at the center.

Patterson said she has known Kinney since she was a young girl and the two hung out together a lot because Patterson babysat Kinney while Kinney’s parents worked.

‘‘She would go to the nursery when I went out with the girls my age,” she recalled.

Now, Patterson spends her time at Solomons Nursing Center and Kinney spends as much time as possible with Patterson and her friends. Patterson said she doesn’t think Kinney likes the ‘‘goings on” of the folks Patterson’s age but she said Kinney keeps on top of everything that the residents are up to.

‘‘The patients, from what I hear, really like her,” Patterson said.

The patients aren’t the only ones that enjoy Kinney’s presence.

‘‘She’s just amazing,” said Kathi Wise, administrator of the nursing center.

Wise said Kinney’s presence offers a win-win situation for both the residents and Kinney: the older generation gets to be around youth and Kinney gets the opportunity to learn from the older generation.

Kinney began volunteering at the center just after school dismissed for summer recess in June and plans to continue working through the remainder of the summer.

‘‘She goes beyond commitment,” Wise said.