Joyce Ronding

Joyce Ronding, RE/MAX Affiliates, has been a volunteer for more than 13 years at Children's Hospital where she would spend 3 days a week reading to patients and helping them with arts and crafts projects.

Children's is a strong believer that no child should be refused necessary care and attention for lack of ability to pay and has been caring for sick and injured children and adolescents for more than 110 years. There has been a vast amount of  change since Children's first year, when 70 patients were treated by a six-member staff and seven other employees. Today,  Children's is the primary pediatric health care provider for 37 counties, with more than 800 medical staff members and  4,500 employees who provide expert care to children regardless of ability to pay.

Joyce says, "My commitment to volunteering at Children's Hospital began when my son was in the hospital and I noticed that some of the children were not getting visits from their parents. When my son was sleeping, I began reading to  those children and their eyes would light up at the attention they were getting. Seeing that light and the smiles on their  faces was quite rewarding and it gave me so much satisfaction to be able to bring a tender moment to their day."

Joyce volunteers through Interfaithfuls -- A multi-religious group of individuals who worked together to help provide the volunteer services needed at the hospital.