National Volunteer Week is April 19 – 25, 2020

April 21, 2020 | Category: News

It’s National Volunteer Week! Some may be surprised that Cetronia Ambulance Corps was founded by 20 volunteers from the small village of Cetronia back in 1955. Today, we operate with a combination of paid and volunteer staff and still value the importance that each and every one of our volunteers has on the way we have operated throughout our 65 years in existence.

We have had a tremendous amount of volunteers over the years, too many to count. Sadly, today we have a lot less who volunteer on a regular basis. Nonetheless, we wish to recognize six of our outstanding volunteers that continue to put their heart and soul into helping us achieve our lifesaving mission in any way they can.

Lynn Nagel has been volunteering for Cetronia Ambulance Corps since 1987. Lynn is very involved in our community by teaching CPR, AED and First Aid to many organizations and businesses throughout our area. Over the years she has trained countless members of the Boy Scouts, churches, local business owners, employees, and residents in these life saving measures. Lynn was recently elected onto our board of directors.

Michael Nagel is our Director of Project and Facility Management. Michael makes sure the technology and equipment on our vehicles is maintained and that our facility remains clean and safe. He has been volunteering with us since the age of 16 (1971) when he began as an Emergency Medical Technician. He has also served on the board of trustees in the past.

Michael helped in providing oversight during the construction and equipping of our new facility at 4300 Broadway; helped in providing guidance for the new Upper Macungie Fire Station #56; and has taught EMT certification courses for more than 20 years.

Ronald Thomas has been volunteering with us since 1996. Ron serves as our Fleet Manager. He makes sure that our fleet of 41 vehicles is properly serviced, replaced as needed and safe for transports. Ron just completed a term on our board of directors this past December.

James Kish joined our organization in 2002. James jumps at the opportunity to support us in any way he can such as helping out at special events. He is past chair of our performance improvement committee and serves as a registered nurse with Lehigh Valley Health Network. He recently completed his board terms after serving honorably until he exhausted his term limits.

Steve Ridgway has been with Cetronia Ambulance Corps since 1983, holding numerous positions within the organization, one of which was a lengthy term as the volunteer chief of the organization and later as a field supervisor. He performed each of his duties with the dedication and pride of a full-time employee putting in countless hours of volunteer service. He continues to volunteer at special events whenever he is able to keep his skills as an EMT sharp. In January, Steve recently began serving a three-year term on the board of directors.

Helen Wiersch has been helping record our subscription mail for many years. So many years in fact, she couldn’t remember exactly how long! At 87 years young, we hope to have her stamina when we reach that age. We couldn’t do it without you, Helen!

“In today’s environment where volunteerism is on the decline throughout our nation, we remain proud of our volunteer roots and the commitment of volunteers who remain truly dedicated to life saving and the field of emergency medical services. We honestly wouldn’t be where we are today without your support,” said Larry Wiersch, CEO.

To find out how you can become a volunteer, visit https://www.cetronia.org/join-team/volunteer/. #NVW