Honoring those who help others

The many individuals who selflessly give of themselves on a regular basis will be recognized for their contributions during National Volunteer Week, which began April 23.
College Point resident Ann Wendelewski is certainly no stranger to volunteer work. For the last 24 years, she has racked up more than 7,000 hours of service while donating her time to Flushing Hospital, which is located at 4500 Parsons Boulevard.
“I just wanted to volunteer after I retired so I went to the hospital,” Wendelewski said. “I went to the hospital because I wanted to do gift shop work. When I first started to volunteer I was in the gift shop and I’m still there.”
Prior to her retirement, Wendelewski worked in a department store. Because of her experience using a cash register, she felt that working in the hospital’s gift shop would be a good fit.
Currently, Wendelewski works at the gift shop every Monday and every other Saturday. She also fills in sometimes if someone else can’t make it.
Wendelewski said that she plans on staying in her volunteer position “as long as my legs will (take) me (there).”
“I love volunteering,” she said. “I am very dedicated.”
Whenever Wendelewski meets people at the gift shop, she frequently tries to convince them to also become a volunteer.
“It just has to be in you, I think,” Wendelewski said. She continued, “I think it’s very important for (people) to volunteer. It helps the hospital.”
Deepak Shankar, an 11th grade student at Richmond Hill High School, has also become a dedicated volunteer. This coming June will mark one year of service for him at the Margaret Tietz Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, which is located at 164-11 Chapin Parkway in Jamaica.
Shankar initially got involved through a summer youth program that paired him up with the Tietz Center, which was the first time he had heard of the facility.
“I just thought that it would be interesting,” Shankar said of his decision to become a volunteer.
Every Monday through Friday from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., Shankar works in the social services department, where secretary Tatiana Gaston described him as her right hand. Some of his duties include assisting with paperwork for residents, making photocopies and giving tours, among other things.
When Shankar first came to the Tietz Center, he wanted to become a psychiatrist. However, an experience with a resident suffering from Alzheimer’s has made him decide to instead become a registered nurse.
Shankar said that volunteering at the Margaret Tietz Center has been a very positive learning experience for him and he would recommend that others get involved with the organization.
“I like the Margaret Tietz Center and I like the people here,” Shankar said.