Elizabeth Bailey
March 24, 2008 02:47 pm
—
As a nurse, Susan Poling feels blessed to be able to take time to help others.
For her dedication not only to volunteering but also for the spirit of giving she carries with her into everything she does, the Greensburg Daily News names her its volunteer of the week.
Poling said the way she lives now is a testament to how she was raised.
"I watched my mom volunteering and learned if there is something to be done, just get in there and do
it," she said.
Each Wednesday, Poling single-handedly does the shopping for the meal served at First Baptist Church and works with a team to make sure it gets to those who need it. Each year, she travels with a mission group to the Dominican Republic to minister through medical and dental care. Since her two passions are nursing and Christianity, for her it is an ideal venture, merging the two. She feels blessed by the interactions she has with those she helps and is grateful for the opportunity to give.
For many years, she worked in the Obstetrics department at DCMH on weekends. There, the only nurse she was scheduled with for 10 years was Gish Ray. According to husband Mike Ray, the two had a lot of fun together during those times. The close relationship they formed made it especially difficult for Poling when Gish was in an accident two years ago, leaving her with very little mobility. Now, Ray said, Gish is eating on her own. For the Ray family, he said, Poling has been an angel.
"It's been a blessing to have her helping us," he said.
For Poling, the Ray family is a priority, and she hopes she can continue to be of help to them.
Now, she works in the emergency department. There, she was able to have a very real impact on the Hipskind family. Keith Hipskind said she was always ready and willing to go beyond the call of duty for his daughter.
"She really understands people and how to work with families," he said. "She treats people with class and dignity."
Her skills as a nurse help her to handle some simple tasks others might not be able to approach.
"She just lives what she talks," Hipskind said. "There are some people who are the message and she is the message."
She continues to work weekends as an ER nurse, leaving weekdays for her family, her faith and those who need her. Ray said Poling was instrumental in ensuring benefits were paid for his wife and initially brought the family dinner each night.
"She can tackle anything," he said.
Now, she brings dinner each Wednesday night and Ray knows if there is anything they need, Poling will be there.
When the many endeavers Poling undertakes become heavy, she turns to her faith and her family for support. She knows that whatever she does, her family will stand behind her and her faith will carry her through.
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