Cheers for Volunteers

Ronnie Budge spent her early days in the area of Salt Lake City and Jackson Hole Wyo. She married her childhood friend, Charles Budge, whose career with the National Park Service led to an interesting and nomadic lifestyle. His various duties from ranger to park superintendent led to 11 different national parks, one of which was Glacier.

Following retirement in Alaska in 1985 they chose Whitefish as the place to which they wanted to return and make their home.

Ronnie has led an active life of volunteering, enjoying the area and doting on her daughter, granddaughter and great-grandson.

A broken knee from a fall terminated an 18-year stint of volunteering at the Whitefish Christian Academy, and has limited some of her activities, but has not diminished her spirit. She continues to be active in the community and volunteers at Glacier Orchestra and at North Valley Hospital where she has served for 24 years.

At the hospital she does things of a clerical nature and enjoys helping patients and visitors find their destinations. Hospital staff speak highly of her work and consider her to be, "an important part of the system." They describe her as ambitious, flexible and willing to learn, and extol her work at the information desk because of her interaction with people and her ability to "make them feel at home."

Ronnie volunteers because, "it's a way of giving back." She loves the people at the hospital, "the friendliness in a caring and hopeful atmosphere." She describes a "good feeling from being here and doing what I can to help."

Ronnie, the fact that you are here "doing what you can" has made our community a better place, and we thank you.

This column is dedicated to those who give freely of their time and energy to worthwhile community projects, but whose efforts often go unnoticed. If you know such a person, please e-mail jheckathorn@centurytel.net.