This Volunteer Appreciation Week, Phoebe Putney Health System is proud to spotlight the extraordinary individuals who give their time, energy, and hearts to serve the community. Among the hundreds who walk through Phoebe’s doors not to receive care, but to give it, are four volunteers whose stories reflect the very spirit of service.

At 82 years old, Charles Proctor is not what most people picture when they imagine a retiree settling into a quiet new chapter. After spending decades selling underground utilities such as fire hydrants, gate valves, and pipes, he finally retired at 81. He and his wife, Millie, 76, relocated to Albany from Cullowhee, North Carolina, to be closer to their son. Trading seven hours of distance for seven miles was an easy decision. Finding something meaningful to do with that time turned out to be just as natural.

A chance encounter in a Phoebe parking lot changed everything. While visiting for a routine appointment, Charles spotted a staff member making rounds in a facilities cart and asked if he could join. By the end of the ride, he was asking how he could help. That conversation led him to volunteer coordinator Juli Bruner, and the rest followed from there.

Now, every Friday from 8 a.m. to noon, Charles is a steady presence in the parking area at Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital, helping patients in and out of cars, folding up equipment, loading trunks, and offering calm reassurance to anyone who needs it. He describes it as “the lowest job there is,” yet in the same breath speaks about how profoundly those hours have shaped him.

“Everybody has a story to tell. You listen to them, you try to be positive, you get them laughing a little bit and I have something new to tell my wife when I come home every Friday,” Charles said.

One moment in particular has stayed with him: a patient growing increasingly distressed after losing his car in the parking lot. Charles calmly walked the entire lot with him until they found it. “I said, don’t worry about it, we’ve got the whole parking lot,” he recalled with a laugh. The experience deepened his appreciation for the vulnerability patients carry with them. “I’m not in the best health in the world,” he said, “but being there, you see the other side of the coin.”

Millie Proctor volunteers at PPMH every Tuesday, brightening hallways and waiting areas by pushing the snack cart to patients and their families. Together, Charles and Millie have been married for 33 years. They are, as Charles is quick to note, not just spouses but best friends.

Some friendships are forged in a moment neither person ever forgets. For Barbara Banks and Jonelle Cooks, that moment came in July 1977, when both women arrived at Marine Corps Logistics Command in Albany as civilian employees. Barbara was on a path toward becoming a contracting officer, Jonelle pursuing a career in budget and finance. Nearly five decades later, they describe their friendship as one built on shared experiences and a lot of laughs.

“We shared many things over the years: professional collaborations, spouses, children, ups and downs, tears, heartaches, and a great deal of laughter.  Regardless of what we went through, whether or not we saw each other, good or bad, we always loved and cared for one another and our families.  We have truly been the poster for ‘sisters of love’ to the point that everyone says we now look alike,” said Jonelle.

Their path to Phoebe began in 2013, when both women were newly retired and searching for purpose. At a Golden Key community event, they crossed paths with Darrell Sabbs, then of Phoebe’s Community Affairs department. Their enthusiasm was contagious, and by the end of the conversation, Sabbs had invited them to join the Golden Key program, a Phoebe initiative designed to inspire healthy living among senior community members. They accepted without hesitation.

What followed was more than volunteerism; it was transformation. Barbara and Jonelle organized BINGO events, coordinated learning sessions with professional experts, and helped participants navigate Phoebe’s services. Monthly attendance in the Golden Key program grew from roughly 75 participants to a fire marshal-limited capacity of 125, with a waiting list of at least 50 more.

“We are blessed to be a blessing to others who are in need. That’s the debt we pay for the life we have here on earth,” Barbara said.

As Golden Key transitioned, Barbara and Jonelle joined Project Elevation and Women of Wellness initiatives that, in partnership with Morehouse School of Medicine and local faith-based organizations, work to eliminate cancer disparities in underserved communities across south Georgia. More recently, they volunteered in the Emergency Center, sitting with patients, offering water and warm blankets, explaining what to expect during long waits, and simply being present. During one visit, a mother and her family thanked them after Barbara and Jonelle took time to ease their frustration and offer genuine comfort. The family left not angry, but grateful and committed to sharing that experience with others.

After more than a decade of service, Barbara and Jonelle say they have no intention of slowing down.

“Lily Cook and Juli Bruner have allowed us to be a part of the Phoebe family in many ways, such as directing traffic with a smile when the tower was being remodeled, helping with Lights of Love, participating in cancer center bell ringing appreciation functions and most recently helping in the emergency center,” Jonelle said.  “We love that they find work that involves us getting to know and love people. Phoebe allows us to use our talents to help other.”

“Volunteers like Charles, Millie, Barbara, and Jonelle are the heartbeat of what we do here at Phoebe. They show up week after week not because they have to, but because they genuinely care about the people walking through our doors. During Volunteer Appreciation Week, we want them and every one of our volunteers to know how deeply their presence, their kindness, and their time mean to this health system and to the patients and families we serve together,” said Lily Cook, Volunteer Services Coordinator, Phoebe Putney Health System.