Lake Forest, Ill. – Two Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital (NLFH) volunteers were honored this week for their longstanding dedication to patients, doctors and staff.

“The work of all of our volunteers is vital to the daily operations of the hospital,” said Diane Tiffany, Manager of Volunteer Services at Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital. “It is so great to formally recognize the time and effort that each one of them gives to this integral part of the community.”

Nairn Farnsworth of Highland Park, 82, was presented with Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital’s Pauline C. Christie award for service at the annual volunteer luncheon on April 20. Farnsworth has spent three years at NLFH assisting the nursing staff in the hospital’s acute care unit. To carry on the work of the hospital’s valuable volunteer program, Farnsworth also spends time training new volunteers and writing training programs for future use.

“The doctors and nurses do very important work, and I am so happy just to be a part of it. I smile every time I walk out,” said Farnsworth. “The award was a complete surprise, and it’s rewarding to know that my time is appreciated.”

The annual award was started 25 years ago by Women’s Board member Pauline C. Christie, who began her work with the hospital in the 1950s. The Pauline C. Christie awards stand as a symbol of community members coming together to give back to their local hospital.

Also recognized for her dedication to giving back was Terry Swarthout of Lake Forest. Terry has spent more than 30 years caring for the elderly at NLFH’s Westmoreland Nursing Home, ever since a member of her family became a resident. She now spends her time in the nursing home’s beauty shop helping residents look and feel better, and she occasionally assists with the weekly religious services.

“My time at Westmoreland has been such a special part of my life,” said Terry. “As a lifelong resident of Lake Forest, it means so much for me to give back to my community. It’s as simple as stopping by someone’s room to listen to a story or just say hello.”

Terry was presented with a Lake County Cares “I Care Award” at this year’s April 16 luncheon. The I Care Awards are sponsored by Lake County Cares, an organization that matches volunteers with local organizations. The awards have honored 47 local individuals throughout the last four years for their exceptional commitments to volunteerism.

NLFH currently has 452 volunteers. Since 1951, hospital volunteers have logged 558,541 service hours. In 2010 alone, they donated 34,567 hours of service. The volunteer program continues to grow, with more community members signing up to volunteer each year. Go to lfh.org/volunteering_opportunities to learn more about opportunities to volunteer at NLFH.