Local Woman Encourages Donation For Hospital Equipment

No one knows the need for updated medical equipment like a former hospital employee and a long-time volunteer. That is why it was an easy decision for Trenton resident LaDonna Sparks to contribute to the “Equipped for the Future” campaign at Wright Memorial Hospital.
Born in Nebraska and one of 11 children, LaDonna knew at an early age that she wanted to help others and found medicine to be intriguing. The family moved to a Missouri farm when she was in the eighth grade. At this time only the three girls were still at home with their parents. The five boys were either in the service or had served their country and three of the sisters were married and gone from home.
A 1950 graduate of Princeton High School, she began working at Gene Alley’s Drug Store and worked there until 1963, when she began employment at the Axtell Hospital in Princeton. She married Junior L. Sparks and they had no children.
“Back in those days you wore many hats at the hospital and I worked in the x-ray department, also a tech in the operating room and general nursing,” she said.
LaDonna remained there until 1988, when the Princeton hospital closed and she began working at Wright Memorial Hospital in Trenton in the x-ray department. She continued working at Wright Memorial until retirement in January 2003.
But her passion to serve patients of the area and at Wright Memorial didn’t stop there. In fact, she considers Wright Memorial to be her second home.
Once retired, she became a volunteer with the local hospital auxiliary. She said she wanted to stay busy and always knew she would become a volunteer after retirement. Initially, she assisted with the sorting of patient records in order to transfer them to film. She was a volunteer, assisting in the clinics of Dr. Kozminski and Dr. Humphreys along with volunteers Mary Lou Crawford and Arlene Garrison. It was at that time LaDonna recognized the need for a volunteer to be placed at the front lobby and she was instrumental in establishing volunteers at the hospital entrance to provide a friendly face, direct patients to various departments, work in the gift shop and offer folks a cup of coffee.
“A nice smile from a volunteer can usually earn an appreciative thank you and a familiar face is always a pleasant greeting,” she said.
In addition to assisting at the front desk, LaDonna assists in the outpatient specialty clinics and the gift shop. She encourages others to volunteer.
“The amount of time a volunteer contributes is up to the individual and it is very rewarding work” she said.
LaDonna also does all of the scheduling of the volunteers, so her work doesn’t stop when she leaves the hospital. LaDonna currently serves as the president of the hospital auxiliary and was recently named the 2014 Volunteer of the Year at Wright Memorial. In addition to her recognition at the local hospital, LaDonna also received the “Spirit of Volunteering Award” from the Grundy County RSVP. In total, she contributed 700 hours in 2013 and exceeded that by volunteering 796 hours in 2014.
When asked why she thinks the need for a new ultrasound machine is so important, she is quick to say that the reaction on the faces of young couples leaving the hospital with a picture of their baby is priceless and having a 3D sonogram will simply make it extra special.
“Facial images and a better view of their little one will become the best news ever,” she said. “Plus, we need it for vital exams of the body’s organs including heart, liver, gall bladder, kidneys and other important areas. We need to get it now! I was happy to see the new OB Centralized Monitoring System in place and now we need to move on and acquire the new ultrasound machine.
“The two pieces of equipment go together like peanut butter and jelly!”
LaDonna said that many folks have asked her why she contributes so much time and now money to the local hospital campaign. Her reaction is simple.
“We need to support our local hospital, it is so very important to our community and the folks who live here.”
And the desire to make a financial contribution is echoed by a statement once made by an older and much wiser brother.
“If you find something that you really want to support with time and donations, then do it,” she said.
LaDonna has done just that and encourages others to do the same.
Contributions to the “Equipped for the Future” campaign can be directed to the Wright Memorial Hospital Foundation at 191 Iowa Blvd. in Trenton.
“We are so close to reaching this goal and to date over $225,000 has been pledged or contributed to the $300,000 campaign,” said Steve Maxey, speaking on behalf of the hospital foundation board. “We ask individuals, businesses and organizations to join LaDonna Sparks and others who want to make a difference at our hometown hospital.”