It is said that those with a giving spirit feel better and live longer.
Volunteer Art Gregg is the perfect example. He celebrated his 95th birthday on Feb. 16. Art, a Silverton resident, has been volunteering at Silverton Health for nine years. Since he began in June 2005 he’s dedicated 1,903 volunteer hours with the Materials Management Department.
According to statistics, 76 percent of people who volunteer reported feeling healthier, 78 percent reported lower stress levels, 80 percent feel more in control of their personal health, and 94 percent say volunteering improves their mood.
Art, a caring, positive, and kind gentleman, always seems to be in a good mood, his co-workers say. He says he loves to give back to his community and enjoys the team at Materials Management.
“Art is amazing,” said Gerald Martin, department manager. “It is unbelievable what he has done over his lifetime and what he is still doing. He comes to the warehouse like clockwork every Wednesday and puts stickers on supplies for us.”
“Art has his way of doing things and does not mind letting you know if his process gets interrupted,” Martin said. “He has entertained us with the tales from his military career, which he has put into a book. He is more than willing to talk about his experiences.”
Confessing he loves chocolate, Art shared that at the end of his shift that he heads over to Silverton Hospital for lunch and a candy bar.
“Maybe it is the candy bars that give him his youthful longevity,” Martin laughed. “Art’s dedication goes beyond definition. He truly lives the HEART Values and is a shining example for any volunteer or employee.”
Lorrie Whitaker enjoys working with Art.
“I always look forward to seeing him every Wednesday. He is dependable, has a friendly and positive attitude, and a strong work ethic! We all love to joke with Art and he has an easy smile. He is most definitely young at heart. We always invite him to our Christmas and department celebrations and on one such very occasion, he asked if he could say the blessing before the meal and then he led us all in prayer and that will be a memory I hold forever of just how special Art is and how much we appreciate his generous service here.”
“I have worked with Art since he started in 2005. He always managed to keep me busy putting items away that he stickered. Some days I couldn’t keep up with him,” co-worker Pauline Taylor said. “He has lived a very interesting life and I love listening to his stories. If I was 20 years older and single I’d ask him to marry me.”
“Art has volunteered with us for a lot of years and it has been very helpful,” said Judy Dahlberg. “He is a great worker and a wonderful person. He is quite the character too. I don’t know what we would have done without him all of these years.”
