Vail (Colo.) Valley Medical Center has started paying some employees to volunteer in the community through its Corporate Volunteer Program, according to a Vail Daily report.
Ten employees at VVMC were able to choose a volunteer opportunity and be paid by the hospital to participate. This is the first year of the program, which the hospital hopes will boost employee morale and help connect them with the local community. Employees can earn their normal hourly rate for up to 40 hours of volunteer time through the program.
"Encouraging our employees to volunteer and serve outside the medical center helps recharge their spirits and reminds them why they got into healthcare and nonprofit work — to help people," Doris Kirchner, president and CEO of VVMC, told Vail Daily.
Employees volunteer at a variety of places as part of the program, including Roundup River Ranch, where children with chronic or terminal illnesses learn outdoor activities, and the Brain Injury Alliance of Colorado at Breckenridge Outdoor Education Camp.