OMAHA, Neb. — An Omaha woman has spent nearly six decades giving back to her community through volunteer service at Bergan Mercy Hospital.
Marie Bucchino has volunteered at the hospital for 58 years, helping patients, families and staff in a variety of roles over the decades.
Bucchino first began volunteering in the hospital’s emergency department before later moving to the gift shop. There, she has worked the register and even traveled to market to personally select items for the store’s shelves.
“I started out in emergency. I wanted to do something — to give something,” Bucchino said.
Decades of service
Over the years, Bucchino has also served as auxiliary board president and logged thousands of volunteer hours. She continues to help with special projects and event planning for the hospital’s gift shop.
Tammy Rivera, supervisor for volunteer and guest services, said Bucchino’s friendly personality has made her a familiar and comforting presence for many visitors.
“There’s no stranger to her. Everybody’s her friend. Everybody — she makes everybody feel like they’re somebody,” Rivera said.
Rivera, who has worked alongside Bucchino for more than 20 years, said many patients and families remember her kindness.
“I’d come in to get away from things, go shop, and she was always behind the register — always had a smile, always had a hug,” Rivera said.
Volunteers play key role at hospital
According to Bucchino, volunteers help with many small but meaningful tasks throughout the hospital.
“They’re able to come in and just do little things like take a warm blanket to a patient, run errands for them, do different things. Even up in the NICU just rocking a baby so the staff can have time to be able to get other things done,” she said.
Bucchino said the gift shop often provides a brief escape for families dealing with stressful moments.
“Well, people like to get away from the surgery and the waiting room and the patients’ rooms and come down for a little reprieve,” she said. “They tell me their story, you know, a lot of people do, because they’re alone. I think, if I can bring a smile to them, I felt that maybe I did something.”
Bergan Mercy Hospital currently has more than 500 volunteers supporting patients and staff across the facility.
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