To “pink lady” Linda Wasson, Thursday was just another typical day of volunteering. She arrived, as usual, at the Cushing Regional Hospital Snack Bar at around 11:30 a.m. to eat a chicken salad sandwich before reporting to her usual seat on the west side of the CRH Auxiliary Information Desk at noon.
Also reporting at noon was her partner Linda Jones. It wasn’t long before they began their usual “gab” session between helping visitors and answering calls from the nurses’ station.
This day, however, proved to be just a little different. At approximately 1:45 p.m., the phone rang at the Information Desk requesting a dismissal in Room 360. Little did Linda Wasson know that those being “patient”were her husband Jim Wasson, daughter Tammy Wasson, grandson Dillon Wasson, along with CRH Foundation members Tom Cummings, Marilyn Duff and director Marian Shiever – as well as members of the local media.
It didn’t take Linda long to figure out she was the focal point of a nice surprise. Jim walked her back to the door she had just entered pointing out its latest addition, a plaque stating: “In Honor of Linda Wasson for Her Dedicated Service to the CRH Auxiliary.”
The CRH Foundation recently received an anonymous donation for $10,000 in honor of Linda for her many years of dedicated service to the CRH Auxiliary.
Linda began that service back in 1976 in the old hospital and since then she has logged in well over the 4375 hours listed on the books. Official records for Auxiliary hours began in 1989 – over a dozen years after Linda started.
While Linda admits it was hectic at times – especially when she was volunteering, working, going to school and raising a family all at one time – she remains humble about the significance of what she has done. In fact, she said she didn’t really keep track of her hours until she realized the hospital could receive credit for them.
Thursday’s suprise was a long awaited one for her husband Jim, “I’ve been keeping this secret since December,” he laughed. He said he knew Linda would say “just give the money and don’t worry about the recognition.”
Along with the recognition on a patient’s room door, a small plaque was added in her name on the $10,000 Donor Wall. In addition to the CRH Auxiliary, Linda is a member of the Breast Cancer Luncheon Committee and the family business, JLT Corporation, is a Gold Sponsor at the Charity Golf Event.
Besides their daughter Tammy and grandson Dillon, Linda and Jim Wasson also have a son Larry and his wife Carla and two grandsons, Logan and Landon.
The Wassons are members of the Presbyterian Church in Cushing.
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