Biomed Volunteer Gives MedShare His Summer and Gets a Jump Start to His Senior Year

Robert at work on a vital signs monitor.

Robert Charkowicz, a 20 year old college student from Castro Valley, CA, volunteered for the summer at MedShare’s Western Region Distribution and Volunteer Center. Robert, who is studying Biomedical Engineering at UC Davis, spent 2-3 days a week this summer working in the Biomedical Lab.  Adept with the computer Robert assisted with the Biomedical Publications Library establishing a naming/organizational structure for operation and maintenance publications. He researched equipment publications on line to find repair information and resources increasing our library and maintenance capability. These publications will be sent out with the equipment to the recipients in developing countries so that they can operate and repair the equipment when needed.

Robert also assisted with daily work, conducting inventory of equipment and testing and repairing equipment.  The equipment included items such as: Vital Signs Monitors, ECG, NIBP and SPO2 equipment, CPAP machines and respirators/nebulizers, surgical tables, ultrasound equipment and an anesthesia machine.

Volunteer Robert Charkowicz and MedShare’s Biomedical Technician Rene Steinkellner in the lab.

He’s now returning back to UC Davis to start his Senior year.  We will miss his work and his presence here at MedShare, and wish him all the best in his future.  The work that he completed here at MedShare will continue to enhance the success of our mission providing medical equipment to those in need.

Dr. Pepper Snapple Group Drops By MedShare’s Western Region

On Monday, August 20, employees of the nearby Dr. Pepper Snapple Group stopped by MedShare’s Western Region to present a grant of $1,000 dollars that was requested through their company’s employee volunteer program, ACTIONeer Program, in support of MedShare Western Region. Throughout the past year, Dr. Pepper Snapple has been regularly sending their employees to volunteer at MedShare to sort medical supplies.

Thank you Dr. Pepper Snapple Group for your generosity and your time!

MedShare’s Chuck Haupt (2nd from left) and Terry Monday (2nd from Right) join employees from Dr. Pepper Snapple Group for their generous check presentation!

Volunteers: We Are Thankful

This is the time of year for reflection, thankfulness, and gratitude. What is MedShare thankful for? Many, many things, chief among those being our wonderful volunteers.

At MedShare, we’re lucky to host over 18,000 volunteers a year. These generous people and groups help us sort and box the 20,000 lbs of medical supplies that we collect weekly from our hospital and manufacturer partners. The sheer volume of work they provide for MedShare is incredible, and we don’t hesitate to say that our work wouldn’t be possible without them.

Today, we’d like to recognize these wonderful groups that have volunteered in our Western Region recently:

On November 30, 2011, this Kaiser Permanente group sorted 249 lbs and packed 3 boxes.

On December 2, 2011, this Triage group packed 18 boxes.

On Dec. 3, 2011, these Chinese Bible Church volunteers helped sort 1,190 lbs and pack 85 boxes.

On Dec. 3, 2011, Tierney's group helped sort 1,910 lbs and pack 85 boxes.

On Dec. 3, 2011, these DVHS Giving Tree volunteers helped sort 1,686 lbs and pack 50 boxes.

On Dec. 3, 2011, these Safeway volunteers helped sort 1,686 lbs and pack 50 boxes.

On Dec. 7, 2011, these Abbott Vascular volunteers sorted 430 lbs and packed 81 boxes.

On Dec. 8, 2011, this Kaiser Permanente group sorted catheters and packed 39 boxes.

On Dec. 9, 2011, this Kaiser Permanente group sorted 883 lbs and packed 68 boxes.

On Dec. 10, 2011, this Chinese Bible Church group sorted gloves and packed 57 boxes.

On Dec. 10, 2011, this Kaiser Permanente group sorted gloves and packed 29 boxes.

On Dec. 13, 2011, this Chevron group sorted IV supplies and packed 35 boxes.

If you’d like to sign up to volunteer, click here. Thanks again to everyone pictured here, and the many others who aren’t.

Stryker Volunteers at MedShare

On Friday, November 11, 2011, Stryker employees took time of of their busy days to volunteer at MedShare’s Western Region. Their task for the day was to sort and box medical supplies.

MedShare relies on volunteers to sort and box the 20,000 lbs of medical supplies we collect from hospitals and manufacturers on a weekly basis. Without the 18,000 individuals who volunteer yearly, our medical supplies wouldn’t have made it to 88 countries on over 700 containers in 13 years.

Thanks for your gift of time and energy, Stryker! Volunteers like you are truly the fuel for our mission.

If you’d like to sign up for a volunteer session, click here.