Volunteer Spotlight: Brad & Joanne O’Dell
Meet Montefiore Nyack Volunteers Brad & Joanne O’Dell, also known as the “Dynamic Duo”. The couple has been generously giving their time to help at the Hospital for nearly two decades.
After Brad’s first wife Thomasina passed away 19 years ago, he was looking for a way to give back to the Hospital for having taken such great care of her. He started his volunteer journey then and hasn’t stopped helping ever since.
When Brad & Joanne got married, she saw how much her husband was enjoying his work at the Hospital and wanted to experience it for herself. For the past 17 years, the Dynamic Duo has been volunteering two to three days a week and says that there’s not a day that they don’t look forward to it.
“Giving back to the community feels good,” says Brad. “And we’ve created so many great relationships and friendships here,” adds Joanne.
Director of Volunteer Services, Helen Hayes-Perkins says the couple is the most dedicated volunteers. “They never say no,” says Helen. “When I’m away on vacation or have to be out of the office, Brad & Joanne come in to keep it running, so that all of our volunteers have access to what they need. They really go above and beyond.”
Neither Brad nor Joanne drive, but they never let that stand in their way of volunteering. If they can’t get transportation service through the Rockland Volunteer Service Program, they are happy to pay for taxi service to get them to and from the Hospital. “We do whatever we have to to make sure we get here,” says Joanne. “We missed it so much when we couldn’t come in with restrictions during the pandemic.”
Throughout the years, the couple have helped with just about everything, from patient transport to compiling discharge folders, putting together toiletry kits for patients and helping with fundraising events. For the past five years, Brad & Joanne have also been instrumental in raising funds to support the Breast Center at Montefiore Nyack through the Nanuet Lions Club.
In addition to the Hospital, the couple also dedicates their time to the Nanuet Lions Club – where Joanne serves as Club president – and Meals on Wheels of Rockland County.
We are so grateful to have Brad & Joann as part of the Hospital family. It is the support of people like our Dynamic Duo that allows the Hospital to provide exceptional programs and outstanding patient experiences.
