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Beth Sharpe
Volunteer - Guide
The Importance of Caring | my journey into volunteering

Beth Sharpe and her husband Jim originally thought their move to Columbus was going to be temporary. But once they got to know the community, they realized Columbus was exactly the kind of place they had been craving.

“There’s something close and friendly about this community,” Sharpe said. “I love seeing when the crops are in the fields, and when you can see the horizon again because they’re all cut.”

Now, in her retirement, Sharpe has found her place as a volunteer at Columbus Community Hospital. She appreciates the opportunity to choose what she wants to do with her time.

Cross-country travel

For much of their lives, the Sharpes were living in California’s Bay Area. When it became apparent that retiring there would be very expensive, they started to look for other places to settle down. “My husband works remotely, so we were very flexible about where we could be,” said Sharpe.

They were in Evanston, Illinois, for a while, and then an adventure brought them to Columbus — a place where july 2026 VOLUNTEER – GUIDE Jim’s family had lived for a while. Sharpe immediately inquired about volunteering at the hospital, but COVID-19 restrictions prevented volunteers from working at the time.

A few months later, she and Jim decided to settle in Columbus for good, and the hospital was able to accept volunteers again. Sharpe was invited to meet with one of the volunteer coordinators to discuss possibilities, and she decided to become a guide, showing people where they needed to go in the hospital.

A place at CCH

Sharpe has been volunteering as a hospital guide for about four years now, and she feels it’s a special way she can be a force for good in other people’s lives.

“I’ve been in hospitals and emergency rooms, and it can be daunting,” she said. “I felt like I could be a friendly face and help people feel they’re going to be safe and well cared for. That’s what I continue to do every time I go in for my volunteer hours. It’s easy: I personally have had excellent care at CCH, and I can pass that confidence on to the people I encounter.”

Sharpe remembers one particular instance when she witnessed a woman start to experience a seizure shortly after entering the hospital doors. “There was a whole group of caregivers who converged upon her and whisked her away for treatment,” she said. “Boy, was the system working well in terms of offering help right here, right now.”

Life at home

While Sharpe herself is retired, her husband Jim still works remotely and as a church musician. So, she keeps herself busy by working on jigsaw puzzles, reading “whodunit” mysteries and learning how to quilt through a group at her church.

“I’m a novice quilter, but I’m getting better,” she said. “These women are so incredibly talented and have these amazing sewing machines. They’re very helpful and patient with me. It’s wonderful to learn something brand new.”

To learn more about volunteer opportunities available at the hospital, visit columbushosp.org.