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Mary Welch
Volunteer - Medical Office Building information desk
Importance of Caring | my journey into volunteering

Mary Welch has discovered that no matter where she goes, there will always be people in need. She feels that her calling is to help those people in whatever ways she can.

Welch grew up in Schuyler, Nebraska, but left many years ago. She spent some time working at the reservations desk for Northwest Airlines in Washington, D.C., then moved to Arizona to be close to some relatives. Eventually, she circled back to Lincoln, Nebraska, which was where she met her husband, Dwayne.

The two had a baby in Lincoln, then moved to Thornton, Colorado, when he was 3 years old, staying there for about 40 years. While Welch was in Colorado, she was an avid hiker, spending a lot of time in Rocky Mountain National Park and other beautiful locations.

Ultimately, Welch and her husband had two boys. One of her sons and his wife are U.S. Navy doctors; they have been stationed several different places, but currently are living in Japan. Her other son is a teacher and cross country coach in Maui, Hawaii.

When Dwayne passed away a few years ago, Welch decided it was time for a change. "I thought, I'm going to get back to my roots and move back to Nebraska, where I still had family," she said.

She moved here in September 2024. Because she had volunteered for a hospital in Colorado, she immediately sought out a similar position at Columbus Community Hospital. "I feel like volunteering is just the right thing to do," she said.

At CCH, Welch sits at the front desk of the Healthpark Medical Office Building and greets patients as they come in the doors. She also provides directions for anyone who isn't sure where they're going.

Even though it's been many years since Welch lived in Nebraska, she has found that it truly is a small world - she has run into people at the medical office building that she knew years ago. "It's amazing, the connections you can make," she said. "The people have been very nice."

Having a son who is a doctor has been a major motivator for Welch in volunteering for a hospital. She has seen how helping people has given him and his wife such satisfaction, and now she gets to be a part of that, too.

"Working at the front desk of the medical office building is such a simple thing, but it can make a big difference to people who may be anxious about doctor appointments," she said.

When she's not volunteering, she enjoys reading and working on diamond art. She also loves walking her dog, a Chihuahua mix named Snowball. "She's my buddy," she said. "I adopted her from Colorado, so she's been a nice companion for me as I dealt with the move and transition."

Welch's sister lives nearby and has an 8-month-old granddaughter, so she has enjoyed helping her out when she can. "It's nice to be near family again," she said.

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