(4-15-26) The Volunteer Association of Mercer Health held its annual Volunteer Appreciation Banquet to celebrate the dedication and impact of its members on April 13, 2026, at Romer’s Catering in St. Henry.

The evening opened with an invocation from Volunteer Chaplain Steve Broering, followed by a year‑in‑review from Volunteer Association Vice Chairperson Terry Liette. Mercer Health CEO Jon Dingledine served as the guest speaker, sharing gratitude for the volunteers’ ongoing commitment to the health of the community.

Deb Hemmelgarn, Director of MED Foundation and Volunteer Services, expressed heartfelt appreciation, stating-

“We deeply appreciate the time and dedication our volunteers invest to support the community’s health. Their contributions are essential to the daily operations at Mercer Health.”

The Volunteer Association donated a total of 9,798.69 hours to Mercer Health in 2025. Additional awards distributed at the banquet included:

 *   Most Hours to Date: Irene Seitz, 5,902.65 hours
 *   Most Hours in 2025: Roy Kremer, 487.57 hours

The following volunteers reached new milestone levels and join others who have previously reached these achievements:

 *   2000 hours: Rosemary Boomhower, Verna Ahlers, Roy Kremer, Jane Woods, Freda Lochtefeld

 *   1000 hours: Terry Liette, John Braun, Charlene Homan
 *   500 hours: Mary Ann Hemmelgarn, Nancy Broering, Alan Diller, Cindy Snyder, Diane Wellman, Roger Kremer, Mary Keller, Pauline Braun, Lucy Bruns
 *   250 hours: Bro. Nick Renner, Margaret Bertke, Pat Stachler, Donna Siefring, Helen Kremer, Mercer Health Project Search, Cindy Liette, Gary Kremer, Nancy Bohman

As part of the celebration, the Volunteer Association also awarded its annual $1,500 scholarship to Elle Weber of Coldwater, a graduating senior who has volunteered 165 hours over the past year and three months. Elle serves in both the Emergency Department and the Inpatient Unit—often stepping in when new volunteer support is needed. In addition to her service at Mercer Health, she volunteers at her church and through various school programs. Elle plans to study nursing at Wright State University–Lake Campus, with long‑term goals of attending medical school and returning to serve her local community.

Mercer Health offers a wide variety of volunteer opportunities to match many interests and is currently accepting volunteer applications for its Coldwater and Maria Stein locations. To learn more, visit https://mercer-health.com/about/volunteer-services/or contact Jenni Miller, Volunteer Services Coordinator, at 419‑678‑5132.