News

Volunteer profile: Patsy Farmer Jones, Pardee Foundation

Patsy Jones

By Lightning Reports, Published: November 24, 2018

Patsy Farmer Jones

Pardee Hospital Foundation

What do you do in your volunteer job?

Right now this year I am serving as vice chair of government. I start each meeting welcome everyone and do a short invocation of sorts. Last Friday I was in charge of our annual retreat at the foundation office. We have 19 on our board. It’s a great group of individuals from our community. I had a goodie bag for everyone. They had never done that before and I said, ‘Why not? Let’s do something fun.’ This special time for this retreat is always a breakaway from our regular business meeting. Our Pardee Foundation serves as a funding agent for Pardee Hospital through our annual fund, major gifts and capital campaign. One of the exciting things I took part in was the cancer center campaign. In November of 2016 our DAR chapter, Joseph McDowell, celebrated our centennial.” The chapter decided to mark the centennial by making a donation to a charitable cause. It raised $11,000 for the nurse navigator room at the center.

How long have you been volunteering?

“My term started in 2016 and it goes through 2019. Prior to that I was a volunteer for some of the wonderful events we have to raise money — the cornhole tournament, the Pardee Gala, Women Helping Women. I retired (from teaching) in 2001 and since then different groups have picked me up. The opportunity to work with the Pardee Foundation has been one of the most rewarding things. My father owned Hendersonville Paving and Fletcher Asphalt and he was a personal friend of (Pardee president) Bill Jamison. Mother volunteered for 25 years as a pink lady. All of that started with my wanting to be part of this because I’m sort of continuing the volunteering my family did in the years past.”

Why do you volunteer?

“I volunteer because I want to give back. I’m serving on this board to give back to the community. I feel like it’s such a strong foundation that the quality time is worth it and it’s important to me. When my family planted the seed of volunteering — my mother, my dad, my sister, (son and daughter-in-law) Bradley and Ibby, I just want to continue that. I want to be right in the flow of being involved with Pardee Hospital and the Pardee Foundation.”

What’s the best thing about volunteering?

“One of the best things to me about volunteering is meeting individuals and being connected to individuals in the community. I would never have had an opportunity to meet these people had I not become involved with the Foundation. This is a great, giving group of people who want to make a difference. I feel blessed. I don’t take it for granted at all. Volunteering to me is one of the highlights of everything I have done.”

If someone is interested in volunteering, what is the best advice you would give based on your own experience?

“To be connected with and to let people know that you want to spend time with an organization. I think people have to speak up and just say, ‘This is wonderful, I’d love to be part of it.’ … We are truly truly blessed that so many people have stepped up to give to the Pardee Foundation and to Pardee Hospital.”