NMC has a team of 75 volunteers who help the organization be a welcoming place that is easy to navigate. Volunteers at NMC serve as greeters at information desks, couriers, help in the Gift Gallery and Courtyard Café, and much more. The volunteers have interesting backgrounds and interests – here’s one example.

 

Stacie Scangas,

a volunteer at the Medical Office Building information desk for 2-3 years.

 

Tell us about your career path over the years.

I was an elementary school teacher for 37 years. I taught in Swanton for that whole time, teaching 4th grade, then 3rd, and even once taught a 2nd grade. I also went to school in Swanton at the Babcock School and my first grade class was the first one in the school! I ended my career teaching math in that building, coming full circle, starting in 1964 and ending in 2018.  I often run into kids I taught, a couple of years ago I ran into one student who was in my very first class!

What do you enjoy about volunteering at NMC?

I enjoy the people I get to meet and greet, I enjoy the other volunteers who I work with or see in the halls.

What hobbies do you have or what kinds of things do you do in your free time?

I like to read, knit, garden (when the weather cooperates,) and I like to walk my dog. I also go to a local gym each day –  for lots of different reasons. I started going every day when I first retired. I have continued as it has become a habit, I take strength classes and yoga, the only two days I don’t go to the gym in Thursdays (because I volunteer) and Sundays, I sometime try to go to the HIIT classes in the afternoons, but it has been hard this year, partly because of lack of motivation in the afternoon and partly because we got a dog that I walk.

I take the classes for health reasons and social reasons. Some days my exercise buddy is the only other person I talk to! I really enjoy my gym, everyone is friendly and chats at Duke’s in between our workouts. They always try to make you feel welcome and help you out.

What’s your dream vacation?

I would like to go to Greece and see where my in-laws grew up.

What historical figure would you like to have dinner with? And why?

Eleanor Roosevelt, she became a strong woman, she was very courageous.

Anything else you’d like to share about yourself?

I have taught figure skating for 29 years, I started when my eldest daughter decided she wanted to skate. The first year it was very informal, the next year Rhonda Sommers-Fletcher took over, and she let me help. At that point I could not even stop without running into things! I have since improved, for that, Rhonda is grateful! I teach beginner skaters on Saturday mornings from October until February, at the end of February we have a show so our skaters can show off what they have learned throughout the season. I miss the children that I used to teach, so this is nice, I am able to connect with kids at some level.