Name: Gail Grigsby
Age and Occupation: 59 Registered Nurse
Hometown: Originally Toledo Ohio, for the last 5 years Oakland California
Please describe yourself in one sentence. “….now I think the whole world is filled with signs if there’s no laughter in them, I know they’re not for me”. Quote from Brian Andreas.
When did you first hear about MedShare? Last year after the San Leandro facility opened, the San Francisco Chronicle ran an article about the organization. I was intrigued and later, when I needed an outlet for my unemployed energy, I started sorting!
How would you describe your volunteer experience at MedShare? Fun, crazy, emotionally moving. Overwhelming sometimes. We have a great core of volunteers and staff who make the work entertaining. Lately we’ve had some medical teams come back from missions and describe their experiences. Priceless!
How long have you been volunteering at MedShare? Since September 2008, right before the Western Region Distribution Center opened.
What inspired you to get involved? I’d been on a medical leave for more than a year and was BORED. I wasn’t having any luck finding a job that would accommodate my lifting limitations and decided to get busy doing some kind of service work. As soon as I saw how Medshare did great work in both providing much-needed supplies to its clients AND diverted goods away from landfill, I knew that I wanted to help. I have a background in both retail inventory management AND in healthcare so I’ve been able to use skills from both areas.
What is it that motivates you to keep volunteering at MedShare? We really make a difference. After the earthquake in Haiti we were able to mobilize shipments there almost immediately. Medshare provided feedback, photos and Tweets to show how the items that we sent were reaching the people who needed them. It’s a great feeling to help people!
Have you been involved with MedShare in other ways besides sorting supplies? If so, please explain. Since December I’ve been assisting in our Medical Team “store”. I’ve helped to reorganize the shelves, to restock the “most needed” items and weed out those items that weren’t really useful to us. I’ve been privileged to supply our products to doctors and nurses who were heading to Haiti, Honduras, Ecuador, The Sudan and Uganda and other places. They’ve been so grateful for our supplies (“This is like Christmas! “ said one doctor)
I admit that I’m also the “Scone lady” on the days I sort. I love baking and have developed a few varieties of scones that are very popular with the volunteers and staff. They see me coming with my basket and start gathering!
What has been your favorite MedShare moment or story during your time serving with us? After the Haiti earthquakes, a few local residents (not volunteers, not big donors) came into our warehouse with grocery bags of items they’d bought at a local pharmacy to donate. We know that a few boxes of bandaids and gauze pads don’t have a huge impact on our work. But I was so touched that they recognized our efforts and they just wanted to help in some way. I’m glad we could be a conduit to pass along that giving energy.
