‘Pink Ladies’ Volunteer at Oconee Regional Medical Center to Make Middle Georgia Great

Step inside the doors of a hospital, it could be almost any one in the world, and you will likely see the same thing inside each one; a gift shop.

Whether the time calls for a celebration for the birth of a newborn, or the death of a loved one requires a floral arrangement for sympathy, the hospital gift shop is usually the first stop.

But the Pink Bow Gift Shop inside Oconee Regional Medical Center in Milledgeville, boasts a little bit more than just having what’s needed for life’s events.

They’ve got Pink Lady volunteers like Edith Hunter, Diane Sargent, Sally Flood, and Miggs Thompson.

The lady volunteers run the Pink Bow Gift Shop behind the counter, on the floor, and in the back room ordering more supplies.

Edith, has been volunteering at Pink Bow for 30 years.

“I like the people, I like the friendships, I like helping the hospital, and I like getting out,” Edith says.

Sally has put 24 years of volunteering into the gift shop.

“It’s a nice thing to be able to do something for the community,” Sally explains. “I’m a widow, so this is kind of my second home. People know to call me and they’ll find me over here.”

The ladies aren’t competing to see who can volunteer the longest at the gift shop, most say they just can’t seem to leave once they start helping out. But if there were to be a competition, Miggs Thompson, would take home the prize.

Miggs is still helping the shop after 34 years of service. One of her primary roles is to train all the rookies as they come in to help.

“I don’t call it work. It’s a pleasure to be here,” Miggs says of her role.

She also explains some of the changes she’s seen since she started her mission at the Pink Bow.

“When we were in the old building, we had…behind the cash register…a big shelf with every kind of cigarette you could buy. 15 cents a package!”

With the ladies help, the gift shop has raised more than a million dollars in profits. All of which, goes directly back into the hospital. The gift shop money has allowed the cancer center to purchase new equipment for breast cancer detection.

A number the women are proud to display, even more than the number of years they’ve committed.

“It’s just a joy to be here, just a joy,” Miggs says. “That’s all I’m going to say.”

If you have story ideas of how people are Making Middle Georgia Great, we’d love to hear about it!

You can contact Kyle Warnke with your ideas at;

kwarnke@41nbc.com or 478-256-4984