Many of our patients have visited with volunteer Emily Purnell-Johnson by phone. “Mrs. J” makes calls every Tuesday morning to remind patients of their appointments. She frees the front office staff from this task so they can focus on incoming phone calls and those waiting at the front desk to check in. A 39-year veteran of the Chester County Health Department, Mrs. J has an interesting definition of “retirement.” On Tuesdays she works at Community Dental and Wednesdays at the Health Department. During her career there she connected with a young autistic employee who became very attached to her. She continues to work there as a volunteer so she can continue to mentor her young friend.
Her volunteer schedule doesn’t end there. Mondays and Thursdays she’s at Community Volunteers in Medicine in West Chester and two Saturdays a month she volunteers with an organization that serves the poor in Norristown.
Mrs. J. finds that “doing for others is very rewarding.” She’s brought a distinctive warmth to our appointment reminder calls. One of our patients told her, “You’re the first person who’s told me to have a blessed day!”
Community Dental Executive Director Regina Horton Lewis has known Mrs. J since Regina was a child. They lived in the same West Chester neighborhood. Regina aptly observed that “Mrs. J. has always been committed to giving back to the community. Since she retired, she works harder than anyone I know with a paying job!”
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