WESLEY CHAPEL, Fla. — Bay area couple Dwight and Laurie Raines have been together for more than half a century, and stay busy by helping out their community. AdventHealth Wesley Chapel is just one of the spots where they give back.
Tucked away behind the concierge desk at AdventHealth Wesley Chapel, Dwight works away.
“Right now I am putting together some pre-admission testing packets,” said Dwight. “This helps out the nurses, back in the back. Because they can go through well over 100 of these in a week.”
As a volunteer, he does whatever he is asked, and loves it.
“I am starting to train on how to use the computer. Because we are here Monday morning and Wednesday evening.”
A few feet away, Laurie helps out in the gift shop.
“I do the register. But I also do anything the ladies ask me to do,” she said with a smile, as she picks up a duster. “I am funny about everything clean, so I take care of this like my house.”
Between the pair, they complete hundreds of small tasks that help make the big hospital system function. AdventHealth Wesley Chapel currently has 125 active volunteers.
Laurie and Dwight are a bit different, though.
“Let’s see if he will want to go to lunch with me?” said Laurie, walking out of the gift shop. “Sir, would you like to go to lunch with me? I am paying.”
“You are paying,” Dwight said with a smile, as he puts away a wheelchair.
The pair takes each other’s hand and walks toward the cafeteria. They have been married for 50 years.
Volunteering is a big part of their lives. They help at Feeding Tampa Bay, the Humane Society and Dream Lovers Rescue.
AdventHealth Wesley Chapel is special to them because they often have small dates in the cafeteria during their shift.
“We come as a pair,” they say together. “We come as a pair, everywhere. Every place we have ever volunteered, we always do it at the same time.”
Two for the price of one, and in their opinion, it is one of the best ways to spend time together.
“Hospitals always need help, schools always need help, animal shelters,” they suggest if anyone is thinking of a place to start volunteering.
The Raines said after their son passed away, they began volunteering in his honor.