Wadley’s Volunteer of the Year comes full circle at hospital
TEXARKANA, Texas — Wadley Regional Medical Center has been a big part of Sara Barnett’s life since high school.
Barnett, who has been chosen as the Volunteer of the Year by her peers in the Wadley Auxiliary, toured the new hospital in 1959, when it was new. She began working as a medical technician in 1963 and worked off and on in the Wadley lab throughout her career.
“I worked at Wadley and Collom and Carney, and I’ve certainly seen some changes in the lab,” Barnett said.
Her two children were also born at Wadley.
Barnett began volunteering in 2018 and has over 3,000 hours of service.
“Volunteering is the best job I’ve ever had,” she said. She has served as secretary of the Wadley Auxiliary and spent numerous hours manning the information desk in the lobby.
Volunteers also answer telephone calls, guide visitors to different locations within the hospital, help with patient discharge, and deliver flowers and mail.
“I’ve never met a stranger, and I love people,” Barnett said. Barnett often fills in for other volunteers and is the first to say yes when a job comes up, said Wadley marketing director Shelby Brown said.
“Sara always has a smile on her face and greets our guests as well as our staff with a positive, helpful attitude,” Brown said. “She loves Wadley and is such an asset to the Wadley Auxiliary. Sara is the epitome of selfless giving and brings a smile to all she comes in contact. She is what makes Wadley a special place,” Brown said.
Barnett earned a master’s degree from the University of Central Arkansas and a PH.D. from East Texas State University Commerce. The former ETSU is now part of the Texas A&M University system.
She has taught life science at local junior high and high schools. After earning her doctorate in secondary higher education, she taught extension health occupation classes for the University of Texas at Austin.
After her mother died, Barnett encouraged her father, Grady Mills, to volunteer at Wadley as a way to stay busy.
“He loved it so much, he decided to ‘work’ two days instead of just one day,” said Barnett’s daughter, Lori Mueller.
At the time, the auxiliary volunteers wore pink and were known as the “Pink Ladies.”
“We called my dad a Pink Lady too,” Barnett said with a laugh. Mueller said her mother has a lot of good memories from volunteering.
“But her most favorite memory has to be when her father got to be the Pink Lady when his first great-grandson was born. It was quite a special time for all of us,” Mueller said.
Mueller said it was hard for her mother to not be able to volunteer during the pandemic.
“We could tell there was a void in her servant’s heart from not being able to spread joy to those in need,” she said.