Volunteering ‘Food for the Soul’ for Missouri’s Outstanding Auxilian

As a child growing up, Ilena Aslin was taught to help her neighbors and anyone in need. That’s a lesson that has followed Aslin through a lifelong commitment to community service.

Honored in November, 2002 as the Missouri Association of Hospital Auxiliaries (MAHA)Outstanding Auxilian, Aslin is Immediate Past President of the Hospital Auxiliary and new MAHA District VI chairperson. She became a part of Southeast’s volunteer force in 1994.

"Whether it’s driving a Meals on Wheels route, making change at a fundraiser, caring for family and loved ones in the Surgical Waiting room or steering the Auxiliary’s course for the future, Ilena is a torchbearer for the word ‘volunteer,’" says Volunteer Services Director Marge Sullivan.

Aslin carries her torch with one purpose in mind – helping others.

Ilena Aslin

Ilena Aslin received a statewide award in 2002 for her volunteering efforts.

"Ninety-nine times out of 100 if you reach out and serve, at the end of the day you’ll be the one who got the best end of the deal. When we help others we help ourselves," she says.

Volunteering has "stretched my heart in so many ways," Aslin continues. "At FISH (a food pantry), we see people who are hungry and we feed them. As a Volunteer in the Surgical Waiting Room at Southeast, we feed people in another way – with our thoughts, our prayers, our help and sometimes, just being there for them."

And that caring doesn’t just come from volunteers, Aslin emphasizes. "It’s so obvious that the entire Southeast staff really does care about patients, families and visitors. I would not want to volunteer in a hospital where I didn’t have that sense of caring."

Aslin says she’s nowhere near retirement as a Southeast volunteer. "I’ll continue to be here and help out however I can for as long as I can," she says. "In case you haven’t guessed, I have a passion about volunteering."

Read what other volunteers have to say