MDI Hospital’s Sprague Recognized

Brenda Sprague, Mount Desert Island Hospital’s Volunteer Coordinator, has been awarded the 2015 Director of Volunteer Excellence (D.O.V.E.) Award for her outstanding contributions and her continued excellence in the volunteer administration field and beyond.

Brenda will be recognized by the Maine Society Directors of Healthcare Volunteer Services (MSDHVS) during the Allied Recognition Luncheon on Thursday, June 18, 2015 at the Maine Hospital Association’s Summer Forum at The Samoset Resort in Rockport.

“Brenda is a lovely, compassionate and caring person who shares her time, talent and expertise to make life better for those in her hospital and community.  She is a valued member of MSDHVS and we congratulate her as the recipient of the 2015 DOVE award!” says Judi Trenholm, President of the MSDHVS. “We applaud her achievements and accomplishments and thank her for all she does.”

A 15-year veteran of the MDI Hospital Organization, Brenda has spent 7 of those years in volunteer management. Her peers describe her as a passionate, dedicated, upbeat, caring and compassionate professional who is always a pleasure to work with. “Brenda has a spark and an energy that inspires everyone that she meets,” says coworker Oka Hutchins.  “She genuinely cares about people and works tirelessly to improve the lives of those around her.”

At MDI Hospital, Brenda acts as the chief liaison to the hospital's Auxiliary and coordinates the hospital’s charitable events. She also serves on the hospital’s Employee Annual Fund Committee, Activities Committee, and the Alice Williams Committee. In both her personal and her professional life, Brenda is dedicated to bringing compassion and open communication to the process of death and dying. As such, she serves as a nonclinical member on the hospital’s Palliative Care Committee, and was instrumental in bringing Death Cafes to Mount Desert Island, offering community members the chance to join an open dialogue about life and death and everything in between.

As active in her community as she is at work, Brenda has volunteered her time for many local organizations and causes, including the Girl Scouts, Friends of Acadia, the Make-A-Wish Foundation, and the MDI Marathon. She is also an active volunteer at her church, Bar Harbor Congregational, and the Bar Harbor Food Pantry. In addition, Brenda serves on the Event Committee for Hospice Volunteers of Hancock County, which recently raised more than $22,000 with her support.