Penn Highlands Tyrone Leader Volunteers in the Community

Penn Highlands Healthcare leaders spend a large portion of their time ensuring that the people in the communities served have access to high quality healthcare. When their workday is over, on weekends and when they take PTO, many volunteer with diverse organizations to help those in need or to strengthen our communities.

Throughout the health system many leaders are involved with church, school and civic organizations. In Central Pennsylvania, many organizations and people benefit from the service provided by leaders and employees at Penn Highlands Tyrone, Penn Highlands Huntingdon and Penn Highlands State College.

April Layton, RRT, the Cardiopulmonary Manager at Penn Highlands Tyrone, has been actively volunteering at the Juniata Valley Gospel Church, in Hollidaysburg, for as long as she can remember. For the past 10+ years she has been in charge of decorating and “undecorating” for the church’s Vacation Bible School (VBS).

“There is a good bit of planning and preparation time before the actual week of activities begins each year,” April explained. “It usually takes me about five or so hours to set up the stage we use and most nights I am there from 6:00 to 8:30 PM.”

April, who is the mother of two sons said that VBS students range in age from pre-K to 7th grade.

“The kids in our congregation are growing up and becoming volunteers themselves — it’s a natural progression," she said.

She continued, “My parents, sisters, aunts, uncles and cousins have all been active in the church so volunteering there was just something I grew up doing. Whenever something needed to be done or an event was taking place, everyone just pitched in to help. Throughout my life, where there is a need for something, if I can help in any way, I do. I guess it’s just my way of teaching my boys to help out in the community where they can.”