Mary Ann Soerries, recipient of the Meredith Bass Volunteer of the Year award from the Alzheimer's Association Southwest Missouri Chapter.

Photograph by Mary Ann Soerries

Photograph by Mary Ann Soerries

Photograph by Mary Ann Soerries

Mary Ann Soerries is a “non-retired” volunteer. As Director of Palliative and Pastoral Care at St. John’s Regional Medical Center, she has a demanding schedule, but she finds time to incorporate volunteering into her busy life.

Over the past 20 years, Mary Ann has built a reputation of caring and compassion for people in the Four-State Area. She is recognized as a strong advocate for people with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.

When Mary Ann first came to Joplin to join the staff of St. John’s Regional Medical Center, she was overwhelmed by the number of calls she received from people who were caregivers for family members and who were desperately in need of help.

“I gave them what little information that was available,” she says. “And I decided that as soon as I was established in my new job, I would do something to help.”

This was a promise she kept. In 1984 she brought together representatives from various community organizations.

They organized an Alzheimer’s education meeting. From that first meeting with 60 people attending, the area’s first Alzheimer’s support group was established. Mary Ann volunteered to take the leadership role. Since then, this Joplin support group has met regularly every month, and Mary Ann has been the facilitator all of the time.

She also has helped start several other groups, and has been Joplin’s primary contact for caregivers seeking immediate counseling and support.

The primary focus of Mary Ann’s volunteer work is in the field of Alzheimer’s disease education, research, and support of patients and their families. She is in demand as a speaker at seminars, civic groups, schools, and other educational events focusing on dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

She works closely with the Southwest Missouri Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association.

For the past four years she has volunteered her time to be a member of the Joplin Planning Committee for the Chapter’s annual Memory Walk, and has served as chairperson for three Memory Walks. This year the Southwest Chapter honored her outstanding service by presenting her the Meredith Bass Volunteer of the Year award.

Mary Ann also serves as chairperson of the Advisory Board of the Area Agency on Aging Region Ten. She is on the team of St. John’s Regional Medical Center managers who regularly deliver meals to homebound seniors in the area. She sings in the choir and leads a Renewal Prayer Group at her church.

Mary Ann’s appreciation and love of nature, especially flowers, find expression in her hobby of photography.

Her exquisite photographs are on display in St. John’s Palliative Care Unit where they contribute to the atmosphere of caring for the entire patient — body, mind and spirit.

For Mary Ann, volunteering is not something she just does — volunteering is what she is all about.

More about Mary Ann and her photographs...