A Northside Hospital-Forsyth volunteer has received national recognition through her employer, BJ’s Membership Club.
Peggy Nagy, an employee of the Cumming store for the past four years, has served in the hospital’s volunteer auxiliary for five years.
Gloria Wyatt, coordinator of the auxiliary, said Nagy’s service has been invaluable to the hospital.
“Peggy volunteers in the surgical services area,” Wyatt said. “She interacts with the patients’ families a lot, helping them navigate the hospital and answering questions they might have.
“She also sets up the rooms between cases and does whatever the staff needs her to do.”
In honor of her service, Nagy’s fellow employees secretly nominated her for BJ’s Get InVOLved Campaign, which recognizes employees for outstanding service to their communities.
More than 200 nominations were received from BJ’s locations across the East Coast. One winner was chosen from each of 10 categories.
Nagy received the Top Caregiver Award that, according to a news release from Northside, is given to “those who work to make others’ lives more comfortable.”
Nagy, who was the lone recipient from Georgia, could not be reached for comment.
Kevin Ramminger, general manager of the local BJ’s store, thanked Nagy for giving her “time and effort … to improving the lives of others.”
“You are a prime example of the spirit of volunteerism that BJ’s hopes to foster,” he said in a statement.
As part of the award, BJ’s made a donation of $1,000 to a charitable cause of Nagy’s choosing, Wyatt said.
She selected Northside-Forsyth’s volunteer crafters’ group.
Wyatt explained that the group makes blankets and caps for chemotherapy patients and various items for babies in need.
“That $1,000 gift is really wonderful for our crafters,” Wyatt said. “A lot of them use their own money for supplies, so this will really help them out.”
Nagy also received a framed award, which will hang at the Cumming store throughout the year.
“This is a well-deserved award,” Wyatt said. “We’re very lucky to have Peggy. She truly gives from the heart.”