90-year-old woman becomes cornerstone at St. David's in Round Rock
90-year-old woman volunteers at St. David's Round Rock
Vernell Thompson, 90, has been volunteering at St. David's in Round Rock since 2007. Almost 20 years later, Thompson is still going strong.
ROUND ROCK, Texas - Volunteers all over Central Texas work hard to uplift and bring joy to families in a time of need.
April is National Volunteer Month, and FOX 7 Austin spoke with one woman who exemplified what it means to give back.
Round Rock volunteer Vernell Thompson
The backstory:
You’ll find Vernell Thompson in St. David’s in Round Rock answering phones at the first desk or greeting visitors with a grin. She loves her job.
"It’s really fun to sit at the front desk, and as people leave, as you maybe walked [them] back to the hospital, they stop at the desk and thank us," said Thompson.
And if you ever meet her, she’s more than okay with you asking her age.
"I will be 91 in July," said Thompson as she laughed.

Vernell Thompson
At the ripe age of almost 91, she organizes online records and documents for the hospital.
She also runs the teen volunteer program and trains new volunteers, and she does it all for free as a volunteer.
"It gives me a reason to get up in the mornings," said Thompson.
She started volunteering in 2007 after she lost her husband.
"It hadn't even been a year yet, and they just took me under their wing, and I quickly became part of the family," said Thompson.
Dig deeper:
Director of Volunteer Services and Cardiopulmonary at St David's Round Rock, Lynn Castorena, called Thompson more than just family.
"Vernell is the heart of our volunteer program. She runs it from start to finish," said Castorena.
In 2009, Thompson received the Frist Humanitarian Award, one of the highest HCA honors in healthcare.
"Giving can give back so much also, but she’s done such a good thing for our hospital community and our community in general," said Castorena. "Volunteering with such a kind heart can really mean a lot to people."
Almost 20 years later, since the day she first walked into the hospital to volunteer, Thompson is still going strong, and she has a message for the younger generations.
"If you’re at a crossroads in your life where maybe you’ve just retired, maybe you’ve lost your other half, then volunteering is a wonderful place to be because it does give you community, it does give you another family, and it gives you a sense of purpose," said Thompson.
As an orientation leader, she would love to keep welcoming volunteers at St. David’s Round Rock. You can register online.
The Source: Information from interviews conducted by FOX 7 Austin's Lauren Rangel