URMC / Strong Memorial Hospital / Friends of Strong / The Best of Friends Blog With New and Familiar Faces, Friends of Strong Volunteer Program is ‘On the Rise’ Friends of Strong reflects on the silver linings of a tumultuous two years as we celebrate National Volunteer Appreciation Week and look forward to continued growth of our much-loved volunteer program which hosts hundreds of volunteers from the greater Rochester area each year. Read more about our program and meet several of our most faithful volunteers. Thank YOU for Another Successful Coat Drive Over the past several months, Friends of Strong, together with the Hospital’s Emergency Department, the Department of Pediatrics, Advantage Federal Credit Union—and many of you—accomplished another successful winter coat drive for patients in need. Annual Fundraiser Features An Ever-Growing Pack of Pet Therapy Dogs Our ever-popular Pet Therapy Dog wall calendar—2021 edition—is now available at the Friends of Strong Gift Shop. Featuring our ever-growing pack of 20 "celebrity" pups who provide uplifting comfort and engagement to patients of all ages, this cute calendar benefits patient- and family-centered care initiatives throughout Strong Memorial Hospital. Strong's Pet Therapy Dogs Back for Another Year of Endless Cuddles Back by pupular demand—our 2020 PET Therapy Dog wall calendar featuring our adorable (and growing) pack of therapy dogs is now available at the Friends of Strong Gift Shop. Even better, all proceeds from the calendars benefit patient- and family-centered care at Strong Memorial Hospital. Inspiring Volunteers Recognized for Unwavering Commitment to Patients, Community They are the first faces our patients and visitors see when they enter Strong West, and they often are the last people a patient sees before going home from Strong Hospital. They give toys to pediatric patients, and often bring homemade desserts to share with staff. They provide comfort and hope in a gentle and reassuring way. They are our hospital volunteers, and their service to our community speaks volumes. 1234567