Sun Health volunteers Bill and Donna Mae Tanzie are finalists for a “Health Care Heroes” award sponsored by The Phoenix Business Journal. The Sun City West couple is among three nominees in the “Health Care Volunteer” category.
The awards, given to outstanding health care leaders in the Phoenix area, will be announced at an awards breakfast in Scottsdale on Aug. 29.
At Sun Health, the duo does mailings, assembles information packets, greets guests at community education events, health fairs and donor events and provides general clerical support. It’s not uncommon for them to take work home with them to ensure it’s completed.
They also volunteer at Banner Del E. Webb Medical Center, Banner Sun Health Research Institute, Computers West Club, The Ohio Club and Sun City Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).
Bill and Donna Mae both enjoyed long careers before retiring in the mid-1980s, but “retire” is a glaring misnomer for them. “They don’t volunteer part time or even full time. They volunteer overtime,” Sun Health Foundation Development Officer Sara Villanueva said.
“The Tanzies are such familiar faces at Sun Health events that if they are missing, people want to know where they are and how they’re doing. The community associates the Tanzies with Sun Health and that’s a very good thing for Sun Health.”
