The Quiet
Helper

JENNIFER FINER STAFF WRITER

enore Morris cannot
figure it out. She has
no idea why someone
would want to draw
attention to the vol-
unteer work she does
and call her a mitzvah hero.
"If you are a human being this is
what you do," Mrs. Morris says.
For the past 35 years, she has been
volunteering at Sinai Hospital (she
still works between eight and 16 hours
a week there). Those who work with
her say her positive attitude is an in-
spiration.
Five years ago, Mrs. Morris found
another organization where she could
devote some of her time. When JARC
moved its office across the street from
her Southfield apartment, Mrs. Mor-
ris, who does not drive, walked in to
ask if there was any way she could
help. Today, she volunteers an aver-
age of 10-20 hours a week for the or-
ganization.
Her time at JARC is often spent
labeling, stuffing and sealing en-
velopes. Mrs. Morris is proud of the
fact that she showed JARC how to
keep certain records, which have been
useful when the agency makes fund-
ing requests.
"She is always here with this con-
stant upbeat demeanor," says Bonnie
Cohn, volunteer services coordinator
with JARC. "She has developed a
wonderful phone relationship with
the other volunteers and she keeps Mitzvah Hero Lenore Morris.
me abreast of what's going on with
She arrives there by bus and attends to her
them," Ms. Cohn says. "Often, if someone is down
primary
responsibility — volunteering in the in-
and does not feel like coming in, she encourages
fection
control
office, preparing charts and writ-
them to work. When they do come in, it usual-
ing reports.
ly makes them feel better.
Other duties include conversing in Yiddish
"In the frenzy of our fund-raiser, she takes on
with
non-English speaking Russian patients,
a project and does not leave until she is finished.
doing
library work and filling in wherever she
She works well with our clients and has this un-
believable patience. I can't say enough about is needed.
"I never know what I'm going to do when I
how wonderful she is."
come in," she says.
At Sinai, Mrs. Morris wears a different hat.

TH E D ETR O IT J EWIS H NE WS

10

PHOTOS BY GLENN TRIEST

Imi

