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Bobbi Watkins, director of volunteer services at High Point Regional Health System, recently shared a secret with a dining room full of people at High Point County Club at Emerywood.

She was presenting the first Hilda Fountain Award of Excellence in honor of an extraordinary volunteer, Don Matney. The engraving on the award says “This distinguished award recognizes a High Point Regional volunteer who is an inspiration to others, a role model to their hospital community, and whose service is set apart by attributes such as kindness, compassion, and humility.”

The award was established to honor volunteer Hilda Fountain for her 37 years of service to High Point Regional Health System. She inspires the other 274 volunteers by her tireless example. Her desire to “count for something” has motivated the 102-year-old woman to work at the hospital for thirty-seven years. Last year, she won the Governor’s Lifetime Service Award for her dedication.

When Watkins presented the award, she emphasized that the award was given for kindness, compassion, and humility.

She said, “The volunteer receiving the award this year has already won your hearts, for through his adversities he has maintained kindness, compassion, and humility. His entire life is an example and he is truly an inspiration. He has no idea he is receiving this award.” But his wife Carol had known for a week and had to keep it a secret.

Matney retired from a career in broadcasting eleven years ago and has worked at the hospital for six years. One of Matney’s friends told him about volunteer services at the hospital, and he has been volunteering ever since. When Matney was trying to decide what type of volunteer work he wanted to do, his wife suggested he use his musical talent. He had played the piano since third grade having learned how to play at the N.C. School for the Blind.

When he was born, he was said to be totally blind. He had congenital cataracts. When he was 5 years old, he had surgery that restored some of his sight. During that five years his optic nerve was damaged. With the knowledge doctors have today, he could have had the surgery as a baby and had perfect vision.

Having the surgery enabled him to drive for about 35 years, from 1919 to 1954. For several years he was paying about $65 a month for transportation to get to the hospital to play piano. Now, his friends Dot and Earl Creason and Ruth and Robie Kennedy drive him to the hospital. Robert Brinkley and Bill Atkinson often take him to several nursing facilities when he plays there. He also plays for churches and senior groups.

Since he was 15, he has been busy with his career in broadcasting in Lexington, Rocky Mount, Greensboro, Charlotte and Winston-Salem. He started his broadcasting career when he was in high school in Waynesville. He worked part-time until he was 15 and then began a full-time career.

In addition to being a musician, he is also an author. Eleven years ago he wrote a book about his life calling it “Miracles, my life.” “I have been blessed by many miracles,” he says.

Today, he volunteers at the hospital Monday, Tuesday and Thursday mornings. The piano is on the first level of the hospital near the front entrance. The area is open to the surgical waiting room on the next level.

“I have had family members come to me and tell me how much they enjoyed the music while they were in the waiting room. One lady said it had been a blessing to her. That says it all. If I hear that, I can play all day long,” Matney says.

He learned to play music in Braille and then continued to play by ear. He plays a mix of Christian and secular songs. The music ranges from the ’40s to current songs. He plays a lot of hymns.

He says the whole time he was working in broadcasting he had little time to play the piano. Playing brings him great pleasure now. On the days he doesn’t play at the hospital, he plays at several retirement centers.

At the awards ceremony he had been asked to sing “Make Me a Servant” in honor of Hilda Fountain’s years of service. Bobbi Watkins said the song is 81 years old. The song emphasizes being a servant and lifting up those who are weak.

The song was sung as a tribute to the 274 volunteers who work at the hospital.

“Like it says in the gospel song, 'God is still working on me. He’s not finished yet,’” Matney said.

Contact Kathy Johnson at mjohnson2@triad.rr.com