VIDALIA, La. – Earl Johnson knows he could spend more time fishing or watching TV.

But instead, the retired Illinois Central Railroad agent volunteers at Natchez Community Hospital two days a week &uot;to have something to do&uot; he said.

&uot;Well, I could sit at home and watch the television or go fishing more,&uot; said Johnson, a Vidalia resident. &uot;But I get to thinking about the people in the hospital and think I can help somebody that day instead.&uot;

And help somebody, he does. Johnson, along with the other Natchez Community volunteers, are called upon to escort patients in wheelchairs to and from the X-ray department, deliver flowers and help take meals to patients’ rooms. The volunteers also take records to admitting and wheel patients out when released from the hospital.

Since beginning his volunteer work in August 1994, Johnson has logged more than 2,500 service hours within the hospital and now serves as the vice president of the volunteer group at Natchez Community.

&uot;He is a volunteer’s volunteer,&uot; said Jean Walsworth, director of Volunteers at Natchez Community. &uot;He is consistently compassionate and sincerely enjoys helping people. And anything that needs to be done, he will do – without question.&uot;

Johnson said if he can make somebody smile he has done his job.

As he is pushing a patient’s wheelchair he might open the conversation with, &uot;Would you like to go 25 miles an hour or 50 miles an hour?&uot; he said.

&uot;Most often I get a pretty good smile, but the older folks usually say under their breath, ’25 miles an hour, please,’&uot; Johnson said.

Johnson said his position at the hospital has the added benefit of allowing him to visit people he hasn’t seen in a while.

&uot;I’m originally from Rayville, and I have seen a couple of people from there, and even from Oak Grove and Winnsboro,&uot; he said. &uot;It’s great.&uot;

Volunteering is such a big part of Johnson’s life that he had considered volunteering at Natchez Regional Medical Center, also.

&uot;But they told me I’d have to wear pink, and I decided not to,&uot; he said with a laugh, referring to that hospital’s volunteer &uot;Pink Ladies.&uot;