Penn Highlands Healthcare Leader Volunteers in the Community

Lainie Drenning, RN, BSN, is a married mother of three teenagers who is the Regional Director of Case Management for Penn Highlands Healthcare. Despite her busy schedule, Lainie still finds time to give back to the region.

“My family volunteers at the Robertsdale, Wood & Broad Top Volunteer Fire Company,” said Lainie. “I am a second-generation member and have been involved for more than 25 years. My husband is the local fire chief, and all my children are state-certified firefighters and some EMS as well. We spend many hours volunteering at fundraisers, community outreach events, emergency calls and more.”

To help fund operations of the department, Lainie volunteers for the weekly BINGO where she sells tickets and helps in the kitchen.

“My father dedicated countless hours to ensure that the doors did not close for our local fire station that provided first-line emergency services to areas that are greater than 40 minutes from emergency care and this sparked my interest in volunteerism and knowing it can make a difference for our communities that we live in,” she explained.

This past summer, Lainie volunteered through the fire department at the Robertsdale Community Days. The event is held every August in conjunction with the East Broad Top Railroad to highlight the coal mining towns. She enjoyed the food preparation and working a refreshment stand.

“The power of investing in our local communities is important. It is a way to engage with other community members, share skills with those in need and dedicate time to improving the areas in which we live. Volunteering is about gratitude and giving back to the community that I call home. At the end of the day, I care about the safety of our community, the success of events and the strength of our small towns. It is my way of ensuring that the community thrives and that our emergency care is able to be provided for years to come,” said the Waterfall, PA resident.

She added, “I challenge others to get involved. Your time, your skills -- they matter to your community. We can be the backbone of keeping our communities strong and thriving. When you give back, you gain so much more in return!”