By SORS Volunteer Margot Lester
Did you know SORS is completely staffed by volunteers? It’s true!
In this issue, we highlight some of our EMS Division members and learn what motivates them to take volunteer shifts on top of their work and school obligations.
Want to volunteer with SORS? Click here!
Service to the community is a major motivator for SORS volunteers like EMT Margot Sherman Jollis.
Margot Sherman Jollis
“SORS is an incredible resource for both residents of Orange County and students at our local colleges,” explains Jollis, a Chapel Hill native who moved away for school. “When I returned, SORS gave me an opportunity to serve my neighbors and gain valuable clinical experience alongside impressive and passionate colleagues. Currently, I am a medical student at ECU and continue to make the drive home to pick up shifts because of the tangible impact I have on aiding people in their greatest time of need — and training new EMTs and witnessing them flourish in the field as compassionate and competent providers.
Volunteering with SORS gives members like Sidney Bowen valuable field training for careers in medicine, community health and emergency response.
Sydney Bowen
“I decided to join SORS so I could be involved with the local community in Chapel Hill-Carrboro,” says Bowen, who joined the Squad in December 2025. “Personally, membership with SORS has allowed me to grow as a worker in healthcare. I’ve been introduced to a wonderful and supportive community and am grateful I’ve had the chance to be involved.”
SORS EMTs, including Board Member Parker Frankiewicz seen here with Coach Bill Belichick, provide on-site EMS support at many Carolina sporting events.
Parker Frankiewicz
“While my volunteer work with SORS began as an exploration of a career in medicine, it quickly became a defining part of my path and purpose,” notes Frankiewicz, who’s been a member since 2019 and joined the Board of Directors in 2025. “Serving as an EMT gave me early, formative exposure to patient care, teamwork under pressure and the vital role every member of the healthcare system plays. Those experiences shaped the clinician I am becoming and continue to influence my interests in medicine and research. Today, SORS remains meaningful to me as a way to give back — through teaching, mentoring and supporting the next generation of providers who will care for our community.”
Meet the other SORS board members.
Collaboration and camaraderie are key reasons professionals like (R-L) Arwen Helms, Tina Wen and Simran Malik volunteer with SORS.
Tina Wen
“I feel so grateful for this opportunity to serve my community in a meaningful way while building real-world clinical experience,” explains 3-year volunteer Wen. “The training and ongoing education have been terrific. I feel that I have developed so much as an EMT and as a person during my time here. The camaraderie we have on the squad is amazing! I always look forward to spending time with my squadmates while working shifts and special events.”
Volunteers, including Training Captain Maddy Ganz (L) and Andrea Doherty, are involved in every aspect of operations — even keeping our rigs clean and stocked.
Maddie Ganz
“I have learned so much throughout my time at SORS about compassion. I have undoubtedly enhanced my clinical knowledge since joining SORS, but what doesn’t get acknowledged as frequently is the ability to connect with people,” says Training Captain Ganz, who’s been on the Squad for 18 months. “Working as an EMT, you meet people when they are at their most stressed and vulnerable. I have learned the difference between telling someone you understand what they’re going through and proving it. This has carried over to my personal life as I frequently remind myself that I don’t know what someone else is going through and that a little bit of compassion can go a long way!”
We’re grateful for the hours our members dedicate to the Squad and our community. They’re the most important part of what it takes to run your local all-volunteer rescue squad and are always prepared to serve.
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Feature image courtesy SORS Member Regan Hernandez. All other photos courtesy SORS members.
