Volunteer
Shriners Hospital honors Robert Outman for 44 years of service
By Marilee Bailey
Correspondent
It says a lot about Robert G. Outman that the Shriners Hospital for Children named its employee of the year award
after him. Especially since he's never worked there.
Forty-four years ago, Outman decided to join the Shriners when he witnessed a close friend help a child
walk. He's been volunteering ever since.
On Saturday, at the Spokane Shriners' annual holiday employee dinner and dance, the board of governors and Shriners
Hospital staff gave Outman an appreciation plaque and named their employee of the year award the
"Robert G. Outman Employee of the Year Award".
"It was a complete surprise," said Outman. "When I went up there, I thought I was going to present the award.
But when I found out otherwise, I could hardly stand on my feet."
"It's the first time we have ever named an award after a volunteer, so it's a very rare and special event,"
says Lori Howard, the volunteer coordinator for Shriners Hospital, and Outman's biggest fan. "We wanted to honor him in
a long term, permanent way, because he is, overall, our employee of the year, every year," she says.
Since 1958, Outman has missed only about three meetings.
"If Milton Berle is known as 'Mr. Showbiz', then Bob Outman is 'Mr. Shriner'," says Howard.
At 93, Outman has been instrumental in helping thousands of children receive no-cost medical care for orthopedic,
spinal cord, and burn injuries. Outman, a down-to-earth, well-traveled retired general mechanical supervisor
in the railroad industry, has held a litany of positions and has received numerous accolades from the hospital.
He has been a greeter since he first embarked on his quest to help needy children and, as a 27-year board of
governors member, has sat as both secretary and vice chairman.
As part of the Shriners project committee to build the new Shriners hospital in Spokane, he fought to keep the
hospital alive and well.
"At one point they were going to close our hospital, and he stopped that from happening," says Howard, who
wrote a short biography on Outman when he won the Volunteer of the Year Award in 1994.
"I've always felt sorry for people without good health," says a tall, fit Outman, who loves all sports. He is
an avid golfer at Manito Golf and Country Club and can shoot his age.
"A child who is crippled can't do what the other kids can do. I can't do anything about it. But Shriners Hospital
can change kids' lives -- they can make it happen," says Outman.
Over the years, Outman has seen that happen countless times.
"I remember a boy from Moses Lake who had his foot shot off," Outman said. "His orthopedic leg didn't fit right,
and he couldn't get around very well.
"So we sent him to Shriners. When he got out, he was playing football."
Outman knows what it's like to be dealt a blow that no child should have to endure. His mother died when he was
a small boy, leaving his father and grandmother to raise him.
At the age of 7, Outman found joy as a caddie at a golf course in St. Louis where he grew up.
Members would lend Outman their wooden golf clubs, and he taught himself to golf. Soon, one natural swing would
lead to a lifelong passion.
"What I like about golf is that you're always trying to beat yourself," says Outman.
Outman is modest about his dedication to the Shriners Hospital, even when asked about his 15-hours-a-month
commitment at his age -- speaking to service clubs, making presentations to provide scholarships, giving
tours, presenting awards and serving on committees.
"Nothing is challenging if you want to do it," he said. "You see, I always have to do something.
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