Clarendon Health System service awards event

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Clarendon Health System held its 2018 service awards banquet on November 9 at The Matrix Center in Manning. CHS owns and operates three long-term health facilities: Lake Marion Nursing Facility in Summerton, Windsor Manor in Manning and Lake Moultrie Facility in St. Stephen in Berkeley County. The event recognized those with service lasting five, 10, 15 and 20 years, as well as recognizing everyone who had put forth effort during Hurricane Florence. Director Robin Matthews welcomed everyone. “As you know, Hurricane Florence was predicted…to possibly devastate our area,” said Matthews, who praised everyone for coming in to work during the storm. “Not only did they come in during the storm, but they came prepared to stay for as long as they were needed.” Matthews read from a resolution from the Clarendon Hospital District Board of Trustees, under whose umbrella the Clarendon Health System falls. This resolution commended the employees of Lake Marion Nursing Facility, who successfully evacuated the facility, and those residents and employees of the other two facilities who welcomed the evacuees. “The Clarendon Hospital District Board of Trustees specifically commends the employees’ dedication and courage in the face of hurricane Florence to care for and support the residents, the residents’ families and their colleagues during this stressful time,” read Matthews. “This evacuation and repatriation was successful because of the extensive preparation by the Clarendon Hospital District administration and employees. While it is impossible to single out individual actions or work, the Board of Trustees commends the employees on a job well done. The Board of Trustees would be remiss if it did not also note its extreme appreciation to the employees, residents and residents’ families of Windsor Manor and Lake Marion Nursing Facility, who welcomed evacuated residents and employees with open arms and worked cooperatively to ensure the safe and continuous care of evacuated residents.” All three facilities will have a framed copy of the resolution presented to them. Judge Robert J. Aycock III, Chairman of the Board of Trustees also spoke. “Let me tell you how grateful this Board is for what you’ve done and what you are doing,” said Aycock. He went on to also commend members of the Board as well, for their service. “I wanted to say thank you for what you’re doing and for how you care about what you’re doing.” To present the service awards, each facility’s administrator called the recipients up, and Matthews and Aycock presented the certificates and gifts. Annette Miles, administrator of the Lake Marion Nursing Facility, who has also been there for 10 years, called her recipients first. Betty Mose has been a licensed practical nurse at Lake Marion for 10 years. “Miss Betty is our life saver. She’s always willing to help, always smiling. She loves serving her residents and improving their quality of life. Her coworkers would say she’s reliable, dependable and always willing to help,” said Miles. Ernestine Rogers, unable to attend, has been a certified nursing assistant at the facility for five years. “Ernestine is always smiling, pleasant, works well with her coworkers. She’s efficient. She loves caring for the residents and improving their quality of life,” said Miles. Freddie Green has been a dietary aide at Lake Marion for 10 years. “Freddie is always smiling, always willing to help do whatever is needed. Her coworkers will say she is dependable, reliable and always there for everyone. She loves serving her residents their favorite foods to always see them smile,” said Miles. Joann Driggers of Lake Moultrie Nursing Facility called her recipients next. Sharon Bettard has been a CNA with the facility for 10 years. “She loves being able to help someone who depends on her to take care of them. She loves being able to let them know she’s there, she can be trusted and she and she is dependable and will always be there for them. Many of the staff say if you take care of some of Sharon’s residents, the residents will let you know if Sharon’s not the one there and you’re not doing it the way Sharon would,” said Driggers. Bettard is also working toward becoming a medical assistant and getting into the nursing program. Maryann Breach has been with the facility for 20 years. She has worked in housekeeping and laundry but is currently working IA services in the facility and is a sitter with the facility. “She loves helping the residents, and all of the staff will say, ‘Maryann is our jokester and she loves us all, and she is there to help any department that needs help,’” said Driggers. Breach has three children and six grandchildren who keep her busy in her free time. Miriam Gadsden has been with the facility for 15 years as a CNA. “She loves her job and being able to help the elderly. Miriam is one our staff says is the mother hen. She likes to ‘mama’ her residents, and she will make sure they are taken care of. The residents also will tell you, if you’re not doing it the way Miriam does it, you’re not doing it right,” said Driggers. Charlotte Green, unable to attend, has been with the facility for 20 years, starting in housekeeping but now as a sitter. “She is one of those who is always there. No matter when you need her, you can call and she’ll come in and help. She’s very quiet but she always gets the job done. In her free time she loves gardening and playing the lottery,” said Driggers. Margie Johnson, unable to attend, has been with the facility as a CNA for 10 years. “She loves caring for others and meeting their needs. The staff says Margie takes great care when she’s taking care of her patients. She loves to travel and is a certified travel agent and a Girl Scout leader,” said Driggers. Johnson has been a CNA for more than 25 years. Shari McCray, unable to attend, has been with the facility for five years as a dietary aide. “She likes working with her coworkers and making sure the residents get plenty of good food. She’s very dependable and very quiet,” said Driggers. Heather Jordan, administrator at Windsor Manor called her recipients last. Robin Alexander has been the social service director for the facility for five years. Alexander is married with four children and seven grandchildren. “Her coworkers would say she is very dependable, always willing to help, and you can go to her with anything. She is an advocate for our residents as well as for their families,” said Jordan. Nancy Coker has been an LPN at Windsor Manor for 10 years. Coker has been married for 40 years and has four children and five grandchildren. “She enjoys taking care of her residents. Coworkers say Nancy is very compassionate and very willing to help,” said Jordan. Norma Derr, unable to attend, has been a registered nurse at the facility for 15 years. Coker is married and lives in Manning. “She is very dedicated. Her coworkers would say she is always going to be there, sick or well. Either way she is coming to work, there to take care of the residents,” said Jordan. Shannon Spann has been a registered nurse at the facility for 15 years. Spann has been married for 18 years and has two children and one grandchild, whom she spoils. “She enjoys taking care of residents and seeing smiles on their faces. Her coworkers would say if you need to know something, just ask Shannon. She can tell you anything about anybody who has been in the facility in the past,” said Jordan. Following the presentations of awards, finger foods were served, and the attendees played games and socialized.