In the News
Circle of Life Memorial Service to be held
The public is invited to a special "Circle of Life Memorial Service" on Saturday, May 31 from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the United Methodist Church, 100 North 4th Street, Black River Falls. This ecumenical service is held annually to remember loved ones who died this past year. It is sponsored by Black River Memorial Hospital, Black River Memorial Hospice, the Krohn Clinic, Pine View Care Center, Family Heritage Care Center, and Jackson County Interfaith Volunteer Caregivers.
This is the thirteenth annual memorial service that's been held during or near the Memorial Day weekend. Judy Hansen, planning committee member says, “Memorial Day is traditionally a time when our thoughts turn to loved ones who have died. This service gives family and friends the opportunity to reflect, pray, sing and remember their loved ones with others who have also experienced a recent loss."
Father Robert Streveler of Saint Joseph’s Catholic Church will give the welcome and opening prayer, Judy Hansen will give introductory comments, Mary O’Brien will read the names of the people being remembered, and Hospice Chaplain Kevin Newell will give the closing prayer and blessing. During the service, a chorus composed of area health care employees and community members will sing and there will be a special ceremony for families to light candles in memory of their loved ones. The prelude and postlude will be performed by Marilyn McKeeth. Refreshments will be served following the service.
One meaningful part of the service will feature the song “To Where You Are,” performed by area singer Jerry O’Brien. During the song, slides will be shown of the people being remembered. Anyone wishing to have their loved one's picture included is asked to send a photo no later than May 23 to Mary O’Brien or Jenni Hill at Black River Memorial Hospital, 711 West Adams Street, Black River Falls, WI 54615. All pictures will be returned immediately following the service.
For more information, people can contact planning committee members Judy Hansen, Jennifer Hill, Mary O’Brien, Cindy Clark, Kevin Newell or David Johnson at Black River Memorial Hospital at 284-5361, or Karen Foust at Interfaith at 284-7058. Interfaith will also provide transportation.
Black River Memorial Hospital Receives Laureate Award for
Workplace Excellence
Black River Memorial Hospital (BRMH) has been named the recipient of The Jackson Group’s prestigious Laureate Award for Workplace Excellence. Alan Jackson, President of the Jackson Group presented the award to the hospital’s leadership on Monday, April 28, 2008.
The Laureate Award for Workplace Excellence was awarded to BRMH based on 2007 Employee Survey results that exemplified excellence in accordance with The Jackson Group’s criteria. BRMH has been engaged in this measurement process with The Jackson Group on an annual basis since 2005.
The results of the 2007 Work Climate Survey were evidence of efforts made by Black River Memorial Hospital to invest in the human capital of their healthcare organization by making sound management decisions that have been well received by both associates and managers,” said Jackson. “Through these efforts, it is apparent that leadership has built a very positive work climate for their associates.”
BRMH offers comprehensive, diverse services to meet the healthcare needs of individuals and families in the Black River Falls area. Their services range from emergency care and obstetrics to surgical care and hospice. With their team of dedicated professional staff and state-of-the-art technology, BRMH is committed to providing the highest quality of care possible.
The Jackson Group was founded in 1976 and is a full-service survey services and consulting group serving various markets and industries with a specialized division focused on healthcare. The organization is located in Hickory, North Carolina.
Ashley Huber honored at statewide Health Care Employee Recognition Program
For someone who wrote that she was always a little scared of the elderly, working as a home health aide with Black River Memorial Hospice and Homecare helped her to overcome that fear and is leading her to a new career. “One day I decided that I would just try and see what it was like to work in assisted living, just because I’ve always loved helping people,” wrote Huber. “It turned out that I love my job and it made me want to boost my career into becoming a registered nurse. I am in the process of becoming an RN right now.”
These were feelings Huber put on paper in an essay she submitted for the 2008 Wisconsin Health Care Employee Pride Program. Employees were asked to describe what led them to choose an occupation in health, and why they decided to work in a hospital. Hundreds of health care employees submitted essays. A committee at each health care facility selected their winning essay, and that person was invited to attend a recognition dinner at the Kalahari Resort in Wisconsin Dells on May 1.
Huber joined 76 other health care employees from across the state who were honored. In attendance with her from Black River Memorial Hospital were Stan Gaynor, CEO, Mary Beth White-Jacobs, RN, BSN, MHA, Director of Patient Care Services, and Shawn Callisto, RN, Manager of Black River Memorial Homecare.
The program, sponsored by the Wisconsin Hospital Association (WHA) is designed to celebrate the health care workforce and recognize their “truly amazing” contributions to the health of their communities, according to WHA President Steve Brenton.
“People who work in hospitals are among Wisconsin’s most dedicated and valuable employees. It takes special people to care for others and our communities are richer, safer and healthier places to live because of these professionals,” Brenton said. “Whether they are on the front lines, or supporting those who deliver patient care, every health care employee helps improve the health status in the community where they live and work.”
The 76 honored employees represented nearly 60 different health care occupations, including predictable professions like nurses, physical therapists, and radiology technicians, but also massage therapists, financial services specialists, environmental services and food service.
The fact that hospitals offer secure jobs with family-sustaining wages and benefits makes them desirable choices for employment, according to WHA President Steve Brenton. But training, recruiting and retaining a workforce large enough to meet the growing demand for health care is a constant challenge for hospitals and other health care providers. (See new WHA workforce report: www.wha.org)
“Health care today offers people an opportunity to work in a high-tech, yet high-touch, environment. By showcasing the personal stories of health care employees, we are able to share the rewards of choosing a career serving others,” Brenton said. The essays are posted at www.wha.org.
Ashley Huber concluded her essay by writing, “Everything I do in my job reaffirms my decision about my career. Helping people, making people smile and laugh, helping people live on their own so they don’t have to leave the comforts of their own home, helping the sick ones stay at comfort, and making one at peace; all of these reaffirm my decision to work in the health care field.”
The recognition program is co-sponsored by the Wisconsin Society of Healthcare Human Resources Administration, and the Wisconsin Organization of Nurse Executives.
National Hospital Week is being celebrated
Black River Memorial Hospital will be celebrating National Hospital Week May 11-17 with the theme “Caring Is What We Do Best.” This theme reflects the vital service hospital employees provide day and night, every day of the year.
Stan Gaynor, CEO at Black River Memorial Hospital says National Hospital Week is the perfect time to show appreciation to our exceptional staff for the extraordinary care they provide. “We’re extremely proud of our highly skilled, compassionate and dedicated staff and we recognize the important role they play in helping those in need in our communities,” he said. “They truly show each and every day that caring is what we do best.”
During the week, there will be daily refreshments, an Employee Breakfast on Tuesday, served by administrators and managers, and an Employee Recognition Party and door prize drawings on Thursday.
Twenty-seven employees will be recognized for their years of service at the Employee Recognition Party on Thursday, May 15th at 2 p.m. in the hospital cafeteria. Cake, punch and coffee will be served and all honored will receive a gift from the hospital. In addition, two employees who retired this past year, Barb Mason and Karen Kirsch, will be recognized.
The following employees will be honored for their years of service: 5 years – Linda Olson, Mark Consigny, Jim Szymanski, Anne Murray-Olson, Merilda Chamberlain, Kathleen Harasimowicz, Kevin Newell, Chipper Wyss, Barbara Reinstra, Duane Fait, Debra Hulett; 10 years - Rebecca Windsor, Sherry Skogstad, Joy Brooks, Betty Christopherson, Amanda Engebretson, Katherine Goodenough, Jackie Ellingson; 15 years – Nancy Engebretson, Stacy Shramek, Carl Lash, Darlene Gabriel; 20 years – Delrose Patzner-Hansen, Charlene Galston, Grayce West; 25 years – Mary Beth White-Jacobs; 45 Years – Rose Moldenhauer.
Stan Gaynor says Black River Memorial Hospital recognizes the value of its employees and “this celebration of National Hospital Week gives us the opportunity to let them know how much we value their contributions each and every day.”
Members of the Planning Committee for National Hospital Week are Deb Bemis, Jennie Drangstveit, Pat Hawley, Tanya Hefty, Jenni Hill, Gerti Johnson, Mary O’Brien, Holly Winn and Chipper Wyss.
This celebration is sponsored annually by the American Hospital Association and its over 5,000 member hospitals.
Hospital receives special donation from Milt and Lidy Lunda
Stan Gaynor, CEO of Black River Memorial Hospital has announced that Milt and Lidy Lunda have made a substantial pledge in the amount of $215,238 to the hospital’s capital campaign to honor retired hospital nurse Dorothy Halvorson. “We are overwhelmed by the generosity of Milt and Lidy Lunda,” says Gaynor, “and extend to them our sincere thanks and appreciation for this special gift.”
The Lunda’s have designated the gift to honor Dorothy Halvorson who was a registered nurse at Black River Memorial Hospital from 1968 through 2002. Then, shortly after she retired, she joined the hospice staff until her second retirement in 2005. In October 2007, after Milt Lunda had surgery, he hired Dorothy for private nighttime care. Lidy Lunda says they had heard so many good things about Dorothy and “we quickly discovered after she started working for us that everything we had heard was true. To us she is an angel and we wanted to honor her through helping the hospital.”
Gaynor says the funds have been designated for items in many areas throughout the hospital including state-of-the-art audio/video equipment and computers in all the conference rooms, a training/learning management system, intubation simulators, palliative care training, furnishings for the conference rooms in the obstetrics, emergency, ambulatory surgery and medical surgical areas, equipment for wellness and childbirth classes, signage, artwork, and more.
“Our new first floor conference room that is heavily used by staff and the community will now be equipped, because of the Lunda’s gift, with the most up-to-date technology and educational resources and will be named the Dorothy Halvorson Conference Room,” says Gaynor. “With Dorothy’s 37 years of dedication and service as a nurse at Black River Memorial Hospital she has truly touched so many people. And we can understand why Milt and Lidy chose to honor her with this tremendous gift.”
Dorothy says working for the Lundas is a joy and a privilege. “When Milt called me last October I thought he wanted me as a volunteer,” she says, “but I quickly learned that he wanted to hire me. It was an answer to my prayers. And I never expected to be honored in such a wonderful way. I am so humbled by their generosity and act of kindness.”
Milt and Lidy Lunda have also announced that plans are underway for another donation to develop a Memorial Garden on the grounds just to the east of the hospital’s front entrance. The garden will be a tribute to Mary Larkin, another long-time hospital nurse who recently passed away. More details on this will be coming at a later date.
T.A.T.U. Billboard and Poster Contest Winners
One component of the Jackson County Teens Against Tobacco Use (T.A.T.U.) Program, which was conducted in February, was a smoke free/anti-tobacco poster contest for the fourth grade students. All fourth-grade students in the school districts of Black River Falls, Melrose-Mindoro, and Alma Center, Humbird and Merrillan could submit an entry. From all the posters submitted there was one winner selected from each class.
The Black River Falls winners are: Gebhardt Elementary School – Megan Engebretson, Izaak Ortiz, Tianna Loftsgordon, Natalie Gawron, Jennifer Taylor and Taylor Dugan. The Melrose - Mindoro Elementary School winners are: Lexi Ruffi, Emalie Hanson and Trysten Weister. The Lincoln Elementary School winners are Jessica Herrick and Bailey Larson.
From these winners, four posters were selected to be displayed on billboards in Black River Falls from May 7 through June 7. The top four winners are Jennifer Taylor and Taylor Dugan, Gebhardt Elementary School; Lexi Ruffi, Melrose Mindoro Elementary School; and Bailey Larson, Lincoln Elementary School.
Funding for the billboards came from Together for Jackson County Kids; the Jackson County Public Health Department; Jackson County Schools; and Partners of Black River Memorial Hospital through a health education grant from the Lunda Charitable Trust..
T.A.T.U. is a national program that was developed by the American Lung Association, the American Heart Association and the American Cancer Society. The program trains high school students to teach elementary students about the harmful effects of tobacco use. The Partners of Black River Memorial Hospital sponsors this program along with involvement from the, Jackson County Public Health Department, WIC, Jackson County Schools, and Together for Jackson County Kids.