James Brannon, left, and Bill Baker, volunteers at Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point, were each honored with a presidential award for their service. (Courtesy of Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point)
Volunteers receive presidential awards
Regional Medical Center has announced that two of its volunteers have been honored with the Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award. The award comes from the office of the President of the United States to acknowledge the outstanding achievements of volunteers and volunteering throughout the nation.
The recipients receive the President’s Call to Service Award certificate, an order of congratulations from President Obama and a pin to commemorate the event. To receive the award, an individual must have volunteered a minimum of 15 years, and logged in more than 7,500 hours of service.
Baker has been volunteering at RMCBP for almost 16 years and has accumulated 19,425 hours of service. He has worked as a courier dispatcher and at the hospital’s Welcome Door A. He also has received One Star and Five Star awards, and spearheaded aluminum pull tab collections for the Shriner’s Hospital.
Brannon has volunteered for more than 15 years and has accumulated 8,950 hours of service. He is a clergy volunteer and was the recipient of the hospital’s Frist Volunteer Humanitarian Award in 2001.
National EMS Week
If there is one phone number every adult, and most children, should know, it is 911. Urban or rural, English-speaking or not, every citizen should know that in an emergency, dial those three digits, and expert help will come.
During National EMS (emergency medical services) Week — May 15 to May 21 — pause to remember those who provide emergency medical care in the form of EMTs (emergency medical technicians), firefighters, paramedics and registered nurses.
EMS week has a fitting theme of “Called to Care,” and also is being celebrated as the 50th anniversary of the modern EMS systems, and its 50 years marked by change and innovation.
Regional Medical appoints chief nursing officer
Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point appointed Lori Spight as chief nursing officer. Spight comes to the medical center from Overland Park Regional Medical Center in Overland Park, Kansas. There, she served as both associate chief nursing officer and interim chief nursing officer.
Spight holds a master’s degree in health administration from Webster University and a Bachelor of Science in nursing from Rockhurst University. She also is a graduate of the HCA Chief Nursing Officer Development Program.
Hospice names executive director
HPH Hospice, an affiliate of Chapters Health System, has named Patrick Allen as its executive director. Allen will manage operations and strategic business development for the 32-year-old hospice organization.
Allen started his career in health care in elder case management by assisting with legal guardian protection of adults. In 2006, he joined Haven Hospice as the Gainesville assistant administrator. Over the years, he has had roles of director of access department and administrator of the Chiefland office.
Allen received his bachelor’s degree in social work from the University of West Florida and his master’s degree in social work from Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas. He also is a certified hospice administrator from the Corridor Group.
New children’s grief center opens
HPH Hospice officially opened its new Children’s Grief Center, 12139 Majestic Blvd., in Hudson. The center will provide the community with grief support services, education and resources.
With the assistance of a professionally trained staff and volunteers, the grief center will assist youth ages 5 to 17 on their journey toward healing and hope. Young grievers will be encouraged to express feelings through creative interactions with children of similar ages, through art, games and dramatic play.
The staff members at the center will work closely with the school systems in Pasco, Hernando and Citrus counties to help students work with unresolved grief due to the death of someone significant in their lives. For information, call (727) 863-7971 or (800) 486-9794.
Hospital needs volunteers
Florida Hospital Zephyrhills needs volunteers to help its staff and doctors provide services. Volunteer positions cover a variety of disciplines, helping participants build unique skills and gain experience in a state-of-the-art health care facility.
Volunteer areas include clerical/administrative services escorting, kitchen duties, gift shop and patient services.
Time commitments begin at one four-hour shift per week, and volunteers must be 16 years of age and older.
Those interested can pick up an application at the hospital’s volunteer office or main desk, or go online to FloridaHospital.com/Zephyrhills/volunteer.
For information, call (813) 779-6256.
