LONGVIEW, Wash., April 25, 2014 – Community Home Health & Hospice (Community) received a total of five awards in four of nine award categories at the 22nd Annual HCAW Awards Program. HCAW (Home Care Association of Washington) is the largest and most diverse home care association in Washington State with 48 member agencies representing hundreds of employees and volunteers statewide.
The annual awards recognize individuals who share a high level of dedication to their profession and community. Award winners are honored for meeting personal and industry-related challenges with vision and positive energy, tirelessly advocating for their agencies, patients and colleagues.
Four Community employees won the following awards:
- Hero of the Year: Lisa Daniels, RN (2-year employee)
- Hero of the Year: Kathleen Loney, MSW (3-year employee)
- Manager of the Year: Randy Dalton, RN (13-year employee)
- Support Staff of the Year: Linda Johnson, RN (23-year employee)
In addition, Community volunteer Darlene Grasser (9-year volunteer) was named Volunteer of the Year.
Hero of the year: Lisa Daniels, RN and Kathleen Loney, MSW
Lisa and Kathleen scoured the back woods of SW Washington and two Walmart parking lots searching RVs for an individual needing urgent hospice care who had been discharged from the hospital the night before. After knocking on numerous motorhome doors, they found the woman and convinced her to come to Community’s Hospice Care Center in Longview to get stabilized. Then Lisa and Kathleen researched community resources to support the woman and her husband, securing housing, basic furnishings and food.
Manager of the Year: Randy Dalton, RN
Community’s Clark County office was on the brink of closure nine years ago. Randy was put in charge of turning it around which he did in remarkably short order. Business has grown exponentially ever since, so much so that the agency broke ground recently on a new hospice care center in Vancouver. Randy’s additional accomplishments included leading the home health department through an information system replacement as well as implementing an innovative compensation program.
Support Staff of the Year: Linda Johnson, RN
Linda has worn many hats over her years with the agency as a home health field nurse, staff educator and quality improvement coordinator. Her extensive nursing experience has provided a strong foundation for carrying out her various support roles. Her clinical knowledge, computer background and strong communications skills have helped the agency meet industry regulations and maintain its professional accreditation. Linda has also volunteered with Community’s children’s grief support program and as an agency photographer.
Volunteer of the Year: Darlene Grasser
Darlene has volunteered in a number of capacities with Community including grief support for children ages 6 – 12. In that role, she has assisted with biweekly grief support groups and the annual grief camp. Children are drawn to her soothing presence. She has served on the grief advisory team and helped recruit new grief volunteers. She has also supported community members who are dying, as well as helped raise money for Relay for Life.
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Community CEO Greg Pang writes of the award winners, “I cannot express in words my deep gratitude for our dedicated staff and volunteers. In a profession built by everyday heroes, these people truly deserve special individual attention and appreciation.”
