Denise Marcoux Celebrates 50 Years, Jodie Legacy Named Employee of the Year, Medical Staff Presents Edward French Memorial Award and Goddard Family Award
Registered Nurse, Denise Marcoux honored for
her 50 Years of Service.
Copley Hospital recognized its health care heroes during a recent Hospital Week celebration. Traditionally, Hospital Week is celebrated the second week of May, but it was postponed this year due to the pandemic. Throughout Copley’s weeklong celebration, socially distanced gatherings were held to honor employee milestones. The festivities concluded with an evening event honoring employees achieving their 20 to 50 years of service, announcing the Employee of the Year, and recognizing the recipients of the Edward French Memorial Award and Goddard Family Award, awards given annually by the Medical Staff.
In his opening remarks, Joseph Woodin, CEO reminded everyone that the patients, families, and communities we serve are fortunate to have such great health care close to home. “Copley is special because of its dedicated team. We do an amazing job of providing high quality care. We’re known as an excellent hospital because of your excellent skills and compassionate caring, so we want to celebrate that this week,” he said.
Denise pictured with Dale Porter, RN (left) and
Chief Nursing Officer Lori Profota, RN
A highlight of the festivities was the standing ovation given to Registered Nurse Denise Marcoux for her 50 years of service. Friend and presenter, Dale Porter, RN stated, “The competence, familiarity, life-long learning, and community presence represented by Denise is a piece of Copley Hospital Blue Ribbon status that is matched by no other. Fifty Years! Not just a placeholder, Denise is a standout in the field of compassion and caring. Copley Hospital has been blessed.” Porter, who has known Denise for most of those fifty years, sharing high school, early days of EMS calls, work at Copley, and graduation from UVM in the same RN class, noted, “staring down fifty years is nothing short of astounding.”
Denise’s history at Copley began at 15 years of age when she would visit the hospital on Saturdays to give out water and juice to patients as well as do other small tasks. Due to that early experience, she organized the hospital’s junior volunteer “Candy Striper” program a few years later. She followed that with her Nurse’s Aide, LPN, and then RN; all credentials earned while working at Copley full-time. Today, Denise continues to represent Copley Hospital to an enormous percentage of our patient population, who are served by our Perioperative Department. She sets every patient on a successful, prepared course through his or her varied procedures.
Jodie Legacy – Employee of the Year pictured
with son Noah and Copley CEO Joe Woodin
Each year, the Employee of the Year award is presented to an individual who exemplifies outstanding service to Copley and our community. “This year our Employee of the Year, Jodie Legacy, RN, MPH, CIC, is the poster child for this award,” stated Woodin. “Jodie brings a high-level of professionalism, knowledge, and energy to everything she does, and does this well through her ability to connect, answer questions and educate,” Woodin continued. In addition to her work with FIT testing, and ongoing infection prevention staff education, Woodin noted that Jodie was instrumental in helping Copley move forward safely during the COVID pandemic in so many ways. Woodin described her boundless dedication and enthusiasm as one that cannot be matched. “This is a much deserved recognition,” he said.
Orthopaedic Surgeon, Joseph McLaughlin, MD, representing the Hospital’s Medical Staff, presented two prestigious awards given annually by the Medical Staff. Surgical Services’ Lisa Paskerian, RN was presented with the Edward French Memorial Award, an award that recognizes nursing excellence, and Kathy Dewald, LNA was presented with the Goddard Family Award, an award that recognizes excellence in a non-nursing position.
Orthopedic Surgeon, Joe McLaughlin, MD honoring Lisa Paskerian, RN and Kathie Dewald.
In his remarks, Dr. McLaughlin praised Lisa for being the standard-bearer of Operating Room nursing. In addition to guiding new nurses, she was instrumental in the drive to obtain national certification, as well as identified the importance of clinician involvement with the implementation of our electronic health records. “She has a broad clinical range and is a fierce patient advocate, always practicing in a patient-centric way and diligently collaborating with all members of our multidisciplinary team to provide the highest level of care. We are all better for Lisa’s tireless efforts on our patients’, our community’s and Copley’s behalf,” stated Dr. McLaughlin. While presenting Lisa with the Edward French Memorial Award, Dr. McLaughlin commented, “This honor could not have been bestowed on a more deserving recipient.”
When presenting the Goddard Family Award, Dr. McLaughlin acknowledged Kathie Dewald’s intellectual curiosity and internal drive to improve. He highlighted her move to OR Aide – where she quickly made a huge impact and earned herself the reputation of a high-energy team player. Her unbound desire to constantly challenge herself and improve, led her to getting her LNA certification and, shortly after that, her Certified Registered Central Service Technician certification. “The medical staff felt that her devotion to continuous personal improvement had an incredible positive impact on all of Perioperative Services and our shared patients,” said Dr. McLaughlin.
During the week-long celebration, Copley recognized and thanked the following employees for their years of service:
5 Years of Service: Tammy Aubuchon; Jamie Barrett; Kaylynn Bradley; Sarah Collins, RN; Suzanne Demarais, RN; Donald Dupuis, MD; Heather Eaton; Allison Fitzgerald; Sabrina Gayle; Brenda Hammond; Sondra Hayden; Toni Langlois, RN; Heather Marcoux, RN; Cole Pearson, RN; Lori Profota, RN; Jeannine Santamore; Lisa Shedd; William Small; Shawn Smejkal; Ashley Starr, RN; Steacy Suddaby, RN and James Wills
10 Years of Service: Nakysha Olsen, RN; Tammy Pasette; James Robinson; Marianne Sjolander; Cynthia Stockwell; Lynne Suddaby, RN and Deborah Wheeler
15 Years of Service: Joanna Branch, RN; Eric Brewer; Carley Claghorn, RN; Jared Gilbert; Marc Joncas, RN; Lisa Kilbourn; Jill LaRock, Susan McKee, RN; Eric Montminy; Julie Perron, RN; Nina Putvain; Robert Wescom and Lorelei Wyman
20 Years of Service: Penny Davis; Margaret Flynn, RN; Penny Hester-Ingram; Donna Holbrook; Shelby Ingalls, LNA; Cassea Mercia; Michelle Dubois, RN; Dacia Rockwood, RN; Stephen Sprague; and Linda Thomas
25 Years of Service: Diane Dolan; Patrick Heaghney, MD; and Pamela Stengel, RN
30 Years of Service: Annette Thompson
35 Years of Service: Karin Vossler
40 Years of Service: Dawn Sweetser
45 Years of Service: Lise Hamel
50 Years of Service: Denise Marcoux, RN
Copley is proud of the commitment and quality of its staff – people helping people in the true spirit of a community hospital.