MORGANTOWN — WVU Medicine celebrated employees who went “above and beyond” this past year at the annual Bravo! Bash in Bloom, held Tuesday in Milan Puskar Stadium.
Honorees, their colleagues who nominated them for recognition and their team leaders enjoyed games and food and a recognition ceremony, held inside and outside at the stadium’s Diversified Energy Terrace.
WVUM Special Events Coordinator Marissa Bailey said about 75 employees from various departments were recognized for going above and beyond their job descriptions to make a difference in patient care.
Having the team leaders join in the celebration, she said, “really drives home recognition and appreciation for that colleague, letting them know what they do here matters.”
Diabetes Education Center Coordinator Emily Smaniotto was one of the honorees. She said she organized a juvenile diabetes research walk last year in Morgantown.
The walk drew more than 350 people and raised more than $110,000 to fund research for a cure for youths and adults with Type I diabetes, and to buy educational tools used in the Education Center office. “It was a big turnout. We’re hoping for a bigger turnout this year,” she said.
Asked about the honor, she said, “It honestly took me by surprise.” She didn’t do it for recognition, but “it’s nice to get recognition for it.”
Curtis Ash, director of operations for WVU Medicine Children’s, was there as one who nominated several colleagues and as a team leader of recognized team members.
He mentioned a couple employees he nominated.
In one case, a child in the Emergency Department loved a team member’s pair of Crocs. So, the employee took donations to order the child a pair and had them delivered to the ED while the child was there. “We were able to get that kid home with a pair of Crocs.”
In another case, a child had been sitting in the ED for many hours awaiting placement at another facility. The department manager and the team got the child outside to the gym to exercise and play some basketball, to get a break from the confines of the ED.
“The team put that together,” he said, “and it’s completely out of the normal pathway that you’d experience.”
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