Administrative Professionals Day and April Birthdays Celebration

In the Food and Nutrition department at Lahey Hospital & Medical Center, we value our colleagues who put patients at the heart of everything we do on a daily basis.

The department is always busy but we never forget our most important asset- Our People. We celebrate monthly birthdays, have Ice cream and cup cakes parties, barbecues, Chinese Food, raffles, Employee of the month, and holiday celebrations for our colleagues throughout the year. 

Recently our Food and Nutrition Director, Linda Clay, conducted training classes for all Food and Nutrition colleagues to reconnect with all colleagues on the importance of their role in the patient experience. She also took the opportunity to let everyone know what a great job everyone did and how proud she is of the team.

Yesterday,  we celebrated Administrative Professionals Day and April Birthdays.  

Administrative Professionals Day celebration Mary Pittsley, our Administrative Assistant have been working in the department for nearly 13 years. She supported the department in administrative, catering and accounting functions. She is well liked and appreciated by all colleagues. Mary, Thank you for all that you do! We appreciate You!

April Birthdays celebration
To all our colleagues who are celebrating April birthdays, Happy Birthday! May good health and happiness always be with you!

Group picture

April birthday cake

Linda Clay, Director of Food and Nutrition and Mary Pittsley, Administrative Assistant

Happy National Volunteer Week (April 10-16)

Left to Right: Doug, Susan and Sarla

Happy National Volunteer week!

Last Friday, April 8, President Barack Obama proclaimed April 10-16 as National Volunteer Week. https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2016/04/08/presidential-proclamation-national-volunteer-week-2016 

On behalf of the Sodexo team at Lahey Hospital & Medical Center, we would like to express a heartfelt "Thank You" to those who volunteer and give back to the community. 

A survey conducted by Gallup Well Being in 2013,http://www.gallup.com/poll/166250/americans-practice-charitable-giving-volunteerism.aspx found that 83% of Americans donated to charity in the past year and 65% volunteered.

So, what is a volunteer? According to dictionary.com http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/volunteer, a volunteer is a person who voluntarily offers himself or herself for a service or undertaking or a person who performs a service willingly and without pay.

There are many ways to volunteer. Conventionally, people look to volunteer at food banks, religious organizations, hospitals, schools or homeless shelters.  

For this week's blog post, I would like to highlight Susan Kallmes, who volunteers five days a week. She started volunteering at Lahey Health in April 2015.  She volunteers a day or two each week in the Food and Nutrition department at Lahey Hospital & Medical Center in Burlington, two days at the gift shop at Lahey Beverly and a day as a guide at the Peabody Essex Museum.  

Susan retired in 2014 after working for 26 years at the Peabody Essex Museum. She enjoys volunteering because she loves helping people.  When I asked Susan why she chose Lahey Health to volunteer, Susan said Lahey is a truly amazing place to work and volunteer.  All colleagues here are very helpful and remarkable!  She hears so much positive feedback from patients and visitors when she is here. It makes her feel alive and lucky to be a part of this incredible team.  She also thinks it is a special gift she was given each time she comes and volunteers. 

Susan also wanted to thank the Food and Nutrition management team for the opportunity and for the kind hospitality extended to her.  She feels a sense of belonging and connection each time she is here.

To Susan and all volunteers: Thank you for all that you do! Happy National Volunteer Week!

Happy Friday! A positive spring poem to start your Weekend!

Picture taken at the Path leading to the hospital on Monday, 4/4/16. So pretty? Isn't it? Always look at the bright side. Right? 

Spring is here

Spring is here

With the rain and the snow 

I ponder if it will ever be here

It's easy to complain

It's easy to be negative

It's easy to point fingers

It's easy to put the blame

I choose to be positive

I choose to be nice

I choose to believe in hope

I choose to be fine

The sun will shine

The temperature will rise

May all the worries and tears

along with the negative fears

Be gone with the cold weather

Be gone with what's doesn't belong here. 

Have a great weekend everyone!

Save the date- Wednesday, April 27. Come support Team NED in their fundraising bake sale event for Lahey Health 5k Cancer Walk & Run

Left to Right: Taylor, Sara and Becky

Last year baked goods prepared by our Registered Dietitians

Team NED Recipe Booklet on Sale last year during the bake sale

Team NED (No Evidence of Disease) led by Sara O'Brien, RD, MS, AP-RD, LDN, CNSC, Registered Dietitians at Lahey Hospital & Medical Center are going to organize a bake sale on Wednesday, April 27,2016 at the Southeast Lobby at Lahey Hospital & Medical Center. The team goal this year is to raise $1500 for the Lahey Cancer Center.

Last year, the team raised $1147.43 from the bake sale. To learn more about past year bake sale event, please click on the following link http://sodexoatlahey.blogspot.com/2014/05/congratulations-to-team-ned-for-very.html

If you are not able to participate in the bake sale, you can still support Team NED by making a donation at Team NED Lahey Health 5K Cancer Walk & Run webpage at http://www.laheyhealth5k.org/faf/search/searchTeamPart.asp?ievent=1155568&lis=1&kntae1155568=735AF6AD2FDB4B43869860FA21B353AB&team=6678477

Let's work together to find a cure for Cancer. Every bit of help matters.