Union County - News - Runnells Specialized Hospital Personnel Honored by Resident Council

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 14, 2010

Runnells Specialized Hospital Personnel Honored by Resident Council

Catherine Zambito, COTA (Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant) (center) received her Meada Alexander Caring Hearts Award Certificate of Appreciation from the RUNNELLS SpecializedHospital Resident Council. There to congratulate Zambito and the other awardees were Mary Lynn, formerly of Hillsboro, Resident Council vice chairperson (left) and Ernie Salvati, formerly of Roselle Park, Resident Council chairperson (right).

The staff at RUNNELLS Specialized Hospital of Union County, Berkeley Heights was recognized by the residents they care for in recognition of their exceptional service to the residents and patients. This is done by the facility’s Resident Council which provides a forum through which residents can express their concerns.

“We are fortunate to have the caring staff we do at RUNNELLS,” said Ernie Salvati, Chairman of the Resident Council. “They go out of their way to make us feel good about ourselves and to make us feel like we are part of a large family. The ones we honor today are representative of those who go beyond what their normal duties require.”

“Many people are honored by their boss or the company they work for,” observed Union County Freeholder Mohamed S. Jalloh, RUNNELLS liaison, “but how many are honored by the ones they try to help? These award winners are selected by the members of RUNNELLS’ Resident Council. That makes these awards very special.”

The honorees are:

Activities Therapy:	Ana Gonzalez, Recreation Therapy Aide, Elizabeth Julie O’Connell, Principle Clerk/Typist, North Plainfield Vincenzia Beaty, Senior Recreation Therapist, Cliffwood Patricia Scott, AD, BA, CRS (Certified Recreation Supervisor), Director of Activities Therapy and Volunteer Services, Union Gina Greeson, MT-BC (Music Therapist, Board-Certified), Raritan Daniela DeFronzo, BA, MT-BC, Springfield Jaimee Hawkins*, MS, Assistant Director of Activities Therapy

Food and Nutrition Services:	Rosa Bonifacio, Food Service Worker, Kenilworth Raymond Kearney, Food Service Worker, Plainfield Wilkens Charles, Food Service Worker, Elizabeth

Housekeeping:	Belkys Alonso, Plainfield Catherine Schelhorn, Plainfield Wilma Santiago, Hillside Guy Lightsey, Scotch Plains Elaine Martinez, Roselle

Nursing:	Sylvia Pawlyk, LPN (Licensed Practical Nurse), Branchburg Barbara Miller Jacobs, CNA (Certified Nursing Assistant), East Orange Marie Belot, CNA, East Orange Fredeline Dorcely, CNA, Elizabeth Judy Leanza, LPN, Green Brook Vanna Nougues, CNA, Hillside Michelle Badichon, CNA, Irvington Bernadette Louis, CNA, Irvington Lisa Powell, CNA, Irvington Francia Jones, CNA, Irvington Kerline Lubin, CNA, Irvington Angela Anderson, CNA, Irvington Marie Israel, RN (Registered Nurse), PCC (Patient Care Coordinator), Lopatcong Samuel Endaya, RN, Manville Mary Beth Niedle, RN-BC (Registered Nurse-Board Certified), PCC, Mountainside Karen Nurse, CNA, Newark Cheryl Pieters, CNA, Newark Augustina Obinnakwelu, CNA, Newark Elaine Blake, RN, Orange Paulie Gaillot, CNA, Orange Elizabeth Evarts, RN, Oxford Jane Lee, CNA, Plainfield Dawn Washington, LPN, Plainfield Grace Myrthil, CNA, Plainfield Karen Moore, CNA, Plainfield Dawn Hoyte, CNA, Plainfield Melina Dennis, LPN, Plainfield Eloisa Daitol, RN, PCC, Roselle Park Regina Jones-Booker, CNA, Sicklerville Hasna Shaheed, CNA, Sicklerville Josephine Armstrong, LPN, South Plainfield Sheila R. Alford, CNA, Springfield Patricia Slowly, CNA, Bushkill, PA Yvonne Sawyer, CNA, Allentown, PA

Occupational Therapy:	Catherine Zambito*, COTA (Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant)

Volunteers:	James Venuto, Berkeley Heights Susan and Peter Pennica, Scotch Plains

The annual awards were recently re-named “The Meada Alexander Caring Hearts Awards” for long time resident Meada Alexander, formerly of Plainfield who passed away recently.

RUNNELLS, located at 40 Watchung Way is Central New Jersey’s premier provider of quality, compassionate Nursing Care for long-term residents and individuals with short term Sub-Acute Rehabilitation needs. The facility also offers care for those with Alzheimers type dementia; Palliative Care for the relief of symptoms while an illness or condition is being treated or for the best quality, end-of-life care. Respite stays are available.

For admissions information, call (908) 771-5901.