OGDENSBURG
– As an organization, United Helpers employs well over 1,000 people. Each year,
three of them are recognized as winners of the Margaret R. Spies Award.
“The award is only given to three employees, out of more than 1,000,” said United Helpers CEO Stephen E. Knight during a zoom meeting where the awards were presented. “It’s safe to say we’re recognizing the best of the best.”
“The best of the best” is also a phrase often used by Ann Spies to describe her mother, Margaret, for whom the award is named. Ms. Spies created the honor in memory of Margaret, a one-time resident of what is now United Helpers Rehabilitation and Senior Care in Ogdensburg, as a way to honor and recognize direct care staff, such as those who cared for her mom.
This year’s awards went to Amber Evans, a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) in Ogdensburg, Crystal Klimowicz, a CNA in Canton, and Sherry Friot, a Direct Support Professional (DSP) from the Lisbon IRA, each of whom were nominated by their peers for the honor.
Timothy Parsons, who serves as Vice President of Operations in Ogdensburg where Ms. Evans works, said he was pleased to see her selected for the honor.
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| Timothy Parsons, Amber Evans, & Marie Woods |
"I am so happy for Amber,” he said. “She has been nominated several times by her co-workers over the past few years indicating that she is clearly one of our best CNAs.”
Mr. Parsons also had no shortage of stories to share when citing examples of things that make Ms. Evans a great CNA, but perhaps the most telling example wasn’t even included in her nomination packet.
“While we were accepting nominations, I received an unsolicited phone call from the daughter of a resident who had recently passed away,” Mr. Parsons said. “They wanted to make me aware of how special Amber was and what she meant to the resident and their family. They told me that their mother was so close with Amber that on more than one occasion she called Amber by her daughter’s name.”
The fact that Ms. Klimowicz was selected as Canton’s recipient is something that came as a surprise to no one, said Canton’s Vice President of Operations Kimberly Blair, who recalled a conversation with Ms. Klimowicz’s immediate supervisor.
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| Kimberly Blair, Crystal Klimowicz, & Jessica Barr |
“I spoke with her supervisor yesterday and she said that even before Crystal was a CNA, when she was working as a task aide, she knew she was going to shine,” Mrs. Blair recalled.
Citing another example, Mrs. Blair reflected on Ms. Klimowicz’s work as a mentor to other CNAs even before she was officially a part of the building’s mentoring program.
“She has helped us train new employees without being recognized or compensated for many weeks until she was able to attend mentor training,” Mrs. Blair said, reading from a nomination submitted by Robin L. Leonard, who oversees the building’s mentoring program.
Ms. Friot is one of the most impressive DSPs that her Program Leader Brady Dullea says he’s ever seen.
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| Brady Dullea, Sherry Friot, & Michele Montroy |
“In all my time working with OPWDD (Office for People with Developmental Disabilities) programs, I have never met anyone with all the abilities she has,” Mr. Dullea said. “There is no one who better embodies, ‘Always Caring.’ She never has an off day.”
Mr. Dullea said the opportunity has even arisen several times for Ms. Friot to be promoted to a supervisory position, but each time she politely declines, noting she doesn’t want to give up the level of involvement with direct care she enjoys now.
“Despite declining leadership positions, Sherry has never shied away from taking control when times get tough,” he said. “She has successfully handled many difficult situations, not because she wants to step up and take charge, but because she wants the best outcomes for the people living and working in the house.”
Each year since 2001 the Margaret R. Spies Awards has been presented to three employees — one each from United Helpers Rehabilitation & Senior Care in Ogdensburg, United Helpers Rehabilitation & Senior Care in Canton and United Helpers Behavioral Health & Life Skills — who embody the most desirable qualities in direct care staff: dedication to the people they care for and a willingness to go above and beyond expectations. Nominations for the honor come from fellow United Helpers employees.
A plaque that lists the names of all the Spies Awards recipients hangs at United Helpers Rehabilitation & Senior Care in Ogdensburg.
To view video from this year's presentation, which was held via Zoom, please visit... https://zoom.us/rec/play/vcYkf-2op2g3SdSQ5ASDC6N9W426LqOs0XIa_6IEmEnhVXEGYVGhZ7sUZ-K_dKg4KszXBiA1Sk1tiOJG?startTime=1597165386000
