Photos and article by Mary Alice Murphy
GRMC Auxiliary Awards 091218
GRMC Auxiliary Awards Luncheon 091218
Mary Jo Tillman, in front of the rest of the auxilians present.
GRMC Auxiliary Awards Luncheon 091218
Past Auxiliary President Frances Day and President Jennifer Yost at their table.
GRMC Auxiliary Awards Luncheon 091218
Jerry Ouzts, Auxiliary vice president and GRMC CEO Taffy Arias prepare to present awards, as Auxiliary President Jennifer Yost prepares to announced the award winners.
GRMC Auxiliary Awards Luncheon 091218
Arias awards Dianne Maughan for her 100 hours of service, with Ouzts in the background
GRMC Auxiliary Awards Luncheon 091218
Chet Russell receives recognition from Arias for 100 hours of service. Ouzts readies for the next award.
GRMC Auxiliary Awards Luncheon 091218
Rose Arvidson receives an award for 300 hours service from Arias, as Ouzts looks on.
GRMC Auxiliary Awards Luncheon 091218
Michael Tais receives recognition from Arias for 300 hours of service.
GRMC Auxiliary Awards Luncheon 091218
Robin Short receives an award from Arias for 500 hours service
GRMC Auxiliary Awards Luncheon 091218
Arias awards Ouzts for 800 hours of service.
GRMC Auxiliary Awards Luncheon 091218
For 800 hours of service, Rebecca LaFleur, center, receives an award from Arias, left, as Ouzts looks on.
GRMC Auxiliary Awards Luncheon 091218
Jennifer Yost receives an award from Arias for 900 hours of service
GRMC Auxiliary Awards Luncheon 091218
Rufina Ayala receives from Arias an award for having served 900 hours
GRMC Auxiliary Awards Luncheon 091218
Julia Biglin has served 1000 hours and receives an award from Arias.
GRMC Auxiliary Awards Luncheon 091218
Reyna Soto is recognized by Arias for having served 1500 hours
GRMC Auxiliary Awards Luncheon 091218
Sally Goss is awarded for 2500 hours service. No present was Annetta Pena.
GRMC Auxiliary Awards Luncheon 091218
For 3000 hours, Linda Jordan, Martha Choquette and Marie Rosales receive awards from Arias. Not present was Robert Obar.
GRMC Auxiliary Awards Luncheon 091218
Frances Day has served 3500 hours. Arias delivers the award
GRMC Auxiliary Awards Luncheon 091218
Millie Hallowell has served 4000 hours. Arias gives her the award.
GRMC Auxiliary Awards Luncheon 091218
Molly Healy and Emilie Roybal received recognition for 4500 hours from Arias
GRMC Auxiliary Awards Luncheon 091218
Mary Jo Tillman receives an award for having served 5500 hours, with Arias
GRMC Auxiliary Awards Luncheon 091218
Receiving recognition for 6500 hours in their years of service are Pat Gaerttner and Eileen Smith, with Arias.
GRMC Auxiliary Awards Luncheon 091218
Receiving five-year awards were Michelle Kadin-Peck, Lil Christian and Julia Biglin from Arias and Ouzts. Not present was Tim O'Donnell
GRMC Auxiliary Awards Luncheon 091218
Emilie Royal, Diane Hannig and Clo Rael receive 10-year awards from Arias and Ouzts. Not present was Tom Hester.
GRMC Auxiliary Awards Luncheon 091218
Sally Goss and Ruth Monzingo received awards for their 15 years of service to the Auxiliary. Not present was Bertha Castillo
GRMC Auxiliary Awards Luncheon 091218
Frances Day, left, was named Auxilian of the Year. Arias holds the flowers to be presented to her, as Yost looks on.
Gila Regional Medical Center Chief Executive Officer Taffy Arias welcomed the Auxiliary members to a luncheon and awards ceremony at the Grant County Veterans Memorial Business and Conference Center on Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2018.
"What makes up 24 hours a day in time?" Arias asked and answered. "Each hour has 60 minutes; each minute, 60 seconds. How many years are in our lives? At most about 110. When we break it down to the minute, it's still a piece of our lives. Whatever makes up a day in the life of a human being, we need to be very proud of what we did that day. It is a finite period of time. We know that our years are finite, but we don't think about an hour. You here are all volunteers. You do not get paid, so there is no dollar value to your work. But you have a value that is insurmountable. Nothing is more precious than the day of your life that you give to our hospital, our patients, our caregivers and our community. Help us celebrate this day of joy."
Chaplain Bill Holguin gave the invocation. "Lord, thank you for the faithful service that this family of auxilians gives us every day. Lord, send us the power to continue to do this until we are 110. Bless this food that will nourish us. Thank you. Amen."
GRMC Chef David Peck said: "This food is never good enough because you all do so much. The menu is salad, pumpkin soup (to a cheer from the auxlians), and a choice of entrée between boeuf bourguignon and chicken cordon bleu, with glazed carrots and a double-baked potato. Dessert, you get both, are a three-berry compote and chocolate mousse. Chef Chad Malo has done most of the work."
The Auxiliary at present has 67 members. About 40 attended the event.
Pat Gaerttner and Eileen Smith received awards for their 6500 hours of service each. Gaerttner said she primarily works in the emergency room and at the front desk. Although she was doing the service three days a week, she has cut it to two days a week. Smith is an officer of the organization and works primarily in the gift shop.
Past President Frances Day received the Auxilian of the Year award. "Nobody does anything alone," she said. "This award belongs to all of us. I see so much talent and each of you serving in your own way. It's an organic organization, and I salute all of you."
After the luncheon and awards were completed, Peck did a demonstration of RADA Cutlery, which is a fundraiser for the organization and will be available for purchase in the gift shop, run by the Auxliary.