Long service and excellence awards celebrated at RMH

Ross Memorial Hospital hosted its annual Long Service and Excellence Awards in the hospital’s cafeteria, celebrating RMH staff and physicians marking significant milestones at the hospital, along with individuals nominated by their peers in specific categories of excellence.

The 121 Long Service Award recipients this year are staff and physicians who have worked at Ross Memorial for a minimum of 5 years, and up to 40 years. The two longest-tenured employees who were celebrated are Leanne Harding, Manager of Infection Prevention and Control, and Fiona Rossaert, Diagnostic Imaging, both having been with the hospital for 40 years. The accumulative number of years served by the 121 Long Service Award recipients is 1,675 years.

A full list of the Long Service Award recipients can be found here: https://rmh.org/document/long-service-award-recipients-2021

Harding, who received a standing ovation, also won a Team Player Excellence Award, one of 21 Excellence Awards presented to 18 RMH staff members.

Lorah Otter, a Registered Practical Nurse, earned two Excellence Awards for her work as the on-site lead at Ross Memorial’s drive-thru vaccination clinic at the LEX. More than 63,000 vaccinations were completed at the site between March-August this year. Otter received nominations from multiple co-workers who stated her leadership, adaptability, and can-do attitude were essential to the vaccine clinic’s successful operation.

Taking part in the awards ceremony on behalf of the City of Kawartha Lakes was Mayor Andy Letham and CAO Ron Taylor. Wanda Percival, Chair of RMH’s Board of Governors, and Ryan O’Neil, Chair of the RMH Foundation, also provided remarks during the event.