lawnlines - Lawnwood Regional Medical Center

34 Years of Service To The Treasure Coast
LAWNLINES
1978
2012
LRMC & HI EMPLOYEE NEWSLETTER
FEBRUARY 2012
From Rodney’s Desk
2012 is getting off to a good start for Lawnwood and I want to
thank all of you for the hard work you do every day in caring for
our patients.
February is a month in which we celebrate Valentine‟s Day, a
holiday that showcases the love we have for those near and
dear to us. I am happily married to the most wonderful woman
and together we have created a family that I cherish every day. I
am blessed to be so very fortunate. I know that they are always
there to provide me with love and support at all times.
One of the things we occasionally see in our hospital are the unfortunate patients who don‟t have family or friends to rely on in
their time of need. Some of them have moved to Florida and are
far from their families. Others are transients who come here for
warmth in Winter or to work in the groves during the citrus harvest. They come (or are brought) to Lawnwood for their medical
Rodney Smith, CEO
needs and we provide them with the best medical care on the
Treasure Coast. Whatever their medical issues, they can rest assured that we will do our utmost
to treat them. And they can also rely on you for the compassionate and caring spirit that attends
to their emotional and psychological needs as well.
I know, from the numerous letters and cards which we receive, that the care you provide to our
patients includes a kindness and love that is a hallmark of the Lawnwood Team. So many people
have commented about the little compassionate things done by our staff that have made a big
and lasting impression on them. They say it helped them to a better experience while undergoing
medical procedures and the confinement of a hospital room. Patients who have had no family or
friends to see them through can count on the good people on the Lawnwood Team to create a
supportive, kind and nurturing environment that addresses all of the patient‟s needs.
Thank you for all you do to give our patients excellent care with genuine compassion.
2012 Annual Evaluation Changes
As a reminder, the annual evaluations will all be done in July this year, with appropriate adjustments made based on your date of hire. All requirements that go along with the annual
evaluations will be due on or before 5/31/2012. This includes but is not limited to the
A.R.E.s and the Code of Conduct Refresher training.
If you have any questions about this, please contact the Human Resources Department.
Educational Opportunities
Call Extension 4421 for
information
or to register
for any of these
classes
March 7
BLS-HCP Recertification
3:30 pm
Cafeteria Classroom
March 19
Neonatal Resuscitation Class
8 am
Location TBA
Private Dining Room
March 20
BLS-HCP Recertification
8:00 am
Pavilion Classroom
March 24 & 25
ACLS - Weekend Course
8:15 am to 5pm
Please offer your welcome to these new members
of the LRMC&HI Team who joined us in January:
C O R T Jimmy Duenas; Cardiac/Echo Sonographer Jeanetta
Torres; Cat Scan Technologists Ann Cusmano, Angela Lee and
Robert Morgano; Critical Care Coordinator Nancy Herman;
Nursing Technical Assistants Victoria Clark and Kimberly
Richardson; Paramedic Roman Garcia; Recreational Therapist
Brittany Kelley; Registered Nurses Kimberly Buckley, Bridget
Burns, Kelsey Carter, Brandon Cutright, Carla Dauria, Erin
Dinwiddie, Cathy Dionisio, Jeremy Godwin, Jessica Goodwin,
Jordyn Guettler, Dolores Hayden, John Holtz, Alex Introcaso,
Stacey James, Cathyleen Jensen, Brenda Kayser, Rebecca
Kraus, Rochelle Paluzzi, Jayna Patel, Beth Reeves, Joseph
Rom, Kristi Sharpton, Candia St Hill, Allyson Swan, Colleen
Tzimenatos, Martha Waggaman and Lorna White; Switchboard
Operator Kara Farris; Ultrasound Technician Courtney Davis;
Unit Secretaries Lynette Avery, Tanya Cloyd,
Jerrica Mendelson and Christine Skidmore
We welcome you to the Lawnwood family. We hope that your experiences at Lawnwood
Regional Medical Center & Heart Institute are personally and professionally rewarding.
Dear Ms. Tesalona,
We wish to extend our heartfelt appreciation for Joel
Klepach, RN. Our loved one, a current Lawnwood patient
Dorrel M., has been in your hospital's care since December
2011. Ms. M.'s regular attending Nurse Joel Klepach, has
consistently given our loved one such detailed care
equaled with outstanding bedside manner that we as a family felt it necessary to recognize him for a job well done
and let your hospital staff and supervisors know what a
wonderful person you have working on the Nursing staff.
Ms. M. has been challenged with cancer, which understandably leaves her often frustrated and unhappy, as she is unable to eat solid foods and is ready to go home. Joel has
been nothing but patient, firm, warm, caring and skilled
in his approach to caring for our loved one and we want to
encourage him to continue doing just what he's doing because when the patient is peaceful in a Nurse and Physician's care, the family will also be peaceful as we all
work together through this difficult time.
Please feel free to let Joel Klepach know that Ms. M.'s
family, a host of loving family members who have visited
from New York, California, Wisconsin, Florida and Jamaica,
WI, during her stay, find comfort to know that she is in
his skillful care.
Sincerely,
Sandra
Jasett
Dwight
Dennis
S. (Daughter of Ms. M.)
T. (Daughter of Ms. M.)
& Stacey M. (Son & Daughter-in-Law)
& Charmaine M. (Son & Daughter-in-Law)
Patients are Walking on Sunshine at Lawnwood
When Lawnwood Regional Medical
Center case managers Peggy Gustafson and Becky Kidd were tasked with
development of a walking program for
patients, they didn‟t realize just how
much of an impact their “Walking on
Sunshine” idea would have on patients, staff and visitors alike.
“It‟s really remarkable,” says Gustafson of their now twice weekly walking
event. “Patients and visitors come to
the door of their room to see what‟s
going on and join in.” Everyone who
participates also receives a „smiley
face‟ sticker to wear. “They like getting the sticker and it keeps people
smiling.”
The interest from patients other than those selected by nursing staff for the unique twist to doctors‟ orders
to walk comes as a result of the Pied Piper leading the way during the 600 foot walk up and down the halls
of the 5th floor Cardiovascular Step-Down Unit.
Michelle Erfurt, Lawnwood‟s resident Music Therapist, with
guitar in hand, plays her own rendition of the lively Walking
on Sunshine as the parade winds through the unit. “She‟s
so upbeat and positive. They love her,” says Gustafson.
According to Kidd, the hospital‟s director of case management, Diane Sunderwirth, identified the need for a walking
program and asked the two co-workers to head the initiative. “We know that walking improves a patient‟s outcomes
and helps them heal more quickly,” she said. “Our program
is a fun way to get patients up and moving.” Kidd says that
while the initiative was launched on the 5th floor specifically
for patients with Congestive Heart Failure (CHF), the goal
is to expand to every floor with walks each afternoon rather
than the two days now targeted for the program.
“Michelle is writing a song specifically for our program and when it‟s recorded, our plan is to play it overhead at 3:30 each afternoon to encourage everyone to get out and walk,” says Gustafson. Aside from the
obvious benefits to patients and the enthusiasm from staff and visitors who join in, she says the feedback
has been excellent. “I was on the elevator the other day and the 80-year-old wife of a CHF patient recognized me and said how much she appreciated the program. Seeing her husband up, walking, and actually
enjoying it made her day!”
2011 Frist Humanitarian Awards
We are now accepting nominations for the 2011 Frist Humanitarian Award.
Ballot boxes are located in the LRMC cafe, Human Resources, Outpatient
Dept, Pavilion and the Pavilion Rehab. If you know someone who not only
serves our patients and their families, but also our community, please take a
few minutes to nominate that special someone.
The Frist Humanitarian Award was created in 1971 to honor outstanding individuals for their humanitarian and volunteer activities.
Named in honor of Dr. Thomas F. Frist, Sr. (1910 – 1998), a founder of HCA,
this award recognizes individuals who serve the community and those in need
and whose daily dedication and care giving epitomize the highest standards of
quality and personal commitment.
The Award recognizes three individuals including;
An employee recognizing a HCA-affiliated employee who goes beyond day-to-day responsibilities in his/her overall service to the community.
The volunteer award recognizing a HCA volunteer who gives unselfishly to patients within our facilities and the
community.
The physician award honoring a HCA-affiliated physician who displays a concern for the well-being of others beyond his/her day-to-day physician responsibilities.
Dr. Thomas F. Frist, Sr.’s Legacy
Dr. Frist was one of the founders of HCA and served as its president until the mid-70s. A nationally known cardiologist and internist who served patients for more than 50 years, Dr. Frist was often heard saying “good people beget
good people” when describing HCA‟s employees.
Dr. Frist‟s concern for the well-being of others went beyond his day-to-day work at HCA. In addition to building a successful corporation, he served his community in a variety of ways. He founded the Frist Foundation in 1982, a philanthropic organization that has donated millions of dollars in support of health programs, the performing arts and education. He was also a founder of Cumberland Heights for alcohol and drug treatment, Park Manor Presbyterian Apartments for the elderly and the Medical Benevolence Foundation for Presbyterian Medical Missionaries. He served on
the Health, Education and Welfare Advisory Committee on Older Americans and as President of the Tennessee
Heart Association.
Throughout his life, Dr. Frist embraced the value of the human spirit and the duty of each of us to work diligently to
improve ourselves and others. He remained true to his beliefs about the value of kindness and happiness, thankfulness and giving, and integrity and living a life of gentle morality.
Who’s Eligible
All HCA-affiliated physicians, defined as an employee physician or any physician with medical staff privileges at a
HCA hospital
All employees (excluding CEO, COO, CFO, CNO, and CIO) who work 32 hours or more weekly are eligible for the
employee nomination.
Any person volunteering eight hours or more each month is eligible for the volunteer nomination.
A Qualified Nominee:
Demonstrates a level of commitment to community service beyond the daily operation of the facility that parallels
their involvement to quality patient care.
Demonstrates remarkable concern for the welfare and happiness of patients and has performed extraordinary
acts of kindness (not necessarily in the area of direct patient care).
Makes contributions may be overshadowed due to personal modesty and genuine humility.
Makes this world a better place and inspires others to get involved by caring for the community and others in
need.
Keep In Mind
The Frist Humanitarian Award is much more than “Employee, Physician and Volunteer of the Year” awards. It is intended to recognize individuals who serve their community and neighbors in need in addition to remarkably performing their work duties.
The deadline for the nominations is February 29, 2012.
Are you required to have ACLS or PALS?
If you take ACLS or PALS with us through our contracted vendor EMC (Emergency Medical Consultants),
during class you will be given a "scan" sheet to complete for CEUs. This "scan" sheet MUST be filled out/
completed and returned to the EMC Instructor DURING this class. You cannot take it home and mail it in
because you forgot your license number. If you forget to return it in class--you have two choices--mail it
back to EMC or deliver it to us and we will mail it back to EMC. Only the Provider of the CEUs can mail
these forms to CE Broker.
Please remember with these scan forms--DO NOT--fold, staple, mutilate, and use ONLY blue or black ink.
These forms WON'T scan if you do otherwise and you won't get credit!!
Sepsis Snippet of the Month
Severe Sepsis Screening
Tier 3: ACUTE Organ Dysfunction:
Very specific to Sepsis
Have current lab values available
View criteria in Pop Up Boxes
Is it an acute change?
Stay tuned for changes to our Sepsis Orders!
*Simplified*
Stay Informed Read LawnLines on the Internet
Go to the Lawnwood Regional Medical Center & Heart Institute
Home Page at www.lawnwoodmed.com. On that page, place your
cursor over “For Professionals”. A dropdown box will appear with a
number of choices. Click on “For Employees”. Scroll down to the
bottom of the new page to “LawnLines” and click on the issue that
you‟d like to read.
A Message from Ellen Minden, Your Ethics and Compliance Officer (ECO)
As I complete my second month at LRMC &HI, I wanted to first thank those who I’ve had the opportunity to work
with so far; you’ve made me feel very welcomed. I’ve had a great time and look forward to getting to know more of
you as I make rounds, attend staff meetings, and participate in a variety of committees.
You may wonder what an ECO does…there’s no easy answer to that! My responsibility is to ensure compliance with
all things regulatory, which can span from environmental waste handling to ensuring patient rights during research
and pretty much everything in between. My main job, though, is to maintain an environment of comfortable and
open communication that assures everyone at LRMC understands he or she may raise concerns or report suspected
violations of the Code of Conduct, policies and procedures, or law or regulation, to a supervisor, any member of
management, Human Resources, your ECO, or the Corporate Ethics Line at 1-800-455-1996 without fear of retaliation.
Each one of us is committed to ensuring our patients receive safe, compassionate, and high-quality care in every
interaction. Because of this commitment, everyone has an individual responsibility for reporting any activity at
LRMC that appears to violate those laws, regulations, accreditation standards that govern what we do, medical
practice standards, Federal healthcare conditions of participation, or the Code of Conduct. If something poses a
serious risk to the hospital or involves a serious issue of medical necessity, clinical outcomes, or patient safety, you
are obligated to raise the concerns until it is satisfactorily addressed and resolved using the appropriate channels
established at the hospital and, if necessary, beyond the hospital to include the Ethics Line or The Joint Commission. Your voice counts!
Please feel free to contact me at X4507 if you have any questions or stop by my office in Human Resources to say
hello. I look forward to meeting you!
Ellen
Patient Safety Week March 4-10, 2012. The Theme is “Be Aware for Safe Care”.
The Poster Contest directions are the same as last year:
Supplies (poster board, markers, glue and construction paper are in Quality Management Office). Come by any
time.
Posters are due Monday morning, March 5th to be displayed in the Lobby.
Judging will be either Thursday night or Friday morning, March 8th or 9th.
1st, 2nd and 3rd prizes. Prizes yet to be determined.
Have fun doing them. It is OK to take them home and make it a family affair-------Watch for future e-mails.
Environment Of Care (EOC)
The purpose of Environment of Care rounds is to provide a safe, functional, supportive, and effective environment for our patients, visitors, volunteers, and staff to ensure quality, safety, and care of buildings, equipment, and people. During our rounds, we look for opportunities for improvement to exceed the expectations
of anyone we come into contact with on a daily basis. Rounds are completed quarterly, bi-annually, or annually depending on the department and the Joint commission standards. Environment of Care consists of six
elements that are observed during rounds:.
Life/Fire Safety
Hazardous Material and Waste Safety
Safety and Security
Equipment Management
Utilities Management
Infection Prevention and Control
To help you become familiar with the different elements observed during EOC rounds, each month new focuses will be identified based on common findings in departments and then reported in Lawnlines. The EOC
team consists of Infection Prevention, Engineering, EVS, Unit Representation, Pharmacy, and Security. If
you notice us doing rounds in your department, do not hesitate to stop us and ask us questions. We want you
to be familiar with the items looked at so you can make us aware of them at any time as you notice them.
Infection Prevention Tidbit of the Month
PPE: PPE is provided to protect patients, visitors, and staff from Bloodborne pathogens or drug resistant
organisms such as MRSA, VRE, ESBL, or drug resistant Pseudomonas not to mention the droplet bugs and
airborne bugs. It is required for staff to wear their PPE while in “Contact” rooms or any room with a Precautions sign on the door. This includes gloves and gowns every time we enter a Contact room or Enteric
room. It is important to remove the gown and gloves before leaving the patient room. Do not walk in the
hallway with your gown and gloves on! Visitors and families need to be educated on this process, also.
Appropriate masks must be worn in Droplet, Airborne, or Neutropenic rooms. We also need to encourage family members to wear PPE as well as educate the patients and family members on the importance of
hand hygiene. These measures will help protect our patients, families and ourselves. Please call Infection
Prevention ext 4586 or ext 2857 if there are any questions.
We have all heard the phrase “we learn from our mistakes”. However, wouldn’t it be nice if we could
learn from other’s mistakes as well before we suffer the same consequences? This would save us all a lot
of pain and suffering. This year we are going to try and do just that as part of our ongoing Employee Safety
Education. We will be looking at injuries and educating ALL staff on how to prevent this type of injury
from re-occurring. Complete confidentiality as to who suffered the injury of course will be maintained
and no, it is not who you are thinking of…
We frequently see the same types of injuries over and over and often there are techniques or tips that can
be used to reduce the risk of these injuries. One of the first questions we ask of an injured worker is “what
could you (or we) have done differently to have prevented this from happening to you?” You will be seeing regular MOX updates and reviewing these safety techniques/tips in your own department on a regular
basis. Hopefully there will be a lot of you say “You know, I never thought of that”.
Anyone who has had an injury and would like to share a “safety technique/tip” you think may benefit
your co-workers and reduce the risk of them suffering the same fate as you, please feel free to share with
Employee Health so ALL your co-workers will benefit. We give so much of ourselves to our patients. Now
let us give to our co-workers by helping keep them safe in the workplace.
FEBRUARY 2012 SAFETY TIPS:
Use caution when bending over around machines so as to not hit head or other body part when rising
– ouch! (we have all done it, haven’t we?)
Use caution when handling contaminated needles/sharps and when possible use needleless systems.
Always activate safety devices immediately after use and dispose of needles/sharps appropriately.
Never overfill sharps containers.
Always be prepared for a patient to unexpectedly jump or jerk when you are sticking them. It happens
ALL THE TIME…
You can be splashed in the eye(s), mouth or nose when discontinuing a patient’s IV. This is considered
an exposure. Keep your face a safe distance from the IV site and use PPE when warranted. We often do not even consider this procedure risky but, it can be. Numerous exposures have occurred
performing this task.
When dealing with confused/combative patients, keep some distance and be prepared to move fast to
avoid getting punched or kicked. Always get enough help when dealing with these patients.
Do not overfill linen bags. Remember someone has to lift them.
Watch those many carts being pushed throughout our hallways on a daily basis. The person pushing
may not see you.
Food must be kept at a certain temperature in our dietary department often making soup, chili etc…
very hot at times. Use caution when getting these items from the containers.
Always wear appropriate footwear. Just because a shoe is comfortable does not mean it is safe.
When cleaning a contaminated room i.e., O.R. room, c-section room etc…, ALWAYS WEAR GLOVES.
REMEMBER – WORK SAFELY
It Is Time To Talk About Security Again
With Jim Tobin
Hello everyone. I hope everyone is doing well. We have now made through the holiday season
and most recently, the Super Bowl. It is now time to discuss a serious topic, one that I hope and
pray never happens at Lawnwood Regional Medical Center. All too often, we hear the phrase,
“oh it will never happen to us” or “that won‟t happen in Fort Pierce”. First, let me say, I hope you
are right. Unfortunately we are starting to see a trend of more and more shootings in areas that
were immune before. We are seeing shooting in shopping malls, restaurants, schools and hospitals. It seems that we are seeing more and more in the schools and hospitals. In the last few
years we have had numerous shootings at hospitals in Florida. All one has to do is read the
newspaper or watch the nightly news to see these terrible events happening. Some examples of
Florida hospital shootings:
Shands Jacksonville, November 2006. A disgruntled customer walked up to a Pharmacy
Counter and shot the supervising pharmacist.
Physicians Regional Medical Center in Naples, Fl., July, 2011. Woman at the hospital shot by
her estranged husband.
Palm Bay Hospital, November 2010. A recently fired employee barricaded inside the cafeteria
before turning the gun on himself, killing himself.
Florida Hospital, Orlando, Florida, May 2011. A murder-suicide at the hospital in which one of
the hospital surgeon was shot and killed before the killed turned the gun on himself.
Now this is just four examples of what could happen at any place at any time. There is no rhyme
or reason in the selection of hospital. It can be at a midsize facility with 152 beds like Palm Bay
Hospital or an extremely large facility like Shands-Jacksonville. Looking at what happened in
each incident, again there is no rhyme or reason. It could be a disgruntled employee or former
employee or a patient‟s family who is not satisfied with the care of their loved one. Now, why am I
telling you this? It is not to scare you or make you think hospitals are not safe environments. The
purpose is let you know how serious this subject is and what we can do to minimize the chance of
it happening at our facility. This will be a refresher of what is currently being taught in orientation
and during department meetings.
The following is some information of what to do or not to do in the event of a active shooter at our
facility:
Your Response:
Quickly determine the most reasonable way to protect your life. Always keep in mind
that others are more likely to follow the lead of employees and managers during this
crisis.
If you are able to do so safely, evacuate the area as quickly as possible.
Evacuate regardless of whether others agree to follow.
Leave all your belongings behind.
Help others escape if possible.
Prevent others from entering an area where an active shooter may be.
Follow the instructions of any Police Officer.
Do not attempt to move wounded people.
Always keep your hands visible.
Call 911 when you are safe.
Continued on next page
It Is Time To Talk About Security Again (continued)
Law Enforcement Response:
Law Enforcement‟s response at the scene of an active shooter is to stop the active
shooter as soon possible. Officers will proceed directly to the area in which the last
shots were fired.
Officers usually arrive in teams of four (4). However, it could be as few as 1 to be the
first to respond.
Officers will wear a variety of uniforms and equipment including: BDU uniforms, regular
patrol uniforms, exterior bullet proof vest, Kevlar helmets or other tactical equipment.
Officers may be arms with a handguns, rifles or shotguns.
Officers may use pepper spray or tear gas to control a situation.
Commands may be shouted at you or others in your area. Do exactly what they are
telling you do.
Keep your hands visible at all times. You do not want to be mistaken for the active
shooter.
You may be forced to the ground by law enforcement officers. Remember, you can
recognize them by their uniforms and equipment. However, they have no idea who we
are and as such, they must treat you and an unknown until they do know you are not
the shooter. This may involve placing you on the ground and possible handcuffing
you. Please do not take this personally. This is standard procedure until they know
who the shooter is and/or they are in custody or stopped.
Indicators or Potential Violence by an Employee:
Use of alcohol and/or illegal drugs.
Unexplained absenteeism, vague physical complaints.
Noticeable downward attention to appearance or hygiene.
Depression or withdrawal.
Resistance or overreaction to changes in policy or procedures.
Severe mood swings.
Noticeable unstable.
Explosive outburst of anger or rage without provocation.
Suicidal comments about “putting things in order”.
Paranoia behavior.
Increasing talk of problems at home.
Unsolicited comments about firearms or weapons.
This list is not all inclusive. There are many other behaviors that may indicate potentially violent
behavior. If you suspect someone has potentially violent tendencies or concerns of any nature
about a visitor, co-worker or patient, you should notify your supervisor, Human Resources or Security. If you feel that a situation is imminent danger, you need to notify security and 911 so local
law enforcement can respond.
Again, as stated before, this article is not to frighten or alarm anyone. It is simple to keep everyone aware of what can happen and has happened at other facilities. What is the old phrase,
“ proper preparation prevent poor performance”. We will continue to prepare for the worst and
hope it never happens. However, if it does, we will do everything we can to minimize the risk to
each and every one of our visitors, patients and staff members.
As always, thanks for all the help you give your security department. If is greatly appreciated.
Jim
Lisa (Zrallack) Dickinson, Med/Surg,
was married January 28th at St Lucie
Catholic Church. Her husband is Ryan
Dickinson who is the son of Bonnie
Dickinson, Med/Surg.
The Lawnwood Team extends their
congratulations and best wishes to you
and Ryan.
University of Florida fan Doris
Cart, Imaging Services, appears to
be enjoying the Gator Bowl game
in Jacksonville on January 2. And
she obviously enjoyed the outcome.
Several other Lawnwood employees including Laura Wooley,
Sarah Hasis and Ken Mocniak
also attended the game.
HCA Lawnwood/ St Lucie Medical Centers Softball Team. The photos say it all!
Faith Sproul, Imaging Services, is pictured
with Hannah Curley of H2U at a recent presentation on better health in Port St Lucie.
Hannah was a participant on the reality television
program, The Biggest Loser, and is now a member of the H2U program.
Faith said that Hannah was very personable and
she many suggestions and hints on becoming
healthier.
HCA's Caring for the Community online giving system
Congratulations, David Torres
Helen
Gates,
CVICU,
shares
this photo of her
lovely daughters
Madison, age 5,
and Taylor, age 7,
having fun at
Friday Fest.
Dr. Elizabeth Dolly, Case Management,
proudly tells us that her son, David Torres is
a senior at John Carroll High School. He
qualified for and played in the FHSAA State
Golf Championship this year and was
also First Team All Area for Golf . He also
plays varsity basketball. Presently, he is 4th
in the Treasure Coast for scoring and 2nd in
rebounds. He scored 36 points last week
against St Edwards, winning in overtime.
Great job, David!
Happy Birthday, Carrie Wheeler,
From your friends at the Pavilion.
Great News - Below is the HCA's Caring for the Community online giving system
website where employees can go and start or stop their Hope Fund/United Way deductions. Please visit
www.easygive.com/hcahope for more information.
Bulletin Board
For Better Or Worse; In Sickness and In Health
Sometimes a storybook romance doesn‟t end with “and they all
lived happily ever after.” Ronnie and Justine McClure, TNCU,
grew up within a few blocks of one another in White City. When
Ronnie and Justine said, “for better or for worse” in their wedding vows in 2009, they had no idea the challenges they‟d face
together. They just knew that they would face life together in
love, for better or for worse. Two days before Christmas, 2011,
Ronnie McClure was given the news nobody ever wants to hear
– he was diagnosed with ALS (Lou Gehrig‟s Disease). A fastmoving and fatal illness, ALS is slowly robbing Ronnie McClure
of his ability to walk, speak, and even swallow. It‟s a lot for a 35
year-old unemployed father and his beloved bride to handle, but
add three children and no health insurance to the mix, and you
have the makings for a monumental tragedy.
Happily ever after may only happen in fairy tales and movies, but even if it‟s only for one night,
we want to try to make a fairy tale come true for the McClure family. On Wednesday, February 22, 2012, the Van Duzer Foundation board members and volunteers will roll up their
sleeves and host a 100 Percent Night. From 4:00 p.m. until 10 p.m. one hundred percent
of everything purchased at Big Apple Pizza and Pasta in Fort Pierce will be donated to
the McClure family to help alleviate some of the mountainous financial difficulties they‟re facing as a result of Ronnie McClure‟s illness. Not ten, not fifteen, but ONE HUNDRED PERCENT of ALL sales of food, beverage, and tips will go to the McClure family. Even the staff
working will donate their salaries that evening to help a family from our community and show a
little love.
There will be bounce houses for the kids, entertainment courtesy of DJ Vince and Traxx Entertainment, and plenty of fun, food, and laughter, and all you have to do to help this family is order dinner or a refreshing beverage, even order ahead and pick it up on your way home from
work. You can share a kind word with the McClure family, let them know the community is behind them and sending our thoughts and prayers, and make a painless contribution. If you
don‟t have a penny to spare, don‟t worry; you can still help save three lives with your donation
of lifesaving blood. Representatives from One Blood, Inc., will be on hand to gratefully accept
your heroic donation. None of us is promised a “happily ever after,” but please come, help
make the night of Wednesday, February 22nd, a magical one for the McClure family. Big Apple Pizza & Pasta is located just across from IRSC‟s Main Campus at 2311 S. 35th Street in
Fort Pierce.
Formed less than four years ago, the all-volunteer Van Duzer Foundation has raised just under a half million dollars and over 5,000 pints of blood to help individuals and families in St.
Lucie County who are struggling with financial and personal hardship brought about by unforeseen crisis or tragedy. To learn more about Van Duzer Foundation, please visit the organization‟s web site at www.thevanduzerfoundation.org.
www.thevanduzerfoundation.org
2311 S. 35th Street, Fort Pierce, FL 34981
(772) 528-3467
Contact: Scott VanDuzer