Springfield Hospital

Springfield Hospital hosted its 24th Annual Golf Challenge on September 12th at the Crown Point Country Club, Springfield, Vermont. Proceeds from this year’s fundraising event go to the annual giving campaign to support the refurbishment of the patient rooms on the Inpatient Care Unit.

Ninety-five tournament participants enjoyed a variety of competitions on the course in addition to 18 holes of scramble golf tournament play. Ten thousand dollars was available on hole 5 for a hole-in-one, thanks to the Ludlow Insurance Agency. This prize was not awarded, but the weather, course conditions, and work by the staff and volunteers made for a fantastic day of golf.

Winners in the A Flight were: 1st Gross: Eric Abel, Bob Kay, Maki Kobayashi, and Parker Hewit. 2nd Gross: Rick Marasa, Brian Perkins, Christina Graves and John Jackson. 1st Net: Dan Patria, Mary Patria, Jeff Matulonis and Mike Langdon. 2nd Net: Carri Cahoon, Denel McIntire, Tim Rumrill and Richard Cahill

Winners in the B flight were: 1st Gross: Chad Illingworth, Beverly Rakin-Byrne, David Byrne and Roger Gillies. 2nd Gross: Eric Warren, Dan Frost, Robert O’Brien and Stuart Currie. 1st Net: Peter MacGillivray, Steve Ankuda, Deke Dexter and Mike Martin. 2nd Net: Mike Pinney, Collin Pinney, John Jeinnings and Logan Jeinnings.

Closest to the Pin for Women through a random draw was Sarah Flore. Closest to the Pin for Men was Bob Kay, and Closest to the 150 Pole was Mike Langdon.

The sponsors and raffle prize donors made this year’s tournament a fundraising success. The sponsors this year at the Gold Tournament level of $5000 were Coverys, M&T Bank and The Richards Group. The Tournament level of $1000 were BlueWater Health, Connecticut Valley Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine, NFP Property & Casualty Services, Ovation Healthcare, Splendid Splinter Vacation Rental, Springfield Cadillac GMC and Vail Law Office.

Sponsors at the Tee/Green level of $500 included Claremont Savings Bank, Connecticut Valley E.N.T. , GPI Construction, Health Plans, Inc., ImageFIRST, Infinitt North America, Kinney Drugs Foundation, Richard and Carole Lechthaler, Mack Molding Company, Inc., Northeast Delta Dental and Vermont Mechanical, Inc.

The Eagle sponsors at the $250+ level were American General Life Insurance Company, Bellows Falls Country Club, Black Rock Steakhouse, Corebridge Financial, Crothall Healthcare, Fullerton Inn, Gilberte Interiors, KGA, Inc., Red House Press and Nathan & Sarah Roth.

The Birdie sponsors at the $100 level included Mike and Diane Halstead, Leader Distribution Systems, Inc. and David & Cindy Loxsom.

 “Many thanks go to our sponsors and participants for their generous support; and to the staff and volunteers that organized this event. I am grateful to all who made this event a fundraising success”, commented Robert Adcock, CEO of Springfield Hospital.

Find a Specialty Practice close to home. Prompt appointments are available. Call 802-885-2151 for more information.

Springfield Hospital and Southern Vermont Area Health Education Center (AHEC) are pleased to announce Lilly Ware as the recipient of this year’s Dr. E. Sherburne Lovell Health Career Award. Lilly is a resident of Westminster, Vermont and a 2024 graduate of Bellows Falls Union High School. The Lovell Award contributes $1000 per year for four years toward a student’s academic pursuit of a career in health and is funded by the proceeds from the annual Springfield Hospital Apple Blossom event and community donations.

Dr. Lovell was a longtime physician at Springfield Hospital, and his daughters, Melissa Post and Elizabeth David said, “While he was a man who never sought recognition for his service in the medical field or in the community, we know he would be honored to have this award named in his memory.  We hope recipients of the award will share the same sense of wonder and commitment to service in the world of medicine that he did.”

Lilly attended the Southern Vermont AHEC’s MedQuest program at Springfield Hospital in the summer of 2023. She will be attending Middlebury College (interestingly, Dr. Lovell was a graduate of Middlebury College) and she will be studying Biology on a pre-med track with a minor in Food Studies and/or Global Health. “Participating in the MedQuest furthered my interest in the healthcare field,” said Lilly. “My plan is that studying biology will help set me up for studying sports medicine and/or physical therapy postgraduate. I would like to make it my mission to try and find the root of injuries, and then discuss with my patients about what likely happened and come up with a plan on how to avoid injuries in the future,” continued Lilly.

Amanda Richardson, Southern Vermont AHEC, Director of Health Careers Exploration stated, “It’s inspiring to see future health professionals, like Lily, supported on their educational journey. We love working with our community hospital and community members to encourage more Vermont youth to work towards a career in health.”

“We are delighted to support Lilly’s education and wish her much success with her studies,” said Bob Adcock, CEO of Springfield Hospital.

To be eligible for the award, students must live in one of the towns served by Springfield Hospital and complete Southern Vermont AHEC’s MedQuest program.  For more information on the MedQuest program, call (802) 885-2126 or go to http://www.svtahec.org.

Springfield, VT (June 7, 2024) Robert Adcock, CEO, at Springfield Hospital, was presented with the Department of Defense Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) Patriot Award by Vermont ESGR Volunteer, John Greenan. Major Lester ” Pete” Peck nominated Adcock. An employee serving in the National Guard or Reserve, or the spouse of a Guard or Reserve member, can nominate individual supervisors and bosses for directly supporting the nominating Service member and their family. The Patriot Award recognizes efforts to support service members through various measures, including flexible schedules, time off before and after deployment, caring for families, and granting leaves of absence if necessary. ESGR, a Department of Defense program, seeks to foster a culture in which all employers support and value the employment and military service of members of the National Guard and Reserve in the United States. For more information about ESGR outreach programs or volunteer opportunities, call (802) 338-4187.

Photo L to R: Jim Rumrill, Chairman of the Board-Springfield Hospital; Robert Adcock, CEO; Major Lester “Pete” Peck;
and John Greenan, ESGR Volunteer, Department of Defense.

The 19th Annual Eileen Austin Neal RN Memorial Scholarship for Nursing of $1,000 was awarded to Taylor Claflin of Springfield, VT to attend the University of New England in Biddeford, Maine.  “I have wanted to be a nurse for as long as I can remember. I have this passion for helping people,” says Taylor.

Eileen Austin Neal was a registered nurse at Springfield Hospital for 64 years, retiring in 2005. She was the first recipient of the Hospital’s George F. Leland Community Health Award in 2003. In 2004, the Hospital established the Eileen Austin Neal Spirit of Nursing Award, given to a staff nurse, in recognition of her many years of dedicated service.

Upon her death in February 2006, at the request of Eileen’s family, Springfield Hospital established the nursing scholarship fund in her name with gifts received in her memory from Eileen’s family as well as from community members.

“As a member of the Austin family, we congratulate Taylor and wish her much success with her passion of becoming a nurse,” says Robert Austin of Springfield, VT, son of Eileen Austin Neal.

“The family and friends of Eileen have been very generous in supporting this scholarship and are proud to keep the memory of Eileen alive in this way. Supporting the education of our young people is essential, and Springfield Hospital is honored to be a part of awarding this scholarship,” says Robert Adcock, CEO of Springfield Hospital.

Springfield, VT  (June 27, 2024) Ian Odigie, DPM, has been appointed by Governor Phil Scott to the Vermont Board of Medical Practice. The Board of Medical Practice oversees licensing and the practice of medicine in Vermont. Ultimately, the Board’s primary responsibility is protection of the public, and instilling confidence in the system by having a neutral and independent body to receive, investigate, and, if appropriate, act on complaints and reports of possible unprofessional conduct. The Board includes 17 part-time members – of whom nine MDs, one Physician Assistant, one Podiatrist, and six public members with no ties to the practice of medicine. Dr. Odigie will attend meetings twice monthly for the Board/Committee work and participate in the Investigative Committee-South, serving a five-year term. Congratulations Dr. Odigie!

Dr. Odigie is a member of Springfield Hospital’s team of providers and is seeing patients at Springfield Podiatry, located in the Ridgewood Professional Building next to Springfield Hospital. To make an appointment, call 802-885-5600.

In celebration of National Hospital Week, Springfield Hospital employees participated in a Food Drive to benefit the Springfield Family Center’s Food Shelf. The 322 pounds of non-perishable foods were delivered to the Family Center on May 21^st after a week of collecting the food at various employee events. Springfield Hospital’s motto for the week was “Food Shelf Heroes…I helped to fill the shelves.”

“The generosity of the employees was outstanding! They took to heart the importance of helping to fill the shelves at the Family Center,” says Robert Adcock, CEO of Springfield Hospital. “We are hopeful that our contribution was beneficial to many members of our community,” continued Adcock.

Springfield, VT (May 17, 2024) – Springfield Hospital is pleased to announce Nichole Young, BSN, RN, as the recipient of the 2024 Eileen Austin Neal Spirit of Nursing Award. Nichole has been working at Springfield Hospital since 2011 and is currently working as the Director of Perioperative Services.

This award was created in 2004 in honor of Eileen Austin Neal, RN, who worked at Springfield Hospital for 64 years and retired in 2005. Judy Mittica, RN, was the first recipient of this award on the request of Eileen, whose personal photo, cap and uniform receive special honor, along with a list of all recipients since 2004, in the hospital lobby on Level C.

Criteria for the award includes communication, care for patients, nursing professionalism, and teamwork. Nominations are accepted from throughout the organization and are reviewed and voted on by a committee. In addition to Nichole Young, BSN, RN, this year’s nominees included Ciera Keefe, RN, Inpatient Care Unit; Olga Carey, RN, Emergency Department; Susan Pollard, BSN, RN, Adult Day Service; and Shelley Howard, LPN, Perioperative Services.

Contained within Nichole’s nomination are the following words from one of her colleagues: “Nichole embodies the strength, character, determination, professionalism, and resiliency that every nurse should aim for.”

“Congratulations to Nichole, and all of our nominees. We are proud of our nurses at Springfield Hospital and grateful for the care that they provide to our patients, 24/7/365,” says Robert Adcock, CEO, Springfield Hospital.

The 66th Apple Blossom took place at the Riverside Middle School, Springfield, VT on Friday, May 3 and Saturday, May 4 and Taylor Claflin was announced as this year’s Queen. Her dancing partner was Matthew Winter.  Members of her Court were selected and they are: Lorelei Bertone, partnered with Logan Roundy and Molly Tennis, partnered with Armando Stettner.

The contestants selected Lily Farnsworth and Darius Saiful Ambar as Miss and Mr. Congeniality. The Director’s Choice awards went to Molly Tennis and Matthew Winter. The Director, Ashlee White, added a new award category this year. The Junior Apple Blossom MVPs awards went to Juliette Nelson, Adelaide Peck, Melia Willis, Dylan Chase, and Wyatt Paul.

Other contestants in this year’s event included Hannah Zierfus and her partner, Darius Saiful Ambar and Lily Farnsworth and her partner, Ethan Bertone. The Junior Apple Blossom couples included: Jaelyn Briere-Smith with Thomas Jones; Arabella Chessman with Parker Olney; Sawyer Duford with Evan Keefe; Izabella Fraser with Dylan Chase; Olivia Kimball with Lincoln Strong; Juliette Nelson with Zurich Messina; Brynley Patch with Reed Wilson; Adelaide Peck with Wyatt Paul; Ayla Rose with Keoni McDonough; Addalynn Waysville with Brody McCarthy; Ashlyn Wheeler with Michael Blanchard; and Melia Willis with Gavin Willis.

Ashlee White volunteered as the new Director with the assistance of volunteer Choreographers, Ainsley Bertone and Suzanne Stern. Numerous additional volunteers came forward this year to help with the production. The Master of Ceremonies, Thomas Field, provided the narrative for the evening.  Marie Laplante volunteered, once again, to be the official photographer. SAPA TV was on hand to videotape the performance and will have the show for viewing on their website.  And the John Sullivan Band provided live music for everyone’s entertainment prior to the event and following the crowning of the Queen.

Springfield Hospital and the Apple Blossom production team are very grateful to everyone that supported this  fundraising event for Springfield Hospital. Proceeds from this year’s event provide support for the Dr. E. Sherburne Lovell Health Career Award and the services of the Hospital. 

To view a list of all our sponsors, please visit https://springfieldhospital.org/sponsors-for-2024-apple-blossom/

Application
Springfield Hospital is now accepting applications for the 19th Annual Eileen Austin Neal Nursing Scholarship of $1,000.  This scholarship is open to any Springfield-area student who has been accepted into a nursing program of study.  Applicants will be judged on interest in and commitment to the field of nursing.  Determination will be based on merit and need.

Eileen Austin Neal was a registered nurse at Springfield Hospital for 64 years, retiring in 2005.  She was the first recipient of Springfield Hospital’s Community Health Award in 2003. In 2004, the Hospital established the Spirit of Nursing Award in recognition of her many years of dedicated service.

Upon her death in February 2006, at the request of Eileen’s family, Springfield Hospital established a nursing scholarship fund in her name with the gifts received in her memory.

The application deadline is June 14, 2024. The scholarship application is available by clicking here. If you would like more information, please contact Sandy Peplau in the Marketing & Development office by email speplau@springfieldhospital.org or call 802-885-7686.