On Thursday, 116 nurses and other medical staff that serve Blue Mountain Health System's Gnaden Huetten and Palmerton campuses were honored for their dedication to each patient who enters the hospitals.

During the 11th annual Blue Mountain Health System Employee Recognition Awards ceremonies, held Thursday at both campuses, administration honored the men and women with years of service awards; nursing excellence awards; ancillary, business and support staff awards; and the highest award, the Blue Ribbon Service Excellence Awards.Andrew Harris, president and CEO of Blue Mountain Health System, welcomed everyone to the event and thanked the people who made this day possible.Harris then introduced Joe Guardiani, vice president of Fund Development and Government Affairs, who provided the invocation; and Carbon County Commissioner Thomas J. Gerhard, who spoke on behalf of the county."Ninety-four employees being recognized today for five years of service up to three 40-year employees says a lot about the health system," Gerhard said. "It takes everyone here working together to make Blue Mountain Health System what it is today. I want to congratulate everyone here today."Michael Harleman, chairman of the board at Blue Mountain Health System, spoke briefly before turning over the assembly to various administrative staff who presented the awards."I want to thank all of you," he said. "No matter if it is one day or 40 years, I hope you enjoy yourself. You are all the front lines for this hospital and when you take care of the patients you send the message that we care about the residents of Carbon County. You make the difference."Terry Purcell, vice president of ambulatory and support services, said the hospitals are very fortunate to have so many employees that go out of their way to help the patients.He then read off the years of service awards, starting at five years, and ending at 40 years of service at the hospital. In total, 94 employees received service awards.Following the years of service recognitions, the nursing excellence and ancillary, business and support staff award recipients were read.Nursing excellence award recipients included Cynthia Faust, Gregory Heinzelman, Judith Leslie, Beth Phillips, Victoria Smith, Deborah Szarzynski, Catherine Hahn, Urszula Jarog, Kathy Karanink, Elizabeth Marzen, Elizabeth Mertz, Vanessa Berger, Joan Baker and Sherri Walton.Ancillary, business and support staff award recipients included Tressa Bunch, Jessica Frantz, David Koch, Elizabeth Koch, Barbara Kocher and Corrina Strohl.Two very special honors, which were not announced until the end of each assembly, were then presented.The Blue Ribbon Service Excellence Award is presented to a person at the hospital who goes above and beyond their job to help people.This year's recipients were Kailey Yurkunas of the housekeeping department at the Palmerton campus and Terry Stout of the housekeeping department at the Gnaden Huetten campus.These awards were presented to the recipients by Nancy Matyas, chair of the Caring Employee Committee and Harris.