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RESTAURANT ROUNDUP

BUSINESS OF LIFE

This is a sampling of stories from the Business Journal’s weekly Restaurant Roundup email. Subscribe at wilmingtonbiz.com.

On Front Street, market sells produce and more

Atiba Johnson and Khalil Morris, co-owners of the newly opened Front Street Market & Produce, 604 S. Front St., say they saw a need and are working hard to fulfill it.

“In recent years there has been a push for more access to groceries in the downtown area,” Johnson said.

Johnson, who has owned several local businesses and is involved with local nonprofit organizations, said it was important to him to provide easy access to fresh produce and grocery staples to downtown residents, many of whom rely on public transportation to shop for food.

Johnson said the building had been vacant for some time and was in need of significant repairs, including a new HVAC system, when he and Morris took over the lease in February.

The market carries fresh produce, milk, eggs, bread, cereal and other staples. Johnson said he and Morris are working with local farmers to carry seasonal produce, though they do supplement with produce from other vendors in order to have a wide enough variety on a regular basis.

The market also carries beer, wine, juice and soda, and there is a bar at the front of the store.

This year’s Greek Festival becomes drive-thru only

While many local festivals have been postponed or canceled in light of COVID-19, St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church will hold its annual Wilmington Greek Festival the weekend of Oct. 23-25, modifying the event as a drive-thru-only festival.

St. Nicholas was supposed to have celebrated its 28th annual Greek Festival in May, but decided to postpone given social distancing guidelines.

But having a drive-thru component is not entirely new to the festival – about five years ago, festival chairman Basile Katsikis came up with the idea of implementing a drive-thru as an option for the elderly, the handicapped and those who simply wanted a quick, convenient meal.

Katsikis also proposed that a drive-thru could be a saving grace should inclement weather arise.

Despite some initial reservations on the part of fellow organizers, Katsikis said the drive-thru has been a very successful component of the festival ever since. And now it has made it easy for organizers to implement a drive-thru-only model that will allow the festival to take place safely as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

All festival workers will be temperature-checked at the start of each shift, and everyone will be required to wear a hat or hair net, an apron, a mask and gloves. All food will be packed in individual Styrofoam to-go containers.

Burry Chocolates brings sweet treats to Hampstead

About a month ago, Emily and Brandon Burry opened the doors of Burry Chocolates, a Hampstead-based chocolate shop specializing in handmade sweets crafted from family recipes.

Brandon’s grandfather, Al Burry, started The Fudge Shoppe in Flemington, New Jersey, in 1961, and he grew up around the shop, working there with his grandfather on weekends throughout high school.

“My grandparents lived above the shop so we were there all the time,” Brandon Burry said.

The Fudge Shoppe has had a very loyal following over the past several decades and has been featured on The Food Network and in numerous publications, according to the Burrys.

He would eventually join the Marine Corps, but always had in the back of his mind the idea to one day own a chocolate shop of his own.

The Burrys credit the support of their family with their ability to open the shop. Brandon’s parents are co-owners and his aunts and uncles who still run The Fudge Shoppe have mentored them through the process of getting the business up and running.

Many of the specialty chocolates they carry are currently made at The Fudge Shoppe.

Many of the shop’s other sweets are made on-site, however, including chocolate-covered Oreos, espresso beans and graham crackers, ABC (almond butter crunch), toffee and fudge. They also hand-dip fresh fruit each morning, including blueberries, blackberries, raspberries and strawberries.

Burry Chocolates is located at 21572 U.S. 17 N. in Hampstead. -Jessica Maurer

| BUSINESS OF LIFE |

Seeing demand for flexible space

BY CECE NUNN

No matter how big your home is, the coronavirus pandemic could be making it feel smaller after six months of working, learning and mainly just staying at home.

Inspired by his work with Wilmington’s Cargo District and its use of containers, Bryan Kristof has been working on a new company that offers a potential solution: backyard flex spaces made of shipping containers.

He founded Craftspace with Gregg Howell, with designs by architect Ben Wilker of Wilker Design Co.

“When I came over here [to the Cargo District in Wilmington] and I partnered with Leslie Smith, I moved Coworx over here at the very beginning, and then I collaborated with [Smith] on developing the concept for the Cargo District. When we did the Coworx space, that was kind of our first experience using containers,” said Kristof, who has since sold his interest in Coworx, a coworking concept. “Gregg actually is still a member of Coworx -- that’s how we met.”

Howell wanted to tap into something new.

“He came to me one day and said, ‘I’m kind of looking for something new and exciting.’ He has a background in the logistics and the trucking industry,” Kristof said. “That was a nice complement to what we needed.”

They formed Craftspace in January with a different idea than what eventually worked out.

“Really the initial focus was to kind of upcycle these containers to create spaces primarily for outdoor glamping or camping, that kind of thing,” Kristof said. “So we got about three months down the road working on some design ideas and then of course the bottom of the world fell out in March. So we quickly pivoted over to focus on creating some smaller backyard spaces.”

The U.S. contains millions of unused shipping containers, according to the Craftspace website.

“That’s 960,000,000 SF of space. Enough to build 7 Empire State Buildings every year, for the next 50 years,” the website states. “At Craftspace, we’re putting these containers back to work by creating modular building solutions for the great out-

PHOTO BY MICHAEL CLINE SPENCER Backyard bungalows: Craftspace COO Gregg Howell (from left), CEO Bryan Kristof and architect Ben Wilker are shown with the backyard units they are making from cargo containers.

doors.”

Craftspace has partnered with Gulfstream Steel & Supply, out of Holly Ridge, to handle the steel fabrication for the backyard flex spaces.

“For this particular flex space product, we actually took a 40-foot container and we chopped it up into four smaller sections that we can use for these backyard spaces,” Kristof said.

Where do they get their containers?

“Right now for the first flex space units that we’re building Gulfstream, who’s our steel fabrication partner, they’ve been sourcing the containers for us,” Kristof said, “For other projects we’ve done in the past we’ve used other local brokers.”

Under city rules, you can’t run a business out of one of the flex spaces, explained Kathryn Thurston, zoning administrator for the city of Wilmington. There are other rules guiding square footage and setbacks, as well as a rule for most residential and commercial districts that requires a container to be covered because it’s made of corrugated metal.

Wilker said, “We are planning to have some very nice wood cladding on the exterior of our units to warm it up a bit and break up the metal corrugation.”

Another trend with small spaces has been cropping up, even before the pandemic.

Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) are similar to the flex spaces Craftspace is building but involve more construction and permitting. ADUs have been part of an ongoing affordable housing discussion among local officials in the Wilmington area.

Accessory dwellings are an old idea, according to a website devoted to the structures. But “they fell out of favor in the middle of the 20th century,” an article on accessorydwellings. org states. “Now, however, they’re coming back, and they have lots of names. Planners call them ADUs (Accessory Dwelling Units), but they’re also known as granny flats, inlaw units, laneway houses, secondary dwelling units, and a hundred other names. ADUs can be tiny houses, but tiny houses aren’t always ADUs.”

Glenn Harbeck, director of planning, development and transportation for the city of Wilmington, said, “There’s definitely a pattern across the whole nation and Canada, really all of North America. If you just Goole ADUs, you’ll find that it’s a clear massive trend. In fact, in California, Washington, the West Coast, they’ve passed general state-enabling legislation that either encourages local governments to allow them or prohibits local governments from disallowing them because they’re such an efficient way of providing affordable housing.”

ADUs are expected to be another phase for Craftspace in the future.

The current backyard flex spaces being worked on “are more considered a shed, really, because they don’t include a bathroom or a kitchen; they’re really not designed necessarily for living in,” Kristof said. But they do have electricity and require an electrical permit.

Their prices are expected to start in the mid-$20,000s, Kristof said.

Craftspace is currently in production on the first flex space units and are taking pre-orders. They are also looking for investors and plan to launch a national crowdfunding campaign before the end of the year.

Kristof said, “Hopefully as we ramp up production, we’re going to need additional help with building.”

HEALTH CAREHEROES

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| HEALTH CARE HEROES 2020 Honoring this year’s heroes

The word “hero” has been used a lot this year.

During a global pandemic, caused by an unknown virus, those who take on risk to help and treat others have earned that title and more.

The Greater Wilmington Business Journal has put on the Health Care Heroes awards program since 2013 to honor the people and organizations making an impact on the quality of health care in the region.

VICKY JANOWSKI In planning this year’s awards program, we talked about whether to add a 12th category specifically recognizing the work done on the fight against the coronavirus. But we decided against it, noting that COVID-19 has permeated all corners of health care – from the work done by the health providers, volunteers, professionals, administrators and others who are recognized in the awards.

And that was reflected in the nominations that came in this year from patients, peers, co-workers and families.

From an infectious disease physician and communicable disease nurse to a respiratory therapist to a paramedic visiting patients in their homes so they can limit their exposure. They, along with countless others, have formed the frontline to help protect the community.

And still, other health concerns never took a pause just because the rest of the world did. Many of the finalists this year continued their efforts to address those issues as well.

Included in this year’s awards special section is the finalists in 10 categories: Community Achievement, Community Outreach, First Responder, Innovation in Health Care, Health Care Executive, PA/NP, Physician, Nurse, Health Care Professional and Volunteer.

Their nominators share their accolades on the following pages.

One of those is a tribute to Dr. Hemantkumar “Henry” Patel, a well-known and respected cardiologist who died earlier this year (page 14).

And this year’s Lifetime Achievement Award recipient is Dr. Daniel Gottovi, who was key in the founding of Wilmington Health Associates (now Wilmington Health) and Lower Cape Fear Hospice (now Lower Cape Fear LifeCare) – two organizations that have played pivotal roles this year.

We normally have a big party to recognize the finalists and announce the winners. A big part of the program is to give health care workers a much-deserved night out. This year, of course, is different, but the intention behind the honors remains. So, please join us in congratulating and thanking these Health Care Heroes. -Vicky Janowski, editor

Greater Wilmington Business Journal vjanowski@wilmingtonbiz.com

On Twitter: @vickyjanowski

HEROES HEALTH CARE HEALTH CARE HEROES

ABOUT THE JUDGING Each year, the Business Journal opens up the HEALTH CARE nominations process to the community for the Health Care Heroes awards. HEROES Our outside judging panel combs through the nominations and applications to pick the finalists and winners in each of the 10 categories as well as the Lifetime Achievement honor. Judges who know or work with the nominees disclosed any potential conflicts. In the cases in which judges were nominated in a category, they were recused from the deliberation process.

JOHNSIE DAVIS, New Hanover Regional Medical Center KELLY EROLA, Lower Cape Fear LifeCare MICHEALLE GADY, Atromitos CHRIS GEORGE, PNC Bank CHARLES HARDY, UNCW College of Health and Human Services JIM HUNDLEY SR., retired physician and businessman ALEXIS HUNTER, Wilmington Health ZAC LONG, Well Care Health ELAINE LOYACK, Delta Dental NORMAN ROBINSON, New Hanover-Pender County Medical Society representative

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Honors an individual or team who successfully implemented a program addressing a problem in health care administration or delivery.

ELIZABETH BARNES TITLE: Co-founder and executive director ORGANIZATION: Hope Abounds Cancer Network Inc. WHAT THE NOMINATOR SAID: “Elizabeth is a woman of not just talk but action. Hope Abounds serves children and adults who have been diagnosed with cancer. However, they go beyond that, and facilitate the families around the individual diagnosed by supporting the unit as a whole. Without Hope Abounds, I would have been drowning in confusion, debt and fear. They gave me and my family hope when many times we saw none.

“The organization fights for advocacy and explanations. They put together resources for the unique needs of those of us who are battling cancer.

“The best part is how special they make you feel … Hope Abounds serves in every area of care from initial diagnoses to follow-up care years later.

“At the time of my son’s diagnosis, I was starting school for my master’s to become a family nurse practitioner. Hope Abounds gave me such peace and encouragement that without them, I would never have finished school. Today, I can say I am now a board-certified FNP! There are so many ways Hope Abounds shines and thus why they deserve this award.” - Raishael Tessari, family nurse practitioner MARISSA BRYANT FRANKS TITLE: Health equity outreach coordinator ORGANIZATION: New Hanover Regional Medical Center WHAT THE NOMINATOR SAID: “Marissa has done a phenomenal job leading initiatives aimed at mitigating health disparities all throughout her work here at NHRMC. Her most recent project has been dedicated to eliminating disparities in birth outcomes for Black moms and babies, which is extremely important work at a local, state and national level.

“She has effortlessly and fearlessly lead this work by engaging and influencing a plethora of partners and organizations ranging from clinicians to nonprofits and does a great job connecting and collaborating with each.

“She has been a pleasure to work with and a tenacious leader dedicated to change, despite recently giving birth and battling the effects of the pandemic our country is facing.

“Her efforts and work speak for themselves, having earned much recognition in the arena of community outreach and advocacy.

“Her drive, motivation and continued impact in battling health disparities is what makes her worthy of the Health Care Hero award. She is the definition of a fearless, innovative leader in health and health equity.” - A colleague

DESIRAE HRYNKO

TITLE: Marketing manager ORGANIZATION: Wilmington Health WHAT THE NOMINATOR SAID: “In February of this year, I was promoted from my role as Business Office Team Lead to Marketing Manager of our amazing company, Wilmington Health. I have served at this company for six years, and I started in a Patient Representative (front desk, patient check-in role).

“Wilmington Health is dedicated to transforming the healthcare delivery system, but also hugely committed to providing an exceptional patient experience. My role as Marketing Manager began in one of the most pivotal times in healthcare, when COVID-19 truly ramped up and measures had to take place for our company to position ourselves as COVID Safety Advocates.

“Within my role, I supported our organization in launching and educating our community of our WH Anywhere Virtual Visit program, which provided excellent access to care for the communities we serve. This launched within a couple of days.

“Additionally, I knew it was important for our organization to stand up with our neighboring healthcare organization/ hospital, NHRMC, to provide valuable PSAs to our community. I teamed up NHRMC healthcare leaders and our healthcare leaders/infectious disease experts in creating PSAs with their personal advice on slowing the spread.” - Self

| HEALTH CARE HEROES: COMMUNITY OUTREACH |

Honors an individual or team who communicated to the community about a health issue, including treatments and best practices, health threats and other education initiatives.

JOE CONWAY TITLE: Director of health equity and human experience ORGANIZATION: New Hanover Regional Medical Center WHAT THE NOMINATOR SAID: “Joe cares deeply about people. Not just people he likes or has things in common with. ALL people. This love for his fellow human beings overflows into everything he does. Few people see the countless hours he spends researching, attending community meetings and advocating for our community’s most vulnerable groups.

“He is never one to back down from a challenge and always does everything in his power to find a solution. I am continually amazed at the innovative methods he dreams up to push the envelope towards change in a fun way. In his role, he relentlessly chases down the health disparities throughout our region that threaten to jeopardize the care of our patients.

“In partnership with NHRMC’s LQBTQ+ employee resource group, Joe was a barrier breaker that supported and empowered his fellow employees to make changes meant to create a more welcoming environment for our LGBTQ+ friends. So much so that our score when from 25/100 to 85/100 in just one year! …” - Elizabeth Barfield, health equity educator TR NUNLEY TITLE: Program coordinator ORGANIZATION: Wilmington Transgender Support Services WHAT THE NOMINATOR SAID: “TR and I first met as copanelists at an LGBTQIA health fair in town. After introducing ourselves, he asked if I was a member of the ‘community.’ As a privileged white cis-female, I was a little caught off-guard, and quickly recognized the meaning of his question, fumbling around for the best way to explain that I was an ally. TR’s welcoming and easy demeanor through that conversation was just the start of my recognizing his meaningful and ubiquitous presence in all matters related to equality and equity, especially around sexual orientation and gender identity.

“I reconnected with TR through his involvement in transgender support groups. … TR remains actively involved in the upkeep of local transgender support groups. …

“In June 2020, TR received, on behalf of the local community, the Wilmington City Council’s first official proclamation of June as Pride month. ... “I believe it’s his tireless community outreach to support and advance the well-being and health of the local LGBTQIA community makes him a true health care hero.” - Karen Isaacs, physician CRAIG WAGNER TITLE: Chief marketing and engagement officer ORGANIZATION: Lower Cape Fear LifeCare WHAT THE NOMINATOR SAID: “Since 1980, Lower Cape Fear Hospice has been the leading hospice agency in Southeast North Carolina, providing the highest quality care, comfort, support and education to patients, their families and our communities. This year, we are celebrating 40 years of service and, as of Jan.1, we have rebranded as Lower Cape Fear LifeCare (LCFL).

“Led by Craig Wagner, our Chief Marketing and Engagement Officer, the organization has navigated tremendous change in 2020, including a new name, an updated logo and a spectrum of health services to enhance access to care at any point in people’s lives. These expanded services reach well beyond our core hospice care program.

“They now include hospice care, palliative care, dementia care, grief care, community education and veterans care.

“For sure, 2020 has not turned out as we had anticipated at Lower Cape Fear LifeCare. We had planned to celebrate our 40th anniversary in a number of ways throughout the year. ... The pandemic has certainly put a damper on most of those festivities, but the commitment…and courage… of Craig Wagner, as well as our senior leadership team, our Board of Directors and our staff has never wavered.” - Jason Clamme, engagement manager

Honors a first responder whose performance is considered exemplary by patients, peers and other health care providers.

BETHANY HART TITLE: Flight paramedic ORGANIZATION: NHRMC AirLink/VitaLink Critical Care Transport WHAT THE NOMINATOR SAID: “Bethany Hart is an accomplished patient-centered flight paramedic who’s loved by her patients, peers, community, and recognized as a national leader. During her eight years in prehospital care, the last three of which were as a critical care flight paramedic for AirLink/ VitaLink Critical Care Transport, Bethany has continuously sought to improve herself, her peers and her community.

“Bethany brings an energy to every project in which she’s involved. She is the only provider on our team that has received compliments from her patient’s families during phone calls with our reimbursement team.

“One of these stories stands out. Bethany and her partner had flown to a request to aid for a child who had been seriously injured. Bethany found her patient extremely anxious but needing urgent air medical transport to the trauma center. The patient’s mother waited worriedly outside the ambulance while Bethany and her partner tended to her child. After calming the patient, Bethany took the time to calm and reassure the mother while explaining her care plan for the transport. Bethany held the patient’s hand during flight and became the highlight of her hospitalization experience.

“During Hurricane Florence, Bethany observed that fellow first responders could benefit from better personal preparedness. In response, Bethany prepared, applied and was accepted to present on ‘a staff member’s preparedness for storm response’ at the international Air Medical Transport Conference in the fall of 2019.

“During the same conference, Bethany noticed that she was one of less than a few dozen African Americans at the conference. Rather than become upset, she connected with the conference sponsors and asked to become involved in improving diversity within the air medical transport profession. As a result, Bethany became an inaugural member on the Association of Air Medical Service’s Diversity & Inclusion Committee for the Critical Care Transport Industry!” - Kevin Collopy, supervisor JIM MISTOVICH TITLE: Community paramedic ORGANIZATION: NHRMC EMS WHAT THE NOMINATOR SAID: “Jim has worked for New Hanover Regional EMS since 2008 and is a consistent high performer. Jim has worked as paramedic, field training officer, a member of the EMS Water Rescue Team, Bike Team and New Hanover County Sheriff’s Emergency Response Team. He currently serves as a community paramedic, providing mobile integrated healthcare resources to at risk patients in the Cape Fear region.

“In his role as community paramedic, Jim works with patients in their homes providing access to acute and preventative healthcare, while helping patients find ways to better manage their medical conditions and navigate community resources. Jim has excelled at collaboration, fostering relationships and patient-centered care.

“Jim cared for a woman living in a second-story apartment, which required her to navigate multiple stairs and thus prevented her from leaving her apartment in six months. The woman had physical limitations and mental health concerns contributing to her situation. She was unable to keep her medical appointments, fill her prescriptions or even grocery shop.

“She often refused outside assistance and had strained relationships with her medical home, friends and family. At times, she refused to see Jim, but he continued to visit. He collaborated with the patient, property owner and community resources to renovate the property making it safer for the patient and medical transport to use.

“He advocated and arranged in-home physician visits, access to mental health, prescription delivery, access to food and collaborated with social work to find alternate living arrangements. This is one example where Jim’s dedication and service created opportunities to help patients live a healthier and happy life.

“During the current COVID-19 pandemic, Jim’s role as a community paramedic has additional importance. He has visited and cared for high-risk patients in their homes who are at risk for contracting COVID-19.” - Timothy Corbett, manager/division chief

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Honors an individual whose job performance is considered exemplary by people within their organizations, peers and community members.

RYAN ESTES TITLE: Treatment operations director ORGANIZATION: Coastal Horizons Center Inc. WHAT THE NOMINATOR SAID: “Ryan Estes is deserving of the Health Care Hero Award as he has and continues to make a significant positive impact on the quality of healthcare in Wilmington. He provides fiscal, policy and clinical oversight to Coastal’s programs in 27 counties. Ryan is a strategic thinker and is always looking for ways to meet the needs of those we serve. He was both instrumental and successful in building our Child First, Day Treatment and Intensive Family Preservation Services.

“Child First is a nationally-recognized, evidenced-based, infant and young child mental health treatment and prevention program that uses a stress- and trauma-focused approach to support the highest-risk families. Services are conducted in the home setting. Seventy percent of children treated within the Child First program show improvement in social emotional functioning and 67% show reduced disruptive behaviors and aggression …

“Ryan is very skilled at procuring funding to meet our community’s needs. ... Through state and federal funding, he has been able to bring $15M in new services to the tri-county area. Within Coastal Horizons, Ryan creates initiatives to meet staff needs ...” - Elizabeth Redenbaugh, development director DAVID SCHULTZ TITLE: Hospitalist and associate chief medical officer ORGANIZATION: Wilmington Health WHAT THE NOMINATOR SAID: “Dr. Schultz wears many hats in our organization; including bearing the title of hospitalist and Associate Chief Medical Officer. Dr. Schultz dedicates himself to Wilmington Health’s mission of being ‘committed to using collaborative, evidence-based medicine in providing the highest quality of care to the patients we serve.’ …

“Dr. Schultz was directly involved in launching the Today’s Care+, which is a service to our community providing low-cost, high-quality, innovative access to emergency-related care. Thus far, this effort has decreased the volume of emergency room visits in our region; reserving the usage of our emergency rooms for our most critical cases.

“Additionally, Dr. Schultz has served as a clinical voice of expertise for the launch of Anchor Senior Care Advantage, which has allowed our community members 60+ to attain a personal physician, have physician-directed care and access to care that is both comprehensive and coordinated. In addition to these initiatives, Dr. Schultz has served on the front lines as a Hospitalist serving at NHRMC throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.” - Desirae Hrynko, marketing manager DAVID STANLEY TITLE: Executive director ORGANIZATION: Brunswick County Health and Human Services WHAT THE NOMINATOR SAID: “It takes a true leader to consistently motivate, inspire and engage a team through a health crisis and a dangerous hurricane while supporting four departments with more than 200 employees—and that is exactly what we have in our Health and Human Services Executive Director David Stanley.

“…Ultimately why I am nominating him for this recognition—is that David has an invaluable skill in bringing individuals together and fostering their unique talents to achieve impossible goals. Never has David’s leadership been more crucial than during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

“David had the foresight to anticipate COVID-19 far before the first positive case was identified in March, spurring his team to develop a COVID-19 response plan in December 2019.

“As more cases were identified and changes in federal and state recommendations constantly shifted, David was a steadying force for our organization—often contacting and working with local and state officials to clarify restrictions and guidance to ensure the spirit of the regulations and executive orders was communicated correctly with the public …” - Randell Woodruff, Brunswick County manager

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| HEALTH CARE HEROES: LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT | Seeing needs, sowing solutions

BY JENNY CALLISON

Daniel Gottovi isn’t an obstetrician, but he has helped birth two medical entities in Wilmington that have shaped the health care community here: Lower Cape Fear LifeCare and Wilmington Health.

Gottovi, a retired pulmonologist, is honored with this year’s Health Care Heroes Lifetime Achievement Award for his role as one of the founding physicians of the hospice organization that is now known as Lower Cape Fear LifeCare. He led the group that launched the nonprofit in 1980 and became its first board of directors. The fledgling hospice organization cared for its first patient that same year.

“I had taken The Washington Post for many years,” he said recently. “It has a Sunday journal [magazine] section, and it had an article about the first hospice program in the U.S. – in New Haven, Connecticut. I read that article.

“At about the same time, I had a patient who had lung cancer that had spread to the bone. Cancer is very painful when it’s in the bone. He badly wanted to go home, but there was no way for us to do that. We did not have good pain management techniques and no hospice program.”

That was in the mid-1970s, when hospice care in this country, where it existed, consisted of volunteers caring for dying patients, according to MedicineNet.com. The nation’s first official hospice program – the subject of that Washington Post story – was established in 1974 and was based on groundbreaking hospice work in England.

Inspired by what he learned about the Connecticut program and distressed by his patient’s plight, Gottovi realized that Wilmington could benefit from a hospice organization.

Other doctors were interested as well, including James Bryan II, an internist and professor of medicine and social medicine at UNC School of Medicine.

“Jim Bryan was one of my teachers at UNC when I was a resident there,” Gottovi said. “He was very involved with the statewide hospice effort and helped us get off the ground.”

Gottovi scheduled a public meeting at the county health department to discuss the possibility of starting a hospice here. The response was encouraging.

“I was just happy that there was a

PHOTO BY MICHAEL CLINE SPENCER In practice: Retired pulmonologist Daniel Gottovi made significant contributions to Wilmington’s health care landscape during his career, helping to create the area’s hospice organization and co-founding Wilmington Health.

lot of interest in the community, that people came to that initial show and tell,” he recalled. “The interest was among both medical professionals and laypeople.”

With confirmation of both the need and the community’s support, Gottovi and others formed a steering group. The group eventually got a small grant from United Way of the Cape Fear Area that allowed the program to launch. It hired Eloise Thomas as part-time executive director. By the early ’80s, the hospice effort was off the ground and functioning.

Gottovi was never a physician with the local hospice. His role was to organize and oversee its formation and to chair the original board of directors that prepared it to grow and flourish.

“The whole idea was to provide home care, home support,” he added. “The facility we have now evolved later on.

“We ran training for volunteers to care for people at home. Many were nurses – particularly public health nurses – who were a strong support group. Some [volunteers] had no medical training as such. We taught them how to be with dying patients from various diseases and how to be supportive.”

The pulmonologist’s early work to organize hospice began just a few years after he arrived in Wilmington. Originally from Albion, in western New York, Gottovi earned his medical degree at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry.

He and his wife, Karen, moved south where he completed a residency, followed by a fellowship in pulmonology, at UNC Medical Center. The teaching relationship between Chapel Hill and New Hanover County’s hospital pulled him to Wilmington.

“I came here in 1971 to open a practice and contribute to the teaching program at New Hanover,” he said, adding that he was asked to start a program in internal medicine.

He also teamed up with cardiologist Norman Robinson to open a joint practice. Gottovi said Robinson migrated to Wilmington from Chapel Hill at about the same time as he did.

“I was the only doctor in town with specific training in pulmonary diseases; Norman was the only doctor with a cardiology specialty,” he said. “When we came here we were the first new physicians in a long time.”

What the two young doctors could not know was that their small practice would be the seed from which Wilmington Health would blossom.

“Wilmington has grown a lot, and Wilmington Health grew as the community grew,” Gottovi said. “At first, we were mostly in internal medicine. When we wanted to hire a new specialist, we would ask local doctors, ‘What are you having to send to Chapel Hill?’ Early on, it was oncology. Then neurology.”

The growing specialty group subsequently merged with a pediatric group and surgical group to expand beyond internal medicine. Later, Wilmington Health added a family practice unit.

Gottovi retired in 2005 after spending 35 years with Wilmington Health. Then he and Karen moved to Raleigh, where she served as the director of the N.C. DHHS’s Division of Aging. When she retired five years later, Gottovi accepted a position on the medical staff of the Roanoke Chowan Community Health Center in Ahoskie, and the couple moved back to Eastern North Carolina.

“Ahoskie needed help; I ended up working there for five years, doing general internal medicine and some pulmonary medicine,” he said. “I liked what I was doing and could have stayed longer.”

But retirement living called, and in 2015 the Gottovis returned to Wilmington, choosing Carolina Bay at Autumn Hall as their home. These days, the doctor says he spends much of his time reading, from medical information to poetry to meditations to serious fiction.

“I don’t do any medicine except I keep a very expensive subscription to UpToDate, an online medical resource, so I can find and print out information,” he said. “I guess you could say I do consultation about difficult diagnoses for family and friends.”

Honors any health care providers other than physicians or nurses whose performance is considered exemplary by patients, peers and other health care providers. JANET AXELSON TITLE: Medical social worker ORGANIZATION: Well Care Health WHAT THE NOMINATOR SAID: “Janet Axelson has been a medical social worker for 17 years, and she has been a respected member of the Well Care Home Health team for over seven years. “She has experienced the incredible benefits of social work firsthand. ‘Growing up, we didn’t have a lot of money, and we frequently needed public assistance. I met many social workers when I was a child, and they were always so helpful to us,’ said Janet. ‘That’s when I knew I wanted to be a social worker.’

“Janet was a single mother of two and recently divorced when she decided to finish her education and finally realize her dream of helping others. ‘I worked as a waitress on weekends and went to school during the week. It was not easy, but my experiences as a child motivated me to work hard and keep going. I knew I wanted to become a social worker and help others who were in the same situation I faced,’ she said.

“Janet graduated with her bachelor’s degree in social work from UNCW and is now also a certified victim advocate …

“Words from one of Janet’s co-workers: ‘Janet goes above and beyond in caring for our patients. ...’” - Zac Long, CEO LUANN BARWICK TITLE: Respiratory therapist ORGANIZATION: Dosher Memorial Hospital WHAT THE NOMINATOR SAID: “LuAnn Barwick is a shining example of a healthcare hero. She has worked at Dosher Hospital for well over 35 years and continues to go above and beyond on a daily basis.

“LuAnn has always been an avid supporter of Dosher Hospital and the surrounding community … In the most recent months, since the onset of COVID-19, she has surpassed expectations and gone the extra miles for her co-workers and patients.”

She was one of the first employees to get on board with the wearing of face masks, even before the recommendation came from the CDC. LuAnn has gone out of her way to encourage and train others in the proper use of PPE. She keeps up with the ever changing CDC recommendations, and passes them on to others.

“In addition to all of this, her bedside manner with her patients is caring, compassionate and understanding. LuAnn is sensitive to each patient’s physical, mental and emotional needs.

“If you happen to walk by and see LuAnn treating or interacting with a patient, your heart will be warmed by the kindness and respect that she gives to each patient. ...” - Lisa Narron, colleague

NOVA SWANSTROM TITLE: Therapist ORGANIZATION: Delta Behavioral Health WHAT THE NOMINATOR SAID: “When I first met Nova and shared my interest in providing transgender medical care, little did I know that she really was THE only local gender therapist at the time, nor did I grasp just how many referrals would come my way. I have no doubt that the local transgender community gained better entrée into our healthcare system over the past few years, in large part due to Nova’s work.

“Her vast years of experience and certification through the World Professional Association of Transgender Health have made her a real trailblazer, in normalizing patients’ and families’ experiences, and steadily guiding them to affirming and appropriate health care. She created the local free transgender support groups here in Wilmington, and she has trained multiple other therapists in gender issues to help broaden workforce competence. She serves patients from all over Southeast NC and Northeast SC. She also maintains and shares a list of trans friendly and other affirming health-related resources with other providers across the medical profession.

“Perhaps most impressive is her professional outreach to other healthcare providers on behalf of mutual patients/ clients. ...” - Karen Isaacs, physician

Honors an individual or team behind a new scientific discovery, procedure, treatment or device that can save lives or improve the quality of life for a large number of people.

ANDY ALMETER TITLE: Manager of business operations, regional and specialty service ORGANIZATION: New Hanover Regional Medical Center WHAT THE NOMINATOR SAID: “Because of Andy Almeter’s previous work in understanding how physical infrastructure impacts health, and understanding and using healthcare data to predict outcomes, Senior Leadership drafted him at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic to assist NHRMC’s Incident Command with predictive modeling.

“Combining information from national and local trends with active local case data, Andy worked with leadership to anticipate the number and type of hospital admissions at NHRMC.

“Using this data, Andy was also able to assist supply chain leadership in the development of a PPE dashboard based on the actual and anticipated number of patients in the system. This has provided system level awareness of the most important PPE items needed to keep staff, patients and the community safe as COVID-19 developed, and prevented shortages.

“Andy also took the lead in developing a COVID-19 research team to explore the latest daily publications and research about coronavirus.” - Michael Voorheis, senior copywriter, NHRMC JEFF JAMES TITLE: CEO ORGANIZATION: Wilmington Health WHAT THE NOMINATOR SAID: “Wilmington Health is committed to continually developing collaborative and innovative solutions that demonstrate quality, reduce the cost of care and improve the patient experience. Jeff’s mantra with his leadership team is to meet patients’ needs exactly where and how the patients want them to be met.

“Wilmington Health implemented a comprehensive communication platform that allows patients to interact with practice team members and providers via text, email and live-chat. Patients who do not have smartphones have access to live-chat via the Wilmington Health website as an alternative. . . .

“On March 1, 2020, Wilmington Health opened Today’s Care+ to provide patients an alternative to the emergency room while still receiving acute care.

“Through Jeff’s leadership, Wilmington Health offers extended hours for primary care and specialty patients. Managing through Hurricane Florence, leaders and providers alike quickly pivoted to see patients during nontraditional hours and over weekends. This experience helped usher in a shift in perceptions throughout the practice to embrace and accept this change.” - Desirae Hrynko, marketing manager UNCW SCHOOL OF NURSING FACULTY AND STAFF WHAT THE NOMINATOR SAID: “The mission of the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW) School of Nursing (SON) is to educate and empower nursing and clinical research professionals to advance the health of diverse individuals and communities, through excellence in teaching, practice, research and scholarly activity.

“Innovation is a key component to realizing this mission. Using innovative approaches, faculty and staff in the UNCW SON [which is headed up by Linda Haddad, School of Nursing director, shown above] deliver quality healthcare education programs that prepare entry-level nurses, nurse educators, family nurse practitioners, nurse executives and leaders, psych-mental health nurses and clinical researchers for the Wilmington community, southeast coast and beyond. “Their innovative approaches include offering programs that are accessible to diverse populations of learners including those who are employed while enrolled in a nursing or clinical research program, using simulation and simulated patients, and offering applied learning internships where students gain real-life experience as a nurse or clinical researcher.” - Elizabeth (Beth) Gazza, associate director for faculty and staff development

| HEALTH CARE HEROES: NP/PA |

Honors a nurse practitioner or physician assistant whose performance is considered exemplary by patients, peers and other health care providers.

LAURA QUARINO TITLE: Family nurse practitioner ORGANIZATION: Brunswick County Health Services WHAT THE NOMINATOR SAID: “Laura joined our Health Services team as our Family Nurse Practitioner in 2012, bringing a wealth of experience in public health and family medicine to the department. While she has always been an outstanding public servant and colleague, she has truly stepped up to plate during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our Health Services team recognized early on that access to testing was of paramount concern, especially for those in our communities who have no insurance or limited financial resources to get a test.

“Often the struggle to get a test impacts several members of a household, including the children. Laura played a large part in the decision to dedicate Health Services’ COVID-19 testing resources for children who were suspected of having the virus or were close contacts to positive cases. She implemented the testing program and currently administers COVID-19 tests for adolescents aged 17 or younger—sometimes at little to no expense for the family.

“While she may see this challenge as just a part of the job, we know that what she is doing exceeds the expectations we initially set for ourselves at the beginning of the pandemic.” – Randell Woodruff, Brunswick County manager

AMANDA REYNOLDS

TITLE: Family nurse practitioner ORGANIZATION: Dosher Medical Urgent Care WHAT THE NOMINATOR SAID: “Amanda Ryenolds is what all NPs should strive for. She is incredibly focused and patient-oriented. She goes above and beyond for the safety and care for her patients. Not only does she give wonderful patient care, she goes out of her way to care for her staff and to ensure our safety. I have no words to explain her commitment and dedication during the COVID pandemic. The endless hours she has researched and studied the virus, you would not believe. Not only is she running a COVID Clinic, she also sees patients for Urgent Care needs. She is able to manage both Urgent Care and COVID patients without flaw.” - A co-worker

“Amanda Reynolds is a wonderful provider. I am the courier for Dosher Memorial Hospital. I have to visit the Dosher Urgent Care twice a day and it never fails that she greets me with a smile on her face. She has handled all the COVID cases with compassion for the patients as the urgent care was converted to a COVID clinic. She handled the change with professionalism and courtesy. Hands down I would recommend her to anyone that needs care. – Jared Harris, co-worker REBECCA WESTENDORF TITLE: Physician assistant ORGANIZATION: Cape Fear Heart Associates WHAT THE NOMINATOR SAID: “Rebecca has been working in Wilmington in the field of cardiology since 1999, after graduating PA school, either at Wilmington Cardiology or its successor, Cape Fear Heart Associates. She has evolved into a senior leader in our APP division of CFHA.

“Rebecca currently specializes in the field of electrophysiology (including device management and arrhythmias). Her assistance and leadership have also helped open and maintain our left ventricular assist device (LVAD) clinic as well as our new Atrial Fibrillation Clinic.

“She goes the extra mile for her patients as well, ensuring that their medical plan fits their specific needs, as well as ensuring that there are not social or economical impediments to receiving their care. She has routinely been seen making phone calls after clinic to pharmacies as well as NHRMC to attempt to gain best possible pricing.

“Also, very recently, she was thrust into the role of group matriarch and support staff. With the sudden passing of our colleague, Dr. Henry Patel, Rebecca was the first to reach out and make sure that everyone was holding up and accommodating with the tragedy.” – Michael Yarnoz, doctor at CFHA

Honors a nurse whose performance is considered exemplary by patients, peers and other health care providers.

RACHAEL BALDWIN TITLE: Lead communicable disease nurse ORGANIZATION: Brunswick County Health Services WHAT THE NOMINATOR SAID: “While each member of our health team continues to impress us with their efforts, I and several members of our county leadership, Health and Human Services department, Emergency Services department and community partners cannot help but recognize the exceptional contributions Lead Communicable Disease Nurse Rachael Baldwin has made toward our COVID-19 response over the past six months.

“As leader of our COVID-19 team, Rachael has taken on several duties outside of her normal role, performing them with the highest degree of professionalism, kindness and perseverance despite the incredible stress and uncertainty of the situation. ...

“All the conversations you hear about contact tracing, quarantine/isolation instructions and testing guidance? Rachael leads the contact tracing team of county public health nurses who regularly check in with each positive case to see how they are doing throughout their 14-day isolation period—often making those phone calls herself ...

“And who is there to support and guide our county’s nursing homes and assisted living facilities experiencing an outbreak? You guessed it—it’s Rachael leading the way.” - Randell Woodruff, Brunswick County manager JURLEY TORIAN TITLE: Registered nurse, account executive ORGANIZATION: Well Care Health WHAT THE NOMINATOR SAID: “Jurley Torian has been a registered nurse for 10 years and a valued member of the Well Care Home Health team for over five years. She began at Well Care Health as an orthopedic triage nurse and then transitioned to a physician liaison role as an account executive.

“She began her career with a bachelor’s degree in communications and worked for years in retail management. Then she earned her associate’s in nursing from Cape Fear Community College.

“Now in a liaison role, Jurley doesn’t do direct patient care, but she is very involved in their care management. She works with healthcare providers in the community to ensure patients get the help they need. ...

Sadly, Jurley’s husband, a U.S. Marine, passed away while deployed in Afghanistan in 2014. ‘When an opportunity to work with the VA came up, I immediately raised my hand and said, ‘I’ll take it!’ I want to do everything I can to help veterans. It is my way of giving back after losing my husband,’ she said.

“Jurley is passionate about keeping patients safe at home and goes the extra mile to make sure they are healthy and happy.” - Zac Long, CEO MITCHELL WATSON TITLE: RN ORGANIZATION: New Hanover Regional Medical Center WHAT THE NOMINATOR SAID: “Mitchell first became a nurse three years ago after graduating from Cape Fear Community College. He went on to be a nurse at New Hanover Regional in their Surgical Trauma Intensive Care Unit (STICU).

“I believe that in 2020, amidst the COVID crisis, that I have seen Mitchell surpass all expectations to serve patients, co-workers and the community. In late March his STICU was transformed into a permanent COVID patient unit. Each shift, I have watched him suit up ... and go to work and love on these patients.

“It has been an extreme learning curve as he and his team are learning about a new virus with many sick patients. ...

“Outside of working directly with his patients, Mitchell has been able to help spread joy and happiness to his team, and other health care providers. He wrote to Hershey’s chocolate company in April asking them to help him bring some cheer to what has otherwise been a very strenuous and taxing work environment. Hershey’s wrote back with a 75-pound donation of all their best chocolate. ...

“He continually talks about how it is all the little moments of joy right now that are keeping people going.” - Mackenzie Watson, wife

THANK YOU!

Through the support of our valued corporate partners, community leaders and generous donors, NHRMC Foundation is excited to announce that over $100,000 has been raised through our 2020 Founders’ Non-Gala

All funds raised through this initiative will enhance the pediatric MRI experience at the NHRMC Betty H. Cameron Women’s & Children’s Hospital through the integration of a Caring MRI Suite.

PRESENTING SPONSOR BLACK-TIE SPONSOR CHAMPAGNE SPONSOR FOUNDER SPONSOR

Honors a physician whose performance is considered exemplary by patients, peers and other health care providers.

PAUL KAMITSUKA TITLE: Infectious disease expert ORGANIZATION: Wilmington Health WHAT THE NOMINATOR SAID: “Dr. Kamitsuka is a renowned infectious disease expert who has been performing infectious disease consultations in this area for 26 years, and in total 38 years. Not only does he do clinical medicine on a daily basis, he is a lecturer on various topics in infectious diseases in the Harvard System.

“He is widely recognized across the country as an expert of the highest order. He serves as the Infection Control consultant at NHRMC and has been pivotal in assisting NHRMC and Wilmington Health along with Dr. Matt Sincock in our preparations and response to the COVID epidemic. Dr. Kamitsuka also provides compassionate state-of-the-art direct care to patients with COVID in both the inpatient and outpatient settings.

“There is no question in my mind that his presence and involvement in this medical community has elevated the quality of care in this area. The entire medical community relies on his expertise and his willingness to get involved in the care of our patients. We are all deeply beholden to Dr. Kamitsuka for his contributions to our healthcare system.” - Jonathan Hines, physician REBECCA CLARE LEE TITLE: Physician ORGANIZATION: Lower Cape Fear LifeCare WHAT THE NOMINATOR SAID: “Dr. Rebecca Lee, a certified palliative and hospice care physician for Lower Cape Fear LifeCare (LCFL), has been a valued team member of LCFL for over 15 years, caring for some of Brunswick County’s most vulnerable community members: hospice and palliative care patients.

“Her skill level and expertise in medicine is matched only by her compassion and respect for everyone she encounters. Dr. Lee is a consummate professional who has risen to the top of her field, exhibiting characteristics that make her a true Health Care Hero, such as … • Dr. Lee treats every patient and family with the same amount of attention, dignity, and respect. Many folks are amazed that a physician would devote an hour or more of her time to not only provide medical advice, but also listen to their thoughts and concerns. • Dr. Lee is a strong patient advocate who is able to have difficult conversations with seriously ill patients and their families … • Dr. Lee is a true educator. She takes the time to explain to patients in detail their disease symptoms, processes and treatment options.

“You won’t find a physician that’s more dedicated to her profession than Rebecca Lee.” - Starr Worthington, director of patient care services

HENRY PATEL

TITLE: Electrophysiologist ORGANIZATION: Cape Fear Heart Associates WHAT THE NOMINATOR SAID: “On August 3, 2020 the Cape Fear Community lost a beloved physician, leader, teacher and friend. Dr. Henry Patel passed away unexpectedly and tragically.

“Dr. Patel was a leader of our medical community. He was instrumental in guiding the success of his practice groups, first Wilmington Cardiology and subsequent involvement in the leadership of Cape Fear Heart Associates. He served for years on the Cardiology Council – an advisory group of physician leaders and administrators formed to help guide the direction of the Cardiac Service Line at NHRMC. …

“In his practice as an invasive electrophysiologist, Henry earned the nickname ‘Ninja’ in the Electrophysiology Lab for his legendary ability to accomplish the impossible, when a difficult or complicated case arose. He was always ready to lend a hand to his colleagues when a challenge presented itself. Since his passing, we have remembered many of the hundreds, if not thousands of lives that he saved with his procedural skills.

“Henry was devoted to his practice at Cape Fear Heart Associates but he was extraordinarily devoted to his patients. ...” - Praful Patel and William Smith, physicians

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ACOUSTIC WAVE THERAPY

Q: How Does Acoustic Wave Therapy fit into your overall practice?

A: As a practice focused on Restorative and Regenerative Medicine, the Frank Institute is always researching, working, and ultimately serving our patients with examinations, assessments and treatments that allow them to live their best and healthiest lives.

The advancements and wide-range of treatment advantages to Acoustic Wave Therapy make it a perfect fit for the Frank Institute.

As the only FDA cleared treatment of its kind, AWT is changing the treatment world for men with erectile dysfunction, women battling urinary incontinence, and for any person struggling with injury recovery or issues of blood flow.

So Acoustic Wave Therapy treats anything from joint pain and muscle soreness, to chronic issues that many Americans deal with. And every treatment is non-invasive - no needles, no cuts of any kind. Any patient that gets an AWT treatment at the Frank Institute can come into our offices, and be out within minutes, and in most cases already feeling better!

And we are particularly proud to be the only provider of Acoustic Wave Therapy in southeastern North Carolina. So we would encourage anyone that has questions about our work, or this particular treatment, to give us a call at (910) 679-8534 or reach out through an email to info@frankinstitute.com.

We also have a great Symptom Survey on our website, at www.frankinstitute.com. We cannot wait to talk to you, and help you get back to optimal health!

At the Frank Institute, you live - we help

Honors a volunteer at a health care provider or other health-related organization who is considered exemplary by people within those organizations.

GEORGE ELAM TITLE: Volunteer and president, New Hanover Regional Medical Center Auxiliary Board of Directors ORGANIZATION: NHRMC WHAT THE NOMINATOR SAID: “George Elam has been a volunteer at New Hanover Regional Medical Center for the past seven years, and in that time has made a difference for thousands of patients, families and staff. Frequently mentioned in patient surveys and recognized by staff, George has that rare quality in a person that is so impactful for a volunteer, especially in a hospital setting: the ability to identify and relate to those who need him most.

“Two out of his three volunteer shifts each week, George volunteers in the Surgical Waiting Room at NHRMC’s Orthopedic Hospital. George also volunteers in the Surgical Pavilion on NHRMC’s main campus, where he helps patients and their families get where they need to go, always with a warm smile and an encouraging word to ease their worries.

“Even volunteering at NHRMC three afternoons each week was not enough for George. He wanted to give back even more. Since 2016, George has served on the NHRMC Auxiliary’s Board of Directors, serving as the Chair of the Outreach Committee and most recently, as the Board president in 2020.

“But what really sets George apart is his deep dedication to helping as many people as he possibly can.” - Erin Balzotti, director of volunteer and auxiliary services

LT. CONSTANCE FOREMAN TITLE: Physician and Navy Reserve officer ORGANIZATION: NHRMC Physician Group WHAT THE NOMINATOR SAID: “In addition to being a compassionate physician in the community, Dr. Foreman is a naval reservist. She recently completed a tour of duty in Guam to support COVID relief. While still away on deployment, Dr. Foreman accepted an invitation to serve on the founding board of the Honor Flight of the Cape Fear Area, where she chairs the marketing and communications committee.” - Ruth Ravitz Smith, president and founder of Honor Flight of the Cape Fear Area and RR Smith Strategic Solutions LLC, and NHRMC’s blog

Smith said an NHRMC blog post from April also sums up Foreman’s commitment. The following are portions of that post:

“Dr. Foreman, who is a Navy Lieutenant, joined the Navy Reserves in 2015 while still in residency and commissioned into a program called Training in Medical Specialties (TMS), which she said offered service time for her completion of residency.

“‘In my family, I have representatives of all the military branches, but my biological father and two uncles, whom I respect very much, were Marines. ... I decided that this was how I could honor my family.’” DAN KOPCHICK TITLE: Volunteer ORGANIZATION: Lower Cape Fear LifeCare WHAT THE NOMINATOR SAID: “Dan Kopchick has been a volunteer with Lower Cape Fear LifeCare (formerly Lower Cape Fear Hospice) since 2017. During that time, he has served as a patient care volunteer – visiting over 30 hospice patients in their homes or at long term care and nursing facilities. He is a retired social worker who offers his time religiously and frequently is responsible for visiting with four or five patients and families at a time.

“Dan’s willingness to take on patients that are sometimes difficult to ‘place’ with a volunteer is greatly appreciated. He will make that longer drive to visit a patient, will visit that person who is perhaps not so easy to be with and makes the lives of the people he is visiting better by his presence. ...

“Dan has immediately jumped into the Dementia Pilot Program that was started at our organization – and is one of the first volunteers to serve both our dementia clients/families as well as our hospice patients.

“Having a volunteer like Dan in the mix here at our agency is invaluable.” - Mary Warmkessel, volunteer services coordinator