Kelly DeRider, left, nurse manager at St. Elizabeth Medical Center, accepts the Service Member Patriot Award from veteran Wilbur Linton of Oneida, right. At center is nominator Scott Helmer, SEMC RN.
(Utica, NY – Nov. 2014) Kelly DeRider, nurse manager for the operating room, post anesthesia care unit and central supply at St. Elizabeth Medical Center (SEMC), received the Service Member Patriot Award on October 28. It was presented by the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR), represented by Wilbur Linton, a veteran from Oneida. DeRider was nominated by Scott Helmer, a SEMC registered nurse in the cardiothoracic operating room, in appreciation for her efforts in helping him fulfill his commitments to the military. Helmer also appreciates the support of other members of the Surgery Department that enables him to maintain his civilian employment while serving in the armed forces.
The Patriot Award is the first in a series of ESGR’s awards. An employee serving in the National Guard or Reserve, or the spouse of a Guard or Reserve member, may nominate individual supervisors and bosses for support provided directly to the nominating Service member and his or her family. The Patriot Award reflects the efforts made to support them through a wide range of measures including flexible schedules, time off prior to and after deployment, caring for families and granting leaves of absence, if needed.