December Newsletter

January Birthdays and Anniversaries

New to the UOG Crew

employee photoRaven SilverFront Desk- Main
employee photoSierra ValentineFront Desk Float – Decatur

Peer Shoutouts

Congratulations Corner!

Congratulations to Cindy Sparrow’s granddaughter, Madison Young! Madison got engaged to Beau Nix on November 23rd! Congratulations to all! Cindy, we know that you are so very proud and so are we!

On December 4th, Kelee Smith graduated from Southern Regional Technical College! You go, girl! We are so proud of you and we can wait to see what amazing things you will do and accomplish in your future!

Danielle Williams & her boyfriend of 2 years got engaged on December 14th! Congratulations to you both, Danielle! You’re going to make the most beautiful bride! We wish you two many many many years of love, happiness and marital bliss!

Terrie Reese’s granddaughter, Paislee Hutchinson, won the Miss Holly Jolly pageant! Congratulations, Terrie and congratulations, Miss Paislee! She’s absolutely precious!! Terrie, we know that you are so proud, we are as well!

UOG in the Community

The Tift County Foundation for Educational Excellence (TCFEE) recently awarded a total of $2,000 in academic grants to three Tift County schools’ academic teams!

Student teams from Eighth Street Middle School, Northeast Middle, and Tift County High received the Howard Academic Competition Team Grants from TCFEE executive board member Dr. Kaylar Howard, Greer Howard and Laura Cutts, TCFEE executive director.

Robotics Team sponsor Brian Tapscott at Eighth Street Middle School was awarded $575 to support students competing in robotics competitions. This is the fourth Howard Center Academic Grant that the robotics team has been awarded.

Robotics Team sponsor and teacher Stephen Compton at Northeast Middle was awarded $400 to support students competing in robotics competitions. This is the second Howard Center Academic Grant that the robotics team has been awarded.

Also at Northeast Middle School, Dr. Trisha Bridges sponsor of the Junior Beta Club was awarded $575 to support competitions at their State Convention.

At Tift County High, Career & Technical Instruction (CTI) Coordinator Christopher (Duran) Paulk received $450 to aid students competing in leadership and state CTI conferences. This is the sixth Howard Center Academic Grant that Paulk and his CTI teams have been awarded.

The Howard Academic Competition Team Grants were introduced in 2014. Since then, 42 grants totaling nearly $22,000 have bolstered academic teams featuring some of Tift County’s top students.

We are honored to be a continued sponsor and supporter of these incredible students and these programs at Tift County Schools!

A UOG Country Christmas

This year, we traded in our scrubs for boots and cowboy hats as we celebrated our incredible and hardworking staff with a Country Christmas Bash!

From classic country western flair to southern boy/girl charm, our team showed up in style and spirit!

A HUGE shoutout to Dr. Drew and Dr. Kaylar for their generosity in giving back to their staff with this festive tradition every year!

Thank you to Melisa Newell for planning, organizing, and coordinating every detail, and to our CEO, Sherri Simmons, for her creative contributions and for always choosing the most unique and exciting prizes.

We also appreciate all the staff members who worked behind the scenes to make this event a success! We believe we have the BEST staff in the world, and it’s truly a blessing to be able to honor them and all their hard work.

Christmas Spirit Week!

UOG Christmas Spirit Week was a fun week to remember!

This week was overflowing with creativity and holiday cheer! From Day 1’s festive Christmas characters (think The Grinch, Cindy-Lou Who, and even Rudolph and his friends!) to the “Anything but a Cup” challenge on Day 2 (IV bags and biohazard containers, anyone?), our staff didn’t hold back.

Day 3 had Santa’s hardworking elves bringing the merry magic ELF-fortlessly, while Day 4’s festive holiday cheer included twinkling lights, garland, and reindeer speculum headpieces! Day 5’s Ugly Christmas Sweaters lit up the room—literally! And Day 6 was probably our most favorite day of all, Christmas pajama day! We had everything from plaid bottoms, to Nut Crackers and we even had our very own “House Wife of Chula” in the building!

You guys how to make the season merry and bright, and we loved every moment of it!

Helping A Coworker In Need

Our beloved coworker, LaMarra Stanley, only 26 years old, recently suffered a stroke and is facing a long road to recovery. Unfortunately, she does not have medical insurance, and the costs are piling up quickly.

If you’re able to contribute, no amount is too small, and it would mean a lot to her during this challenging time.

Any donations will go directly toward her medical expenses and recovery.
To donate, please via Venmo @howardcenter 

Employee Excellence Awards and our Shining Star!

Nursing Department: Chasitie RobertsWe are thrilled to announce that Chasitie is December’s Employee of the Month! Throughout this month, Chasitie has exemplified outstanding teamwork and dedication. In addition to her regular duties, she has been invaluable in assisting the front desk. Her willingness to help and her commitment to going above and beyond for both our patients and her coworkers truly stand out. Chasitie consistently demonstrates a proactive attitude and a strong work ethic. She has made significant contributions to ensuring our operations run smoothly, and her exceptional efforts have not gone unnoticed. Her reliability and eagerness to assist wherever needed reflect her deep commitment to our team’s success. We look forward to seeing her continue to excel and inspire those around her.
Front Desk: Jessica “Jay Jay” CowartJay Jay is our Employee of the Month for December! She has been an outstanding asset to the front desk, particularly during periods when several employees were out of the office. Jay Jay has consistently stepped in to help wherever needed. While handling referrals for most of our southern offices, she continues to fulfill her other job duties. Jay Jay takes initiative, addressing tasks without being asked. She is truly a team player, and I am incredibly thankful for all her help! Thank you Jay Jay!
Ultrasound: Michelle SmithWe don’t always know what our patients may be facing or going through in their personal lives, so small acts of kindness can make a big difference. A genuine conversation or a simple smile can bring comfort and hope. Michelle went above and beyond by having a meaningful interaction with a patient. A patient came in feeling down after having a rough morning. The patient relayed a message that Michelle truly brightened her mood by having a genuine conversation turning her day around. This is a powerful reminder that compassion and attentiveness is just as important as technical skills in providing care.
Provider: Margaret Anne Brock, NP-CCongratulations to Margaret Ann Brock for winning the Provider Excellence Award!! Her reviews show her patients love her and she takes pride in her work as a Nurse Practitioner . She takes time out her busy schedule to call and check on her patients. Hands down , without a doubt, no question! She’s one of the best and Leesburg office is very proud to have you ! Thank you Maggie
Marketing: Evelin LopezEvelin Lopez has proven herself to be an invaluable asset over the past few months. She consistently delivers her tasks with exceptional quality from beginning to end. She embraces new challenges and changes with a team-oriented attitude. Mastering Tebra seamlessly, she has also ensured that our Hispanic patients receive appropriate attention by communicating with them in Spanish. As a proactive marketing team member, she identified the need for Spanish pamphlets and worked to make them available for our patients. Not only did she proofread these materials, but she also went above and beyond to make sure that attendees at our Hispanic Health Fair felt welcomed and well cared for. Additionally, Evelin has supported our team by covering the front desks at both Moultrie and Tifton locations. Her dedication and hard work have made a lasting impact!
Howard Diet: Taylor TurnerEOM for Howard Diet is Taylor Turner, Taylor is in our Waycross location and works hard everyday doing all the things, from font office duties to Howard Diet patients! We are thankful for you Taylor, you deserve this!
Insurance: Raven HammockRaven Hammock is Insurance Department’s employee of the month. Raven has only been with us for a few months now but has taken every opportunity to show so much effort in learning and asking questions to make sure she is doing the best in her position. Insurance call center can be demanding and quick paced. Raven puts 100% in it everyday. She has became such an important piece of our team in our department and we are so grateful to have her.
Manager: Jennifer GoodeWe’re pleased to announce that Jennifer Goode is our Manager Employee of the Month for December! Over the past two months, Jennifer has gone above and beyond by managing both our office and Tifton Woman Center’s office while Soliday has been on maternity leave. Her exceptional leadership skills have ensured that both practices run smoothly. We are incredibly grateful for Jennifer’s versatility and dedication, stepping into another role effortlessly to support the team. Congratulations, Jennifer!
Honorable Mention – Special: Melisa Newell, Kristin Merritt, Taishi McLeod & Bekka ReeseI want to recognize Bekka, Kristin, Taishi, and Melisa as our “Special” Employees of the Month for their dedication and hard work putting on an incredible Christmas party. While everyone else was enjoying the festivities, these four women were hard at work. They arrived hours early, after months of preparation, to ensure everything was perfect. When everyone else left, they stayed behind to clean up and take care of everything. They never really had the chance to sit down, relax, and enjoy the party themselves because they were busy making sure everyone else had a great time. Thank you for making our Christmas party wonderful every year.
Photo of shining star winner

Baylee Johnson
RN – WCAS
$250.00 and a trophy!

Congratulations to Baylee Johnson for being named Employee of the Month! Baylee went above and beyond in ensuring a patient’s surgery stayed on the schedule . She stayed late for two days, making numerous calls to coordinate with the patient, nurse practitioner, doctors and schedulers . She arranged the necessary tests and made sure that they could be ran on a stat basis. Additionally, she came in early to make sure everything was in place, allowing the patient to have her hysterectomy before the end of the year. Baylee’s dedication and commitment to patient care truly embody the values of our team. Thank you, Baylee, for your exceptional effort!