Cape Gazette
Health &-Fitness "
TUESDAY, JULY 1 - THURSDAY, JULY 3, 2014
17
Ambassadors advocate for Beebe Healthcare
Deets support their
community hospital
Tom and Mary Jane Deets
retired to the Delaware beach
area from Bucks County, Pa.
Once here, their goals included
volunteering and supporting
organizations that help people.
"We became acquainted with
the hospital and liked what we
saw," Mary Jane Deets recalled.
"We value a strong community
hospital."
This year, they were asked
to serve on the Beebe Medical
Foundation's Board of Ambas-
sadors, an organization of people
who actively support and ad-
vocate for Beebe Healthcare.
The ambassadors are donors
and fundraisers. They attend
Beebe events and go out into the
community to tell people about
Beebe services and to learn
about what more is needed. They
encourage people to support
Beebe through attending events,
volunteering, and through phil-
anthropic giving.
"The Board of Ambassadors is
a nice extension of our interests
in healthcare," Mary Jane Deets
said. She is retired from a career
in drug development, and Tom
is a pharmacist. They know the
importance of prevention and
about getting good medical care
when it is needed.
"Generally, most people are
unfamiliar with a local medi-
cal center unless they need to
go there," says Tom Protack,
director of development. "The
ambassadors help us make sure
that people are familiar with
Beebe and how they can support
it so that our community has the
quality of healthcare services
that we all want and need."
Martin Clark has been a mem-
ber of the Board of Ambassadors
for two years. He retired to Re-
hoboth Beach after moving from
Washington, D.C., in 2006.
"THE AMBASSADORS HELP US
MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE ARE
FAMILIAR WITH BEEBE."
-- TOM PROTACK
"I believe it is important to
support our community medical
institution," he says, and and he
does. Clark attends many Beebe
events and likes to talk to people
about the services that Beebe
provides.
Brad Travis Jr., a fourth-gen-
eration Lewes native, joined the
Board of Ambassadors this year.
"My first job out of college was
at Beebe," he said, recalling the
number-crunching position he
had early in his career. Today, he
is a financial advisor with PNC
Investments. "My dad works in
IS at Beebe and I knOW a lot of
people there. I think it is a top-
notch medical facility, and I want
people to know that"
Beebe is steeped in local histo-
ry. It was founded in 1916 by two
brothers who were physicians,
James Beebe, MD and Richard
C. Beebe. Both had been raised
in Lewes and understood the
importance of providing medical
care to their community. Both
attended Thomas Jefferson Med-
ical College in Philadelphia and
earned their medical degrees.
They founded the first private
hospital in Sussex County.
It was an addition to their of-
fice in Lewes and had two patient
rooms, three beds and an oper-
ating room. The doctors were
innovative and forward thinking.
Even in those days, they brought
specialists from metropolitan
areas to treat local patients.
No longer owned by the family,
Beebe Healthcare is a commu-
nity-owned, not-for-profit
organization.
A board of directors, com-
posed of local area leaders and
physicians, sets the direction of
the Beebe Healthcare system. It
continues to be dependent on the
generous support of individuals,
corporations, businesses and
private foundations. All gifts are
channeled through the Beebe
Medical Foundation.
In honor of Beebe's upcom-
ing 100th anniversary, the Beebe
Medical Foundation this year has
established a-new giving circle
called the 1916 Club. Members of
the 1916 Club pledge $1,916 a year
i •!i
to the foundation in support of
growing medical services. Board
of Ambassadors members are
encouraging people to join.
"We applaud all that our
ambassadors do to help make
Sussex County a better and
healthier place to live, to work
and to visit," says Judy Aliquo,
CFRE, president and CEO of the
foundation.
Beebe Medical Foundation
was established in 1989 with the
sole mission to raise philanthrop-
ic support for Beebe Medical
Center. Visit www.beebemedi-
calfoundation.org.
SUBMITTED PHOTO"
THE MEMBERS OF THE Beebe Medical Foundation Board of Ambassadors recently attended their annual meeting.
Pictured in back (l-r) are William Wagamon, Charles Landon, Keith Parsell, Janice Erich, Joseph Pipitone, Dennis Chu-
pella, Bradley Travis Jr., Jane Casazza, Drexel Davison, Alexander Martin Clark, Joseph Gonzalez and Bruce Moore;
middle row, R. Alexander Moore, Tom Deets, Mary Jane Deets, Shelly Kennedy, Kathy Newcomb, Rob White, Allyn
Wagamon, Dr. Ramachandra Hosmane, Denise Poslusny, Carol Leashefski, Earl Schmidt and Ron Young. In front are
James Biever; Benedette Cooper; Jeffrey Fried, FACHE, president/CEO Beebe Healthcare; Judy Aliquo, president/CEO
Beebe Foundation; Lacy Letonoff, ambassador chair; Thomas Protack, director of development; Christine Moore; and
Deirdre O'Shea McCartney.
Health professions students graduate from Sussex Tech Adult Division
Sussex Tech Adult Division
recently held graduation cer-
emonies for health professions.
Students in medical billing and
coding, medical office adminis-
tration, and pharmacy technician
specialties received their certifi-
cates Feb. 10. All areas included
a national certification exam as
well as an externship.
Medical billing and coding
graduates were Angela Andrade,
Larry Crossgrove, Annie Frank-
lin, Michele Jones, Ashlee Mills,
Sherry Moore, and Madison
Muth. The students learned to
use ICD and CPT coding and to
prepare medical billing. Charting
was taught, along with under-
standing diagnostic information.
Medical office administration
graduates were Sandy Baker,
Marilyn Batson, Ashley Brown,
Jewel Collison, Diana Dillion,
Kathleen Flynn, Kenya Johnson,
Kimmie Shaffer, and Latarsha
Wilson. Students were prepared
for entry-level employment in
a physician's office or hospital.
They were taught aspects of
office procedures, financial pro-
cedures, and risk management.
Presendieu Augustin gradu-
ated with a pharmacy technician
certificate. He received training
in areas such as medical termi-
nology, medical law and ethics,
and pharmacy math.
For more information visit
www.SussexTechTraining.net.
Pharmacy Technician student Pre-
sendieu Augustin of Millsboro grad-
uated Feb. 10.
SUBMITTED PHOTOS
HEALTH PROFESSIONS STUDENTS who recently graduated from Sussex Tech Adult Division certificate programs
are in back (l-r) Ashley Brown, Greenwood; Ashlee Mills, Milton' Annie Franklin, Millsboro; Larry Crossgrove, Green-
wood; and Diana Dillion, Frankford; front row, Angela Andrade, Delmar; Madison Muth, Milton; Jewel Collison, Frank-
ford; Marilyn Batson, Lewes; Kathleen Flynn, Rehoboth; Sandy Baker, Millsboro; Michele Jones, Magnolia; and Sher-
ry Moore, Seaford; Missing from photo are Kenya Johnson, Millsboro; Kimmie Shaffer, Ellendale; and Latarsha Wilson,
Georgetown.
