Howard Memorial EVS Team Member Receives Prestigious National Award

We had a very exciting day at Howard Memorial last week, as we got together to see a very important award presentation provided to one of our amazing environmental services (EVS) team members— Yareli Leon.

Yareli was nominated and awarded the Crothall National GEM of the Year Award for 2024. This year an outstanding 27,000 associates from 568 accounts across the U.S. were eligible to participate, and Yareli stood out as the shining gem within all the gold and amazing team members across this network of frontline EVS staff.

This is an amazing feat and one that does not go unnoticed by our team for the tremendous work Yareli is doing keeping our hospital clean, safe, and ready for all our patients and visitors. “Yareli is an exceptional staff member who goes above and beyond the call of duty. When she works on Med/Surge and the ICU she is known for her highly efficient and steadfast dedication to her job which has rightfully earned her praise reflected in her expeditious executions of duty and attention to detail,” Danny Vilaine, our manager of environmental services gave glowing recommendations of the work Yareli is doing each day at our hospital.

What is even more impressive is her impact in patient care throughout the hospital exemplified in numerous aspects she has demonstrated. Inside the hospital, there is literally no task too big or small, every interaction she engages is personalized with careful insight and understanding communication. “On one occasion Claudia was informed by a patient who desperately needed linen services for their clothing as the patient spent an extended stay at the hospital and did not have family to provide support for them. Claudia took it upon herself without hesitation to offer to take the patients belongings and personally laundered their clothing on several occasions, “Danny went on to provide detail of the interaction within the walls of our hospital.

Claudia is regularly recognized by the hospital staff and patients for her exceptionally warm heart along with her superior level of compassion and empathy which also includes time spent outside the hospital in support of our patients.

“Claudia visited a patient who was discharged to a local hotel because the patient was several hundred miles from home without any shelter options in place where they critically needed food, clothing, and other necessities. Claudia visited the patient and their family on several occasions to provide food, clothing, and even toys for the younger siblings along with comfort and support without wavering,” Danny said in a great example of the caring heart and work Yareli is doing outside our four walls.

“On another occasion Claudia took it upon herself to regularly visit a patient in the hospital who was widowed and had no immediate family. Claudia would visit this patient on a daily basis during their multiple day stay at the hospital.” This is truly the work of an amazing person and one who had the biggest heart she puts into her work, her compassion for patients and the passion she has to continue to strive to help each person she meets.

During her acceptance of the award Yareli said, "This is just a little of what I can give back to the community. It's easy to love everyone here. You are my heroes for me. Everyone here is special for me and I thank you all."

To be chosen for an award of this nature is one that doesn’t come easily and by the work we see Yareli do each day and the insights into the time she spends both inside and outside of our hospital, we are truly blessed to have her on our team and be in her presence as tremendous asset to our team and community.

Congratulations, Yareli, on this prestigious award. You deserve every bit of it!