Local Health Care Center shows appreciation for staff’s hard work during pandemic

Joana Burgos, Registered Dental Assistant; Joanna Chavez Cruz, Dental Assistant; Daisy Tinoco Chavez, Dental Receptionist; Eliane Saed, Director of Clinical Services; Somsay Chanthavongsor, Health Center Manager; Kenneth Evans, Director of Operations; Dr. Hilda Prieto, Dental Provider; Mark Lozada, Community Outreach Supervisor; Jonathan Amezquita, Community Outreach Specialist

United Health Centers leadership provided free taco lunches to employees of the Clovis-Shaw and Clovis-Herndon UHC locations during the month of August.

The lunches were provided to front-line medical workers in appreciation for their hard work during the COVID-19 pandemic. Over the course of the pandemic, nurses, doctors, and other medical staff put in extra hours and made sacrifices during the pandemic in order to provide quality care to patients experiencing COVID-19 symptoms.

“This is a way to say thank you to our staff for putting in those extra efforts; keeping a smile on their face and treating everybody with courtesy and respect,” said David Phillips, the Community Resource Officer for Clovis-Herndon UHC.

UHC leadership recognizes the hard work and commitment to patients and the community that each employee displays every day; beyond the days of the pandemic. As the nation celebrates health centers this month, UHC leadership celebrated health care employees with lunch as a way to say thank you for their continued dedication and hard work.

“Everyone works very hard and we want our team members to know they are valued,” said Somsay Chanthavongsor, the Health Center Manager for the Clovis-Shaw UHC Health Center. “I highly believe showing appreciation to the team improves workplace morale and can cause a ripple effect of continued positivity.”

At the Clovis-Shaw lunch, staff took the opportunity to break away from the daily routine and mingle with individuals of other departments. Team members described the celebration as “cool of the company” and stated, “Wow, UHC went all out”.  According to Chanthavongsor, this celebration was highly anticipated by the entire Clovis-Shaw team all month long. The lunch also gave staff the opportunity to celebrate with each other while enjoying the company of their peers.

Alex is a recent Fresno State graduate with a bachelor's degree in Media, Communication, and Journalism. She is interested in sports, entertainment, and local community events. She is also a graduate of Reedley College with a degree in Communication Studies, where she found her passion for writing and editing. Alex is a proud native of Reedley and one day hopes to take over the town newspaper and become a copyeditor. Coming from a military and law enforcement family, Alex is committed to supporting our police officers, veterans, and active duty military. As a big supporter of local newspapers and small businesses, she is excited to start her career at the Clovis Roundup and serve the community.