Nehalem Bay MRC Accolades
The Nehalem Bay Medical Reserve Corps (NBMRC) has recently received several honors. EVCNB is very proud to share this news!
Awardees Velda Handler, Margaret Steele and Dianne Bloom - photo by Yvana Iovino
SERV-OR (State Emergency Registry of Volunteers in Oregon) announced its 2022-2023 award recipients and the NBMRC was honored in several categories:
Outstanding MRC Coordinator
This award honors an MRC leader who has made a lasting impact and impression on their community through their leadership. The award was given to Velda Handler and honorable mention to Dianne Bloom.
Outstanding MRC Volunteer
This recognition is for a responder who has played a significant role in responding to a disaster or public health emergency on behalf of their MRC. Velda Handler is the recipient of this honor.
Most Hours Served by an MRC Volunteer
Velda Handler was recognized for serving over 795 hours with the NBMRC!
MRC Mentor Award
EVCNB President, Dr. Margaret Steele, received this recognition. The Mentor Award honors an MRC member who has supported the growth of other MRC members through collaboration, teaching/sharing practices, and/or carrying out initiatives to support their individual MRC members and the MRC unit as a whole.
Innovator Award
The Innovator Award honors an MRC unit that has developed and carried out a new and inventive strategy or activity that has improved local disaster and public health emergency preparedness and response efforts. Our NBMRC was recognized because their efforts have delivered facilities and supplies to North County for emergency medical shelters and medically qualified volunteers.
In their nomination, one member wrote, "What I see today is an innovative and engaged unit that has formed versatile partnerships, expanded outside of a municipality into the entire county, and developed specialized deployment plans with healthcare systems, local public health and emergency managers, other local voluntary organizations, neighboring jurisdictions, and other state-level emergency response programs."
Sophie Miller-DeSart, SERV-OR & Medical Reserve Corps State Coordinator, wrote, "Velda and Margaret, it is quite clear that without your hard work, expertise, and compassion, SERV-OR would not be able to meet its mission of protecting the health and wellbeing of all people in Oregon."
Finally, the National Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response recognized Mary Gehling during National Nurses Month in May.
Mary has been involved in the Nehalem Bay MRC (NBMRC) Unit Leadership for approximately 8 years. Mary has deep experience as a Critical Care and rural Home Health nurse.