NHC Smithville Wins 2 Awards at Banquet; Finalist for 2 Others

April 12, 2019
By: Dwayne Page

NHC Smithville was recently recognized at NHC’s Management Conference in Murfreesboro, TN. For the 2^nd year in a row, NHC Smithville received the award for the Highest Customer Satisfaction in the company and were recognized as a Center of Excellence. NHC Smithville was also a finalist for the Quality of Life Award and Highest Partner (Employee) Satisfaction. This marks the 2^nd year in a row that they were a finalist for Quality of Life. The banquet was held on Thursday, March 28, 2019.  NHC owns and/or operates 75 skilled healthcare centers in 8 states.

“Having the Highest Customer Satisfaction in all of NHC and being a Center of Excellence for the 2^nd year in a row is a significant achievement,” said Clint Hall, Administrator at NHC Smithville. “It is a true reflection of consistency in providing excellent and quality patient care. We are blessed to have a committed and talented group of partners that make this organization run effectively. We are a family who is committed to helping each other grow as professionals and as individuals. It is an honor for our NHC family to serve the Dekalb County community.”

NHC Smithville had the Highest Customer Satisfaction for 2017 and 2018 for the entire company. Customer Satisfaction is measured independently through a third party vendor (NRC Health, My InnerView). Satisfaction surveys are sent to patients and families on the quality of care they received while at the center.

The Center of Excellence is awarded to previous Center of the Year recipients who maintain the highest level of quality care and service. It is the equivalent to being a finalist for Center of the Year again. NHC Smithville won the Center of the Year in 2000 and is ineligible to win the award again until 2021. NHC Smithville also received a Center of Excellence Award in 2007 and 2017.

NHC Smithville offers inpatient and outpatient rehabilitative care and accepts Medicare, Medicaid, private insurance, workers compensation, managed care, and private funds. The inpatient healthcare center offers skilled nursing and rehabilitation services to adults of all ages on a short-term and continuing care basis. NHC Smithville’s outpatient clinic offers physical, occupational, and speech therapy services.  For more information about NHC Smithville, visit www.nhcsmithville.com or call (615) 597-4284.

April 12, 2019
By: Suzanne Williams

The Smithville-DeKalb County Chamber of Commerce and the DeKalb County Mayor’s office would like to invite residents across the county to participate in the DeKalb County Clean Up on Saturday, May 11th. The DeKalb Clean Up event will be held in conjunction with the Keep America Beautiful initiative going on across the country.

Keep America Beautiful’s Great American Cleanup the nation’s largest annual community improvement program that harnesses the power of over 4 million volunteers to build vibrant communities.  Each year over 1,200 affiliates and participating organizations engage volunteers to take action in their communities through programs that deliver positive and lasting impact through events focused on waste reduction, recycling, beautification and community greening.

County Mayor Tim Stribling says, “We invite people to come out and help clean up around our communities and highways. Folks are welcome to pick up litter at places of their choice, or we will be glad to assign a safe place for you.”

Suzanne Williams, Executive Director of the Chamber of Commerce, would like to remind everyone that DeKalb County’s peak tourism season is about to begin, so now is a great time to start getting things spruced up for our coming visitors. According to Williams, “I think we are all aware of the value and importance of beautification in our communities to attract newcomers and tourists to our area and to maintain a stable and growing economy.”

To get a head start on clean up, dumpsters will be set up at highly visible and convenient locations a few days prior to the main event. Dumpster locations will be at the Dowelltown Community Center, Liberty Community Center, Alexandria City Parking Lot (behind square), and the County Complex parking lot.

DeKalb Clean Up volunteers are asked to stop by the DeKalb County Complex on May 11th between 9 AM and 10 AM to sign-in and pick up the provided trash bags, rubber gloves, and bottles of water. We will be taking a group picture at 9:30 AM for the media if you like to participate in that.

For early sign-up, you can stop by the Chamber, located in the Courthouse, Room 201, anytime during regular office hours by May 10th to pick up supplies. Or if stopping by is not convenient, call the Chamber office at 615-597-4163 to be counted as a DeKalb Clean Up volunteer — just give your name and the general area where you will be working. Whether you’re cleaning up around a street, a highway, park, ball field, stream, or your own home, what a difference we can make through working together to make our communities safer, healthier and more livable! Don’t Just Sit There…Do Something Beautiful!

April 12, 2019
By: Dwayne Page

Kelly Huling, a kindergarten teacher at Smithville Elementary School, was recently named a winner in the Kids to Parks Day National School Contest.

Anita Puckett, Interim Principal at Smithville Elementary School, made the announcement during Thursday night’s monthly Board of Education meeting.

“This school contest is a national program that provides up to $1,000 to Title I schools to cover transportation costs, program and stewardship project fees, and educational materials to encourage outdoor education, recreation, and stewardship. Thanks to Mrs. Kelly, all of the kindergarten classes at Smithville Elementary will be taking a field trip to Edgar Evins State Park and will also receive a free t-shirt to wear on the trip. Winners represent 68 schools across 25 states,” said Puckett.

Meanwhile, Puckett gave a shout out to SES secretaries Rhonda Pelham and Lori Poss with Administrative Professionals Day coming up April 24. She also mentioned that the Easter parties for the students at Smithville Elementary will be April 18 and that the benchmark testing will take place April 22 to May 3.

In other business, Director of Schools Patrick Cripps mentioned that teachers Cody Burton and Leslie Parsley have resigned.