Avoca Specialty Care Dietary Aide Earns “Serve Others” Award

Vanessa Gubbels, Dietary Aide at Avoca Specialty Care, received Care Initiatives’ “Serve Others” award at the Care Initiatives annual awards brunch Friday, Dec. 16 in West Des Moines.

The award is given to a Care Initiatives employee who embodies the company’s core value to compassionately serve others and their needs as defined by them. Administrator Charissa Bassett said she was eager to add Gubbels to the Avoca team based on the impression the young woman had on the greater community.

“For her, serving others started so early in her life, that is basically innate to her,” Bassett says. “She works any shift she is needed. She serves her coworkers by filling in when they are sick or burned out. She serves the residents by offering them a smiling face and kind touch. She serves the community by helping out with projects around town and she serves her family by the care she gives them.”

The “Serve Others” award is one of six “Core Value” awards given to a nominated employee throughout our statewide organization of 3,000+ employees.

Avoca Specialty Care is one of 50 locations owned and operated by West Des Moines-based Care Initiatives providing skilled nursing, rehabilitation, Alzheimer’s/dementia, assisted living and hospice care throughout Iowa. For more information about Care Initiatives or Avoca Specialty Care, visit careinitiatives.org or call 712.343.6398.