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Military Reception Honors UW Health Staff

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MADISON - Forget any superstitions of Friday the 13^th bringing bad luck; for the families of three UW Health employees, Friday, November 13, 2009, was a day of celebration and homecoming.

All three families had been reunited with loved ones less than 24 hours before UW Health staff gathered for a ceremony to honor employees and family members of employees who serve in the United States Military.

Family; UW Health Honors Employees and Families Serving in Military

The Finnerty family at the UW Health Military Recognition Reception

Teri Finnerty, a registered nurse at UW Health's Sun Prairie Clinic, was one of the newly reunited. Her husband, Air Force Senior Master Sergeant Eugene Finnerty, had just returned from Iraq, and for him, the timing of the ceremony couldn't have been any better.

"It means a lot. It's really nice to have the recognition, especially coming off a tour. The timing really was perfect to be here for it," said Eugene. "I think it's recognition for all the people that aren't here too. That's just as important if not more important."

The ceremony was opened by the Civil Air Patrol's 153^rd Madison Composite Squadron, which led the gathered crowd in the pledge of allegiance.

After the pledge, Michael Smith, executive director of Wisconsin Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, discussed the importance of employer support for its citizen soldiers.

"We get to recognize employers who go above and beyond the requirements for dealing with their military employees," said Smith. "With employers, there are those who get it and those who don't. Without question UW Health gets it."

Plaques were then handed out to the employees and their families in recognition of their dedication and service.

"We came together today to honor and celebrate the men and women who give up the safety of home, family and normalcy in service of our country," said William Schrum, a vice president of UW Medical Foundation, and himself a Vietnam War veteran. "To our service members, our veterans and their families, we say thank you. All of these people gave something for us."

For those honored, the ceremony gave them something too.

"I'm touched, very touched," said Teri Finnerty. "I've always said that I felt like UW Health has just been like a big family; this just emphasizes it more."

UW Health Employees Honored

Michael Baron, Clinical Labs

Jeffery Ethington, Emergency Services

Gary Johnson, Human Resources

Michael Masse, General Medicine

Family Members of UW Health Employees Honored

Andrew J. Berge, son of Cindy Berge, Special Billing Services

Dan Dlask, son of Sandy Ruef, Regional Development

Eugene Finnerty, husband of Teri Finnerty, Family Practice-Sun Prairie

Steve Gardner, husband of Angela Gardner, Hemodialysis

Verna Henderson, sister of Sandi Skoien, Neuropsychology Lab

Weston Hoeper, brother of Carrie Richard, Human Resources