Seven area service workers received a 2018 Beverly A. Drake Essential Service Award for integrity, commitment and passion in their jobs. The Essential Service Awards honor non-managerial employees who provide critical services that often go unnoticed and unrewarded.
“The business community often overlooks the significant contributions that service workers make in our region and economy,” said Dave Smith, chair of the West Michigan Works! Workforce Development Board. “The Essential Service Awards recognize exceptionally hardworking individuals who perform these crucial jobs.”
2018 Beverly A. Drake Essential Services Award Winners
- Gordy Bacheller, custom furniture assembler, Bold Furniture (20 years)
- Kelle Bergers, housekeeper, Ronald McDonald House of Western Michigan (28 years)
- Nicholas Borgman, customer service representative, Quality Car Wash (4 years)
- Riley Frens, nurse technician, Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital (3 years)
- Andrea Gafford, customer service/scheduling, Anderson Technologies, Inc. (20 years)
- Sam Sandee, employment training program specialists, Wedgwood Christian Services (22 years)
- Laurie Trestrail, dietary aide, SKLD (39 years)
Employers, co-workers and the community can submit Essential Service Award nominations in a variety of industries including housekeeping, hospitality, retail, healthcare, transportation, administrative, food service, general labor, childcare, nonprofit and custodial, or government.
2018 honoree Kelle Bergers is known for going above and beyond. Each day, Bergers ensures that the Ronald McDonald House of Western Michigan is sanitary for families of children traveling to Grand Rapid for their child’s medical or mental health treatment.
“I’m honored to receive this award, but I don’t need the recognition. I am just doing my part to make sure our guests’ experience is the best it can be,” Bergers said.
Kelle was nominated by her manager Megan Priester, services director at Ronald McDonald House of Western Michigan.
“To explain every way that Kelle has impacted our organization would take hours; she is a shining light,” said Priester. “Our families love seeing her so much that they often come back years later to visit her. There is not another human being like Kelle.”
Priester recalled a time when a guest room was left in an extremely less than desirable state.
“Other staff looked at the room and turned around, but not Kelle. She methodically cleaned the room section by section until it was finished,” said Priester. “After Kelle was finished, she simply let the front office know it was ready, never looking for praise.”
You can see photos and learn more about this year’s winners at westmiworks.org/esa.
Employment Expertise is provided by West Michigan Works! Learn more about how they can help: visit westmiworks.org or your local Service Center.
