October 2025 - The Pulse
Blue C.H.I.P.S. Awards: Congratulations to the 2nd Quarter 2025 Blue Chips nominee winners!
The St. Anthony Blue CHIPS Staff Recognition Program is about celebrating collaboration, camaraderie, and the amazing people who make a difference every day. Each quarter, five employees are honored as Blue CHIPS award winners for embodying our core values and going above and beyond!
- Beatriz Prado Jimenez, Denison/Carroll Clinic (medical interpreter)
- Matthew Anthofer, Mental Health (CNA)
- Kara Meiners, Chronic Care (CMA)
- Maria Mawien, EVS (Housekeeper)
- Wendy Frank, Patient Services (Staffing Coordinator)
Maria
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Wendy
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Breast Cancer Awareness Month
October is recognized as Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and St. Anthony has launched a public awareness campaign to highlight both the widespread impact of the disease and the lifesaving importance of early detection.
Throughout the month, we’ll be sharing several messages focused on prevention, early detection, and support for those impacted by breast cancer. You’ll see these messages on the St. Anthony Blog, in local newspapers, and across social media.
Your support is vital—together we can raise awareness, extend compassion, and stand united with those affected by breast cancer.
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2nd Biennial St. Anthony Gala – Employee Update
Plans are in full swing for the 2nd Biennial St. Anthony Gala, scheduled for Saturday, November 15!
We’re thrilled to offer a limited number of special employee tickets at a discounted rate: $300 per pair or $150 each. Tickets will be available via an emailed link starting Friday, October 17, on a first-come, first-served basis—so don’t wait! Please note: tickets will not be held for later purchase.
In addition, our silent auction will be open to the public about a week before the event, featuring exciting items like autographed sports memorabilia, unique experiences, home décor, and more.
Get ready to celebrate, support St. Anthony, and enjoy an unforgettable evening!
St. Anthony Pride Pump Update
Starting Monday, October 6, through approximately October 27, the gas pumps at the Highway 71 Kimmes Country Store will be temporarily unavailable while the system undergoes an update.
A heartfelt thank you to the Kimmes family and Kimmes Enterprises for continuing to support St. Anthony during this time—they’ll be averaging Pride Pump donations even while the pumps are down!
When the pumps are back in action, remember: every gallon purchased at the St. Anthony Pride Pump contributes a portion back to St. Anthony each quarter. Your support truly makes a difference!
The 2026 Employee Giving Campaign is Coming!
The St. Anthony Employee Giving Campaign officially kicks off January 1, 2026, but you don’t have to wait—giving is open now!
This year’s campaign focuses on the St. Anthony Child Care Center, providing outdoor play equipment, indoor toys, and educational resources so children can learn, play, and thrive. Employees may also choose to support the SOS Employee Fund, St. Anthony Hospice, or Shelves of Grace—each serving staff, patients, and our community in meaningful ways.
New this year: You'll be able to sign up online through UKG Giving Campaign, located on the left-hand side of your UKG homepage. You can also participate with a paper form returned to the St. Anthony Foundation Office (4th floor, Surgery Center).
St. Anthony Child Care Logo Unveiling
Progress continues on the St. Anthony Child Care Center construction at the St. Anthony Office Building. Discussions with Bright Horizons have focused on a wide range of topics, including schematics, rates, operating hours, scholarship opportunities, eligibility criteria, and other important details.
The logo shown was selected to reflect the St. Anthony connection between our organization and the care of our children.
ICYMI (In Case You Missed It): St. Anthony Redesigns Patient Portal for Easier Access to Health Records
We are excited to roll out a major redesign of our patient portal, now called MyHealth (formerly My eChart), making it easier than ever for patients to stay connected to their care.
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Key Features of MyHealth:
- Book and pre-register for appointments, complete questionnaires, and update personal details including medications and allergies, all before arriving for their visit.
- Access provider notes, lab results, and radiology reports, securely message care providers, and request prescription renewals—all in one place
- Share portal access with family members or caregivers, enabling loved ones to help manage appointments, track inpatient updates, view billing, and stay informed about ongoing care.
A huge shoutout to our IT analysts and team members for their work on this project!
None of this would be possible without the incredible dedication and behind-the-scenes expertise of our analysts and IT department!
Events and Other Happenings:
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You are invited to join The Birth Place for a special memorial event in honor of Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness.
St. Anthony Regional Hospital will be hosting a local Wave of Light ceremony—part of a global movement to remember and celebrate the lives of babies who left us too soon.
Event Details:
Date: Wednesday, October 15
Time: 6:30 PM (Candle-lighting at 7:00 PM) Location: St. Anthony Memorial Garden (just outside the Atrium)
The evening will include a short memorial walk, prayer, reflection, and a candle-lighting ceremony to honor sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, and grandchildren now in Heaven. Light refreshments will be provided. All who have experienced loss are welcome to attend, as well as any staff or community members who wish to offer support and remembrance. If you would like to honor a loved one with a luminary light during the ceremony, please send their name(s) to thebirthplace@stanthonyhospital.org. Thank you for helping us bring comfort, compassion, and light to those who carry the weight of loss. |
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“Praise be You, my Lord, through our Sister Mother Earth, who sustains and
govern us, and who produces various fruit with colored flowers and herbs.”
~ St. Francis of Assisi’s Canticle of the Creatures
The world is noisy, scary, and fast. It can feel disorienting and overwhelming and there doesn’t seem to be any stability in these times. Even predicting the future can seem like a futile exercise.
However, let’s not lose out on hope and our purpose. Recently, I traveled to South Dakota and Wyoming. I was immersed in God’s creation, where there were mountains, forests, prairie dogs, and rivers. God’s creation is grand and epic in scale.
I was camping, so I had lots of time to reflect. Since there was limited cell service, I definitely needed to quickly adapt. So to navigate this unknown terrain, I had to use my instincts like Survivor.
I enjoyed my time away, though. I read a good book and dined with strangers. It was peaceful and invigorating as I realized that I don’t have to carry the world on my shoulders. I came home refreshed and ready to take on as much as I can do to make a difference in my part of the world.
I learned a lot about St. Francis during my pilgrimage to his hometown of Assisi, a hilly, medieval town in the Province of Perugia, Italy. St. Francis also lived in times of conflict and suffering. Quite similar to our times, there was also political and social turmoil. After encountering God in a dilapidated church, he set out to improve lives in the midst of it all.
As St. Francis was riding on his horse, he met strangers with leprosy on the road. He got off his horse, embraced and kissed them. He gave these outcasts shelter and food. He did this good work for the rest of his life and inspired many followers to do the same. This is you and me!
So, just like St. Francis, we can be overwhelmed with the weight of the world’s needs and pains. What did St. Francis do to escape, reflect, and recharge? Well, he found it in the mountains of Assisi. He not only prayed, but he also saw a beautiful landscape. He saw God’s goodness and epic creation reflected back to him and it charged him to keep going.
As healthcare workers and people of the world, we can be focused on the bad news or get into doom scrolling. Then it seems so big and you just think why bother. Or even angry. Well, don’t fall into that trap.
So to get us to focus on our mission to provide care, healing, and hope, I want you to disconnect and find a place where you feel God's presence. You don’t have to go far as I did, for God is surely present everywhere and anytime. Take time to just breathe, pause, and recognize that goodness is still possible. And that God is still working on our behalf.
God Bless, Chaplain Angelo
Recent StAR Recipients: Toni Aschinger & Janelle Barber
Join us in encouraging patients and families to take a moment to nominate a STAR—any St. Anthony employee who has made a meaningful impact. Nominations can be submitted online HERE or through forms available throughout the hospital. Recognizing these moments of extraordinary care helps us celebrate the dedication of our team and inspire others to continue making a difference. Help us shine a light on those who make St. Anthony a place of compassion and excellence!
Toni Aschinger
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Janelle Barber
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We Are One St. Anthony - Resilience
In the Franciscan tradition, well-being isn’t just about physical health—it’s about caring for our whole selves and one another, body, mind, and spirit. Resilience grows when we root ourselves in simplicity, joy, and a deep trust in God’s presence, even during hard times.
Together, we create a workplace grounded in compassion, balance, and shared strength—living reminders of the Franciscan values we carry into the world.
- Bonnie Bock - Nursing Home
- Alexis M. Christenson - Nursing Home
- Ivy Davis - Admissions
- Ava K. Eischeid - Food & Nutrition
- Amy D. Hilleshiem - Admissions
- Macie M. Kennebeck - Nursing Home
- Brianna D. Lin - Food & Nutrition
- Alexandra G. Martin - Food & Nutrition
- Karina Y. Martinez - Food & Nutrition
- Juan Melendez -Molina - Carroll Clinic
- Melvin A. Pineda - Food & Nutrition
- Bryan D. Quiroz - Surgery
- Rachel L. Remmick - Denison Clinic
- Deana A. Shriver - Admissions
- Bailey J. Steffens - Mental Health
- Gilda Maria Uria Mendoza - Laboratory
- Adhel G. Aluat - Nursing Home
- Jessica Vu - Radiology
- Angela Watson - Laboratory
- Criselda Zamago - Denison Clinic
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Our condolences for your loss this past month.
- Kendra Freese for the loss of her Grandfather
- Jill Klein for the loss of her Grandfather
- Mary Meiners for the loss of her Father in law
- Heather Zimmerman for the loss of her Father
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If you have items to submit for The PULSE, please contact Brandi Strautman.
Published on the First Friday of each month