LUMBERTON — Gerard McRae, the Health Fitness supervisor, was named the 2012 winner of the John D. Drake Distinguished Service Award, Southeastern Health’s highest employee honor, last week.
An employee with 16 years of service, McRae received the award at the annual service awards banquet held Tuesday in the hospital cafeteria.
“Gerard has been described by his co-workers as having a positive, can-do attitude and that no task is too small or too large for him to handle,” said Southeastern Health President and CEO Joann Anderson, who made the surprise presentation.
McRae, an employee of the Fitness Services department, is the 27th person to be named winner of the Drake Award, which was established by the SeHealth board of trustees in 1988 to recognize exceptional service by employees. The Drake award was named in honor of the late John D. Drake, who retired as head cook in 1984 after 38 years of service.
To qualify for the Drake award, anh employee must demonstrate high standards for personal performance on the job, loyalty and dedication to the organization, an excellent attendance record, respect by fellow workers, leadership skills, and a caring attitude to fellow employees and guests of the organization.
“Fitness center members and staff often look to Gerard for answers to questions because they value his opinion and have a huge amount of confidence in his ability,” said Montressa Smith, director of Fitness Services.
McRae was presented a framed certificate and an engraved watch. His name will also be added to a plaque that is permanently displayed in the medical center cafeteria
McRae lives in Lumberton with his wife, Regina, and two children, Javin, 9, and Baylin, 2. He is the son of James and Sabrina McRae and grandson of Alice Vample and Annie Lois McRae, all of Lumberton.
Previous winners of the Drake award were: 1988, Julia Harris; 1989, Addie Mae Caple; 1990, Beatrice Leggett and Vashti Pittman; 1991, Thelma Jean Reeves; 1992, Paula McLean; 1993, Shirley Thompson; 1994, Sonya Oxendine; 1995, Terry Carter; 1996, Vera McDowell; 1997, Jimmy Page; 1998, James E. Jones; 1999, JoAnn Falls and Myrtle Oxendine; 2000, Patricia Davis; 2001, Sherri Hayes; 2002, Doris Madden; 2003, Mary Catherine Buie; 2004, Noel Bounds; 2005, Cynthia George; 2006, Rhonda Carter; 2007, Anne Marie Hendren; 2008, Myrtle Wilcox; 2009, Audrey Cox; 2010, Bryan Hilbourn; and 2011, Merry Hardin.
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