by Contributor | November 8, 2024 9:41 am
OSWEGO – The 5th Annual Oswego Health Foundation Gala, themed “A Night of Glitz and Glamour,” was nothing short of amazing. This sold-out event, hosted at the Lake Ontario Conference Center, had 282 guests in attendance and raised over $133,000 on November 2nd to support local healthcare and the Oswego Health Foundation Endowment Fund.
During the program, Oswego Health presented three prestigious awards: Community Partner, Physician of the Year, and Nurse of the Year.
The 2024 Community Partner Award was presented to Oswego County Opportunities (OCO). As a private, nonprofit health & human service agency and the County’s designated Community Action Agency, OCO has been an integral part of the community since 1966. OCO now serves approximately 15,000 people each year through more than 50 programs, including assistance for the homeless; education services for children, youth, and adults; reproductive healthcare for women and men; independence for those with disabilities; housing for many, meals for the elderly, disabled, and youth; safety for the abused; support for youth; and accessible transportation for all.
Funded primarily by Federal and State dollars, fee-for-service revenues, and local support, OCO is now one of the top ten largest private employers in Oswego County, with approximately 550 employees and 1,200 volunteers. Not only that, but OCO puts its money where its mission is: more than 90 cents of every dollar goes directly to program services. OCO is a United Way of Greater Oswego County member agency and a member of the New York State Community Action Association (NYSCAA).
OCO’s mission is to inspire partnerships and provide services that empower people, support communities, and change lives. Oswego Health is proud to collaborate with and serve alongside OCO as we strive to build a better community together.
The 2024 Physician of the Year Award was presented to Dr. Mark Humphrey. Board certified by the American Board of Family Medicine, Dr. Mark Humphrey completed his family practice residency at Wilson Memorial Regional Medical Center, having earned his Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree from New York College of Osteopathic Medicine and his undergraduate degree at Clarkson University in Potsdam, NY. Dr. Humphrey started at Oswego County Opportunities before transferring to Oswego Family Physicians in September 2001 (now Oswego PrimeCare) and has been caring for patients there ever since.
In addition to Dr. Humphrey’s passion for medicine, he has a broad range of interests and actively engages with the community beyond his professional capacities. Dr. Humphrey is an avid runner and has been a triathlete for ten years. He coached the high school Robotics team to the NYS championship—4 years in a row. Also an avid watercolor artist, he enjoys painting local scenes and capturing beautiful landscapes, cityscapes, and still life, as his favorite subjects include nature and the world around him. Additionally, Dr. Humphrey has opened two disc golf courses in the Oswego area: one at Junco Brewing, soon to open, and one at SUNY Oswego’s Fallbrook Recreation Center. On top of all that, he volunteers at Fruit Valley Orchard and is actively involved with his church. In 2023, Dr. Humphrey and his son Adam went to Tanzania and helped build a dormitory as part of a service trip, which they found very rewarding. In 2024, his entire family went on a medical mission trip to the Dominican Republic, serving 451 patients.
Dr. Humphrey’s enthusiasm and commitment to an integrated, whole-person approach shines daily.
Oswego Health is grateful for Dr. Humphrey’s profound impact on our community and beyond.
Linda Cole, RN, received the 2024 Oswego Health Nurse of the Year Award. Linda Cole joined the Oswego Health team in 1991 as an LPN, caring for patients on the medical-surgical unit until 2000, when she transferred to our Intensive Care Unit to care for critically ill patients. In 2006, Linda graduated from St. Joseph’s College of Nursing as a Registered Nurse, and even after all these years, she still works in the ICU as a Full Time Night Shift RN! She lives locally and raised her family locally, believes in local health care, and loves our community. Linda has two sons and three grandchildren, is an Oswego Health Foundation Employee Giving Campaign Committee member, and serves as President of the Oswego Health Employee Fund.
With her kind, quiet demeanor and genuine willingness to help with even the littlest of tasks, Linda exemplifies everything Oswego Health and the nursing profession aspire to be. We greatly appreciate Linda’s outstanding contributions to Oswego Health and continued dedication to our community.
Oswego Health would like to thank the following Gala committee members for their continued dedication and commitment: Darcy Antonucci, Kerrie Ann Brancato, Lindsay Brown, Dan Capella, Taylor Davis, Mary Ann Drumm, Katie O’Reilly, Robyn Pearson, Carrie Penoyer – chair, and Patty Reynolds. In addition, a special thank you to Ed and Emily Alberts for serving as Honorary Co-Chairs.
{Photo caption: Local community leaders recognized at the 5th Annual Oswego Health Gala. (Left to right: 2024 Oswego Health Nurse of the Year, Linda Cole, RN; 2024 Physician of the Year, Dr. Mark Humphrey; 2024 Community Partner, Oswego County Opportunities, accepting the award was Executive Director Diane Cooper-Currier.}
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About Oswego Health:
The mission of Oswego Health is to provide accessible, quality care and improve the health of residents throughout Oswego County. As a nonprofit healthcare system established in 1881, Oswego Health is proud to be Oswego County’s largest private employer. More than 1,400 employees spread throughout its 18 locations, work for the Oswego Health system, which includes the 132-bed community Oswego Hospital, a 32-bed psychiatric acute-care facility with multiple outpatient behavioral health service locations, The Manor at Seneca Hill, a 120-bed skilled nursing facility, and Springside at Seneca Hill, an independent retirement community. The health system also operates Oswego Health Home Care, the only hospital-based certified home healthcare agency in the County, as well as two outpatient centers, including the Fulton Medical Center, offering urgent care, lab, medical imaging, physical therapy, and occupational health services, and the Central Square Medical Center, offering urgent care, lab, medical imaging, and physical therapy services. In addition, the healthcare system includes Oswego Health Medical Practice, a multi-specialty medical group offering the community accessible, high-quality healthcare. 100+ physicians and advanced practice providers offer an extensive array of services across CNY, including primary care and specialty care in orthopedics, cardiology, ENT, gastroenterology, breast care, general surgery, urology, and bariatrics; for more information about Oswego Health, visit www.oswegohealth.org[1].
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