Volume 11, Issue 11                                                                                     May 23, 2003

Auxiliary Announces Scholarship Winners 

 The SCH Auxiliary is happy to announce the following winners of scholarships for 2003-04.  Each recipient receives a $2,000 scholarship toward their continued education in healthcare.  

Left to right: Nora Salazar, Mary Flores,  Michelle Smasne,  Gretchen Mallery,  Jan Epps, and  Jennifer Youngblood.  (Click on any photo with a blue border for a larger image.) 

National Hospital Week Celebrated 

We celebrated National Hospital Week with ice cream, department posters and a pot luck lunch on day shift. 

The door prize winners from hospital week got an extra surprise!   We thank those businesses who helped make the week special and congratulate the winners. 

Audrey Edes, LPN - $25 gift certificate Melange

Tony Lopez - $25 gift certificate Ace Hardware

Liz Martinez, RN - $25 gift certificate Electric Beach

Ken Garcia, PAC - $25 gift certificate Ace Hardware

Angela Alvardo - $25 gift certificate Taylor'd Footwear

Lupe Barajas - $25 gift certificate Lava Rock

Susan Underwood, RN  - $25 gift certificate Lava Rock

Mary Flores - $25 gift certificate Taylor'd Footwear

Vivian Geangan, RN - $25 gift certificate JCPenney

Joyce Heeringa - $25 gift certificate Snipes Mountain Brewery

Everyone enjoyed the potluck so much there have been a lot of people suggesting we do that more often.  If you have an idea about potlucks or other fun all staff events click here, and send a note to the employee activity committee.

    _{In This Corner    by Jon D. Smiley, C.E.O.}   

If I didn't have a chance to thank you personally, I would like to say thank you in this format, to everyone who was responsible for my care recently. 

My wife and family were cared for, as was I.  We found that the level of care and concern was excellent, and the professionalism demonstrated by all the staff we encountered was very good as well. 

I also sensed that I didn't receive "special care", that this is the way you are choosing to provide care and treatment in our hospital.  

We use a system of patient questionnaires to monitor how we are doing in providing very good service to our patients and customers.  Over the past year most of those numbers have gone up dramatically.  

Thank you for caring for my needs in surgery and for the job you do so well every day.  Please continue to bring that same dedication and spirit with you every shift.  More great things are on the way in the months and years ahead as we work together with new and renewed members of our health care team.   Look at it this way, if it were an easy task you would probably being doing something else.  This is important, difficult, rewarding work.  As I needed you a couple weeks ago - a community needs you every day. 

 Employee’s Retirement Plan Overview

Our Tax-deferred program provides for employer contributions and voluntary tax-favored savings for employees.  Contact Lisa Garcia, HR Director for more information. 

Employer Contributions

 Eligibility -  All employees are eligible after completion of two years of service without incurring a break in service. A year of service for this purpose is 12 months in which you complete at least 1000 hours of service.  Effective dates for matching plan enrollment are January 1 and July 1. 

Employer contributions -  The employer will contribute 4% of an eligible employee’s compensation for each plan year.  The contribution will be made the first part of the year following eligibility.

Vesting - Vesting means ownership.  You will be 100% vested in your account at all times.                    No in-service distributions allowed.

Voluntary 403(b) Plan -

Eligibility -  All Employees are permitted to save on a voluntary, salary reduction basis.  The maximum you can defer is limited by the IRS to 100% of compensation up to a maximum of $12,000 (+$2,000 over age 50) for 2003.  If you want to contribute the maximum, contact your plan representative.  The contributions are pre-tax and adjusted on your W-2. 

Investments -  The available investment opportunity for all employees is the Portfolio Director variable annuity contract issued by the Variable Annuity Life Insurance Company (VALIC).    

The investment options available under this contract include two guaranteed fixed accounts, along with a broad array of variable investment options. The variable investment categories include international equities and bonds, growth, growth and income, balanced, bond and money market funds.  Note – Some fund restrictions do apply for Employer pension contributions.

  Refer to the detailed information, literature, and prospectuses for these options provided by your AIG VALIC service representative, Steve Compton, (509) 946-3332.  Quarterly participant statements and website access is available.

Access to Your Money -   Your plan was established to encourage long-term retirement savings.  Generally, you are not entitled to receive distribution until retirement, separation from service, death or total disability.  See your plan representative for specifics or if you have questions.

Loans - Loans are only available in the voluntary 403(b) TSA part of the plan.

This is only an overview of the program.  You will receive a more detailed summary of the TSA plan at a later date.

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