PARIS — Barbara Hooper, the food and nutritional services manager at Maine Veterans’ Home, was named Employee of the Year by the Oxford Hills Chamber of Commerce in a ceremony at the Chamber’s offices on Feb. 5.
The Employee of the Year Award is a distinction that is awarded to an individual who displays outstanding work ethic, a cooperative nature among fellow employees, and contributes to the success of the company. The award is part of the Chamber of Commerce’s Business and Community Awards for 2019, and the winners will be recognized at the Chamber’s annual dinner on March 30.
Hooper’s citation reads: “Barbara Hooper, Nutritional Services Manager at the South Paris Maine Veterans’ Home, brings to her Residents a passion and dedication to their well-being that makes her a shining star among the best.
“Not only has she designed and implemented state-of-the-art dining experiences for the Residents, but their families and friends in various Veteran’s organizations can attest to the quality of the food that everyone enjoys. Barbara also brings extra care and kindness to everyone at every function.”
In addition to her daily duties seeing that all meals are prepared properly, she has designed dining rooms that meet the social, medical, psychological and physical challenges of the veterans that have elicited acclaim from her peers. She has led her team to treat all Residents with dignity and has instilled in them that the needs and wants of the men and women they serve are to be met without question.
Hooper expects the best from her employees for the sake of the residents, but she accepts only perfection from herself. Rare is the holiday, special event or major function that she has missed in her many years as an employee. Telling Barbara to “take a break” goes on deaf ears.
With her heavy schedule, she still managed to go to school to complete her dietetic technician degree so she could have an even better understanding and involvement with the nutritional care of her residents.
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