I have two favorite work events each year. One is when we celebrate our incredible volunteers! The second occurred this week – our annual Employee Incentive & Recognition event where we recognize outstanding employee accomplishments and thank long-time employees for their years of service.
Because of COVID we were not able to gather in person, but we did host a fun live event from the PCTV studios. With Chair Young and the indomitable Maura Maye, I had a great time highlighting many of our talented County colleagues.
The links below will take you to the individual videos PCTV created to honor each Standing Ovation Award winner and several dedicated long-time employees.
While COVID kept us apart, it did not stop us from holding an amazing gift basket drawing to support another worthy local charity, My Sister’s House.
Finally, you will note that COVID played a role in many of the awards as well. Most of them highlighted how our colleagues responded to the needs of our community in the face of the pandemic!
Rental Assistance in Pierce County
Learn about the COVID Rental Assistance Program in Pierce County. Hear from County staff about how payments work, and from landlords and renters about how it’s saving homes and preventing homelessness.
Junk vehicles and abandoned properties meet their match in Pierce County
Join the Code Enforcement team during a routine property cleanup to see what it takes to remove junk vehicles and trash once squatters moved into an abandoned property.
Pierce County Parks offers job training through Service Corp
Have you always dreamed of a job in local parks, improving local ecosystems and health for native species? Get hands-on training for a future career in the parks in the Pierce County area.
Domestic Violence services available virtually in Pierce County
See how the Crystal Judson Family Justice Center is meeting the needs of domestic violence survivors virtually during COVID.
The virtual side of Pierce County District Court
Meet the District Court team that ushered in new ways to serve the community, including live chat, email, and phone assistance.
Grocery Giveaway Project brings groceries to seniors and community centers
Staff with Pierce County Human Services department share heartwarming stories of bringing food and cleaning supplies to community centers around the County during COVID.
Pierce County Parks brings the fun & games!
Pierce County Parks wants to be THE place for your favorite recreation activities. Meet the amazing team that’s dreaming up new ways to play and have fun, even during a pandemic.
Breaker testing at the Pierce County wastewater plant
Breaker, breaker! Get a sense of how complicated the electrical system is at the Pierce County Wastewater Plant and meet the guy behind the procedures for the system.
The rock star of Pierce County Human Services
You won’t see Paulina Kura playing to a stadium of fans, rather what you will find is how she made remote and shared workspaces possible for Human Services employees.
Employees celebrate 35 years with Pierce County
Are you making a difference in your community? Hear more about this, from Pierce County employees who have chosen to stay for 35 years.
Marilyn Curry celebrates 40 years with Pierce County
Meet Marilyn Curry and hear about the two positions in the Prosecutor’s Office she has held for the last 40 years.
For those of you who would like to watch – or re-watch! – the entire celebration, you can find it here.
The final award of the evening was very special to me because it was the Executive Award. I used it to highlight a group of employees that demonstrated particular resilience and innovation throughout the last year. While that description could rightly describe many of our teams, the one that typified it was our Department of Emergency Management (DEM).
For more than a year, DEM has been mobilized to respond to the pandemic – not to mention wildfires and floods. They have continually stepped into chaos and delivered key programs to support our community. Helping our schools deliver meals, providing PPE, setting up testing sites, vaccinating thousands of residents, responding to record heat, and co-hosting a three county Complex Coordinated Terrorist Attack exercise are just some of their work over the last year. I really like the motto Jody Ferguson and her team have adopted – Semper Gumby – “Always Flexible.” Thank you, DEM, for your exceptional responsiveness and coordination across our entire County!
You can fully appreciate why I came away from our evening inspired and impressed by what our colleagues are doing for the people of Pierce County! Many thanks to everyone who made the evening possible, especially Maura Maye and the Office of Communications team.
Thanks for reading, and have a great weekend,
Bruce