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“TRIBUTE TO SISTER MARGARET SMITH” mentioning the U.S. Dept of Labor was published in the Senate section on pages S9737 on Sept. 24, 2001.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
TRIBUTE TO SISTER MARGARET SMITH
Mr. DAYTON. Mr. President, today, I would like to take the opportunity to pay special tribute to an exceptional person, Sister Margaret Smith of Park Rapids, Minnesota. With great pride, Minnesotans have named Sister Margaret Minnesota's Outstanding Older Worker for this year. This is an honor richly deserved, for Sister Margaret has spent 55 of her 80 years serving in a variety of capacities at the St. Joseph's Area Health Services, in Park Rapids.
The award for Minnesota's Outstanding Older Walker is conferred by Green Thumb, Inc., the Minnesota Department of Economic Security, and the Minnesota Department of Labor.
Sister Margaret is virtually an institution, a pillar at St. Joseph's where she has touched the lives of thousands of people. With her humor, warmth, feeling for people, and dedication, she has been a support not only for appreciative patients and their families, but also for her coworkers at St. Joseph's. Indeed, one of the affectionate nicknames conferred on her by the medical staff is ``The Presence.'' This is a fitting title, indeed: She was among the seven Sisters of Saint Joseph who arrived in Park Rapids in 1946 to establish a hospital, is always where she is needed, and has never missed a single day of work. Moreover, Sister Margaret is nothing if not versatile. Having become a certified radiology technician in 1945, she has worked in almost every department of the hospital, including the lab and surgery; was once St. Joseph's administrator; and now sits on the Board of Directors.
Although she no longer performs procedures, she keeps the radiology department running smoothly by scheduling patients' appointments; maintaining statistics, information, and activities in superb order; working with physicians to arrange radiology procedures; and supervising the department's peer review. In the hospital at large, she keeps her finger well placed on the pulse of the organization by overseeing quality control. Moreover, Sister Margaret is the hospital historian and photo archivist.
At St. Joseph's, Sister Margaret is called ``the rock, the foundation.'' So loved is she for her steadfastness, lightheartedness, and solid values, that patients of 20 years ago return and ask to see her. At its genesis, the success of St. Joseph's and its founders might not have been predicated. Rather, some in the community opposed a Catholic hospital. Today, sister Margaret says she believes her presence as a Sister of St. Joseph has made a difference. Caring for patients, she believes is sacred. Her philosophy has been to care for the whole person, spiritfully as well as physically.
Sister Margaret was to have visited Washington, D.C., during the week of September 11, in order to attend the National Prime Time Awards Program. Although our Nation's crisis made it impossible for this trip to take place, I would like to add my voice to those who have honored Sister Margaret's constancy of heart and spirit in ministering to so many patients for more than 50 years.
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