Dan, a member of our Materials Management Department has worked at Headwaters for 37 years. He started working at Headwaters (then Dufferin Area Hospital) in May 1982 as a part-time Porter. He had been working in a similar position elsewhere and knew someone who worked at the hospital who suggested he apply.
In October 1982, he became a full-time member and worked in Environmental Services until 2006 when he applied for his current position in the Materials Management Department.
After becoming a full-time employee in Environmental Services, Dan took the Environmental Services Supervisor’s Course and eventually applied for the position of Lead Hand - staying in that position until he moved to the Materials Management Department.
The Materials Management Department is the hub of the hospital – supplying the necessary materials to keep it running. Members of the team include Kim, who has been there for over 30 years and is an integral part of the Department; Jamie, who recently retired (January 2019) and whose replacement is Johnny; Deb who works on a part-time basis and is always available to fill in gaps; and Danielle who is currently training for Dan’s position.
Dan has worked with members of the Environmental Services team for almost as many years as he has been employed here.
One memory that really sticks out for Dan is when he was called up to the Emergency Department to assist with a patient who had shot a nail through his work boot and into his heal. The doctor had asked him to cut the leather around the nail so that they could pull the nail out. He quickly realized, he was not a very good medical assistant, and the nurses had to shift their focus to Dan before he passed out.
Working at the hospital has been a challenging and rewarding experience for Dan. He has been able to provide for his family, raising two daughters, Katlyne and Christina with his wife, Jackie (who he met in 1985 while working at the hospital). Headwaters provided stability and a pension which is why he can retire at 55.
Dan officially retires in August with plans to complete a long ‘honey-do’ list. He looks forward to spending time maintaining his home and yard. His wife will be working for a few more years, so until she retires, he plans to keep busy with various tasks. Eventually, he hopes to travel a bit more.
When asked what his favourite moment over the years was, Dan answered, “Thirty-seven years is a long time; to say there is a favourite moment is difficult. The people I work with are what stand out the most for me and I will miss them.”
Thank you for your years of service to our hospital and we wish you much happiness in this next chapter!
Photo caption: (Left to right) Don and Dan in 1988.