Last night's Kimberly-Clark/3M Health Care co-sponsored IAHCSMM party was a blast daddy-o! The theme for this year's part was a 50's theme--since it was IAHCSMM's 50th birthday. Poodle skirts, leather jackets, slicked back hair and of course bobbie-socks were in order.

THE highlight of the evening had to be Healthmark's Ray Taurasi, who did his best Uncle Milty cross-dresser.

What a cute couple!

Ray's biggest dilemma was if he/she should use the men's or ladies room. A close to call, but I would have LOVED to have been a fly on the wall in either restroom Ray chose to use!

Today's exhibits were well attended, and kept exhibitors and attendees on their toes all day. A number of exhibitors I spoke with were out of give-aways and voices at the end of the four hour session. Next year should prove to be bigger and better.

The annual awards luncheon followed this afternoon where recognition was given to those standing above-and-beyond in honoring the CS procession. Awards oresebted were:

Cardinal Health /IAHCSMM Annual Representative to the Board Award

• Erle Shephard of Centra Health, Lynchburg, VA

IAHCSMM/Purdue University Scholarship Award

• Minnie Barnes of WilsonMedicalCenter, Lucama , NC
• Tammy Crisco of St. Francis Medical Center, Monroe , LA
• Nashica Hudson of St. Joseph 's Hospital, Syracuse , NY

STERIS Chapter Recognition Award

• California Central Service Chapter (Large chapter)
• Grand Canyon Chapter, Arizona-(Small chapter)
• Special Recognition for Runners-up: Central Indiana Chapter

3M Health Care, Bertha Y. Litsky, Ph.D. Educator of the Year Award

• Sharon Greene-Golden of BON SECOURS-Mary Immaculate Hospital, Newport News, VA
• Becki Jenkins

Kimberly-Clark/Ruth Anne Brooks Past-President's Award

• Patricia Jones of Saint Anthony's Health Center, Alton, IL

IAHCSMM Cost Savers Award

• Lori Patterson of H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa , FL

Golden Slipper Award for Service Excellence

• Theresa Premus

Anne Cofiell “Decontaminator” of the Year Award

• Mary Gillis

Acknowledgement for Exceptional Service and Dedication to the Profession

• Sandy Buhler

Brenda Sexton Award of Honor

• Linda Clement

Overall, this year's conference surpassed everyones expectations. Cudos IAHCSMM. We all look forward to seeing what's in store for Orlando in 2009!

Ahoy Maitie! There were some 600+ landlubbers on hand for the kick-off party at this year's 50th IAHCSMM Annual Conference hosted by SPS Medical. Between the pirates on hand (yours truly included) and the wenches (one of the few times you can use this term in a PC world) this ship was rockin’. 

Some of the crew from the SPS Medical

I have been reading over the last couple of days articles pertaining to the subject of water. What a precious commodity this has become. Growing up as a child, I never would have dreamed of someone selling bottled water. What’s next, air? You can imagine my shock when in the late 1970s I saw bottles of Evian and Perrier being sold in stores. Both were from Europe, so I figured they new something I didn't.

I remember my mother constantly reminding me to turn off the trickling water while I was brushing my teeth, but to me I wasn't really saving anything.

The 1990s brought about awareness of a shortage of water, water rationing and days that you couldn’t water your lawn. Paying my first water bill also made me realize how much water I used, but more importantly, how much was going down the sewer.

The late 1990s was when I first heard of water reclamation and what a big deal it was for carwashes to re-use the water they were washing cars with. Imagine that, re-using something you’ve already used before.

Yesterday I read an online article on how cities and states are starting to fight back when companies try to move into town to bottle up their water, only to turn around and ship it out for sale across the country. This past weekend I read that the Georgia House and Senate both passed resolutions to relocate their border one mile north, all in an effort to access the Tennessee River for water—something this drought ridden state needs. This dispute has been going on for more than 190 years, but has become more significant for one reason—WATER. Arizona, Nevada and California have long been battling over the water supply from the Colorado River.

I guess many in this country are finally starting to realize how much we really do need to conserve our resources--as always, Europeans seem to be ahead of us yet again. We’ve been fighting over land since the beginning of time. Oil is in short supply and is costing more everyday, and water is now taking center stage. It really does make me think about that whole selling bottled air theory. Does anyone want to join me in this venture?