Barbara Chubbuck: 2014 Day Kimball Healthcare Employee of the Year and So Much More

PUTNAM, CONN. – Today, the employees of Day Kimball Healthcare (DKH) honored their colleague Barbara Chubbuck for being named 2014 Employee of the Year. There was lots of laughter and some tears, and some (more) really great stories; but let me back up a little bit as Barbara has been leaving her mark on DKH for quite a while. 

Barbara doesn’t miss a beat when the story finishes and continues, “What about that cruise we went on and I kept making up stories about you and introducing you to strangers? Your mother thought you were going to come home married.” The laughter amongst my fellow diners builds and the stories continue as the entire table is brought to tears regaling “Barbara stories.” One person adds, “Sara, you know you can’t put most of this in any story you’re writing, right?” Let me just say to you, it’s a great way to take a break from my desk. 

What also gets woven into these storytelling marathons is the sharing of births, deaths, marriages, moves, graduations, divorces and who was at what community event the past weekend. It’s a lesson in: who’s related to who, who married who, who grew up with who, and who worked with who. The “family tree” covers all of Northeast Connecticut; Kevin Bacon has nothing on the degrees of separation in this group – in this community for that matter. 

As Kathy Radel, biller in the finance department, adds, “Barbara cries harder than the person in grief and then turns it around so she has both of them laughing harder than they were crying. It’s the sign of a big heart.” 

Employees recently shared their stories about Barbara at the 2014 Employee of the Year Celebration hosted on Friday, January 23 in the private dining room of Day Kimball Hospital. Barbara was selected by her peers from the 12 Employees of the Month honored throughout the year. President & CEO Robert Smanik said, “Well, the judges have spoken, and you’re it. You represent what we ascribe as the attributes we admire in our employees. Somehow we managed to surprise you at the Annual Meeting earlier this month, although I’m not sure how with all the people you know and the connections you have! Know that you are well beloved by your colleagues.”

Nancy Zamagni, RN, EMR Team for Day Kimball Medical Group, said, “I can’t think of one person who has had more jobs in one institution than you. We’re very lucky for it.”

In 1983, Barbara joined the Day Kimball family as a part-time employee as she was also a full-time dairy farmer at the time. The hospital schedule allowed her to work nights and she started as the unit receptionist in the emergency department. Over a 30-year span she worked with a series of medical directors from the operating room, anesthesiology (which at the time included pain management), intensive care unit, laboratory and NIC (non-invasive cardiology). Three years ago she became the administrative assistant to the human resources department.

“I tell people about my Johns:  John Athens, John Hall, John Modica, John O’Keefe, and John Miller.  I’ve worked with some great people,” says Barbara about her many positions and quickly adds a litany of stories about the pranks she’s played on her coworkers over the years in different departments. I can’t share them here so you’ll have to stop by the cafeteria for lunch some time, but let’s just say she tells one story where she convinced a physician he’d flunked an exam, complete with fake paperwork.

In her current position, I’ve seen Barbara dressed up as a cheerleader for the Day Kimball Dragonflys’ volleyball, dodgeball, trivia and spelling bee community-based competitions. She’s been the coxswain for the Dragonflys’ dragon boat team, complete with head dress and over-sized bullhorn. She’s been a witch and leprechaun. She instigated a “Where’s Pinky?” DKH-version of “you’ve been flamingo’d.” Her office is peppered with photos and fun-inducing collections. She introduced “Happy Dude” at the 2014 Employee Appreciation Summer Picnic event, which inspired the filming of our own employee-version of “I’m Happy” video craze. When she noticed employees taking things a step further, she inspired the human resources team to sponsor a “Dress Happy Dude” contest.

“Barbara has the unique gift of being able to brighten your day with her distinctive laugh, a bright smile and the eyes that mirror the soul of a caring person,” describes John Miller, Human Resources Director.

It’s clear Barbara’s “can-do-keep-it-in-perspective-there’s-always-something-good ” approach to life goes with her everywhere: home to her family’s 1790 dairy farm, out in the community as a member/ former president of the Lions’ Club, founder/advisor of the Leo’s Club (also well known for hosting the annual Haunted Barn fundraiser on her family’s property), and for 15 years as Girls’ Little League Team Manager. She founded the Day Kimball Wellwishers back in 1978, originally as a committee to support a coworker battling cancer. She spearheaded the production of the 1989 DKH Variety Show, a sellout fundraiser sparked while she was hanging overnight with her American Cancer Society Relay for Life team members. 

As her former colleague retired emergency department nurse and long-time friend Barbara Domaleski shared at the celebration, “Barbara represents the very best this community hospital has to offer. Barbara embodies a spirit we should all share.”

At the Employee of the Year celebration Barbara’s long-time friend and former coworker Linda Garcia introduces me to Barbara’s husband Alan and tells me she has three children and two grandchild plus “many other unofficial children and grandchildren she’s adopted into her family.” I’ve yet to hear the stories about those gatherings. I know what questions I’ll ask at lunch tomorrow, but I can’t promise I’ll be able to share them.