Lutz Nurse Manager Awarded Department of Defense Patriot Award

LUTZ, FL — Kimberly Demers, nurse manager of the Emergency Department at St. Joseph’s Hospital-North, was named the recipient of the Department of Defenses' Patriot Award for her actions in supporting her employees who also serve their country.

Demers was nominated for the award by Kathy Lowe, an ER nurse at St. Joseph’s Hospital-North in Lutz and a major in the 7201st Medical Support Unit of the U.S. Army Reserve. Demers is Lowe’s supervisor.

The Patriot Award presented by the Department of Defense’s Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve program recognized Demers’ support of Lowe's participation in the National Guard and Reserve.

Lowe was deployed to Harlingen Medical Center in Harlingen, Texas, from July 20 to Oct. 8, as part of the Army Reserve's effort to battle the coronavirus.

Lowe, a Land O’ Lakes resident who’s been a BayCare nurse for eight years, was previously deployed in 2017 and 2018 to an army hospital in Landstuhl, Germany, where she cared for injured soldiers fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan. Lowe has been in the Army Reserve for 22 years.

“The Patriot Award you received, based upon your nomination by your Guard or Reserve employee, is in recognition of your strong support of your employee’s military service," said Ronald E. Bogle, national chairman of the ESGR program. "By valuing and enabling their military service, you make it possible for our citizen warriors to balance the demanding individual responsibilities of both civilian employment and our national defense. Your demonstrated spirit of cooperation and patriotism are in the highest traditions of our nation, and ESGR proudly salutes you for your well-deserved recognition.”

“This is an honor for Kathy to recognize BayCare as an active, cooperative and willing participant in the requirements of her service,” said Demers. “We do everything we can to accommodate team members in the service and make sure their reporting to duty and eventual return are seamless. We do this even though we find out about their deployment sometimes on short notice.”

At the height of the coronavirus pandemic in July, Lowe was called to duty with only a week’s notice.

“I nominated Kim because she’s been so supportive during my mobilizations,” Lowe said. “I wanted to do something special for her, to recognize her support and flexibility as an employer and supervisor. I was thrilled when I learned that my nomination of Kim was accepted. I really appreciate my management and my co-workers in the ER. Those are the ones who have stepped up to the challenges.”

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