What Makes Helen Special…
Helen has spent over 20 years working in various departments at Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health (LGH). She has a strong work ethic and a passion for customer service, having taught it 3.5 years at LGH’s orientation. Helen enjoys traveling and gardening as each year her vegetable garden seems to get bigger!
Want to know more? Here’s a little Q & A…
Why did you choose to be an Admin for your profession?
In high school, I took a day trip with friends to Central Penn Business School and that influenced me to want to be a court reporter. My parents couldn’t afford to send me to college because they had 7 kids in 10 years! That career idea fell by the wayside.
Three years after high school, my Mom called me and said that she and Dad had saved up some money and I could go to college with my sister, Janet. We both attended and graduated from Reading Area Community College. We didn’t know a career path and her friends were going for word processing, so that’s what we decided to do. I excelled at typing and finding grammatical errors on tests. I typed 99 wpm in testing; couldn’t reach that 100 wpm! I took the admin path and Janet became a bookkeeper.
What’s something that has surprised you about your chosen career path?
That people think you just sit all day and answer the phone or set up meetings. I use my brain, have common sense, am organized, enjoy event planning, working with clients or customers and yes, I enjoy talking to people and sit a lot during the day. I like using a standing desk to break up the day so I don’t sit too much.
What professional accomplishment of yours are you most proud of?
I achieved Professional Administrative Certification of Excellence in 2020. It’s sponsored by the American Society of Administrative Professionals.
What energizes you at work?
Working with team members you can count on and the feeling that I contributed to or accomplished personal goals each day.
What’s the best advice you were ever given? Who was it from?
Many times growing up, my beloved Mom told us kids to do the right thing the first time or else you have to do it again the right way. Sometimes when I’m tired and have to do something, I think of my Mom and persevere to finish my task the right way the first time I do it! Thanks Mom! 😊
What are you passionate about?
I am passionate about treating everyone as you would want to be treated. I get fired up when seeing someone being taken advantage of, especially our elderly population.
What is one thing that instantly makes your day better?
Watching the sun rise, especially on a warm day!
What’s your favorite place locally?
I don’t have a favorite place locally, however, when I worked at LGH, my friends and I enjoyed visiting new restaurants after they first opened. Lancaster City is so much better in the hospitality business than it was years ago.
What are your hobbies?
I love the gift of life with plants and vegetables. Over the years, I’ve bought perennial plants to fill my gardens because I love that they come up each year. I enjoy adding to these plants with colorful flowers each spring. We’ve grown tomatoes for years and have expanded to different types of peppers, onions, cukes, zukes and herbs. I bought a coffee grinder last year and grind my herbs to give to family and friends.
Do you have any pets?
We have two dogs. Our purebred English Setter, Lily, will be 10 years old toward the end of May; Her sister Katie will be 9 years old a week later and is a Shar Pei / German Shepherd mix (we think). Lily loves everyone and enjoys walks and car rides, even once in a golf cart when we were camping! Katie loves her belly rubs and is afraid of anything outside except the back yard. She loves hanging out on the deck on a sunny day.
Are you reading or binge watching anything right now?
I love watching anything on HGTV after hubby goes to bed. I enjoy watching people purchase a house and how contractors transform a run-down or old house into a beautiful home.
What’s one item you can’t leave home without?
My phone! I’m not big on social media; I don’t have Facebook or Instagram; however, I am a huge texter with my friends and family. I have a 30-minute commute twice each day and enjoy listening to different podcasts or talking to people.
What’s the farthest you’ve ever been from home?
My hubby Neal and I had the travel bug a few years ago. He surprised me once 3 weeks before my birthday and said let’s go to Italy. They truly make the best pasta for a carb girl! We’ve been to Hawaii and Paris, not sure which is the farthest. Another niece has been living in Paris almost 3 years now for her job at Loreal. She is engaged to a French man and will be getting married next year in Paris so we’ll be going to Europe again. They haven’t set a wedding date. They will then come to America to live.
