Denise Hill organizes good deeds
With the daily bustle around Beebe Healthcare, it’s easy for Denise Hill to get lost in the shuffle.
The soft-spoken Hill would seem to prefer it that way; she seems uncomfortable taking about herself. But her fellow coworkers say she's an invaluable part of the operation.
Hill is a certified nursing assistant, who works with Beebe Healthcare’s medical-surgical team. She's been working on the hospital’s third floor, colloquially known as 3MS since 1998.
She serves as the unofficial hub of the floor’s charity fundraising activity. Each year, the floor picks a charity for Grotto Pizza’s Parade of Trees fundraiser, decorating a tree at Grotto locations to help raise money for charities.
Hill also organized an adoption program for homeless kids in Cape Henlopen School District. Beebe employees agree to “adopt” a child, and help that child with a Christmas gift. Another charitable endeavor was a “Frozen”-themed party for kids at Irish Eyes, when she went so far as to make the Olaf craft.
“They were all dressed as Elsa and Anna,” she said of the 20 to 30 children who attended.
Hill said she likes planning and organizing, and her love of work comes from her simple love of working with people.
Surrounded by her fellow nurses, many of whom are younger than she is, Hill cuts a motherly figure. Fellow nurse Laura Smith said Hill will come in on her days off to do things for people, such as bringing a cake or a gift card.
“I like to do that,” Hill said.
One story that particularly touched Hill was that of a 16-year-old special needs child who was adopted by one of Beebe’s physical therapists.
“He wanted a beach cruiser. Well, that’s a couple hundred dollars. Her [the therapist's] daughter came home from college and said, ‘I’d rather you buy that for Christmas,’ so he got it,” she said choking up at the memory.
Hill said she plans on working more this year with the Good Ole Boy Foundation, a year-old organization that has previously organized Christmas food and clothing drives, and helped fulfill wishes for disadvantaged children.
Prior to working at Beebe, Hill was a waitress, which she said prepared her for life at 3MS, where she serves patients and tries to keep them happy. Hill said the best part of the job is working with patients and her fellow nurses.
Originally from Wilmington, Hill moved to the area at age 25 with her husband, Eugene. Of how she got here, Hill joked, “My husband said he loved me but he wouldn’t move to Wilmington. He’s from Milford, but he wouldn’t move north. So I moved south.”
Of how they met, Hill said, “It was at Del’s Steaks and Shakes. It was two miles from St. George’s Bridge. He was a truck driver, and he stopped there all the time to eat.”
The Hills have been together for 28 years and have two grown children, Matt, an electrician, and Brittney, also a nurse at Beebe.
Work is not work for Hill, who maintains three jobs.
“I like to work. I don’t like to stay at home. And I like my vacations. I go to Hatteras every May; I just came back from Florida in February; and I’m planning a cruise for January to the Western Caribbean,” Hill said.
Those vacations don’t just include family but also members of the 3MS crew, who view themselves like a family. Hill is typically the one who gets to break in new members.
“I want to do my best at whatever I do. If I wasn’t good at it, I wouldn’t do it,” she said quipping, “I wasn’t a very good unit secretary.”
“I try to treat everyone like my family. Because one day, I’m going to be in that bed, and I would want to be treated well,” Hill said.
