Macon Magazine

Valerie Fox has more than 20 years of experience in her field and has been influential in the training of Navicent Health employees during the COVID-19 pandemic. As education coordinator for respiratory care services at Navicent, Fox has been working to ensure that each employee is trained to properly care for patients suffering from respiratory issues. In addition to providing training for employees, Fox serves at patients' bedsides as a registered respiratory therapist. "She shared her knowledge and skills while demonstrating the compassion necessary to care for these patients in a very uncertain time," said Rodney Cooper, assistant vice president of respiratory services for Navicent Health. "She has worked countless hours on both day and night shifts to keep her teammates up to date on training." Navicent has created many policies to protect patients and employees during the pandemic. Employees change from their normal scrubs into fresh ones before coming into contact with any COVID-19 patient, and universal masking has been implemented to protect hospital staff, patients and visitors. "At the beginning of the pandemic, my workday changed daily due to the rapidly evolving COVID-19 situation. Daily changes of patients coming in and preparing staff at a moment's notice to protect themselves, coworkers and patients meant I had to be flexible with my schedule and availability, working long hours if needed," said Fox. "We had to adapt quickly to make sure each patient's needs were being safely met." Fox and other employees have faced many unique challenges brought on by the pandemic, most especially the separation of patients from their family members. "Because families cannot visit patients with COVID-19, we have helped patients see and talk to their loved ones on video calls. We have had so many employees step outside their normal jobs to perform tasks to be team players," said Fox. Fox has been on both sides of the situation, having had a family member in the hospital as well. Fox expressed gratitude to her fellow Navicent staff members, knowing that her loved one is getting the best care possible. "I have seen teammates and coworkers from environmental services and nutrition all the way up to and including administration work side by side during this pandemic to make the best choices for our community," said Fox. —Meghan Lindstrom Valerie Fox VESTERFIELD FARMS Nestled on 50 acres in the tiny Middle Georgia town of Empire is Vesterfield Farms, a haven for delicious vegetables, fruits, eggs and meats – even in a time of uncertainty. A fourth-generation family farm, Vesterfield is named for its original owner, a farmer named Vester. Today, this working farm is owned and operated by Kaye Smith and her husband, Tim Smith, Vester's grandson. While some farmers have had difficulty harvesting and distributing their crops during the pandemic, the Smiths have found new ways to connect with their customers. Vesterfield Farms has opened an online store where patrons may pre-order veggies, fruits and more for contact-free pickup at the farm or at Macon's Mulberry Market. "Our customers can pull up, pop their trunk and we'll put bags of fresh produce inside," Kaye said, adding that patrons have been very understanding during this unusual time. "We're accustomed to interacting with our customers very closely. We've known some of them for years." Rosemary Spiegel is one of Vesterfield's loyal patrons. "I've even received texts from Kaye saying she has extra spinach – or lots of carrots – and would I like to add to my order? Yes, yes, yes!" Spiegel said. "I could not survive without our dear farmers being so devoted and here for us. Having no idea what the future holds, there is no greater comfort than a personal relationship with those who can provide almost all we need to survive – except avocados." In spring, Vesterfield Farms harvested cucumbers, celery, sugar snap peas, lettuces, eggs and more. Beef cattle, lambs, chickens and more also thrive at this idyllic place. Kaye and Tim weren't always full-time farmers. In 2016, Kaye quit her office desk- job and transitioned to all-day farming. Tim retired in 2017 and became a full-time farmer. "We absolutely love what we do here," Kaye said. —Lisa Pritchard Mayfield 12

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