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42 June 2026 | BeaufortLifestyle.com 42 June 2025 | BeaufortLifestyle.comBeaufort Memorial Express Care and Occupational Health and its three locations earned the Bemmy for Department of the Year.photos by CHARLOTTE BERKELEYCelebrating Compassionate CareAs part of the annual Beaufort Memorial celebration of National Hospital Week, the health system held its fifth %u201cBemmy%u201d Awards at Tabby Place in downtown Beaufort to celebrate the caregivers, leaders and staff whose compassion and dedication shapes healthcare in the Lowcountry. The awards ceremony honors the Beaufort Memorial employees making an impact on their community, whether they%u2019re clinical or non-clinical, leaders, rookies or volunteers. %u201cThis is my favorite night of the year,%u201d said Beaufort Memorial President and CEO Russell Baxley. %u201cIt takes a special kind of person to be committed to working in healthcare, and I%u2019m proud to say that I%u2019m a friend, a colleague and a partner in what we do and how we serve our community.%u201d Among the evening%u2019s highest honors, Beaufort Memorial Express Care and Occupational Health was awarded the Bemmy for Department of the Year for delivering urgent care, occupational health and employee health services with teamwork, adaptability and compassion. That department%u2019s excellence was further highlighted when Carri Knapp, MSN, APRN, FNP-C was honored with Advanced Practice Provider of the Year for her positivity and patient-first approach to care. The Beaufort Memorial Emergency Department also came away with high honors %u2013 Dr. Luke Baxley was named Physician of the Year for his leadership in the ER and mentorship of future physicians through the department%u2019s residency program. ER nurse Ashley Bentley, RN, earned the Vaux Award for Clinical Employee of the Year for her calm, kind presence %u2013 even during the most stressful moments. Other Bemmys celebrated innovation, leadership and volunteer service across Beaufort Memorial, including Mandy Michels, Director of Patient Experience, as Leader of the Year, Bruce %u201cTripp%u201d Yeager as Innovator of the Year and volunteer Garry Elrod for his dedication to both patients and staff. Beaufort Memorial honors employees with %u2018Bemmy%u2019 AwardsER nurse Ashley Bentley, RN, the Vaux Clinical Employee of the YearPhysician of the Year Dr. Luke Baxley and his wife, Geneva Carri Knapp, MSN, APRN, FNP-CMandy Michels and VP of Quality, Risk and Patient Safety Shawna DoranKrissy Oudinot, MSN, FNP-BC, earned the Zero Harm (or %u201cGood Catch%u201d) award.Rookie of the Year and Beaufort Memorial security officer Delvon Denson accepts his Bemmy.Innovator of the Year, Bruce %u201cTripp%u201d YeagerShannon Trawick accepts a BEMMY for Okatie Echo.Greg Hughee, Nonclinical Employee of the Year Beaufort Memorial President and CEO Russell BaxleyZero Harm award winner Krissy Oudinot embraces pharmacist Jessica Williams, who was also nominated for the category.Volunteer of the Year Garry Elrod Beaufort Memorial CMO Dr. Kurt Gambla