VIPs Come Out To Honor Miller And DiNatale

Online, January 29, 2011 (Newswire.com) - VIPs from across South Jersey were in attendance last night at Venice Plaza in Berlin, NJ as Voorhees recognized Virtua CEO, Richard P. Miller and Alicia Rose "Victorious" Foundation co-founder, Gisele DiNatale for their contributions and service to the community and their fellow man.

Richard P. Miller, Business Person of the Year, and Gisele DiNatale, Citizen of the Year, were presented with proclamations for their outstanding contributions to the township by Voorhees Mayor Michael Mignogna.

Heartened by a host of Virtua executives, trustees and staff, Michael Kotzen, vice president and chief operating officer of Virtua Voorhees, introduced Miller, conveying his vision, determination and commitment to his employees, the community and excellence in healthcare.

Miller took the podium to accept the award, presented by Mark Schott, president of the Voorhees Breakfast Rotary, sponsor of the award, as his Virtua family and wife Mary Lea and daughter Heather looked on.

"I get a lot of credit for things," remarked Miller, "but everything starts with a great team - and I have the best team in healthcare."

Slated to open in May of this year, the new one million square-foot Virtua Hospital campus in Voorhees, Miller's vision-turned-reality, is designed to re-define healthcare in South Jersey and transform the patient's hospital experience while continuing to adopt new technologies far into the future. Dedication to cutting-edge care coupled with a recent strategic alliance with Children's Hospital of Philadelphia will make Virtua Voorhees the premier OB/pediatric facility in South Jersey.

"We couldn't have realized this endeavor or completed this journey without the support of our Board of Trustees and Voorhees Township," said Miller. "With the tremendous support we've found in Voorhees, this dream is coming true."

Virtua, a multi-hospital healthcare system offering a full continuum of acute, outpatient and long-term care, has led the industry in innovative directions transforming a group of community-based hospitals into technologically advanced regional medical centers. While developing and leading groundbreaking strategies on Miller's watch, South Jersey-based Virtua has become an international model for effective healthcare management.

"My family is my backbone," said Miller. "I could not have achieved all that I have without their constant presence and encouragement."

Past award recipient, Alan Cohen, was on hand to introduce this year's Citizen of the Year Gisele DiNatale, co-founder of the Alicia Rose "Victorious" Foundation. Cohen, who has known DiNatale for many years, commented on her strength, determination and undying passion for her work.

Amid the applause and tears of friends and family, including husband Mario, DiNatale accepted the award from Voorhees Rotary's Mark Schott.

The Alicia Rose "Victorious" Foundation, is committed to bringing hope, excitement and entertainment to hospital-bound teens facing difficult conditions. The foundation, named for DiNatale's daughter who died in 2002 from a rare form of cancer, raises money to create teen centers at hospitals around the country and abroad.

"When something like this happens, people ask me, 'how can you do anything?'" remarked DiNatale. "My response is, 'how can you not?'"

The Alicia Rose "Victorious" Foundation is dedicated to making the time teens spend in local hospital as pleasant as possible by providing games, movies, music and a place to just hang out and be with their friends and other teens.

From its 2002 inception to present date, the foundation has funded more than 50 Teen Lounges. More than 7,200 Teen Kits filled with common comforts, from lip balm and slippers to video games and puzzles, have been distributed in 80 hospitals in 34 states. Over 43,500 critically ill teens and their families have been directly impacted by the foundation's efforts.

"I believe when people do things with passion, it makes what they have to do easy." said DiNatale. "I'm thankful for that."

In December, due largely to DiNatale's efforts, the New Jersey Legislature passed a resolution deeming the third week of every January as "Teen Cancer Awareness Week", the first state to do so.

In life," said DiNatale, "more is more. And I'm looking forward to more, including celebrating the opening of a Teen Lounge in the new Virtua Voorhees."

Several finalists were also recognized during the awards dinner including Harry A. Platt, Ron Safier, Gary Frisch of Swordfish Communications and Ferriol C. Apistar of the Apistar Foundation. All were presented with a plaque recognizing their achievement by Schott.

Supported by Media Sponsor, The Voorhees Sun; Gold Sponsor, Ben Franklin Foods; Silver Sponsors, Bowman and Company and Columbia Bank; and Bronze Sponsors Hardenburgh Insurance and Cornerstone Bank, the Annual Voorhees Awards Dinner marked a milestone, as the most well attended event to date.

Rotary is an international, humanitarian service organization made up of men and women from all walks of life. Founded in 1905, business and professional leaders from across the globe dedicate themselves through Rotary to truth, fairness, improved relations between people and world peace. With no political or governmental agendas, Rotary Clubs work autonomously to create innovative solutions to meet the needs of others in their local communities and throughout the world.

Chartered in 2001, The Voorhees Breakfast Rotary Club works with
numerous organizations including Virtua Hospital, Eastern High School, Voorhees Pediatric Center, Ronald McDonald House and The Cathedral Kitchen, contributing their time and energies to countless charitable endeavors throughout the community. Internationally, the club assists in the Polio Plus program to eradicate Polio worldwide, supports an orphanage in Santo Domingo and helps with projects to provide clean water in developing nations.

The Voorhees Breakfast Rotary meets every Thursday morning from 7:15 am to 8:30 am at the Country Club Diner on Route 561 in Voorhees. For more information contact club president Mark Schott at 856.772.3384 or visit online at www.voorheesbreakfastrotary.org.