Guadalupe “Lupita” Newton often works behind the scenes washing dishes in Food Services, but she is easy to remember when you see her – she likes to wear colorful hair clips, including those embellished with flowers. Lupita said that when she was a young girl in Mexico her mother had plants and flowers growing everywhere, and wearing a flower in her hair reminds her of that. You might also remember Lupita because if she saw you, she talked with you. She likes to greet everyone she meets and to put a smile on their faces. 

Lupita joined CRH in 2015 and has worked since then in Food Services. She enjoys her job and is grateful to have good benefits. Working in what her manager, Barb Rodenbeck, described as “one of the hottest places” in the hospital, Lupita washes hundreds of plates, silverware, and pots and pans every day. Working in a hot environment can be challenging wearing a mask all day, but Lupita does not let that dampen her spirits. In fact, Lupita’s positive energy is very uplifting to others in the department. They often see and hear her singing and dancing while she works.

In addition to washing dishes, Lupita also monitors the dish machine to make sure it maintains the right temperature for sanitizing dishes. The machine must be frequently cleaned, and that requires adding chemicals, which Lupita tackles with a get-it-done attitude: “The machine is smelly. I clean it up – put my gloves on and do it,” she said. Having a positive attitude is important to Lupita and makes the challenging tasks much easier to do. “I dance a little bit, I sing a little bit, and the day went easy,” she said.

In addition to cleaning dishes, Lupita collects food waste from the floors and empties it, along with the large amounts of trash and cardboard recycling produced from the cafeteria. “It’s garbage, but to me it’s a job. I appreciate the job,” Lupita said. She shares that appreciation with those she knows in the community by encouraging them to apply for a job at CRH. “I like my job. I like to talk to people. I think it’s the best thing that can happen in my life,” she said. Occasionally, Lupita also gets to put her bilingual skills to work by translating for Spanish-speaking patients on the floors, which she enjoys.

The people Lupita works with certainly enjoy working with her. “She’s just a gem and a hard worker. Everybody loves her. She brings a really positive influence to our department,” said Barb.