The Starfish Award was established in 2023 by Riverside Healthcare to recognize employees who make a difference at Riverside every day. This award is intended to recognize ancillary team members who fill vital roles outside of nursing. These “difference makers” provide direct and indirect services to Riverside patients and the community.

Starfish nominations can come from employees, patients, or family members of patients. Nominations will be accepted year-round, with a winner recognized quarterly. Nominations are accepted on the Riverside website (QR code on materials you will receive) or via paper form sent to patient care services (tri-fold brochure).

Making a Difference: The Starfish Story

One day a man was walking along the beach when he noticed a boy picking something up and gently throwing it into the ocean. Approaching the boy, he asked “What are you doing?” The boy replied, “Throwing starfish back into the ocean. The surf is up and the tide is going out. If I don’t throw them back, they’ll die.

“Son,” the man said, “don’t you realize there are miles and miles of beach and thousands of starfish?”
“You can’t make a difference!”

After listening politely, the boy bent down, picked up another starfish, and then threw it back into the ocean. Then smiling at the man he said…

“I made a difference for that one.”

-Loren Eiseley