Bake Wars kicks off National Nurses Week at Kaweah Health

FRESNO, Calif. ( KSEE/KGPE ) – To kick off National Nurses Week, Kaweah Health held their third annual Bake Wars baking competition in an effort to bring their team together.

“We started this a couple of years ago as a way to bring the whole organization together,” said Chief Nursing Officer Keri Noeske.

Nurses and staff participate by submitting their desserts, from pies to cakes to cookies, to have them judged by local figures for awards.

With nearly 40 entries in six categories, Kaweah Health announces this year’s first-place winners:

• Cakes and Cupcakes: Dani Rudediger
• Pies: Alexandra Sibert
• Cookies: Kiana Soriano
• Bars: Molly Niederreiter
• Cheesecakes: Carolina Hernandez
• Open Category: Gage Cauthen

“We had quite the amazing crew of judges this year and dignitaries from our community, and it was really a fun time,” Noeske said.

This year, judges included Visalia Police Chief Jason Salazar, Visalia Fire Chief Dan Griswold, Visalia Mayor Brian Poochigian, KSEE24’s Stefani Booroojian, KSEE24/CBS47 General Manager J.R. Jackson, Visalia’s Women of the Year, Sarah Ashoori from Ashoori Jewelers, and Central California Regional Coordinator at Office of California Governor Gavin Newsom, Cameron Forgey.

National Nurses Week is observed annually from May 6 to May 12, an important time Noeske says to appreciate their hard work.

“Every year in May we celebrate Nurses Week and it really gives us the opportunity to recognize the contributions nurses make to healthcare,” she said.

With their theme of “Rising Together,” Noeske says their goal is to advance healthcare to the next level.

“This year especially, Nurses around the world are coming together to find new ways to deliver care— and right here at Kaweah we’re right in the middle of that too. Just trying to be pioneers in this new way of nursing and delivering healthcare to our community,” she said.

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