Dr. Marc Burkhart, an obstetrics and gynecology doctor at New Ulm Medical Center, reacts as he’s presented with flowers after being awarded the 2019 Legend of NUMC award during a surprise ceremony at the clinic Thursday. Before being announced as the recipient of this year’s Legends Award, NUMC President Toby Freier, left, recognized Burkhart for his 33 years of service at NUMC. “Let’s face it, we are extremely proud of our birth center and the awesome OB team we have today, but it wouldn’t have been possible without Dr. Marc Burkhart as the backbone of OB for decades — he was our first OBGYN,” Freier said.