TEAM MEMBER APPRECIATION AWARDS – 2015
Menno Place initiated the Team Member Appreciation Tea in February 2013 and holds this event annually. This year it was held on March 8, 2016. At the event staff are recognized for their years of service, excellent attendance and three special awards are given in the categories of “Living our Values”, “Creative Innovation”, and “Everyday Champion”.
The leadership team nominates candidates for the “Living our Values” and “Creative Innovation” awards, and co-workers nominate candidates for the “Everyday Champion” award.
The Leadership team reviewed the nominations for the 2015 candidates and were so moved by the submissions that they felt this should be shared with the Board as these reflect some of the wonderful people who work on Menno Place Campus. Here is a summary of the award nominations with some of the comments provided.
EveryDay Champion (nominated by co-workers)
The Everyday Champion Award recognizes an employee of Menno Place for showing daily passion and commitment for quality care with the residents. The nominee is a true team player whose actions or attitudes have improved the workplace in a meaningful way by nurturing relationships, inspiring colleagues and residents and demonstrating a high level of integrity and compassion. The recipient of the Everyday Champion Award was nominated by a colleague for this award.
Betty Schroeder – LPN, Menno Home Winner of the EveryDay Champion Award
“Betty stepped up in the absence of our RCC and has been there for each staff member asking what can be improved and takes complaints and solves problems very effectively. It’s always a pleasure knowing that when Betty is here working that there will be a calmness on our floor.”
Living Our Values Award
The recipient of the Living Our Values Award was nominated because they are outstanding in their capacity to live out the values of Menno Place – Stewardship, Excellence, Respect, Values-Driven, Innovation, Compassion and Encouragement.
Two winners were chosen as both had significant nominations. Fredene Bishop and Karen Dyck are the winners.
Fredene Bishop – Housekeeper, Menno Home
Fredene is filled with compassion for the residents with whom she engages regularly in her work as a housekeeper. She makes time to converse, to pray, to assist with putting on a sweater or tying shoe laces. Fredene has a heart for ministry and has gone many times to Guatemala to share the love of Christ and His practical love for the poor. She has a joyous personality, magnetic smile, kind heart and love for the Lord that expresses the values of Menno Place every day though every small act of service.”
Karen Dyck – Food Services, Menno Hospital
Karen has worked at Menno her entire working career of 30+ years. She lives our values by caring for each and every staff member or resident that comes through the Fireside Café. She has the highest of standards for all the good that goes out of the Café and helps each year to design an interesting and tasty menu for all to enjoy. She was the person who developed the idea of having a “prepay card or tab” in the Fireside Café. How much easier that had made many of our lives by not having to run around with our wallet or always having to have cash on hand. She lives the “customer is always right” motto!
Creative Innovation
The Creative Innovation Award recognizes an employee of Menno Place for an idea or solution that has been approved by a supervisor and implemented in order to significantly improve operations or the quality of service for residents at Menno Place.
Sheila Maxfield – Recreation Aide, Menno Home – in photo above
Sheila’s job includes facilitating and implementing recreation programs at Menno Home. She provides leisure services to enhance the quality of life for residents to help relieve residents from loneliness and bordom. Sheila introduced the tablet, ipad to the residents and downloaded all music used in creative programming. She also provided step by step instructions for easy use for those technically challenged. She created new programs such as “Name that Tune”, “Guess the Genre of Music” and country themed music to the residents. She took the intiative on her own time to work on this project which has benefited the recreation staff and residents to help enhance all recreation music programs at Menno Home.