Archive for category: News

Menno Place initiated the Team Member Appreciation Tea in February 2013 and holds this event annually.  This year it was held on March 28, 2017.  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 2016 candidates. These submissions truly reflect the wonderful people who work on Menno Place Campus.

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.

Ursula Batke – Reception, Menno Home   Winner of the EveryDay Champion Award

Ursula goes above and beyond  her job description in informing families with the information they need or a hug.  She has been known to come in outside her work hours to assist in emergencies.  She uses her talents to play piano at memorial services and at Christmas for singalongs.  She is helpful to all staff who enter her work area and is kind to the residents that come to her window.  She is a Menno hero.

Ursula is especially valued by the Recreation team as she is always going above and beyond to look out for us.  She greets our entertainers and organizes the money for our bus trips and special events.  Her compassion and respect for the residents is always eviden

We appreciate Ursula so much and we can’t thank her enough for all she does for us.

Ursula shows unusual compassion and care for residents, families, friends and staff.  Her sharp mind has caught things missed and keeps staff of many different departments organized when they may have forgotten important happenings in their day.  She connects and wishes us all a good day and is the smile up front that says all is well at Menno Home today.

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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.  Debbie Marshall  and Kim Powell are the winners.

Debbie Marshall – Health Care Aide, Menno Hospital

The Nominator wrote:    I am nominating Debbie Marshall for her excellent demonstration of the values we aspire to at Menno Place.  She is a compassionate and kind care giver who daily demonstrates respect to both her colleagues and the residents.  I have witnessed Debbie remain positive and keep the spirit of an open mind in the face of challenges.  Debbie is often used with the orientation of new hires and we get feedback from the new employees of the excellent orientation they feel they receive when partnered with her for orientation.  Debbie has also volunteered to be part of the infection control team to promote hand hygiene and encourages and practices best practice for the team.

Kim Powell – Employee Benefits / HR Coordinator

The Nominator wrote:  Kim is an excellent candidate for the “Living Our Values” award as she demonstrates kindness, compassion, excellence, encouragement and stewardship in her work at Menno Place.  Kim is respectful and thoughtful in her work with staff who are going through difficult situations that affect their lives and their work.  Whether helping them maneouver through to get their benefits, completing paperwork for disability or meeting to prepare for retirement or extended leaves, Kim is compassionate and is a great help during these difficult times.  Kim exhibits a true “servant” heart and strives to listen and understand those she is serving – the staff at Menno Place – in order to make their load a little lighter.

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 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.

Frank Rille – Maintenance, Menno Home

Frank created the design for the motorized laundry hauler. He used an electric wheelchair from our special equipment supply.  He used one  that was no longer rentable. The foot pad would be where the driver stands. The controller would be used to move forward, turn and slow down. There would be good ground clearance and the ability to support up to 200lbs of laundry which allowed for damp or wet laundry to be included in the load. Like a power wheelchair, this laundry hauler is able to cover a lot of territory with a battery that recharges and can drive for over 20kms between charging.

A completely efficient Power Laundry Hauler that is designed to move laundry in comfort and safety. It can move up to 200lbs of laundry without risk of injury to our team members. This has saved time and has made it possible to provide unlimited personal laundry services for our independent apartment tenants.

The Laundry Hauler is used three times per week to zip from one building to the next to collect soiled laundry and return clean laundry to tenants. It moves easily from outdoors to indoors allowing the laundry team to efficiently and safely collect personal laundry for transport to and from the laundry room. The Laundry Hauler travels four city blocks in each of its laundry rounds around the campus.

 

Gold Care Outage for MENNO PLACE CAMPUS on Wednesday April 5 from 3pm to 5pm

Kathrin McMath

Debbie Bracewell passed away March 19, 2017. She is remembered as a dear friend and vibrant Unit Clerk at Menno Home. Debbie served the seniors at Menno Home with love and compassion for 12 years.

Celebration of Life

Friday, March 31, 2017

Reception (Food & Snacks) @5:30pm

Celebration of Life @6:45pm

Ross Road Community Church
3160 Ross Rd, Abbotsford, BC V4X 1G4 | Directions

 

 

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MENNO PLACE TRIBUTE FOR DEBBIE BRACEWELL

We, the staff of Menno Place, all agree that Debbie Bracewell was one of the most positive people of our 600 member staff.  Debbie always had a radiant smile on her face.  She saw the silver lining in even the most difficult days.   Debbie was hard working and gave attention to detail.  She would tackle any project and make sure things were done just so.  She was always giving of herself.  She always spoke lovingly of her family and the Menno Place family.  She loved everybody unconditionally.  Many times she would phone over to her coworkers and say “just taking your temperature; how are you doing today?” She was so thoughtful to residents.   One time a resident was having a birthday and he did not have family. Debbie knit him a beautiful scarf, delivered it to him and sang him happy birthday.  She sang beautifully and we had the pleasure of listening to her singing many times.

Debbie would sing grace for the noon meals on West 2.  She would also sing for our Menno Place Memorial services.   She had the voice of an angel and gave great comfort to residents and their families.  She had a deep heart of compassion.   On a particularly sad day at work Debbie said: “we work at the gates of heaven.”  Debbie lived out her faith – you knew she loved the Lord.  She loved her Lord, her husband, her family, her friends and her “Home family” (residents and staff)”.  It’s hard to find words to express how much she meant – what a special woman she was; she will be greatly missed!  There are many more things we could say about Debbie.  We know that she is leaving a rich legacy behind and that she will shine through her children and grandchildren.  Debbie spoke about you often and was so proud of you.   Thank you for sharing Debbie with us.  We the staff, residents and volunteers of Menno Place, send you our heart- felt condolences.  And this verse from Revelation 14:13:   “Blessed are those who die in the Lord” “Blessed indeed,” says the Spirit, “for they will rest from their labours, and their good deeds follow them!”

COMMENTS FROM MENNO HOME STAFF:

What I would like to say-she was always very mindful of family and residents-always had a radiant smile on her face. and infectious laugh.  Very positive. Hard working, attention to detail. She loved her family very much-would talk about how family and grandchildren would come over for the weekend. Her faith was very important to her. She would sing at lunch time before a meal was served-she had the voice of an angel. She loved to wear blingy earrings, sparkly jewelry.  I remember how she needed the fan on all the time at the desk- I could not understand this until the past year when I started to get those lovely hot flushes too. It makes me smile.  She will be dearly missed. There are many more things I could say about Debbie-I know that she is leaving a legacy behind …she will shine through her kids and grandchildren.  Annette

Debbie was one of the most positive people I know; she was always able to see the silver lining in even the most difficult situation.  Bella

Debbie had a bubbly personality and she was giving of herself.   She always spoke lovingly of her family /Menno family and she loved everyone unconditionally.

At work she would tackle any project and make sure things were just so.

Many times she would phone over to her co- workers and say “just taking your temperature, how are you doing today?”

She was so thoughtful, one time a resident was having a birthday and he did not have family. She knit him a beautiful scarf, delivered it to him and sang him happy birthday.

She sang beautifully and we had the pleasure of listening to her singing many times.

Debbie was an awesome cook and many times she would tell me she was having her family in for dinner on the weekend. She would make a Currie or lamb. She even made cookies for the maintenance department.

On a particularly sad day at work Debbie told me “we work at the gates of heaven.”  Teresa

Debbie lived out her faith – you knew she loved the Lord.  With her beautiful voice she would sing with the residents, and also at many other occasions – at memorials, at special events – what a beautiful voice she had!  She loved her Lord, her husband, her family, her friends and her “Home family (residents and staff)”.  And what a beautiful laugh and smile she had, too.

It’s hard to find words to express how much she meant – what a special woman she was, she will be greatly missed!  Ursula

Menno Place staff are actively taking Violence Prevention Training – let’s hear what they have to say: