Team Member Appreciation Tea – Award Winners for 2018
On Tuesday, February 12th, Menno Place held our 6th annual Menno Place Team Member Appreciation Tea. During this time, we recognize and honour the staff of Menno Place for:
- Excellent Attendance
- Service Awards (5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40 years of service)
- Special Awards: Safety Champion; Creative Solutions; Living Our Values
Karen Baillie, CEO, delivered an encouraging speech (click to read) outling the incredible response that Menno Place had to our nominations process. This year, we had 82 nominations for staff in all special award categories with half of these coming from residents and families. Thank you to all who nominated our staff. All nominees were sent a letter inviting their participation in the Menno Place Team Member Awards and were given the words of recognition written by their nominators. There were 10 nominees for the Safety Champion Award, 10 nominees for the Creative Solutions Award and 62 nominees for the Living Our Values Award! Congratulations to all who were nominated in these categories (see below for list of names).
How were the winners in these special award categories chosen? The Leadership Team met and heard all of the nominees words for each category. They were not told anything about the nominator or the nominee. They did not know the name of the nominator, role of nominee nor name of nominee. The Leadership Team chose from this process the outstanding nominee to be recognized in the category.
Special Award Winners:
Safety Champion Award 2018 – Barbara Boulter
The Safety Champino is recognized by your peers as having a positive influence and commitment to promoting safe work practices at Menno Place.
Barb is committed to safety and deserves the Safety Champion Award. She supports Safety by being an active member on the Menno Hospital JOHS Committee. She has motivated and coached her department to do safety training and has training on how to do Safety Inspections.
She is on top of reporting Near Misses in order to be proactive in avoiding accidents.
Other team members go to her when they have safety concerns and she is a great advocate for safety here at Menno Place.
Thank you – Barb, for your commitment to safety which supports the value of excellence at Menno Place and Congratulations on winning the Safety Champion Award!
Barbara serves as a Housekeeper in Menno Hospital.
Creative Solutions Award 2018 – Claire Colvin
The Creative Solutions Award is given in appreciation for outstanding efforts and innovation that have significantly improved the quality of service at Menno Place.
Claire has created many organized solutions that make the residents and family members at the Apartments very happy! They say that she has a system for the guest suites that makes it much easier to schedule a visit and book a suite. They don’t have to worry about getting keys to the guest suite or arriving after hours with the system that Claire has in place. It all runs so smoothly – and they notice that. On top of this, Claire is a compassionate person and the nominators love interacting with her. They notice that Claire speaks gently and respectfully to residents even when they approach her desk multiple times each day with the same questions and issues. Claire’s creativity, organization and interactions with our residents has not gone unnoticed!
Thank you – Claire, for your commitment to creatively improving systems – this supports the value of innovation and excellence at Menno Place. Congratulations on winning the Creative Solutions Award!
Claire serves as a receptionist at The Apartments.
Living Our Values Award 2018 – Dale Carlisle
This award acknowledges an individual who shows commitment to living the values of Menno Place which are Stewardship, Excellence, Respect, Values Driven, Innovation, Compassion and Encouragement.
Dale’s way of living our Menno Place values was noticed by many people in both Home and Hospital. The residents look forward to their time with Dale– not only for the walking program, but because the love the friendship and conversation that goes along with it. Dale is respectful and enjoys listening to their stories. Dale gives residents choices and is always coming up with new ideas on how to engage those he serves. Dale goes above and beyond in his commitment to providing a better quality of life for the residents. One time, the story is told, a resident shared her story of how she used to make her own noodles and would love to taste them again. Dale went out and bought all the noodle supplies and stayed after work to make noodles with this resident. She was delighted and grateful and Dale learned how to make noodles!
Dale includes residents who aren’t in the walking program in conversation and friendship. He loves to get out on the Duet bike and take a ride down memory lane with a gentle breeze on their hair and faces. You bring such joy, Dale!
Dale runs the men’s club at Menno home and this is another time for friendship and meaning. The comradery of the group is meaningful and makes all the difference to the men who join in the program.
This past Christmas, Dale purchased a plush sleeping and breathing puppy for the residents – he wanted to see if it would calm and engage the residents who have dementia. He really cares.
Dale, you are an encourager, a positive member of our team, a friend, a motivator, a selfless caregiver and a man who lives from the heart! You truly understand “person-centered care” and we thank you for Living Our Menno Place Values!
Congratulations Dale for winning the 2018 Living Our Values Award!
Dale serves as a Rehab Therapist at Menno Home and Hospital.
Living Our Values Award 2018 – Nik Van Egdom
This award acknowledges an individual who shows commitment to living the values of Menno Place which are Stewardship, Excellence, Respect, Values Driven, Innovation, Compassion and Encouragement.
Nik, those who nominated you speak of the caring way that you treat everyone. They notice how you give them respect, even when they are shy to ask about technical support for their TVs. You spend your own time after hours helping so many of the Apartments residents with tech support. You fix Bluetooth connections, headphone connections, printers, email and many, many computer updates. It is almost a daily event for you to re-set the Input on a resident’s remote so that they can watch TV once again.
On the hottest day this past summer, a resident was expecting to move from one apartment suite to another. Without notice and with no family support, she was admitted to the Hospital. Nik rallied a team of colleagues who moved her entire apartment suite that day. He found a temporary home for her pet rabbit. He communicated with her while in hospital which helped her to manage her anxiety about it all. It was incredibly hot – one of the hottest summer days and yet, without Nik’s leadership and support, her move would have been impossible.
Nik has a great sense of humor and many residents anticipate stopping by his office in the Terrace West hallway just to have a chat and a laugh. He is known for walking really quickly through the buildings, but always has time to stop and listen.
Like Dale, Nik shares his love of cooking with the residents – exchanging recipes and baking bread for residents and staff on his days off.
Nik lifts spirits and he encourages family members and residents in a major transition to living on a campus of care.
Nik, who began as a casual cook at Menno Place, moved into the position of Receptionist and then to Life Enrichment Coordinator. He is a problem solver, a “yes-we-can” member of our team and a reliable support in time of transition for residents and families alike.
In the past three months, along with the other teams at Menno Apartments, Nik has transitioned 21 residents out of the Apartments and moved 21 new residents in. This means dealing with a different family situation and effectively supporting residents and their families in a transition every 1.5 days.
This intensive season involves investing himself in each new person’s life, learning their story, sharing their losses and welcoming them to their new home at Menno Place.
You shine in your work, Nik, and this has not gone unnoticed as you were nominated by staff, residents and family members. We thank you for living our Menno Place values!
Congratulations, Nik for winning the 2018 Living Our Values Award!
