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Tag: Thank You

New Beginnings

Fri, February 4, 2022 Published by

We are now well into 2022 and settling into what we are certainly anticipating will be a better year than 2021! For many, the start of a new year is a time to look forward, consider the possibilities that lie ahead, and make a resolution about things you would like to change. Sometimes these New Year’s resolutions are small tweaks you’d like to make to improve some aspect of your life. Other times, they are monumental shifts that you want or need to implement. There are a few key areas that might be worth adding to your list.

Share your time, talents, and treasure

We all have unique ways we can contribute to the betterment of the world around us, and the new year is the perfect time to start. Plus, several studies have found both physical and mental health benefits for seniors who volunteer with causes they care about.

There are near-countless ways to give of yourself to worthy groups and many of them are available through CareCorps here on campus. As we begin to restart many of our community outreach programs, tutoring at our local elementary and high schools, animal shelters, food pantries, blood drives, and community centers — just to name a few — are always looking for committed volunteers.

Not sure where you’d like to offer your time, talents, and treasure? Didi Cruz, CareCorps Volunteer Coordinator (x18526) is a great resource start your search.

Try something new

Want to learn to play the guitar? Take dance lessons? Start watercolor painting? Go hang gliding? Learn Italian? This is your year to resolve to try something new! And many of those opportunities are available through our LifeLong Learning program.

Focus on wellness

No matter your age, this is a perennial favorite when it comes to New Year’s resolutions. But the truth is: it’s always a good time to refocus on healthier lifestyle choices.

Maybe you could stand to lose a few pounds, exercise more often, or eat more healthfully. Perhaps you’ve been putting off that trip to the doctor or a preventative healthcare screening. Or it could be that you need to work on lowering your stress level or confronting your anxiety. Whatever wellness area you’ve been neglecting, commit to making a healthy improvement in 2022. It could improve your quality of life or even lengthen your life!

When was the last time you reviewed your personal legal documents including your power of attorney/healthcare proxy, advance directives, and will? For some, it may have been decades since these important documents were created, and a lot may have changed in that time.

Advance directives, sometimes called a living will, are documents that can help guide healthcare decisions made by doctors and loved ones should you no longer be able to voice your wishes for yourself.

If you need to change or update anything on your advance directives, it is best to complete a whole new document and give an updated version to your healthcare providers, attorney-in-fact (from your power of attorney), and other loved ones.

A will allows you to pass along your assets (tangible or monetary) to specific people or organizations after your death. Depending on your particular situation, wills can be very simple or very complex, but regardless, it is wise to review your will periodically to ensure it still reflects your wishes. Always work with an attorney should changes need to be made to a will.

Speaking of monumental shifts, this will also be a year of significant change for me. After six of the best and most meaningful years of my life serving the senior living community at Beatitudes Campus, as well as much prayer and deliberation, I am honored to have accepted the CEO position of another organization. Although I will be physically leaving next month my regard and admiration for this tremendous campus of residents and staff will never leave me. I hold the time spent here and the mission, vision and values that I have been able to enjoy, help refine and live as very dear. I am so happy to see all the progress that has been made and look forward to the completion of the redevelopment program.

I thank the board of directors, Michelle Just, President & CEO and all my colleagues for the opportunity to work with them as well as my cherished teams in Marketing, Sales, Outreach and Assisted Living. And my sincere thanks for all the many kindnesses that you have extended to me and for the many lifelong friendships that I will always treasure!

Commemorating Veterans Day

Sun, November 7, 2021 Published by

Each year in November the commemoration of Veterans Day gives us a time to stop and pause to remember and honor the sacrifices of those who have served in our armed forces. And what could be more appropriate than to read and reflect on excerpts from the following article “What is a Vet?” by a veteran, Father Denis Edward O’Brien. (I found the article among papers saved by my late husband Ed. Both he and Father O’Brien served in the U. S. Marine Corps in the South Pacific in WWII.)

Some veterans bear visible signs of their service, a missing limb, a jagged scar, a certain look in the eye, a piece of shrapnel in the leg—or perhaps another sort of inner steel: The soul’s ally forged in the refinery of adversity. Except in parades, however, the men and women who have kept America safe wear no badge or emblem. You can’t tell a vet just by looking. So what is a vet?

  • He is the cop on the beat who spent six months in Saudi Arabia sweating two gallons a day making sure the armored personnel carriers didn’t run out of fuel.
  • She or he is the nurse who fought against futility and went to sleep sobbing every night for two solid years in Da Nang
  • He is the POW who went away one person and came back another—or didn’t come back at all.
  • He is the three anonymous heroes in the Tomb of the Unknowns, whose presence at the Arlington National Cemetery must forever preserve the memory of all the anonymous heroes whose valor dies unrecognized with them on the battlefield or in the ocean’s sunless deeps
  • He is the old guy bagging groceries at the supermarket—palsied now and aggravatingly slow—who helped liberate a Nazi death camp and who wishes all day long that his wife were still alive to hold him when nightmares come.
  • They are ordinary and yet extraordinary human beings—individuals who offered some of their most vital years in the service of their country, and who sacrificed their ambitions so others would not have to sacrifice their own.

So remember each time you see someone who has served our country, just lean over and say “Thank You.”

As we remember veterans no longer with us with gratitude in our hearts and reach out to thank veterans still in our lives, we commemorate this Veterans Day with a special, heartfelt thanks to all veterans in our Beatitudes Campus community. Thank you for your service, indeed!

Life Enrichment: Beatitudes Art Show Recap

Wed, August 25, 2021 Published by

Thank you to all the participants of this past weeks Art show which was hosted on Friday, August 20 and Saturday, August 21. We had a great turn out with 75 people on the first day and 120 people on the second day. Our participating artist showcased there amazing talents which ranged from sculpting, painting, quilting and textiles. We had live music both days and live painters to accompany the art show.
Our campus houses some of the most creative individuals in Phoenix and this was great opportunity to display their talent for the rest of the campus to be inspired and motivated. We had a total of 15 artisans showcasing and many thanks go out to all the folks who submitted their work for the show.

Survey Says…

Fri, February 5, 2021 Published by

Residents will recall filling out an annual satisfaction survey in years past. This annual questionnaire is typically developed by Holleran, an organization that surveys Life Plan Communities like ours throughout the nation. This year, Beatitudes Campus has developed its own Independent Living resident survey tailored to the unique experiences of our community during the pandemic.

Living into the Promise

Fri, July 10, 2020 Published by

And then I thought of the staff I did not see, working behind the scenes, including those providing 24 hours-a-day service “behind closed doors” in our HCC and AL, truly serving on the front line. Again, a feeling of gratitude washed over me, and I realized I had begun repeating silently, like a mantra, “thank you for your service” for all of our over 400 employees.

Looking Forward to 2019

Sun, December 30, 2018 Published by

Happy New Year! I hope your holidays were filled with love and joy. I want to take this opportunity to express my sincere thanks to all of you for making Beatitudes Campus the wonderful, spirit-filled community it is. Your warmth and compassion for each other is inspiring. Your wisdom has taught me so much about living life to its fullest. You have blessed me with the lifelong gift of your friendship. Thank you!

Now that 2019 is upon us, many of us have resolved to change some of our “bad” habits and replace them with “good” habits. How did the tradition of New Year’s resolution even start? Some 4,000 years ago, the Babylonians rang in their new year by making promises to the gods in hopes they would earn good favor in the coming year. They often resolved to return borrowed items and get out of debt. The Romans began each year by making promises to the god Janus. During the Middle Ages, knights would renew their vows to chivalry and uphold the values of knighthood by placing their hand on a live or roasted peacock.

Things have come a long way since then! Modern new year’s resolutions became “a thing” in the 19th century. The first recorded use of the phrase “new year resolution” appeared in a Boston newspaper in 1813.

The tradition of making resolutions at the beginning of the year certainly can put a lot of stress on us – especially if we don’t keep them. Every year, in some way or another, I resolve to be a better person, get healthier, work less, save the world, become smarter, be more philanthropic, become more spiritual, engage more in the world around me – whew – what a tall order! And what a lot of pressure! By the end of the year, I usually haven’t fulfilled all of my resolutions in the way I imagined I would in January. Sometimes life doesn’t quite go the way I planned it to go. But by bending with the winds of change, I adapt to changing circumstances. But even then, that sometimes means I don’t accomplish my New Year’s resolutions. What if I could just lighten up a bit and allow myself to live each moment of every day fully – rather than pressuring myself and forcing change and feeling bad when the change doesn’t happen?

So, this year, my “un-resolution” is to resolve to get out of my own way and trust that the better version of me will come through when it’s ready to do so. I am hoping that taking time off from forcing change through new year’s resolutions will open new doors of discovery for me. And I’m excited! 2019 is going to be the best year yet – a year of incredible growth and evolution!

May the new year add a new beauty and freshness in your hearts.*

A Casino Christmas

Sun, December 9, 2018 Published by

Last Friday the campus Everett Luther Life Center was transformed into Vegas—well not exactly, but staff did enjoy the blackjack, roulette and craps tables that filled the room for this year’s Casino themed Employee Christmas Holiday Party. Fun was had by all who attended, and at the end of the night, four $100 gift certificates and two $250 gift certificates we given to six lucky winners of the evening.

Prior to the casino play, we had the opportunity to hear from Betty Henriques, Chairperson for the Employee Appreciation Committee, as she thanked the staff for their work and Barbara Carpenter, President of Residents Council, who read a beautiful poem written for our staff by Bob Longoni. On behalf of our entire staff, I thank you for your generosity this year in raising a record-breaking $165,000 to distribute to the team members* who live out our our Mission and Core Values each and every day for you. What a difference you make for them as well, especially during the holiday season with your holiday gift!

This special event also allows us to honor the milestone anniversaries for our staff. Please join me congratulating the following team members for their years of service and dedication:

Five Years
Christina Coffman
Angela Duran
Deborah Knaack
Terri Kosmulski
Denise Lenzi-Monson
Yolanda Mendoza
Edward Odom
Nycole Person

Five Years (Cont.)
Melissa Preston
Tiffany Reyes
John Sweeney
Sylvie Tchitchiama
Angela Yepez

Ten Years
Liudmila Bosovski
Mitch Bradshaw
Enrique Creach-Vargas
David Hinsley
Shirley Kendrick
Korry Nelson
Jon Schilling
Lori Wilson

Fifteen Years
Lori Eddings
Maria Flores
Moreen Helean
Sara Keeter
Scott Mardian
Ni Ni Mya

Twenty Years
Tena Alonzo
Kathy Amend
Leona Fox
Jamie Isabelle

Twenty five Years
Mary Long
Mark Trent

Thirty Years
Judy Orlando

Thirty Five Years
Karen Mitchell

 

The Employee Christmas party allows our team to come together for fun and fellowship as we celebrate our successes of the year. Thank you again for making the staff’s holidays so special.  May your season be merry and bright. *

 

Employee Appreciation Fund: There’s Still Time!

Mon, October 3, 2016 Published by

As you know, the staff and salon contractors at the campus cannot accept gifts or gratuities even though they provide excellent service year round.  If you appreciate their dedication and hard work, please consider a donation to the Employee Appreciation Fund of the Residents Council.  Your tax-deductible gift will be split among the staff the first week of December.  Donations can be made in the form of cash (please mark the envelope), check (made out to Beatitudes Campus Foundation and Employee Appreciation Fund in the memo section), credit card (Welcome Center, Billing Office, or Foundation Office), or you can sign up for a monthly donation with your bill in the Billing Office.  Last year, we were shy of our goal, please help us meet or beat the goal of $120,000 by donating before October 31, 2016.  Thank you for your generosity!

To date, there’s been $75,826 contributed (THANK YOU!) with a goal of $120,000. Help us reach our goal—contribute today! DEADLINE for contributions: Oct. 31, 2016.

Time To Celebrate You – Night and Weekend Beatitudians

Tue, July 5, 2016 Published by

Buckwald's Flag DisplayAs I walked around Campus on July 1st, I noticed the beautiful flag display at Buckwald’s to celebrate Independence Day.  That got me thinking, “Who puts these flags up?  Who takes them down after holidays?  Who keeps them in pristine condition?”  That led me to wonder further about who are all the night and weekend people around here that do so many tasks that I take for granted like, “Who comforts or entertains the residents that can’t sleep?  Who picks up the trash on the weekends?  Who washes the wheelchairs for the residents while they rest?  Who cooks, sets up, cleans up, and tears down the zillion meals, parties and events over the weekends?  Who cleans the carpets so that they smell amazing the next day?  Who sweeps all the slippery Arizona Yellow Bell blooms from the front sidewalk of HR and takes time clean our offices so we’re always putting our best foot forward?”  And the somewhat shameful answer is…I’m not really sure.

I’ve been here 11 years and I know most of you from general orientation, annual in-service trainings, and of course, our epic Christmas parties.  But how often do I swing in and see you or our residents on the weekends?  How often do I make a lap around Campus in the evenings before I go home to see how you’re all doing?  What’s the scoop on your family?  Or school?  Or your ridiculously cute golden retriever?  Again, I have to answer, somewhat shamefaced, that it’s not very often.  You are ALL amazing and should be thanked and celebrated much more often.

Enter…a new senior staff initiative.  Under the fearless leadership of our President and CEO Michelle Just and supported by all of our senior staff team, we (Allen Bloch, Barbara Wood, Cammy Clevenger, Cheryl Knupp, David Ragan, Ivan Hilton, Michelle Just, Peggy Roberts, Rod Bailey, Scott Mardian, Tena Alonzo, Valerie Cantrell, and me) will do more than talk about the wonderful staff and residents here, we will be on Campus more often on nights and weekends to check in with so many of you that we don’t see regularly – our Night and Weekend Beatitudians, Campus Angels, Behind-the-scenes Campus Ninjas that create an amazing experience for residents and guests long after the office lights have been turned off across Campus.  We also want to focus on touching base with more residents and family members that may be out and about on a weekend more often than during the week.

So don’t be alarmed when you see us on the weekends.  We will be rotating and coming in for a few hours each weekend.  Our plan is to visit with as many residents, family members, and staff as we can pack in and see how things are going and if you need anything.  We’ll check in with the Administration Receptionist when we arrive and they’ll have the schedule of who’s on deck that weekend.  We’ll enjoy a meal in one of our fabulous dining venues.  We’ll put in work orders for things if needed so they don’t have to wait until Monday.  We’ll note who’s jumping in and helping others, going above and beyond, showing our special brand of Radical Hospitality and Campus Core Values in action.  The goal is not to “audit” the Campus (although, since I personally know all the policies inside-out, I will notice dress code, parking, and smoking faux pas, so do keep following all those fun guidelines), the goal is to get to know our staff, residents, and family members better.  I have heard countless times in my tenure here from friends and family members, “I sleep so much better at night knowing my mom/dad/grandparent is at Beatitudes Campus.  Your staff do such a great job there, Tara.”  And as I puff up a little more from hearing those compliments, I say to them, “Yes they do.  Yes…they…do.”

We all feel better knowing the great work that goes on here 24/7.  Keep it up, Team Beatitudes!  We’re with you!