Heritage’s ‘happiest day of the year’ sees $189,765 given to employees
Disneyland bills itself as “The ‘Happiest Place on Earth’ but on one December day each year, The Heritage at Brentwood wears the title well. The 2021 edition came on Dec. 10, just in time for the holidays.
On Friday, over 170 non-exempt employees at the Brentwood senior living community received individual checks totaling $189,765. Each year since 2008, Heritage residents have made direct donations into the annual Resident Gift Fund to thank individual employees for the services they provide throughout the year in the no-tip community.
Over the course of an hour, Resident Council Chairman Nancy Carey introduced employees one-by-one as they received envelopes from 2021 Resident Gift Fund chairperson, Darnelle Lacher.
Thirteen employees received an additional $200 each for 10-plus years of service. They include Culinary Services’ Estela Curiel Munoz (14), Edgwin M. Garcia (10) and Executive Chef Leslie Hurst (11); Environmental Services’ Robert Covington (12) and Angerae Moore (11); General/Administrative Services’ Kevyn Burris (13) and Becky Fragasse (10), and Facilities and Maintenance’s Tracy Gambill (10), Henry Garcia (10) and James Webb (14).
Somerfield Health Center employees recognized for 10-plus years of service include Almaz Awalom (14), Jessica Browning-Horner (11), Gail Dorsey (10), Tracey Gaines (14), Kimberly McClain (12) and Angela Powers (14).
In addition, 36 employees each received an extra $100 for five-plus years of tenure.
Just prior to the check presentations, resident Diane Jordan recited, “Gratitude for Heritage Heroes!”, a poem she composed at the height of the Covid pandemic just prior to the 2020 Resident Gift Fund distribution which for the first time did not happen in person.
The closing verse is this:
You Heritage Heroes are simply the best!
You’re keeping us healthy and happy and blest.
You’ve helped us to exercise, taught us new skills,
And fixed our technology, cared for our ills.
You’ve helped us to sing and to learn and to laugh,
So once again, THANK YOU, dear Heritage Staff!
Resident Carl Moeck served on the gift fund committee with Carey and Lacher. Long-time resident Dorothy Weaver, Pinnacle Financial Partners’ Tiffany Jones and Heritage Director of Finance Robert Hagen also helped the effort.
For more information on The Heritage at Brentwood, situated on 48-acres in the heart of Brentwood, call 615-507-2686 or visit TheHeritageLCS.com.
