Ecumen’s Dena Meyer Named a Business Journal “40 Under 40” Honoree
Ecumen congratulates Dena Meyer, our Senior Director of Business Development, who is among the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal’s 2016 “40 Under 40” honorees.
Honoring D-Day: 70 Years Ago Today
On June 6, 1944, more than 160,000 Allied troops, 5,000 ships and 13,000 aircraft engaged with Nazi Germany on the heavily fortified beaches of Normandy, France. By the end of the day, the Allies had gained a foot-hold, allowing 100,000 soldiers to begin moving across Europe to defeat Adolf Hitler’s army. But the price was high. More than 9,000 Allied soldiers were killed or wounded. The video below, courtesy of USAA, tells the story of that day with dramatic film footage and poignant first-person accounts.
94 Year Old Graduates High School, 78 years later
Westford Academy in Westford, Mass.,will be graduating its oldest student on June 6. Genevieve Johnson will be celebrating her high school graduation at age 94. Seventy eight years ago Johnson dropped out of high school to help support her family during the Great Depression. Now she is determined to finish her high school education. Genevieve has become the talk of the school and fellow students love to interact with her. She stresses to her new high school friends the importance of an education and encourages them to stay in school. This Boston Globe article explains Genevieve's story.
Last Week's Top 5 Blog Posts- June 2
In case you missed one, here are the blog posts our online visitors found most interesting last week:
Ecumen's Plans for Senior Housing in Downtown Minneapolis Reported in Business Journal
Ecumen Century Club: Happy 102nd Birthday Florence Hovda
Ecumen Century Club: Birthday Greetings to Althea "Babe" Maloney, Age 101
Ecumen Century Club: Happy 101st Birthday Elrose Milverstedt
Honoring Our Soldiers on Memorial Day
To read more Changing Aging blog posts or to learn more about Ecumen, please visit ecumen.org!
Honoring Our Soldiers on Memorial Day
Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty.
—President John F. Kennedy, Jan. 20, 1961, Inaugural Address
Award-Winning Ecumen Communities Recognized at May Leadership Conference
Twenty-three Ecumen sites with outstanding achievements in 2013 were recognized at a presentation ceremony at the Leadership Conference held on May 6 in Brooklyn Center, Minn. Key areas of recognition were customer satisfaction, job satisfaction and stewardship. 
“The three key areas of stewardship, customer satisfaction and job satisfaction are how we ensure that Ecumen is delivering on our mission, our values and especially our promise to ‘innovate, empower and honor,’” Shelley Kendrick, Vice President of Operations at Ecumen, said.
The customer and job satisfaction rankings were tabulated by Pinnacle – a research company that regularly and anonymously surveys Ecumen stakeholders for feedback. Ratings are based on a scale of zero-to-five, with five being the best possible score.
“The satisfaction ratings are tabulated in a way that levels the playing field between our smaller communities and our larger campuses,” Kendrick said. “It’s wonderful to see Ecumen locations from both rural and metro areas being recognized, as well as communities that are in Idaho and Tennessee.”
In the area of customer satisfaction, Ecumen Evergreens of Moorhead won first place in the Assisted Living category with a 4.72 rating (out of 5) and Ecumen Lakeshore won first place in the Skilled Nursing Facility category with a 4.73 rating. Ratings were based on Pinnacle survey ratings from customers and their families.
In the area of job satisfaction, Heritage at Irene Woods in Memphis took first place in Assisted Living with a 4.71 rating and Ecumen Pathstone Living won first place in the Skilled Nursing Facility Category with a 4.33 rating. Ratings were based on Pinnacle survey responses by employees.
In the listing that follows, all winners are shown by category:
Customer Satisfaction – Assisted Living
1st place: Ecumen Evergreens of Moorhead, Moorhead, MN
2nd place: Ecumen Parmly LifePointes, Chisago City, MN
3rd place: Ecumen Lakeshore, Duluth, MN (tie)
3rd place: Lakeview Senior Housing, Balaton, MN (tie)
Customer Satisfaction – Care Center
1st place: Ecumen Lakeshore, Duluth, MN
2nd place: Ecumen Pathstone Living, Mankato, MN
3rd place: Sunnyside Care Center, Lake Park, MN
Job Satisfaction – Assisted Living
1st place: Heritage at Irene Woods, Memphis, TN
2nd place: The Harbor at Peach Village, Norwood Young America, MN
3rd place: Ecumen New Richland, New Richland, MN
Job Satisfaction – Care Center
1st place: Ecumen Pathstone Living, Mankato, MN
2nd place: Ecumen Detroit Lakes, Detroit Lakes, MN
3rd place: Ecumen Lakeshore, Duluth, MN
Sixteen sites were recognized as “MVP Communities” for meeting their financial stewardship goals in 2013. They are Ecumen Bethany Community, Alexandria; Ecumen Centennial House, Apple Valley; Ecumen CountrySide, Owatonna; Ecumen Lakeshore, Duluth; Ecumen LeCenter; Ecumen Mapleton; Ecumen Meadows, Worthington; Ecumen Oaks and Pines, Hutchinson; Grand Village, Grand Rapids; Heritage Senior Living, Park Rapids; Ecumen Lakeview Commons, Maplewood; Luther Park at Sandpoint, Idaho; Ecumen Pathstone Living, Mankato; Ecumen Scenic Shores, Two Harbors; Ecumen Brooks, Owatonna; and The Harbor at Peace Village, Norwood Young America.
On National Nurses Day: Honoring Anne Diekmann, Exemplary Ecumen Nurse
Anne is one of Ecumen’s approximately 2,800 nurses and nursing assistants. Today we honor them — and all nurses — for the care they give so selflessly and the positive difference they make in people’s lives every day. Read more about why Anne chose working in senior care over a hospital.
Bertha Smith, First Black Teacher in Minneapolis School District, Remembered as Pioneer and Role Model
Bertha Smith, the first black teacher in the Minneapolis School District, is being remembered by local leaders as an extraordinary educator, tireless volunteer and dedicated community advocate. Smith, a resident at Ecumen Prairie Lodge, passed away on Friday, April 18, at the age of 94. Our condolences to Bertha's family, friends and all those who were influenced by her.
Ecumen is honored to share Bertha's story, as told in this Star Tribune obituary, "Bertha Smith Broke Down Barriers in Minneapolis Schools."
Young Man's 89-Year-Old Prom Date Gets a Standing Ovation
Austin Dennison didn't ask his high school sweetheart to prom. Nor did he ask a celebrity via Twitter. Austin, a "kind of fellow who looks like he just stepped out of central casting," asked his 89-year-old great grandmother to his senior prom. And she said yes. You can read the full story in this Fox News Article: "Teenager Takes His Great-Grandmother to Prom."
Last Week's Top 5 Blog Posts - April 28
In case you missed them, here are the blog posts our online visitors found most intereesting last week:
Ecumen's Corporate HR Team Takes Big Lessons from an Afternoon at Feed My Starving Children
Ecumen Job Openings Now on Twitter
Honor: Seven Teachings on a Life Well-Lived from Sen. Nancy Brataas and Her Daughter Anne
Thankful Family Honors Grand Village Caregivers
Ecumen Prairie Lodge: Anisah's Rich, Full Life (Video)
For more information about Ecumen or its 37 locations, please visit ecumen.org.