Commentary - Oh, what a year at Evansville nursing home

By Terrie Mohrmann, Evansville, MN

With today’s economy and the cuts that nursing homes have had to take, it is with much pleasure that I share my story with all of you; especially during this time of year when giving what you can is more dominant than any other time of year.

I work at the Evansville Care Campus and started my second time of employment there in January 2011. I had worked at Crestview Manor Nursing Home (its previous name) from 1991 to 2005 in the dietary department as an aide and cook and then as the dietary manager the last two years. Because I would not agree to manage Pelican Lake’s nursing home dietary department and also Crestview’s, I was told I would have to leave my position at Crestview Manor.

Pelican Lake Nursing Home in Ashby was a sister facility to Evansville’s Crestview Manor. This arrangement of managing two facilities by one person had been tried before and did not work. So, with a heavy heart and sadness, I had to leave my job in July of 2005.

Crestview Manor and Pelican Lake both had serious financial problems. I know the food supplier was way past due with payments and other departments were also not seeing payments being made. Soon, Pelican Lake closed its doors and the local talk was that it wouldn’t be long before Crestview’s doors also closed. Becoming unemployed was on a lot of people’s minds.

But then, Arlynn and Susie Johnson came into the picture. They purchased the home, changed the name to Evansville Care Campus, and have become permanent fixtures for the business.

Major repairs to the building, both inside and outside, began. Soon the inside became so pretty to the eyes with floors that sparkle so shiny you can see your own reflection in them, and everything is so clean and sanitary. The decorations are beautiful. The dining rooms are warm and glowing and residents’ rooms are gorgeous. The Evansville Care Center is beautiful and well maintained.

Arlynn and Susie help out every day that they can. Susie spent one weekend pulling weeds and cleaning flower beds. Arlynn has assisted in the dining room during special functions by delivering coffee and treats when residents celebrate birthdays. He sits and visits with families and laughs and listens to them with a kind heart.

Arlynn and Susie have saved a nursing home that was struggling to remain open. But, just as exciting to see, is that it is once again becoming the top-of-the-line in this area. When Crestview Manor was first built, it had the reputation of top-notch, but that faded away as financial problems mounted. Thanks to Arlynn and Susie, that wonderful reputation is returning.

The staff is caring and willing to help out wherever the need be. I hear people from Alexandria telling me how nice the Evansville Care Center has become. One person even told me that if she had to work again, she would want to work at the Evansville Care Center. That is so nice to hear. The staff and town of Evansville have Arlynn and Susie to thank for keeping the place in business and keeping jobs here.

Now, to top it off, on Friday, December 9, there was a note in the break room. It said after everything and everyone were paid, the Evansville Care Center had profited $31,000 for a 12-month period. A profit – yes – I said profit! It had been years since that had occurred.

Arlynn and Susie decided to give the entire profit amount back to the employees! I did a fast math calculation and knew that some workers were getting a huge bonus!

Later that day I got to personally thank Susie as I was working, and she was assisting at the residents’ Christmas party. She needed more punch and as she waited, we had a chance to talk. She asked me if I was surprised and when I told her I had almost started crying when I got my check, she stated, “It was so fun to do this!”

What a wonderful thing to say – they had “fun” doing it!

I just want everyone to know that Arlynn and Susie Johnson have kept a beautiful facility open and also have saved a lot of local jobs. I am so proud to be an employee at the Evansville Care Campus and thank the Johnsons from the bottom and also top of my heart! I know I write for many others, too. Also, a big thanks to Ardel Sterns for hiring me back!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Tags: opinion, commentary