Riderwood Residents Contribute Over $384,000 to Hourly Staff for Answering the Call of Service

SILVER SPRING, MD—Whether it’s lending a hand with a project or serving a meal in one of the campus restaurants, the hourly employees of Riderwood retirement community are “here whenever we need them,” according to resident Pat Davis.

It is their service and dedication that residents recognize through the Erickson Living community’s Staff Appreciation Fund.  The 2013 campaign, held October 21st-November 8th, raised $384,819; this amount represented gifts from more than 1,800 individuals.

On December 10th, 1,143 hourly employees received distributions from the fund, less taxes, at scheduled times throughout the campus.  Ms. Davis co-chaired the Staff Appreciation Fund Committee with fellow resident Jackie Pomeranz.  
“The theme of the 2013 campaign was ‘You Light Up Our Lives.’  We wanted not only to recognize staff for the many services they provide but also to show our appreciation for their spirit,” described Ms. Davis.  “Each day our hourly employees perform a wide variety of tasks necessary to making such a large community function smoothly.  They do so with skill, enthusiasm and genuine commitment to the well-being of those who call Riderwood home.”

“We all have seen employees go out of their way to serve residents, listening patiently and expressing a deep level of caring.  Truly, they do light up our lives,” concluded Ms. Davis.

Mia Garrett agrees.  The Senior Human Resources Manager at Riderwood stated that “our hourly employees share their gifts to provide the residents a community that truly celebrates life.  It is very rewarding to witness the generosity of the residents in providing a direct expression of appreciation during the holiday season to these hard-working employees.”