GORE BAY—Staff employee Leo Orford and Myrtle Marknette, a resident of the Manitoulin Lodge Nursing Home in Gore Bay, have both received prestigious awards from Jarlette Health Services.
“On behalf of our team, the broader Jarlette Health Services family, and our friends and partners at SilverFox Pharmacy, it is a sincere pleasure to welcome everyone to this year’s celebration of the Making a Difference awards,” said JaimeLynn Kalmikov, administrator of the Lodge.
“A highlight of our year, each October is this special celebration of the Making a Difference Awards,” said Ms. Kalmikov. “The inspiration for these awards comes from our founders, Alex and Roberta Jarlette, and our organizations’ purpose, which is to make an outstanding difference in the lives of others. And while we are celebrating our own resident and team member today, these awards are celebrated at this time of the year across the Jarlette Health Services family of long-term care homes and retirement lodges.”
“Here and now, however, we are celebrating two deserving individuals from our own home,” said Ms. Kalmikov. “A resident will receive the Making a Difference Award itself and a team member will receive the Roberta Jarlette Award, which honours the purpose and spirit of Roberta Jarlette.”
Video greetings were presented by Harrison Jarlette, director of accounting and administration, and from Girish Bansal, chief executive officer of SilverFox Pharmacy.
“Residents, staff and visitors it gives me great pleasure to present this Roberta Jarlette Award to a very deserving team member,” stated Gloria Hall, life enrichment coordinator of the Lodge. “This person started his journey with us on December 7, 1997. This is none other than Leo Orford. Before starting here, he took great care of his mother making sure all her needs were met. Great training for what he was about to embark on.”
“Leo is a very hard worker as a personal support worker here,” said Ms. Hall. “When I asked the staff and residents to tell me a little about him, the first comments were a great dude, a compassionate and very caring guy. He understands the residents’ rights and is always advocating for them. He knows the rules and tries to abide by them. He makes himself available to residents, family and staff. He will spend the time needed with a resident and their family in any situation to ensure proper care and their needs are met.”
“He has a good rapport with residents and families,” said Ms. Hall. “He even responds to whatever name a resident may call him, like Jeff or Dr. Leo,” she quipped. “He is a great leader, willing to train new staff.”
“Leo also takes great care with the new staff, training them, asking them if they need anything, answering all their questions and making sure they know how everything works at Manitoulin Lodge,” continued Ms. Hall. “As a newcomer to Manitoulin, Leo guided and provided teaching to me in every step of training. A true character of a leader.”
“Leo is extremely compassionate, always willing to go the extra mile even when we have a resident who is palliative, staying past his shift to provide extra care,” said Ms. Hall. “Leo takes working here very seriously. He is a great team player. He is involved in many committees. He is our Tena King, making sure everyone who requires one has a comfortable product to wear. He has been involved in our joint health and safety committee. He continues to be in charge of mask fit testing, which he has done for many years. He is always checking in on all his coworkers. If anyone is sick, he makes sure they are okay and to see if there is anything they need.”
“Besides working as a personal support worker, he also finds the time to be the president of CUPE, a position he values and does a great job with,” continued Ms. Hall.
“It gives me great pleasure in presenting this very deserving award to Leo Orford who you can see goes above and beyond, is loved and respected by many. Congratulations,” stated Ms. Hall.
Ms. Hall went on to explain, “every year we are asked to choose a resident for the ‘Making a Difference Award.’ This is a very hard decision as most residents make a difference in their own way.”
“This year our resident was born on October 7, 1936, on a family farm in West Bend, Saskatchewan. She is the 11th in a family of 13. She is none other than Myrtle Marknette,” said Ms. Hall.
Ms. Marknette went to school in Horse Lake, Saskatchewan. She had many jobs over the years, eventually leaving for Ontario in 1956, where she worked at Agriculture Canada in health of animals in Toronto.
“She met her husband in Toronto and they were married in 1960. Myrtle and Aubrey had no children but shared Robyn with Edna, her sister, and Merv. Plus, she loved all her nieces and nephews,” continued Ms. Hall. “They bought their home in Mississauga in 1973.” Myrtle retired at the age of 55.
“Myrtle has had many hobbies over the years. She was a member of the 50s club, the bowling league, ladies card club and trips to the casino. She would make lots of trips to Manitoulin to attend family functions. Myrtle would take over making sure everything went well and smoothly,” said Ms. Hall.
“After her beloved husband passed away in 2022, Myrtle moved to Manitoulin to live with her sister Edna. She lived with Edna until she joined us in August 2022.”
“Myrtle soon became good friends with several residents. She helps to make sure all the laundry is neatly folded. She makes several trips to check that everything is looking great,” explained Ms. Hall. “Myrtle is involved in many activities, making sure other residents are aware of what is happening and where. She is very involved in resident and food council meetings often having ideas and suggestions to share.”
“You can often find her sitting at the end of the hall with other residents, shooting the breeze or watching for deer,” said Ms. Hall. “Myrtle also loves to share her recipes with us, making perogies and cabbage rolls for all to enjoy at supper.”
“She also helps with supper club and baking, often doing up the dishes and cleaning up,” continued Ms. Hall. “Myrtle is always asking how everyone is and if there is anything she can do.”
Ms. Hall also shared that Ms. Marknette, “loves to share her colouring with us. She even won first place at the fair this year.”
“It gives me great pleasure to present this well-deserved award to Myrtle Marknette,” added Ms. Hall.
