Category: Newsletter

St Luke's Home Newsletter June 2021 Fond Farewell It is with mixed emotions I report that I have decided not to extend my 2020-2021 CEO contract with St Luke's Home. My time here has been an amazing and life-changing experience. It has been a great pleasure to become friends and an advocate to our beloved Elders; to watch the professional growth of our incredible and compassionate staff; and to get to know the St Luke's Home families, especially our caring donors. These last two years, we have made great infrastructure improvements on staffing leadership, technological upgrades, budget savings, record keeping, safety, and donor communications. But our biggest success together is beating the odds of COVID-19. St Luke’s Home has surpassed all measurable statistics on the effects of COVID-19 in Long…

St Luke's Home Newsletter March 2021 Honoring 102 Years of the Baile Since its launch in 1919, the Baile has been so well-organized by the big-hearted and hard-working women of the Board of Visitors that it quickly became the Event of the Season. Known for its glorious color and richness in culture, the Baile holds the trophy as the longest running annual social gala in Tucson, Arizona. In 2020 and 2021, the COVID pandemic gave rise to myriad of new safety precautions, including the cancellation of in-person events such as the Baile. For the 102nd Baile, in lieu of a beautiful ball, St Luke’s Home has gathered a variety of photos, articles, and advertisements, all courtesy of the Board of Visitors and their tireless archival efforts, to create a photo…

    St Luke's Home Newsletter February 2021 CEO Report I hope you and your loved ones are well. St Luke’s Home is excited to announce CVS Health came to the Home on February 10, 2021 to administer the first round of the Moderna vaccinations. The second doses are scheduled for March 10, 2021, with an extra date on April 7, 2021 – just in case someone misses one of the previous dates.   Everyone is feeling well and excited to get the second dose. There have been several questions on when St Luke’s Home will be back to “normal.”  Firstly, I am unsure what “normal” will look like.  Secondly, I continue to sit on local committees with the Pima County Health Department, receiving weekly updates on the vaccination roll out…

St Luke's Home Newsletter January 2021 CEO Report Happy New Year, Friends! 2020 felt like the longest year on record because of the ongoing pandemic, but we made it through. It was tough for our Elders not to hug their loved ones regularly throughout the year and especially during the holidays, but they all remain free from the virus. We have missed our dedicated volunteers, but the staff continue to go above and beyond their normal duties to fill in the gaps as best we can. Without all the fundraising events, we saw some concerning financials, but our generous donors helped St Luke’s Home.  2020 was a year of patience, compassion, and fortitude, and we made it! In this issue, I hope you enjoy the article with our Best of 2020…

  St Luke’s Home Newsletter December 2020 Holiday Greetings from the CEO Happy Holidays, friends. I hope you and your loved ones are healthy and enjoyed your Thanksgiving. For me, this time is for reflection and gratitude towards others. This year is no different; however, it puts things into a different perspective. As CEO, my foremost role has been to keep the Elders safe from COVID-19. With this decision has come many difficult choices. Love ones not being able to touch one another. Not being able to enjoy the familiar scent of one another or hear a clear voice without the static of technology. Sure we held a wonderful parade in May, the Hug Tunnel in August, and many telephone, video, and window visits. I truly understand it’s not the…

  St Luke’s Home Newsletter November 2020   Halloween was a Spook-tacular Day! Elders and staff bonded over gobbling goodies, crooning tunes, and dizzy dancing at our Halloween Party this year, with Kidd Squidd as DJ and Selina the Head Chef as Captain COVID-Killer! It was a fiesta full of giggling ghouls, sweets, and superheroes, complete with lightsaber duels, Dracula vs Jason, and a poor piñata that did not survive the day.     University of Arizona Students Continue Supporting our Elders -- Zoom style! Over the years, the University of Arizona has remained one of St Luke’s Home’s most vital partners by enriching the physical and emotional health of our community. Typically, hundreds of faculty and students become part of our daily flow. It is a sight to behold when…

  St Luke’s Home Newsletter October 2020   First Annual Silver Chef Culinary Competition Winner!  St Luke’s Home is proud to announce the WINNER of the first annual Silver Chef Culinary Competition, our own Selina Miramontes! It was a very hot afternoon as executive chefs added the final touches to their delicious hors d’oeuvres. The star-studded panel of judges tasted each offering, scored each dish independently, and commented favorably about the offerings. Viewers of this fine event were able to vote for the People’s Choice in Best Presentation, choosing Erich Border from the Hacienda at the Canyon as the winner. This year’s competing chefs were exceptionally talented and a number of them had over 20 years of experience. Thank you for your patience with the technical difficulties during the event.…

  St Luke’s Home Newsletter September 2020 CEO Report I hope everyone is staying healthy. Once again, I am pleased to announce that NO Elder at St Luke’s Home has tested positive for COVID-19. Our early restriction policies and stringent cleaning practices have kept everyone healthy. On August 28, 2020, the Arizona Department of Health Services released COVID-19 Guidance for Visitation at Congregate Settings for Vulnerable Adults and Children. Although I am grateful for Governor Ducey’s Long Term Care (LTC) Task Force recommendations on reopening LTC communities and introducing face-to-face visits with loved ones, there continue to be questions about the recommendations. St Luke’s Home will continue to research guidelines and maintain all current practices while re-evaluating the recommendations weekly. At this time, due to the Pima County loosening restrictions,…