TERRY SAYS GOODBYE
Growing dignity and independence 8333 S. Austin Ave. Burbank, IL 60459 10444 S. Kedzie Chicago, IL 60655 phone 773-941-4151 email info@gardencenterservices.org web www.GardenCenterServices.org
BOARD OF DIRECTORS President
John Dahlke
Vice President
Donna Blair
Treasurer
Anthony Di Miele
Secretary
Cindy Malloy
Members
Lisa Beemsterboer Shannon Benaitis Mary Gill Dr. Chris Grunow Rep. Fran Hurley Ava Rhodes - Smith Maria Zeimen, OSF
OUR MISSION Advancing lives of connection, contribution, and meaning for persons with developmental disabilities and the individuals that support them.
Terry will have served GCS as Director of Nursing for exactly 18 years when she retires at the end of June
It is fitting that Thursday, May 6th, begins National Nurses Week; because this week, we want to take time to thank our own Garden Center Services Director of Nursing, Terry Viebach, RN, for her years of service and her amazing support throughout this past year. Twenty-twenty was full of challenges Garden Center never faced before and hope to never face again. We are proud, with Terry’s support, to have made it through without loosing any of the people we serve to COVID.
Terry probably couldn’t have imagined the year before her retirement would be such a test, but it showcased her many gifts and her dedication to those we serve and their well-being; the same dedication that she has shown since she started at Garden Center almost 18 years ago. Besides making a difference for those supported at Garden Center, Terry has had an impact on the lives of many people both with and without disabilities across the state. She has been a nurse for 40 years, serving in the disability field for the past 26, and becoming a Certified Developmental Disabilities Nurse in 1998. Later, Terry served the Illinois chapter of the national organization that certified her in the field, the Developmental Disabilities Nursing Association (DDNA), as their Secretary and Treasurer for 15 years. Terry made one of her biggest impacts for people with disabilities in the state by taking on the role of Master Nurse Trainer for the State of Illinois where, for 12 years, she trained the nurses who provide care in the disability field; positively influencing the services for people with disabilities throughout Illinois for years to come. Terry will be retiring from Garden Center at the end of June and she will be greatly missed. Thank you for all you have done Terry, we wish you a very happy and well-deserved retirement! continued from page 1
locations. This past year has been an unimaginable, very challenging year. I am so pleased to share that by taking incredible precautions, utilizing very creative staffing schedules, scrupulously gathering all the necessary Personal Protective Equipment, and educating our staff on the latest CDC guidance, we have been able to come this far with only a handful of active cases, two hospitalizations, and no fatalities! I cannot say enough about our employees, up and down the line, that have moved me by the care, kindness, and dedication they have demonstrated. The joy and meaning that this position has brought into my life has been immeasurable. My life has been so enriched by the individuals we serve, by their families, by our supporters, and by the finest staff I have ever had the pleasure to work with. I am proud of what we have accomplished together so far, and am confident that we will continue to find ways to improve the quality of life for the persons we serve, and one another. I want to express my deepest gratitude to each of you and commit that I will strive to exhibit respect, empowerment, and compassion for you all as we continue on this journey together.
