Good Samaritan Society volunteers win North Dakota award
‘Mom’s Garden Girls’ named Volunteer of the Year Award winner
BOTTINEAU, ND, March 2, 2023 – ‘Mom’s Garden Girls’ has been recognized as the 2023 North Dakota Long Term Care Association (NDLTCA) Volunteer of the Year Group Award Winner. For 23 years, the group has been volunteering at the Good Samaritan Society – Bottineau.
Known as ‘Mom’s Garden Girls’, its members include Vicki Brandjord, retired activity director Liz Miller and retired QAPI RN Patti Brosseau. As a symbol of Vicki’s love after her mother’s passing in 1999, Vicki and others built flower beds at Good Samaritan Society-Bottineau in her mother’s honor. For more than two decades, the volunteer group dedicates several days each month to maintaining the garden beds and visiting with residents.
“These amazing women truly embody the Good Samaritan Society’s mission of sharing God’s love through the work of health, healing and comfort,” said Good Samaritan Society-Bottineau administrator Megan Handelin. “Through the beauty of flowers and genuine conversations with residents and staff, ‘Mom’s Garden Girls’ bring so much love and happiness to our community. We are so fortunate to call them a part of our family and I hope their story inspires others to give back.”
Selection criteria includes:
- Volunteers’ involvement in activities which demonstrate how they help residents realize their potential
- Volunteers’ length and frequency of service
- Volunteers’ role in initiating new programs for residents
- How volunteers enhance the image of the long-term care profession
“Volunteers really bring so much heart, soul and excitement to a facility,” said Shelly Peterson, NDLTCA President. “We are thrilled to welcome volunteers back inside North Dakota’s long-term care locations. Mom’s Garden Girls’ dedication to making Good Samaritan Society-Bottineau’s grounds look beautiful through vibrant flowers is a shining example of the positive impact volunteers make on residents’ lives. They truly are an inspiration.”
Volunteers who have made significant contributions to the quality of life of long-term care residents will be honored at NDLTCA’s annual convention in Bismarck in May.
About the Good Samaritan Society
The Good Samaritan Society is one of the largest not-for-profit providers for senior care and services in the United States with more than 200 locations in 21 states. Its services include senior living, long-term care, rehabilitation therapy, home-based services and more. For 100 years, the organization has been dedicated to sharing God’s love through the work of health, healing and comfort. Learn more about the Good Samaritan Society at good-sam.com.
About Sanford Health
Sanford Health, the largest rural health system in the United States, is dedicated to transforming the health care experience and providing access to world-class health care in America’s heartland. Headquartered in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, the organization serves more than one million patients and 220,000 health plan members across 250,000 square miles. The integrated health system has 47 medical centers, 2,800 Sanford physicians and advanced practice providers, 170 clinical investigators and research scientists, more than 200 Good Samaritan Society senior care locations and world clinics in 8 countries around the globe. Learn more about Sanford Health’s commitment to shaping the future of rural health care across the lifespan at sanfordhealth.org or Sanford Health News.
