When it matters most, it’s comforting to know somebody has your back.
As an automated logistics specialist for the Minnesota Army National Guard, Kali Blaeser knows the importance of teamwork.
As the administrator at Good Samaritan Society – Specialty Care Community in Robbinsdale, Minnesota, she sees it in action every day.
“Senior care is rewarding in general,” Blaeser said. “But getting to give back to kind of a niche population, every day is different. Every day is interesting.”
The administrator’s background helps her meet the interesting parts of the job.
“I can definitely say her military background shows on her day to day,” said senior director of long-term care Matt Trammel. “She has a high bar for what she expects out of her leaders and her staff to make sure that we’re providing a high level of care for those we serve.”
Service runs in Blaeser’s family. Her brother is also in the National Guard, her father served in the Marine Corps for 26 years, and her grandfather was in the Army.
Blaeser, as they say, fell in line.
“I graduated from high school on a Sunday,” she recalled nine years later. “I went to Eau Claire (Wisconsin) and signed up for my classes on Wednesday. I had my grad party on Thursday, and I shipped out that Friday for basic training.”
Answering the call to help at home
When Blaeser shipped out last year for a Basic Leader Course in Utah, she knew who would take command here at home, handling the demands of day-to-day nuance.
“Really, it was just ‘Where do you need me and when do you need me there?’” said Trammel. “We’re here to serve. I think it’s just one way I can give back to our veterans and our current service members and people that are in our care.”
Taking on Blaeser’s role for roughly a month, he answered the call admirably. So much so that Blaeser was able to focus entirely on her training without worrying about how things were going in Robbinsdale.
“There were things that I didn’t even know about until I came back. Everything was taken care of when I came back,” Blaeser said. “It wasn’t just nice for me. It was nice for the team here to have.”
Added Trammel: “It’s easy when I cover for Kali because she has such a good team.”
Patriot Award honors support for those who serve
To show her appreciation, Blaeser nominated Trammel for the Patriot Award, given out by ESGR (Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve).
The award recognizes supervisors who go above and beyond to support National Guard or Reserve members before and after their deployment. That includes things like flexible schedules, time off prior to and after deployment, caring for families and granting leaves of absence if needed.
“I think he was kind of surprised because initially he was like, ‘This is for Good Sam, right?’” said Blaeser. “I was like, ‘No, this is for you.’”
Trammel admits he was indeed surprised.
“It was very nice of her, but I would do this every year that she needs to go away without hesitation,” he said.
“For Matt to actually step in and support me instead of just saying, ‘How can I support you?’ – to actually support me – is what meant a lot to me,” Blaeser said.
For Trammel, it comes down to serving others.
“We serve veterans in all of our communities here within Minnesota and within the entire Good Sam and Sanford (footprint),” Trammel said. “It’s just my way I can give back and serve them the way they sacrificed for our freedom and for us.”
‘I get to continue the legacy’
Trammel’s dedication makes it easier for Blaeser to fulfill her desire for duty. She feels the camaraderie every day at Specialty Care Community, especially when she visits the third floor.
“We have a lot of veterans up there and I feel like it connects me to them in a way,” she said.
It’s a connection that touches the spirit, like a piece of artwork that lives in Blaeser’s memory.
“I saw a painting one time that was a watercolor of service members. And then there was a reflection, and it was them when they were older. It reminded me of the residents here,” Blaeser said. “It’s important to me because I feel like I get to continue the legacy of my family, but I also get to continue the legacy that some of my residents have got to build. It’s really honorable.”
Learn more
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Posted In People & Culture, Senior Services, Specialty Care, Veterans
