Very few outcomes of the COVID pandemic have been favourable. Yet the confines of social isolation and travel and gathering restrictions have fuelled the desire to live in a smaller, more rural community, to support those that live within it, and to enjoy our own backyards.
Every year, Jarlette Health Services honours a resident and an employee from each of their retirement and long term care homes to receive an award sponsored by Silverfox Pharmacy. The MADA (Making a Difference Award) is given to a resident who has made an outstanding difference in the lives of others in their community through volunteering or their vocation. The Roberta Jarlette Award (RJA) recognizes exemplary employees who demonstrate the Jarlette Health Services values to treat people with respect, be proactively accountable and responsible, and to do the right thing.
This year, the Southampton Care Centre nominated resident June Fotherby as the MADA recipient and PSW Andrea Hemstock as the RJA winner to celebrate the difference they have made in the lives of others.
A special ceremony was held at the Care Centre on Wednesday November 3rd with the home’s managers, the award winners and a few of their family members. Joining the festivities virtually to show support and recognition were; Judy Maltais, Jarlette Health Services, Saugeen Shores Mayor Luke Charbonneau, Vice Deputy Mayor Mike Myatt and Southampton Councillor Cheryl Grace. Both June and Andrea received their award certificates and gifts. A donation in June’s name was also given to the G.C. Huston School Breakfast program.
Coined by local media as “Southampton’s Mrs. Heritage”, June Fotherby, a Southampton Care Centre resident, has done this throughout her lifetime, making a difference in the lives of others in this community that she so frequently celebrated.
June was the second of five children born in Thistletown near Toronto in 1934 to Illa and Robert Pentney. Her mother was a busy housewife and her father a war veteran and carpenter by trade. June and her family loved the outdoors and often camped in Algonquin until they discovered the beauty of Southampton. Although she did not finish high school, June worked hard as a secretary and had a fascination with genealogy. One day at her parents’ home, there was a knock at the door from a handsome door-to-door salesman named Jack Fotherby. The couple were instant companions and were quite smitten. They married young in 1952, not because they had to but because they did not want to wait. Jack’s parents actually had to sign to give him permission to wed his lovely June who was already 18.
Jack and June enjoyed their young married life, Jack worked at De Havilland and June at Eatons. All of their five children were born in the city but the Fotherbys wanted a quieter life. After camping nearly every weekend at the Southampton campground, the family followed June’s parents and moved to a plot on Turner St in 1967 where they built their home. Jack commuted to Toronto for five years then landed a job at the CAW. June was busy at home raising their five children but also worked at the old Red & White grocery store and later as a bookkeeper at Eagleson’s Furniture and then the Funeral home.
June settled into community service in Southampton, continuing on as a Brownie Leader from her role in Downsview and Cookstown. Her love of history and genealogy however were the driving force behind her extensive involvement in fundraising and promoting the small town.
June has been a member of the Cham-bettes, a women’s service club since 1968. She became active in the Chantry Island chapter in 1984 where she chaired many different events and held many different posts on the executive and acted as President twice. 100% of all funds raised by the Cham-bettes go back to the community including hospitals, schools, youth organizations, the Plex, the Bruce County Museum, libraries, the Medical Center, Bruce County Women’s House, Prance, the Chantry Seniors Centre, the Accessible Park, the Dog park, the Skateboard park, and of course the Chantry Island Restoration Project.
Heritage Days had been celebrated in Southampton annually since 1974. By 1977, June had formed a strong Committee to organize the Heritage week in February that involved the entire town, businesses and schools, with a winter carnival, dances, hockey and broom-ball games, bed races and pancake breakfasts. Each year, the Heritage Days festivities grew and events expanded year round attracting more tourists to the area (and more revenue for local businesses).
June served for two and a half years to spearhead the 125th anniversary of Southampton. “I was a tourist myself at one time. I just feel we should share the area with everyone else,” she stated years ago.
In 1983, June was given the Charlie Kelly Award for promoting tourism in Grey Bruce, an award for her work organizing and expanding heritage weekend. That same year she was also named Southampton Citizen of the year for her work on the 125th and for her dedication to promoting the town through her eight plus previous years of efforts organizing Heritage Days.
In 1985, June wrote and invited Leisure Ways, Ontario’s Leisure Magazine, to the festivities and that then published a large article on the event that garnered province-wide attention. As a result of that, June Fotherby was awarded the coveted Rotary Club International Paul Harris Fellow Award for her work in the community.
“So, as pandemic restrictions are lifted in the fall of 2021, we at the Southampton Care Centre gathered to celebrate June Fotherby who has throughout her lifetime contributed to her community,” said Administrator Brenda Ohm. “It’s just one more award for June, for making a difference in the lives of others.”
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Much like the Jarlette core values, Andrea Hemstock, PSW has shown tremendous commitment as an exemplary employee for over six years at the Southampton Care Centre. She is accountable, responsible and dependable. She is a valued member of the team at the Southampton Care Centre.
One of the most important facets of quality of life for residents in long-term care is treating residents with respect.
Andrea’s residents always look great. She takes the time to ensure that they are nicely dressed, their hair is the way they want it, that they have their glasses on properly. She recognizes that it is the little details that matter. She takes great pride in the work that she does and it shows.
It is a joy to watch Andrea with the residents. She engages them in meaningful conversation and comforts those who no longer have a voice. She isn’t satisfied until they are smiling as widely as her.
Andrea’s hard work, positivity and dedication is unprecedented.
The pandemic has amplified the staffing issues plaguing the Long Term Care industry. Southampton Care Centre has not been immune to these problems. Staff members like Andrea Hemstock, have become the back bone of the Care Centre’s ability to provide quality care. Andrea has, countless times, assisted with staffing. She has stayed late, come in early, worked snow days and doubles, and tons of overtime. She is never late, rarely sick. She is always reliable and dependable.
Andrea is an Orientation Champion for new hires and is called upon frequently by managers for her expertise in daily tasks. Andrea is an exemplary employee and valued member of the Care team. She is the perfect person to mentor new employees and make them feel welcome.
The Care Centre is located in Southampton, a bustling cottage area and in the vicinity of Bruce Power. Housing in the area is at a premium, making recruitment even more difficult. Andrea helped her workplace and went above and beyond. She actually made her own home available to two new hires looking for a place to stay. This allowed the Care Centre to recruit registered staff and a PSW.
Andrea cares for all residents and family members equally. She doesn’t hesitate to help the more challenging residents and offers nothing but grace and poise when dealing with frustrated family members. She is confident in her work because she always does her best.
A few years ago the Southampton Care Centre honoured a resident, Ed Hall, for the MADA award. After a brief conversation with him while providing care, Andrea discovered that she was actually related to him as a distant cousin. Ed lived at the care centre for three years and was quite cognitively well. Andrea was grateful for the time she was able to chat with Ed, share stories and get to know him personally.
Andrea Hemstock, in her own words, “comes from a long line of PSWs”. There are currently five women in her family who have chosen the rewarding career. When she was younger, Andrea watched her palliative grandfather be cared for by those PSW predecessors. She knew then that she found her niche like her female family members before her.
Her dedication to the field of care has been marked by thousands of hours of hard work and determination to make an outstanding difference in the lives of others. Along the way she was able, at the age of 21, to save enough to purchase her own home, where she is close to work and always willing to help out.
Andrea Hemstock makes an outstanding difference in the lives of others, everyday.
