To residents of the Luverne Veterans Home in Minnesota, Kris Weidert is the “nice lady.”
As a physical therapist assistant, Weidert brings a smile to the residents with her positive attitude and contagious sense of humor, according to co-worker Dawn Esselink.
“One thing she always says to the residents, after she’s done assisting someone, is: ‘Now, say thank you, nice lady, to me,’” Esselink says. “They all just chuckle at that. That’s how they know her as ‘nice lady.’ But she also gives the best hugs to our residents, too. She gives them caring hugs.”
Beyond her sense of humor, Weidert is known throughout the home for war veterans as someone who gives her absolute best every single day.
“Kris puts the residents first in whatever she’s doing,” says Esselink, a recreation therapist. “She’s a very hard worker and never one to sit still. She does whatever is needed. She is also very kind and caring. I’m proud to say I work with her.”
For her service to her community, Weidert, a member of AFSCME Local 2225 (Council 5), is a winner of our union’s Never Quit Service Award. The award recognizes public service workers who go above and beyond the call of duty to make their communities better.
When asked about her job, Weidert says she doesn’t think of it as work. She’s been serving others in nursing homes since she finished high school, and caring for elderly people is simply her calling.
“I love treating the residents like family,” she says. “I like them to have fun. I like to put a smile on their face. Being in a nursing home for them is not always the best place to be, but if you can make them laugh or smile, it’s very self-rewarding for me.”
When asked what motivates her to give the best of herself every single day, Weidert replies like it’s self-evident.
“I take pride in my work,” she says. “I enjoy what I do. It takes a lot to keep me home if I don’t feel well. The residents need me, and I like caring for them. I like to be the giver.”