The Creedan Valley community came together on June 18 at the fourth annual Heritage Day, an event designed to celebrate diversity and talent.

The growing event welcomed residents, families, community members, dignitaries and guests from within the long-term care industry.

Creedan Valley Community executive director Punnapa Hartley said when she came to Creedan Valley in 2022 there were a lot of vacancies, a result of the pandemic. It became her mission to build the team and the quality of care at the facility.

She had seen the success of an event held at Base Borden, where she used to work, celebrating cultural heritage and thought it would work to build team spirit at Creedan Valley.

“When I look around I see a lot of team members come from different backgrounds but they come with the same purpose, they come to work here to cultivate happiness in the daily lives of the residents,” said Hartley. “Not everyone understands and appreciates the background, culture and diversity of their colleagues.”

The 90-person staff represents 15 countries, including Ukraine, Jamaica, Germany, the Netherlands, and India. The goal of Heritage Day was to offer an opportunity for people to share the beauty of their culture through food, entertainment, and traditional dress. Hartley, from Thailand, demonstrated the traditional art of fruit carving.
“The team is so proud to share their culture,” said

Hartley. “And to see the smiles on the residents’ faces when they listen to the music and see their care providers.”

Vice-president of regional operations, Philippa Welch, addressed the attendees, speaking from her heart. She works out of their Newmarket office. Welch definitely “gets” the international diversity the day celebrates. She was born from an Indian father and an English mother. She’s had the “...pleasure of being raised in many different countries around the world” eventually emigrating to Canada. “I’m a Canadian woman and extraordinarily proud of that” she said.

She remembers a time when such culturally diverse events were not the norm. The annual event at Creedan Valley allows her and others to remember their roots and celebrate with attire and gastronomic delights from their or their family’s home countries.

Jennifer Armstrong presented Creedan Valley Care Centre with a Canadian flag and read a letter from MP Terry Dowdall who wrote, “I send my sincere regrets for not being able to join you today to celebrate. This region has a rich and diverse heritage, from the earliest indigenous people to the English, Irish and Scottish settlers, to freed slaves to early Jewish and Ukrainian communities and more recent newcomers from Africa, Asia and Indian sub-continent, Latin America, and the Caribbean. This region’s history reflects the diversity that defines Canada.

“Each community has contributed to the richness that makes our region one of the best places in Canada to live. This annual event provides and opportunity to celebrate the diversity of Simcoe-Grey, experience some of the remarkable talents we have here and sample some delicious food.”

– with files from Don Beaulieu

Don Beaulieu photo: Creedan Valley nurse Timothy Tokais (left) performs with his band TAG, joined by Austin Boake on guitar and Garth Wilson on drums.