“I want to be like a delivery truck of love.” Service Delivery Excellence Award recipient Yukiko Tanaka started as a volunteer in 2013 and has been bringing this positivity and passion for helping others to Baillie House – a long-term care home in Maple Ridge ever since. Whether offering a smile, a song or a listening ear, she goes above and beyond to make a difference to others and is a role model of service delivery excellence.
Inspired to give back to her community following the passing of a special loved one, Yukiko's stellar volunteer journey began. As a volunteer with the Spiritual Health Program, she provides emotional and spiritual support for residents.
“Spiritual Health practitioners and volunteers inspire hope, empower healing and create space for meaningful change,” explains Rhonda Davison, Spiritual Health practitioner.
Yukiko’s passion for helping others is inspirational. She uses each day to fulfill her personal goal to lift others up.
“The residents may not remember me, but being with them, somehow that afternoon, that moment, they are uplifted – that’s my purpose of coming here,” she shares.
Learn more about the inspiring work Yukiko does:
Yukiko takes time to sit with residents in their rooms if they can’t come out to simply chat or be in their presence. With her unstoppable service delivery excellence spirit, she brings joy to residents and takes time to get to know them.
“Everyone has a very respectable life history. Even if they cannot speak it out. It is so important for us to listen to them,” says Yukiko.
During her long service at Baillie House, Yukiko is building a legacy of kindness.
“She has been serving the residents of Baillie House for twelve years. She knows residents by name, and if they are not present at a program, she seeks them out to say ‘hello,’” says Rhonda.
Yukiko participates in activities with residents that bring meaning to their lives. One of these activities is the popular Hymn-Sing Program where you can find Yukiko at a piano taking song requests from residents.
“Yukiko will stay beyond the hymn-sing hours to play songs for residents who want to linger. She knows what songs they like and she plays them for them or helps them play a little song too,” Rhonda says.
Yukiko will tell you she is just a small background piece but the work she does has a huge impact on everyone around her.
“I was visibly moved when I was visiting two residents, and they were talking about something special that was happening for their birthday – and it was Yukiko who was doing something special that day. It moved me to see her broad impact on the residents and how meaningful it is to them,” shares Rhonda.
Spiritual Health Practitioner EunJung Oh agrees.
“Yukiko is kind and faithful. Her joyful and consistent support makes a difference in the lives of the residents at Baillie House,” she says.
Her gifts of service, encouragement and compassion are inspiring to all and Yukiko finds volunteering just as rewarding for her.
“I’m just enjoying this volunteer work and I always look forward to coming here – it’s part of my life.”
Congratulations to Yukiko Tanaka – recipient of a Service Delivery Excellence Award.
