CAR Program contest honored 35 who didn’t miss work during the pandemic year
BUTLER, Pa. – During the past three years, Maricris Cooper hasn’t missed a day of work in her position as a medication associate at Newhaven Court at Clearview, an IntegraCare-operated senior living community.
Cooper’s determination to show up for every shift earned significant dividends for the 47-year-old Butler resident on Wednesday. Her name was pulled from a raffle of IntegraCare team members who achieved perfect attendance throughout 2020. As the grand prize winner in IntegraCare’s annual Continued Attendance Rewards (CAR) Program, Cooper won a 2021 Ford Ecosport.
Eleven IntegraCare senior living communities in three states participated in last year’s contest, and 35 team members had perfect attendance in 2020. Cooper’s name was pulled from among 38,691 raffle entries accumulated throughout the year.
“In its five-year existence, the CAR Program has rewarded dedicated IntegraCare team members for their commitment to our senior living communities, the residents and their fellow workers,” said IntegraCare CEO Larry Rouvelas, who participated in Wednesday’s announcement, which was streamed on Facebook Live. “This dedication took on even greater significance in 2020 – a year that presented numerous challenges related to an historic and tragic global pandemic.”
“At IntegraCare, we are fortunate to have a truly caring and compassionate team. Maricris is one of 35 people who showed up to work every day in 2020. We appreciate her and all of our team. It is a pleasure to present Maricris with the keys to her new car.”
Cooper joined the team at Newhaven Court at Clearview in September 2015. She has had perfect attendance during the past three years. Her daughter Colleen Cooper also is part of the Newhaven Court at Clearview food service team. Wednesday was a big day for the Coopers as Colleen graduated from Butler County Community College.
“Maricris is always upbeat, dedicated, consistent and she’s willing to step up and help when needed,” said Gary Renwick, Executive Operations Officer at Newhaven Court at Clearview.
Traditionally, one lucky IntegraCare team member with perfect attendance for the year wins a new car as a result of a company-wide drawing. The names in the drawing are of all those who had perfect attendance during a week throughout the contest year.
The grand drawing, which plays out on Facebook Live usually is held in late January each year. But the COVID-19 pandemic delayed the car giveaway. Other major prizes are raffled off at each IntegraCare community, with team members winning items such as televisions, robotic vacuum cleaners, AirPods, iPads, and vacation days over the years.
IntegraCare has been a leader in the COVID-19 vaccination effort, and its communities have 100% team member vaccination rates, as well as a high percentage of residents who have received vaccines.
The innovative CAR Program has boosted both morale and attendance throughout IntegraCare, which recently added two more communities in Maryland and now has 13 senior living communities.
“Our car giveaway announcement is coming a bit later in the year, but with the luxury of a vaccinated workforce we are able to celebrate another life-changing giveaway,” said Shannon Joyce, Director of Compensation and Risk Management at IntegraCare. “This program is so popular among our team members and it generates excitement throughout the year, and especially during the days and hours leading up the big announcement.”
The CAR Program has made an impact. Total IntegraCare team members with perfect attendance during the CAR Program years were:
- 2016—15
- 2017—20
- 2018—24
- 2019—35
- 2020—35
For more information, contact Brandon Smeltzer, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, IntegraCare, at bsmeltzer@integracare.com or 724.940.5544.