Be a Part of Something Meaningful
On this blog, we spend a lot of time talking about what living at Prairie City Landing is like. We spend much less time on an equally important aspect—what working here is like. Curious? Keep reading.
Prairie City Landing is a place where we invite you to share your passion. It’s a place where love is contagious—and applies to furry family members, too. It’s a community where trust is foundational, and mentoring builds on strengths.
People are the heart of everything we do at Prairie City Landing. “We get to know each other’s stories. That’s why we do this job. It’s the connections we get to have with seniors,” said Cheryl Martin, the Executive Director.
Compassion and Deep Respect
Every leader at Prairie City Landing fosters a sense of connection and compassion. The culinary team plays a vital role in the community, yet they are so busy in the kitchen that they don’t get to interact with residents very often. Chef Conrad goes out of his way to make sure they understand our residents. The other day, he took his team up to an empty apartment. Many of the team members had never been in one of the apartments before. “Look around. Imagine this is your new apartment. How do you feel?” Conrad prompted his team. It was important to him that they all felt the uncertainty that an empty apartment held, allowing the team to empathize with our new residents.
Chef Conrad and his culinary team create delicious meals with compassion.
Engagement and Contribution
We believe that what we give comes back to us tenfold, as our name suggests. Contribution is central to our collective thriving. “It’s an environment of helpfulness here. We’re always ready to lend a helping hand,” Shirley, a resident of Prairie City Landing, commented. She remembers struggling to get a few bags and boxes into her apartment when a neighbor walked by and offered to hold the door open. “The kindness you experience here means a lot to me,” Shirley reflected.
“Our most successful team members show a strong, genuine connection with both the residents and the community,” Annie Stauber, our Human Resources Generalist, shared. Personal connection is the focus of every role on our team.
Shared smiles and greetings warm the hallways of Prairie City Landing.
Intention and Passion
Joe Mora, our Maintenance Director, chooses to spend his time not just on building maintenance, but on intentional relationship-building. At our Hawaiian Luau last year, Joe was present, celebrating with residents. When residents were invited to dance, one woman clearly wanted to, but felt unsure about going onto the dance floor alone. She looked to Joe. “Dancing isn’t something I do, but because it was important to her, I was happy to go up and risk making a fool of myself,” he confessed.
The next day, Joe received his reward. “A resident was walking down the hallway and said to me, ‘Seeing you makes me smile, thinking back to the dance yesterday.’” That’s what being part of a team looks like at Prairie City Landing.
Joe accompanies a resident onto the dancefloor of our Luau celebration.
Learning and Exploration
Our directors encourage curiosity and growth. As one of our residents said, “Growing up is an ongoing process, and I’m not finished yet!” We adopt that same philosophy as a team. We are all growing, learning, and striving to be better each day.
We know that we grow from our strengths, and our differences are a superpower. For example, one of our culinary team members is deaf. Cheryl approached this as an opportunity to expand our communication skills. Bassam teaches ASL to residents and team members who are curious.
Culinary team member Bassam shares his knowledge of ASL with team members and residents.
An Exceptional Place
“My initial impression was all smiles and helpfulness,” another resident said. “They’re right there for me,” she said of the staff, “It’s an exceptional place.”
We echo that sentiment—Prairie City Landing is exceptional thanks to the people who contribute to our community. Thank you, residents, team members, and directors!
If you are interested in being part of an exceptional community, we invite you to explore! We love inviting new people to our community, whether you’re looking for a place to work or a place to live.