Leading Liberty with Brikena Calaku, Dining Service Manager at Paul’s Run

Q: How does Liberty Lutheran compare to other organizations, and what impact does that make for the people we serve?

A: The best word to describe my experience here is grateful. I’ve been with Paul’s Run for 24 years. It was my first job when I arrived in America from Albania. I began part-time in dining as a server, working my way up to supervisor and manager.

Our residents look forward to an enjoyable dining experience. Liberty has a great record for customer service, and it starts at the top. When Bill Hines joined Paul’s Run as executive director, he listened to the residents and made improvements in dining.

Today we have a new bistro where food is prepared in front of the residents, with carving stations and brick oven pizza. As residents enter, they are met with delightful smells and sights, all adding to their enjoyment. We see and hear their reaction and know that they are indeed getting the dining experience they deserve.

Q: How do you see the work that you do inspire others in the community?

A: My Master’s Degree in Education has become useful in my role as supervisor, especially in training new staff. We have the opportunity to interact with each resident at Paul’s Run, so it’s important that we get it right. Prior to dinner, we spend time in a huddle where we go through the evening.

What is inspiring are the genuine, caring relationships that take place between our dining staff and residents. Many of our team members are younger, closer in age to residents’ grandchildren. They care for the residents as if they were their own grandparents and vice versa.

They talk with one another about what’s going on in each other’s personal lives. It’s the little things, like staff helping a resident with technology, or a resident wishing an employee luck on an upcoming test at school. Residents are so comfortable with us that they’ll say, “You know what I like; I trust you to pick for me.”

Q: Tell us about an experience you have had with Liberty that impacted members and families.

A: During the early months of the pandemic, state regulations temporarily halted communal gatherings. Our team delivered all three meals to residents, and we became their primary social interaction.

We made a special effort in asking residents how they were doing. We were the eyes and ears of the community, and would notice any changes. That meant contacting our Wellness team if we thought someone needed a check-in, or maintenance if we noticed an issue with their apartment.