SALISBURY — A large group gathered on Jan. 15 at Trinity At Home on Klumac Road to help it celebrate its 10-year anniversary.

Staff and employees of the organization, along with residents of the Trinity Oaks community, city officials, chamber members and other guests, gathered at a special sign placed for the occasion for a few brief comments, a photo to commemorate the anniversary and a ribbon cutting.

Rowan County Chamber of Commerce President Elaine Spalding said that the chamber’s Ambassador program helps with celebrations like this, along with new businesses, grand openings and ribbon cuttings. 

Anniversaries such as this, she said, “are even more special because then you’ve seen the businesses grow from their start until where they are now and serving so many more people in our community. So it is just wonderful that Trinity At Home is celebrating their 10th anniversary,” she said.

Carlton Jackson, a member of the Salisbury City Council, took this opportunity to congratulate Trinity At Home. He said he had been speaking with Community Outreach Coordinator Teresa Dakins, who had been sharing some of its history, telling that when it first started it had four clients and has now grown to 60.

Working with Duke Energy as his full-time job, Jackson said he understood what growth is and commended it saying it wouldn’t have this growth if it was not doing what it should be to bring about such success and bringing in the people.

Jackson said he has a daughter who is a nurse who has said that “home health care is probably one of the most important things that we do today simply because it still gives people the opportunity to have that quality of life in their own homes and in their own environment.”

Jackson added that it’s not the same when you’re not at your home.

He concluded by extending congratulations on behalf of the city and the city council for its success.

Dakins said it has been exciting as she had been looking through old photos over the past week and just seeing how many people have been affected and cared for in the county.

“It’s very heartwarming to go back and read some of the letters and stuff that families have sent us thanking us because we all know that there’s no place like home and that is what aging in place is all about,” she said.

Dakins shared how thankful she is that Trinity At Home is growing with plans to open another facility in Wilmington and hopefully by the end of the year in Hickory. 

“I think that just speaks volumes to Lutheran Services, Trinity’s way of doing things, it’s top-quality care,” she said.

After the comments, Spalding gave the countdown for the ribbon cutting, which was met with cheers and applause.

The group then went inside for refreshments and a time for everyone to mingle.

Sharon Reinhardt, a CNA with Trinity At Home, said this celebration was amazing. Having been with them for two years, she said she had enjoyed every minute working with them.

Personal care assistant Susan Cottraux, who will have been with Trinity At Home for eight of the 10 years this August, said being a part of this special celebration is exciting. She mentioned the growth and how it has helped the community.

“It’s been a wonderful experience for me,” she said.

In her role as a PCA, her duties include going to the clients’ homes and helping them with what is needed whether it be taking a shower, getting breakfast, cleaning or doing their laundry.

Pointing to her husband Steve Cottraux, she said he also works at the facility. He has been there for almost five years and began first in security and helped in other ways as needed and now works the front desk and occasionally goes into the homes to help.

Being able to provide this help for the seniors, “means everything. It’s really a rewarding work,” said Susan.

Steve added that one day, he might be the one to need that help

Those receiving the assistance in their homes were also on hand for the special occasion.

Mitchell Haglar said he and his wife Trudy moved in Trinity Oaks and decided they didn’t want to have to clean and cook and so they receive help with house cleaning, noting that Susan is the one who comes in and cleans and they visit the dining room for meals.

Now, he said, “I have more free time, and I don’t have to worry about having a dirty house. She does a good job, so we appreciate it. We appreciate Trinity At Home,” he said.

Another client, Barb Whenel, also attended the celebration. She shared how she and her husband, who died from cancer, used to live on campus. However, because her son needed a place to live, the two moved to another location, but she continues her close ties with Trinity Oaks.

She said it broke her heart to leave because she “has so many great friends here.” Therefore, she continues to come back,” she said. Plus she also has help from Susan Cottraux, who provides help with housekeeping as part of the Trinity At Home services.

Whenel said that even though she had to move, she thought, why not get this service and keep that close connection. And while it’s just housekeeping now, “you never know” she said as to what she might need in the future.

Whenel said that she and her husband moved to the campus in 2015, coming from Wisconsin and he died in 2019, so she has been a part of the campus for the whole 10 years that Trinity At Home has been around.

“I always appreciate their graciousness,” she said of Trinity Oaks, “because they always invite me back for other things as well. But it’s just a nice, nice community to be a part of, regardless of whether I’m remote or close.”

Jim Ryser, who is a resident with the retirement community of Trinity Oaks, said that while being there, he has done things he would never have done otherwise including going with a group to Cary to see the Chinese Lantern Festival.

“It was stunning,” he said.

If he didn’t live there, Ryser said he would have probably just stayed home, watched a ballgame or something and “rotted away. But they just keep us very active,” adding that it is comforting to know Trinity At Home is available if their help is needed.

As the crowd gathered and chatted, Angie Harrison, RN and agency director, called for everyone’s attention and shared appreciation to those gathered who make them feel welcomed and loved.

She, along with the two other staff members, Dakins and Nicee Cuthbertson, who serves as office manager, stood before the crowd as comments were made and a toast followed as someone said, “here’s to the next 10 years.”

Harrison told the group that they loved each of them and “really want to just improve your quality of life and let you just stay at home whether that’s here on campus and out in the community because we serve a lot of folks out in the community. So thank you guys for all that you do to support and love on us.”

Bill Johnson, who serves as the campus director, took this opportunity as they were all gathered to commend the three ladies for the amazing job they do running this organization and credited them for their hard work.

“It’s a lot of on-call hours. A lot of phone calls. Scrambling to fill positions. But it’s also when we can’t get someone, these ladies go in and do it,” he said.

He also mentioned that the staff at Trinity At Home has received the highest employee survey scores out of the whole organization when it comes to satisfaction.

“So they’re doing something right,” he said.

Additional staff, including some personal care assistants and CNAs were on-hand and recognized. 

Both positions, which go into the homes, are paid staff and trained, said Harrison.

“They are all hired by us, they come and we do the training there and on site if needed,” she said.

Cuthbertson, who has been there for a year, credited Trinity At Home for helping her during a very hard time. She said when she first started there, she had no idea how to be a caregiver or anything about home care.

“I feel like Trinity At Home was a Godsend for me because at the time, my mother was transitioning, and she was dying, and I didn’t really know what to expect,” she said. “So being here, it helped me understand what she was going through.”

Plus, it has helped her step out of her comfort zone and not just be the person behind the desk but to actually go out and provide hands-on care, which she said she has loved.

“I have met some great people and made good friends,” she said.

Harrison shared how much Trinity At Home and being able to help and celebrate this event has meant to her.

“It means a lot,” she said, noting that she has been in her current role for four years and prior to that as a hospice nurse at the facility and has gotten to know the people there on campus, including staff and residents.

“They all are just so wonderful, inviting and loving. So to be able to be here and to work with LSC as a corporation, they put family and residents first,” she said, and “to be able to work with the staff here that really love taking care of people, and love being able to take care of them in their homes so they can stay home.”

Dakins said that this celebration of their 10 years has been a big thing for her as she shared how someone had told her years ago that most independently owned healthcare agencies never survive past three years.

“Not only did we survive those three, but we survived to 10,” said Dakins. And not only that, but she said they are still growing. “We have two more to add to the pile.”

Trinity At Home currently has approximately 50 caregivers and 60 clients that it provides care for, said Harrison.

Some of the services that it offers for their clients include taking them to appointments, taking them to lunch, being their companions, helping with bathing if they have a hard time and providing light housekeeping.

“We try our best to just keep them at home,” said Cuthbertson. “Whatever it takes to keep you in the home, that’s what we want to do.”