Featured Caregivers 2024
November Featured Caregiver
Meet our featured caregiver for the month of November… Cheryl!
Cheryl has been with the Sunny Days Great Lakes family for EIGHT YEARS! She’s originally from Cleveland, Ohio but currently resides in Iron River, Michigan. She enjoys spending time with her six children; Mariah Eve (40) Matthew Edward (39) Gerald Alfred (33) Tyler Adam (32) Ryan Alfred (29) and Andrew Charles (26). She also loves going to visit her children in Wausau, Wisconsin. Her favorite food is spaghetti, favorite types of music are Country and Soft Rock, and favorite movie is All Dogs Go to Heaven. A fun fact about Cheryl is that she would rather give than receive.
When asked what her favorite part of being a caregiver is, Cheryl said “…making a difference in other peoples lives.” Her advice to new caregivers is “…it can be challenging and hard at times, but the friendship is never ending.” When asked what caregiving means to her, Cheryl said “…making life easier for our clients…because life is hard when we are not around.” Cheryl favorite memory with a client was one time she gave them a gift and she got to see the smile on their face.
We’re so thankful for Cheryl’s dedication and the kindness she shows to each and every one of her clients. Keep up the great work Cheryl!
October Featured Caregiver
Meet our Featured Caregiver for the month of October… Lacey!
Lacey has been with the Sunny Days Great Lakes family for three months. She’s originally from Janesville, Wisconsin, however, currently resides in Kingsford, Michigan with her three daughters. They also plan on getting a puppy in the Spring! Lacey’s favorite food is anything with pasta and cheese, favorite artist is Miranda Lambert, and her favorite movies are the Saw Series. Outside of work she enjoys foraging in the woods for mushrooms and berries, as well as rock hounding the water.
When asked what caregiving means to her, Lacey said “…Caring for people’s emotional and mental health makes a big impact on people’s physical health.” When asked about her favorite part of being a caregiver, she said “…Every day, I make someone’s life better and easier. I make a difference in the world.” Her advice to new caregivers is “…Sometimes, we are the only people visiting our clients. Take pride in your work.” Lacey’s favorite memory with a client was “…Driving around town to hear about my client’s childhood and also the history of our area.” A fun fact about Lacey is that she likes to build dog houses.
We’re so thankful for the positive impact Lacey has on the lives of her clients and our team. Keep up the great work Lacey!
September Featured Caregiver
Meet our Featured Caregiver for the month of September… Kris!
Kris has been with the Sunny Days Great Lakes Family for six months. She’s originally from Marinette and still resides in the area with her husband Tom. Her favorite part about working for Sunny Days is the flexibility and hours as well as her very pleasant Supervisor. Her advice for new employees is “…show compassion and understanding to your clients and have fun.” Her favorite Sunny Days memory is the day she was hired!
Outside of work Kris enjoys walking, reading, and having fires in her backyard. Her favorite type of food is Mexican, she likes all music with the exception of Rap, and her favorite movie is the Dark Knight. A fun fact about Kris is that she loves to laugh and have a good time.
We’re so thankful for the positive attitude Kris brings to our team, her clients love her and we’re glad to have her! Keep up the great work Kris.
August Featured Caregiver
Meet our featured caregiver for the month of August… Mary!
Mary is originally from Wisconsin however currently resides in Michigan with her family. She’s been with the Sunny Days Great Lakes Family for a year and half. Outside of work she enjoys spending time with her husband of 24 years, her six grandchildren, and cat and dog. She also enjoys traveling, gardening, and generally being outside. Her favorite food is Mexican, favorite artist is Bon Jovi, and her favorite movie is The Titanic.
Mary’s favorite part about working for Sunny Days Great Lakes is getting to help each client be in their own home and the flexibility that the job provides. Her advice for other employee’s is “…go into each situation with a positive attitude…listen to the clients needs. Help them with their needs and show them respect.” When asked about her favorite Sunny Days memory she said there were too many to choose just one! Her life’s mantra is “…enjoy each day and bring happiness to the less fortunate.”
We’re so thankful for the ray of sunshine Mary brings to our team. She’s consistently going above and beyond for her clients and she’s an integral part of our team. Keep up the great work Mary!
July Featured Caregiver
Meet our featured caregiver for the month of July… Nichole!
Nichole has been with the Sunny Days Great Lakes family for nine months. She’s originally from Wisconsin, however now resides in Gwinn, Michigan with her family. Outside of work she enjoys spending her time with her husband Brandon, and their three children Landon, Bella, and Issiah. She recently became a first-time grandmother. In addition to time with her family, she enjoys attending church, their local bible study, and spending time with friends.
When asked about her favorite part about being a caregiver, Nichole said “…putting a smile on my client’s faces.” Her advice for new caregivers is “…treat the clients like you want your grandma and grandpa to be treated.” When asked what caregiving means to her, she simply said “…everything.” Her favorite memory with a client was one time where they got to dance together despite their being in a wheelchair.
Nichole’s favorite food is chocolate, her favorite type of music is Gospel, and her favorite movie is Fried Green Tomatoes. A random fun fact about Nichole is that she has a silly sense or humor, she considers herself very goofy.
We’re so thankful for kind and compassionate caregivers like Nichole. They are the heart and soul of our company. Keep up the great work!
June Featured Caregiver
Meet our featured caregiver for the month of June… Laurie!
Laurie has been with the Sunny Days Great Lakes family for TEN years! She’s originally from Menominee, but currently resides in Marinette with her family. She has four children: Paul, James, David, and Penny, Two cats: Harley and Mouse, Two dogs: Mick and Penny, and eight grandchildren. Outside of work she enjoys watching the 911 TV series as well as playing with her grandchildren.
When asked about her favorite part of being a caregiver, Laurie said “…helping clients maintain their daily living activities. The friendships that happen because of the interactions we share.” Her advice for other caregivers is “…know your client, talk to them about their life. Make sure all of their needs are met and do the best you can for them.” When asked what caregiving means to her, Laurie said “…taking care of clients in the best way possible.” Her favorite memory with a client was when “…my client of seven years took his dog Buster on a four-wheeler.”
Laurie’s favorite food is gyros, favorite type of music is Rock, and favorite movie is Wizard of Oz. A random fun fact about Laurie is that she collects unicorns.
We’re so thankful for the kind and compassionate caregivers that make up our team like Laurie. They truly are so special in the lives of their clients. Keep up the great work Laurie!
May Featured Caregiver
Meet our featured caregiver for the month of May…April!
April has been with the Sunny Days Great Lakes family for four months. She’s originally from Manistique, but currently resides in Garden. Outside of work she loves spending time with her husband Travis as well as their five children: Ian (22) Irissa (19) Ileena (16) Adelynn (13) and Wyatt (9). They have a dog named Ginger. They loved living in Menominee for twenty-seven years, but just moved to their camp in Garden six months ago. They love spending their time doing outdoor activities!
When asked about her favorite part about being a caregiver, April said “…making a difference in people’s lives.” Her advice to new caregivers is to “…treat them just like it’s your own family.” When asked what caregiving means to her, she said “…it means everything to me. It is so satisfying to know you’re making a difference in someone’s life, rather it’s a client or family member who needs some relief.” When asked what her favorite memory with a client was, she said “…I have many memories, but my favorite memory I was just able to make. I have a client that is all alone and no family nearby to help her. She had a very important heart surgery scheduled and no one to take her. So, I was able to adjust my schedule and be there by her side during this procedure she had to have. She is beyond grateful I did that for her.”
April’s favorite food is Tacos, her favorite type of music is Country, and her favorite movie is The Notebook. A fun fact about April is that she loves deer hunting.
We’re so thankful for the tremendous and lasting impact that April is able to have on her clients. She truly goes above and beyond and is such an integral part of our caregiving team. Keep up the great work April!
April Featured Caregiver
Meet our featured caregiver for the month of April… Erica!
Erica has been with the Sunny Days Great Lakes Family for two years. She’s originally from Marinette and still resides in the area. She has a three-year-old daughter and an eleven-year-old dog. Outside of work she simply enjoys being a mom and making memories with her daughter.
When asked about her favorite part about being a caregiver, Erica said “…just knowing I get to make their day. It makes me happy to make them happy.” Her advice to new caregivers is “…be patient and understanding.” When asked what caregiving means to her, Erica said “…helping my client with whatever they need help with as if they were family.” Her favorite memory with a client is anytime she gets to help them bake.
Erica’s favorite food is tacos, her favorite type of music is anything on K-Love, and her favorite type of movies are chick flicks, comedies, and scary movies. A random fun fact about Erica is that she’s always wanted to go to Africa to be with the kids and be close to elephants.
We’re so thankful for the kind and dedicated caregivers that are apart of our staff like Erica, they truly are an integral part of our company and make such a difference in the lives of their clients. Keep up the great work!
March Featured Caregiver
Meet our featured caregiver for the month of March… Alissa!
Alissa has been with the Sunny Days Great Lakes Family for a little over three months. She’s originally from Fall Creek but currently resides in Eagle River with her family. Outside of work she loves to spend time with her husband Joe and their four children: Madasyn, Morgahn, James, and Amelia. They have two dogs, Grizzly and Zelda, and a guinea pig named Willow. They enjoy hiking, fishing, swimming, playing with their tractors, dirt biking, traveling to see family, and anything and everything outside.
When asked about her favorite part of being a caregiver, Alissa said “…making my clients laugh and giving them the love and attention that everyone deserves. I really enjoy bringing their past times to their current reality to make them feel young again.” Her advice to new caregivers is to “…listen to your clients. They have so many stories and experiences to share and the advice that they give you is truly genuine.” When asked what caregiving means to her, Alissa said “…caregiving to me, means you put your clients needs above all else and do whatever it takes to see them smile.” When asked about her favorite memory with a client, Alissa said “…One of my greatest memories was after a snowfall…a tree had fallen and blocked my client’s driveway, mind you his driveway is about a mile long and I couldn’t reach them on their home phone so I pushed it off to the side of the road best i could. When I made it inside the home, I was told that he had had a really rough night and rough morning and wasn’t feeling well. So I decided to tell him that I had picked this tree up and pushed it to the side of the road. Almost instantly he jumped up, walked to the door, got his boots on, his hat, and his jacket and said come on what you waiting for grab the chainsaw let’s go, it was a miracle! He came out there with me and we chopped up the tree that had fallen down and with the brush we made a fire and sat there sipping hot cocoa, enjoying our accomplishment. He felt amazing the rest of the day, ate so much food, and really enjoyed doing a past time hobby.”
Alissa’s favorite food is pizza, she loves all genres of music, and her favorite types of movies are old action and comedy, especially Overboard. A fun fact about Alissa is that she can eat a part size bag of peanut butter cups and chug half a gallon of milk in her sleep without knowing and wouldn’t believe it until she saw the evidence in her room.
We’re so thankful for the charismatic and loving caregivers that are apart of our team like Alissa. They go above and beyond the call of duty and truly make a difference in the lives of each and every one of their clients. Keep up the great work Alissa!
February Featured Caregiver
Meet our Featured Caregiver for the month of February… Danielle.
Danielle has been with the Sunny Days Great Lakes Family for two months. She’s originally from Suring, WI but currently resides in Iron Mountain, MI. She has a daughter, Lucille, who is five, and they love caring for their 14-month-old Blue Heeler, Molly. Outside of work Danielle enjoys going for walks, hikes, camping, folk music festivals, and going to the beach. She enjoys arts and crafts, taking care of her plant collection, and adding to her crystal and mineral collection.
Danielle’s advice for new caregivers is “…always be kind, ask questions as often as needed, take your time, and enjoy it.” Danielle’s favorite part about being a caregiver is “…knowing I make a difference in somebody’s life.” When asked what caregiving means to her, Danielle said “…being a caregiver provides a deep gratification and sense of accomplishment that you just don’t get to experience in other jobs.” When asked to pick a favorite memory with a client she said there were too many to choose from!
Danielle’s favorite type of food is breakfast food… eggs…meats…potatoes… Her favorite types of music are Folk, Funk, and Indie. Her favorite movie is Full Metal Jacket. A fun fact about her is that she’s double jointed and can wiggle her ears.
We’re so thankful for members of our team like Danielle. They’re caring, compassionate, loving, and everything we need our caregivers to be. Keep up the great work Danielle.