Going above and beyond

After a COVID-induced lull of three years, the Beth Sholom community turned out in force Oct. 26 for the 2022 Arthur Heller Employee Recognition Award Ceremony.

The award, which in pre-pandemic days was given out annually, was named for Art Heller, a Beth Sholom resident from 1992 to 2004.

Known for his sense of humor and beautiful voice, Heller sang professionally early in life. He also sang for the troops in World War II – and it's been said that if the American Idol show had existed in the 1940s, Heller would have been a top-10 contestant.

But it was his larger-than-life personality and contagious smile – and the fact that he never complained despite his health issues and physical limitations – that endeared him to the staff and fellow residents at the Beth Sholom Life Care Community.

What's more, said his son Dan at the ceremony, the admiration went both ways: Art Heller adored the staff members at Beth Sholom.

"He was so touched by all the people there," said Dan. "The residents and the employees became his family."

So when Art Heller passed away on Veterans Day 2004, the Heller family (Dan, his wife Nancy, and their children Ben and Erin) did not have to struggle to come up with a way to honor him. Dan had discussed the idea of an employee recognition award with his father before his death, and the first annual Arthur Heller award ceremony took place the following year.

The personal touch

Among the highly anticipated moments at every award ceremony is the recognition of past recipients. This year, five former honorees attended – including the very first recipient from 2005, Mary Lee. Lee was a dietary aide who worked 52 years at Beth Sholom before her retirement, and made a point of knowing all the residents and their dietary preferences so that she could personalize their meals.

Other past recipients included Jackie Green (2007), Julianna Duncan (2018), Marlo Lashley 2017), and Brenda Owen (2016).

In the lead-up to the announcement of the 2022 recipient, Nancy Heller noted that, as usual, there were a number of highly qualified candidates.

"Please note that these nominations came from residents and their families," she said, "and staff who work the front lines among them."

All nominees must demonstrate "compassion, patience and caring in a manner that exceeds expectations," Nancy continued. "These staff members go above and beyond the already difficult requirements of the job."

Singalong finale

The ceremony concluded with the announcement of the 21st recipient: Tita Etilo Tulay.

As Tulay was introduced, Bill Wright, the administrator of Parkside Assisted Living at Beth Sholom, read excerpts of remarks from residents, relatives, and colleagues who praised her "cheerful, upbeat attitude" and the way she sings at work.

One nominator commented that Tulay has been known to stay at Beth Sholom after her shift ends so she can visit residents who might be in health care.

"She works hard and leads by example," a coworker remarked.

"She has a special way of connecting to people," said another nominator.

"Tita is open and relatable," said others. "She exudes kindness and warmth."

Although a technical glitch prevented the ceremony from concluding with its traditional video of Arthur Heller (a.k.a. "The Singing Lieutenant") crooning a tune to his infant granddaughter, Erin, his fans were undaunted. Led by Jackie Green and Deirdre Arnowitz, a retired Beth Sholom administrator, the crowd broke out into spontaneous song of their own.

And with a rousing chorus of "Oh, What a Beautiful Morning," the Beth Sholom community put the official stamp on the 2022 awards event.

Art Heller would have approved.