by Logan Gruber
operations@thenewsleaders.com
“Everyone else was dressed to the nines and had notecards for their speech, and I’m like ‘I just learned about this an hour ago,’ ” Melinda Fast said in a Sauk Rapids-Rice Newsleader interview.
Fast was the recipient of the 2015 Champion Award from Care Providers of Minnesota, a state association that provides training, support and lobbying for senior-living facilities. Fast has been the community life coordinator for Ridgeview Place Assisted Living, located at 1009 10th Ave. N.E., Sauk Rapids, for the past four years. She has worked in creating activities for the aging population since she graduated from St. Cloud State University in 2006.
The awards ceremony was in Bloomington Nov. 17. Laura Koski, executive director of Ridgeview Place, said there were hundreds of nominees for the 16 awards given out that night. The Champion Award honors the work of an individual whose words or actions have enhanced the public perception of long-term care and made a positive impact on those who live and work in these communities.
“Melinda always puts her whole self in and gives 100 percent to make sure she offers a variety of opportunities for the tenants,” Koski said. “The joke around here is ‘Where is Melinda?’ because she is very fast and very busy. Her positive energy really sets the tone for our whole crew.”
As community-life coordinator, Fast creates a wellness calendar every month full of activities for the residents of the 43 assisted-living apartments and 14 memory-care suites, and she also directs the activities.
Fast is also a member of a number of committees outside of the normal workday, such as organizing the ACT on Alzheimer’s group; serving on service-learning panels at SCSU, St. Cloud Technical and Community College and the College of St. Benedict/St. John’s University; working on the planning committee for the Walk to End Alzheimer’s in St. Cloud; participating in the Community Committee working with the Paramount Arts District to bring art into the community; and working with the elderly committee for the St. Cloud Greater community to bring a traveling health fair to the older population.
“It’s nice people are noticing what I do, taking on those lead roles as well as my everyday work,” Fast said. “I love what I do; this is a population I want to work with, and I’m honored Ridgeview Place let’s me go out to do these things and be an advocate.”
Fast also thanked her assistant, Haley Sprenger. Sprenger is the community-life assistant at Ridgeview who nominated Fast for her work.
“Haley has really stepped up to the plate,” Fast said. “If I have to be outside of the building, I couldn’t ask for a better person to take care of the tenants.”
“Haley told me, ‘I want to be you someday,'” Fast said, full of emotion.
Sprenger wrote a 1,000-word essay to nominate Fast, as well as gathering two supporting letters of recommendation from tenants or their families.
“Being a working mom with two toddler boys isn’t always easy, but my husband helps out a lot,” Fast said.
She has been married to her husband, Shawn, for almost six years. They have two sons – Jackson, 4, and Nolan, who is almost 3. Shawn grew up in Hutchinson while Fast is from Gilman. They met while working at Cub Foods near Hwy. 10 in St. Cloud and now live in north St. Cloud.
Tom Pollock, board chair, and Patty Cullen, president, both of Care Providers of Minnesota present the Champion Award to Melinda Fast on Nov. 17 in Bloomington.
