Summerset Students

Summerset’s Student Hires makes difference

Ryan Quigley

Journal Pioneer

SUMMERSIDE- Summerset’s student hiring program was a success this year, said Summerset Manor Activities Assistant Wendell Cameron.

The program hires people 18 years of age and older with an interest in nursing to help with activities and to take care of residence in the Summerset manor.

The main focus of the program is to get the students to spend extra time with the seniors that regular employees of the manor aren’t able to. Time was spent taking the seniors on walks, playing cards, shopping with them, helping the seniors set up email accounts and setting up activities, even setting up a lobster picnic on the boardwalk for the seniors.

When the program, which has been going for over 20 years now, started at the beginning of the summer, the students asked where residents would like to go for a drive. After the most popular request was Fred’s Restaurant in Cap-Pelé, the summer hires took the residents there for a nice meal.

As the time begins to wind up for the seasonal employees of the manor, finishing up on Friday, Cameron reflected on how well the seven hires had done.

“This has been the best bunch of students we ever had. They seem to be able to find themselves things that needed to be done and they seem to want to be here not just for the money.”

Cameron recalled one student in particular received a higher paying job offer at the start of the year, but decided to stay at the manor.

“She decided to stay here and she’s said so many times through the summer she’s glad she stayed here.”

Anita Casey, one of the students said her experience was fun and has made her think about taking a job in the field.

“I loved it, it was fun and good to make an impression in the residents lives,” she said. “I never wake up in the morning and not want to come to work.”

Jenna Johnston, another one of the students who just finished her first year nursing, said it was good work experience for what she wanted to do.

“Everything I’ve done this summer is things I learned in school last year.”

Both of the students said they’d apply next year.

Cameron said the seniors really enjoy those who come in for the program.

“They go through a week or two where they really miss the students and it takes time to get back to the reality of the fall and winter setting, not having quite as much attention as they had.”

Margaret MacLellan, a resident of the Summerset manor, agreed that she will miss the students when they’re gone.