Each year at the Care Center Fundraiser, ACC recognizes individuals and partners who have made exceptional contributions to the ACC Care Center. The recipients this year are Janet Sakata, Wayne Shimizu, and Medline.
Janet Sakata
ACC owes much of its success to the large corps of dedicated volunteers who are passionate about serving the community. One person who epitomizes that spirit of volunteerism is Janet Sakata. Whenever ACC holds a fundraiser or community event, you can count on finding Janet there – preparing food, organizing other volunteers, serving, and cleaning up – all done without special thanks or recognition. Janet is no longer the unsung hero – we are recognizing Janet and her many contributions to ACC.
Janet first started volunteering for ACC in the early 1980s at its Bingo games. Prompted by her grandmother’s experience in a nursing home, where her grandmother was the only Asian and neither spoke nor understood English, Janet fully embraced the mission and spirit of ACC. She served on the Board of Directors for six years, while also co-chairing ACC’s first and only yard sale and volunteering at Bingo, nursing home fundraisers, crab feed dinners, and ACC Rides. More recently, she co-chaired the 2018 gala honoring retiring CEO Donna Yee, and continues to volunteer for the annual crab feed and Big Day of Giving, as well as staffing the Welcome Desk every Thursday. And, of course, she still plays a major role in the Annual Care Center Fundraiser!
Janet is proud that ACC has developed into a well-recognized health care organization. She continues to volunteer because, in her words, “I have the time to give and enjoy helping folks as I can.”
Please join us in thanking Janet for her decades of exceptional volunteer service to ACC!
Wayne Shimizu
How can we encourage seniors to exercise and improve their social, mental, and physical well-being? Wayne Shimizu has been addressing this question by encouraging seniors to exercise their brains and their bodies to enhance their well-being and everyday lives. Wayne has touched the lives of countless seniors in the community.
When Wayne first began volunteering at ACC in 1990, his purpose was to contribute whatever service he could to the nursing home, which at the time was ACC’s largest community project. The majority of volunteers, including Wayne, worked at weekly Bingo sessions until it closed in 2007. “Life after Bingo” shifted many volunteers to help in other programs at ACC. Wayne went on to become a volunteer instructor at ACC Community Center. After researching numerous studies, Wayne developed and taught a six-week long “Memory Training” workshop that helped seniors increase their memory power by learning and using entertaining exercises, which they could do in their own home. Wayne also taught Brain Fitness at the Sutter stroke support group, Sacramento Japanese United Methodist Church, CSUS Renaissance Club, and ACC’s Greenhaven Terrace. He has also been part of the ACC Matter of Balance team.
In addition to his volunteer work as an instructor, Wayne served as an ACC Board member and President in 1999-2001. In 2010, he was recognized by ACC for 20 years of continuous service, and in 2013, the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors named him Senior Volunteer of the Year.
Wayne finds joy in volunteering because of the results that his teachings yield. He sees an improvement in the seniors and encourages them to champion their own health. For his many years of service to improve the lives of seniors, we are pleased to present a Special Recognition Award to Wayne.
Medline
We are thrilled to honor Medline as our corporate partner this year at the ACC Care Center Annual Fundraiser.
Medline is one of the largest manufacturers and distributors of medical supplies. Through Medline, our staff and residents are able to receive high quality products and support while integrating best practices through a continuum of care.
Since 2012, ACC Care Center and Medline have worked together to deliver and provide nursing and patient care supplies to meet the needs of our residents. Through Medline, our staff are able to access free online resources with a special focus on safety, quality and industry best practices. Additionally, through our partnership, we have implemented robust testing practices that produce timely results to determine courses of treatment. This rapid informed decision-making is of great benefit to our residents.
Please join us in appreciating the fine people at Medline for their excellent partnership with ACC Care Center!
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