ORIGINALLY WRITTEN JULIE ANDERSON
Elfrieda Funk, Parkside Homes director of financial services and
administrative assistant, is retiring after 23 years on the job.
?It?s grown a lot since I started,? Funk said.
When Funk began working at Parkside, the complex had only two
office
staff members. Today the office staff has grown to five full-time
and
one part-time employees.
Park Village, the congregate living unit, also was added, which
increased the duties of the office. Duties increased again when
Parkside became Medicare certified.
Funk also has seen a lot of changes in equipment over the years.
For
the most part, those changes helped to streamline the operation.
Some of the challenges she has faced include learning to use new
equipment and keeping current with the work.
?I?ve enjoyed the work because I was working with people as well
as
the numbers,? Funk said. ?I know I will miss all of the people?the
residents and the staff.?
Overall, Funk said she feels she accomplished her intended task at
Parkside.
After retiring, Funk and her husband, Marvin, plan to do some
traveling and catch up on projects around the house.
?We also want to continue doing volunteer work with the Lions
Club,?
she said.
The Funks also do volunteer work in their church, First Mennonite.
?We hope to combine some volunteer work with traveling,? she said.
The Funks recently started a Leo Club, a youth branch of the Lions
Club, in the schools. They are still trying to attract new
members,
Funk said.
She also plans to spend more time with her granddaughter.
Funk said she hopes her schedule will not be quite so hectic.
?It?s hard, once you?ve been at a job this long, to let go,? Funk
said.
Succeeding Funk as director of financial services is Aaron Abbott.
Abbott came to Parkside May 29 from Hillsboro Community Medical
Center, where he was the assistant chief financial officer.
?I?m just glad to be here and I?m excited about the job,? he said.
?We
have a great staff.?
Abbott will be working with Funk through the week, learning the
things
she does.
?There?s no way to learn all of the things she knows,? he said.
?I?m
trying to be a sponge and absorb as much as I can.
?I just hope to know as much as she does and gain that knowledge
as
quickly as possible,? he added.
His immediate goal is to take things slowly and learn as much as
he
can.
He said he learns something different every day.
?There?s so much involved in it,? Abbott said. ?It?s just the
challenge of getting it done. I want to keep the office running as
efficiently as possible.?
His job at Parkside is quite a bit different from his previous job
at
the hospital because of the differences between the two
institutions.
Abbott first moved to Hillsboro when he was attending Tabor
College.
He graduated from Tabor in January 1999 with a degree in business
administration and economics.
He is from Colorado, but he enjoys the small-town atmosphe
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