Photos: Courtesy of Renaissance Marquis
Alyisha Staccato
Alyisha Beth Staccato was born in Boston, Massachusetts, and grew up in Jacksonville, Florida. She attended Southeast Whitfield High School in Dalton, Georgia. She has three siblings, one older sister, and two brothers.
Alyisha has three children, Emmaleigh who is 11 years old, Macie who is 9 years old and Liam who is 7 years old. They have a cat named Itty bitty.
She has been a part of Team Rome for five months working in the Harbor. When asked whether she enjoys working at Renaissance, she answers, “Yes, I love the mission and watching the company serve our residents and treat them as family.” When asked if working in an aging community has changed her life, she shares, “Absolutely! After losing my dad to Alzheimer’s Disease in 2013, I knew I wanted to work in Memory Care and help others live life to the fullest, making every day last. I am currently looking at enrolling in college to pursue my nursing degree.”
Her hobbies are spending time with her children, hiking, and sightseeing, and enjoys live music. Her favorite memories are of the births of her children. Pigeon Forge is her favorite vacation spot. Pink is her favorite color. Alyisha states, “My life’s passion is to live each day to the fullest. I try to always be positive and optimistic.” Her favorite quote is “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” Fall is her favorite season. An interesting fact is she is double-jointed!
Wendy Johnson nominated Alyisha for the Extra Mile Award saying, “Alisha always pitches in and helps residents on activities such as Bingo. She always spends her own money to bring them refreshments for parties and even brought items for their Christmas stockings.” We are thankful Alyisha has a heart for our residents and is a part of Team Rome. Thank you, Alyisha, for going the Extra Mile!
Heather Carnes
Heather Carnes was born here in Rome and raised in Cedartown, Georgia. She attended West Georgia College. She is single and has fur babies – her dogs!
She works primarily in our Housekeeping Department but is great to jump in and help as a Receptionist when needed. She has worked for Renaissance Marquis for approximately three years.
When asked if she enjoys working at Renaissance and how it has changed her life, she responds, “Yes, I love the residents and coworkers. I love spending time with the residents. It has made me thankful for good health and made me more knowledgeable of the needs of the elderly.”
Her hobbies include riding roller coasters, going to the beach, swimming, horseback riding, and spending time with her family and her dogs. She collects shoes and always has on something unique or bright! Her favorite memory is a family beach trip. She volunteers at Star Ranch Rescue, working with horses and dogs, and has helped with the animals when Star Ranch has come to Renaissance to visit. She is also involved in her church and does activities with the seniors. She shares her church family is important to her.
When asked what her passion is, she states, “My passion is to continue working with the company. I encourage others by always being positive and trying to help others stay positive by smiling. Another passion I have is to rescue dogs, I want to save them all!”
Heather was nominated by Cyndi Brannon, one of our Marketing Directors. Cyndi wrote, “Heather goes the extra mile very often. Recently we had a water leak in a resident’s room, and she immediately started moving the resident’s things to a vacant apartment. She took great care to make sure his space was set up, as it was in his damaged room, and that he was comfortable. She is always willing to help out in any department of our facility.”
Ben Gilbert
Ben Gilbert was born and raised in Rome, Georgia, but has also lived in Pensacola, Florida. He has an older sister and a younger brother. He graduated from Pepperell High School and is currently enrolled in Georgia Highland’s College.
Everyone here at Renaissance knows and loves Ben! He works in our Dietary Department, as well as the Activity Department, running the Coffee Shop and Ice Cream Shop. When asked if he enjoys working at Renaissance and if working in an aging community changed his life, he responds, “I do because working with the residents and coworkers is fun. It has made me realize how much I enjoy helping and making people happy. It’s always a pleasure to make people’s day better!”
Ben’s hobbies are soccer, football, shows, video games, card and board games. His favorite memories are a night out with his best friends. A family cruise is his favorite vacation. Cyan is his favorite color. His favorite candy is the holiday special Reese’s chocolate. He prefers DC rather than Marvel because his favorite superhero is Batman. Hoodies are his favorite thing to wear. Mexican is his favorite cuisine. Ben shares, “My passion in life is having fun and making sure everyone does. I encourage others by having them look forward to things.”
Ben was nominated by Mary Wilbanks, Dietary Director. She writes, “Ben is such a good worker. He knows the residents and what they like. He is always willing to help cover shifts for me. He will stay and help the dishwasher finish and take out the trash for her. It is refreshing to work with such a thoughtful young man.” Activity Director, Lori Lewis, also agrees Ben goes the extra mile, saying, “When Ben works in the Coffee Shop the residents don’t even have to ask for what type of creamers they would like, he has them all memorized! One day after Wheel of Fortune one of the residents made a comment saying she’d love to find someone to play Scrabble with. Ben stayed after he completed his shift and played Scrabble with this resident for two hours on his own time. He truly cares for our residents.” Thank you, Ben, for going the Extra Mile in everything you do!
Levi Dunaway
Levi was nominated for Going the Extra Mile by Britni Bagwell, whose grandfather, Danny Story, is a resident here. Britni stated, “My grandfather received a bookcase for his birthday that was not assembled. He did not have the tools to put it together. Levi took the time to put it together for him.” Other managers agree Levi is always willing to help with whatever is asked, including special transport for residents. He has a great attitude and is dependable.
Levi was born in Armuchee, Georgia, and grew up in Ball Ground, Georgia. He is single and a “Dog Dad” of an 8-year-old Scotts American Bulldog, Stella. She is very special to him, and he even has a tattoo representing her. He graduated from Pickens Mountain Education, a Charter School in Jasper, Georgia.
When asked if he enjoys working at Renaissance and if working in an aging community changed his life, he responds, “Yes, I enjoy my coworkers and hearing stories from our residents. I’ve always been an old soul, so I love interacting with our residents and hearing stories from the past. Our residents always make me feel appreciated, no matter how big or small my actions are.”
When he is not working, he takes care of his chicken farm. He loves to go to concerts. Some of his favorites were ZZ Top, Guns N’ Roses, and Joe Diffie. A fun fact about Levi is he has played pool with the Ying Yang Twins (musical entertainers) and won. He is an avid fisherman. He has a blueberry patch that he plans to extend over the next few years. He shares, “I come from a big family. I’m the youngest of seven, with five sisters and one brother, so my favorite memory is any time I can have my whole family together. I enjoy seeing others be the best version of themselves and am always willing to be present and have an open ear when needed.”
Levi has been a great addition to Team Rome, and we are glad to have him! Thank you, Levi, for going the Extra Mile!
