Meet Tina!
Dietary Helper, Food Services
Tina began her career at Hotel Dieu Shaver in 2002, working in Housekeeping. In 2017 she transferred to Food Services and has been working as a Dietary Helper ever since.
Prior to working at Hotel Dieu Shaver, Tina worked in the coffee kiosk of an acute care hospital, where she also volunteered on the pediatric ward. “As I observed how all of the staff, from nursing, housekeeping, dietary and all other departments worked together to make a difference in patient’s lives for the better I was inspired,” says Tina. “I knew I wanted to be a part of that.”
When Tina thinks about her most memorable moments in Food Services at HDS, she thinks about how her department recently celebrated Nutrition Month in March. “Our Manager, Ariza, along with our Dietitians, really went out of their way to create a fun filled event for all the hospital staff and physicians,” explains Tina. Throughout the month of March the Food Services department educated staff and patients on nutrition, provided nutritional food samples, as well as hosted daily activities and potlucks in their department as a team. “Of course, Ariza brought in her ‘big speaker’ so we could listen to great music, which helped to enhance the worked day,” Tina says with a smile. “Dealing with the ongoing challenges of the pandemic, this really lifted our spirits and brought back that feeling of normalcy.”
“I am incredibly fortunate to work with such a caring and wonderful team. I am so proud to tell people that I work at Hotel Dieu Shaver – the reputation speaks for itself.”
Tina finds cooking and baking to be her greatest passions. This is largely because Tina was surrounded by great cooks and bakers and certainly learned from the best. Now Tina prepares the same recipes that were passed down to her, such as her Baba’s famous cabbage rolls, her mom’s favourite carrot cake, her dad’s famous homemade pizza and her father-in-laws wonderful homemade sauce and meatballs. “To me, there is nothing more rewarding than serving a homemade meal and dessert to my family and friends,” says Tina.
When she isn’t spending time at work, or preparing delicious meals and desserts for her family and friends, Tina can be found packing a picnic lunch and heading to Niagara-on-the-Lake on a warm summer day, or taking a family walk at Decew Falls in the spring or all seasons.