Century Oak Director Wins Award
By Shelly Guerra, Sun News
Will Vicha is known around Century Oak Care Center in Middleburg Heights as “the fun guy.”
Now the Strongsville resident can add Activities Professional of the Year to his list of nicknames.
Vicha received the top award at the Northeast Ohio Association of Activity Professionals’ annual luncheon at Lorain County Community College recently, recognizing his 43 years of service.
The recognition was completely unexpected, he said.
“Nothing was registering,” Vicha said. “Then all of a sudden I realized they were talking about me. I was so surprised.”
Those who know Vicha say he definitely is a deserving recipient.
“He is such a pillar here,” said Diana Schaub, marketing director at Century Oak. “He’s just a great guy and a real asset to our facility and has a wonderful reputation around town.”
Vicha has spent about 14 years planning, organizing and implementing activities for Century Oak’s nearly 100 residents. From weekly bingo games and musical entertainment, to trips to the movies and nearby shopping centers, Vicha’s goal is to make sure his residents’ quality of life is the best it can be.
“We try to make life as interesting or even more so than if they were on their own,” he said. “When people come here they sometimes feel they have lost their freedom to choose – and we try to reverse that trend. The person makes his or her own decisions – we invite and we encourage them to take part in things, but we don’t force.”
Vicha’s goal is to plan activities that his residents are specifically interested in.
“A lot of times he is in the residents’ rooms, talking with them and seeing what they like, looking for extra activities for them to do. He’s constantly taking care of the people,” Schaub said.
Vicha encourages residents to do things they either have never done or haven’t done in years. Some residents, for example, decide to relearn instruments they haven’t played since their youth.
“My biggest challenge is people who say they are too old to do things,” Vicha said. “We try to re-ignite those pilot lights that have been extinguished.”
The NOAAP, which recognized Vicha, works to ensure high standards of professionalism and resident care. The organization provides leadership, education, promotion and networking opportunities for activity professionals in Medina, Lorain, Summit, Geauga and Cuyahoga counties.
Vicha said it’s important to live by example by encouraging residents to live life to its fullest.
“As an activity director, an eight-hour work day seems like 10 minutes. The time goes by so fast,” Vicha said. “It’s so rewarding when someone says you really made their day.”