Celebrating Our Mountain Shadows Mothers |
We are Still $3,950 Away from Our Goal of $8,500!
You Can Still Make a Difference in Honoring Our Mountain Shadows Mothers! Your Donation Will be DOUBLED Today! You can Make TWICE the Impact In the Lives of Our Residents |
Janet Steen, 30+ Year MSCH-Riverside Employee and “Big Mama” to All. |
Thanks to a Generous Donation from the Gaspare Family Trust |
In Honor of our Mountain Shadows Mothers, like Janet Steen,
Your DONATION will be DOUBLED up to $8,500! |
Honoring Our Mountain Shadows Mothers
Janet Steen: The Four Pillars of Love |
Janet Steen at her desk at Mountain Shadows Riverside. |
by Sheryl Wilde
A Loving Message from Derrick Johnson, former NFL Cornerback* (to his mother, Janet Steen)
“Mother, thank you for loving my brothers and me. You have ran your race, fought the good fight, and you have finished. Job well done. You set the standard and best is the standard. Your sacrifice, your commitment to family, and your pursuit of perfection, is ingrained in my soul, to be the best father and husband I can be. I want to thank you for all the thankless things you’ve done in my life. You’ve provided the best childhood possible and I wouldn’t want any other mother in the world to be called my mom.”
*San Francisco 49ers, Houston Texans, Atlanta Falcons, Miami Dolphins, Seattle Seahawks |
Janet’s sons (left to right) Marshall, Lance, Brandon, and Derrick Johnson. |
To say athleticism runs in Janet Steen’s family would be an understatement. Janet held the women’s high school records in 1979 for the 100 yard dash at 11.64 and 220 yards at 20.59, and received a full scholarship to UCLA based on her accomplishments. “She was a great athlete and was on track for the Olympics,” says Ashley Hebert, Janet’s niece, and former MSCH-Riverside QIDP. Her oldest son, Derrick, was recently inducted into the Riverside Sports Hall of Fame, and was a record-setting football and track athlete at Notre Dame High School. He went on to be drafted by the San Francisco 49ers.
Her second son, Brandon, was a professional middle-distance runner, who specialized in the 800 meter and 400 meter hurdles. He was a member of the United States’ distance medley relay team which set the world record of 9:15.50 at the 2015 IAAF World Relays in Nassau. |
Derrick Johnson Jr., grandson, plays for the Oklahoma Sooners. |
Brandon Johnson, his relay team broke the World Record, and he was sponsored by Nike. |
“There are certain gifts given in this world by God, and I think my mom, my grandmother, and myself, were put on this planet to serve others,” says Derrick.
“She is very much what we call our ‘Big Mama.’ A Big Mama is not only the mother of the immediate family, but the mother of the extended family – first cousins, second cousins, third cousins, friends of the family. Every family has its own mother, and then there is that superior woman who leads the love, the joy, and is the glue and the nucleus of what we do and who we are as an extended family. “My mom is very, very vital to keeping our whole family connected.” |
Janet and her granddaughter, Kayla Johnson (one of Janet’s heart beats). |
“I’ve observed a lot of people over the years, and I’m very observant of what I believe makes a good person,” says Derrick. “When looking at relationships that I value most, I’m governed by Four Pillars: loyalty, honor, trust and respect.
“When someone possesses and demonstrates all four of those traits, that equals love to me, and I will love them and give them the shirt off my back. The word love is thrown around a lot, very loosely. So, I’ve come up with my own definition of love, based on my observations and experiences, and that’s loyalty, honor, trust and respect.
“My mother had a huge impact on me in those areas. She exudes all of those traits. Blood doesn’t make you family. Living by those four pillars makes you family and builds the foundation of love. “I love my mother. It’s just a blessing, a blessing, to be her son.” |
Janet with foster son, Hayden, enjoying a day of swimming, Janet is in the process of adopting Hayden. |
“Janet is the most caring person,” says Theresa (Steen) Cole, her sister. “She wants to make sure everyone is okay, even if she’s not okay herself. Janet organizes all of the family gatherings, the Christmas parties, the birthday parties. She held my 60th birthday party at her house – with 200 family members!” |
Janet and her sister, Theresa, on a family cruise, dining at the Captain’s table. |
Continues Theresa, “Janet is the one who is always there for everyone. When my father had lung cancer, she moved in with him to make sure he was okay. She was with him until he died. She is that person. When her mom got sick, she did the same thing. When my mother passed, she was that shoulder to cry on. I wouldn’t know what to do without her.” |
Janet and foster daughter, Kamea. Kamea and Hayden are brother and sister, and Janet is in the process of adopting both children. |
Says Janet, “I try to do my best for my family, and my family includes Mountain Shadows.
“When I stumbled upon Mountain Shadows in the early 1990’s, I had just completed my medical assistant program. I had looked around at other jobs, but I knew immediately where I wanted to work. But my sister kept saying, ‘Go work at the school district! They pay more!’ But I still chose to work at Mountain Shadows. I knew where my destiny was. And I have loved every moment of it. I have no regrets.”
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Janet after running a 5k a week before surgery. |
Continues Janet, “I started as a DCS (Direct Care Staff). I really did love the one-on-one care with the residents. I loved changing them, bathing them, making sure all of their needs were met. That one-on-one time with them, I’m never going to forget it.” |
(left to right) Ms. Elva Janet’s son’s mother-in-law, twin sister, Janice, Derrick Johnson, and Janet. |
Says Ruth Hill, Mountain Shadows Board Member, of Janet, “I remember being amazed by this woman who had four boys and was able to keep them busy and out of trouble. They were all involved in sports and received scholarships.
“Janet started as a DCS, and then began doing staffing for the nine Riverside homes. She’s always been there for the company and the residents. If you gave her a task to do, she would figure out how to do it. If you gave her a challenge, she was up for it. She had an enthusiasm for seeing the residents thrive. “She took over organizing the company picnic many years ago, and she did that with great ease. I’m sure it wasn’t really easy, coordinating an event for 150 – 200 people, but she made it look easy.
“I saw Janet as the glue that held things together. She knew everybody and made everybody feel important. She was passionate about the care of our residents. She’s loyal to our residents.
“Janet will be retiring soon and she will be greatly missed.” |
Janet’s son, Derrick, and his wife Alacia. |
“My mom really committed herself to Mountain Shadows,” says her son, Brandon Johnson. “She genuinely enjoys working there, and she got us involved with the company too. I’m a registered nurse now, and part of the reason for that is, from an early age, she brought us kids to the company picnics and garage sales. Watching and interacting with the residents got me curious about heath care. The first job I had, which my mom got for me, was as a caregiver at Mountain Shadows.
“I instantly fell in love with all the kids. It was a great experience.
“My mom wanted to make sure all of us grew up to be good men who knew how to take care of ourselves. I learned from her that family and friends are important, and to be yourself and love who you are.” |
Janet with her cousin Debra “Steen” Middlebrooks. |
“Janet is super dedicated to Mountain Shadows,” adds Olivia Garcia, MSCH-Riverside. “She loves all of our residents. Every morning when she comes in, she walks through the house. She makes sure to say, ‘Good morning,’ and to talk with the residents, each and every one of them.” |
Janet’s extended family at their family Thanksgiving dinner. |
“”I’ve always tried to do the best for the company, for the residents, and for the staff,” says Janet. “I’m truly grateful to Mountain Shadows for allowing me to work here this long. They have been a blessing to me and my family.
“Even in this new stage I’ll be starting, called retirement, I’m always going to be a part of Mountain Shadows in my heart. I am grateful, thankful, and blessed to have been a part of Mountain Shadows for all this time. I thank them with all my heart.” |
“My mom fell in love with the kids, the residents, of Mountain Shadows,” adds Derrick. “I’ve seen her passion pour out into them. She’ll come home and talk about the milestones the kids are achieving. I think that brings a great perspective to life.
“I’ve had opportunities to attend Mountain Shadows events, and I’ve met a lot of the kids. They have strongly impacted my life. A lot of people take for granted their blessings. What Mountain Shadows has taught me is to be grateful for what I have.
“Mountain Shadows, and what they provide, is a service that often goes unnoticed. They should be recognized for the good deeds they are doing in this world. They have done an unbelievable job in providing my mother with the opportunity to make a positive impact. And they have given me an opportunity to understand that I am truly blessed, and that a hug, a smile, even a touch on the shoulder, can mean the world to someone.
“Going back to the Four Pillars: loyalty, honor, trust and respect, I believe Mountain Shadows has them all. It’s an amazing organization.” Loyalty + Honor + Trust + Respect = Love
We are grateful to Janet Steen, Big Mama, for more than three decades of loving service to the Mountain Shadows Family. Thank you, Janet, for allowing us to be a part of your family and exemplifying the Four Pillars of Love in everything you do. You have been a superior woman who has helped lead the love, and the joy, and has been part of the the glue, and the nucleus, of what we do and who we are as the Mountain Shadows Family.
Janet Steen, you will be greatly missed. We wish only the very best in all you do! |
Help Us Continue to Strengthen Our Four Pillars of Love
Thanks to a Generous Donation from the Gaspare Family Trust |
In Honor of our Mountain Shadows Mothers
Your DONATION will be DOUBLED up to $8,500! |
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The Mountain Shadows Foundation – Because We CARE |
Thanks to YOUR SUPPORT, the Mountain Shadows CARE program provides recreational and social experiences to residents and participants adding meaning and richness to their lives.
It’s easy for you to help us continue to provide activities like this – activities that improve the quality of our residents’ lives in fulfillment of their dreams. Here are some ways you can help ensure these crucial activities can continue for years to come: -
Make a one-time donation today by clicking on the donate button below.
- Make a monthly or annual contribution.
- Leave a Legacy Gift.
To learn more about the Mountain Shadows Foundation Legacy Society, to include us in your estate plan, or to let us know if you have already designated Mountain Shadows to receive a legacy gift, please contact Mandy Huiras, Director of Development at: mhuiras@mtnshadows.org, or visit our website by clicking here:
Learn More About the Mountain Shadows Foundation Legacy Society Please share this story with your family, friends and co-workers to help grow our Mountain Shadows Family!
To learn more about Mountain Shadows volunteer opportunities, please click below:
Learn about Mountain Shadows Volunteer Opportunities Here |
Mandy Huiras
Mountain Shadows Foundation Director of Development
Contact Mandy today to learn more about the Mountain Shadows Foundation and how you can continue to make a difference in the lives of our residents:
mhuiras@mtnshadows.org |
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