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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Shirley Freyer
Concordia Lutheran Ministries
Tel: 1-724-352-1571 x8266
sfreyer@concordialm.org

Concordia Highlights A Few Employee Mother/Child Duos

Cabot, PA – A mother laughs our laughter, Sheds our tears, Returns our love, Fears our fears. She lives our joys, Cares our cares, And all our hopes and dreams she shares. – Julia Summers

The one thing poet Julia Summers left out, however, is that a mother works where we work… at least that’s the case for a number of mother/child pairings at Concordia Lutheran Ministries.

Linda & Brian Cairns

The trip from Karns City to Cabot isn’t what most people would call a stones throw – most days, it’s a 40-minute drive. But that’s not to say Concordia at Cabot employees Linda and Brian Cairns, a mother-son duo who work here and make that trip daily, are complaining; except for on those rare days that someone forgets something at home…

Like shoes for example.

“My mother and I carpooled one morning, and when we finally got to work, she realized she still had her slippers on,” Brian said. “Both of us couldn’t stop laughing all morning. Every time we saw each other that day we couldn’t help ourselves.”

Linda has worked as a Certified Nurse Assistant for 32 years, with the past 10+ years at Concordia. She was drawn to the organization after seeing how beautiful the then-new Lund Care Center was. Brian has worked in maintenance and landscaping for four years (he is a Certified Professional Landscaper), since starting as a volunteer in Adult Day Services – which he did through his mother’s suggestion.

“I probably never would have volunteered if it was not for her,” Brian said. “So in that sense, I owe a lot of the growth of my career to her.”

Linda said she often hears from various Haven and assisted living residents what good work her son does. The two see each other more in the winter, as Brian spends more time inside the buildings, but Linda said it’s seeing him outside that makes her smile.

“I can look out the window at any time and see Brian doing what he loves: working outside,” Linda said. “And it’s a good feeling to know that you’re child is doing what makes him happy.”

One thing both Linda and Brian agree on is what makes Concordia different: the homelike environment for patients AND staff, as well as the Christian environment.

The two are members at Chicora United Methodist Church and live with dad/husband Jeff and kitten Mandi. There is also an older brother Adam who is currently in college. Linda enjoys cooking, cleaning, and riding her bike, while Brian’s hobbies include organic gardening, woodworking, and the outdoors.

Romaine & Tiffany Maskas

One interaction with Romaine and Tiffany Maskas and one thing is perfectly clear: this mother/daughter combination loves to laugh – and as Romaine (the mom) said, it’s usually at her expense.

“We find a way to laugh pretty often… and it’s usually over something I do,” Romaine said with a laugh.

The pair used to work the afternoon shift together on Miller Hall in the Lund Care Center, but Tiffany switched to daylight while she works on her physical therapist assistant degree at Butler County Community College. Romaine, an LPN, has been with Concordia for five years – Tiffany, a CNA, four years.

“We see a side of each other at work that most mothers and daughters don’t get to see, and we’ve become good friends because of it,” Tiffany said.

Both find the atmosphere at Concordia to be very family-oriented and welcoming, especially between employees and staff. Romaine said that was one of her initial reasons for accepting the job.

“I was so impressed by the way the staff and patients interacted,” Romaine said. “The staff really treated them like family.”

Romaine and Tiffany live in Lower Burrell with husband/dad Wayne and their dog Barkley. There are also two other siblings who live in Delmont and Upper Burrell. Romaine’s hobbies include reading, shopping for antiques, and scrabble, while Tiffany enjoys vacationing with friends.