Looking back at 20 years of life and laughter inside The Emerald

2005 was a memorable year: Hurricane Katrina made landfall, YouTube and Google Maps launched — and The Emerald opened its doors. It was in August of that year that the first residents moved into the new Assisted Living building at Elim Village Fleetwood. Twenty years later, those early days still shine in the memories of Lisa Bysterveld, Jane Drost, and Marian Heemskerk, who have been part of The Emerald’s story from the very start.

Jane was one of the first residents to move to Elim Village in 2001. At the time, she was nearing retirement and working part-time as a care aide in Langley. After settling into the community, she saw an opportunity to give back. When The Emerald opened, she joined the team as a care aide — working just steps from home — and stayed until 2011. For Jane, it was never just a workplace. “It was a family. We had coffee together, laughed at each other, were there for each other. If there was a snowstorm, they slept at my house,” she says. “None of us knew what we were doing, so we just did the best we could, and it just worked. We just had fun.”

Lisa also started in 2005 and remains on staff today. What’s kept her at Elim for two decades? “Easy — the people. The team, the residents, the staff, the leadership… it’s like being part of one big (slightly quirky but completely lovable) family.”
Lisa describes The Emerald as “the perfect mix of heart and hilarity. The team is incredible — full of passion, playfulness, and just the right amount of mischief. There’s a sense of adventure that runs through the halls (sometimes literally), and the residents? They’re always ready to jump in on the fun.”

Among the many memories: staff hikes, trips to Harrison and Victoria, and pajama day. “I still laugh thinking about pajama day,” Lisa recalls. “Some of us looked cozy, some looked like they lost a bet — and then there was Kris Versluis (now Manager of Facilities and Maintenance), confidently rocking that kitten nightgown like it was high fashion.”

But not all memories are loud ones. Lisa shares a favourite moment with resident Tabea Ferris: “Each morning, Jane and I would slip in beside her, one on each side, and the day would begin not with an alarm clock, but with laughter. That little smirk, that sparkle in her eye, it was her way of saying, ‘I’m so glad you’re here.’”

A lot has changed since 2005. In the two decades since The Emerald first opened, 871 residents have called it home. What began with just five staff members has now grown into a full team — still lead by Marian Heemskerk, Director of Community Life. “From those first days of temporary occupancy to the flourishing campus we see today, each step forward has been guided by purpose and grace,” Marian says. “Each person leaves their mark and helps make Elim Village a beautiful place to work and live.”

Jane and Lisa have seen those changes firsthand. “I didn’t think Elim would be like this 20 years later. I really didn’t,” says Jane. “I didn’t think it would be this big.” Lisa adds, “I’ve seen Elim go from empty rooms being filled one by one, to a waitlist so long you’d think we were selling concert tickets. The residents coming in now are older, their kids are older, and let’s be honest — many of us are older too.”

Even with these changes, the heart remains the same. “The call to serve with compassion, faith, and joy? That’s remained constant — and that’s what keeps me going, even if I need an extra coffee or two along the way,” Lisa laughs.

For both Jane and Lisa, it always comes back to the people. “It was a family. It was really, really a unit family,” Jane says. Lisa adds: “We were more than co-workers — we were teammates in the beautiful, messy, joy-filled world of seniors care. And while so much has changed over the years, the heart of it all, that deep care and shared humanity, remains the same.”