Tacoma Lutheran Retirement Community Annual Report
A farewell to TLRC.
president report
“We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.” - 2 Corinthians 4:8
I believe this scripture verse describes 2020. TLRC faced many challenges in 2020 but was not crushed, we did not languish in despair, we worked together so we did not feel abandoned and certainly were not destroyed! As we share this Annual Report with you, it is time to reflect, but believe me, we all agree we are glad it is now behind us. Many events impacted us in 2020, none more so than COVID. Every resident and employee was touched by this, whether diagnosed with it or knew someone who contracted it. Yet, one of the things I love about our team is their resiliency and resourcefulness. Our team not only met the challenge-they rose above it! Our team created ways to keep residents engaged throughout the year. Our team comforted and protected each other. The most common thank you phrase I hear from residents and staff is “Thank you for keeping us safe!” Such great praise!
Our building project continued to move forward and we expect to begin construction in September. Three buildings will be built: one three-story apartment building containing 50 one- and two-bedroom apartments and two villa residences, one five-story and one six-story building containing a total of 41 one and two-bedroom apartments. Throughout the year we have seen more than 100 people express interest in moving to our campus and are currently in the process of sharing pricing and floor plans. I encourage you to stop by our Sales Center located in Highlands Six-Plex A5 or continue to check our website for the latest information.
Quality programs and services for all our residents have always been a hallmark of our organization. To that end, I want to acknowledge the hard work our staff members have done in maintaining our 5-Star Rating from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services throughout the pandemic. This is not easy to accomplish, even when not dealing with a pandemic. To maintain this status during the pandemic is spectacular. I am so proud of and grateful to our staff.
We began a rebranding process in 2020, which allowed us to update our colors, our logo, our Mission, Vision and Values Statements and our name. This process utilized a task force that included voices from residents, employees and Board members. It stretched over 8-9 months and involved deliberating over more than 30 name options. We are excited about our new name as it will take us into the future with confidence, pays homage to our founders and reflects on the growth we have achieved over the years.
As the door closes on 2020 and Tacoma Lutheran Retirement Community, we look forward to the future with hope and excitement as eliseo. I am also grateful for the support received from the community, employees, Board members, volunteers, business partners and residents. Yes, we were challenged in 2020. However, we achieved many successes as you will see throughout this Annual Report. Our future is bright and we look forward to you joining us on the journey!
R. Kevin McFeely President and CEO

board of governors
board of governors chair
For almost 83 years, the ‘Lutheran Home,’ by whatever name, has had an eye to the future. Those early visionaries who gathered to develop a residence for people in need were not deterred by an economic depression and a world threatened by war. They had a calling and a mission. elìseo continues to respond to the calling and mission which brought it into being by Engaging lives through active living, compassion and dignity.
The Board of Governors greatly appreciates the work the staff has done this past year for they are the ones who put our mission into practice. We especially value the work done in responding to the Covid-19 pandemic. Even with the trials placed upon them, their work enabled elìseo being granted the 5-star rating by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. We look forward to continuing to work with Kevin McFeely in maintaining the mission and vision for elìseo.
2021 will continue to bring changes to the campus and the community of elìseo, not the least of which is the new name. It was chosen to reflect our faith tradition with its meaning being God is our salvation, and to expand our identity beyond the campus as we seek to reach above and beyond in fulfilling our calling.
Thanks to the members of the Board of Governors for their commitment and support for the work of elìseo. Thanks to the covenant congregations for their participation in elìseo as an extension of their own ministry.
Please continue to hold elìseo its residents, staff and volunteers - in your prayers.
The Rev. Ron Kempe Chair, Board of Governors

foundation

eliseo foundation
What a year it has been! On behalf of the elìseo foundation Board of Trustees, I want to thank you all for your generous support in 2020. Your donations this year helped to enrich the lives of our residents during an unprecedented year of unknowns.
We are grateful for you – whether you gave to the foundation through our end-of-year annual campaign, contributed with a Legacy or estate gift or made a donation to one of our programs that supports our elìseo residents and services. Each and every one of you were so generous with your giving and we cannot say thank you enough.
When the pandemic began, we were not sure how 2020 would unfold. We knew we would have to cancel our 10th annual golf tournament (it is back on for August 19, 2021 so mark your calendars!). But most importantly, we knew we needed to do whatever we could to continue to serve our residents. And this year, you stepped up and helped us to fund the resident care programs as well as provide activities for them through our Life Enrichment Department. Your giving provided a bit of light for those in our elìseo community this year!
Also, the elìseo staff have made it easier than ever to give to the elìseo foundation. If you go to elìseo.org, you can sign up to make a monthly gift that will be automatically deducted on a recurring basis. You can also sign up through the Amazon Smile Foundation to have a portion of your Amazon purchase amounts to be donated back to elìseo. The same is true if you shop at Fred Meyer – simply search for elìseo in your rewards program to make elìseo a beneficiary. Any questions? Please contact Audrie Jones in our foundation office (253-756-7568) and she can help you get it set up.
We are looking forward to an exciting new year at elìseo for 2021, with the expansion of the campus projects and new staff in the elìseo foundation. We look forward to thanking you, our donors, later this year in person at our annual Enthusiast Club lunch. But until then, let me say THANK YOU again for all that you do.
Marc Streleski Chair, Board of Trustees
Friend of the Foundation (Gifts up to $99)
John and Ann Bechtholt
Donna Brzezinski
Colleen Clark
Jennifer A. Davenport
Gerald Dines
Daniel and Karen Erlander
David Hoffman
Emmitria Kleuabthong
Ron Klipping
Dr. Paul and Margaret Kutz
Karrie Lewandowski
Tammy Lorenzo
Jean and Jon Malmin
Princess Mariano
Keisha Mayfield
Jessie McKenzie
Pamelia Olson
Suzanne Sevasin
Norma Darlene Smith
Judi Sturmer
Emily Welton
Giftmaker ($100-299)
Juliana A. Aetonu
John and Carol Avery
Dorothy Mae Brown
Dianne Carey
Ed and Christiansen
Diana Compton
Denise and Ryan Cooksey
Jim DeLaHunt
Dennis and Rebecca Drewes
Rev. Robert Drewes
Rainer and Lilo Faust
Ted and Dee Feiertag
Daniel Fitch
Vance Fredrickson
Ruth Gastler
JoAnn Gerlach
Janet Glenn
Michael and Marjorie Guerber
Mary Guilford
David K. and Barbara H. Hamry
Edward and Marien Johnson
Audrie and Cannon Jones
Tiara Kelly
Lori King
Giftmaker cont.
Erik and Marcia Kjesbu
Patty Knapp
Kroger Stores
Virginia Lease
*Janet and Jack Leng
Jean Mandy
Nellie Mattlab
Billy and Barbara Meints
Beverly Menjivar
Trudy Miller
Renee Morgan
Thyda Oeung
James Ofelt
Karizsan J. Perez
Yvette Perrine
Georgine Roller
Larry Scalph
Jackie Stenger
Reba Jo Stevenson
Jon Swingle
Tacoma Delta Investment Club
Brigitte J. Thomas
Colin Thompson
Rev. Richard and Sandra Tietjen
Raymond Tisch
United Way of Pierce County
Chizuko Van Horn
John and Janice Vick
Gloria Virak
Amy Vogel
Richard and Donna Walker
Shirley Winsley
Enthusiast Club ($300-999)
Jeffrey Angell
Joan Baird
Virgil Boyt and Rosella Herrman
Stacy M. Daniels
Jean and Curtis Dieffenbaugher
Herman and Dorothy Diers
*Stephen Duncan
Thomas and Dorothea Fizet
*Janis and Howard Graves
Kyle Halloway
John Hamilton
Trent Herivel
Noel Hermann
*Daniel Hoffman
Lois Huso
*Rev. Ronald and Janet Kempe
Enthusiast Club Cont.
*Ed Larson
Bill and Sue Lindeman
Don and Judie Lloyd
Sandra and Shannon McCormick
Serina McWha
Mount Cross Lutheran Church
Tho Nguyen
Rev. Randall and Jan Olson
Robert and Joyce Reinhard
*C. Lynn Riegel
Paula Rieke
Joanna Robinson
St. Mark's Lutheran Church By the Narrows
Maxine Strom
Harold Sweeney
The Benevity Community Impact Fund
Anne Wagner
Karen Wiley
David and Brenda Wise
Partner ($1,000-4,999)
*Dr. Bruce and Dixie Arneklev
William and Margaret Barton
Bjarne & Ethel Byberg Estate
Joan Fassnacht
*Larry and Ellen Gaffney
Gloria George
Greenbrier Development
Bruce and Kathleen Gustafson
Heritage Bank-Downtown Tacoma
In Faith Community
Dale Johnson
Katherine S. Johnson
Marcy Johnson
Key Bank
*Janet and Don Monroe
Roy and Ilse Noren
Sig (Oliver) Olson and Dianne Schurr
Peace Lutheran Church
Rockwood
Lloyd and Barb Schneider
Margaret Spangler
*Marc and Cathy Streleski
TLRC Helping Hands
Champion ($5,000-9,999)
Gustaf Soderstrom Estate Foundation
Kevin and Cindy McFeely
Visionary (Gifts of $10,000 and more)
Joan Schultz
Denotes an eliseo Staff Member
*Denotes an eliseo Board Member
financial report
financial report
In a year filled with many challenges, we are blessed to know the financial future of elìseo is secure.
As you might expect, the pandemic that shuttered so many organizations affected elìseo as well. We faced a strain on operations with a reduction in number of residents, resulting in loss of revenue, both within Independent Living and the Health Center operations. We were able to counter the loss of revenue with some savings in expenses. The increased expenses in infection control and direct COVID costs offset most of these savings.
Hiring and retaining a quality workforce is more important than ever. However, as in the past, the pool of health care talent remains in demand. The work involved to recruit health care workers only increased as lack of available talent inflated direct care expenses. elìseo received funds from the Paycheck Protection Program in April and was able to continue providing care and services to our residents with a full budgeted staff and stabilized cash flows.
elìseo continues to allocate dollars to invest in technology to reduce workload, increase accuracy and improve the lives of our residents and staff.
As we make a continuing commitment to greater financial sustainability in 2021, we are grateful for your continued support as we transition to a different world post COVID. Our strong financial standing was bolstered with the commitment and expertise of our staff, leadership and the Board of Governors.
It is not enough to simply survive a downturn; we want to position ourselves financially to be even stronger. We are blessed to be working together with such a dedicated caring staff, and I am overwhelmed by this honor and privilege. Our team was able and will continue to navigate these trying times together.
David Hoffman Chief Financial Officer

Organizations we proudly supported in 2020.
Peace Community Center
Lutheran Community Services in the Northwest
Franciscan Foundation
Alzheimer’s Association
Healthcare Providers Council
Global Ageing Network
Redeemer Lutheran Church
Catholic Community Services
Nourish Pierce County Food Banks
church covenant
First Lutheran Church
St. Marks Lutheran Church
United Lutheran Church
Christ the King Lutheran Church
Christ Lutheran Church
Bethany Lutheran Church
Lutheran Church of Christ the King
Redeemer Lutheran Church
Emmanuel Lutheran Church
Mount Cross Lutheran Church
Peace Lutheran Church - Puyallup
Peace Lutheran Church - Tacoma
Grace Lutheran Church
Trinity Lutheran Church
Gloria Dei Lutheran Church
St. Johns Lutheran Church
Resurrection Lutheran Church
Agnus Dei Lutheran Church
Good Shepherd Church
Bethlehem Lutheran Church