As the new director of marketing at Cherry Village Benevolence, Erin Lewis is bringing several new dimensions to the job.

            Lewis, who has worked at the long-term-care facility for five years, has held positions in administration and finance. Now she is working one-on-one with residents and families, as well as area health-care providers.

            “I want to help families make the most informed decisions about care for their loved ones,” Lewis said. “My goal is not to just get them in the door; it is to ensure they receive the care they need.

            “We have found that in some cases, long-term care is not the best solution,” she explained. “But families often don’t realize what other options are available. I don’t view my role as solely a marketer. I want to be a resource for the community for the care of our elders.”

            Lewis’ new responsibilities include admission coordination, public information, outreach programs, long-term-care education, web development and face-to-face meetings with other health-care facility representatives.

            “We currently have strong relationships with other local health-care providers but I want to take this to the next level,” Lewis commented. “I will share with them the most up-to-date information on all our services.

            “Cherry Village provides high-quality, compassionate care that is centered on residents and their personal preferences,” she continued. “We are a not-for-profit entity, which means our goal isn’t to make the most money; it is to provide the best care. I take this to heart.”

            One of Lewis’ first items of business was to establish a Cherry Village website. “Families are using the internet more and more to find a new home for loved ones,” she noted. “We want to be sure our voice is heard.”

            The website, www.cherryvillageltc.org, contains information about the facility and what it has to offer. Lewis is regularly adding information and will continue to do so.

“I don’t see this just as a website for advertising,” Lewis said. “I am working with our care team to provide another way for families to keep informed about our many activities and services.”

In addition, Cherry Village is active on Facebook.

            Lewis is a 1990 graduate of Ellinwood High School. She earned an associate’s in arts degree at Barton Community College in 1992. Her professional background includes a position as sales account manager at KSN-TV.

            Her mother is Barbara Bayless Achatz and stepfather is Charlie Achatz. “Since my grandfather founded Bayless Dry Cleaning, my roots run deep here,” Lewis said. “I am proud to be a lifelong member of the Barton County community.

            “I am using this hometown background to serve our neighbors who are looking for the right answers to questions about care for elders,” she added.

            A local family has managed Cherry Village, 1401 Cherry Lane, since it opened in 1978.