Testimonials

Sierra Tijerina

Congratulations to Sierra, Runningwater Draw's Employee of the Month. Born and raised in Olton, she just celebrated a birthday in June. Sierra graduated from Olton High School and went to Cosmetology School. She is a cosmetologist sometimes, but really enjoys working with the residents as Special Care in Periwinkle. Sierra loves to paint and when she has spare time that is what she can be found doing. But she also likes to spend her time trying to convince her mom to let her bring a horse home! She is known as the animal lady. Sierra has s menagerie of animals including two dwarf hamsters, two bearded dragons, five chickens, two ducks, three bunnies, two dogs, one inside cat and twelve outside cats. . . but no horse, yet! As you can tell, she loves animals.
Thank you Sierra for all you do for our residents!

Kenneth Earl Williams

Welcome to Kenneth Earl, RDCC's Resident of the Month. Kenneth was born in Santa Anna, Texas and grew up in Gouldbusk, Texas, graduating from Mozelle High School. He was married to Laura Williams for 20 years until she passed away in 1978. Kenneth later was married to Ann Williams for over 20 years until her death in 2019. Kenneth has two children, Ken and Rebecca Williams.
Kenneth spent his life being busy! He was a parts man for a Ford dealership, a milk man, as well as a purchasing agent for Jimmy Dean and later Cargill.
He enjoys listening to music and singing. He has also written songs in years past. His favorite sport was basketball but he excelled at football and fast pitch softball. Kenneth, we are glad to have you as a part of the RDCC family.

Congratulations to Sonya Diaz, RDCC's Employee of the Month. She has been a member of our Special Care staff in Periwinkle for over a year.
Sonya was born in Olton and graduated from OHS. She has been married to Kenny Williams for two years. A few years ago, she moved back from New Mexico, after being there for seven years.
Although she doesn't have any children, she has two nieces and nephews that she adores.
Her hobbies include reading and doing crafts. She also has six dogs and about 20 stray cats that she loves to care for.
We appreciate Sonya's care of our residents and her sweet personality!

Wynell Melton

Our Resident of the Month at Runningwater Draw is from the tiny town of Okra, Texas in Eastland County.
Wynell Claburn Melton, also known as "Sister" was born in August of 1929 and was the oldest of three children. She lived in Okra until first grade when she moved to Kermit, Texas due to her allergies.
She graduated from Kermit High School in 1947. The day she turned 18 she started at Southwestern Bell Telephone Company as a nighttime operator and continued working for the company for 41 years. She retired in 1988. She won several work-related awards including 20 years of perfect attendance and Regional Service Awards.
During the early years of working for Southwestern Bell, Wynell started receiving calls from a James Melton who worked for Gulf Oil at night. He would call to make conversation. This went on for a year and they eventually married in 1949.
The Meltons were never blessed with children, but they had many loving nieces and nephews that called them their own, including Misti Gallaway, here in Olton.
Wynell loved relaxing as a hobby. She and James owned two lake houses - one at Lake Hubbard, Breckenridge and one in Red Bluff. She could water ski, but could not swim. In retirement, she and James would attend US Marine reunions held most of the time at various casinos.
Through the retirement years, she and her husband lived at Lake Hubbard until she moved to RDCC.
Wynell, we are glad you are a part of our family!

Jeremias Samarron

Congratulations to Jeremias Samarron, Runningwater Draw's Employee of the Month. Jeremias was born in March of 1992 and grew up in Earth. He graduated from Sundown High School in 2010 and has worked for RDCC as a CNA for a year now.
"It's a great thing and a blessing to take care of the greatest resident's ever," he said.
He loves to play basketball and golf. He is a big Philadelphia Eagles fan and watches sports all the time.
Thank you, Jeremias for your care of the residents!

Sharon Settle

 
 
Congratulations to Sharon Settle who is RDDD's Resident of the Month.
Sharon was born April 23, 1945 in Claunch, New Mexico. She is proud of her middle name Carmetta, which is a family name.
She is the second oldest sibling of two brothers and two sisters. She attended school in Claunch until Junior High when her family moved to Corona, New Mexico. She graduated from Corona High School in 1963 and then went on to Lubbock Christian University for two years. She then transferred to Texas Tech University where she received her teaching degree.
While in college bowling class, she met her husband Jerry, and they married August of 1965.
Sharon and Jerry have three children - Jeff who is married to Jennifer and lives in Edmonson; Jody married to Connie and lives in Tulsa, Oklahoma; and Angie Bennett and husband Cody also of Edmonson. She has seven grandchildren - Jody's Ashley and Danika; and Angie's Andrew, Riley, Tanner, Steel and Laurel.
Sharon was always active and busy. She was a homemaker and helped her husband on the farm. To earn a little extra cash, she worked at Jody's Dept Store and Webb & Webb in Plainview.
Early in her life, she was in a Christian singing group and recorded an album. The album was sent to a producer in Nashville, but she didn't go on with the venture because she wanted to raise a family instead of being famous. Very active in church, she taught Sunday school for over 40 years. She also hosted many, many bridal and baby showers at her home and was always in an exercise or walking group. For a quiet pastime she loved to read. Congratulations Sharon! We are so glad you are our Resident of the Month!

Carla Diaz

 
 
Congratulations to Carla Diaz who has been chosen to receive the Spotlight on our Staff honor for January at Runningwater Draw Care Center.
Growing up here, Carla became a part of the RDCC family when she began training in 2007 to receive her CNA certification. Her first assignment was to work in Periwinkle, the secured dementia unit, and she learned to love the people she was serving. She is presently serving as CNA Training Coordinator.
"I really do love my job<" she says. "I feel like this place is my second home." Carla and her husband, Manuel, live in Dimmitt and are parents of six year old Natalie and three year old Nathan. The children and Manuel are number one for her through the hours she is not on duty at RDCC. Hobbies, she says, can wait until that day when her children leave the next. She smiles when explaining variety in her life. "Natalie is quiet and Nathan is a wild one." Carla, we are proud to claim you as one of our special staff embers of the RDCC Family!

Louise Thompson

 
 
Congratulations to Louise Thompson our January Resident of the Month at Runningwater Draw Care Center. She joined the RDCC family in 2016.
She grew up in Lockney and married Billy Thompson and settled down in Plainview. They became parents of two daughters, Cindy of Florida and Audra of Plainview and one son, Max Ray. She proudly claims three grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
She and Billy established Thompson TV Repair on Quincy Street in Plainview. Louise had her own little studio corner in the front where she could display her hobby of china painting. Some of that talent in that field has been featured in the China Star restaurant.
Louise served for a time as a volunteer at the hospital in Plainview and she was very active in RSVP. She also loved to quilt and was active in her church, St. Paul's Lutheran Church.
We proudly claim you as one of our special residents, Louise!

Rolinda Mathews

 
 
Congratulations to Rolinda Mathews as the recipient of the Spotlight on our staff for December.
Rolinda graduated from OHS in 1976 and immediately began studying to become a nurse. She earned a coveted LVN degree. Her first job was with Plainview Hospital. During that time, she worked at Aday Pharmacy.
She came to Runningwater Draw Care Center as a part time nurse and did not move to full time until 1996. She became manager of Sandhills Village Assisted Living in 2000, serving until knee surgery brought what she thought would be the end of her nursing employment. Her love for her work and the ongoing need for nurses brought her back to RDCC.
"I love my work and I love the residents - all of them - and care for all our staff," she says.
Rolinda is the proud mom of a daughter, Linda, and granddaughters Delaney, Karsyn, and Savannah. Then in 2007 and marriage to Bruce, she gained four more children - Rose, Jennifer, Jessie and Sara. They gave her six additional grandchildren.
Thanks, Rolinda for being an important member of our special staff. We value you!

Ordie Gentry

 
 
Congratulations to Ordie Gentry, our resident for the month of December. She became a member of the RDCC Family in May of 2016.
Ordie moved to Olton in 1978 to be near her only child and her family, Barbara and James Brooks and their children Jimmy and Tanya. Her life has since been blessed with precious great grandchildren - Tammy Brooks and Alana, Trent and Amber Debnam.
A faithful member of First Baptist Church, Ordie is a former beautician. She found great rewards from her hobby of ceramics and later with porcelains. She liked painting and working in her yard and also enjoyed cooking and canning.
Ordie also enjoyed fellowship with friends as a member of Olton Garden Club and Olton Home Demonstration Club.
We are so proud to recognize you as our Resident of the Month, Ordie.

Selena Diaz

 
 
Congratulations to Selena Diaz, Runningwater Draw's latest selection to our Spotlighted Staff honor roll. A lifelong resident of Olton, Selena is our Housekeeping/Laundry Supervisor.
After graduating from OHS in 1997, she married Michael Diaz. They will celebrate their 21st anniversary this month. She and Michael are parents of three daughters, Mikayla, 17 is a member of the senior class and will graduate in May. She's planning to enroll in college courses and is strongly considering a nursing career. Marissa is 15, a ninth grader and cheerleader. Mariah, 10 is a fourth grader.
Selena earned her Nurse Aide certification while training and working at RDCC at the age of 16, and worked for the facility several years. She also worked at OISD for 17 years as a substitute teacher in all 3 campuses and also worked part time at Anna's before returning to RDCC. She loved being involved with the facility while her grandmothers were residents.
When off work, she fills her time by being involved with her daughters. That, she says, is much better than hobbies. She does enjoy reading and exercising. She likes her job, reflecting on it by saying, "I want to be as good as Mary Bueno was."
We're proud to call you ours Selena!

Olga Berlanga

 
 
Congratulations Olga Berlanga, our Resident of the Month at Runningwater Draw. Olga has been a resident of RDCC since 2016.
Olga was born and spent her early years in
Cotulla, moving with her family later to Morton. At 18, she married Vincent Richard Perez and they made Olton their home. They became parents of two sons and two daughters. David, their eldest died in October 2017. Richard and Gilda live here and Diane resides in Lubbock. after Vincent passed, Olga later remarried Sabino Salazar and gained another daughter, Elizabeth. She lives in Hereford.
Olga is the proud grandmother of five and great-grandmother of five. Photos of those special members of her family adorn the wall in her corner of the room she shares with Margie Coen. Olga has adopted Margie as a member of her family.
She enjoys participating in activities sponsored by Inspirations, a non-profit aiding senior citizens based in Plainview. She is also an avid puzzle fan. Before coming to RDCC, Olga enjoyed needlework, especially crocheting and knitting. She loves playing dominoes. We are proud you're one of ours, Olga.

Courtney Jimenez

 
 
Congratulations to Courtney, Runningwater Draw's latest selection to our Spotlighted Staff honor roll. She has been a valuable member of the RDCC staff for a year.
A resident of Olton all her life, she is married to a home town OHS graduate, Juan Jimenez. They are proud parents of a son, Blaine, who is is seven and a daughter, Preslee, four. Family togetherness is more important than hobbies for Courtney. They especially enjoy family oriented movies together.
Courtney graduated from Olton High School in 2007 and soon began studies to become a nurse. She earned her Nurse Aide Certification in classes here in 2009, then gained her prized license as a Vocational Nurse through South Plains College's branch in Plainview.
Resident care is more than an assignment for Courtney, it's her favorite duty as a nurse. She loves each resident and lives the RDCC motto, "We Care . . . Because We Care, We Serve."
We are proud to have such a valued member as Courtney on our RDCC staff!

Apolonio Luera

 
 
Congratulations Apolonio Luera, our Resident of the Month at Running Water Draw. Polo has been a resident of RDCC since 2016.
He grew up in Melvin, or as he reports, "deep in the heart of Texas." He had one brother and ten sisters. Only three sisters are still living.
Polo was never a stranger to work. His first job was with a crew harvesting cactus. He soon became acquainted with a tractor and spent much of his working life in association with tractors, a job he loved. He came to Olton in 1945 for the cotton harvest.
He worked in Lubbock with Seed Co./Coker Seed Company for 25 years before retiring for the first time and returning to Olton. Here he re-entered the work force, working with Steve Spain until retiring again, this time when he turned 80.
Polo is the proud father of a daughter and a son, both living in Lubbock. Another son is deceased. Polo lived in Lubbock until 1992 when he came home to Olton. He has been married to Amelia since 1981.
A broad smile comes quickly when Polo is asked how he found time for hobbies. His favorite hobbies are dancing and hunting.
Polo, we are proud to have you in our RDCC family

Louise Thompson

 
 
Congratulations to Louise Thompson our January Resident of the Month at Runningwater Draw Care Center. She joined the RDCC family in 2016.
She grew up in Lockney and married Billy Thompson and settled down in Plainview. They became parents of two daughters, Cindy of Florida and Audra of Plainview and one son, Max Ray. She proudly claims three grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
She and Billy established Thompson TV Repair on Quincy Street in Plainview. Louise had her own little studio corner in the front where she could display her hobby of china painting. Some of that talent in that field has been featured in the China Star restaurant.
Louise served for a time as a volunteer at the hospital in Plainview and she was very active in RSVP. She also loved to quilt and was active in her church, St. Paul's Lutheran Church.
We proudly claim you as one of our special residents, Louise!