Inside the Circle – June 30, 2026

Thank you to all the PSWs who joined us last week for our Aloha Summer Staff Party. This event was a celebration of you—our amazing Circle of Care team.

We enjoyed fun tropical vibes, music from our DJ, and special messages from our CEO, Carey Lucki.

It was a great chance to come together, connect, and say thank you for your hard work, kindness, and dedication. You make a real difference in the lives of our clients and their families.

At our recent staff party, we recognized staff members for their years of service at Circle of Care. Thank you for your hard work and dedication over the years.

If you were not able to attend the party, you can watch the celebration video above.

To show our appreciation, each PSW who is celebrating a milestone anniversary will receive a cash gift. This gift will be added to your paycheque during the same part of the year as your anniversary.

We are celebrating Yulia Leikin as she retires after 21 years with Circle of Care!

Thank you, Yulia, for your many years of hard work, care, and dedication. You have made a difference in the lives of many clients and families. We wish you all the best in your retirement!

Canada Day Celebrations

• When: July 1 (Canada Day)
• Details: More traffic around Harbourfront, Nathan Phillips Square, Mel Lastman Square, and Ashbridges Bay. Give yourself extra time to get around the city on this day.

FIFA World Cup

• When: June 12-July 2, 2026
• Details: The FIFA World Cup will take place in Toronto for these dates, around the BMO fields at Exhibition Place, Lakeshore, Gardiner, and the Downtown Core. Expect spillover congestion and traffic into King and Queen St., as well as in the Downtown West area. (Look below for specific game days.)

FIFA World Cup Game Day

• Thursday, July 2 – 7 p.m.

Beaches International Jazz Festival

• When: July 3-26, 2026
• Details: More traffic around Queen Street East – east of Don Valley Parkway (expect TTC to be busier in this area).

Taste of Lawrence

• When: July 3-5, 2026
• Details: Lawrence Avenue East will be closed between Warden Avenue and Birchmount Road.

Festival of South Asia

• When: July 11-12
• Details: Gerrard Street East will be closed between Glenside Ave and Coxwell Ave. (Over 200,000 attendees.)

Salsa on St. Clair

• When: July 11-12
• Details: St. Clair Avenue West will be closed between Winona Drive and Christie Street (just west of Bathurst Street).

Please be aware the following changes due to Canada Day:

Head Office (4211 Yonge St)

• June 30: No pick-ups after 4:30 PM
• July 1: Closed (No supply pick-ups)

UPS PPE Locations

• Delivery schedule changed to Tuesday, June 30
• No UPS pick-ups on July 1 due to the holiday closure

Thank you for everything that you do. Happy Canada Day!

If you are away from work due to illness or injury for four (4) or more consecutive days, a medical note is required. Medical notes should confirm that you are under the care of a healthcare provider, that you are unable to work, and include your expected return to work date.

Medical notes can be sent by email to HRDept@circleofcare.com or by fax to 416-635-1692.

As a reminder, if you are calling in sick, please report your absence by calling 416-635-2860 and speaking to someone directly. If you have any questions, please reach out to the HR team.

Toronto’s Virtual Emergency Department is an online urgent care service. You can speak with a nurse practitioner or doctor online. Same-day appointments are available, 7 days a week, for adults (18+) in Toronto.

You can book a virtual visit if you:

• Cannot get a quick appointment with your doctor or nurse practitioner.
• Have an urgent health problem that is not life-threatening.
• Are in Ontario at the time of your appointment.

Examples of health concerns:

• Headache or body aches
• Bites, stings, or rashes
• Skin or nail infections
• Urinary tract infections
• Sore throat or cough
• Cold or sinus symptoms
• Fever, diarrhea, or nausea
• Minor injuries (like sprains)
• Eye redness or irritation

Looking for things todo in Toronto this summer? Perkopolis offers discounts on fun activities!

Summer Discount Offers: 

• CNE tickets
• Canada’s Wonderland tickets
• 1-Hour Toronto Harbour Tour

Need help signing up for Perkopolis?

1. Go to perkopolis.com
2. Enter your work email address or personal email address.
3. Look for an email from Perkopolis with a link to complete your registration. If you used a personal email address, you will need your member ID code (CC + your employee ID); e.g. CC12345

We are pleased to welcome the following new PSWs to Circle of Care:

• Oije Abih
• April Flores
• Aderonke Bode-Omoworare
• Amarachi Anyaegbu
• Hajarah Nakibuuka
• Marivic Bicad
• Sophie Afolabi
• Sasha Rowe
• Dorothy Boatemaa
• Eunice Kasyoka
• Monisola Olanipekun
• Bolatito Akinyemi
• Jackline Kanyi
• Shakirah Okanlawon
• Esther Sule
• Daisy Munyi

Each week, we’re proud to recognize the PSWs who are celebrating their work anniversaries. Every anniversary—no matter the number of years—represents the dedication, compassion, and commitment you bring to supporting our clients and community. Thank you for the important role you play at Circle of Care. This week’s list includes PSWs celebrating work anniversaries between June 28-July 4.

Congratulations to the following PSWs on their years of service with Circle of Care:

June 28

• 18 Years: Magnolia Estrada

June 30

• 26 Years: Nataly Dunayevska

July 3

• 1 Year: Afsa Babirye, Christine Kiplagat, Kenlyn Alexander, Lowell Jay Cervantes, Maricar Ballesteros, Nakeisha Johnson, Tessa Williams, Valvarie Mason

July 4

• 2 Years: Ana Liza Palacio, Corazon Marinas, Deeandra Brown, Rama Karki
• 3 Years: Allison Clarke, Amalia Lopez, Godpower Moses, Rhoda Barona
• 4 Years: Colette Gajdemski-Baker, Raquel Ruth Aguilar

Individuals celebrating milestone anniversaries (5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35 years) will receive a one-time cash award to their pay cheque at the end of the quarter. Payment amount will depend on service length.

We’d like to celebrate the following PSWs who successfully referred someone to our organization. Thank you to everyone who helped grow our team!

April to June 2026:

• Beth Kasemiire
• Judeza Urbiztondo
• Charito Tabalan
• Camilla Leon
• Jocelyn Acheampong
• Ruby Atiga
• Maria Concepcion Sumibcay
• Grace Wanjohi
• Ronah Racheal Namubiru

Do you know someone who would be a great addition to our Circle of Care team? Read more about our referral program below.

High Five for PSW Esra Thomas

“Esra works very hard and does an amazing job. I appreciate her dedication so much.” – Client

High Five for PSW Yanira Aguilera

“Yanira is excellent at what she does, and I am very impressed with the service she provides.” – Client

High Five for PSW Jeenia Arora

“Jeenia is lovely, caring, and professional. I truly appreciate her support.” – Client

High Five for PSW Santoshi BK

“Santoshi provides exceptional care. My mother gets along very well with her, is happy to go on walks, and follows her guidance. She looks forward to her visits, and I can clearly see Santoshi’s compassion and respect.” – Daughter of Client

High Five for PSW Rebecca Agtina

“Rebecca made an amazing impression. Even though my mother usually struggles with new caregivers due to dementia, she responded very positively to Rebecca, and it was a wonderful experience.” – Daughter of Client

Has someone gone above and beyond at work? Give them a High Five!

The High Five program lets you publicly recognize staff members for their outstanding work. High Fives will be posted in your weekly Inside the Circle newsletter.

To give a high five, just click on the button below or use the link in the rotating banner on the Portal home page.

Please note: We do not accept anonymous submissions for this program. High Fives must be submitted by an individual person, whether they are a staff member or member of the community.

Have a question? Submit your questions or feedback anonymously below!

Please note that it may take us longer to provide some answers. If your question hasn’t been answered yet, we will get back to you as soon as we can.