Video: Because they’re ‘Happy!’ at Peconic Landing
Patricia Lutzky of Peconic Landing was recently awarded LeadingAge New York’s “Professional of the Year” award, and staff members and residents couldn’t be more pleased.
In fact, to show their sheer delight with Ms. Lutzky’s win, everyone at the retirement community came together to create a congratulatory video to the Pharrell Williams’ pop hit “Happy.”
Peconic Landing’s Director of Marketing and Sales, Laurelle Cassone, said LeadingAge NY made it a requirement for staff to send in a video to show at the awards ceremony.
- See the video below
The staff was determined not to make it “one of those sappy videos where everyone is just saying ‘congratulations,’ ” so they tried to come up with some more creative ideas. Ms. Cassone was working at home with music playing when she heard the song “Happy” come on.
“I remembered the music video for ‘Happy’ and how fun it was with all different people dancing—not all dancing well—and I thought it would be perfect in the Peconic Landing spirit,” she said.
Ms. Cassone, along with Paula Quinteiri, Diane Radigan and Jen Ackroyd, organized the shoot. They took two days to film while Ms. Lutzky was on vacation and they ended up with 16 to 18 hours of total footage. Chief Financial Officer Steve Carroll’s daughter Mia Carroll, a film student, shot and edited the video.
The video shows staff at Peconic Landing—ranging from President and CEO Bob Syron to maintenance workers to nurses—all dancing at various locations on the grounds to the beat of the song. Ms. Cassone said they met with some residents beforehand to shoot, but many other residents jumped right in while they were filming.
Though the entire Peconic Landing community had to keep the video a secret until the awards ceremony, Ms. Cassone said the look on Ms. Lutzky’s face when it was played was priceless.
“Pat doesn’t do things to get recognition, she just does them because she’s a great person,” Ms. Cassone added.
“It [the video] was one of the best gifts my colleagues could have given me,” Ms. Lutzky said. “It really illustrated what a great work place Peconic Landing is, and what great people I have to work with.”
