Cleveland, Tenn. (May 2025) — A Legacy Village of Cleveland team member, Billie Baird, has been named the 2024 ‘Going the Extra Mile Legacy Champion’, a highly distinguished award that is chosen by the Legacy Senior Living leadership team once a year. Legacy Senior Living is the management company supporting Legacy Village of Cleveland, which operates a family of senior living communities throughout the Eastern United States.

The Legacy Champion award is the highest team member recognition and the culminating award in Legacy’s ‘Going the Extra Mile’ customer service program. The team member is selected out of over 1,000 employees company-wide. Every month, each of the Legacy Senior Living communities individually review nominations and select a monthly winner who is awarded $250. At the end of the year, each Legacy community compiles the monthly winners and chooses an annual winner, who is given $500. The Legacy communities then submit their annual winner to the home office, who votes on the company-wide Legacy Champion, and awards them $1000 in front of their co-workers, residents and family members. This year, two team members were selected; Baird and Precious Lurry of Legacy Village of Plantation Manor in Thomasville, Ga. The program encourages residents, family members and co-workers to nominate team members who have excelled in going above and beyond in serving their residents.

The Going the Extra Mile program is a distinguishing hallmark of Legacy Senior Living. The program, created by Co-Founders, Barry Ray and Bryan Cook, is founded on the Bible scripture in Matthew 5:41: “If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles.” Legacy Senior Living prides themselves on being a faith-based and service-oriented company.

Baird was named the Legacy Champion for going above and beyond in caring for the residents of Legacy Village. Not only does Baird excel as a caregiver, she completed Legacy Village’s Med-Tech class, now also serving in this capacity. Baird has demonstrated her dedication by staying overnight through two recent snowstorms to ensure residents were safe and well cared for. Her continuous positivity is contagious among her coworkers.

“Billie leads with a quiet spirit. Her gentle demeanor and kind heart shine daily. Her words and actions all portray the servant she truly is and her love for the Lord permeates through the care she provides. She is such a valuable part of the team and truly blesses all who know her,” said Nova Nahill, Resident Service Director at Legacy Village of Cleveland.

“We are so grateful to have Billie as a part of our Legacy family. She truly is such an amazing asset and is beloved by all. Her dedication, servant’s heart and love for seniors is such a blessing to each of our residents and co-workers,” said Beth Baxter, Area Director of Operations for Legacy Village of Cleveland.  

Video of Billie Baird Story and Award: