| Employee of the Month
Brannen Delker - Co PC
Meadow View
CLC is very lucky to have an
employee like Brannen. Brannen is
always up for doing what needs to be done
even if it is not something that is on the
top of his list. He is always picking
up extra shifts to ensure adequate coverage;
this sometimes results in Brannen not going
home for a couple of days.
Brannen often helps at other
programs by filling open shifts.
Brannen treats all consumers with the
respect and dignity that they deserve.
All of the folks that Brannen supports think
the world of him and really enjoy having him
not only as a support staff but as a friend.
Brannen will often assist Kyle with shopping
or going to church when it's his day off or
when he is not scheduled.
Brannen is an all around
great guy to know and work with! Way
to go Brannen!!
Susan Schaefer - Program
Coordinator
Community Living Connections
is proud to announce Susan Schaefer has been
awarded October's Employee of the Month!
Susan is a Program Coordinator at the Topaz
program supporting Dean, JoAnn, Kara and
Martha. Susan was nominated for her :
hard work, great ideas, cooking skills and
most of all putting the consumers wants and
needs first.
Martha said "She works her
butt off! She has been putting in
extra time on both sides of the progarm to
make sure both homes are running smooth.
She's a great role model for other staff,
she stays until the job is done and makes
sure the place is clean." Susan
doesn't hesitate to jump in and problem
solve with enthusiasm, flexibility and
displays great organizational skills.
Susan makes every effort to
make life the best for those she supports.
She is creative and inventive with menu
planning and finds ways to add variety into
meals that have very strict caloric
guidelines. Dean said "She's a good
cook, she made pumpkin oatmeal!"
Martha said "I agree with that, Susan has
been making most meals at Dean and JoAnn's
lately and I miss her cooking." Susan
even brings in extra vegetables from a local
farm to help lower grocery costs.
Susan's supervisors state she
communicates well with all team members and
recently helped collaborate with them on
combining Dean and JoAnn's program with Kara
and Martha's to improve supports and
contributed great ideas. Susan makes
other employees feel welcome by the little
things she does. For example, she
preps the morning coffee so the staff
working overnights only have to push a
button in the morning. And, she's willing to
get a call at anytime if new staff have
questions when working.
Congratulations Susan!
Dean, JoAnn, Kara, Martha adn CLC are lucky
to have you on their team!
Carrie Danz - Co-Program
Coordinator
September's Employee of the
Month is Carrie Danz, Co-PC of the
Meadowview Program. Carrie was
nominated by several members of the
Madison/Mt Horeb Team for changing the lives
of the individual's she supports for the
better. She has been referred to as "a
mover and a shaker", another person said
"she is a rare combination of fun and
responsibility and exactly the person you
want to be around for both a party and a
medical crisis.'
"Carrie has made dreams come
true. One of Walter's lifetime dreams
was to take a limo (while sporting a white
tux and top-hat) to dinner. The suit
was purchased, the limo reserved and dinner
was had. All the while, the smile that
was planted on Walter's face will never be
forgotten. To ensure that, Carrie took
him to Stuart Park and he had professional
photos taken. I think she took
as much pleasure in helping Walter make a
dream come true as he did with the whole
event."
Carrie is a strong advocate
for those she serves. She has a
long history with all the folks she supports
and will graciously share this information
when training new support staff so they can
get the big picture. For example,
Carrie was instrumental in helping a client
with a major diet and lifestyle change.
She helped all the other staff understand
and feel comfortable assisting with these
changes.
Carrie devotes time outside
of work organizing a very popular social
group in Mt Horeb called Friends First.
She has invited the people that she supports
to her camper on the river, out riding in
the woods on her quad and fishing. The
pictures speak volumes. They show
people experiencing something new and
something they truly enjoy...life!
Beth Angell - Live
In/Skills Teacher
Community Living Connections
is proud to announce that Beth Angell has
been named Augusts' Employee of the Month!
Beth is the Live-In at Kent and Lowell's and
she makes everyone feel very welcome to come
into their house. Beth was nominated
because of her flexibility, open-mindedness
and willingness to help when it comes to
supporting the guys.
Hers are some examples of
Beth's energetic and positive work
performance:
"When the program was without
a Program Coordinator, Beth was always going
the extra mile to help out with anything
that was needed."
"Beth has great
initiative-she has brought color and life
into the backyard and has taken the time to
make the house a home not only for herself
but most importantly for Kent and Lowell."
"She has helped the guys
reach their goals. She makes great
home-cooked meals. Beth goes above and
beyond, like taking Lowell's lizard out in
the yard on a leash!"
Congratulations Beth!
Thanks again for all you do at CLC!!!
Kea Thikim - Program
Coordinator
Kea brings a lot of positive
energy to CLC. She does an excellent
job working with consumers to promote their
independence and encourage them to make
their own decisions. Kea takes great
initiative and has built positive
relationships with the people she supports.
Family members have noticed her efforts and
are glad to have Kea as a part of their
team! She is not afraid to ask
questions or ask for help when needed.
All her hard work is especially appreciated.
Kea is certainly deserving of this award!
Thanks Kea for all that you
do!!
Alicia Simle - Program
Coordinator
Alicia started her position
with Dean and JoAnn at a time when there was
a lot of transition and change going on.
Alicia is very organized and has made great
improvements in the lives of Dean and JoAnn.
She's made their home a better place to
live. Alicia is extremely organized
which has been of great help to other staff.
She has incredible leadership skills and
leads by example. For every bit of
work that Alicia expects other staff to
complete, she is leading the way by doing
just as much. She also always does
just a little bit extra - like setting up
the coffee for the morning staff - which is
greatly appreciated!
Alicia communicates
expectations clearly to staff, follows up
and is quick to thank staff for their
efforts. She also communicates well
with Dean and Jo. "When I asked Dean
if he wanted to say anything about Alicia,
he offered the following: "She's fun
to talk to and the house is clean!"
Seriously - she does a great job!
Community Living Connections
wishes Alicia well as she moves on to
Graduate School to pursue her education -
Good Luck! We know you have a bright
future ahead of you.
Esther Ogbonna - Skills
Teacher/Live In
Esther was nominated by her
co-workers and supervisors at Hammersley,
who unanimously agree, that she is
wonderful. Esther is understanding and
helpful. She always has a positive
attitude, no matter what! She is
willing to help out her co-workers and go
above and beyond what is required of her
each and every day. Esther has built
wonderful rapport with the ladies she
supports and shows genuine care for each of
them. Esther is truly appreciated by
everyone around her for all that she puts
into her work! Thank you Esther for
all that you do!
Terra Hintz - Program
Coordinator
Terra was nominated by all of
her supervisors to be April's Employee of
the Month - for a variety of reasons.
One can't help but notice that she handles
any problem that is thrown at her while
being able to keep a smile. The
positive relationships she has with all the
women she supports is outstanding and she
has proven time and time again her ability
to handle change and problem solve tough
issues. What a gal!!!
Terra's positive attitude and
dedication to the Ardsley ladies is why she
is so deserving of this award.
Thanks Terra for all that you do!
Jyl Cross - Program
Coordinator
There just aren't enough kind
words to describe Jyl. Her co-workers,
supervisors, and the individuals she
supports all agree that she is one of a
kind. Not only is she ALWAYS willing
to help with picking up hours, or lending a
hand here and there, but she always does it
with a smile. She is known for her
friendly attitude and her ability to always
put the guys first. She is
compassionate, caring and always working to
make sure the individuals she works with are
in a good place and being treated with
kindness.
A co-worker is quoted as
saying "Jyl is just a very good soul...."
And that says it all! Thanks Jyl for
all that you do!
Matthew Jefko - Skills
Teacher
Matthew is a positive and
genuine person who is caring, honest, and
dedicated to the consumers her supports in
Mount Horeb. He is conscientious,
friendly, and always willing to help out
when needed. Matthew always goes
above and beyond what is expected and
is a true team player. As one
co-worker put it,"He has jus been awesome
right from the get go! I can't think of
anyone more deserving"
Congratulations
Matthew!
Sheila Olson - Community
Support Manager
"Sheila inspires me to do
my job better..." anonymous
Due to Sheila's
dedication, her heart, and her ability to
know what's most important to the people she
supports we nominate her for employee of the
month. Sheila has built real
relationships with the people on her
caseload, and her co-workers, and we are all
fortunate to work with her!
"Regardless of snow,
sleet, or blizzard, she has come to
take the ladies at Strathmore out shopping
and to dinner, you don't always see that
kind of dedication" says Rhonda, LPC.
Rosemary H., family member, says "I'm so
happy Sheila has been nominated for the
Employee of the Month. She has helped
me through many situations that I could not
have handled concerning my daughter.
Sheila returns my call promptly and calls me
with results. She deserves this
honor."
Sheila wears her heart on
her sleeve, it is evident how much she cares
both about the people she supports and her
team members. Congrats
Sheila, you deserve all the best!
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