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Newsletter for
December 2006
Volume 3 - Issue 12 - Page 2 |
Advocacy/Training/SCH/CE
Amanda Urban/Jenni Welsch
SHC
Things have been going well; we do have a couple open positions if
you know of someone who would like to teach independent living
skills let me know. A new family has accepted Supportive Home
Care and we are looking forward to serving them.
Advocacy
SACK conference was
held October 6th-8th in Wichita at the Holiday Inn Express.
Everyone learned a lot, met new friends and had fun all at the
same time. The conference is scheduled at the same location next
year and we have individuals planning on attending and bringing
more self-advocates! The Venture Crew collected food for the
Food Bank and are enjoying the Crew Swims at BCCC. The Aktion
Club’s meeting was held on Oct 25th. Mrs. Krug from the Health
Department was our speaker. She spoke about nutrition and
staying active during the winter months. She brought many visual
aids to represent how much sugar that a person gets from
drinking water, pop, juice, sport drinks and many others. It was
very informative and quite amazing. Aktion Club members were
crossing guards for the Halloween parade, making sure that
everyone crossed the street safely. One member was a constume
judge and another member helped Decky had out candy to all the
trick-or-treaters. Seeing all the different Halloween costumes
was fun for all. The Aktion Club attended the meeting of the
Hutchinson Club on December 20th. Everyone visited and got ideas
from each other. All 3 Advocacy groups collected shoes and socks
for the homeless and 60 pairs were donated. Dr. Burke is still
accepting shoes and socks if anyone has any that need a good
home.
Community
Activities/Community Employment
During the hustle and bustle of the holidays our Saturday
activities have done well. We have had a good turn out these
last few months and we hope for the group to only grow. With the
start of the New Year we hope to have new and exciting
activities going on jammed packed with lots of exercise and fun.
On the community employment side, we have turned in applications
in the community, hoping for responses in January. There has
been a burst of individuals interested in community employment,
and therefore they have signed up for services! We now have
several cases open and looking for community placement.
Day Services
Sarah Krom
Thanks to a generous contribution from Westlink Communications
of cell phone accessories (they were reducing their inventory),
that they allowed us to market, we planned a non- traditional
Xmas event for folks this year. On the 22nd everyone
participated in a bowling party. Jim with Walnut Bowl let us set
aside 20 lanes and the ‘White Room’ so that everyone who wanted
could bowl and we could have ‘come and go’ snacking. The biggest
challenge was to get the staff to keep the party plans a secret
until all the details were wrapped up and invites could go out.
Folks had great fun trying to get one of us to slip and let the
‘ball out of the bag’ early.
The typical pre-holiday adrenaline kept everybody bustling and
excited. While this makes for days of merriment and unexpected
treats it also takes a bit to keep us focused on the tasks at
hand. Everyone has made the effort to meet the production needs
of our customers as well as the support needs of each other
(client or staff). It always is one of our favorite times of
year in Day Services because we are reminded not to take our
blessings for granted. For me that includes the privilege of
working with a great group of staff, my peer support team, SDS
administration, and most of all the folks we support. Hope
you’ve all had happy holidays and I bet 2007 brings all of us a
year even better than the last!
Transportation
New Vans are here!
December 1st we began service in the new white vans. KDOT has
been extremely responsive to our program by supporting our
requests for vehicle replacements. While we had a prolonged wait
for this years units folks seem happy to finally have them. The
next year’s KDOT vehicles were just ordered in November and we
will get 2 lift-equipped vehicles sometime in mid 2007. The next
KDOT grant is in process and we again will be asking for 3 to be
awarded in 2008. When you realize that we transport over 317,000
miles in a year, over 50,000 rides, it’s easy to understand why
KDOT is so important to our transportation needs. Transportation
services provide the building blocks that allow folks to fully
access their communities and the opportunities available to
them. I would really appreciate letters of support from riders
and community members to submit with this grant. You can send
letters to SDS, Attn: Sarah by January 15th.
Recycling
When it hits it hits –
During late November and December we have had a barrage of
equipment issues. Our Industrial route truck blew a piston {or
something like that} and has been out of service for 3 weeks.
Along with that we had a staff member out for health reasons for
a month who routinely drives that route {Mike we really, really,
really missed you}, the baler blew a cylinder, another truck
blew a
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brake cylinder, and the ‘flu’ hit. Maintaining this service for our
customers means that we move vehicles around, staff covering for
each other, folks that aren’t typically on the crew hang on for the
ride, and we call on our industrial neighbors, customers, and buyers
for help. Great Bend Industries prioritized a cylinder repair for us
and while that was only a short-term fix it did allow a few days
more production before we had to shut down and wait for a
replacement part, Sonoco {our material buyer} ran extra trucks
accepting un-baled material and bringing us every spare cardboard
gaylord they had, EXCEL rushing us a cylinder in 1 week instead of
the 4 they had originally projected, and our customers holding
material and understanding when we asked them to either leave items
longer till we could handle them or just not drop anything off until
further notice.
Recycling truly is a ‘community’ effort. It takes all of us to
believe in the process to reap the rewards. The baler crew is now in
overdrive to catch up, and they’ll get it done (they have no choice)
after all January is one of the busiest months of the year with all
the Xmas packaging we get in.
Safety News
Harold Jones
Before I get too far along with my last newsletter submission,
here’s a long-overdue “GOOD JOB!” to the Recycle Team. We’ve been
struggling with baler problems over the last month and it’s been a
rough time for them. Through it all they’ve kept plugging away and
cranking out material as best they can. When you see them remember
to give them a BIG pat on the back and a BIG “Thank You!!” They’ve
earned it.
Many of you already know I’m starting a new job in January. It’s a
good opportunity for me, and it would have been irresponsible to
ignore it. It’s pretty ironic that I found myself taking the same
advice I gave to one of our Individuals not too long ago:
“Sometimes, being a man – and doing the right thing - means doing
some things you’d rather not do.” I hate to leave but I need to go.
I went to my wife’s company Christmas party in December. The subject
of my pending career change came up and I was trying to explain to
some of the people there why it’s so hard to leave a place like
Sunflower (I think I managed to get it across.) Anyway, it occurs to
me that I have a choice here: I can either bore you with the latest
Maintenance/Safety/Marketing news, or I can take advantage of the
free space and tell you what I’m going to miss – and what I’m taking
with me – when I leave.
Heads….. Tails….. Okay, you get the warm fuzzies:
It’s hard to describe the quiet dedication of Sunflower’s staff to
someone who’s never experienced it. I’ve seen it everyday. I’ll miss
it.
It’s hard to describe the driving force behind a company that
chooses not to profit from helping others. I’ve experienced it, I’ve
learned from it, and I’ll miss it.
It’s hard to describe the inspiration Sunflower’s clients provide
through their courage, determination, and their desire to excel.
They have inspired me, and I will miss that inspiration as I go
about my life.
When you’re a small cog in the wheel you tend to learn things by
observation. I’ve learned a lot of things I’ll be taking with me:
* No matter how many times you send out the new form,
people will still like the old one better.
* The Main Thing is to keep the Main Thing the Main Thing.
Growing pains aside, Sunflower does that very well.
* Elevators don’t move if you don’t push the buttons.
* A walk through the plant – and a short visit with the folks
working there – just about always makes a tough day
better.
* Decky’s purse holds more stuff than I can fit in my garage.
* A little Dignity and Respect goes a long way. So does
“Please and Thank you.”
* As long as they understand your expectations, people will
generally try to meet them.
* Some days you’re the hammer. Some days you’re the nail.
It’s better to be the hammer, but you can’t build anything
without nails.
* There is almost nothing in life that can’t eventually be
overcome.
In the grand scheme of things I can’t think of a better company I’ve
worked for, and I can’t think of a better group of people that I’ve
worked with. Decky and Amanda have kindly agreed to let me volunteer
on occasion, and my new job will probably allow for some periodic
interaction as well. In the meantime, thanks for the experience.
It’s been great!
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