Monthly Staff Newsletter because Staff Matters @Arc of Genesee Orleans! May 2021

Day of Caring Events Held in

Genesee & Orleans Counties

Baseball returns to Batavia in 2021! The Batavia Muckdogs are now a part of the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League! Arc of Genesee Orleans is jumping on the welcome back bandwagon by

sponsoring a: A crew from Baxter Healthcare in Medina volunteered at Game Day Camp Rainbow April 30 for the Orleans County United Way Day of Give Away Night Caring! They helped change the sand in the sandbox and removed all the old mulch from underneath the swings and even gave the Monday, June 28 bathrooms a fresh coat of paint! Watch your email for details The Genesee County United Way Day of Caring was held and let’s get ready to watch some May 19. See more pictures from BOTH events on pages 8 and 9 exciting baseball at ! of Staff Matters!

➔ FULL DETAILS ON PAGE 7 HR News Dear Staff,

What a great time of year! The weather is so much You Can Use better than January and February but no air conditioning When you have a question, knowing needed yet. The Spring flowers gave a great display this who to call can be a real timesaver! HR put year. We truly needed some brightness in our lives. together this contact list to help you navigate questions ranging from HR policies to ID badges, Our challenges this Spring have been great, especially benefits to purchase orders and everything in around the area of having adequate staffing for almost all between. It’s a great reference! Consider program areas. You are likely getting text messages asking printing this page and posting it on your bulletin if you can help. Please take a shift if at all possible. We are board or keep it with your personal papers, so also seeking assistance with some day to day needs in our the list is handy when you need it. residential homes. If you are itching to do a little spring cleaning or can support our homes with some “home Who To Contact cooking” please contact Human Resources. Patricia Horine – X.1733 or [email protected] Team work is critical right now as we work to move Benefits, Workers Compensation, through our staffing crisis. If you are able to offer 4– 8 FMLA, NYS Disability hours each week it could make a great difference to the Deb Hughson – X.1172 or [email protected] people that we support, and your peers. ADP, Time Cards, Pay Checks After more than a year of delays related to our Scott Neumann – x.1725 or [email protected] merger we are starting to make progress on this front. After Relias & Trainings road blocks related to the pandemic and the NYS Budget Annaliese Wroblewski – x.1743 or were addressed, we were notified of a conditional approval [email protected] to move forward. Applications, Job Openings, We anticipate that staff and families will have Interns, Volunteers questions and a special email link is being set up to ensure Debby Worthington – x. 1710 or clear and frequent communication. (STAFF LINK ON PAGE 3) [email protected] The Steering Committee, made up of Board Members New Hires & Onboarding Status from each Chapter and both Executive Directors, continues April Zeilman – x.1714 or [email protected] to meet and work towards a transition to a 4 County Staff ID Badges, Scheduling a meeting room, Agency. Office supplies

It is very important to understand that services to the Darla Jaszko – x.1732 or [email protected] people we support, as well as their health and safety remain General HR questions as the most important goal no matter the size or name of Chrissy Petraitis – x.1734 or our agency. [email protected] Also, during this process, we are paying special COVID Isolation & Quarantine Orders, HR policies attention to how we can have the best possible outcomes for staff. This is consistently part of the merger Kathy Caffery – x.1171 or [email protected] Purchase Orders & Check Requests conversations. Please remember how important your work is at our Patricia Kepner – x.1153 or [email protected] Incident Reports & QA agency and that you are all making a difference in the lives of the people we support. IT Assistance – Notify your supervisor and email [email protected] Believe in yourselves, you are valued. Maintenance Requests – Notify your supervisor

Donna Saskowski Agency Vehicle Repairs – Notify supervisor and Executive Director Gail Brown x.1815 or [email protected] 2 ABOUT TRANSITIONING TO A 4-COUNTY AGENCY

We are sharing a list of 5 Frequently Asked Questions about the merger of The Arc of Livingston-Wyoming and Arc of Genesee Orleans. Please review them and at the bottom of the page, you will see how YOU can submit an anonymous question. THANK YOU!

Q 1. Do we have a name for the new Arc? If not, are we going to have an employee vote or any input on the new name?

The Joint Board Steering Committee is taking the lead on choosing a new name for the unified Chapter. There will be other opportunities for employee input and feedback as we move forward.

Q 2. What location is going to be used for the headquarters?

For now, Batavia & Mount Morris will be the main locations. A site for a future headquarters has not been determined at this point.

Q 3. Do we have a date when the merger is going to happen?

Based on conversations with OPWDD it could take 4-6 months to complete all of the work necessary to finalize the merger. We are tentatively targeting 10/1 for the official merge date, but that date is subject to change.

Q 4. How will we divvy up the people on our caseloads? Will we cover all of the counties of the merged area?

Caseloads will most likely stay the same for now, and going forward will be based on what makes sense logistically for each program.

Q 5. Will there be opportunities for those of us that work closer to the other locations to “transfer”?

Yes, depending on needs of programs. This will be best addressed with your supervisor or program director as we move forward. All employees will also be able to apply for any open positions within the combined Chapter.

TO SUBMIT A QUESTION The link to submit a question of your own is set up so all questions are submitted anonymously. Please note, the link takes you to a page on The Arc of Livingston-Wyoming website : https://lwarc.org/merger-questions/

Type your question and click SUBMIT. All questions will be reviewed by the Senior Management Team. THANK YOU! 3 Getting to Know George “Yogi” Netter Very few people know you as George. Tell us about your nickname and how it came about! I got the nickname while teaching kids to swim. I used my “Yogi” voice to get them to relax and laugh.

Where did you grow up and where did you go to school? I was raised in Corfu and went to Pembroke, then went to GCC on the GI Bill where I received degrees in both business and marketing.

Tell us about your service in the military. I was in the U.S. Navy Seabees and worked as a heavy equipment operator. I spent time in California, Mississippi, Spain, Italy and Okinawa. I served from 1973 – 1978, making me a Yogi loves to make people laugh! Vietnam Era Vet, and am 50% disabled.

What would you like to share about your family? I come from a large family and have 6 younger sisters and 2 younger brothers. I have one son, one daughter, two granddaughters and my wife, Cheryl.

What was your first job and where did you work before here? My first job was at age 14, picking potatoes for 5 cents/bushel! Before coming to Arc of Genesee Orleans, I was a truck driver for EXIDE TECHNOLOGIES, delivering batteries in Western and Northern Pennsylvania.

You have been on the Arc of Genesee Orleans team since May of 2008 primarily as a relief staff. How many different departments/positions have you worked in over the years? Let’s see…Bus Driver, Truck driver, Cook at Meals on Wheels, Bessey Tools enclave, Yancey’s Fancy enclave, workshops in both Batavia and Albion and assorted other jobs.

How do you like to spend your free time? Fishing, hunting and trying to play golf. I have fished in the Atlantic, Pacific, Gulf of Mexico, Sea of Japan and Mediterranean Sea.

How has the pandemic changed life in the Netter household over the past year? Chillaxin’ with fur babies, Hunter and Domino! We always had LARGE family parties for all of the holidays but were unable to due to COVID.

If you are cooking dinner, what are you making? Steaks on the grill, baked potatoes, mushrooms and onions and something green.

Have you ever met someone famous? I met NASCAR drivers when EXIDE sponsored Jeff Burton’s #99 and have also met several Bills and Sabres players.

What is the best advice you ever received? Always give 110% at everything and laugh A LOT!

What is the best advice YOU have ever GIVEN? Learn how to say “I’m sorry dear,” and “Yes dear,” without rolling your eyes (guys)!

What is one thing we would be surprised to learn about you, Yogi? Yogi is very proud of his service to our country. I’m not really 66, I’m 18….and, if I can make a Here he is as a U.S. Navy Seabee in Spain, 1975. person laugh or smile once a day, I’ve done my job! 4 Phone System Up and Running in Genesee and Orleans Our two-county shared phone system conversion is now complete. Remember, when calling any of our main numbers, all calls go to the same auto attendant. If you know the 4-digit extension of the person you are looking for, you can dial it immediately. You also have the option to use the dial by last name directory, or press the number connected to the departmental listing given by the auto attendant.

HELPFUL HINT ON TRANSFERRING A CALL: Let’s say you answer a call at your extension meant for your coworker. You have a few options. You can push the transfer key and dial your coworker’s extension and hang up. Or, you can push the transfer key and dial your coworker’s extension. When he/she answers, you can let them know you are transferring a call to them and who it’s from and then hang up. The transferred caller will then be live on the line with your coworker.

If you have questions or need assistance with voice mail or the system in general, please reach out to IT.

Discount Program Are you a Verizon customer? Good news! Arc of Genesee Orleans staff members are eligible for a 19% discount with Verizon Wireless. Visit: www.verizonwireless.com/discounts, enter any Verizon Wireless phone number associated with your personal wireless account and follow the step-by-step instructions provided. You’ll be asked to provide your work email address, a recent paystub or other proof of employment. Great savings opportunity!

5 Congratulations to the following Arc of Genesee Orleans team members celebrating a milestone employment anniversaries this month! Tracy Lovewell - 15 years Rebecca Francis - 5 years In June, 27 Arc of Genesee Orleans Patrick Lamka - 5 years co-workers are celebrating Birthdays. The most popular birthday this month Welcome NEW Arc Staff is June 3 with five

Jennifer Wilson people celebrating that day! Relief DSP – CS 3 - Karen Pollard

Amber Fortunato 3 - Kathleen Caffery Relief SDA – CS 3 - Jackie Stewart

Terry Kingdollar 3 - Rebecca Francis Relief DSP – Residential 3 - Kayla Corp

Jennifer Wright 4 - Carol Marshall FT DSP – Residential 4 - Alisha Stanton 5 - Lori Reed Sheri Allen 6 - Kacey Menge FT DSP – Residential 9 - Angelia Serra Patricia Ridley 13 - David Bogden FT DSP – Residential 14 - Mark Maynard Paul Fulcomer 15 - Tracey Hendrick PT MOW Driver & Maintenance 16 - Dawn Czaja 16 - Leah Walsh CONGRATULATIONS 16 - Kali Kaczmarek ON YOUR PROMOTION 17 - Tiffany Grabowski 18 - Kim Roberts Cynthia Crimes DSP to Assistant Residential Manager 18 - Pamela Lamar 21 - William Sofia Sally Reamer 21 - Heather Wright Relief DSP to FT Health Advocate 23 - Melissa Sanders Karlie Stymus 23 - Leah Cargill Relief DSP to FT DSP/Residential 23 - Molly Griffis Katlin Moll 25 - Richard Majors Relief DSP to FT DSP/Residential 29 - Ann Schultz

Titania Stachewicz 30 - Sherry Gerould DSP to Assistant Residential Manager

Jerry Pasnik Sr. Employment Specialist to SEMP Manager 6 7 8 9 Community Prevoc Team Members helped spruce up the “Y” in Medina!

STORK STREET   ORLEANS ENTERPRISES

10 ELLICOTT IRA

GARFIELD IRA

MEADOWCREST IRA DAY HABILITATION CENTER

Batavia Lions Club

WALNUT ST. 11 A group called Doctors’ Orders has mounted a public awareness campaign called Vaccine4love.org. They represent the nation’s top physicians and communications strategists urging patients and communities to not hesitate, but vaccinate as early as possible, for their own benefit, their families and their communities.

12 IF YOU HAVE A SUGGESTION FOR A WORD SEARCH THEME, OR A WORD LIST YOU WOULD LIKE CONSIDERED FOR A SEARCH, EMAIL SANDY KONFEDERATH AT [email protected]

IDENTICAL IRREGULAR ADJECTIVE BOULEVARD CELEBRITY PERIMETER HAPPINESS SOMETHING SECRETARY SOPHOMORE SPAGHETTI SUNFLOWER CHALLENGE KNOWLEDGE INVISIBLE BREAKFAST BILLBOARD FIREWORKS CONSONANT PRESIDENT CROCODILE HAMBURGER DECEPTION AWARENESS DANGEROUS PINEAPPLE NUTRITION CURIOSITY DANDELION TRADITION

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