Congrats to the August Employee Spotlight recipients Stephanie Marquez, Ann Reistad-Bauer, Jesika Sullivan & Dustin Alderson! Stephanie successfully established a positive relationship with the military at the MAFB Fitness Center by being proactive and providing outstanding customer service. Fitness Center staff recently expressed their appreciation when Stephanie immediately took charge of cleaning up after an incident at the facility. When a program enrollee was recently diagnosed with a chronic medical condition, Ann assisted him and his staff to learn about and implement major changes to his diet at home. She also helps him plan what to order at a restaurant... Read More

Congrats to Melissa Zietz and Robert Schaan for receiving July’s Employee Spotlight! Robert was nominated for two major achievements: (1) He successfully encouraged healthy eating habits and increased exercise for a person that had recently gained weight. Not only did the extra weight disappear, but one of his roommates also started working out at the activity center! (2) Robert helped a person transition from getting a ride to work to taking the bus to work, resulting in more independence and a greater degree of job satisfaction. Melissa utilized active support principles to change breakfast habits at 1109. Tenants were used... Read More

Congrats to June’s Employee Spotlight selections: Naomi Kelly, Mason Schmidt, and Amy Michels! When a PMC requested detailed data in order to monitor the impact of medication changes for a person enrolled at 1005, Naomi took the initiative to take the data that was requested PLUS provided additional relevant information to support adjusting the medications and assist with getting the right dosage. Mason assisted four people at 1101 with completing an art project to commemorate Mother’s Day. The project combined stepping stones and flowers, and is on display outside 1101. The project was also an opportunity for participants to share... Read More

Congrats to Wendal Ebach for receiving Employee of the Year! From daily interactions to major events, Wendal has been recognized multiple times for ensuring that people have positive experiences and a good day whenever he is around. We also hear directly from some of the men that he currently supports – the effort that he puts in to organizing and following through on events like season-long fishing tournaments and trips to visit relatives has a major impact on their quality of life and progress towards goals.

Congrats to the GFAFB Supervisor team for receiving the 2018 Team of the Year! We avoid selecting employees/teams based on a single act in response to a crisis situation. In this case, there was a crisis situation. However, the award is to recognize more than the immediate reaction to the crisis. The team of GFAFB Supervisors worked together for months to respond to ongoing needs of employees and meet contract obligations. The dedication and teamwork we saw from Angie Mortenson, Julie Steenerson, Nick Ronquillo, and Jean Mezydlo was truly inspirational.

Congrats to May’s Employee Spotlight recipient, Stacey Greene. Stacey recognizes the importance of family connections and has taken steps to help one person feel connected to family by looking at pictures, talking about family members, even searching for online information about a brother that he hasn’t seen recently. Her efforts are working – the person reports feeling happier!

Congrats to April’s Spotlight recipients, Lynette Schmike, Wendal Ebach, and the Active Support team: Diane Boutilier, Holly Peterson, Melody Baker, and Krista Opstedal. Lynette is being recognized for successfully increasing the frequency and variety of participation in community activities. Over the last few months, tenants from 1105 have attended an assortment of events, public shows, and participated in art classes at Margie’s Art Studio. The events span a wide range of interests, including sports, music, drama, and healthy living, giving people multiple options for spending their free time. The Active Supports team conducts training, follows up with programs that are... Read More