| The WSOS Press - August / September 2004 |
Congresswoman Kaptur dines at Ottawa County Senior Center
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| Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur seems delighted with the shirt presented to her by Betty Briggs, left, on behalf of the seniors at the Danbury Senior Center. |
The monthly fund-raising dinner at the WSOS Senior Center in Danbury was extra special in August. U.S. Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur honored the group by dining with them.
Despite the rain, about 75 people, mostly Ottawa County senior citizens, attended the dinner.
The choir made up of seniors who attend the center wrote a song specially for Kaptur and performed it for her. The song spoke of the many activities the center affords area senior citizens and thanked Kaptur for her work bringing the Farmer's Market coupon program to the area.
"She seemed quite happy to meet the people from Danbury" said Senior Center Site Manager Linda Borows. "And we enjoyed having her."
Kaptur addressed the group on the work and need for farmers, getting Lake Erie cleaned up, and the development of housed windmill sites.
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| CCC Camp setting for successful Agency Day for employees |
The 2004 Agency Day provided an opportunity to introduce WSOS staff to its newest program area - the Quilter CCC Camp. And, staff enjoyed it!
"This is really great!"
"I didn't know we had a place like this!"
"I really like it here (the CCC camp)" were only some of the comments bandied around at the Agency Day held August 30 at the camp location on CR 113 in Green Springs.
Agency Day included a welcome/introduction to the camp by Camp Coordinator Jermain Nelson, an address by President/CEO Don Stricker, and an address by Guest Speaker Charleta Tavares.
Tavares commended staff for their contributions to the accomplishments of the organization in the past year and encouraged everyone to keep the mission in mind as they complete daily tasks.
Kerry Adkins also explained the Education and Information (EI) Fund, encouraging staff to contribute to the fund. She also conducted a 50/50 drawing that netted $305 for the fund. The EI Fund is used to help lobbyists secure funding for the WSOS varous programs.
Legislators hear Healthcare Consortium's concerns for the area
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| Wes Fahrbach, left, of the Governor's Regional Office, Al Gorman of Memorial Hospital and other focus group members discuss the healthcare topics at the Aug. 20 meeting |
About 45 representatives of healthcare organizations from Seneca, Sandusky and Ottawa counties participated in a breakfast meeting on August 20 to discuss pressing healthcare issues in the area, how those issues can be addressed and how to get legislators to address the issues.
Results of the focus groups conducted at the meeting will be compiled and shared with legislators who represent the three-county area.
The meeting was organized by the Tri-County Healthcare Consortium, a group that has made several efforts to secure funding that would allow area residents to enter the healthcare field or upgrade their education.
Members of the consortium include Autumnwood Care Center, Bellevue Hospital, Community Health Services, Edgewood Manor, Parkview Care Center, Magruder Hospital, Memorial Hospital, Ottawa County Improvement Corporation, Riverview Senior Healthcare Campus, Otterbein North Shore, St. Francis Health Care Centre, St. Francis Home Inc., Ottawa, Sandusky and Seneca County Department of Job and Family Services, Sandusky County Economic Development Corporation, Terra Community College and WSOS.
WSOS staffers adopt & rehab two apartments in Ottawa County
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| Chuck Wright, above left, puts down tiles in the kitchen of one of the apartments together with Bob Kowalk, center and Roger Willoughby, right. All threeawork in the WSOS Housing and Energy department |
Employees from WSOS Community Action Commission Inc. joined other businesses and organizations recently to help renovate 16 apartments owned by Ottawa Residential Services Inc. (ORSI).
The apartments, located at Island View Manor, off North Shore Boulevard, near Lakeside, were in need of varying degrees of renovations. WSOS committed to renovate two apartments and secured donations from Bill Boger Builders and H & H Plumbing. In addition to cleaning and repairs, these apartments needed new carpeting, patio doors, painting, new dishwashers, kitchen tile, and a new toilet.
"WSOS is committed to doing what it can to provide affordable housing in the communities we serve," said Don Corley, WSOS's Housing Development coordinator. "We just had to help make these apartments available to residents again. It's great to see so many community groups contributing to this effort."
Nine WSOS employees and some family members volunteered July 17 to rehab the apartments. They include Ragan Rusch, Alicia Stefano, Kathy Kiser, Jen Elliott, Don Corley and wife Candy, Robin Richter and daughter, and Chuck Wright, Bob Kowalk, Roger Willoughby, Teresa Smith, Ricky Lozano, and Marvin Vastag, all of WSOS Housing and Energy department.
Once renovated, the apartments will be rented to families currently on a waiting list kept by ORSI.
Director's corner
Family Development - Homelessness a major issue in service area
Vice President: Cheryl Denny
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| CHERYL DENNY |
It is estimated that in the WSOS four-county service area at any given time, there are 189 individuals and 165 families who may be homeless. This number has grown dramatically in the last 20 years.
There are several factors that has contributed to this increase. Affordable housing has dwindled for those with little resources. Services that families need for support and stability have become more difficult for people to find or afford. And, several social changes have exacerbated the problems of the low-income, which makes them vulnerable to homelessness.
In an effort to combat this growing social dilemma, WSOS currently manages three transitional housing programs funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Each provides housing and supportive services to 40 families, 51 families with 85 children and 73 adults.
The WSOS SAFAH program, which has operated since 1990, allowed WSOS to buy five homes in Fremont. These have been used to provide housing assistance along with comprehensive family development services to homeless families. In 1997, WSOS began operating its second transitional housing program serving 32 households in the four-county area. Then in 2003, WSOS secured a supportive housing initiative that assists the disabled with permanent supportive housing. The grant provides assistance to 17 homeless individuals and 32 families in the four-county service area with permanent housing.
As a result, 100 percent of the households have met at least one goal on their family self-sufficiency plan; 66 percent of the families who had no income at enrollment have increased their incomes within six months; and 100 percent of those who moved to permanent housing have maintained it for at least six months.
WSOS received a $5,000 donation from the Clyde Whirlpool Corp to enhance the After School program, Head Start and the CCC Camp. Thank you, Whirlpool!
The New Directions Summer/After School Program is now a designated program with the United Way of Sandusky County. this means that when you sign up to contribute to the United Way's annual fundraiser, you can designate your contributions to go to New Directions. Senior Programs is also a designated program with the United Way.
The Quilter CCC Camp currently has 20 Corps members. Its goal is 25 by the end of the year. Way to go CCC!
Sandusky County Senior Programs has scheduled one-day trips to Bear Creek Farms in Indiana on Monday, September 27; to Amish Country on Wednesday, October 6; and to see Roy Clark and his band on Wednesday, December 15. Call Sally at 419-334-8484 for more information.
Mark your calendars! Sandusky County Senior Programs are planning a 30th anniversary bash on Sunday November 7 from 1-4 p.m.at the Fremont Center, 600 W. State St.
Ottawa County commissioners have placed a levy on the Ottawa County ballot in November to raise money to fund senior programs in the county.
A familiar face
Munoz looks forward to helping staff develop efficient forms for reports
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| JAMIE MUNOZ |
Full name: Jamie Munoz
Address: Clyde
Family: Daughter Julia, 3; pet dogs, Lace, a miniature Schnauzer and Bittersweet, an English Bulldog.
Occupation: Jamie is the Accounting Specialist, a position she has held for the past six and a half years. She joined WSOS about 13 years ago as an accounting aide.
Favorite part of the job: She said she really enjoys creating informational reports for program staff. She also gets a charge from reviewing and implementing new accounting and Human Resources software.
Goals: Jamie's goals include earning an associate's degree in accounting and ensuring that staff is using all of the upgrades of the accounting and HR software as efficiently and effectively as possible.
Interests/Hobbies: When Jamie is not working, she said she loves to read, as well as breed and show dogs. She also likes to spend time quilting. However, the best way she can think of spending her free time is doing things and learning more about her three-year-old daughter, Julia.
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