Orion Associates, Meridian Services,
Zenith Services, Orion Intermediary Services Organization
Morning Star of Utah, Morning Star of Tennessee,
Headwaters Relief Organization
Quarterly Newsletter
Volume 4, Issue 1
Winter 2013
The Constellation
2012 … A Year of Accomplishments!
It was a tremendous year for our organization of Orion Associates, Meridian Services,
Zenith Services, Orion Intermediary Services Organization, as well as Morning Star of Utah,
Morning Star of Tennessee and Headwaters Relief Organization!
2012 was a year in which we grew and developed, not simply in terms of size or the number
or variety of programs, but more importantly and on a deeper level, in terms of growth in the
scope and quality of our accomplishments.
We have celebrated many significant accomplishments over the years, including our
CARF Accreditations, the initiation of multiple new programs, the our Metro Office building
and our building receiving LEED Gold Certification. We’ve also celebrated the founding of
Headwater’s Relief Organization and all of our relief work efforts, as well as the many awards
and recognitions we’ve received as an organization. Once again, this year, we celebrate our
Accomplishments!
The following is our “Calendar of Accomplishments” representing those that we believe
have had and will continue to have the most significant impact on our organization:
In February … CARF reaccredited Orion Associates, Meridian Services, and Zenith Services
for another three years in recognition of the demonstrated quality of our services and
business practices! This is the third reaccreditation awarded to our organization since
our organization first became CARF accredited in 2003. This outcome represents the highest
level of accreditation that can be awarded to an organization and shows an organization’s
substantial conformance to the standards established by CARF. We first sought CARF
accreditation as a part of our dedication to becoming an organization that provides
the very best in services to our consumers.
In March … Meridian Services’ Case Management Department and Zenith Services moved into
the new building in Hopkins. In recent years, Meridian’s Case Management Department has
grown substantially as we have actively and successfully sought to build our caseloads.
As a result the department has grown from six Case Managers, when we first moved into the
Golden Valley office, to over sixty. Moving to the new building in Hopkins brings the entire
department together in one location and provides plenty of space for additional growth in the
future. Similarly, Zenith Services had outgrown its facility in Osseo. The new building will
provide the vocational program with the space it needs to serve the current
clients better and makes it possible significantly to for the program to grow in the future.
In March … Orion Associates received a Psychologically Healthy Workplace, Best Practices
Honor, from the American Psychological Association for its “Leaders in Service” program in
March. Our “Leader in Service” program is intended to remind us all and to promote our
organization’s culture of service … to our clients, our employees and to the community.
In March … Rebecca Thomley, the President and CEO of Orion Associates, was recognized
by Enterprising Women Magazine as a “2012 Enterprising Woman of the Year Winner.
The Constellation
Contributors
Leota Bemis
Joy Bredeck
Amy Eignenheer
Marya Hage
Jennifer Halpaus
Sarah Hambrook
Serge Katzen
Kalee McClain
Rachel Pitkanen
Renee Rolling
RaeAnn Thompson
Colonel Egahn Ehpets, Retired,
Editor in Chief
In April … Headwaters Relief Organization is became a member of National Volunteer
Organizations Active in Disaster (NVOAD). This will allow Headwaters to be involved in
planning and coordination when disasters occur across the nation. Cheryl Vennerstrom,
our Chief Operating Officer, was named Vice-President of the Minnesota VOAD.
In April … Headwaters Relief Organization volunteers traveled to Haiti for a seventh time.
They did so to deliver food, supplies and clothing to an orphanage and to a school we have
supported on previous relief trips. The donations collected and delivered by Headwaters
directly affect over 200 children.
Continued on Page 2 ...
“… sometimes you feel like a
nut, sometimes you don’t!”
The Officers’ Corner …
The name “Meridian” was chosen for our first company because of one of its definitions, “the highest
point a star can reach in its apex.” We wanted to reflect that this was a place where all could strive to
be the best they could be, both clients and staff. The other company names, “Orion,” “Zenith,”
“Morning Star,” and “Little Stars” grew out of this. The hope was that this would be a place where
transformative change was encouraged and nurtured.
Think about the stars. As we look at a star at night, we know that the star itself may have burned out
eons ago, but the light still burns for us, warm and bright. What was given once still lights our way.
We hope that our influence will last, too, beyond the small gifts of time and attention we give.
One of my jobs at the Red Cross is to teach a class to mental health professionals about working within
the Red Cross system to counsel peoples who have experienced disasters. This past fall, I had a class
with a number for adults who were preparing to help others. The youngest of the students, a young
woman in college, said she felt insecure with the other students, who were mature professionals, as
she had no experience with counseling. She then added that she had chosen to serve the Red Cross
because of her own experiences. As a child, her house burned down and nothing was left. A Red Cross
worker gave her a teddy bear. It meant so much to her that she decided then to join the Red Cross and
help others as she had been helped. An electric moment! What we do does make a difference.
I recently heard Governor Christie of New Jersey say, “We all drink deeply from wells of freedom and
liberty that we did not dig.” Someone before us did the heavy lifting and we probably never know who
person was. We hear all the clichés about helping and being kind to others, such as “Give it forward,”
“One small act of kindness each day” and “Be the change you want to see in the world.” Sometimes
we grow tired and wonder of what value these slogans or acts are. In reality, however, we cannot
know what results come from such acts.
We have real power to bring about change. The only way we give up that power is not to recognize
that we have it in the first place.
Marya Hage
Organization Founder
2012 … A Year of Accomplishments … Continued!
In June and July … in response to the severe flooding in Duluth and the surrounding region Headwaters
Relief Organization sent more than fifty volunteers in seven teams to assist in the relief efforts.
In September … Orion Associates was recognized by INC. Magazine, in their 500/5000 Company Listing,
as one of the 5000 fastest growing private companies in the United States. Orion ranked 3807 in their
listing.
In October … a Headwaters Relief Organization volunteer traveled to Haiti to visit four orphanages and
to bring donated school supplies and donated clothing, as well as to purchase food for the orphanages.
In October … Headwaters Relief Organization responded to Hurricane Isaac by sending twenty– two
volunteers to the New Orleans’ region. The efforts involved work in Plaquemines Parish and Lafitte as
well as at the Headwaters Mental Health Center in New Orleans’ Upper Ninth Ward.
In November … Rebecca Thomley, the President and CEO of Orion Associates, was honored by the
National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) as the 2012 “Woman Business Owner of
the Year”.
In November … Orion Associates was honored as one of the five finalists for Twin Cities Business
Magazine’s “2012 Family Business Awards” on November 8th. It is an award targeted at family owned
and run companies and acknowledging the special challenges that come with it.
In November … Fifteen Headwaters Relief Organization volunteers traveled to Atlantic City, New Jersey
in response to Hurricane Sandy’s devastation of the region.
In October to December … Meridian Services opened three new residential programs, including
Woodridge, in Cottage Grove … a home for children, Bayport, in Bayport … a home for three children …
both of which are our first homes in Washington County, and Glenwood, in Golden Valley, scheduled to
open by the end of December as a transition home for children through Hennepin County Mental
Health.
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We look forward to 2013 and the accomplishments we will achieve and celebrate!
Employees of the Month … June, July, August, September
June
Dina Heltzer Program Counselor I, Maple Lake SLS
As a veteran staff at Swan Park, Dina goes above and beyond every day she works. She has
been with Meridian Services since April 2005. Dina is an excellent role model for her co-workers,
continuously sharing a positive attitude and willingness to be a team player. She regularly picks
up extra shifts in addition to her full time schedule and always puts the consumers first.
Dina’s dedication, work ethic, flexibility and commitment to excellence make her invaluable
to the Swan Park home. Thank you, Dina, for always striving for excellence.
Michelle Thompson, Program Counselor III, Hampshire South SLS
Michelle has been a valuable member of Hampshire South since the home opened in March 2009.
She is dedicated to the consumers at Hampshire South by offering choices, taking the consumers
out on outing within the community and tries to expand upon each of the consumer’s
independent living skills. Thank you, Michelle, for all your hard work and support.
July
Scott Schmitz, Program Counselor I, Silver Lake SLS
Scott goes above and beyond with the consumers and the programming at Silver Lake, often
seeking out different ways to improve on the reward systems or the outcomes. Scott has taught
us all a little bit of music therapy as he is currently a part-time music teacher. We are very lucky
and proud that Scott is a part of our Silver Lake Team.
December Employment
Anniversaries
22 Years
Marilyn Beck
14 Years
Mark Henry
Janlin Tomford
11 Years
Jody Voges
10 Years
Amber Robles Martinez
9 Years
Donna Schwab
7 Years
Pamela Kigham
6 Years
Joseph Noah
Lillian Price
Alyssa Loverink, Program Assistant, Edgewood SS
5 Years
Alyssa was recently been promoted to Program Assistant at Edgewood. Since starting her new
position she has been extremely flexible with her schedule, which has really helped out with
the program. Alyssa willingly takes on any job asked of her and completes them with pride.
She provides valuable input for expanding programming, as well as providing creative ideas
on improving the program as a whole. Alyssa has been an excellent addition to the team
and we appreciate how much puts into the job.
Josephine Fernandez
Andrew Stomberg
August
Sara Alken, Program Manager, Silver Lake SLS
Sara has been a devoted employee for over five years. She worked at several challenging sites
before becoming the Program Manager at Silver Lake last year. Sara excels at her job in every
way. She is a great role model for the staff members, and is an advocate for the clients. Sara
works incredibly hard to ensure that the client’s needs are met, that the staff are supported,
and that team members are satisfied. A new client recently moved into the Silver Lake home,
and Sara’s commitment to the program has been instrumental during this period of change.
We thank you for your commitment and dedication to the company and the clients we serve!
Pat Schultz, Program Counselor I, In-Home Services, Northern Region
Pat has worked for Meridian Services over seven years. She has done very well with finding
volunteer opportunities for the In-Home Services consumer with whom she works. Pat changes
her schedule to fit the needs of the consumer and consumer’s family. Over the years, Pat has
worked with various In-Home Services and SILS cases and always makes a lasting impression.
She is our “go to girl” on where to find a free or low cost activity and she always has a bag of
craft projects in her car.
September
Linda Jernberg and Roseanna Salzer, Orion Associates’ Finance Department
Linda and Roseanna demonstrated outstanding leadership during the startup of services in
Tennessee for Morning Star Financial Services. Despite the fact that they were under a great
deal of pressure to set up the financial systems for managing 400 participant/employers and
500 employees, they kept our organizations commitment to customer service by putting our
response to the people we serve in Tennessee first. Linda, Roseanne and many other staff
answered hundreds of phone calls from Tennessee, patiently assisting people with forms and
answering all of their questions. We appreciate their many hours of extra work and their true
understanding of this service. The integrity of self-directed services lies in the customer service
and systems that support the participants. Linda and Roseanna exemplify that commitment to
person centeredness on behalf of Morning Star.
3 Years
Sara Santi
2 Years
Margaret Hoffman
Matthew Lund
Sean McDermott
David Whitebird
1 Year
Debra Amos
Edward Benford
Marcell Branch
Michelle Cline
Virginia Emmick
Amanda Hacker
Princeton Jappah
Musa Jimaale
Amanda Jung
Jason King
Penny LaPlante
Rebecca Lardy
Brittany List
Ryan Meade
Anuli Okolo
Scott Schmitz
Jennifer Schneider
Richard Shaffer
Kelly Simonette
Na Karnay Tolbert
Stanley Stone
Melissa Zigas
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January Employment
Anniversaries
33 Years
Marya Hage
11 Years
Reuben Johnson
10 Years
Ryan Dolan
Meghan Shields
9 Years
Daniel Phillips
8 Years
Sara Levinger
6 Years
Sara Alken
Brian Fitzgerald
Gerty Mikel
5 Years
Vinvent Almeda
Robert Gilstorf
4 Years
Artika Churcher
Amy Eigenheer
Daniel Gipe
Diamond Lake ...
Four young men live at the Diamond Lake SLS,
Meridian Services’ residence in south Minneapolis.
All four are in their mid-twenties. Three of the young
men are diagnosed with Autism and Severe Mental
Retardation, while the other is diagnosed with
Severe / Profound Mental Retardation and has a
seizure disorder. All of the young men are non-verbal
and use different ways to communicate. One uses
sign language, one uses simple words and phrases,
one shows you what he wants or needs, while the
other simply pushes away to indicate “no” and pulls
something close that he wants. Structure and
consistency is important to all of the young men
and they don’t typically handle changes well. They
each have a range of challenging behaviors and have
behavior support plans to help the staff work them through difficulties they may have. The young
men enjoy going out to eat, going to movies, dances and visiting State Parks. Each of them have
wonderful families who are very involved and see them whenever they can. Diamond Lake has
benefited from the number of long term employees who have dedicated five to ten years of their
careers to the young men who live there. They have watched the boys with whom they first
worked grow into young men. They have watched them graduate high school and move on to
work in different day program settings. The history and knowledge of the young men that these
long term staff members have to share with new staff is invaluable and provides them with
consistent, high quality support, for which we are very grateful.
3 Years
Elhadji Cisse
Becky Jurek
Danielle Livon-Bemel
Patricia Meyer
Peter Ngeru
Judith Omoke
Cory Schmitt
2 Years
Raechel Hyde
Nathan Fryett
Jeannie Gossett
Andrew Hansen
1 Year
Morgan Anderson
Natasha Blank
Amie Brandtjen
Kelsey Faddler
Sumeet Gupta
Bradley Huelsnitz
Edwin James
Ashley Manshak
Dieudonne Ndenge
Jessica Novak
Chelsea Remillard
Alyssa Stangle
Ruth Twito
Sharing the News!
Births and Adoptions!
Danielle Yanez, MHP Care Coordinator, with Meridian Services, had a
boy … Joaquin Pablo, born on September 5th.
Meghan Shields, Program Administrator, with Meridian Services, had a
boy … Charlie Matthew, born on September 20th.
Jennifer Abrahamson, Program Manager with SILS, Guardian Services,
SILS and In-Home Services with Meridian Services, had a boy …
Maddox Michael, born on October 21st.
Graduations!
Rosanna Salzer received her Certified Payroll Professional (CPP)
certification from the American Payroll Association in September.
Christine Miriti graduated from Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota, with a
Masters Degree in Health and Human Services Administration in December.
Engagements and Marriages!
Sarah Hambrook, Human Resources Generalist, married Adam Jack on October 6th.
Honors and Awards!
Brandi J. Osborne, Program Administrator with Morning Star Financial Services, was elected to the
Board of Directors at Progress, Incorporated in Nashville, Tennessee. Progress is a local provider
agency that empowers adults with disabilities to lead independent lives.
Special News and Announcements!
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Lara Trujillo, ISO Coordinator with Orion Associates, and Stephen Hage, Chief Administrative
Officer, will be appearing in The Gilbert & Sullivan Very Light Opera Company’s upcoming
production of The Yeomen of the Guard. The show runs from March 1st through the 24th.
Information is available at: http://gsvloc.org/ .
Shout Outs!
“Shout out to Julie Nielsen for being an awesome social worker!
You work really hard and do a great job for the people you serve.”
-Lindsey Proell
February Employment
Anniversaries
“Shout out to all the Orion ISO coordinators for doing extra work
beyond their own caseload. You are the best!” – Erin Huldeen
8 Years
“This shout-out goes to my team of Kalee McClain, Sarah Hambrook
and Ashley Roggenbuck …TEAMWORK is the ongoing process of
interaction between members as they work together for a common
goal. I am very proud and send this SHOUT OUT to them for collaborating together on a daily
basis on how to deliver great HR services to our perspective employees and to our current
staff!” – Dawn Rennich
“Shout out to my managers Marcell and Michelle for being patient while I learn the ropes as
the their new director!!” – Sara Santi
“Thank You Laura Miltich (nurse) for working endlessly to answer all of our medical questions at
our houses and being our #1 nurse.” – Jenny Schraut
“Thanks to my Woodridge team for such support for one of the residents and going above and
beyond.” – Jenny Schraut
“Shout to Jessica our new steeler director with all your behavior management skills!!!”
– Jenny Schraut
“Shout out to Kari Reinhart for her confidence in her management teams, her advocacy for her
programs, and all her endless support!” – Desiree Smith
“Shout out to Vanesha Porterfield for consistently going above and beyond, as well as, the Inca
staff for all their continued hard work!” – Desiree Smith
“Shout out to Robert Gill and Glenwood staff for all your patience as we anxiously awaited
Glenwood to open!” – Desiree Smith
“Thank you to all the Greenfield Staff for picking up open shifts while we have had our overnight position open. You are all very much appreciated!!! Keep up the great work everyone!”
– Joy Bredeck
“I would like to give a shout out to the Maple Lake staff for working as a team to help me fill all
the open shifts! Thank you for all of your hard work!” – Jennifer Weismann
“Shout out to Logan staff; we were the first ones to turn in all our Emergency Drills for
2012. Thank you for getting them done on time when asked; Cleo, Emmett (major participant),
Henry, Makeda, Nikohl, and Noah. – Maureen Rex
“I wanted to send a shout out for my supervisor, Lori Peterson, who is very supportive and positive even though I know that she is very busy with changes in her role. She is always willing to
answer a question or laugh with us regardless of how busy she is.” – Hannah MacDougall
“I also wanted to send a shout out for Shannon Abbott who is so talented at talking positively
to clients who have a lot of needs and call frequently. Her patience is amazing and she handles
every phone call with compassion and excellent advice.” – Hannah MacDougall
“I would like to give Wendy Jacobsma and Kathy Muench HIGH recognition for all the work they
did on the Silent Auction and Toys For Tots! Both events were very successful, mostly because
of them! AWESOME WORK!!” – Ann Anderson
Company Policy Questions?
Matthew Roerig
7 Years
Daniel Schmidt
5 Years
Barbara Jungers
Nicholas Muriuki
Rachel Schafer
4 Years
Ginny Benson
Carmen Canfield
Alfred Longley
Stefanie Sackor
Chrissa Worsham
3 Years
Rhea Foss
Fay Koep
Brianna Lorenz
Elijah Yormie
Douglas Zimpfer
2 Years
Siryka Hanson
Candice Jackson
Ann Kray
Tanya Peterson
Susan Schubert
Jacob West
Danielle Yanez
1 Year
Lonnie Calistro
Charles Darland
Janet Farber
Mandy Gessell
Jacquelyn Gustafson
James Hensrud
Heidi Hoheisel
Samantha Jurichko
Emma Kachelmeier
Matthew Kingsbury
Shestin Laine
Christine Miriti
Natalie Morey
Henry Nyakundi
Andrea Reicks
Dawn Sulland
Crystal Wimpfheimer
Emily Zimmerli
If you have questions regarding company policies,
including new or revised policies, please contact your
supervisor. You may also contact Stephen Hage,
Chief Administrative Officer, at our Golden Valley office,
at 763-450-5004.
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Consumer Spotlight … Ashley Volkmeier
Ashley moved into Green Fields in March 2012.
She has a very friendly attitude and always has a
smile on her face. Ashley loves listening to music and
dancing. She is a huge fan of the Jonahs Brothers and
likes to talk about them to everyone. Ashley enjoys
being involved in Special Olympics and has participated
by competing in track and field and bocce ball. This will
be her last year in the transition program at school and
Ashley has been working through school at a hospital
and a church, doing community work. She enjoys
spending time with her family and friends, as well as
going out into the community on activities and stays fit
by going for a walk with staff daily. In Ashley's leisure
time at home she enjoys playing games, crafts,
watching movies, listening to music and chatting with
her housemates and staff. Everyone enjoys Ashley's
company at Green Fiel
Consumer Spotlight … Jane Wier
Jane uses our Zenith Supportive Employment Services and
has been with Zenith since 2008. She works as the receptionist at the organization’s Golden Valley office on Thursday afternoons. When Jane’s not working or searching for
jobs, she enjoys talking, reading, and watching things about
the royal families. She is very knowledgeable and passionate about them. Jane also enjoys spending time with her
family and traveling around the country and abroad. She is
very talented at making beaded jewelry as well, and has
recently worked to get her own jewelry store, The Royal
Bead Collection, posted and displayed on the Etsy website.
We invite you to visit Jane’s website at: http://
www.etsy.com/shop/JewelsbyJW?ref=seller_info_count!
Consumer Spotlight … Lillian Allen
Lillian lives with her sister and family in Minneapolis.
She has a bubbly personality and a great sense of humor.
Lillian will always make you laugh with her funny stories,
jokes, or celebrity impressions! She spends her days
working at a local Day Program and thrift shop, and prides
herself in her work, making cleanliness one of her top
priorities. In her spare time, Lillian enjoys going bowling,
listening to the oldies, cooking, writing poetry, coloring,
and watching television. She likes to go on outings with her
family and In Home staff. Some of Lillian’s favorite places to
visit are Como Zoo, the Mall of America, the Humane
Society, and the library. She loves to surround herself with
friends and family. Lillian always has a story to tell about her
boyfriend. They’ve been together for over twenty years and
she calls him the love of her life!
Company Policy Questions?
The Headwaters
Halloween Party!
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From the Suggestion Box ...
We received the following suggestion on November 13, 2012:
I find the company's new occurrence policy to be quite unfair
and discriminatory to individuals who have children. Among my
coworkers there are a number of single mothers. In the event that
an employee's child is sick and sent home from school/daycare it
is unreasonable to punish her for this. This policy sheds light on
Meridian as being unfriendly to individuals with families. It also
creates a hierarchy where group home staff are viewed as inferior
and disposable -it is my understanding that the occurrence policy
does not apply to management or corporate employees?
Our Response:
We’re sorry that you are unhappy with the new occurrence policy. As parents ourselves,
we understand the responsibilities and challenges of caring for children; whether one is doing so
as a single parent or with a partner. We know that children get sick and have other needs that
must be addressed, and that one might have to be absent from work to attend to those needs.
It is important for us all to acknowledge, however, that we also have a responsibility to the
consumers we serve, as employees of this organization. As important as it is for each of us,
individually, to fulfill our responsibilities as parents, it’s also important for each of us to fulfill
our responsibilities to insure the safety and wellbeing of our consumers.
In order to see that this is done, we need our employees to be on duty when they are scheduled.
As we all know, when an employee is absent, it has the potential of putting consumers at risk.
It certainly disrupts their lives. It also places a tremendous burden on our coworkers and
supervisors, who must replace the absent employee or work in their place.
In our need to have our employees come to work when they are scheduled, we are no different
than any other company. And when employees don’t come to work, absenteeism must be
addressed. As you observe, we have chosen to do this a new way, with the occurrence policy.
If an employee is absent, it’s simply an “occurrence.” It’s not a “punishment” … it’s simply an
acknowledgment that one was absent. If one is absent for a reasonable number of times in a six
month period, those absences “drop off” after six months. As that happens, ones’ past absences,
essentially disappear. They become of no consequence to one’s employment. And, by the way,
the policy is far from discriminatory, as it applies equally to everyone directly caring for those we
serve. In addition, as the rules regarding occurrences apply equally, this eliminates the potential
for one employee to be disciplined for X number of absences, while the next employee isn’t.
With the occurrence policy, everyone is treated exactly the same way. In fact, to offer parents or
anyone else some sort of “better deal” actually would be discriminatory and we can’t do that.
As regards your opinion that Meridian is unfriendly to individuals with families … I couldn’t
disagree more. Meridian Services is a family business, firmly established in the principal of being
conscious of the family needs of its employees, with multiple supports for those with families.
I’ll mention only a few examples … first, we provide a daycare center at the Golden Valley office,
subsidized by the company, and open to all employees. Second, Meridian heavily subsidizes its
family health insurance, when most companies do not do so. Third, employees are able to accrue
an extraordinary amount of PTO … nearly three weeks in one’s first year … to use for family
purposes, if that’s one’s choice. Fourth, the company offers flexible spending accounts for health
and child care. Fifth, it has a generous personal leave policy, often used in response to family
issues. Sixth, we’ve made AFLAC benefits available, with a range of benefits for families. Seventh,
for employees in financial need, we have arranged for our 401(k) plan to provide for personal
loans, allowing employees to access their funds in times of need. This is just a sampling ...
As an organization, we are extraordinarily supportive of employees with families … but we
also have to be supportive of the consumers we serve. As you can understand, we need our
employees to come to work when scheduled and, in response to this need, we’ve established the
occurrence policy as a lenient policy, intended essentially to serve as a reminder of the necessity
of being at work when scheduled and the importance of seeing to the needs of those we serve.
Thank you for understanding.
Everyone had a
Boo—tiful time!
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Orion Associates
9400 Golden Valley Road
Golden Valley, Minnesota 55427
PRESORT STD
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
TWIN CITIES, MN
PERMIT NO. 32246
ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED
Season’s Greetings ...
… and a Happy New Year!
Artwork by Serge Katzen