Insider News
Newsletter connecting ProAct employees in Eagan, Red Wing, Zumbrota and Hudson
Inside– Online training on the way
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Zumbrota consumer remembered
3
New rules and what we do
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Volume 11 Issue 3
Supervisor believes
in crew's capabilities
Eagan's Doug Strom, center, has
poured his production expertise into
people's lives, and seen many do
things they never thought they could.
Production Supervisor Doug
Strom in Eagan was used to the
feeling of accomplishment that
came from building things, but
something greater awaited him at
ProAct.
"Here, I can go home on some
days and say I helped this person
to succeed," he said. The main
man behind packaging efforts on
the busiest production line knows
well how to balance the needs of
individual people with production
goals.
"He has a high respect from
the people he’s in charge of,
and he motivates people," said
Production Manager Bob Moore.
Sometimes, that motivation
comes in the form of
encouragement, believing that
someone can accomplish a task
that the individual didn't think
possible.
He helped one woman every
day, over and over, until she finally
learned a job. "I was so happy,
high fiving people in my area.
She did it, she did it! She finally
did it!" Soon after, she was moved
See Supervisor, page 2
April 2014
Family traditions in motion, off road motorsports
She painted the SUV with a brush.
Red Wing receptionist Breanen
He teaches her how to fix it. When it
Gath may well be ProAct's first 4x4
hits the trail, the driver gets a healthy
offroader, a pastime that involves
dose of sensory inputs. "When you’re
boulders, broken parts and excitement
inside, it feels like you’re tipping over
that sometimes moves at a crawl's pace.
but you’re actually "Mine is a Jeep
not," said Gath.
Cherokee. It's had The Jeep rides a rough rough life," on 31-inch tires
she said. "I’m more from a full-sized of an axle breaker." Chevrolet Blazer. The four-wheel-
Beach's drive vehicles tackle machine is a
difficult inclines, and navigate large
rocks, twisting and
contorting their
metal machines,
which puts stress Gath's Jeep Cherokee, above, is hand painted
on key parts like
with a brush, and her partner's Suzuki Samurai
axles and drive
offers an open air experience. The 4x4 trucks
shafts.
are taken to off-road courses.
The Cherokee
was a Christmas
modified Suzuki present to her
Samurai , one two years ago, of those super and is maintained compact SUVs. primarily by her
With Toyota
partner, Jared axles and a short Beach, who works
wheelbase, the as a technician at buggy took him River Valley Power three months & Sport in Red Wing.
See Off-road, page 2
Outstanding Achievement Award winners announced
Noted for their
Winners were each
exceptional efforts on
nominated by a supervisor
the job and their
and then evaluated by the
commitment
management team
to ProAct's before being chosen. mission,
Their work represents ProAct's
an effort that goes
Outstanding "above and beyond" Fourth Quarter 2013
Achievement what one would expect Red Wing– Nancy Falde, Courtney
Award winners for from a staff person in their
Horne
the fourth quarter
particular role.
Eagan– Angela Fleury,
are fine examples Winners are Stephanie Podkopacz
who embody a
recognized with
spirit of service to award certificates.
Hudson– LeeAnn Mergens
others.
See Awards, page 3
Upon request, this publication will be provided in alternative formats.
Teacher's aide came in '88, found coaching niche
Supervisor, from page 1
It was 1988, when
Diercks has also developed
Linda Diercks was a new
positive relationships with
addition to the ProAct
individuals at her worksites,
team in Red Wing. She
such as at the Goodhue
retires on April 21.
County Health and Human
Services offices where we
"Back then, we were
provide clerical support,
not on specific jobs.
Ogren explained.
We would rotate," said
Diercks, who is retiring at
Diercks came to the
the end of April. ProAct in
non-profit after serving as
Red Wing had a different
a teacher's aide at a Red
name, too, Interstate
Wing elementary school.
Rehabilitation Center.
Linda Diercks coached many Her time going forward
will be spent with her adult
workers and last served as
"The best thing
children and grandchildren,
a supervisor for projects at
about Linda is that she
and catching up on
Goodhue County Health
has been distinctively
housework.
predictable and reliable," and Human Services.
said Red Wing Director
ProAct is planning a
of Programs and Services Sally Ogren.
potluck event in her honor.
to a different workfloor, to Strom's
regret. "You have your days like that."
Another individual, who hardly
said a word when he first worked
with her, made her own book to
track material. "Her own book that
she made and it’s all right. That’s
awesome." Others already know the
procedure for a process where he will
need to look it up.
A supervisor's attachment to his
people helps convey a sense of caring.
Whether its calming someone's
frustration, helping two people to get
along, or working through problems,
Strom is there. A light-hearted
demeanor also helps. "I don’t know
how I
handle
stress, I go
nuts," said
Strom, with
a chuckle.
Any
good
manager
recognizes
the
strengths on his team and magnifies
them. Pitfalls or difficulties require
creative solutions. In one case, a
consumer thought the other person
was upset and reacted when it was
the first person's disability, not anger,
that caused a miscommunication.
Strom added responsibilities,
including labeling, and individuals
have stepped up to take them on.
The training process just takes time.
If other companies would learn
to be patient, Strom says, they would
find that people with disabilities
could do a lot of work for them.
Strom first came to ProAct for
a bus driver position, but learned
of a need for a full-time supervisor
in production. Initially, he said he
didn't know if he would even stay
one year. July will mark his five-year
anniversary.
Training enhancements coming online soon
From the classroom to the
screen, most of ProAct's training
sessions are now moving to an online
seminar format with speaker videos,
PowerPoint presentations and quizzes
to verify completion.
"We want everyone
on the same page and
working together, both
new and experienced staff
members," said Carolyn
Dobis, Eagan director of
programs and services. "It helps us
meet state standards, as well as higher
professional standards in the field."
Computer-based formats offer
more flexibility for employees. After
completing quizzes, test
results are emailed to the
employee or central staff
person. For some courses,
several employees and
consumers will create role
plays for training.
Off-road, from
page 1
to build,
explains
Gath.
"Every night
he was out
there. He
put three
motors in
it."
The
couple travels to off road courses in
Frontenac and Trollhaugen in Dresser,
Wis. Beach has been to the Gilbert
course in northern Minnesota, as well.
They're members of "Borderline 4x4
Trailseekers," a club based in
Hager City, Wis.
The dirt isn't a problem for
Gath, who grew up on a farm.
When they're not in the
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At left, the couple's dog, Ellie, and at
right, Beach, with son, Kaiden, at the
dirt, Gath and Beach are often on the
Mississippi River, on their pontoon,
fishing boat or jet skis. She looks
forward to this summer, when their new
son, Kaiden, will be able to crawl or walk
on the beach.
"We are just busy bodies, we like to
be doing something all the time." They
recently purchased a 26-foot party hut
pontoon, and a slide is planned for the
upper deck.
Know a ProAct employee with a
good story to tell? Let us know.
Contact Sheena – 651-289-3149
[email protected]
Beyond the Job
 Several employees (E) sought
warmer climes with trips to Hawaii
and St. Martin in the Caribbean
and Mexico.  Heather Hamilton
(E) had a baby boy, Chase Desil,
on January 1.  Cindy Schmitt
(E) has a new grandson, Miles.
Bridget Peltzman-Staloch (E) was
married.  A number of Eagan
staff members went to Justin
Timberlake and PINK concerts.
 Kathy Thayer's (E) son, James
completed basic training.
New staffers help participants achieve their potential RW-Red
Wing
E-Eagan
Z-Zumbrota
H-Hudson
Christine Conway
HST– H
Lawsi Yang
HST– E
Julie Olson
HST– E
Share your "Beyond the Job" news with Jo Ann
Peine (E), Alicia Hill (RW) or Jo Erickson (Z).
Naomi Sanow
HST– E
Jordynn Caster
HST– H
Eric Gapp
Bus driver– E
Callie McDermott
Site Supervisor– E
Zumbrota client remembered for his answers, songs
More than 40 new large format photos
are being prepped for display on
ProAct's walls. Watch for them soon.
A longtime Zumbrota
consumer, Gordy Romness,
80, of Wanamingo, died on
Christmas morning of 2013
at St. Mary's Hospital in
Rochester.
Staff and
fellow participants
were familiar with the
Christmas songs and
hymns he sang, said
HST Tim Peterson who
worked with Romness in Zumbrota.
"He seemed to always make you laugh
and always liked talking about war
stuff," said Peterson. Romness did
relaxation therapy and enjoyed going
across the street to have coffee.
What Peterson said he'll miss
most about Romness is that he always
had something to say, and an answer
for everything.
Romness
was born on his
family's farm on
October 30, 1933
and attended
Wanamingo School
and Owatonna
State School
from 1946 to 1954, according to his
obituary. His work life included time
spent on his uncle's farm, Maynard's
Garage, Hellickson Lumber and
Casey's. He also worked at ProAct in
Red Wing.
He is survived by sisters,
Barbara (Marvin) Tri, of Zumbrota,
JoAnn (Wesley) Dubbels and Karen
Jones, of Rochester; and many
nephews and nieces who loved him
dearly.
The winners, from page 1
Angela Fleury
Nancy Falde
Stephanie Podkopacz
LeeAnn Mergens
Courtney Horne
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Making memories that many may want
repeated, Matt Harper's family paid
for a trip to the 2013 St. Croix County
Fair for his birthday. He is joined on
the Tilt-A-Whirl by Ka Xiong, left, and
Tammy Bouchard.
Red Wing employees met up at Kings
restaurant in Miesville for a "Secret
Snowflake" party. They dined on chessthemed sandwiches from the grill and
exchanged gifts. Kings is known for its
hamburgers.
New rules need not make our heads spin
Many staff members are living
through, or have at least heard about
Minnesota's new Rule 245D - Home and
Community-based Service Standards.
So, why are these so important?
Much of the new requirements
revolve around licensing, covering the
people we serve through various waivers
who were not covered under such
guidelines in the past. There is much to
cover on this for all of us, and it's going
to take some time to complete. Here's
some encouragement, and some of the
elements involved:
• We're good at change–
particularly in responding to change
in people's lives, and for adapting our
programs and practices as appropriate.
• "Person-centered" seeks
feelings and opinions– We will get
more specific about what each consumer
desires and seek to fulfill those needs.
• Everyone's on a learning curve–
Eagan bus drivers Eric Gapp, left, and
Lonnie Burnett joined coworkers for
a celebratory lunch. President Steve
Ditschler said it was a rough winter
season for drivers, who came through
with safe and reliable transport.
by Caroly n Dobis and Sally Ogren
including the state and counties. We
will implement this as one organization
and are learning more each day.
• Abuse prevention enhanced–
With individual and program plans.
• More document detail– As we
gather specific information from each
consumer.
• Interpretation is everything–
trust us to translate the 245D language.
• Employment is still
paramount– as we clearly communicate
employer expectations for training.
• Feedback can make it better–
We're hopeful that our teams will help
shape the thinking of state program
consultants to make improvements.
• Don't panic– Be more patient
with yourself. We will soon have
practices to point to so we can refine
and improve our process.
Human nature dictates that most
of us don't like change. Predictable
patterns and frameworks are welcomed
and comfortable. We need to view this
as an opportunity for improvement
and growth. We will get through it,
together.
[Carolyn Dobis and Sally Ogren direct
programs and services for ProAct in
Eagan and Red Wing, respectively.]
From the President's Office
While it might be said that hope
springs eternal in the springtime, this
year there are some tangible signs of
progress. And, much of it is due to
what you, our fellow
ProAct employees,
have accomplished.
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I was delighted
to learn that ProAct
was selected as one
of only two sites in
the nation for the
Pepsi ACT, Achieving Change
Together pilot program. The
full story is told elsewhere, but
my point is that the ProAct reputation
for service and ability to work together
with others, which you helped create,
brought this new opportunity. Many of
our clients will benefit.
Similarly, ProAct is pleased that
two clients are now part of a new
Walgreens program, REDI or Retail
Employees with Disabilities Initiative.
Clients receive four weeks of intensive
training, a certificate and in some
cases, a job in retail. That is rewarding,
indeed.
Coming on top of the state training
grant with Southeast Technical College,
such developments made the harsh
winter easier to bear. It did impact
ProAct, though, with extra closings that
promote safety, but reduce revenues.
The current legislative session is
not expected to make major changes
in our industry, which is a good thing,
especially since staff continues to deal
with the added, more complicated,
reporting systems enacted at the last
session.
Working together, ProAct will make
progress.