SUMMER 2015
VOLUME 19 / NO. 1
A PERSPECTIVE
2015 Annual Awards Dinner
by Barbara Pilarcik
SPOTLIGHT
Meet David Gilrein
Executive Director
June 16th was a beautiful day, and our Annual Dinner and Awards
Ceremony was the perfect ending to that day. Held at the Log Cabin, we
honored and recognized the people who have made significant
achievements in the past year and honored our friends and supporters.
Over 300 people were delighted to watch the evening’s festivities, beginning with the Joyful
Chorus entertaining us with their lovely music and the presentation of awards.
Vince Lombardi, the revered and highly successful Notre Dame football coach said “A man - or
woman - can be as great as he or she wants to be if you believe in yourself and have the
courage, the determination, the dedication, the competitive drive and if you are willing to
sacrifice the little things in life and pay the price for the things that are worthwhile, it can be
done.” We heard stories about courage, determination and dedication; stories of people who
are willing to make the necessary sacrifices to achieve their goal. We recognized eleven
individuals who were able to overcome challenges and meet their personal goals. We heard
about successfully completing difficult medical treatments, overcoming challenging behaviors,
managing major moves to new homes and communities, volunteering, and creating and
selling art.
Also recognized were some of the highlights of the past year:
 We made strides in increasing compensation for our workforce with a complete review of
our compensation system and the implementation of a new pay scale.
 We focused on management succession planning through the development of our first ever
Leadership Institute, providing high quality management training to 20 emerging leaders
throughout the organization.
 We partnered with BayState Medical Center to present, to over 300 people, the Pearce
family in the screening of Crash Reel, the family’s story of Olympic ski boarder Kevin
Pearce’s recovery from a horrific head injury.
 Whole Children garnered second place in the Community Foundation’s Valley Gives Day.
They also produced Once Upon a Bog, an original play involving more than 30 teens and
adults and sold out all their performances.
 Residential Services opened a new fully accessible home in July, 2014 on Meadow Street in
Agawam, welcoming five women to their new home; they were also able to successfully
transition three individuals from supported living and minimal supports to 24 hours
supports as their health needs increased.
 Residential North started several volunteering services at the Salvation Army, the local
parks, and a soup kitchen and started a bowling league.
 Specialized Home Care had a very successful audit by MassHealth of their Adult Family Care
program and were awarded a new contract to serve children from the Department of
Children and Families. Two special funds, one honoring Darren Harrington and Felicia
Crockett and the other Michael Aronson, enabled eight individuals to experience cooking
classes, Red Sox games, a trip to Cape Verde, a family vacation, therapeutic riding lessons
and a communication upgrade to an iPad.
These were just some of the highlights and don’t begin to capture all the many acts of kindness
that occur daily.
(Continued on Page 2)
David is privileged to begin
a membership with ‘The
Association’ as its newest
board member.
‘Relief staff ‘ at (what was
then the ‘Association for
Retarded Citizen’s’) area
community residences in
Springfield, and direct care
work at the Belchertown
State School were among
the earlier opportunities in the early ‘70’s’ that
solidified his commitment to the field.
After completing undergraduate studies and
earning a Bachelor’s of Science in Special
Education at Westfield State College, David
went on to provide case management services
from 1977 to 1986 as the Children’s Services
Coordinator with the Department of
Developmental Disabilities - Springfield Area
Office.
During this period he also completed studies for
a Masters Degree in Social Work at the
University of Connecticut, undertaking
practicum work at the Johnson Life Center of
Springfield and Crossroads of Holyoke.
David retired from Chicopee Schools having
filled positions from 1986 to 2008 of Guidance
Counselor and Special Education Team Chair.
Upon retirement from Chicopee Schools, he
briefly worked with The Association’s
Specialized Home Care Division as a Placement
Coordinator and, later, returned as a member of
the Personnel Committee and the Annual
Campaign Committee.
David makes his home in Chicopee with his wife
of 39 years, Christine, and enjoys the return
visits of their two daughters Patricia and Tracey,
along with Tracey (and husband Nas’) two
children, Violet and David.
A PERSPECTIVE
2015 Annual Awards Dinner
(Continued from Page 1)
We recognized the programs of The Association that celebrated milestone anniversaries this year. We had three programs with anniversaries this
year, beginning with Whole Children. Whole Children formally joined The Association five years ago, although Whole Children first opened
their doors to children TEN years ago as a small, volunteer led organization. There were five mothers, who had children with some challenges
and great gifts and they weren’t satisfied with the status quo-does this story sound familiar?-and so they decided to create a place where all
children were welcome to learn, to be challenged and to be safe to be who they were. Operating out of a renovated garage in Hadley, they
soon outgrew their space and the resources of their volunteers to provide classes for the many children who were signing up for karate,
gymnastics, dance, cooking and so forth. Introduced to The Association by Bill Zimmer, Area Director for DDS, we both realized that much
could be gained by a merger. They gained the infrastructure of well-run organization with all the administrative functions necessary to their
burgeoning growth and we gained an exciting new set of services, not to mention talented, dedicated staff and volunteers. Since their merger,
they have tripled in size and we have a vibrant family support program in Hampshire County. Several weeks ago they held their first ever Wild
Goose Chase at Look Park, attracting over 300 people, and raising $20,000. Accepting the award for Whole Children was Maggie Rice and also
present was Ruth Wade, Program Board President and Chair of the Wild Goose Chase.
Family Empowerment celebrated their 20 year anniversary. The motto of our Family Empowerment program is “We’ve been there, we can
help” and it is the core of what they do. Their mission is to provide the necessary supports and services that enables families to live full, rich lives
not only for their children who need extra help, but for everyone in the family. From sibling events, to transition fairs, to information and
referral, respite services and special events, they are always there to listen, to provide a service and to make sure that every family knows they
are not alone. Last year they served 146 individuals and 141 families, a 43% increase in 6 years with 2 full time, I part time staff and 18 relief
staff. They hosted and promoted 8 informational workshops, presented a Transition Fair with 40 exhibitors and more than 180 attendees,
updated their resource library and extended outreach through social media in addition to the services listed above. Accepting the award for
Family Empowerment was Karen Serra, program director.
Our last program anniversary was another twenty year anniversary and that was Valley Tees. Accepting the award was Cathy Flowers who is
the program director and Mary Fernsebner who is one of the outstanding employees of Valley Tees. Valley Tees is a social enterprise program of
The Association and, as such, it not only provides employment for people with disabilities, it also is a fully functioning business. Valley Tees is a
full service silk screen company producing t-shirts, mugs, bags and other specialty promotional objects. Valley Tees has created thousands of The
Caring Force t-shirts and Mary even spoke at the April State House rally, before 800 people, about how much she enjoys working at Valley Tees.
Located on Federal Street in Greenfield it is where all the local sports teams get their uniforms. They are quick, friendly and like to work!
In addition to our individual award recipients, we also honored friends and supporters. Outgoing Board President Jim Foard, Jr. received the
Sally Barnhart Leadership Award in thanks for being our guiding force for the last two years. Outgoing Board and Development Committee
members Marie Stebbins and Crawford Lincoln received Special Recognition awards for all they have done for The Association through their
time, talent and treasure. Susan Hurt was recognized for all her volunteer contributions, both at The Association and Whole Children and Peter
McLean and Halley Phillips received the Bob Agoglia Community Award for consistently going above and beyond in the work they do. The
Town of Gill was recognized for the outstanding service they provide to our two homes in Gill, Police Chief David Hastings accepting the award.
Don Poulin of Smith Brothers received the Charles Veith award for the consistently high caliber of service he provides in designing and managing
our benefits package. Anne Marie Corrieri and John Perrin received the Care Provider Award for their outstanding work with two individuals
and the establishment of the Darren Harrington and Felicia Crockett FUNd that enables individuals to receive financial assistance to do special
activities that enrich their lives.
Two special awards are our staff selected awards, the Nancy Patridge Direct Support Award and the Michel Reberkenny Supervisor Award.
Suhaiylah Abdul-Hakim received the Patridge award for her outstanding efforts on behalf of the individuals at School Street in Agawam and
Kathleen Salois received the Reberkenny award for creating a high performing, and fun loving human resources team.
We are especially proud of the fact that 44 employees received recognition on their anniversary milestone years. We had two employees,
Charlie Johnson and Linda Paquette who received their 35 year award. Both began their careers at our Plumtree Road program, Charlie as a
direct support professional and Linda as a nurse. This year we had a care provider couple, Joe and Christine Yarra who were recognized for
forty years of service, having supported the same person in their home for all those years.
We ended the evening with a modest request. At each table there were tiny playing cards with happy faces on them. Guests were encouraged
to take the cards and then give them out to a person who does an act of kindness, and tell the person that this is a way of acknowledging that
kindness. It is a way of both recognizing the person’s positive impact and the memory of Darren Harrington who brought much joy and
happiness into the lives of those who knew him. He simply believed in choosing to be happy and wanted everyone he met to also be happy. It
is nice to think about those tiny playing cards, out there in the world carrying forth that simple, yet powerful message.
Enjoy the rest of the newsletter, full of great pictures from our annual event. Tracy Romeo, the editor of the newsletter, is also responsible for
coordinating this entire night and she does a terrific job. Thanks, Tracy!
Page 2
WHAT HAPPENED SINCE YOU LAST SAW US
Our Annual Dinner and Awards Ceremony
On June 16th more than 300 people came together at The Log Cabin to help us celebrate our dreams
achieved this past year. The evening began with the entertainment of The Joyful Chorus and wrapped up
with inspiring and heart-warming stories of our many award winners. As always, give another rousing
round of applause for our performers and award winners!
The Joyful Chorus
A Good Job! hug from Mom!
Page 3
WHAT HAPPENED SINCE YOU LAST SAW US
Our Annual Dinner and Awards Ceremony
Congratulations to our
2015 Achievement Award Winners
Charis Barrett
with Barbara Pilarcik and staff
Mary Jane Cleveland
with Barbara Pilarcik
Carmelina “Lina” Durocher
with Barbara Pilarcik
Donald “Donny” Frederick
Linda Hardick
with Barbara Pilarcik
Darlene Kalich
with Barbara Pilarcik
Page 4
WHAT HAPPENED SINCE YOU LAST SAW US
Our Annual Dinner and Awards Ceremony
Congratulations to our
2015 Achievement Award Winners
Nancy Rich
with Barbara Pilarcik and staff
William “Bill” Quigley
with Barbara Pilarcik
Elizabeth “Betsy” Sullivan
with Barbara Pilarcik
Gerald “Gerry” Theriault
with Barbara Pilarcik
Ellen Auchter
also received an Achievement Award
but was unable to be at the dinner.
Page 5
WHAT HAPPENED SINCE YOU LAST SAW US
Our Annual Dinner and Awards Ceremony
Congratulations to the rest of our
2015 Award Winners
Sally Barnhart Leadership Award
Charles E. Veith Community Service Award
Jim Foard (center) with Mark Germain
and Barbara Pilarcik
Donald C. Poulin
with Barbara Pilarcik
Charles E. Veith Community Service Award
Robert V. Agoglia Community Living Award
Police Chief David Hastings
with Barbara Pilarcik
Peter McLean
with Barbara Pilarcik
Robert V. Agoglia Community Living Award
Paul D’Amato Volunteer Service Award
Halley Phillips
with Barbara Pilarcik
R. Susan Hurt
with Barbara Pilarcik
Page 6
WHAT HAPPENED SINCE YOU LAST SAW US
Our Annual Dinner and Awards Ceremony
Congratulations to the rest of our
2015 Award Winners
Care Provider Recognition Award
Special Recognition Award
John Perrin and Anne Marie Corrieri
with Felicia Crockett
Marie Stebbins and Crawford Lincoln
with Barbara Pilarcik
Nancy E. Patridge
Direct Support Professional Award
Michele Reberkenny Supervisor Award
Suhaiylah Abdul-Hakim
with Barbara Pilarcik
Kathleen Salois
Charles E. Veith Community Service Award
Other recipients of the
Charles E. Veith Community Service Award
who could not be in attendance:
Glen Ayers
Doug Edson
Fire Chief Gene Beaubien
Ray Purington
Page 7
WHAT HAPPENED SINCE YOU LAST SAW US
Our Annual Dinner and Awards Ceremony
A Celebration of Milestones
Program Anniversary Celebrations
20 Years - Family Empowerment
20 Years - Valley Tees
5 Years - Whole Children
(Whole Children has been in existence for 10 years)
Family Empowerment
Karen Serra
with Barbara Pilarcik
Valley Tees
Maggie Rice
with Barbara Pilarcik
Valley Tees
Mary Fernsebner and Cathy Flower
with Barbara Pilarcik
Remembering Those Who Passed
Joseph H. Beauvais
Darlene Forgetta
Adria Golan
Marjory P. Johnson
Jayden Angel Melendez
Jeffrey A. Rhan
Thomas Valentini
Marcy Bray
Ellen J. Gelin
Darren P. Harrington
Patricia Lynch
Ronald Miller
Robert Thomas
Wendy Beth Wiltsie
Page 8
WHAT HAPPENED SINCE YOU LAST SAW US
Our Annual Dinner and Awards Ceremony
A Celebration of Milestones
Staff of The Association celebrating a milestone in their employment.
See page 10 for a complete list of employees celebrating employment
milestones and additional pictures.
Congratulations, again, to ALL of our award winners !!
Page 9
WHAT HAPPENED SINCE YOU LAST SAW US
Our Annual Dinner and Awards Ceremony
Congratulations and Thank You
To Employees of The Association
15 Year Service Award - Marjorie Langevin Award
The employees listed below celebrated a milestone
anniversary at The Association in FY2015. Thank you all for
your dedication and hard work.
40 Years of Service - Crawford Lincoln Award
April Callahan
Gertrude Cox
Not Pictured:
Joseph Yarra
Christine Yarra
Rita Dean
35 Years of Service - Ruth R. Seldin Award
Joshua Simmons
Scott Spafford
Jared Joseph
Gina Vernava
Not Pictured:
Nadine Abderhalden
Charlie Johnson
Linda Paquette
10 Year Service Award - Ruth Fish Award
30 Years of Service - Judge Sidney Cooley Award
Marilyn Lysobey
Tony Mungai
Deborah Herbert
Todd Saldana
Not Pictured:
Marco Crescentini
Deborah Lewis
25 Years of Service - Mary Scully Award
Lynn Stanley
5 Years - Georgian Chabot Award
Susanne Keeney
Terri Presby
Cathy Flower
20 Years of Service - Tusca Ottani Award
Sam Laba-Barry
Maria Holley
Suhaiylah AbdulHakim
Beverlyn Blanchard
Chris Johnson
Heather Martin
Sandra DeAbreu
Joyce Walker
Gabriela Santiago
Not Pictured:
Tangela Covington-Hairston
Shirley Simmons
Not Pictured: Claudia Burwell, Hector Diaz, Fukiko Dupre, Amneris Dupuis,
Susan Dziczek, William Korzenowski, Rebecca Lagasse, Judith Massa,
Wendy Miranda, Alene Walter, Shelly Wilkins
Page 10
WHAT HAPPENED SINCE YOU LAST SAW US
Our Annual Dinner and Awards Ceremony
Meet our FY2016 Board of Directors
The Association’s Board of Directors elected its officers and voted it its members for FY2016.
Board Officers:
President
Mark A. Germain, CPA, CITP
Partner
Gomes, DaCruz & Tracy, PC
1st Vice President
R. Susan Hurt
Community Volunteer
2nd Vice President
Lisa Clewes
Vice President/Clerk
Chase Clarke Stewart & Fontana Insurance
Secretary
Jeremy Casey
Assistant Vice President / Commercial Loan Officer
Chicopee Savings Bank
Treasurer
Paul G. Kelliher
Community Volunteer
Assistant Treasurer
Henry J. “Hank” Drapalski, Jr.
Chief Financial Officer
Easter Seals of Capital Region and Easter CT
Board Members:
Jonathan Bayuk, D.O.
Michael Cooley
Paul E. Bureau
James F. Foard, Jr.
David Gilrein
William Loomis, R.Ph.
Dino D’Angelo
Mary Knight
Judith Luddy
Andy Fafard
Stephen J. Levine, M.D.
Karen Romano
Glenn S. Welch
James Shriver
Quote for the Month:
It’s not how much we give, but how much love we put into
giving.
~ Mother Teresa
Page 11
WHAT HAPPENED SINCE YOU LAST SAW US
Our Annual Dinner and Awards Ceremony
Everyone seemed to have a great time . . .
Joe Romeo and Tom Pilarcik
The Annual Dinner Widowers
Edwin Rosario, Gerry Theriault,
Dennis LaFleche
Maggie Rice gets a hug from her son
A view from our registration desk
Residential Supports
Marilyn Lysobey, Randy Dutton
Mary Roberts, Judy Hall
Jeanette Gilmartin, Deb Tetreault
The Photo Booth was a huge hit!!
Mary Zagula, Brandon Blackak,
Zoila Ramos-Torres
Ann Thompson, Chris Johnson,
Judy Hickey
Even Keith Urban
joined the party, with Kathleen Salois!!
Cameron Rousseau, Cade Holden
Marcia Troy, Deb Tetreault
Anne Petrie gets some love!
Page 12
WHAT HAPPENED SINCE YOU LAST SAW US
Our Annual Dinner and Awards Ceremony
The Photo Booth was a HUGE success!!
Page 13
PROUD OF OUR PROGRAMS
Annual Dinner Sponsorship Support Strong This Year!
Over 300 attendees helped us celebrate our Annual Dinner and Awards Ceremony
honoring outstanding achievements and long-standing relationships
It has been nine years since our Annual Dinner and Awards Ceremony sponsorship program began, raising funds to make the
event more affordable for all to attend. The program continues its tenure of success thanks to the generous support of our
annual dinner sponsors and donors.
This year marked the 62nd Annual Dinner and Awards Ceremony and it certainly was one to remember! Held at the Log Cabin
in Holyoke on June 16th, over 300 people attended the event, which featured individuals and groups acknowledged for their
accomplishments and milestone anniversaries.
This year, 20 sponsors and donors helped make this event successful by providing more than $13,000 in monetary and in-kind
donations. Below is a list of all our sponsors and donors for this year - if you have an opportunity, please avail yourself to
their services, or just take the time to thank them for all they do to help make our jobs just a bit easier. See ads on pages 15
and 16.
Production Sponsors
log cabin / Delaney
Marcus Printing
MassMutual Financial Group
Westfield Bank
Achievement Award Sponsors
Smith Brothers
UBS - Keady Foard Montemagni Wealth Management Group
Program Sponsors
ADNET
Connecticut Business Systems
Fred C. Church Insurance
R.J. Greeley Company, Inc.
Skoler, Abbott & Presser, PC
TurningLeaf Design
Whittlesey & Hadley, PC
Donors
Brodeur-Campbell Fence Co., Inc.
DHK Financial Advisors, Inc.
Fenway Golf, Inc.
Northfield Mountain Recreation and Environment Center
Old Sturbridge Village
Ouimette Printing
Unemployment Tax Control Associates
Mark Germain, Board President
Barbara Pilarcik, Executive Director
Westfield Bank
Michael Kelley, Misty St. Peter, Christine O’Dea, Lauri
Page 14
Page 15
Page 16
WHAT’S UP IN RESIDENTIAL SUPPORTS
Remembering Rusty
Cooking Up North
Russell S. (Rusty) Herrett passed away on June 6, 2014. Rusty
lived at our Creamery Avenue home. He has been greatly
missed by all. On the one year anniversary of his death, his
housemates and staff let balloons
go in his honor. They sent a
message to Rusty saying ‘hi’ and
that they missed him. Rusty
impacted many of our lives and
will continue to be missed.
On June 6th, What’s Cooking, wrapped up their final class with a
cookout! Folks spent five weeks learning new cooking skills,
trying new foods, and making friends. Allison Dickerson and Erika
Montpelier, organizers of the program, strived to make an
environment that would promote independence, build selfconfidence, and allow for social interaction. It was clear from the
beginning that everyone was eager to participate, even with clean
up. Many friendships were developed and memories were made.
Overall, the class was a great success and we will be looking
forward to the next class that will be offered. Allison and Erika
would like to send a personal shout out to Neal Lear for his help
and commitment to the class.
Greenfield Savings Bank Funds New Video
A $1,000 grant from Greenfield Savings Bank is helping to fund
the Greenfield Video Project, a three-minute informational
video that will provide a ‘snapshot’ of some of the services
offered by The Association
in the Greenfield
community. The services
being highlighted are
Valley Tees, a social
enterprise, and the
Greenfield Center, a
community-based day
program.
Greenfield Savings Bank is
located across the street from Valley Tees and is The
Association’s primary bank in Franklin County. According to
their website, Greenfield Savings Bank makes charitable
contributions “to make the community stronger”. The
Association is grateful for the financial support of this grant. It
confirms the value of our relationship with the Greenfield
community.
Filmed by Green Mountain Post Films, an independent film
and video production company, the video will illustrate the
work ethic of Valley Tees’ employees, several of whom we
provide services, as they produce the quality screen printing
and embroidery the business is known for. The film will also
show the volunteer opportunities the men at the Greenfield
Center have chosen to take on in their community. Viewers of
the video will learn about services our organization offers and
those we serve. The film affords the opportunity to showcase
what our folks can and do offer back to the community.
Look for announcements that the video is completed and ‘live’
on our website and other social medial platforms.
Page 17
WHAT’S UP IN FAMILY SUPPORTS
Thank You Hope & Olive and Riff’s Joint
Community Resources for People with Autism would like to extend our gratitude to
Hope & Olive, in Greenfield, for hosting their monthly Free Soup & Game Night in
their honor, on June 1st. This event is a monthly benefit held at Hope & Olive where
folks enjoy a free buffet of soups and breads, while playing fun games with friends.
This event strives to raise awareness of local non-profit organizations by inviting the
community out for a fun, free event. Funds are raised through raffles, bake sales,
and proceeds from drink sales.
We would also like to thank the businesses that donated food for the evening,
including Hope & Olive, Wagon Wheel, Mesa Verde, Rendezvous, People’s Pint,
Diemand Farm, Taylor’s Tavern, Franklin County Teck Apprentice Restaurant, Bread
Euphoria, Foster’s Supermarket, Riff’s Joint, and Black Sheep Deli.
We had a great time and raised over $800 for our families in western Massachusetts! We appreciate everyone who
volunteered for the event and attended this fun evening with us.
Thank you also to Riff’s Joint - On June 23rd and 24th, Riff’s Joint, in Easthampton, hosted the second Give-Back Event on
behalf of Community Resources. During those two days, 5% of every diner’s bill was donated to our program, raising almost
$600!
On behalf of everyone at Community Resources, thank you to everyone who helped make these events huge successes!!
We’re Looking for Volunteers
Community Resources is looking for some good volunteers.
Resource Assistant
This volunteer will perform a variety of duties to update resource files,
assist in gathering resource information and update our online resource
directory.
The key responsibilities are to validate and update information with current
resource list, input resource information into online directory, and research
new resources for families in western Mass.
The perfect volunteer will have excellent organizational skills, work well
independently and as part of a team, experience with researching
information online, professional phone skills and be comfortable updating
information on a computer.
We’re looking for a six month commitment, with a regular weekly or biweekly schedule. This opportunity is in our Easthampton office. For more
information contact Iris Scott at Iris.Scott@TheAssociationInc.org.
Stepping Out for Autism Committee Members
The Committee helps organize and promote our premier gala event
seeking sponsorships, promoting attendance, and soliciting silent auction
items.
Key responsibilities for this volunteer will be to assist in the logistics of the
event, seek sponsorships, solicit silent and live auction items, and promote
the event.
The Committee needs someone with excellent organizational skills who
works well independently and as part of a team, is motivated, enthusiastic,
and ready to help plan a fun event!
The event is planned for January 30, 2016. The Committee meets once a
month for the first several months, then more frequently as the event
approaches. For information contact Kaitlyn Halloway at
Kaitlyn.Halloway@TheAssociationInc.org.
Page 18
WHAT’S UP IN FAMILY SUPPORTS
Summer is in High Gear at ICC
Crowdsource Cinema
Summer programming started in July at the Inclusive Community
Center and the place has been
buzzing. We have programs
running for every age group,
including Minecraft and Pokémon,
sports camp, Adventure Week, and
so much more! The Milestones
cooking and dance classes are
keeping the joint jumping in the
evenings, as well.
Whole Children and Milestones are both participating in a
community-wide Crowdsource Cinema project where teams are
assigned scenes from Raiders of the Lost Ark to recreate on film.
All of the individual scenes will be edited together for one
hilarious new version of the classic movie. The final film will
screen in September.
Programs run through August 21st.
Check out the offerings on our
website: www.wholechildren.org.
On a recent, hot, cloudless day, a group of Whole Children teens
and a crew of hardy extras, gathered at the Northampton airport
to film a scene where Indiana Jones and Marion escape from the
tomb and do battle to capture a plane.
Under the expert direction of Matt Meers, Whole Children’s
theater teacher, the two-minute scene took almost two hours to
film and everyone loved learning about what it takes to make a
film. The favorite moments came when the actors had a fight
scene - lots of pratfalls ensued!
Kung Fu Camp
Laptop Donations
Local businessman Delcie Bean, and the big-hearted folks at Paragus
Strategic IT in Hadley, recently donated seven laptop computers to
Whole Children’s innovative Minecraft classes, which teach important
social skills to children with special needs.
The Milestones crew is up next - with plans to film a desert scene
in Northampton, where Indie and other workers dig out a hidden
opening to a room (in the middle of a lightening storm!).
Minecraft is an on-line game where users build whatever they want out
of virtual, Lego-like blocks. Alone, it is a great tool for problem solving
and self-expression, but it can be even more useful when multiple layers
are thrown into the same world, encouraging collaboration, positive
communication, and effective conflict resolution.
It may seem counterintuitive that children can be social while looking
at a computer screen, but the Minecraft world allows Whole Children
teachers to use concrete examples to help students understand how
their actions can positively and negatively affect others, an approach
that is especially effective when teaching students with autism and other
social skills struggles.
Fight Scene!!
The demand for Minecraft classes is growing and this generous gift will
allow us to keep up with the demand off offer classes to all who want
to come.
Folks from Paragus
Strategic IT with staff
from Whole Children
AJ gets fitted for his costume
Page 19
JUST STUFF
MORE STUFF
Our Book Drive Helps Hundreds of Kids Our Board of Directors’ Get a New Leader
Thank you to everyone who
donated a book (or 10) to our book
drive. Thanks to everyone’s
generosity, we were able to raise
550 books for Square One and
Western Massachusetts Regional Women’s Correctional Center!
James F. Foard, Jr. (Jim) has been our Board President since June 17, 2014.
On May 26, 2015, Jim led his final Board meeting, as President. Mark
Germain took over the helm of our Board at our Annual Dinner and Awards
Ceremony on June 16, 2015.
Welcome aboard Mark, and thanks for a job well done, Jim!
In a follow up e-mail after the books were delivered to the
Women’s Correctional Center, Francesca Foisy, Family Services
Counselor, said, “On behalf of all the mothers, caregivers and the
children here at WCC we extend a heart-felt thank you for all the
donations. The books will go to good use for many children that
weekly participate in the Mother-Child Program and those that
visit their mothers and grandmothers during the week. Thank
you for your kindness and generosity!”
Great job everybody!!
The Association’s Staff Survey
2014 Employee Satisfaction Survey
“I take pride in my work” and “My job makes a difference in the
people’s lives I serve” were once again the two highest rated
questions in The Association’s 2014 Employee Satisfaction Survey.
Other questions receiving high scores were: “The organization
does not discriminate”, “Quality and service are important to my
organization” and “My work space and equipment is safe”.
Survey questions receiving the lower scores were “My rate of pay
is adequate for the job”, “Compared to a year ago, this is a better
place to work” and “This organization provides adequate sick
leave”.
The survey was administered by Deyta Inc., a company that
specializes in satisfaction surveys for the human services industry.
The survey was given to all agency employees this past winter.
Completed surveys were mailed directly to Deyta by the
employee to ensure responses were anonymous. 37.4 % of
employees responded, a slightly lower rate than the 2012 survey.
The survey questions covered five areas: work environment,
compensation and benefits, job satisfaction, leadership, and
overall. Scores are based on a five point scale where a 5 means
strongly agree and a 1 means strongly disagree.
Sometimes You Have to Laugh
We’ve all had that ‘Oh No!’ moment, when we realize that we did
something so crazy that all we can do is laugh and move on. This
happened at The Association’s headquarters in Springfield.
Every department in our building takes turns cleaning the kitchen each
month - running the dishwasher, cleaning out the fridge, etc. Imagine
the surprise when one of our staff walked into the kitchen and saw the
dishwasher overflowing with suds! Apparently, instead of using
dishwasher gel, actual dishwashing liquid was put into the machine,
making for a fun-filled afternoon in our kitchen!
After laughing and taking pictures, staff pitched in and cleaned up the
suds.
Comparing results with the 2010 survey, results for 14 of the 50
survey questions showed a statistically significant improvement.
None showed a decrease. Areas improving included receiving
expectations and evaluation of job performance, rate of pay and
benefits. Deyta also provides reports that break out the results by
program and position title. All of the reports are available to
agency management on a secure Deyta website.
Thank you to all of the employees that participated. The survey
results are used to identify strengths and areas for improvement at
the agency and program level and to evaluate the effectiveness of
initiatives. Presentations of the survey results have been made to
the Board of Directors and Senior and Middle Management.
Programs will share the results with all employees. If you would
like a complete report, please contact Tracy Romeo, Executive
Assistant at Tracy.Romeo@TheAssociationInc.org.
See pages 21 and 22 for the Question Ranking Report.
Page 20
Page 21
Page 22
UPDATES
AGENCY INITIATIVES
Chris Heads to Los Angeles!
Leadership Institute
We first introduced you to Chris Drewniak in February when he
was chosen to participate in the 2015 Special Olympic World
Summer Games in Los Angeles.
FY15 kicked off our first ever Leadership Institute, which brought together 22
staff from all over the agency, to participate in a 9-month training program.
In addition to attending five all-day training session, and five half-day
roundtables with senior staff, each participant had an initiative committee that
they were part of and lots of ‘homework’ - all of this on top of the job that
they are already doing each day.
On Tuesday, July 21st, Chris, along
with 7,000 other athletes from 177
countries, flew to Los Angeles to
finally compete. Chris, 23, is a
graduate of Ludlow High School,
and will be representing the
Commonwealth as a member of
the bowling team. He will
compete in single, double, and
team categories. Bank of America,
a major sponsor of the Special
Olympics, will be supporting Chris
at his first World Games.
The Games will be broadcast on ESPN - check out Chris and his
teammates. Click here to see the Schedule of Events.
Congratulations, Chris - and we hope you bring home the gold!!
You can follow Chris and his fellow bowlers on the bowling
alley’s facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/
LuckyStrikeLaLive?fref=ts
Read Chris’ stories at:
http://www.la2015.org/athletes/united-states/christopherdrewniak and
http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2015/07/
christopher_drewniak_of_ludlow.html
Family Gets Much Needed Change!
We first introduced you to Kara and Alice Brouhard in April in an
article that talked about Kara needing Apple© to upgrade their
Aida Reminder app, to help Kara remain independent in her own
home.
Kara and her mom hit social
media for help and, after
hundreds of supporters
(including some of our own)
signed her petition at
Change.org, and a three year
struggle with Apple© , their
battle has been won! Apple©
has agreed to make the
necessary changes to the app
that Kara uses.
Members of the Institute included:
Audrie Vantangoli, Program Director, Residential Supports
Brenda Chouinard, Program Manager, Residential Supports - Intensive *
Darlene Giroux, Placement Coordinator, Specialized Home Care
Deb Herbert, Placement Coordinator, Specialized Home care
Jan Doody, Autism Center Manager, Community Resources
Jason Russell, Behavior Specialist, Residential Supports - North
Kathy Frome, Program Director, Specialized Home Care
Karen Serra, Interim Program Director, Family Services
Kate Filanowski, Program Director, Residential Supports - Intensive
Maggie Rice, Program Director, Family Services - Whole Children
Mandy Bommarito, Program Manager, Residential Supports - North *
Mariame Kounta, Director of Nursing *
Nicole Gaudreau, Fiscal Director
Noel Lang, Placement Coordinator, Specialized Home Care *
Peter McLean, Training Coordinator *
Rich Niedel, Program Director, Specialized Home Care
Robin Oldread, Program Manager, Residential Supports
Scott Spafford, Program Director, Residential Supports
Sheryl Sutcliffe, Program Director, Residential Supports - North *
Terri Presby, Assistant Vice President, Family Services and Shared Living
Tony Mungai, Accounting Supervisor
On June 22nd, the Leadership Institute class of 2015 graduated. Newly
elected Board President, Mark Germain, was in attendance to help hand out
graduation certificates, while Pomp and Circumstance played in the
background. Other Board members, members of the community, and our
Senior Management Team were also in attendance to congratulate our
graduates. See Page 24 for pictures of their graduation.
Congratulations, once again, on a job well done!
Kara Brouhard
Kara’s story was front page on their local Colorado newspaper read it here.
Quote from Alice “Never doubt the power of our voices …”
Congratulations Kara and
Alice on a hard-won fight!!
Participating in a team-building exercise,
as our trusty agency coyote looks on.
Page 23
AGENCY INTITIATIVES
Graduating from Leadership Institute
AGENCY INITIATIVES
Wellness Initiative
Last year, The Association kicked off their Wellness Initiative, in an
effort to help staff get, and stay, at the top of their game health-wise.
The Committee will be placing regular updates in our newsletter to
help keep you informed about past events, challenges completed, and
new challenges and events on the horizon.
On June 7th, our 10,000 Step Challenge kicked off. It was amazing to
see how many steps the participant walked in just 4 weeks.
Tony Mungai
Judy Hall
Sidy Dione
Tracy Romeo
Maritza Bell
Peter McLean
Linda Hatch
Norma Greene
Roxann Hebert
Zoila Ramos-Torres
Wanda Puckett
Kathleen Salois
332,028 steps
308,250 steps
301,630 steps
275,557 steps
254,685 steps
231,114 steps
227,218 steps
171,485 steps
138,865 steps
124,000 steps
120,876 steps
102,687 steps
All participants were entered into a raffle drawing that will take place
in October. If you participated in July, it’s not too late to turn in your
tracking sheet. Raffle drawings are done each quarter. Our 2nd quarter
winner was Tony Mungai, who won a new Fitbit.
On June 17th and July 15th participants were taken on a Big Y Grocery
Store Tour, to learn the healthy way to shop. For attending the tours,
Audrie Vantangoli and Peter McLean each won
a prize and are entered in the October raffle.
Our newest event, the 21 Day Color
Challenge, kicked off July 26th, to help you get
your RDA of fruits and vegetables. If you were
unable to attend the information session on
July 24th, you can still contact a Committee
member to sign up and get a tracking sheet.
On August 1st another 10,000 Step Challenge
will begin. If you need a pedometer, see Scott
Spafford or April Callahan, and make sure you
get a tracking sheet.
Our Wellness Committee members are Scott
Spafford, Brenda Chouinard, Nicole
Gaudreau, Darlene Giroux, Maggie Rice, Tony
Mungai, Wanda Puckett, April Callahan,
Kathy Frome, Donna Krutiak, Lynne Stanley, and Roxann Hebert. If
you ever have any questions about our Wellness Initiative, these are
the folks who can answer your questions.
See Page 25 for a complete calendar of upcoming events.
Page 24
2015 Wellness Offerings
 For every activity you participate in, you will be entered into a quarterly raffle.
 The more you participate - the better your chances!
 Quarters are:
April - June
July - September
October - December
January - March
 To receive a raffle ticket, proof of participation in activities may be shared with any member of your Wellness Committee (as listed on page
24).
Upcoming Activities:
Date
Time
Offering
Location
The 21 Day Color Challenge
Challenge Start Date
Raffle Ticket Date
Jul 26
By Sep30
You Are What You Eat Session III
Watch Webinar Here
Aug 2 - 28
By Sep30
10,000 Steps Challenge
Aug 2
By Sep30
Aug19
5:30 pm
Big Y Grocery Store Tour
Register @ 413-233-3391
44 Willimansett Street
Hadley
By Sep30
Sep 16
5:30 pm
Big Y Grocery Store Tour
Register @ 413-233-3391
650 Memorial Drive
Chicopee
By Dec 31
Sep 19
8:30 am
2015
Walk to End Alzheimer's
Berkshire Walk
Ashuwillticook Rail Trail
Farnams Road Causeway
Cheshire
By Dec 31
Sep 23
1:00 pm 4:00 pm
Wellness Kick-Off Event Year II:
Blood Pressure/BMI/Cholesterol . . .
220 Brookdale Drive Springfield
By Dec 31
Sep 27
8:30 am
2015
Walk to End Alzheimer's
Pioneer Valley Walk
Holyoke Community
College
Holyoke
By Dec 31
Sep 30
11:00 am 2:00 pm
Wellness Kick-Off Event Year II:
Blood Pressure/BMI/Cholesterol . . .
101 Munson Street
Greenfield
By Dec 31
Oct 8
11:30 am 1:00 pm
Wellness Kick-Off Event Year II:
Blood Pressure/BMI/Cholesterol . . .
41 Russell Street
Hadley
By Dec 31
Oct 20
2:00 pm 3:00 pm
Understanding Your Biometrics /
Goal Setting
220 Brookdale Drive
Springfield
By Dec 31
Oct 21
11:00 am 12:00 pm
Oct 21
5:30 pm
Oct 22
11:00 am 12:00 pm
You Are What You Eat Session IV
100 North Street
Pittsfield
Oct 22
12:00 pm 1:00 pm
Understanding Your Biometrics
Watch Webinar Here
41 Russell Street
Hadley
You Are What You Eat Session IV
Big Y Grocery Store Tour
Register @ 413-233-3391
41 Russell Street
Hadley
Oct 25
237 Mohawk Trail
Greenfield
By Dec 31
Oct 25
2:00 pm 3:00 pm
By Dec 31
220 Brookdale Drive
Springfield
Turkey Trot Challenge
Oct 26
Nov 18
You Are What You Eat Session IV
5:30 pm
Big Y Grocery Store Tour
Register @ 413-233-3391
By Dec 31
By Dec 31
Get your flu shot - Earn a raffle ticket
Oct 23
By Dec 31
Oct 25
By Dec 31
By Dec 31
475 East Main Street
Westfield
Page 25
By Dec 31
WELCOME TO OUR NEW
EMPLOYEES!
RUMOR HAS IT ...
What Are People Saying About Us?
Crawford Lincoln, recipient of our Special Recognition Award, past Development Committee
member, and namesake of our 40th Service Anniversary recognition:
“What a memorable evening! The smiles on the faces of those singled out for special
recognition for accomplishments most of us take for granted once again brought tears of
thanksgiving and gratitude for all you and your associates to do lift the spirits of those with
special needs. The beautiful Pearce candle holder with its etched inscription will always serve
as a reminder to me of the Association’s multi-talented staff and volunteers who care with such
love and compassion for those they serve. It has been a privilege to be part of its work in a
small way over the past several years. Thank you all so much for this opportunity and for the
shining symbol which will add special light to my future. And thank you too for the forty year
employment award designation. Getting old does indeed have some positive aspects!”
We Made the Paper
Our Annual Dinner and Awards Ceremony received some wonderful media coverage this year.
Thanks to Mary Zagula, of our External Communications Department, Fred Gore, a
photographer from The Republican, was in attendance, shooting pictures and taking down
names. The pictures ran on MassLive on June 17th. In addition, a full article appeared in the
July 15th edition of The Republican Plus. Kudos to Mary for our first-ever ‘live media’.
See the MassLive pictures here:
http://www.masslive.com/living/index.ssf/2015/06/
association_for_community_living_holds_annual_awards_dinner.html
SUPPORTING OUR SUPPORTERS
Financial Solutions to Get You Through . . .
Aviraj Basnet
Shmeka Bennett
David Blake
Gwyn Bowen
Benjamin Breton
Danielle Brown
Roderick Byrd
Urbain Coly
Cameron Cox
Emily Cunningham
Kimberly Delude
Erica Donovan
Courtney Dunham
Emily Houle
Sarah Johnson
Kaydiann Johnson
Gyuri Kepes
Jeffrey Ly
Lisa MacDonald
Alan Majka
Liana Marks
Danielle Marrow
Melanie Maziarz
Christina Moore
Tarin Nichols
Meika Riley
Esmeralda Fios
Danielle Scibelli
Cecilia Scott
Caroline Taft
Jamila Van Norden
Peter VonSchmidt
Sheila Whitfield
Summertime - when the living is easy and the yard sale signs are everywhere! To spread that laid-back feeling through the rest of the year, take
a little time now to think about financial challenges facing you later in 2015. Then, stop in to Pioneer Valley Credit Union, or give us a call.
By talking over solutions with you, we’ll try to help you turn potential stress into success. We may have a solution if any of these concerns are
on your mind:
The house needs work, but we can’t afford it
For immediate repairs or renovations, ask about a Home Equity Loan with budget-friendly fixed payments. We also offer more flexible, lowcost Home Equity Lines of Credit and 0% energy efficient loans for home repairs. Or, if your repairs can wait until fall, you can consider
prefunding with regular transfers from Checking to Savings. A little savings can really add up.
This year, we’re not going into debt for vacation
Were these your Famous Last Words after your last vacation? This time plan to prepay as many costs as possible, with cash. Agree on a daily
spending limit, and pay expenses with a debit card linked to an account that holds only vacation money. (But bring along a credit card for
true emergencies.) A PVCU Vacation Club Account can help you save a little at a time and, before you know it, you can go on vacation with
ease.
We don’t expect financial aid to meet the cost of college
If grants, scholarships, and federally subsidized loans will fall short of financing education expenses this fall, see us. We can help college
students or graduates save with our Student Loan Programs.
This year, we’re not going into debt with our holiday spending
Our Holiday Club Account can help! Saving a little now can really add up. You don’t have to wait - you can open a Holiday Club at any
time. WE can help you arrange for regular automatic transfers and, just in time for the holidays, the money will be made available to you.
It worries me that we won’t have enough money to retire
Build up your nest egg with an IRA or Share Certificate with great rates and flexible terms. We have flexible
programs to help you build up a nice nest egg.
For more information, contact PVCU at 413-733-2800, or visit www.pvcu.org.
Pioneer Valley Credit Union is federally insured by NCUA and is an Equal Housing Lender.
Page 26
Supported by 588 full- and parttime staff and 201 volunteers,
The Association provides services
through its distinct program
divisions and businesses.
Calendar of Events
August
Friday, August 1 - Spiderman Day
Friday, August 1 - US Air Force Day
Monday, August 3 - Watermelon Day
Monday, August 3 - Civic Day (Canada)
Thursday, August 6 - National Root Beet Float Day
Saturday, August 9 - Bridge of Flowers Classic, 9:00 am at Bridge of Flowers in Shelburne
Falls. Register at http://www.bridgeofflowers10k.com/registration.html. Be sure to specify
Community Resources as the participating charity you’d like to direct your
funds to or create a customized pledge page.
Administrative Office
220 Brookdale Drive
Springfield, MA 01104
Phone: 413-732-0531
Fax: 413-732-1168
www.TheAssociationInc.org
Residential Supports
Wednesday, August 12 - World Elephant Day
Responsive to individual needs
Monday, August 17 - Cupcake Day
Springfield: 413-732-0531
Greenfield: 413-774-3495
Saturday, August 29 - Full Moon, 2:35 pm
Saturday, August 29 - Buddy’s Sunshine Angels Golf Tournament for Autism, 7:30 am at Bas
Ridge Golf Course in Hinsdale. Proceeds from the tournament will benefit Community
Resources for People with Autism. For information contact Joe Clark at 413-212-2443.
Employment Supports
Providing opportunities for personal
growth, skill development and
meaningful work
Greenfield: 413-774-3485
September
Monday, September 7 - Labor Day - The Association’s Administrative Offices will be Closed.
Friday, September 11 - Patriot Day
Saturday, September 12 - Community Resources’ Life’s a Treasure Tag Sale, 8:00 am - 4:00 pm at
EastWorks Parking Lot in Easthampton. To donate items and for more information, contact Community
Resources at 413-529-2428.
Sunday, September 13 - Grandparent’s Day
Valley Tees
Quality screen printing and embroidery
Greenfield: 413-772-8626
www.valleytees.org
Specialized Home Care
Shared living for children and adults with
developmental and other disabilities
Springfield: 413-732-0531
Pittsfield: 413-443-4780
Sunday, September 13 - Rosh Hashanah begins at sundown.
Intensive Residential Services
Monday, September 21 - International Day of Peace
Helping people face challenges and find
possibilities
Tuesday, September 22 - Yom Kippur begins at sundown
Springfield: 413-732-0531
Wednesday, September 23 - First Day of Autumn
Family Supports
If you know a person with a
developmental disability, we’ve been
there . . . we can help
Wednesday, September 24 - Rosh Hashanah Begins at Sundown
Community Resources for People with
Autism
Easthampton: 413-529-2428
Pittsfield: 413-443-4780
www.communityresourcesforautism.org
The Down Syndrome Resource Group of
Western Massachusetts
Springfield: 413-562-7395
www.dssupport.org
Family Empowerment
Hadley: 413-585-8010
Whole Children / Milestones
Hadley: 413-585-8010
www.wholechildren.org
WE WANT TO HEAR YOUR STORY!
Is there an individual you serve, staff , or volunteer whose story deserves to be told?
If you’d like to share it with the readers of The Association Connection, contact Editor Tracy Romeo at 413-732-0531 or
Tracy.Romeo@TheAssociationInc.org and she will help the story be told!
Page 27
NonProfit Org
US Postage
PAID
Permit 121
Pittsfield MA
220 Brookdale Drive, Springfield, MA 01104
ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED
Creating Opportunities, Building Relationships, Improving Lives For Children and Adults with Developmental Disabilities Since 1952
www.TheAssociationInc.org
Important Reminder About Paid Leave Carryover
CUT OFF DATE IS SEPTEMBER 9, 2015
The Association provides regular full-time and part-time employees with paid time off. Employees may carry over up to three,
prorated weeks of accrued paid leave from one accrual year to the next.
All accrued paid leave balances that are in excess of three prorated weeks on September 19, 2015, will be adjusted and forfeited
effective that date.
Remember, a prorated week is based on regular scheduled hours.
Examples:
 If you are scheduled to work 20 hours per week, you cannot carry over more than 60 hours of paid leave.
 If you are scheduled to work 30 hours per week, you cannot carry over more than 90 hours of paid leave.
Employees are encouraged to take their paid leave. This is advance notice for staff to schedule paid time from work. Staff must
adherer to normal paid leave requests for use of accrued paid leave, as outlined within your programs. Please plan your time off
accordingly, obtaining supervisor approval.
If you have any questions, contact Laura Miele, Benefits Manager, at 413-731-4574 or Laura.Miele@TheAssociationInc.org.
Did you know . . . You can view your accrual balance on your pay check stub??
Don’t get caught with too much time on the books!!!
The Association Connection. Editor: Tracy Romeo, Executive Assistant to Barbara Pilarcik.
If you would like to receive this newsletter via email or have news you’d like shared,
please contact the Editor at Tracy.Romeo@TheAssociationInc.org.