The Current - October 2, 2023

The Current

October 2, 2023

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Agency Days 2024

Thursday, May 9th and Friday, May 10th

Anah Shrine, 1404 Broadway, Bangor

Please mark your calendar for Agency Days 2024! We’re holding this agency-wide event twice so that all employees with regularly scheduled hours have an opportunity to attend. The Agency Day Committee will work with the Executive Leadership Team to determine which staff will attend each day.

Plenty of notice is given with the expectation employees will make appropriate arrangements to attend this fun, informative and team-building day.

More details to follow!

Rape Response Services

Dessert Auction - Save the Date!

It’s that time of year again!!! The leaves are turning, the air is brisk and soon desserts

will be at the top of your list! Mark your calendar and save the date, be sure not to

miss it and you won’t want to be late.

The Rape Response Services (RRS) Dessert Auction will be taking place on Friday, November 17th, at the Hilton Garden Inn in Bangor. We hope you can join us and show support for the wonderful work that RRS does to support survivors!

More information to come!

Division Manager of Rape Response Services Amanda Chambers

Substance Affected Youth (SAY) Update

We have had a lot of fun, but we’ve also had too many interactions requiring us to put on our mandated reporter hats. We only get to share the happy stuff, but there has been a lot of really difficult and important work taking place behind the scenes.

Getting back to school has been a lot of fun for Youth Resource Navigators with the SAY Program. It began when the team participated in training with teachers, culminating with Joe Costello (below) being placed in handcuffs. He assures us it was purely part of a demonstration by the school resource officer.

Nick Feero (below) met with parents during a back-to-school open house and shared information about our services.

Lastly, the team was invited to participate in a canoeing and mountain biking field trip at the Maine Outdoor Education Program. Being a consistent and reliable presence in the lives of youth who have been affected by substance misuse builds the trust needed for difficult conversations.

SAY Program Manager Clifford 'Mike' Gray

Old Town Riverfest

We had a wonderful day at the Old Town Riverfest! We had craft activities for kids of all ages and free popcorn. Kara Hay, our CEO, found her specialty as a tattoo artist. The tattoos were a big hit and kept her busy all morning. We also had a visit from one of our Foster Grandparents in the community. That was a special treat to visit with her and her family. A wonderful time was had by all. Thanks to everyone who stopped by to say hello!

Community Relations Manager Renae Muscatell

Penquis is proud to sponsor Partners for Peace as they celebrate 50 years of critical support, advocacy and education for people affected by domestic violence.

You can join the celebration on October 6th from 5-8 pm at Cross Insurance Center in Bangor.

Follow this link for more information and to purchase tickets, click this link.

Your name: David Nevers

Where did you grow up?: Carmel, Maine

What is your title/role at Penquis?: Payroll Staff Accountant

How long have you worked with Penquis?:

4 months

Why do you feel that the work of Penquis is important?: I love working for a company that does a lot for the community and its employees.

How do you think your role will assist the Penquis mission?: Always important to pay employees, accurately and timely.

What excites you about the work?: Love working for a non-profit that does a lot for the community.

Your name: Leanna Burleigh

Where did you grow up?: Lincoln, Maine

What is your title/role at Penquis?: Payroll Staff Accountant

How long have you worked with Penquis?:

4 and ½ months

Why do you feel that the work of Penquis is important?: The company helps many people in many areas, which I feel is very important. It is nice to be a part of such a great company.

How do you think your role will assist the Penquis mission?: I feel it is important for Payroll to get payroll out correctly and in a timely manner for all of the people working to accomplish the Penquis goals and make the surrounding communities better.

What excites you about the work?: I love accounting and enjoy all of the people at Penquis. Everyone here is very friendly and welcoming. I also love that Penquis is a company that is making a difference in the world we live in.

Employee Advisory Council

Meeting Held on September 25, 2023

The Employee Advisory Council (EAC) met on Monday, September 25, 2023, in person at the Harlow Street office. Kara Hay, Danielle Goodale, Suzette Hill, Presiding Member, Chantelle Haltizer, Secretary, Emily Henderson, Susan Gladney, Bonnie Robertson, Terry Bennett, Carolyn Bobola, Stephanie McNally, Brandy Harding, Angel Seavey, Michelle Eaton, Bambi Littlefield, and Molly Sammon were in attendance.

The meeting began with introductions and lunch, followed by a brief orientation for new members: Angel Seavey from Transportation, Michelle Eaton from Housing and Energy Services, Bambi Littlefield from Family Enrichment Services, and Molly Sammon from MaineStream Finance. Welcome Angel, Michelle, Bambi and Molly!

During the Open Mic portion of the meeting, members brought forward the following items for discussion:

Suzette: COVID rules will be moving forward: Danielle provided an update that Penquis continues to follow the CDC recommendations; if someone tests positive they need to avoid in-person interaction with co-workers for 5 days since they were last positive, then wear a mask for an additional 5 days when interacting with other employees. An article with the current guidelines will be in an upcoming Current.
Chantelle: Reminder that we have openings for WABI segments on average twice a month. If you or someone in your department would like to partake in this opportunity, please reach out to Chantelle Haltizer and she will get you on the schedule.
Carolyn: Rockland office has moved. The old address is still listed on Google. Danielle will follow up.
Bonnie: Thanked Kara and the Board for the upcoming 4% market adjustment to wages and expressed much appreciation on behalf of employees. She also mentioned an expanded bus pass option for non-Medicare clients.

Kara discussed the following updates:

Theresa’s Place is coming along very slowly due to unavoidable delays, which have pushed the targeted opening from November until at least January.
3D Printing updates: Penquis has acquired the funds needed to move forward with the project and is waiting on UMaine to finish their fundraising campaign. Also in the process of applying for the TD Challenge grant; if received will have secured the funds for an additional 35 family units.
Transportation is waiting for a response to the transportation RFP. We hope to know which regions we’ve secured in the next 2-3 weeks.
We’ve Got Your Back had another successful year helping 1200 local kids receive backpacks and school supplies for the new school year.
Penquis in the process of working with several hospitals to complete a shared community health needs assessment.
Stressed the importance of participating in community events and projects to make connections with clients and the community. Show that “we are here”.
Department Highlights: Each member shared updates for their department or program.
Central Accounting: Busy with end-of-year wrap up and audits; Transportation Dispatch: hiring 5 new van drivers, seeing ride requests higher than pre-pandemic; BHH: currently have 208 adults and 127 children enrolled in programs, helping people find housing is a big focus; CWSS: lots of day trips for clients, bowling and soccer Special Olympics coming up, increasing volunteering and hope to have a fall or winter ball; Resource Development: wrapped up school supply drive, ramping up Coats of Kindness, Turkeys and Christmas is for Kids; Family Visitation: open 6 days a week in Bangor, Dover and Lincoln; HR: lots of staff recruitment and career fairs. Will be deploying new entrance form and in-person new hire orientation in the coming weeks; Whole Families: focusing on celebrating milestones with the whole family; Head Start: have hired enough staff to open additional classrooms; MSF: given the current housing market, approved loan amount has increased from $200,00 to $250,000, which is helping more people get into homes; Weatherization: more clients are receiving heat pumps and getting home repairs.

Danielle shared the following updates:

Safety and Wellness Committee update: Addressed Harlow St. security concerns. An external consultant provided an assessment and suggestions to improve safety. Those measures are in the process of being implemented.
Updated Safety and Health Trainings will be shared soon using the same online system as the IT trainings. Also implementing an updated sexual harassment training.
Wellness: “Fall into Fitness” starts on October 8th; reminder to use your bumper Crop bucks by October 31st.
Benefits Committee: meeting with our insurance broker to discuss insurance renewals, open enrollment, and any potential changes. Option for an EAC member to attend the next meeting (on October 13th) was extended. Please reach out to Danielle if you are interested.

New Business:

Meeting Schedule:

o November 28, 2023

o January 22, 2024

o March 25, 2024

o May 20, 2024

o September 23, 2024

Election of Presiding Member: Suzette Hill resigned from the position of Presiding Member; Molly Sammon volunteered for this role for the upcoming year.
Election of Secretary: After filling the role of Secretary for the past year, Chantelle Haltizer has resigned from the role. Stephanie McNally now has this role for the upcoming year.
Recognition of Outgoing Members: The EAC committee said goodbye to the following members: Roberta Teeto from MaineStream Finance, Emily Henderson from Corporate Services, and Terry Bennett from Family Enrichment Services. Thank you for your time and contributions to EAC. You will be missed!

The meeting adjourned at 2:00 PM. The next meeting will be held via Microsoft Teams on November 28, 2023.

EAC Secretary Chantelle Haltizer

If you have a topic you would like brought up at a future EAC meeting, please reach out to one of the following members:

Stephanie McNally, Corporate Services

Melissa Howard, Housing and Energy Services

Suzette Hill, Family Enrichment Services

Carolyn Bobola, Corporate Services

Chantelle Haltizer, Corporate Services

Brandy Harding, Family Enrichment Services

Bonnie Robertson, Transportation Services

Susan Gladney, Charlotte White Support Services

Angel Seavey, Transportation Services

Michelle Eaton, Housing and Energy Services

Bambi Littlefield, Family Enrichment Services

Molly Sammon, MaineStream Finance

COVID-19 At-Home Tests for Free

Every home in the U.S. is eligible to order 4 free at-home tests this fall. Please follow this link to order.

If you prefer to call to place an order, 1-800-232-0233.

(TTY 1-888-720-7489)

PenquisWear Online Store

The PenquisWear online store will once again be open for ordering from October 10th through October 27th. Items will be monogrammed with the Penquis logo on the left front pocket. Items will be shipped to Human Resources at Harlow Street in Bangor. You do not need to pay for your order until you pick it up. Payments accepted are cash (exact amount only), check (made payable to Penquis), and payroll deduction (form available in HR). The link to the store will be shared in an upcoming edition of The Current and via email.

HR Generalist Jodie Dyer

Home Weatherization Tips

As winter approaches, it is a good time to prepare for the heating season, which is the most energy-intensive, and expensive, time of year for most of us. Now is a good time to improve the energy efficiency of your home—before the cold gets here.

Air sealing—plugging air leakage holes in your house—often gets you the biggest savings for your efforts and money. Examples of air sealing include door and window weatherstripping, storm windows and doors (putting existing storms in place, installing new ones), closing fireplace dampers (or plugging unused fireplaces), attic hatch weather stripping and attic stair box covers, holes around chimneys where they enter the attic, and other penetrations like pipes, ductwork, and electrical outlets and switches. Fall is the time to remove any window-mounted air conditioners.

Many of these air leakage points are easy to find and fix; some are not. Some can be easily felt as cold drafts; others are more circuitous or serve as warm air exit points and are best found with the blower door (a home energy diagnostic tool used in the home weatherization industry).

Fall is a good time to clean and tune your boiler or furnace to have it run more cleanly and efficiently. The filter at the furnace plenum of a forced air ducted heating system should be clean and replaced if necessary. A clean furnace air filter allows for the best distribution of heated air throughout the home, and greater comfort.

Adding insulation to attics, basements and walls can sometimes be done effectively by the knowledgeable and intrepid homeowner; however, it is often better left to professionals after a home energy audit has been performed. Currently there are also several programs offering rebates to help with the costs of various energy upgrades.

Reducing the thermostat setting in winter can save money and energy but has a comfort cost. Many healthy adults can readily acclimate to colder indoor temperatures, but vulnerable folks (older, younger, those with health issues) should take greater caution with this energy-savings measure.

Although minimizing energy costs and maintaining comfort in the home are of utmost importance, it is also necessary to be mindful of the indoor air quality. A high-quality fan is recommended to provide necessary ventilation. An energy audit and blower door test will determine if mechanical ventilation is needed.

This is also a time to check smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Changing batteries is always a good idea; however, it is important to remember that these detectors have a sensor with a limited life, usually 7 to 10 years. If your detectors are older than this, the entire unit should be replaced.

The internet provides many resources regarding energy efficiency and energy-saving tips. One notable site is “TheWXTV “, which contains about 60 YouTube videos, from basic to high-tech topics pertaining to weatherization and heating systems. Although a little outdated in some aspects, the “10 Steps to Energy Efficient Living” video is a good start, covering some energy-saving basics. This site also provides many other informative videos for homeowners and do-it-yourselfers.

Division Manager for Housing and Energy Services Randy Bridges

Estate Planning Seminar Recording Available

Penquis hosted a seminar on Estate Planning through Rocket Lawyer on September 18th. Estate planning is the preparation of tasks that serve to manage an individual’s asset base in the event of their incapacitation or death. Estate planning is important, as it eliminates the burden of legal heirs having to bear the duties of transferring the assets had the estate not been planned.

Click here to view the recording, which is about 1 hour long: Rocket Lawyer Estate Planning recording.docx

To take advantage of your free Rocket Lawyer account, go to: https://go.rocketlawyer.com/penquis and enter your work email address. You’ll receive an email from Rocket Lawyer; click the ‘Activate Account’ button. Fill out the form, and you’re set!

With Rocket Lawyer, you’ll have access to these services:

Legal Documents Library: Create and sign hundreds of legal documents such as wills, leases and child care authorization forms
Unlimited & free 30-minute attorney consultations for every new and unique legal event
Schedule consultations via phone and web with a lawyer specializing in your issue.
Unlimited attorney Q&A: Submit a question and get reliable legal advice within one business day
Attorney Discounts: Save 40% on lawyers in your area
Half-off Rocket Tax Products

Flu Shot Clinic

For the 2023-2024 flu season, Penquis is holding a flu vaccine clinic through Bangor Health & Community Services for employees.

Penquis Office, 262 Harlow Street, Bangor: Kenduskeag Room, Wednesday, October 18th, from 12:30-2:00 pm

Please click the link to sign up: Penquis Flu Vaccine Clinic

Employees with the following insurance coverage should bring their insurance card with them. If you do not carry insurance, Penquis will cover the cost of the vaccination. All employees must present their Penquis ID.

Aetna
Anthem
BCBS Mass
Cigna
Harvard Pilgrim
Maine Comm Health Options

Employees who can’t attend a clinic or who have other insurance coverage are encouraged to get a flu shot through their doctor’s office or pharmacy.

HR Director Danielle Goodale

EmpowOR Update

We have several upcoming EmpowOR 101 Training sessions for Penquis staff coming up in the next few months. These sessions are for any new staff, new EmpowOR users, or any staff who would like a refresher training. The sessions scheduled so far are:

Tuesday, September 26th from 2 – 3:30 pm

Tuesday, October 19th from 10 – 11:30 am

Tuesday, October 24th from 10 – 11:30 am

Thursday, November from 2 – 3:30 pm

Registration is required for all trainings. Please visit the EmpowOR section of Penquis Place to see all upcoming trainings and to register. Thank you!

Projects and Data Manager Janelle Wuoristo

REMINDER: COVID-19 Isolation Guidelines

Employee has COVID-19 with or without symptoms: Employees who are diagnosed with COVID-19 must follow quarantine or isolation protocols established by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) as applicable:

If you test positive for COVID-19, stay home for at least 5 days and isolate from others in your home. You are likely most infectious during these first 5 days:

If you have no symptoms:

Day 0 is the day you were tested (not the day you received your positive test result)
Day 1 is the first full day following the day you were tested
If you develop symptoms within 10 days of when you were tested, the clock restarts at Day 0 on the day of symptom onset.

If you have symptoms:

Day 0 of isolation is the day of symptom onset regardless of when you tested positive.
Day 1 is the first full day after the day your symptoms started.

After the isolation period, you may return to work when you have no symptoms or symptoms are resolving – including no fever for at least 24 hours without medication.

You must mask for an additional 5 days.

Employee is a close contact of someone with COVID-19 (considered an exposure).

As soon as you are informed that you are a close contact of someone with COVID-19 you must wear a mask for 10 days. Day 0 is the day of your last exposure and Day 1 is the first full day after your last exposure.

Employees should watch for symptoms during that 10-day period. If you develop symptoms, isolate immediately, get tested and stay home until you know the result. If you test positive, follow the isolation recommendations as outlined above.

Per OSHA, we are required to track COVID-19 cases. If you test positive for COVID-19, please notify HR Director Danielle Goodale.

Need COVID tests? Visit https://www.covid.gov/tests to order four free at-home tests.

On Monday, October 9th, our offices will be closed in observance of Indigenous People's Day.

A Mile a Day 2023 Winners

We had 79 people sign up for this challenge, and 34 completed it. That means 34 people completed some sort of exercise every single day for 4 weeks straight! Well done!

We did a random prize drawing and the winners are: Randy Bridges, Kelley Graffam, Brandy Harding, Kara Hay, Jennifer Lary, James Libby, Michelle Lord, Kelsey Perkins, Josie Porter, Donna Rollins, Kelly Roy, Rose Ryan, Jeff Snow, Jessica Sprague, and Joanne Whitney.

Each winner got to choose one of the following prizes: A Bluetooth Speaker, A Penquis Beach Towel, or Earbuds.

Wellness Committee Chair Kim Johnson

Delicious Autumn Dish or Side Dish

Here is a great way to use some of your Farmers' Market produce. For more servings, it’s easy to double the recipe. Croutons are not required, but they add additional flavor and crunch as a topping to this chilled dish.

Gazpacho

1 and ½ cups tomato juice

1 beef bouillon cube

1 tomato, chopped

¼ cup cucumber

2 tablespoons chopped green pepper

2 tablespoons chopped onion

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon olive oil (or vegetable oil)

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

½ teaspoon hot sauce

Accompaniments: about 1/3 cup each of herbed croutons, chopped cucumber, tomato, green pepper and onion.

Heat tomato juice to boiling. Add bouillon cube. Stir until dissolved. Stir in remaining ingredients EXCEPT Accompaniments. Refrigerate several hours. Serve with Accompaniments. Makes five servings of about ½ cup each.

Submitted by Client Services Representative for Lynx Mobility Services Dianna Weigel