Happy Anniversary, Aurora!
— by Dave Barnard —
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It seems like just a moment ago that those two guys who started Aurora were standing out in the rain at a local auction to buy a couple of beds. All of you have heard the story. If not just ask others. There is bound to be somebody around that has heard it (ad nauseam).
At any rate, my point is that time has flown and here we are celebrating Aurora’s 36th year this April. We have been through several recessions, staff shortages, economic upturns and downturns, budgetary crises and navigated various political landscapes and social and cultural changes. After three, going on four, decades of Aurora doing what it does, we are an experienced and confident company. The one great constant that has always been for those 36 years is that we continue, on a daily basis, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, to provide quality services so that others might experience the beauty of living independently in their community.
I want to take this opportunity to say “Happy 36th Anniversary, Aurora” and especially thank all of you, the owners of Aurora, who keep this ship afloat and navigating whatever seas we are handed. Without you, Aurora could not exist. With you, Aurora can make wonderful things happen for those who deserve the blessing of community living.
To Aurora’s bright future! Thank you for all that you do!
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Owners Corner
— by Linda Aton —
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Interview with Jim Neuman, one of Aurora's 2 original owners!
Prior to opening the first Aurora operation in 1986, what types of services and supports were lacking that led you and Dave to branch out on your own?
Dave and I worked at the Dunn County Health Care Center and worked with non-traditional residents that included persons with developmental disabilities and chronic/persistent mental illness. We saw the need for smaller living units that would afford residents more choice and control over their lives. While all residents were well cared for in the institutional setting, most were lacking choice with respect to bedtime and when they got up in the morning, what they ate for meals, what recreational activities they participated in, and even what they watched on TV. Most rooms were double occupancy, and that made for a whole host of compromises when it came to choice and control over their lives.
How have you seen Aurora's vision and mission applied through these last 36 years? What are the things you're most proud of about Aurora?
Our vision for Aurora and the services that we provided evolved over time. We knew that we wanted to provide choice and control but didn’t know exactly how everything would work until we opened our first home on 8th street in Menomonie. We made the choice to identify the people we served as consumers, which gave them the right to have expectations for the services they received. That decision set the stage for always putting the needs of the consumer first and that intention is still the cornerstone of Aurora’s philosophy today.
We served many people who had no one else to turn to and helped them find a rich life in their preferred community by listening to them, discovering their challenges, and building home-like settings around their individual needs. The thing that Dave and I are most proud of is that our philosophy has remained unchanged for more than 35 years. Putting the consumers’ needs first was most recently displayed by the way our essential workforce pulled together to meet the needs of our consumers throughout the pandemic. Our workers’ dedication to duty, working extra shifts, sometimes sacrificing time with their own families, is truly an inspirational story. Dave and I are so grateful for the dedication of our staff throughout this most challenging time.
Do you have any words of wisdom to impart on new employees entering our family of companies?
The things that you will learn while working for Aurora will stay with you for a lifetime. Caring for and sharing a respect-filled relationship with people that are so vulnerable and who work so hard at getting through every day, will fill you with insight and compassion that will guide you in whatever work you choose to do in the future. Aurora is a family, not just a place to work. It is a place to grow and feel part of the whole Aurora family, in good times and bad, just like they are your own family.
Is there anything you enjoy doing in your spare time that you'd like to share?
Deb and I enjoy being outdoors, swimming, walking and boating, and we still sing duets and sing in our church choir. We look for live music on weekends and enjoy making and eating good food.
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Featured Service
— by Jenny Thomas —
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This month, we feature our Aurora Day Services Centers.
We spoke with Maria Block and Pam Kegley, both Program Directors for Aurora Day Services Centers, about the services they provide. Maria leads the Wausau Center, which currently serves 57 consumers. Pam leads the Eau Claire and Menomonie Centers, which serve 28 and 34 consumers, respectively.
The role of Day Services is to assist individuals with various disabilities to become an integral part of their community and provide a flexible and individualized atmosphere conducive to personal growth and development. Day Services offers a new and exciting array of activities and experiences each month, which may include karaoke, dancing, yoga, cooking/baking, adult education, safety skills training, personal hygiene/self awareness and job skill groups. Community-based events are offered to expand each individual’s knowledge of the area in which they live and may include rummage sales, lunch outings, walks or picnics in the park, going to the movie theater, community events or activities, exercising at the YMCA and bowling.
Each service program that Aurora Day Services provides is custom-tailored to meet the individual’s unique needs. Individuals work on goals and take great pride in working to achieve what they set out to do. We want them to be the best version of themselves. 1609
Staff enjoy seeing the smiling faces and the happiness expressed by the individuals who attend day programming. As Pam puts it, “Every day is a blessing to serve the consumers we work with. Knowing we have done our best to help them be the best version of themselves brings a smile to my face.”
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The Impact of
Wage Adjustments
— by Marni Waznik —
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Do you know that 62% of Aurora’s annual budget is employee wages? The labor shortfall, the pandemic, and the Great Resignation have all created a job seeker’s market. Now Hiring signs are all over our communities. How can we compete?
Let’s first all agree…our employees will never be paid what they truly deserve and are worth. The work is rewarding but also challenging and exhausting, particularly for those of you who are working many more hours than we’d like due to shortages.
Unfortunately, when labor, food, gas, insurance costs are on the rise, we can’t just increase the price of our services. Our revenues, from services provided to members of Managed Care Organizations, are based on MCO set rates rather than the actual cost of providing the service. This has an even more dramatic negative impact when operating expenses rapidly and unexpectedly increase.
In the last few months, we have adjusted our starting wages for the majority of our Direct Support Professionals. They deserve it!
As an Employee Owned company, we want our owners to have information about the organization and thought it might be helpful to provide information to you regarding wage increases. The adjustments made in the last few months will increase our cost of labor by nearly $1,000,000 in 2022. With every $0.25/hr increase to our direct support staff, the cost to the company is $200,000 per year.
While increasing wages is always a priority, we have limitations. What can we do about that? Contact our elected officials to tell them how seriously the lack of funding for service providers is impacting the direct support workforce! The more noise we can make together, the more likely they are to listen and make change at the funding level. Let’s change the world together!
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Our BEST employees for the month of March are ... David Berryman from ARA #023 and Jana Pickers, Admin Specialist in Wausau! Congratulations to you both!
Nominees for the month of March were:
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Kelly Johnson
Sarah Scheeringa
Jenn Faught
Lisa Schumacher
Kevin Crowell
Dawn Mashak
Theresa McConnville
Courtney Goff
Ondreea Marin
Mike Neary
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Juan Gordillo
Leif Peterson
April Solberg
Melissa Lindloff
Marcella Charbarneau
Susan Buckley
Caleb Brison
Katelyn Link
Becky Zelenka
Sue Hertz
Mike Ottum
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Names were drawn from the pool of nominees who spoke with us about their employment experience at Aurora. Thanks to each of our nominees for the above and beyond work you do to support our consumers and clients! You are the BEST!
Once nominated, employees will remain eligible for the bonus drawing throughout the year.
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Congratulations to Stephanie Johnson from 052 in Plover and Armando Ortiz from 098 in Eau Claire!
These team members have demonstrated their commitment to safety and have won a $100 bonus for having done so!
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Congratulations to Maggie Czaikowski, who has been promoted from Administrative Specialist to Program Director in our Mosinee Office, and to Jocelyn Holder, who has been promoted from Float Direct Support to Administrative Specialist in the Mosinee Office!
We don't often have opportunities for people to advance into, so it's great when we are able to find the BEST candidates from within the Aurora family!
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Get paid before payday! Aurora will soon be rolling out the Rain pay app. This will allow our hourly employees to be paid for up to 50% of their wages immediately. Stay tuned for more information. |
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Stressed? Overwhelmed? Depressed?
Help is available. Get free, confidential counseling from Behavioral Consulting Services, through the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.
Call: 262.376.1223
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Sexual Assault Awareness Month |
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April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month
According to RAINN (Rape, Abuse, & Incest National Network), every 68 seconds, someone in the U.S. is assaulted.
It’s not always easy to know what to say when someone tells you they’ve been sexually assaulted, especially when that person is a family member, friend, or loved one. Consider the following ways of showing support:
- Listen. Communicate without judgment.
- Be there. If the survivor seeks medical attention or plans to report, offer to be there. Your presence can offer the support they need.
- Offer support. Encourage the survivor to get support. Share resources like the National Sexual Assault Hotline and online.rainn.org, but realize that only they can make the decision to get help.
- Be patient. Remember, there is no timetable for recovering from trauma. Avoid putting pressure on them to engage in activities they aren’t ready to do yet.
- Encourage self-care. Following an assault, it is important to practice good self care.
If you or someone you know has been affected by sexual violence, it’s not your fault. You are not alone.
Help is available 24/7 through the National Sexual Assault Hotline:
800-656-HOPE and online.rainn.org, y en español rainn.org/es.
To learn more, visit rainn.org.
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Restore the Sounds of Your Life |
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Did you know?
1 in 9 Americans have hearing loss? And by 2030, that number is expected to double!
What causes hearing loss?
Common causes of hearing loss include exposure to noise, aging, other health conditions, and certain medications. 9418
When should I get my hearing checked?
Get your hearing checked if you are 55 or older, or are experiencing any of the following:
- Consistent exposure to loud noises
- Difficulty understanding in noisy environments or in groups
- Hearing mumbling or feeling as though people are not speaking clearly
- Ringing in your ears
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Your hearing is covered—Delta Dental of Wisconsin has teamed up with Amplifon to offer you quality hearing care.
Level 1—Standard features, $995
Level 2—Additional, easy-to-use functions, $1,495
Level 3—Designed for work and play, $1,795
Level 4—Enhanced to keep you on the go, $2,195
Level 5—Leading technology keeps you connected, $2,645
Complimentary Aftercare—Includes risk-free trial, follow-up care, battery support, and 3-year warranty.
Learn more at www.amplifonusa.com/deltadentalwi or call 1.888.901.0132.
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Welcome Aboard!
Please give our new hires a warm welcome!
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Jerrell Hancock
Aurora Residential Alternatives
Community Living Assistant, Eau Claire
Why I applied for the job: Because I work in this field for 12 years.
What I will bring to the job: Helping others to improve.
Hobbies/interests: Reading, running.
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Jackie Albee
Aurora Residential Alternatives
Community Living Assistant, Spooner
Why I applied for the job: I wanted to gain experience in caregiving.
What I will bring to the job: Empathy, good work ethic.
My background: Interested in jobs involving caring and psychology.
Hobbies/interests: Art, animals, cleaning, helping others.
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Raelisa Negron
Aurora Residential Alternatives
Call Center Specialist, Remote
Why I applied for the job: I applied to this job because I love to help others and make a difference in their life.
What I will bring to the job: I will bring to the job my warm personality and patience.
My background: I have 8+ years in the medical field. I have worked as a clinical receptionist, crisis counselor, and medical assistant.
Family: My family is from Puerto Rico. We are a big, loving family.
Hobbies/interests: My interests have always been to help others. My favorite hobby is to go outside and enjoy nature.
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Cassandra Linville
Aurora Residential Alternatives
Community Living Assistant, Eau Claire
What I will bring to the job: A lot of experience, an amazing sense of humor and understanding, skills and support waiting to be utilized, and my education on autism!
My background: I have 16 years of working in this field of mental health/with disabilities. I love what I do. I love to see people happy and smile, and I enjoy helping them achieve that happiness.
Family: I am a Hawaiian native, the oldest out of 8 children. I have 5 of my own ranging from 16, 15, 11, 2, and 5 months old.
Hobbies/interests: I love to spend time with my family (super family-oriented). My hobbies include going to the movies, swimming, hot tubbing, and trying different food and restaurants. I also love to cook!
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Kristina Hull
Aurora Residential Alternatives
Community Living Assistant, Plover
Why I applied for the job: I enjoy working with people.
What I will bring to the job: Previous experiences.
My background: A UW-SP student.
Family: I with my fiancée.
Hobbies/interests: I have 3 dogs.
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Taylor Weitzel
Aurora Residential Alternatives
Community Living Assistant, Menomonie
Why I applied for the job: I'm a student at UW-Stout majoring in Criminal Justice and Rehabilitation and wanted to see what this type of job was like.
What I will bring to the job: Hopefully a positive outlook and someone they will enjoy talking to.
My background: I spent about a year in the military prior to school, and I like to read.
Family: I have 8 siblings—5 brothers and 3 sisters.
Hobbies/interests: I also have a 3-year-old husky. I enjoy swimming and spending time outdoors.
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Sammy Philippi
Aurora Residential Alternatives
Community Living Assistant, Spooner
Why I applied for the job: Learning new things, and I like helping.
What I will bring to the job: My outgoing self.
My background: Used to be a manager.
Family: I have three kids: Charlie, Marie, Eli.
Hobbies/interests: Being with my kids, writing, enjoying outside.
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Kelsey Iwanski
Aurora Residential Alternatives
Community Living Assistant, Plover
Why I applied for the job: To help those in need.
What I will bring to the job: A positive, excited attitude.
My background: Firefighting/EMT.
Hobbies/interests: Firefighting, kayaking, weightlifting.
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Naomi Kuklinski
Aurora Residential Alternatives
Community Living Assistant, Stevens Point
Why I applied for the job: Mother works in Stevens Point. I heard about it, and I am interested!
What I will bring to the job: I am very passionate about my jobs I work. I will be a good light to the room!
My background: Taco Bell, Kwik Trip, retail.
Family: Tiffany Kuklinski.
Hobbies/interests: Like to do things with family, go on walks, drives, gaming.
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Narda Gordillo
Aurora Residential Alternatives
Administrative Assistant, Menomonie
Why I applied for the job: I knew of the company because my husband works here, and he spoke about the variety of services it offered. I have some experience for the job as I had the same position when working for the local Domestic Abuse Agency while I attended school.
What I will bring to the job: I have worked with a variety of people with different needs and offered support in their daily lives. I hope to bring my good listening and communication skills to this position as well. I also enjoyed having a team to work with and process difficult situations. Having their support meant a lot, and I hope to be a good support to others here.
My background: I graduated from UW-Stout with a degree in Human Development and Family Studies. I completed an internship at Dunn Co. Human Services working in Adult Protection and Services and was then hired as a case manager for people suffering from persistent mental health problems. I really enjoyed that work and did it for over 10 years. However, it is also very emotionally draining, and I decided to take a break from it.
Family: I have been married for 18 years, and we have one daughter and two grandcats. Hopefully the grandbabies won't be too far behind. :)
Hobbies/interests: I love to travel the U.S. and visit the National Parks. I find nature to be great fuel for the soul. I like to do a variety of crafts. I love to read, especially spiritual books, and I love spending time with my family in Milwaukee.
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Kelly Abbas
Aurora Residential Alternatives
Community Living Assistant, Webster
Why I applied for the job: I have taken care of people for 30+ years in many capacities. Now it is time to take care of my parents.
What I will bring to the job: Compassion, love, experience.
My background: In high school I worked in nursing homes. In my 20s I worked in-home care and sheltered workshops. In my 30s-40s I worked at a group home as a program manager. We moved to WI in 2013. I work as a special education para at Siren School. I currently work as an elder caretaker for the St. Croix Tribe.
Family: I have been married to my husband Chris for 27 years. We have one son, CJ. He is a senior at Webster and will graduate this spring. I am the only child of my parents, Gene and Mary, and I am their sole caregiver. I love my dog Buddy.
Hobbies/interests: Spending time with family, being at the lake, riding motorcycle, making crafts.
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Kailey Knight
Aurora Vocational Services
Vocational Coordinator, Menomonie
Why I applied for the job: I enjoy working with individuals with disabilities and working to help them gain employment.
What I will bring to the job: A positive attitude.
My background: I have experience working as a job coach, which is what made me want to work in helping individuals gain employment.
Family: I grew up in Minnesota with my mom, dad, and brother. I moved to Wisconsin for college. I met my fiancé freshman year of my undergrad and getting married next year.
Hobbies/interests: Spending time with my friends and taking my dog for walks.
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Deborah Jensen
Aurora Residential Alternatives
Community Living Assistant, Waupaca
Why I applied for the job: Enjoy working with and helping people.
What I will bring to the job: Experience and hopefully some new ideas for activities, etc.
My background: Health care off and on since 2001, owned AFH for 8 years, computers.
Hobbies/interests: Nature, traveling.
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We Have the BEST Staff
During the month of April, we celebrate anniversaries
for these Aurora managers:
Dave Barnard (36 years), Jim Neuman (36 years), Pamela Barnard (36 years), Deb Neuman (36 years), Steve Lauer (4 years), Connie Smith (1 year), Tina Molski (14 years), Lindsay Pittman (9 years), Jesseca Erb (6 years), Gail Sobaski (5 years), and
Megan Bauer (1 year).
Among the Barnards and Neumans alone, that's 144 YEARS! Add another 40 years from the rest of the management anniversaries this month, and we have 184 years of experience. Incredible!
Thank you for sharing your time and talents with Aurora!
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