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Aurora Value Words
• Resilient • Integrity • Courageous
• Compassion • Loyal • Passionate • Responsive
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“It’s not selfish to love yourself, take care of yourself, and to make your happiness a priority. It’s necessary.”
Mandy Hale
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May is Mental Health
Awareness Month
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In honor of Mental Health Awareness month, we're paying extra close attention to taking care of ourselves, because your mental health is vital. Seeing a professional can be incredibly helpful, but it’s not always immediately accessible. In the meantime, there are some powerful DIY tricks you can try:
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Learn About Yourself: Track your moods daily to spot patterns. Pay attention to your self-talk and notice how your thoughts impact your feelings and actions. Identify your coping strategies—whether it’s calling a friend, exercising, or something else—and think about how they help or hinder you.
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Seek Honest Feedback: When you're ready, ask trusted friends or family for constructive insights. Support and gentle feedback can help you grow.
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Make Small Changes: Start with one or two small, manageable shifts in thinking or behavior. Small victories build confidence over time.
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Stay Open: Be willing to try new strategies, even if they seem uncomfortable at first. What works today might shift as you grow, so stay flexible.
This Mental Health Awareness Month, honor your journey by investing in yourself.
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Owners Corner
• • • Cassie Johnson • • •
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Cassie Johnson joined Aurora in August 2024 as a Community Living Assistant at OP#106. Though she didn’t have previous caregiving experience, her background as a nursing student drew her to Aurora as a place to “get her feet wet” and gain meaningful hands-on experience in the healthcare field. Cassie has embraced opportunities to grow both personally and professionally, and finds joy in the simple, powerful moments with those she supports. “Seeing my consumers and making them smile or laugh, that’s the best part. Just being able to hang out with them makes this work really special,” she shared.
Cassie’s studies in nursing have strengthened her caregiving skills on the job, allowing her to step into her role with knowledge and compassion. Through her time with Aurora, she’s formally learned what it means to be a caregiver, and the value of patience and an open mind. “That’s my biggest advice to others thinking about this work,” she says. “Patience and an open mind go a long way.”
Maintaining balance is important to Cassie. She’s intentional about setting boundaries between her work and personal life. “I remind myself that whatever happens at work, stays at work,” she explains. “I try not to overload my schedule, and I check in with my calendar regularly to make sure I’m not taking on too much.”
When she’s not working or studying, Cassie enjoys life at home with her two dogs, a German shepherd mix and a pitbull. While she’s humble about what makes her stand out, her dedication to her consumers and passion for learning make a big impact on the people around her.
Thank you, Cassie, for the heart you bring to Aurora. We’re proud to be part of your journey.
| | How to Handle Market Declines | | |
It is human nature to experience the fear of loss when the stock market tuns down. People feel the pain of losing money, the natural instinct is to flee the market when it starts to plummet. While we don’t know what the rest of this year will bring, the key to smart investing is to overcome the power of emotion and remain focused on the strategies of investing. Remember market downturns happen but they don’t last forever.
As you review your 401(k) investments, keep in mind that making an investment plan and sticking to it is the most important factor to building a retirement account. Creating and adhering to a thoughtfully constructed investment plan is important to avoid making short-sighted investment decisions. Your plan should consider a number of factors, including risk tolerance and short and long-term goals. Savings for retirement through the 401(k) is a long-term goal that takes years to create.
A diversified portfolio doesn’t guarantee profits or provide assurances that investments won’t decrease in value but it does help lower the risk. Diversification means investing in a variety of market sectors. The 401(k) has a large variety of investment options for you to select for a portfolio that meets your needs.
It’s natural for emotions to bubble up during periods of volatility. The key is to tune out the news and focus on your long-term goals. If you can do that, you will be better positioned to plot out a wise investment strategy.
If you would like to discuss your investment strategy, Waznik Heike Group would be happy to assist you. They can be reached at 715-231-8800 or whgfinancial.com
| | ACC Is Growing! Let's Celebrate! | | |
Please join us and the Eau Claire Area Chamber of Commerce for a ribbon cutting on Thursday, May 22nd, from 12:30–1:00 PM at 2150 East Ridge Center, Eau Claire.
Enter on the north side of the building near the military recruiting office; signage inside will guide you to our suite, located near the middle of the building on the left.
The ceremony will be short so we can continue serving our clients without disruption. We hope you can stop by, check out the new space, and help us celebrate all the great things happening at Aurora!
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RESILIENCE
• • • By Tiny Fey • • •
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5 habits that quietly show you’re more resilient than most people
Often, we imagine resilience in stories of extreme adversity—someone climbing Everest or overcoming major tragedy. But in my experience, resilience is often demonstrated in smaller, quieter ways.
Over the years, both as a relationship counselor and in my personal life, I’ve noticed that truly resilient people consistently engage in behaviors that seem almost mundane at first glance. But these behaviors actually speak volumes about their ability to weather life’s storms.
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Our BEST Employees for the month of April are Cassie Johnson from Direct Support and Pete Johnson from management!
Each winning employee will receive $150! Congratulations and thanks for bringing your BEST!
Nominees from March 21st – April 20th:
Brian Bender • Stacey Hamm • Pete Johnson • Sherry Lew
• Amanda Lunde • Dianna Raspiller • Sarah Sheb •
April Solberg • Emalee Terpstra • Jenny Thomas • Gao Vang
| | Recognize someone for being their best! | | |
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!
Remember to send your nominations to BESTEmployees@AuroraServices.com.
Once nominated, employees will remain eligible for the bonus drawing throughout the year.
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The Importance of Defensive Driving
Whether you're commuting in your own car or behind the wheel of a company vehicle, safe driving matters. Defensive driving is not just skill, it’s a mindset that helps protect lives, reduce risk, and make our roads safer for everyone.
Why Defensive Driving Matters
Motor vehicle accidents remain the leading cause of workplace deaths, and the stats speak volumes:
- 1 in 4 fatal work injuries involves a vehicle
- Every 18 seconds, someone is injured while driving
- More than 2 million disabling injuries occur from crashes each year
- A person dies in a crash every 11 minutes
- 100,000+ lives are lost annually due to not wearing seat belts
What Is Defensive Driving?
Defensive driving means being proactive behind the wheel. While you can’t control other drivers or sudden weather changes, you can monitor your surroundings, anticipate dangers, and give yourself time to react safely.
Tips for Driving Defensively
- Stay alert and undistracted, no texting, eating, or fiddling with devices
- Frequently check your mirrors and scan ahead for obstacles or erratic drivers
- Be mindful of changing conditions like rain, snow, or low visibility
- Reduce speed when approaching curves, hills, or heavy traffic
- Don’t rely on others’ turn signals, they may forget to cancel or use them incorrectly
- Stay especially alert in high-risk areas like pedestrian zones or rural roads with wildlife
Anticipate, Don’t Assume
Just because a car has a turn signal on doesn’t mean it’s safe to go. Drivers often forget to turn signals off or may turn unexpectedly. Assume nothing. Stay alert and give yourself room to respond.
The Bottom Line
You can't control the hazards on the road but by driving defensively, you can control your reaction. It’s one of the best ways to make sure you and everyone around you has a better chance of coming home safely every night.
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We have Safety Winners for the month of April!
Congratulations to Maya Anderson - 011 (Menomonie), and Pat McClure - 098 (Eau Claire)!
These team members have demonstrated their commitment to safety and have won a $100 bonus for having done so.
Keep working safely to be entered in next month’s drawing!
S.A.F.E. = Stop And Focus Entirely!!
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Welcome Aboard!
Please give our new hires a warm welcome!
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Marcia Nusbaum
Aurora Residential Alternatives
Community Living Assistant, Eau Claire
Why I applied for the job: For an opportunity to help and care for individuals.
What I will bring to the job: Caring and cheer.
My background: Retired lady kind of, old respiratory therapist, and I'm new to EC.
Hobbies/interests: Gardening, yoga, and books.
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Shelley Green
Aurora Residential Alternatives
Community Living Assistant, Weston
Why I applied for the job: I wasn't happy in my current job.
What I will bring to the job: My experience and my best.
My background: Worked for North Central Healthcare, Home Care and nursing home.
Family: I have 4 boys, and granddaughter.
Hobbies/interests: I love to bake, and diamond paint.
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Daryl Green
Aurora Vocational Services
IPS Vocational Coordinator, Eau Claire and Chippewa County
Why I applied for the job: To be able to help my community and give back to people in need of assistance.
My background: Most of my experience has been in peer support, and substance use disorder.
Family: I am married to my wife, have a 7 year old daughter along with 4 cats + 2 dogs.
Hobbies/interests: Reading, writing, camping, and hosting dinner parties.
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We Have the BEST Staff
During the month of May, we are celebrating these anniversaries!
Aurora Management
Jamey Hamilton – 1 year
Nancy Campbell-Kelz – 6 years
Melody Jorgensen – 6 years
Joan Parsons – 6 years
Terri Bollinger – 27 years
Bruce Greenwood – 1 year
Deborah Seibel – 32 years
Sue Hertz – 27 years
Dawn Mashak – 23 years
Theresa McConville – 4 years
Peter Johnson – 1 year
Aurora Direct Care Staff
Sue Davidson – 21 years
Rosezanna Pratt – 7 years
Carrie Bultman – 5 years
Erin VanDeWiele – 2 years
Shaina Gagas – 3 years
Donna Kiefer – 1 year
Ronda Simons – 24 years
Jonathan Bosse – 10 years
Kathy Doering – 27 years
Olivia Stevenson – 1 year
Pamela Knetsch – 19 years
Heather Thiel – 1 year
Frederick Robinson – 1 year
Angenide Acquissa – 1 year
Haley Wright – 2 years
Paige Tucker – 2 years
Helen Carter – 2 years
Mikki Freeman – 16 years
When we combine all of these years of service,
we get 279 YEARS! 279 years = 146,040 weeks of showing up, making a difference, and being there for others. That’s enough experience to circle the Earth more than 11 times if each year were a lap of service!
Thank you for sharing your time, talents and wisdom with us!
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