Carlos and Susan talk about the length of time he has worked at Spectrum

Carlos is also passionate about his direct support to the people served by Spectrum.  He understands the intimate nature of the work and he reminisced about the good times and the sad times he experienced while working with Jack, Virginia, George, Jenny, Tom and Adam.

Carlos is a song-writer and poet and wrote poem to share with us at the retirement party:

THREE QUESTIONS

WHO AM I?

I am a gardener
Cultivating soil for the flowers that BE
And my God Given Gifts will help guide the Rand and Sunshine THE

WHAT HAVE I DONE?

I have partnered with companion Gardeners
To support…To advocate
For the Flowers that BE
And if a stem from a flower is slightly bent
I will stand by as a buttress to erect THE

WHERE WILL I GO?

I will follow a PATH immersed in Artistry.
I will climb to Earth’s highest peak
To witness the SPECTRUM that BE
And words of farewell will not enter my vocabulary
As my heart is a SPECTRUM of TWO
Just YOU
Just ME

== == == == == == ==

Another of Carlos’ memorable poems was the one he wrote for Jack’s memorial service in 2006:

Great Day 

“It’s a great day, eh” 
Jack Gregory would say
As we walked and talked along the way
Even when the clouds covered the sky
Or if the rains soaked our feet
And if the snow chilled our faces

“It’s a great day, eh”
Jack Gregory would say

“Hey that’s new, buddy”
Jack Gregory would shout
A new car or a car that was muddy
A house old or new and he took his time to study…

“Hey that’s new, buddy”
Jack Gregory would shout
Through his eyes he saw brightness
Through his heart he felt laughter
And in his words…

“Hey go to work,”
“Tomorrow buddy, you just wait,”
“No no no,” and he meant no!
“Coffee, coffee,” “I not eat,” “I not mad,”
“Cowboy,” “Not me! You boo boo, you” 
“I not tired,” “Virgie, my girl.” 

And my heart will be the clay tablet that will etch the words,
“It’s a great day, eh” 

…by Carlos Costa,
Jack’s key worker
=== === === === === ===

Thank You Carlos for all your contributions to Spectrum and the people we support.  You brought music, passion, poetry and so many great belly laughs to your team at Taunton and to Spectrum as a whole. We look forward to keeping in touch with you as you move on to new opportunities.

http://www.lulu.com/shop/barbara-westfield/surviving-a-storm/paperback/product-20821418.html?showPreview=true

Barb’s book cover

Surviving a Storm is the real-life tale of Barbara Anne Westfield’s life. A truely inspiring story of how she lived institutionalized for over fifty years and how she finally gained her independence at sixty years of age. She shares the ups and the downs that have made her the strong, independant woman that she is today.

“This is my story of survival. 

I am writing this book to fight for those I have met along the way who never got to tell their stories.  It is for the millions of people out there that suffer in silence, mistreated because they are different and vulnerable. 

I am Barb Westfield.  Hear me roar!”

              “I’m so happy with Spectrum.  Where I used to live, I had no choices.  Now I make more decisions for myself.  I am ordering at restaurants by myself, I answer the phone at my house, make my own appointments.  I have a more natural life!” (Barb)

Dear Friends,

Spectrum Society reached a major milestone in 2012, celebrating 25 years supporting people with disabilities to build good lives in community.  Thank You for all the support and guidance you have provided over the years.  Our supports have expanded from a single four-person home in East Vancouver to a whole range of home and community supports to over 150 people, from the Sunshine Coast to the Fraser Valley.  We continue to receive calls every week from people looking for creative, individualized solutions to their needs, and many who are already served by Spectrum want to explore changes to their support arrangements as well.  In the past four years, half of the people served by Spectrum have made changes to their living arrangement that have given them more flexibility, choice and control over their lives.

I am writing today to ask for your support as we look ahead to the next 25 years.

The challenge

About 95% of Spectrum’s funding comes from the provincial government via contracts for direct service.  The remaining 5% comes from fundraising, including donations from individuals and community partners, and grants for special projects.

Funding for direct services is not keeping up with increased costs.  We must look carefully at where we allocate time and resources for anything beyond our core services – for example, social functions and training events; or sponsoring people with disabilities to attend a conference; or the extra time and hours needed to explore different support arrangements with individuals and families.  We know that investing in these kinds of activities is important to you – the problem is, that money is getting ever scarcer.

That’s where fundraising comes in.  When we can count on your monthly contributions as part of our budget, we know we will have the ability to respond when needs arise.  Unfortunately, donations to Spectrum have not been growing.  Individual donations and contributions to our monthly giving program were both down in 2012 over the previous year’s amounts.  This trend may reflect the troubles in the broader economy, affecting families and communities across the Province, just as it is affecting Spectrum’s bottom line.  Nonetheless, it poses a very real challenge and limits our ability to plan with any certainty for future needs.  Did you know that more than half of our current monthly donors are employees of Spectrum?  Their financial contribution reflects a commitment above and beyond what they give of themselves every day in their work, and for this we are truly grateful.

Over the past five years, we have been increasing our leadership in community living across the Province.  I’ve been leading a coalition of non-union agencies across B.C. to secure equitable funding for wages and benefits.  Susan Stanfield and Aaron Johannes have been presenting workshops to families and self-advocates right across the Province, from Grand Forks to Fort St. John, and bringing back new ideas to our Spectrum teams.  In addition to this ongoing advocacy work, our two social enterprises, Spectrum Press and Inclusive Learning and Research, have doubled their revenues over the past year and anticipate further growth in 2013 with the addition of four new books to our catalogue and several consulting projects in the works.  We were thrilled to be selected for a $15,000 B.C. Ideas Award in December 2012 for a project on Community Mapping, one of many exciting projects that will be led by Aaron Johannes and Shelley Nessman this year.

For 2013, our fundraising priority is to expand our donor base and establish a solid fund for community support needs from donations.  Specifically, our fundraising targets for 2013 are as follows:

1.      Increase monthly donor revenue by $3,000/month, and
2.      Increase total annual donations to $100,000.

How can you help?

1. You can sign up for Spectrum’s monthly giving program.  For as little as $25/month, you can help Spectrum stabilize our budget and give us the flexibility to respond to unique individual and family needs. An online PDF form is available here. 

2. You can increase your monthly gift.  Your regular contribution provides Spectrum with the ability to plan activities throughout the year. Use the online PDF form.

3. You can write a cheque now for a donation to Spectrum Society.

On behalf of my two co-directors, Susan Stanfield and Aaron Johannes, I thank you for your support.  Together, we can ensure the sustainability of Spectrum Society for the next 25 years and beyond. If you have any questions, write donations@spectrumsociety.org.

Sincerely,
Ernie Baatz, Executive Director

1. New PayDirect Card for your prescriptions
2. New Travel Assistance information
3. New Medical Expense Claim Form
4. E-Profile Online Services
5. “For Your Benefit” Communicating Changes to your Benefits Plan Administrator
6. Frequently Asked Questions – providing information on what happens with claims as we switch from one provider to the next
7. Enhancements for Non-Union CSBT Groups – outlining changes in coverage

To get a new Benefits Booklet and review your coverages, you can go to www.grouphealthglobal.com and click on the Booklets tab at the top of the home page.  User names and passwords are provided on the back of your new DIrectPay Card.

To get claims forms, you can click on Claim Forms at the top of the home page.  Our policy number is 54106. The medical expenses claim form is also linked on our HR Forms page on the Spectrum Website.

ClaimSecure has a complete suite of online services that allow you to set up Direct Deposit for fast and secure payment.  They also have an eClaims process that allows you to electronically file clams and receive payment as soon as the next day.  Check your package for the information page on the Online Services.

Let us know if you have any questions.  We hope the transition goes smoothly for everyone, but please let us know if you require assistance.

WOW! means Widening Our World. Each year, CLBC gives WOW!clbc Awards to people who have made important contributions to helping people with developmental disabilities connect in more ways with their communities.

Every year, WOW! celebrates a different way of making people feel included. This year, we are celebrating people who go above and beyond the ordinary in their job to create a welcoming workplace, where everyone feels valued and respected.

Nevada has worked for seven months at Digital Toys in Surrey. His employer Chris has helped Nevada to be more hands on in the computer industry by taking him to meet vendors and showing him all sides of the business, so Nevada can learn more about the company. Nevada says, “I love my job so much that sometimes I get to work too early because I can’t wait to be there.”

We’ll post some pictures after the event tomorrow.

The full CLBC Press Release as a PDF is linked here.

Nevada and Chris got some media exposure in the Surrey Now on December 11, 2012.

Maggie Vilvang of Community Living Innovation Venture makes presentation to Cheryl Fryfield while Barb Goode, Shelley Nessman and Aaron Johannes look on.

We are pleased to announce that Spectrum was chosen as recipient of $15,000 from the Community Living Innovation Venture for our proposal on community mapping.  People with intellectual disabilities will map their places and ways of belonging and being valued in ways that can be easily shared. They will gather in three places over the course of a year, with co-facilitators (one of whom will be a self advocate) and a graphic facilitator, to talk about the places where they feel welcomed and have opportunities to contribute. We will engage in “community mapping” around strengths, contribution and appreciation for diversity. You can read the full proposal here.

Aaron has a blog post on the 101 Friends site that has more discussion of the project and a slide show of drawings and photos from planning meetings.

There is a Press Release (PDF) with an overview of the contest and a listing of all the winners.

We are very pleased and excited to announce that the CSBT employee benefits program will be moving to new insurance provider effective December 1, 2012. GroupHEALTH Global (CSBT’s administrator) has developed a new insurer relationship that will result in better service and support for all CSBT clients in BC.

New Providers

SSQ Financial Group: SSQ Financial Group has been providing quality service to clients for over 60 years and is Canada’s 5th largest employee benefits provider. They are well versed in the community social services industry and are committed to honouring existing plan designs and collective agreement requirements.

ClaimSecure: Extended Health Care and Dental Care claims will be paid by ClaimSecure. ClaimSecure has been providing Canadian companies with superior claims management services for 20 years. ClaimSecure provides bilingual services to 7,500 Canadian companies and they specialize in paying claims which results in faster turnaround times and better accuracy.

Enhancing Your Experience

These new providers bring elements and improvements to the CSBT program that we’re confident you and your employees will appreciate, including:

• Enhanced rate stability and cost containment
• Faster, more accurate claims payments
• Faster resolution of issues

Better online resources (including Smart-Phone Apps for employees to review their coverage and track claims payments)

New Renewal Date and Extended Rate Guarantee

CSBT’s commitment is to provide rate stability and cost containment to community service agencies.

In addition to the change to insurance providers we are very pleased to announce that the CSBT’s next renewal date will be changing from April 1, 2013 to January 1, 2014 (and every January thereafter). This will mean that your existing premium costs will be held for an additional 9 months and you will not experience a renewal on April 1, 2013.

Your Long-Term Disability carrier will remain Fenchurch General. We are pleased to announce, however, that the CSBT’s next renewal date for LTD will be changing from April 1, 2013 to January 1, 2015 (and every January thereafter). This will mean that your existing premium costs will also be held for an additional 21 months.

Many thanks to all the contributors and a special thanks to Susan Stanfield for pulling it all together.

Susan, Barb and Shauna at the 2012 Book Launch

The website link for the report is:
http://spechome.sharevision.ca/File/AnnualReport2012.pdf 

For many people, autumn events like Halloween are fun times to dress up in costumes, go trick-or-treating, attend parties, and eat yummy treats.

Below are tips to help make the festivities fun and safe for trick-or-treaters and party guests.

Safety Tips for Halloween: 

• October is full of chilly nights so make sure that costumes are loose enough to be worn over warm clothing but not so baggy or long that trick or treaters can trip over their costumes.
• Choose brightly-colored costumes that will be clearly visible to motorists. For greater visibility, add or incorporate reflective tape into the costume.
• Make your home safe for trick-or-treaters. Remove all objects around the outside of your house that could cause children to trip or fall. Turn your outside light on so children will know they can visit your home.
• Check all commercially wrapped treats. Throw out any treats that are not wrapped, those in torn or loose packages, or those that have small holes in the wrappers.
• If using decorative lights indoors or outdoors, use lights certified by a recognized organization such as the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) or the Underwriters’ Laboratory of Canada (ULC or C-UL). Check lights for broken or cracked sockets, frayed or bare wires or loose connections. Discard damaged sets. Do not overload extension cords.
• Fireworks require permits or are banned in some communities and are very hazardous.  Please keep your distance.

Bed Bugs

Bed bugs have been on the rise within the lower mainland, with cases of them reported to be in libraries, hotels, homes, etc.

Bed bugs are parasitic insects that feed on human blood causing rashes and infections. Finding bed bugs in your home has nothing to do with poor hygiene. It takes only one bed bug to hitch a ride on your clothing (furniture, suitcase, etc) and infest your residence.

How do you know if you have bed bugs?

Bed bug bites are the best way to determine if you have bedbugs. The grouping of bites is a good sign and you should start checking for mold like spots on your mattress.

Bed Bug Facts:

• Bed Bugs are flat, brown, wingless and about 1/4 of an inch
• They have 6 legs, shiny reddish-brown but after a good serving of your blood, they appear dark brown and swollen as in the picture below.
• They can be seen with the human eye, but do a great job at hiding
• Bed bugs are not known to carry diseases as of yet
• They feed on human blood preferring to do it in the dark when you’re sleeping
• Simply using chemical treatments will not remove the infestation
• These bugs love to hide in the seams of your mattress including or other areas such as:
  • Sofa seams
  • Cracks in the bad frame and or head board
  • Under rugs, edges of carpets, drawers, baseboards and window casings
  • Behind light switches, electrical outlet plates, cracks in plaster
  • Backpacks, Sleeping bags, Cloths
  • Behind wallpaper, picture frames and other dark areas

If you suspect that one of the people you support has an infestation, contact your program manager to assist you with the next steps. You can also follow the tips here.  A licensed professional is usually required to ensure an effective treatment.

Staff can always refuse to work if they feel the working conditions are unsafe. You would file an unsafe working conditions report and the Safety Committee would explore the claim. For more information on Unsafe Work, you can read this on the Worksafe BC site.

It is important to ensure that all necessary universal precautions are being followed.  WorkSafe BC has provided the following information and guidelines:

http://www2.worksafebc.com/PDFs/healthcare/June9_Info_Session/Presentation4_Bedbugs.pdf

Employee Family Assistance Program (EFAP)

If you are currently enrolled in benefits, you are eligible to receive support from the EFAP.

Spectrum’s EFAP is known as LifeWorks, which is provided by Ceridian. It provides you and your immediate family with 24/7 access to confidential support and resources you need to manage almost any personal or professional issue, so you can lead a healthier, happier, more productive life.

What kind of problems or concerns can I get help with?

• Parenting and Child Care
• Education
• Midlife & Retirement
• Financial and Legal Issues
• Work Issues
• Health & Wellness
• Emotional Well-Being 

To find out more about the EFAP and how to access it, please contact Human Resources.

Health and Safety Nominations

The Health and Safety Committee is accepting nominations for those who would like to join the committee. If you or someone you know would like to be nominated, please notify Naomi or Rachel in Human Resources at personnel@spectrumsociety.org.

Below are some responsibilities of an H&S Committee member:

Health and Safety members will review any WorkSafe claims within Spectrum; if you happen to have a WorkSafe claim please be aware one of our members will be following up on the incident. One of the main goals of the H&S Committee is to ensure that the same WorkSafe claim does not happen to someone else. We review the incident, come up with recommendations and then follow up with the Program Managers as a way of decreasing the chance that the same incident will happen again.

Every H&S member will receive training throughout their time on the committee as part of guidelines for an Occupational Health and Safety team.  Some of the training provided in the past has been on topics such as:

-          Preventing Musculoskeletal Injury

-          Infection Control in the Community

-          Violence in High Risk Communities

-          Accident Investigation

-          Claims Injury Management

-          Injury Prevention

-          Risk Assessment

-          Young/New Worker Orientation

Missed a Newsletter or Announcement and Want to Catch-up?

If you would like to view past inserts, please visit the link below!      http://www.spectrumsociety.org/category/paystub-inserts/ 

Have a Health and Safety Issue You Would Like to Report?

Voice your questions, concerns or issues regarding Health & Safety procedures or unsafe working conditions to Spectrum’s Health and Safety Committee by emailing us at: safety@spectrumsociety.org

How do I find out more about Spectrum’s Health and Safety Committee?

Visit Spectrum’s homepage, click on ‘Human Resources’ and then click on ‘Health & Safety’ on the menu to the left. View announcements, informational links, meeting minutes, upcoming events, contact information, and much more!

PDF Version for Better Printing and colourful graphics available here…

Refreshments will be provided