Pride
Saturday, March 17, 2012
Healthy Lifestyle
Keeping it clean KSGB still project-driven after 32 years page 15
A S TA R - H E R A L D P U B L I C AT I O N
W W W. S TA R H E R A L D . C O M
Right at home
Not feeling alone
At home and loving it Giving them a voice
NRC changes the way elder care is delievered
Acute Rehab patients help others
Davin Rose returns to help with family business page 11
page 6
page 4
CASA director, volunteers help abused and neglected children page 14
Father inspires daughter to pursue military, medical career By MAUNETTE LOEKS Staff Reporter
Two local students will follow in the footsteps of an Air Link flight nurse, finding inspiration in his militar y and health care careers. One of the students inspired by Sean Shirley is his own daughter, Jocelyn Shirley. Her friend, Mattea Schmidt, also found that his stories of adventure and dedication led her to pursue her own National Guard and flight nurse career. Sean Shirley has ser ved in the National Guard for 24½ years, following in the footsteps of his own father, who ser ved as a drill sergeant in the Army. “My dad always said, ‘You will join the military,’” Sean Shirley said. “But it was always my calling. I signed up, planning to do my six years, and now it’s been 24½ years later.” He enrolled in the Army Guard, ser ving in Scottsbluff, before joining the Wyoming Air National Guard 9½ years ago. He’d been considering leaving when the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks occurred. “(The attacks) gave me good reason to stay,” he said. I love ser ving my countr y, being a part of a bigger team. I love the camaraderie. It became a part of who I am. I can’t imagine myself not ser ving.” After graduating from nursing school in 1999, Shirley became a commissioned officer in the Air National Guard. “I went from driving trucks (in the Army Guard) to riding in the air ambulance,” he said. Overall, he has ser ved seven tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, transporting soldiers from the front lines to Germany, Walter Reed Hospital in the United States, or even from Walter Reed Hospital to their local bases. Air flight teams, such as those Shirley has ser ved on, and advances in technology have greatly improved the sur vival rates of soldiers from past wars. During the Vietnam War, Shirley said, sur vival rates were estimated at under 80 percent. During the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, he said, survival rates have gone up to 98 percent. “Techniques have changed,” he said. “Knowledge of treating patients has grown.” The civilian world has also benefited from the advances made in militar y health care, he said, from treating burn patients to trauma patients. See SHIRLEY, page 8
Photo by Roger Holsinger
Gilbert has begun a four-year journey to become a deacon at St. Agnes Catholic Church in Scottsbluff. Gilbert said there is a lot to learn. Once he completes the program he will be able to do many things in the church once reserved strictly for priests. Here, Gilbert assists the Rev. Vince Parsons during Ash Wednesday Mass.
Dan Gilbert answers the call to serve Gilbert allows students to earn credits that can be transferred to a four-year college for a degree in a related field. Dan Gilbert is a ver y busy person, Gilbert knows all about the program but he always finds and the school that has been in operatime to help a stution since 1951. He became a student dent or give back to in 1978 and graduated in 1980. The his community. program is now taught in the St. Mar y Since 1981, Plaza, another location Gilbert is familGilber t has been iar with, since he was born there. working for RegionAfter graduating from Gordon High a l We s t M e d i c a l School, Gilbert said he had an interest Center as program in both education and medicine. In director for the radihigh school he ser ved as the student ography program. manager each year in football, Radiography is wrestling and track. When he attendDAN GILBERT ed the University of Nebraska in Linthe use of X-rays to view a non-uniformcoln, he continued in that capacity for ly composed material, such as the hu- two years with the wrestling program. man body. The program taught by After graduating, he retur ned to By ROGER HOLSINGER Assistant Editor
Scottsbluff and began working for the hospital. As the administrator for the Radiography Depar tment and instr uctor, Gilbert said students learn many aspects of the program including physics, ethics, patient care and the affects of radiation on the body. “Most of the students that leave here are more than prepared to work in the field,” he said. Gilbert said when he started, X-ray films were considered high tech, but today ever ything is computerized and film is no longer needed. Ever ything a physician needs can be pulled up on a computer screen, but students still need to know how it gets from one See GILBERT, page 3
Foundation inspired by girl’s cancer struggle helps community youth a consuming thing,” Jennifer said. “Ever y thought, ever y waking minute is spent focused W h e n To r y a n d J e n n i f e r on that one thing.” Schwar tz’s daughter, Ashtyn, The help of the community was diagnosed with acute lym- “just was a silver lining,” she phoblast leukemia at age 3, the said. ordeal both tested That’s how the and inspired the inspiration kicked couple. in. After Ashtyn’s “The biggest treatment conthing is we saw cluded, the Makethat this communiA-W ish Foundaty just comes totion sent the famigether for people,” ly on a trip, which Jennifer said. allowed some Neighbors and great bonding mofriends helped ments, Tor y and care for the couJennifer said. ple’s other two They were able to children in the focus on each othfirst days follower and it ser ved as ing Ashtyn’s diagthe perfect culminosis, when she nation of the was flown to a monthslong orDenver hospital. deal. Others helped After ward, the – Jennifer Schwartz cook meals for the family wanted to family and sent help other chilcards and gifts. dren and families. “The first six months of treat“We just wanted to pay ever yment were so intense,” Jennifer thing that had been done for us said. She spent long periods of for ward,” Tor y said. time away from her other two The family star ted Team young children, Trevor and Vic- Ashtyn, a foundation to benefit toria. It was also emotionally children and families experiencdraining, with ever y waking mo- ing a cancer or other serious diment before and after treatment agnosis. focused on Ashytn’s health. It “When we star ted the can also be a struggle as par- process, we had a vision of what ents weigh monetar y concerns, we wanted to do,” Jennifer said. family and even marital prob- “It took off before we were prelems. pared.” “It (childhood cancer) is such With other groups helping By MAUNETTE LOEKS Staff Reporter
It (childhood cancer) is such a consuming thing. Every thought, every waking minute is spent focused on that one thing.
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Photo by Maunette Loeks
Tory Schwartz, his wife Jennifer Schwartz, son Trevor, daughter Victoria and daughter Ashtyn take time for a family photo at their Gering home. The Schwartz family founded Team Ashtyn after Ashtyn’s leukemia diagnosis five years ago. Jennifer Schwartz said the foundation serves as a good model for her children about helping others.
families with medical expenses and medical equipment, the Schwar tz’s wanted the Team Ashtyn Foundation to help in another area. The group’s goal is to give, on a local level, the special moments that the Schwartzes experienced during their own Make-A-Wish trip. “We tr y to help them step outside the cancer world,” Jennifer said. “To do something that they wouldn’t be able to do other wise.” They look at treating cancer patients, at pampering family members also experiencing their own struggles or going without during a high-stress time. In 2010, Kyle Kizzaire, a local youth interested in agriculture, became the group’s first recipient. The boy suffered from the same form of leukemia as Ashtyn. Kizzaire received a lot of “magical moments” around the Scotts Bluff County Fair. With the help of fair organizers, he ser ved as an honorar y judge during the swine contest and enjoyed some great nights out at the rubber check races and bullriding contests. His mother, Janelle, and sister, Kaitlyn, were treated to a local shopping spree and lunch. Among the most memorable recipients has been Danika Huston, who died in November 2011 of acute myeloid leukemia. During Huston’s treatment, her See SCHWARTZ, page 2
2 SATURDAY, MARCH 17, 2012
Pride
SCHWARTZ: Community’s help inspired foundation Continued from page 1 mother, Ashley, and sister were treated to a trip to the Disney store in Denver, where they were outfitted with princess outfits before attending the Disney on Ice show. The family also was treated to a Colorado Avalanche game, with their smiling faces highlighted on the signboard and treated to food and sports memorabilia. Huston’s cancer journey was emotional for Jennifer. “I am not sure if we thought about the fact that in some of the cases, the children may not survive,” she said. Currently, the group is tr ying to find resources to help fly a girl suffering from Ewing’s Sarcoma to visit California. I n J u l y 2 0 1 1 , Te a m Ashtyn became a formal foundation, aimed at children and young adults from birth to age 26 in the Panhandle and easter n Nebraska. It is overseen by a 12-member board, with many individuals having “walked the journey with us,” Jennifer said. Most of the board members just wanted to be a part of helping youth in the community. “ We h a v e a g o o d group,” Jennifer said of the board members. “A lot of our board members have different contacts to offer resources that we can tap into to make events happen for our families.” The children helped by the foundation are often referrals or people members have heard about through word of mouth. Jennifer said a simple one-page application can put the Team Ashtyn Foundation’s efforts in gear. To help with the foundation’s lofty goals, it has encompassed some regular fundraisers into its repertoire. Each November, the Team Ashtyn Foundation will host an annual Fun Run, inspired by the Turkey Trot that
local principal Eldon Hubbard hosted to help the Schwar tz family during their daughter’s cancer struggle, Tor y said. With so many activities throughout the year, the group aims to host the event at a time when it doesn’t conflict with activities or even Husker games. “We want kids to be involved. We want families to be involved,” Tor y said. “We have continued the run to benefit other people.” The Team Ashtyn Foundation’s Diva Day has become an annual event that many people anticipate. The event began as a girl’s day event, with different stations at The Spa by TLC. This year, it grew to encompass boys, with Western Nebraska Community College athletes helping to offer some sports activities. Jennifer said the family and the Team Ashtyn Foundation boar d ar e proud to see the foundation becoming more recognized locally. “We are fortunate that we have made a voice for ourselves,” she said. “We feel that it is nice that we are impacting the community.” The community also affects Team Ashtyn with its generosity toward the group’s goals. “We can’t speak enough for the community,” Tor y said. Board members, family members of patients helped by the foundation, and others have helped the Team Ashtyn Foundation with marketing, designing a brochure and even building a website. The group is also growing to encompass some advocacy functions, Tor y said. He and Jennifer have spoken at area schools and they are also hoping to help in education and other efforts locally. On Wednesday, March 21, the Team Ashtyn Foundation, in a partnership with the Midwest Theater, will host Don Meyer, all-
Photo by Maunette Loeks
ABOVE: Jennifer Schwartz, Tory Schwartz and the Team Ashtyn Foundation board accept a donation from Webb Orthodontics earlier this year. The foundation is becoming more recognized, Jennifer Schwartz said, and support from the community has been great. Courtesy photo
R I G H T: A D i v a D a y attendee gets made during the fundraiser at The Spa by TLC. The annual event helps support Team Ashytn’s efforts to help children and young adults who have been diagnosed with cancer.
time coaching wins leader in NCAA men’s basketball. Tory said he found Meyer’s story inspiring after reading his book, “How Lucky You Can be,” which he received as a gift from his in-laws. Meyer had been in a near-fatal auto accident in 2008, which resulted in much of his left leg being amputated. However, the accident turned out to be a blessing, Tor y Schwartz said, because doctors discovered during that surger y that Meyer suffered from carcinoid cancer. The cancer likely would not have been discovered, and would have been fatal, if not for that fateful car accident. Meyer will also speak to Gering High School students on March 21. A freewill donation for Team Ashtyn will be at the Midwest Theater event, at 7 p.m., which is open to the public.
Star-Herald
Pride
Star-Herald
SATURDAY, MARCH 17, 2012 3
Photo by Roger Holsinger
While radiology or X-ray technology has advanced in recent years, Gilbert said it still uses films to train students. Not all facilities have the most recent radiology equipment, and students need to learn how to read X-ray films.
GILBERT: Has been with RWMC since 1981 Continued from page 1 point to the next. He said in some instances a patient can have results in 30 seconds, but rarely longer than three minutes, compared to 15 minutes when using film. He said one of the other changes is that the new technology minimizes repeats (of radiation) that would have been done when using films, and since ever ything is computerized, losing a film “is a thing of the past,” Gilbert said. He said the new technology also allows images to be seen by multiple physicians and that once the X-ray is taken, it is read by a group of radiologists in Denver and sent back to the doctor in about 20 minutes. Even though the classes being taught are part of primary level training, Gilbert said he sees the classes as “stepping stones” to the next level. The program currently has nine students with a maximum enroll-
ment of 12. Once students complete and pass the course, Gilber t said, they must pass a national exam. They graduate with the title of registered technologist. After that Gilber t said they can continue their education and pursue a career in ultrasound, nuclear medicine, CT/MRI, radiation therapy or mammography. He said all those positions require more hands-on education, depending on the certification process. “I enjoy my job,” Gilber t said. “Teaching students is a wonderful opportunity and hopefully I am directing them in the right path.” One of the reasons Gilbert, 54, has a new zest for teaching is because he is half the man he used to be. Gilbert said because he was frustrated with his weight he had a lap-band procedure and has lost about 200 pounds. “I feel a lot more active and each day I walk
10,000 steps. When it’s cold I walk the halls here, but when it’s warm I walk outside. I tr y to get in five to six miles a day.” With the weight loss, Gilbert said he is more active, including in ser vice to the Knights of Columbus. He has been a member of the local chapter for 19 years and is the financial secretar y. In 2006, he was named Knight of the Year and last year was named District Deputy of the Year for the state. “I see it as an opportunity to ser ve,” he said. Another calling that Gilbert answered is striving to become a deacon. His current title is deacon aspirant. He said being a deacon is a step away from the priesthood in the Catholic Church. “I had been thinking about it for a couple of years and then last summer, Fr. Vince talked to me and said if I was interested, it would allow me to stay here and said it
was the path I needed to take,” he said. Since he began his studies in October, which will take about four years, Gilber t has assisted at weekly masses. Once he completes his training, he will be able to perform baptisms, assist with Mass, conducting a wedding ceremony (no Mass), reading the gospel and giving the homily. While some people talk about being “called” to a religious life, Gilbert said that wasn’t the case for him. But he sees the importance of being active
in his church. “I think that there are people that don’t recognize the importance of attending church because people need a faith to follow,” he said. “I also think that there are a lot of people who don’t recognize how much they can offer to their parish, family or c o m m u n i t y, a n d t h e y don’t. There are a lot of little things people can do that will make a difference in a person’s life.” While he hopes to remain at St. Agnes when he becomes a deacon, Gilber t said he also
knows that the bishop has t h e f i n a l s a y. B u t h e added that it would be hard for him to leave with his cur rent job with RWMC. Gilbert said there are days when he feels too busy. “Procrastination is not a good word in my vocabular y. I tr y to take one issue at a time and work through it. “But I’m happy with what I’m doing and I see more challenges for me to pursue. The only problem is fitting them into my days.”
4 SATURDAY, MARCH 17, 2012
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Star-Herald
Photos by Roger Holsinger
One of the new approaches being taken by Northfield Retirement Communities is delivering a higher element of care to residents, something closer to living at home instead of a facility. Ensuring that care is delivered is a team of employees who make sure each resident is treated like a member of their own family. Here, Keeli Klein, director of nursing, left, and Kathy Ryan, assistant director of nursing, right, visit with resident Vivian Lojka, who grew up in the Broadwater area.
NRC changes the way elder care is delivered By ROGER HOLSINGER Assistant Editor
In August 2010, Northfield Retirement Communities broke ground for a new care center on the Scottsbluff campus. Just about a year later, the final checks were being made in preparation for its opening. In addition to being new, the staff at the center were being taught a new way to care for this area’s aging population through dignity, socialization and treating their new quarters like an extension of their own home. Curt Copple, the CEO for Northfield Retirement Communities, said the vision for the center was to deliver a “Household” model to residents and to move away from the institutional theor y of caring for our elders. As Copple recently walked the halls of the new facility, which offers 45 private apartments and has 33 residents, he said the center marks a new era in health care. “This is a place where we focus on life and provide our residents the capacity to grow as far as they can,” he said. “We want people to come here to live, not as a place where they will die.” The $3.5 million expansion on the southwest side of The Residency offers a combination of ser vices including skilled nursing and short-term assistance for someone who might require rehabilitation ser vices following a hospital stay. What’s missing is the institutional feeling of the center. Instead of feeling like you’re walking into a “nursing home,” it feels more like you’re walking
into someone’s home, and that is exactly what Copple and the staff had in mind. In addition to the spacious apar tments, there are areas in the center of each household that offer a place for residents to visit and socialize. Meals are not ser ved on a stringent schedule; instead, residents decide when and what they want to eat. Group activities also provide residents, regardless of their physical or mental abilities, to be part of the family atmosphere. In addition to group exercise classes, it’s common to walk in the center and see residents baking bread or cookies or helping to prepare a meal. “Our care center is like a home environment that creates a small intentional community for a group of elders and staff,” he said. “It is a place that focuses on life, and its heart is found in the relationships that flourish here. “It’s a radical departure from traditional skilled nursing homes,” Copple said. “Our household model alters facility size, interior design, staf fing patterns and methods of delivering skilled professional ser vices by the creation of separate, smaller, intimate households inherently creating a homelike atmosphere.” Copple said that in the past, long-term nursing homes were more of an institution used to warehouse older people until their death. But the new focus is a home atmosphere and includes residents with var ying health problems, including those with memor y issues. He said while some facilities block off certain areas of a facility for people with de-
mentia, NRC is moving in a different direction. “We believe the integration of people enhances the quality of life,” Copple said. “There are 110 of these types of facilities in the United States, and we are one of them. The only other facility like this one in Nebraska is one in Lincoln. Some of those utilizing the facilities at the Scottsbluff campus of Northfield “We’re on the cutting Retirement Communities stay on a short-term basis like Ron Meier, who was edge of how we deliver staying at the center following surgery and is shown here taking physical therapy care by moving from a directed by Kathie Buskirk, PTA. clinical view to a non-clinical approach,” he said. The new approach in House Project. In addition to the other them to want to eat and the ser vices, the new facility ability to choose when they caring for elders is beSee NRC, page 5 cause of the Green has separate entrances. A eat is also a plus. person who rings the doorbell is greeted by a member of the household. The rooms include a private bath with a zero-entrance shower area. For those wanting to take a “bubble bath,” a private area is also available. Another aspect of all-around care is an exercise area where residents can work on fitness, and those staying on a short-term basis can rehab in preparation to return home. Don’t forget the Copple said that when residents are transitioned Parmesan Bread Bites into the new facility from a for only $1.00 More! standard facility, they see an almost immediate Order online @ dominos.com change. He said for those who were not eating, just the smell of food being prepared near them stimulates
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Star-Herald
SATURDAY, MARCH 17, 2012 5
Photos by Roger Holsinger
Residents at the Northfield Retirement Communities campus in Scottsbluff have a variety of activities they can participate in throughout the day. Here, residents take part in a physical activity in one of the exercise areas.
While most rooms only have one resident, the facility offers larger rooms designed for couples. Arthur and Mary Russell live in one of the larger quarters. Mary said what she enjoys most is being able to live with Arthur and “not having to cook.” Arthur spent most of his life as the head of the science department at Western Nebraska Community College while Mary was both a teacher and a nurse. The new wing of the addition has spacious rooms and dining areas, and each has a common area that resembles a living room. Residents can sit by the fireplace, visit with friends and when visitors arrive through a separate entrance with a front door complete with a doorbell, provides a more home-like experience for both residents and visitors.
NRC: Ground on new care center broke in 2010 Continued from page 4 The goals of the Green House model is a de-institutionalization effort designed to restore individuals to a home in the community by combining small homes with the full range of personal care and clinical ser vices expected in high-quality nursing homes. The Green House philosophy is to enhance elders’ quality of life to include recognizing and valuing individuality of elders and staf f, suppor ting elders’ dignity, honoring autonomy and choice, providing privacy, and fostering emotional and spiritual well-being, to name a few. Copple said another aspect in the change of care goes back to an ancient belief that ever yone needs someone to watch over him. A Middle East stor y speaks of a mythical bird called the Shahbaz that watches over and helps those in need. That idea is incorporated in the care model as each of the residents at the facility has his or her own life friend or mentor who is there to lend a helping hand, visit and just be a friend. Those mentors go through stringent training, and it requires additional education. “They are not just a nurse, but a mentor,” he said. “Two or three mentors work with each of the residents as part of the team. This is vital as personal relationships are built.” Copple said the new approach to elder care focuses on life. “There is so much more to caring for our elders
than just medical,” he said. “A lot of it is the social environment and we
encourage that here. We want our residents to live their lives to the fullest.”
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6 SATURDAY, MARCH 17, 2012
Star-Herald
Acute Rehab patients help others Don Reichert, who suffered an aortic aneur ysm, lost both of his legs after At Regional West Med- 11 surgeries during a twoical Center, patients in the year period as his body Acute Rehab Unit have struggled to get enough come together to ser ve as blood to his legs. His mentors to other patients struggle included learnsuf fering serious, and ing to walk using prosthesometimes debilitating, sis before he lost his left conditions. leg months later. Despite A lot of the patients are losing both his legs, he like Reenie Berr y of Ger- drives, using hand coning. trols in his vehicle, and is “My own claim to fame quite the jokester. is that in 2003 a mosquito “There are people worse bit me and I contracted off than I am,” he said. West Nile,” Berr y said. “They live at Fair view Some infected with the Cemeter y.” vir us experience few Kelly Martin of Mitchell symptoms. She contracted spent three weeks at the encephalitis, which affect- Acute Rehab Unit in 2007 ed her brain, spine and as a result of multiple sclethroat. She still can’t walk rosis. Her rehabilitation or stand, though she gets through the years has inalong well, inspired by cluded having to wear o t h e r s s h e h a s m e t braces and lear ning to through the acute rehab walk stairs again. unit. “Bless their hearts,” she “I always believed my said of the staf f at the cup was half full, never ARU. “They gave me the half empty,” she said. “You encouragement I needed. just have to make the best They don’t let you get of what you have. There down.” are so many people who A workplace accident are so much worse off.” resulted in John Flint of Berr y is among several Scottsbluff suffering seripatients ous injuries passing on June 2008. It helps to in their pearls After his hear from of wisdom right leg was through the someone who pinned bePatient Adtween two v i s o r y has been vehicles, he C o u n c i l , there. had to have commonly his leg ampuknown as tated below – Dave Hanson PAC, on the the knee. Acute Rehab “There was F l o o r. P a no way to tient Advisor y Council save it,” he said. “I was in members all have inspir- acute rehab for about 3½ ing stories. weeks, which was a good Don Schmidt, who many experience, considering. people may know through I’ve been volunteering his local carpet business, now for about a year and suf fered after having a half.” cancerous growth reThen, ther e is Dave moved from the back of Hanson, who had two his leg. After contracting a back surgeries after sufflesh-eating bacteria fol- fering severe pain from lowing the surger y, he deteriorating disks in the found himself suffering a lumbar region. Or Manuel stroke within days. After Flores, who stays with the the stroke, he admited, “I PAC, providing support to was concerned. I had been spouses of patients, like pretty active. I golfed. I he needed when his late bowled. I was concerned wife Herminia had both I’d be in a wheelchair or her legs amputated beworse.” cause of complications of After speech therapy diabetes. Flores is often and physical therapy, he’s called in for patients or feeling better, and ser ving family who can’t speak on the PAC. English, adding his own By MAUNETTE LOEKS Staff Reporter
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308-632-1760 Tonya Elsen, Director
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www.wlscottsbluff.com
Photos by Maunette Loeks
A “Hall of Fame” features the stories of the past patients of the Acute Rehab Unit at Regional West to inspire others. All of the members of the Patient Advisory Council are featured on the wall and jokingly refer to themselves as “rock stars” when talking about the wall.
personal experiences to helping patients. Tami Bokelman, director of the Acute Rehab Unit, said the Patient Advisor y Council star ted in April 2009. Acute Rehab Unit leadership had sought patient opinions to help the unit “move forward” and to get an idea of patient satisfaction. “One patient expressed that what he needed most was someone who had gone through the same things as him,” she said. That comment spurred the Patient Advisor y Council. The peer-to-peer support is one of the strongest par ts of the council. “It helps to hear from someone who has been there,” Hanson said. Reichert says that volunteering also helps the members of the Patient Advisor y Council. “If I can help someone, that’s all I can do. I can’t dance with them. I can’t kick them in the shins,” he jokes. “But I can share with them my stor y.” The Acute Rehab patients know ever ything — they know what it is like to fear that you’ll never walk again, a fear Schmidt admited he struggled with after his stroke. They even know that the one thing a patient may hope for the most – progress that allows him to leave the Acute Rehab Unit — can also be filled with dread. “I was scared to death when it was time to go
617 West 33rd St., Scottsbluff, NE 69361
A group of Acute Rehab Unit patients at Regional West Medical Center have come together as advocates and mentors. The Patient Advisory Council is made up of, front, from left, Don Reichert, Reenie Beery, and Kelly Martin; back, Manuel Flores, Don Schmidt, Dave Hanson and John Flint.
home,” Berr y admits. “I’d been up her e for two months.” Most often, Bokelman said, Patient Advisor y Council members are paired with other patients who may have a similar diagnosis. Sometimes, patients are paired depending on the issues that they are needing some guidance in. “It is amazing to me what they do,” she said. “It is a commitment to
the patients.” Each of the members have their own stories of patients they have helped, such as Berr y, who has stayed in touch with a Florida man involved in a trucking accident. He had read her stor y on the unit’s “Hall of Fame” and asked to meet her. She said “he is healing slowly. He says he is coming back to see us sometime.” Patient Advisor y Council members also help the
Acute Rehab Unit in other ways, reading marketing materials, helping to advise staff on implementing sur veys and even community outreach. “You adjust, you adapt,” one of the Patient Advisor y Council members said of the experiences that changed their lives. The members have also adjusted to being a part of something special, helping others, just like them.
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Star-Herald
SATURDAY, MARCH 17, 2012 7
Rich Guzman: Cleaning up schools for 27 years By ROGER HOLSINGER Assistant Editor
High school can be a difficult time for students, especially if you don’t believe there is anyone who cares about you or will just listen. While his job description doesn’t include “counseling,” Rich Guzman said he has always looked at his job as one that offers a chance to be a big brother or mentor. Guzman is the site super visor for the custodial department at Scottsbluff High School. He has been with the school district for 27 years. He began his career at the middle school as a night custodian for a year and a half before moving to Roosevelt Elementar y School for 12 years. He began at the high school in 1999. “It’s been a good run, and the school district takes pretty good care of me,” he said. Guzman grew up in Minatare, the son of Jesse and Irene Guzman. He graduated from Minatare High School in 1984. As a sophomore he began working part-time at the school as a custodian. Guzman and his wife of 15 years, Arlene, live in Gering and have a daughter, Abby, who attends Geil Elementar y School. Guzman said his dad always told him to work hard, no matter the job, and to look for employment that offered benefits. He said he found that in working for the school district. While he enjoys his work, there was a time that Guzman thought his life might head in a different direction. After high school he began taking emergency medical classes with a goal of becoming a paramedic. “But at the time, there weren’t many companies hiring,” so he stayed where he was. That medical career feeling came back again about 10 years ago, he said, as he thought about a career change. “I’ve always been big on helping people,” Guzman said, adding that he is a member of the school district’s safety committee and stays cur rent with first-aid and emergency training. While Guzman might not be treating wounds, he is providing a service to the school district that often entails just listening to students or letting them vent their frustrations to him. “The students here are pretty decent,” he said. “I have always believed that you need to do what is right, and, as adults, we know what is right and to lead by example. I have also learned that if you show respect to the students, they will return it. You get what you give, and we’re here for them.” Guzman said he often has a few students “tag around” with him and that he enjoys working with students as par t of a jobshadowing program at
Photos by Roger Holsinger
the school. “I like taking the approach of being a big br other, a n d o v e r t h e years you learn to be a little bit of ever ything.” Guzman, who generally works from 6:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., super vises six other custodians — three who work the day shift and four at nights. He said one of the more difficult parts of his job is making sure people are available for evening and weekend activities, which he said has increased in the last three to four years. He said he’s also seen his share of strange things at the school. Guzman said not long after he started they came in on a Saturday to prepare the gym for an activity and was greeted with a shower coming through the roof. “It was like a showerhead shooting water onto the floor of the gym,” he said. He and his crew had to act fast to save the floor from permanent damage. Guzman said they devised a way, using a large tarp, to catch the water and funnel it into 55-gallon barrels and then rotated the barrels out. “It was like we were in a monsoon season that year. It just wouldn’t stop raining. We really had to think outside the box and fast or else that could have been a disaster,” he said. Guzman said they have also had to deal with their share of sewer backups, but he said he’s proud to say that while they have
come up against some tough obstacles, “we have still been able to handle it and keep the school open. I give my guys a pat on the back for that.” He has also had his share of the weird, usually associated with a big football game. “One year we went up to second floor and there were baby chickens ever ywhere. That required a lot of cleanup. Another time someone had painted a bunch of hamsters blue and released them into the school,” he said, smiling. Guzman said there are many parts of his job he enjoys but said he especially enjoys the challenges of the job. “Those can wear you down a little, but I like the planning involved with activities and making sure we have the people to cover the events.” He said despite those challenges, he is thankful for his job. “The school district has been good to me, and I put pride in what I do here. Something I work on ever y day is keeping people motivated. I tell my coworkers that we’re lucky to have a job because you never know what’s around the corner. I like it here and would like to be part of the future of the school,” he said. So where does Guzman see him self in 10 years? “I would like to still be here, but change is always good if you can grab ahold of it.”
ABOVE: SHS Custodial Site Supervisor Rich Guzman has been working for the school district since 1985. He said he enjoys his job and the challenges he and his team face to ensure the school is open, clean and safe for the students. A B O V E L E F T: I n h i s equipment shed of cleaning tools, among the most used are the vacuums. Guzman said a number of times a day he and his crew vacuum entry rugs, especially when the weather is bad. LEFT: One of Guzman’s daily routines is sweeping the halls of Scottsbluff High School. The trick is to get an area done before the bell rings and the halls are filled with students.
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8 SATURDAY, MARCH 17, 2012
Star-Herald
SHIRLEY: Military health care advances have helped civilians Continued from page 1 Though new to the flight nurse field, Shirley said he has always been interested in nursing. He grew up watching his mother, who was also a nurse, and became a certified nursing assistant. After going back to school, he became a traditional nurse before a friend urged him to consider becoming a flight nurse. “I believe nursing is the most fulfilling, wonderful career,” he said. “There is not a day that I don’t like going to work.” Of course, he said, he never wanted to be a “flyer,” until a friend, an Air Link nurse, urged him to pursue the career after he obtained his bachelor’s degree in nursing. He followed his friend, first into the Air National Guard, and subsequently, into the Air Link program at Regional West Medical Center. “As a flight nurse, you leave the safety of the hospital,” he said, explaining the difference between being a traditional nurse and a flight nurse. “You have to make split second decisions to save someone’s life.” A flight nurse works in more interventional modes than a traditional nurse, he said, “aiming to have the patient in better shape when we deliver them than when we left.” In the military, he said, patients have likely been stabilized by a doctor before they are transferred to another facility. At home, in Air Link, “we are the ones who stabilize them. It is a lot more intense. You just aren’t being shot at,” he said with a smile. “I love what I do. I could do it for another ten years or more.” His love of his career — both his military career and his health care career — became a source of inspiration for Shirley’s daughter, Jocelyn. The Gering High School student is a senior this year, considering her own future. She recently decided to follow her father into the Wyoming Air
National Guard. As a commissioned officer, Sean Shirley did the formal swearing in of his daughter and her friend, Schmidt. “Since I was little, I wanted to be an Army guy,” Jocelyn said. “My entire life, I was really proud of my dad and I couldn’t see myself doing anything else.” After her dad joined the Air National Guard, she said, she considered a career as a pilot. Then, she decided she wanted to be a flight nurse, just like Dad. “Hearing stories, seeing how people respect him (drew me to the Air National Guard),” she said. “I would also like to serve my country.” She said she also looks forward to the opportunities that the Air National Guard will give her. After completing training camp, survival camp and tech school, where she will receive medical technician certification, she will have opportunities to travel to Japan, Hawaii and even Guam to serve during active duty. She and Schmidt will also have other opportunities as 1st Class Airmen in the Wyoming Air National Guard. They will have 100 percent of their tuition at the University of Wyoming paid, and earn credits as they complete medical technician certification. Through the GI Bill benefits, they said, they will have rent, books and other expenses paid as they serve. Schmidt said she hadn’t thought much about her future until she met Sean, who is her mother’s boyfriend. “At first, I was skeptical (of going into the military),” she said. “I knew I wanted to go into medicine. I just didn’t know what I wanted to do.” Unlike Jocelyn, Schmidt hasn’t set her sights on a career as a flight nurse, but is excited for the different opportunities she will have. “I can do so many things,” she said. “I can re-enlist. I can go to
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ABOVE: Sean Shirley poses with an Air Link helicopter. After getting a nursing degree, Shirley admits he’d never thought about “flying” as a nurse until a friend pushed him into becoming an Air Link nurse and joining the Wyoming Air National Guard. He said he loves his job. Photo courtesy of Sean Shirley
RIGHT: Sean Shirley said he never dreamed he’d swear in his own daughter into the Air National Guard. Recently, as an officer, he swore in his daughter, Jocelyn Shirley, left, and her friend Mattea Schmidt. The girls have begun their stint in the Wyoming Air National Guard and will be off for basic training in August.
medical school. When I do complete my training, I will be ahead of civilian counterparts,” she said. The two girls will leave for basic training in August. Until then, they are serving with Sean, one week-
end a month, in the Wyoming Air National Guard. It’s been a strange transition, the girls laughed, telling stories about having to address Sean formally as a commissioned officer.
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Star-Herald
SATURDAY, MARCH 17, 2012 9
Citizen group protecting communities By CHABELLA GUZMAN Staff Reporter
Several people in bright yellow-green jackets and hats spread out along the ter rain of the W ildcat Hills outside of Gering. They move in pairs with maps and compasses, searching the grassy slopes. The CERT, Community Emergency Response Team, members were on a training exercise Sunday mor ning, honing their skills for the next emergency. “We work closely with the Scottsbluff Police Department, fire department and the sheriff’s office,” said Bob Hessler, CERT coordinator. “We supply a volunteer manpower that would other wise be hard for them to get on the ground.” CER T was created in 1985 when firefighters, emergency r esponders and other agencies found they didn’t have enough people to deal with disasters. Hessler said the organization also falls under the Citizen Corps created after 9/11 for homeland security, when it was necessar y to have a large group of volunteers trained to assist. Among the dedicated volunteers is a canine responder, Brutus, a bloodhound. He has been with the organization since he was about a year old. Hessler had been among those that responded to the Katrina disaster in New Orleans. He saw firsthand how the bloodhounds there worked the scene looking for victims. “I told my wife that I would like a bloodhound and she got me one for my birthday,” he said. “I believe he’s a much-needed resource for our team.” Although several local agencies have dogs trained for police work, the next closest tracking
Photo by Chabella Guzman
Randy Kleager, left, CERT training coordinator, Randy Olson and Linda Peterson review a map while on the trail. The group is made up of community-minded citizens who learn skills and rules for assisting in search and rescue scenarios with local law officials.
dog would be in For t Collins, Colo., three or more hours away. Brutus and the CERT team can be on a scene in about half an hour. Brutus is an AKC registered bloodhound. He has under gone training in Kenyon City, Colo., where Hessler and Brutus spent a week at the training academy. “They (trainers) spent time learning his body language, the positive and negative and then trained me to read it as well,” he said. Some of the signals include Brutus’ tail. If it is curled, he is on the scent and his face will fall closer to the ground. He will want to take off at a run, but Hessler said for safety reasons he keeps Brutus to a fast walk or trot. See CERT, page 10
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Pride
10 SATURDAY, MARCH 17, 2012
Star-Herald
Photos by Chabella Guzman
ABOVE: With compasses in hand, Mike Blue, left and Mason Stover check their position before heading off on a training expedition recently at the Wildcat Hills. BELOW: CERT, Community Emergency Response Team, members Mike Blue, left, and James Bounds look over maps for their training expedition recently. The group trains often to keep up skills.
CERT, Community Emergency Response Team, Coordinator Bob Hessler and his bloodhound, Brutus, have worked many missing person cases in recent years. Brutus uses his tail to signal Hessler when he’s on a trail.
CERT: Created in 1985 Continued from page 9 “If Brutus steps in a hole, he could sprain or break something, and the same goes for me.” Hessler and Brutus work in tandem. While Brutus is working the trail, Hessler is watching the dog’s body language and scanning the area for signs. In missing-person cases, he watches the ground for crushed grass or broken brush. When Brutus loses a scent,
his tail will straighten out and his head will go up. “When he loses the scent, we ‘cast’ to get back on scent,” he said. “I let the leash out to let him cast in a 10-foot area until he picks up the scent and I give the command to work, and we take off again.” Brutus is trained for tracking air scents, clothing scents and foot scents. While Brutus may be the big dog on scene, he is not alone, with a CERT group of 50-plus
members also on ground and on foot. “We have one of the best CER T teams in Nebraska,” Hessler said. “Our team is ver y strong and includes members from engineers to bankers and housewives.” Many of the members are in the organization to give assistance in an organized way. “I joined in 2006,” said Roger Olson. “I saw it as an opportunity to give back to the community and it was something I had
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never done before.” He added that having a prepared community is important to keep neighbors and families safe in times of disasters such as tornadoes, blizzards, fires and other events. “People should be able to take care of themselves for at least 72 hours, as that could be how long it would take for someone to get to them in a time of disaster,” he said. Mason Stover agrees and adds that it is important for
people to know the legal part of search and rescue when they want to help. Stover is also new to the area and wanted to be part of the community and help. He sees it as a good way to give back to the community. “When they were searching for Ker ra Wilson last year, ever yone was getting together and go search,” he said. “It seemed like a good idea, but no one had training and they needed organization.”
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Star-Herald
SATURDAY, MARCH 17, 2012 11
Davin Rose comes home and is loving it By ROGER HOLSINGER Assistant Editor
At 33, Davin Rose says he’s fortunate to have had so many diverse experiences in his life. When you look at the photographs of the places he’s visited through his young life, it’s like flipping through a National Geographic magazine. But after spending a number of years in the corporate world that included five or six days a week on a corporate jet, the decision to move home was probably one of the easiest. Rose was bor n and raised in Scottsbluff, attended Longfellow Elementar y School and graduated from Scottsbluf f High School in 1997. Following graduation, he attended Adams State College in Alamosa, Colo., on an academic scholarship. Rose said he started in pharmacy school, but an experience in an anatomy class changed that direction. “Part of the class was watching a surger y. But the sights and smells of that was not for me,” he said laughing. “I don’t remember much of it because I passed out. I ended up getting a ‘C’ in that class. The next day I changed my major to education.” The change in major also meant a change in college. Rose transferred to the University of Wyoming and graduated in 2001 with a bachelor’s degree in education with an emphasis in cultural diversity. While at Adams State and UW, Rose said he took advantage of the climbing and repelling oppor tunities in the areas, and while at Adams State, he worked as a climbing instructor and route setter. That work continued when he attended UW. He said he first got inter ested in climbing when he was a Boy Scout. Rose used his degree right away by teaching in Omaha at the Castelar Academy, which was one of many public kindergarten through fifth grade schools in Omaha that targeted specific students. For Rose, his first job was working with students who only spoke Spanish. Rose could not only speak Spanish but could also write and translate the language. For Rose, speaking Spanish came somewhat natural to him as he began hearing the language at a young age while helping his father and grandfather
in the family business, TriState Roofing. He said he began working on roofs when he was 13 and since the majority of Tri-State’s roofing crews spoke Spanish, he began to pick it up. The second language was reinforced in high school and college. But his teaching career was short. After a year it became evident that he would not be able to make ends meet. So he applied with CentiMark, a commercial and industr y roofing company. “I began making $9 an hour as a laborer, but I moved up in the company quickly and ended up being the youngest national account manager they ever had,” he said. For the next 10 years Rose did national sales and marketing for the c o m p a n y. D u r i n g t h a t time, he said he spent five to six days a week on an airplane and tried to handle the demands of the position. “It got to the point where I didn’t like the corporate politics,” he said. “And I missed home. I was watching my nieces growing up through pictures.” During his last year he spent time in Aspen, enjoying the quiet and fresh powder during the winter. Taking a chance, Rose said he and more than 200 others applied for seven positions with the Aspen S k i C o m p a n y. H a v i n g been a snowboarder for years, Rose said he was offered the position and became a snowboard pro for the company doing instruction and guide work for visitors to the resorts. The change allowed Rose to be closer to family and to enjoy the great outdoors. But Rose said he still missed his family. So last year Rose moved home to help Tri-State Roofing. Rose is not flying around the countr y, but that’s fine with him. He said he prefers to be in a business where a handshake can seal the deal and the smiles are genuine. Rose said he does a little of ever ything from managing jobs to ordering supplies. “You have to wear a lot of hats here. There is more reality to this job and a dif ferent style of business. The corporate world left me wanting more.” The business began in 1927 and in the late 1950s, For rest “Rosie” Rose, Davin’s grandfather, purchased the business. Today, Davin’s father, Sam,
Photo by Roger Holsinger
Davin Rose graduated from Scottsbluff High School in 1997 and, like other young people, wanted to leave Scottsbluff and have adventures. Rose did that but said he also learned that Scottsbluff is not so bad. He is now helping his father with the roofing business, which has been in the family since the 1950s.
r uns the business that covers Nebraska, Wyoming and South Dakota with an office in Alliance and a warehouse in Chadron. “I prefer it here,” Rose said. “The integrity you put in here goes further and I am also able to do more in the community. I am a huge fan of the arts.” Rose is also teaching repelling and self rescue safety classes this month a t We s t e r n N e b r a s k a Community College this month for people working on wind turbines. He also helped raise funds and awareness about cancer by participating in the annual American Cancer Society Hope on the Slopes in Breckenridge, Colo. He said this year would mark the four th year he and his team have taken part in the fundraiser. The event was Feb. 25 and the number of r uns made by skiers and snowboarders See ROSE, page 12
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12 SATURDAY, MARCH 17, 2012
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Star-Herald
Courtesy photos
ABOVE LEFT:With his knowledge of climbing, Rose is teaching repelling and self rescue safety classes at Western Nebraska Community College for people working on wind turbines. Here, Rose, left, works with Brian Zitterkopf. ABOVE RIGHT: Rose said he loves the outdoors and is an accomplished snowboarder and climber. Here he is shown taking a break while snowshoeing in the mountains of Utah. LEFT: Rose said he feels fortunate that he has been able to travel and explore many places. Here he is exploring Machu Picchu located in the Cusco Region of Peru, South America. Rose said while he enjoyed traveling and living the corporate life, he hated watching his nieces growing up through photographs.
ROSE: Prefers it here Continued from page 11 raised funds. “It is always a great time and for a really good cause,” he said. So what is ahead for Rose? He said he hopes marriage and children. He said he met his girlfriend, Heather Listermann, while he was living in Aspen and that Heather is taking classes at WNCC. He also said he’d like to see a fourth generation of Rose working at the family business. With all that he’s done in his life, Rose said what he enjoys most is helping people. “I get a lot out of that and I like staying busy. I’m not good at sitting. But getting to come back and work with my dad has been phenomenal. “When you’re young, you want to be anywhere but here (Scottsbluff), but then you find out here is not so bad,” Rose said.
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Star-Herald
SATURDAY, MARCH 17, 2012 13
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14 SATURDAY, MARCH 17, 2012
Star-Herald
CASA director, volunteers give a voice to children By KAY GROTE For the Star Herald
Many children in our community need advocacy. They need people to listen and understand their fears, hopes and dreams. The need is especially crucial when the life of a child is affected by family circumstances or the absence of a parent or parents. Volunteers in the Scotts Bluff County Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) program fill that need. But the challenge is finding enough volunteers to fill the advocacy needs of these children. Kathy Welfl, director of the county’s CASA program, said people who have the heart to serve are urged to step up, get trained and get engaged in the lives of children affected by abuse, neglect or broken homes. “Advocates for CASA are very special people,� Welfl said. “They do it all on their own time. It’s all donated. They are volunteers, and they become a very special part of these children’s lives because they’re a voice for the child in court. They’re the eyes and ears of the judge outside of the courtroom.� Welfl explained that CASA volunteers are specially trained adults who speak in court for the best interests of the abused and neglected. Children helped by CASA volunteers include those for whom home placement is being determined in the juvenile court. All of the children are victims of abuse and neglect. “It’s really hard sometimes to understand what these children are going through,� Welfl said. “Sometimes they don’t even know. We help be their voice. We advocate for them and let the judge know directly what is happening in their lives.� CASA volunteers are appointed to a case by the judge, and the volunteer’s goal is to provide a carefully researched background of the child to help the court make a sound decision about the child’s future. The CASA volunteer must determine if it is in a child’s best interests to stay with his or her parents or guardians, be placed in foster care, or be freed for permanent adoption. The CASA volunteer makes a recommendation on placement and follows through on the case until it is permanently resolved. “It is the job of the CASA volunteer to meet regularly with the child in their placement and take notes about
the physical and emotional condition of the child,� Welfl said. “Or if they are in school, how they are doing in their studies. The CASA volunteer, essentially, fills out the file on the child, observing and citing all the positives and negatives, and provides that to the judge in the case.� Advocates become eligible to be assigned to court cases once they have completed 30 hours of training. Welfl said two advocate trainings are being planned for March and April. Once trained, advocates are assigned a case and work with a team of representatives from Health and Human Services, the child’s appointed attorney and parents or foster parents. The goal of the team is to work on behalf of the child to keep them stable and safe, engaged in school and other family and community connections, and essentially walk with them through the court process until the case is decided. CASA advocates maintain a case file for the child with written reports that are submitted as evidence in child welfare cases. Welfl said advocates could also be a valuable asset to parents as they try to overcome alcohol or drug use, or remove themselves from abusive relationships. CASA volunteers remain assigned to a child for the life of the case and are often the only stable factor in what can be a frightening and difficult ordeal of trials and placements for a child in the court system. Judi Freouf is one of 18 active CASA volunteers serving 45 children in the Scotts Bluff County court system. Scotts Bluff County Judge James Worden swore her in in November 2010. Freouf volunteered with a heart for helping children after her retirement. “I had heard a lot about the program and knew that it was important,� she said. Freouf said she has been challenged by the task of being an advocate for very young children. “I’ve had babies and it’s difficult because when children can not tell you what they are experiencing, there is a lot of observation involved,� she said. “But it’s also rewarding because you can see them grow and develop and the parents want to do everything they can to get them back.� What has also made the CASA experience rewarding is sharing her passion for child advocacy with her
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daughter, Missy Iasillo, who was also sworn in on the same day. “We signed up at the same time, but neither of us knew the other had signed up,� she said with a smile. “We have the same heart for children.� Freouf said over time she has gained more confidence in her abilities be an effective advocate. “It’s not a fun job, but is it rewarding,� she said. “The most rewarding is when the parents have made the effort to do everything the judge has asked of them and the family is reunited. Through it all, the children love their parents, no matter what.� Welfl has been CASA’s director for the past 15 months. Prior to that she served other non-profit entities including the Riverside Zoo and the United Way. She said she loves serving for non-profit organizations and working with volunteers. She said the position also satisfies her passion for children’s welfare. “I’ve always felt a compassion for people,� she said. “This has been a good fit for me.� Welfl’s duties require her to coordinate new and current advocates. She attends volunteer meetings each month and helps advocates attend training meetings at the local and state levels. “Advocates require 12 hours of continuing education each year, so I help them full-fill those requirements,� she said. “I try very hard to make the program accommodating to the volunteers because they are so crucial to the success of the program. I feel like we have a very good rapport with each other.� Welfl also assists with fundraising, grant writing and public relations. Recently, Scotts Bluf f County CASA program received $5,000 from two area corporate supporters. TEAM Toyota of Scottsbluff and Toyota’s Corporate Division in Kansas City donated $2,500 each. Kent Holub, CEO of TEAM Toyota, called the organization a great advocate for neglected and abused children in the courts. CASA Board President Katie Camacho said the added funding would support programs for volunteers. According to Welfl, the
Photo by Kay Grote
Scotts Bluff County CASA director Kathy Welfl, left, and CASA volunteer Judi Freouf, work as advocates for children affected by neglect, abuse or broken homes. Both say the job’s greatest satisfaction is helping children and their families achieve permanency in a safe and stable home.
CASA program has been in Nebraska, with 22 offices, for over 20 years. It has been active in Scotts Bluff County since 1996. In the past year,
active CASA appointees have served 160 children in Scotts Bluff County. She said children who have a CASA volunteer achieve per-
manency, which is a safe home where they can thrive, an average of four months sooner than children without a CASA volunteer.
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Pride
Star-Herald
SATURDAY, MARCH 17, 2012 15
Photos by Kay Grote
ABOVE: Kathy Kropuenske has served as Keep Scottsbluff Gering Beautiful executive director since 1998. As a speaker, she remains passionate about community beautification, litter prevention and waste reduction and recycling. LEFT: Over the past several years the KSGB Adopt-A-Highway mini-grant program assisted area youth groups with fundraising. The program was trimmed this year because of KSGB budget constraints.
KSGB still project-driven after 32 years By KAY GROTE For the Star Herald
After 32 years of chasing litterbugs, beautifying communities and recycling old “stuf f”, Keep Scottsbluf f Gering Beautiful remains committed to its mission. The concepts seem simple: keep things neat and reduce-reuse-recycle. But for KSGB Executive Director Kathy Kropuenske, the “doing” is secondary to “educating.” “People need to understand why we need to do these things,” said Kropuenske with a passionate flare in her eyes. “We can recycle all we want, we can clean up and beautify, but if people don’t understand why it’s so important to do these things, we can’t sustain the efforts.” Kropuenske has long been known as the “keep it clean” queen. She has a natural passion for doing the right things related to stewardship; a trait developed from her rural South Dakota roots. Kropuenske has been KSGB’s director since 1998 when the 18-year-old Clean Communities Commission was just in the process of gaining Keep America Beautiful affiliation. At that time CCC, which later became KSGB, was focused on litter prevention and community beautification. Once affiliated with Keep America Beautiful, the focus shifted to education efforts and waste reduction. Kropuenske spearheaded the popular Pick Up Your Butts campaign for cigarette litter prevention and later the Green is Good for Business campaign thr ough the Scottsbluff/Gering United Chamber’s Valley Visions group. Through the Green is Good drive shared with KSGB Board member Jennifer Hoevet, Kropuenske educated area business owners that a clean community is good for economic development. “We tried to educate business people that they will not attract customers if the
community is not clean, orderly and prideful in appearance,” she said. In addition to championing the charge for cleaner communities, Kropuenske is also recognized for her work and success in acquiring grant funding and donations to keep the nonprofit KSGB going year after year. In recent years, more of her time and efforts have been wrapped up in administrative paperwork to maintain the Keep America Beautiful affiliation and writing grants and soliciting donations to cover a $102,000 budget keep to the recycling programs available. “In the past couple of years I have had to go out more and get the money,” she said. “The response to our newer recycling programs like the electronics and pharmaceutical takeback programs has been great.” The pharmaceutical takeback program started in 2007 and has been growing rapidly since. “We started with collection of 600 pounds and last year collected 2,000 pounds of pills,” Kropuenske said. “It was shocking to see the volume of pills brought in, which convinced me this is a valuable service.” In 2011, Keep Scottsbluff Gering Beautiful collected, recycled and properly disposed of 57,000 pounds of electronics, 1,600 pounds of bike frames, 1,241 gallons of paint, and 109 gallons of used oil. Kropuenske quickly points out that these programs require money to operate. “I can’t of fer the programs if the money is not there to pay for them,” she said. Kropuenske explained that the annual electronics collection requires approximately $8,000 and the pharmaceutical requires an investment of approximately $12,000. She cites the rising cost of transportation to take the large volume of collected pharmaceuticals to a collection and recycling
center in the western United States. Of KSGB’s total annual budget, $75,000 of that comes each year from a combination of three separate grants including a major contribution from the state Department of Environmental Quality. A 75
percent local match is required to receive the state grant. Approximately $3,200 is generated from annual memberships and another $3,500 was raised through a golf tournament. In addition, this year the North Platte Natural Resources District has agreed to provide $4,000 to help support the Pharmaceutical Take Back Day, which last year resulted in the proper disposal of a ton of prescription drugs. Kropuenske said this program is vital for protecting against ground water contamination. “People should not be flushing their pills and unused prescriptions,” she said, explaining that the NRD’s support will help protect the local community’s groundwater quality. Despite her energy and knowledge in seeking continued funding for recycling, Kropuenske says her first love as KSBG director is education. “I’d much rather be out educating kids and adults than anything else,” she said. “The younger kids especially need to know why we don’t need so much stuff and why we need to keep electronics and pharmaceuticals out of our landfills and water.” While Kropuenske is KSGB’s only full-time employee, she gets assistance from two part-time employees, Jan and Curt Curtright. Kropuenske calls
them dedicated and reliable. “Because a bulk of my time now is spent on paperwork, Jan helps me get to the schools to educate students,” she said. “And Curt is our household battery recycling program expert.” The Curtrights also head up the summer Golden Spade Award program and attend area expos and events promoting KSGB’s programs. Kropuenske is also quick to point to the efforts of other volunteers and team players in her circle, including Jennifer and Doug Hoevet, Susan Wiedeman, the KSGB Board members and countless community and business leaders. Volun-
teers and community leaders are key to helping KSGB offer the upcoming events including free landfill days, a cleanup day at the Scotts Bluff National Monument, an electronics collection day, an Earth Day
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16 SATURDAY, MARCH 17, 2012
Pride
Star-Herald
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