MICHAEL
Blasdell is a Community Health Worker at Evergreen, working through the Ryan White Emerging Communities grant. “My goal is to engage or reengage gay men and MSM living with HIV who aren’t currently receiving treatment,” said Michael. “This is a group of people with specific needs when it comes to healthcare or related services, and my job is to help address those needs.” The “related services” Michael speaks of can include a variety of things such as help with appointment reminders, program orientation, serving as a peer escort, service plan implementation, monitoring and follow-up contact. “Our focus is on improving medical outcomes for our patients,” said Michael. “And helping them achieve viral suppression.” Outreach is another big part of Michael’s job. He can often be found at health and wellness fairs, college campuses, LGBTQ bars or even in the lobby here at Evergreen Health, linking patients to health education. Michael has been on the Evergreen staff for two years, but his connection with the agency goes back well over a decade. “I came to Evergreen about 13 years ago with a friend who was afraid to get tested,” said Michael. “He didn’t want to come alone and I wanted to offer him support.” That was Michael’s first experience with
Evergreen, but he soon learned that the agency is a safe, secure presence in the LGBTQ community. Now Michael helps to create that same safe, secure environment for others. “I get a lot of satisfaction knowing that the people I work with are doing, living and feeling the best they can,” said Michael. “I get a rush knowing I’ve helped someone in need, and by them knowing they’re not alone in this life-long journey.” Michael and the entire outreach team are in fact having a tremendous impact on the community as a whole. “The stigma is being broken piece by piece, day by day, minute by minute, person by person,” said Michael. “I have a quote by Aaron Laxton that I look at every day and share as often as I can. ‘HIV is not a death sentence, but it is a life sentence.’” Doing difficult work means facing difficult challenges, but Michael doesn’t let obstacles stand in his way. “To be honest, the biggest challenge I face with my job is not being able to “cure” everyone I interact with,” said Michael. “But I never get too discouraged. I’m one of a multitude of amazing people here at Evergreen that make our patients the happiest they can be and help them live their lives to the fullest. Evergreen is one of the most amazing voyages I’ve ever been on. This is the greatest ride of my life and I’m buckled up and in it for the long haul. Not only do I get to wake up and help people, I
get to wake up and work with some the most amazing human beings ever created. This is a job that isn’t a job. I love everything about Evergreen and everyone I work with.” Michael was born in Ft. Myers, Florida. “I was adopted five days later by the most amazingly caring and loving individuals, Jack and Mary Blasdell.” Michael admits that his childhood was hectic at times. “My parents had not only adopted four children from four different families, but they also vowed to try and help every child in need and became foster parents. They‘ve helped over 700 children since they were first married 38 years ago.” Now we know where Michael gets his love for helping others. In his spare time, Michael enjoys running, singing, dancing, acting in theatre, gymnastics, cheerleading, being with friends and caring for and riding his horses. “I’m a very active person,” said Michael. “And I don’t plan on slowing down any time soon!” Does he have anything else to say? Yes, he does. “I’d like to thank each and every one of the beautifully amazing individuals that I have the pleasure of knowing as well as those I have not met (yet) for everything you do for this fabulous community, as well as making it feel like I’m home with the most wonderful chosen family anyone could ask for. YAAAAAASSSSS!!!!” Connections
April is Celebrate Diversity Month In April, we recognize Celebrate Diversity Month! Started in 2004, Celebrate Diversity Month recognizes and honors the diversity surrounding us all. By celebrating similarities and differences we can get a deeper understanding of each other. - Ekua Mends-Aidoo
Birthdays Lauren Siegler........................ April 1 Erin Fleckenstein................... April 2 Rosemary Roche..................... April 3 William Sandora-Nastyn......... April 3 Heidi Buesink......................... April 6 Laurie Matson........................ April 7 Dale Kingston......................... April 7 Sarah Conboy......................... April 7 Paula Brudo-Jurek.................. April 8 Julie Rapp.............................. April 9 Roy Golia............................... April 10 Melissa Mayhew..................... April 11 Kelly Craig............................. April 11 Nicole Dommer...................... April 13 Renee Hartson....................... April 13 Ruby Orcutt............................ April 15 Taylor Ingram........................ April 16 Maria LoTempio..................... April 17 John Argo............................... April 17 Rashaun Nelson..................... April 18 Elise Robinson....................... April 19 Chad Pautler.......................... April 19 Melissa Talbett....................... April 19 Kristen Rickey........................ April 19 Andrew DiRienzo................... April 19 Giovanna Gasbarre................. April 19 Niseishka Arroyo.................... April 20 Andrea Ace............................ April 21 Cameron Schraufstetter.......... April 21 Kimberly Harding................... April 23 Jorge Heredia......................... April 23 Marielena Camacho................ April 25 Elijah Jimerson....................... April 25 Alex McGann.......................... April 25 Carinne Medley...................... April 29 Jamie Keuck........................... April 29 Lawrence Nowell.................... April 29 Jacob Cole.............................. April 30 Cherrelle King........................ April 30
Anniversaries Charles Smith............................... 1 year Ryan Trubits................................. 1 year Jennifer DeMarsh......................... 1 year Gary Nigro................................... 1 year Gloria Kornowski.......................... 1 year Jacob Cole.................................... 1 year Carinne Medley............................ 1 year Michael Blasdell........................... 2 years Charles Hunt................................ 2 years Tamara Strong.............................. 2 years Kimberly Johnson Brown.............. 4 years Ian Schunk................................... 4 years Julie Falk...................................... 4 years Katherine Kawa............................ 5 years Michael Lee................................. 5 years Jacquelyn Dixon........................... 6 years Bennett Shepilov.......................... 6 years Matthew John Pasquarella............. 15 years Toni Hernandez............................ 22 years
We don’t think anyone was surprised when the first Evergreen Association Spirit Award was presented to Linda Colburn at the Huddle last month. Linda’s positive attitude and compassion for our staff and patients alike are perfect examples of what Evergreen spirit is all about. Connections would also like to give a shout out to everyone who was nominated for the Spirit Award. Your hard work and dedication change lives for the better every day, and you are much appreciated!
Connections
The Evergreen Association protects its employees from adverse action when they do the right thing and report sexual harassment, discrimination, fraud, conflicts of interest or any genuine concern. Employees who take FMLA, PFLA, are whistleblowers or participate in internal investigations are also protected. Rest assured, no one at any level of the organization is permitted to engage in retaliation or any form of harassment or intimidation against an employee reporting a genuine concern or engaging in legally protected activity. What is retaliation? Sometimes it’s hard to tell. For example, you complain about your supervisor’s harassing conduct and now the supervisor acts more professionally towards you and isn’t as friendly as they once were. Is this retaliation? No. Only changes that have an adverse effect on your employment are retaliatory. What kinds of acts can have an adverse effect on your employment? There are obvious ones like a demotion, unwarranted discipline, firing, salary reduction or job or shift reassignment. But sometimes retaliatory acts can be more subtle. Maybe you received an unexpected and unfair poor performance review, maybe your supervisor is now micromanaging everything you do or you have suddenly been excluded from staff meetings on a project you’ve been working on. Courts have even found that a combination of small adverse actions, when considering the employee’s specific situation, can equal retaliation. Whether it’s obvious retaliation or not, if you believe that you’ve been retaliated against or have witnessed someone being retaliated against for raising a genuine concern or engaging in legally protected activity, Evergreen wants to know. We will investigate. You can report retaliation to your supervisor, your department head, HR, Corporate Compliance or through the Compliance Helpline at 716-541-0663. - David Haefner, Esq.
AIDS Walk Buffalo
Hoyt Lake at Delaware Park Saturday, May 5, 2018
Spring is finally here, and no, that’s not an April Fool’s prank. What better way to celebrate than to join Team Evergreen at this year’s AIDS Walk? This year’s Walk will take place at Hoyt Lake in Delaware Park on Saturday, May 5. The event is an incredible way to remember where we come from as an Association while supporting the great work that we all do. Last year our team raised more than $10,000 and we hope that you will help us beat that figure. Sign up instructions are below. And stay tuned for more announcements about AIDS Walk via email and the intranet. Thanks Team Evergreen! We look forward to seeing you on May 5! Your Co-captains, Ekua and Mike Instructions for signing up for Team Evergreen: • • • • • • •
Head to aidswalkbuffalo.org and click “Join a Team” Click “Join as a New Participant” Search for “Team Evergreen” Click “Join Team” Use password “Evergreen123” Begin walker registration If you have any questions or concerns, please email our Event and Volunteer Coordinator, Rachel Voelkle-Kuhlmann via Outlook.
My nickname is Doodlebug. I got it when I was a toddler because I liked to doodle and scribble all over any surface I could find, including walls. And I was little like a bug. As I got older, Doodle dropped (for the most part) and now everyone in my family just calls me Bug. — Lindsey Kelly w My nickname is Kiki and I got it from my nephew Robert when he was little and couldn’t pronounce Katee. I’ve been Kiki to my entire family for 8 years now! — Kaitlyn Gately (note: see a photo of Robert and Aunt Kiki in this issue) w MattCH. A friend who didn’t want to write out my full name wrote it as an abbreviation in 2005, while he was volunteering at the
Yolanda Sims Honored
pronouncing it. — Matthew Crehan Higgins w I came home from
Kudos to Yolanda Sims, who was recently presented with the Dr. Nicholas Rango Award in Albany. The award is named for the former Director of the New York State Department of Health, A IDS Institute.
school one day and my brother started calling me Rel. It stuck.
Great Job Yolanda!
Pride Center. I started signing emails with it, then it became my written signature, then when I came here people actually started
Over the years I’ve asked him dozens of times why, and his answer is always the same. “You’re just a Rel, that’s all.” — John Carocci
Here’s a list of everyone who got a high-five between February 17 and March 16 >>
A Andrea Ace A Billy Sandora-Nastyn A Courtney Rhines A Danielle Shaw A David Haefner A Drew DiRienzo A Emma Fabian A Gloria Kornowski A Jacqueline Brink A Jeffrey Santiago A Jessie Dorman A Josh Matecki A Kim Clarke A Lauren Voelkle A Linda Colburn A Lorraine Cullis A Maria Cruz A Michael Blasdell A Nicole D’addario A Richard Smiley A Rose Serrano A Theresa Woehrel A Veronica Valazquez A Xavier Washington
Buffalo Business First has recognized Evergreen as one of the Best Places to Work in Western New York for 2018. We placed second in the Extra Large category, which is for organizations with 250 or more employees. This matches our second place win in 2017 along with multiple top five showings in the past, so this award is clearly not a fluke! Winners are determined based on analysis of data collected from surveys taken by each organization’s employees. Watch for the next Best Places to Work survey coming at the end of this year.
Connections
WHILE
the vast majority of custodial issues are handled by the Facilities team, there are still some areas of personal and departmental responsibility to keep in mind. Two areas of focus are personal desk/workspace areas and communal break/ kitchen areas. An American Dietetic Association survey found that 83 percent of American office workers eat at their desk on a regular basis. Unfortunately, only 36 percent of those polled clean their desk and computer area on a weekly basis. This greatly increases the risk of contracting a foodborne illness. A study conducted at the University of Arizona found that desktops can contain one-hundred times more bacteria than a kitchen table, and, shockingly, four hundred times more than a toilet seat! Our team will do some cleaning of work surfaces, but if you’d like additional approved cleaning supplies, we can provide them to you. Remember, the Staff Lounge is a great place to meet a friend for lunch. Another area that’s often overlooked is kitchen or break spaces. While some areas have reusable cutlery and dishes the custodial team is not responsible for cleaning them after use. Some areas have a
dishwasher, which can be used on an as needed basis. Otherwise we ask that you take care of any dishes in a timely manner. The custodial team isn’t responsible for maintaining the interior of any common area refrigerators. Recommended temperatures are forty degrees Fahrenheit or below for the refrigerator portion, and zero for the freezer. If you’re aware of any perishable food that has been in the refrigerator for over a week, inquire with co-workers, and remove it if necessary. Should a buildup of leftovers occur, supervisors of the area are encouraged to develop a schedule for routine removal and cleaning of the refrigerator as a shared responsibility. Any liquids should be emptied into sinks, and then rinsed down the drain. When this is done, please alert Facilities with a ticket beforehand, so that we can be sure to remove all the additional refuse before the end of that day. Lastly, any refrigerators that are used for testing or medical supplies should never be used to store food or drink of any kind, and vice versa. If we follow these simple guidelines we can limit our exposure to harmful bacteria and maintain a clean environment. As always, please do your best to mention these discussion topics in your center meetings, and if you have any questions contact a member of the Facilities team.