My favorite costume is the leopard outfit that I wore last year. — Tatesha Russell s I’ve always wanted to do a cheesy Al and Peg Bundy costume. I think this is my year! — Shannon Curry s My favorite costumes, hands down, are Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn. But really, I find any cos-play costumes really cool and interesting. — Michelle Santos s Best costume ever was Vivan Ward from Pretty Woman. — Mindi Mietlicki s My favorite Halloween costume was from 3rd grade. My mom somehow got her hands on a gigantic crayon box that she rigged so I could get inside. They made me look like a purple crayon. It was awesome, and won all kinds of awards. — Nichole Frank s My favorite Halloween costume ever is when I crafted Link from The Legend of Zelda. It was complete with foam-core shield, cardboard sword, tunic that was hot glued together and hat! Best part: I’m recreating the costume to wear this year! — Lindsay Zasada s I’m not one for dressing up on Halloween after a year in college when I was Raul Duke and my sweaty roommate was Dr. Gonzo from Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. — Grant Rogers s My ladyfriend and I dressed up as Tyler Durden and Marla Singer from “Fight Club”. In our own clothes. — Jakob Willoughby
Milestones Birthdays Erik Ponce...................................... November 2 Lavine Corp.................................... November 3 Marlyn Moore................................ November 5 Susan Fiedler.................................. November 8 Bennett Everett.............................. November 8 Angela Palmer................................ November 10 Kevin Bidtah................................... November 10 Saw Min......................................... November 11 Jessica Lehsten............................... November 11 Debora Johnson............................. November 13 Shari DeMarco............................... November 18 Tayrin Torres................................... November 18 Elisa Luciano................................... November 23 Kathryn Diebold............................. November 25 Lidia Kendrick................................. November 25 Katherine Kawa.............................. November 26 Carlos Paulino................................ November 28 Ezekiel Goodwin............................. November 30
Anniversaries Bridget McClain................................13 years Brian Planty.......................................9 years Cortney Anderson............................9 years Courtney Rhines...............................9 years Ileana Hernandez.............................3 years Samantha Gaerte.............................2 years Marielena Camacho.........................2 years Carlos Paulino...................................1 year Dawn Trotter.....................................1 year Your Continued Dedication and Hard Work Are Noticed and Appreciated - Management Team
What do you do here at Evergreen? Officially, I’m the AVP of Facilities Planning. In reality, I run around construction sites, inspect buildings, and try to build faster than we grow — which, as I am quickly learning, is almost impossible. But, it’s really fun to try! What’s the craziest part of your job? All of the one-off things that happen. From day to day, you aren’t sure what’s going to happen on site or what project we’re going to start. And, with so many contractors and players in each of our projects, the personalities are all over the place. But, I like the pace and — for the most part — the uncertainty; it makes every day different and exciting. How is urban planning different at Evergreen than other places? I come from working for the State. There is a lot less paperwork here! We make quick decisions, and we really think about what’s best for the clients and staff. I’ve worked some places that didn’t take the end user into account. I think that’s what I appreciate most at Evergreen: we have the best intentions, and try to make the best decisions for everyone. If you could do another job for one day, what would you do? I’m actually really creative. I took some classes in Interior Design, and would love to just design houses, and play with fabric and finish samples all day. That’s the fun part of building — concrete samples are much less exciting. Pepsi or Coke? Hmmmm… neither! I really love Wegmans flavored fizzy water. What’s your favorite movie-watching snack? Red Vines licorice is my absolute favorite or some combination of salty and sweet — like popcorn and M&Ms. What celebrity has the most annoying speaking voice? This is a tough one. I feel like most people would think Bobcat Goldwaithe or Fran Drescher, but I think their voices were part of them as character actors. I might have to go with Kim Kardashian and the whole Southern California vocal fry group. Vocal fry just always sounds like you’re trying to be unimpressed with everything. What’s your favorite fashion accessory? (We know it’s a hardhat.) Hardhats, of course. But, really, I love jewelry — like big obnoxious cocktail rings. I wear them a lot less now that my son is obsessed with grabbing things, but they are still my favorite. I’m also obsessed with flats; you’ll never see me in heels. C
Clockwise from Top Left: Tayrin’s boys are growing so fast; Tatesha Russell shows off her baking skills; the world’s best apple picker photographed by Krista Fenske; Mindi Mietlicki and her nephews at Becker Farms; Olivia and Sue Fiedler at Drama Camp Dinner Theater; Matthew Crehan Higgins and Chris Miller crossing the finish line at the Braking AIDS Ride; it’s nap time for Jimi Konidis and Kirby; Melissa Lorenzo’s puppy is all ready for Halloween!
A
topic of growing concern at Evergreen is possible exposure to bed bugs. The Facilities Team has conducted extensive research, speaking with pest removal specialists and studying plans developed by other providers. We’re in the final stages of developing a plan for cases of exposure. Given the nature of our business and the communities that we serve, it is possible that some of our clients will have been exposed to bed bugs. It falls upon us to treat those clients with care and respect, just as we would in any other situation. At the same time, we must also be mindful of our own potential risk. With a proactive
strategy of education, preventive measures, and integrated pest management, we should be able to serve our clients safely and effectively, while protecting ourselves adequately. The first, and most important, step in this process is to not panic. Bed bugs do not jump or fly, and are visible to the naked eye at all points of their life cycle. They pose no direct health risk to humans for communicable disease, though some people have adverse reactions to their bites. They will typically only be active nocturnally. There are five larval stages, and at each point they must feed. Only when they reach adulthood are they able to
breed, and they must feed again in order to give birth. The fact that that nobody is at our locations overnight proves to be a great aid in prevention and detection for us. Second, if you suspect you’ve come in contact, finish addressing the needs of the client. If possible, try to work with them in an area that can be closed off from larger areas, minimize their time in waiting areas, and limit their travel through the building. Additionally, try to meet in an area that is clutter-free. Afterward, alert a member of the facilities staff, noting paths of travel, areas of visitation, and severity of the instance. At that point the incident will be logged for future monitoring. We will then dispatch an available team member to thoroughly vacuum the affected area, and conduct additional treatment if needed. It is important to not remove furniture and other articles from potentially affected areas, as this may spread the issue further. After reviewing the log, we can investigate any continuing issues. Because our clients may have compromised immune systems, and we have to have a quick client turnaround time in most areas, it is of the utmost importance that we attack the situation in a timely — and nonchemical — manner. Included, as part of the proposed plan, is a great deal of information on mitigating pests, which we can share with clients and help everyone involved. As always, feel free to contact me or any Facilities Team member with any questions. Bed bugs are an unfortunate reality that we have to confront due to the nature of our business. That being said, with proper education, communication, targeted response, and documentation, we should be able to all decrease our risk of having our buildings, ourselves, and our clients being negatively affected by the pests. Most importantly, we should strive to maintain the same level of care and compassion for our clients on this issue as we do every other. C
Clockwise from Top Left: Nichole Frank is decorating for Halloween; Autumn splendor in Cattaraugus County photographed by Josh McClain; Tip Tank and Dude submitted by Grant Rogers; Liz AnnMiller’s dog plays with a bird; meet Giovanna Gasbarre’s friend Rudy
Most don’t know this about me, but my geek passion is comic books and
comic book movies... movies in general. — Richard Fleurant p I secretly like
Comic-Con, and find those weird adventure/fighting card games interesting. — Tatesha Russell p Research. I have a borderline hoarding problem! — Shannon
Curry p Video Games and Manga Comics, thanks to Jasiel — however, he’s more of a geek than I am. He’s also geeky about Pokémon, like REALLY geeky. He does competitions and online battles on YouTube. — Michelle Santos p I’m really geeky about Ariel/Little Mermaid — Mindi Mietlicki p I’m SUPER geeky about space and metaphysics. I love to wax metaphysical about what reality
could possibly mean in the context of our vast universe. Are we in a quantum
realm? A bubble universe? Are we one fractal of an infinite number of possible
dimensions?!!! The possibilities are endless. — Lindsay Zasada p Star Wars.
Nobody loves it more than me, and yes that is a challenge. — Grant Rogers p My
geek passion is anything and everything superhero or sci-fi. I’ve been collecting
comics since I was a kid, and I’ve never missed a Marvel movie in theaters, except Fantastic Four — Jeffrey Santiago p Subcultures. I’m a geek for geeks. I love
seeing when people are zealous about a subject, and figuring out why they feel
that way. — Jakob Willoughby p Planets. The recent photographs from Mars and especially Pluto (it’s still a planet to me!) have me hypnotized. — John Carocci
Clockwise from Top: Magali’s daughter celebrates her quinceanera with family and friends; Mindi Mietlicki channels her inner Julia Roberts; sailor girl says “cheese” for Uncle John Carocci; Tatesha Russell in her favorite Halloween costume ever!
Evergreen’s Corporate Compliance Hotline
When Should You Use It? (And Just As Importantly, When Shouldn’t You?)
Corporate Compliance is a top priority at Evergreen, but it can be a complex subject, and understanding the various rules and regulations isn’t always easy. Fortunately, help is available if you need advice about an ethical issue, or want to report a potential violation. You know about the Corporate Compliance Hotline (CCH), a dedicated phone number for confidential reports of possible misconduct. Often, however, people call the CCH with questions that have nothing to do with ethics or compliance issues. Here are some examples of when you should use the CCH, and when it might be better to use other agency resources. Case One: Bonnie’s Bennies Bonnie is trying to plan a vacation, but she’s not sure how many vacation days she has accrued. Someone suggests she call the CCH to find out. Is that correct? Ok, this one’s easy. The answer is NO. Information about benefits – time off, payroll deductions, healthcare benefits, etc. – can be found on Evergreen’s ADP employee portal, where you fill out your time sheets. If you can’t find the information you need on the ADP portal, speak to your supervisor or a Human Resources representative. Now, let’s try a more difficult scenario. Case Two: Snoopy Stranger You observe a stranger loitering in the hallway. He seems to be trying to follow staff members through a locked door into a private wing of the building. Should you report this to the CCH? Again, the answer is NO. He could be a threat to the security of our building, our employees, and our clients and guests. The CCH would only suggest that you contact security immediately to report what you’ve seen. It may even be
appropriate for you to call 911 if the person appears to pose a potential or immediate threat of violence. Case Three: Edgy Ed Your department is working under a tight deadline, and everyone is feeling anxious. Ed, one of your co-workers, has been particularly edgy, and this morning he snapped at you for not having completed some paperwork, which in turn delayed his work. What should you do about this situation? Ed may have been rude, but his behavior is fairly common in a short-term stressful situation. Your best course of action is to acknowledge Ed’s impatience, saying something like, “I know you’re anxious about the deadline. I promise I’ll have the report to you as soon as I can.” If Ed’s behavior made you feel unsafe or personally threatened, you should contact security. If his behavior is chronic, and he snaps at you and others on a regular basis, then you may want to speak to your supervisor or contact the CCH for advice. Ok, now here’s a real toughie. Case Four: A Go or A No? A vendor invites you to a concert while you’re attending a training conference in another city. You know people from various companies will be there as guests of this vendor. The tickets are expensive, and you’re not sure if it’s proper to accept the invitation. This is the kind of question you should direct to the CCH, because it involves a potential conflict of interest. The CCH will help you evaluate whether the concert is a social event that legitimately improves professional relations, or if the concert tickets would be an inappropriate gift that could improperly influence future dealings with the vendor.
Never hesitate to call the CCH with any ethical issue or question. Issues to be reported immediately include suspected or observed fraud, harassment, discrimination, or any illegal activities. However, many other issues can be resolved through another company resource. Before you make the call, take a moment to consider which company resource will serve you best. Here are some more examples. “I suspect a co-worker is being sexually harassed by a former co-worker. Should I call the CCH about this issue?” Yes. You should urge your co-worker to contact the CCH directly, but if he or she refuses to do so, you have a responsibility to report this situation. “I asked my supervisor how long I should keep a certain file. She gave me an answer, but I had the feeling she wasn’t sure, either. What should I do now?” Call the CCH. They will verify your supervisor’s suggestion, or put you in touch with the appropriate company resource to answer your question. “I received a call from a client threatening damage to our facility if their problem wasn’t resolved ASAP. What should I do?” Contact building security and inform them of this threat. If you handle client calls, you should be aware of the agency’s procedures for handling threatening phone calls; contact your supervisor for more information. “I think the performance review my supervisor recently gave to me is unfair. Is there anywhere I can tell my side of the situation?” Yes. Call the Human Resources department. You will be given a private appointment with someone that will evaluate all the facts. You can contact the Corporate Compliance Hotline at 716-541-0663. You can also contact Matthew John Pasquarella, Vice President/CCO, at extension 3318, or at 716-574-5577.
October was National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Breast cancer is the second most common cancer in women. About one in eight American women born today will get breast cancer at some point. The good news is that if found and treated early, many women can survive breast cancer. A mammogram – the screening test for breast cancer – can help find breast cancer early, when it’s easier to treat. Women should perform monthly self-examinations and see a health care provider for a clinical breast exam at least every two years starting in their early 20s. Women age 40 to 49 should talk with their doctor about when to start getting mammograms and how often to get them. Women age 50 to 74 should get a mammogram every two years. Talk to your health care provider about your specific risks, including family history and lifestyle factors. For more information about early detection, visit earlydetectionplan.org.
Do you love the fun of Halloween, but hate all that candy? The average American eats 3.4 pounds of candy around Halloween. Here are some ways you can treat your family to a healthier Halloween. Take a walk to see fall leaves. Watch a Halloween movie. Visit a haunted house. Carve pumpkins. Go on a hayride. Visit a pumpkin patch. Allow kids to trade their candy for fun activities, like a sleepover with friends, or going to a movie. Hand out non-candy treats such as spider rings or Halloween erasers to trick-or-treaters.
Your core refers to the muscles that surround your abdomen and back. A strong core improves posture, prevents injury, and helps keep back pain at bay. A simple, effective way to increase your core strength is by performing planks. Lie face down on the floor. Plant your hands directly under your shoulders, slightly wider than shoulder width apart, as if about to do a push up. Raise your body, keeping your toes firmly planted on the floor. Squeeze your glutes to stabilize your body, being careful not to lock your knees. Focus your gaze about one foot in front of your hands to keep your spine and neck in a neutral position and your head in line with your back. Continue to breathe as you hold the plank position for 20 seconds. As you become more comfortable with this exercise, hold the plank as long as possible without compromising form or breathing
Looking for a quick, healthy snack? Try popcorn! Popcorn is a whole grain, so it’s packed with fiber, and one cup of popcorn only has about 30 calories. Pop the kernels on the stovetop or with an air popper and top with a pinch of salt. For a savory treat, try topping popcorn with herbs, spices, or even a squeeze of lemon juice!
November 1 is the end of Daylight Saving Time. “Fall back” by setting the clock an hour earlier. Get an extra hour of sleep by going to bed at your usual time instead of an hour later. Adults need 7-9 hours of restful sleep to maintain healthy blood pressure and blood sugar levels, control appetite, and sustain healthy immune functions.
$500 IS A LOT OF EXTRA MONEY. WITH $500, YOU COULD BUY $......... 70 12-oz bags of Dunkin Donuts ........... Pumpkin Spice coffee at Target $......... 125 viewings of Hocus Pocus on ........... Amazon Prime $......... 166 cider slushies at Mayer Bros. ........... Cider Mill Store ........... It’s easier than ever to earn ........... $500 from Evergreen’s ........... Employee Referral Program!
Here’s How: 1......... Refer a qualified friend 2......... Rack up your rewards! ........... $100 after referee is ........... employed for 30 days ........... $150 after referee is ........... employed for six months ........... $250 after referee is ........... employed for one year
Don’t Forget! $......... Tell your friend to write ........... your name on their application $......... Fill out the Employee Referral ........... Form, and return it to HR $......... 24 pairs of Polar Feet fleece socks
The Information Technology Department held a drawing, and everyone
Connections
who responded to their recent survey was entered. The grand prize? A beautiful, brand new Apple iMac computer. Below, Andrew Mattle
NOVEMBER 2015
picks the lucky winner out of a bin filled with entries (which were then
PUBLISHER/LAYOUT
recycled!). Opposite: drawing winner Carlos Paulino poses with his
John Carocci
COPY EDITOR
Martha Sawicki
CONTRIBUTORS
Melissa Lorenzo Martha Sawicki Laura Pasquarella Jakob Willoughby
Connections is a monthly newsletter for employees of the Evergreen Association (that’s you). Send suggestions, photos, story ideas, or a friendly hello to John Carocci.
brand new Apple iMac computer. Congratulations, Carlos!
Left: Sarah Gardner researches possible new Evergreen Swag. Below Clockwise: Joseph Ryan submitted this photo of Helen Cacciato and said “it captures what we see in her every day. Helene goes above and beyond for every patient she sees. Here, she’s on one phone with Rite Aid Pharmacy and the other with Dr. G, trying to get a prescription for a patient who needed it badly, right away; Sean Tulumello and
Mike Lee at the PrEP Implementation Program meeting in New York City; Wellness Center clients decorated pumpkins for Halloween; Jakob Willoughby relaxes with Monster. Right: artwork from the Wellness Center’s Art Therapy Group.