Director’s Column
I’m so glad spring is here….Racing, jet skiing, motorcycling, vacationing and sunshine! These are a few of my favorite things…
Things "at the shop" have been very busy. Prospect Place is now open. I am very proud of the staff we’ve acquired and of the great first two young men that have taken residency there; much favorable activity has been developed there so far. Elsewhere in this month’s newsletter is a description of all the terrific work taking place at Hamilton House, truly making that home one of the gems of the neighborhood. Reynolds Group Home now has an advanced group of adolescents that will be generating several outstanding graduates of the program in the near future.
Other significant areas would be the expansion of our Board of Directors up to seven members, and the development of sub-committees to address the areas of finance, building and grounds, community networking and fund raising. In the near future our new members will be introduced. Marathon Youth Services is also pursuing a mental health clinic license and more full time therapists to better serve our clients and our community.
The MYS Racing Program has been excelling as of late with already 3 team victories. One at Marshfield Super Speedway and two at State Park Speedway. Several of our residents have been active "in the pits", and our group has been active in cheering the team on to victories, and even cheering our spins…Our Number 15 racecar representing MYS is going to be featured in a Northwood’s Alliance for Children photomontage in a conference at Tulsa, Oklahoma this month.
Has anyone been tuning in to the fantastic episodes of "Child and Family Focus" on local public access Channel 10 lately? One of our recent guests was the star of DSS, Carolee Fox. This month will feature Honorable Judge Greg Grau, and John Muir Middle School Counselor Bonnie Rudie. Tune in at 7:00 am and 10:30 pm Tuesdays, and 5:30 pm Wednesdays. We’ve had some terrific guests and great discussions. Thanks go out to all of them, and to our future stars as well.
We at Marathon Youth Services look forward to our summertime with camping trips, boating and skiing, jet skiing, fishing, picnic days, some racing, and a whole bunch of sunshine!
Doug Adams, Director

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In the years since 1978 that I have been affiliated with Marathon Youth Services and its parent organization, Weeks’ Family Group Home, I have always been impressed by the dedication and caring displayed by the staff. It goes without saying that they are all well trained, compassionate individuals who feel a strong commitment to the work they do. They also bring with them their own individual interests and talents, often shared with the residents of all three of our facilities.

There is of course, Doug A with his life-long interest in auto racing. He now shares his enthusiasm with the young men, and with the staff. The guys get the chance to work on a race car and a close up look and "the pits" if they would like. The staff gets an opportunity to try their hand at driving each year also. Here Sue M shows off her skills…

Former staff member Joe K was fond of sharing his enthusiasm for fishing and boating with the guys, taking them and other staff to his lake home up north on several occasions. We miss Joe!

But many others, like Sarah, Mike, Scott and Darwin love taking the guys camping and fishing, and are planning several events this summer. Suzanne has generously shared her time and excitement for her broad and varied interests, to include her love of horses and all outdoor activities. We now have staff training to become certified life guards simply so they can take the residents to more swimming opportunities.

Not only are the staff interesting and enthusiastic, but I’m struck by the intellectual level of many of them as well. They so often display flashes of genius in their perceptions and expressions, always sharing their wisdom with residents and their fellow employees. One recent example is a piece written by Rick, coordinator at RGH:

As in all occupational endeavors, all days are good days, some are just better than others. The work we do with our young men and their families is consistently gratifying, as we extract learning opportunities from each interaction and each collision, emerging with what may be argued are among life’s greatest insights to this thing called family. The dynamics of human relations are exposed in nuance and the sublime, appreciation for others often veiled in the battle for control.
The passion for giving of oneself to others is a gift pervasive and deep in this organization. The collaborative efforts of residents, families and staff reap benefits we can often observe, but cannot measure. Though the work is often quite hard, achievement in human terms brings the incentive to continue. To be consistent, to be a resource, to stay the course, even in the face of rejection calls upon the greatest of character, one determined to foster conciliation, kindness, and respect for self and others.
Today, as always, I arrived to work early in the day, to support guys off to school and to resume the coordination of the agenda for their care and personal growth. As I settled in to my grove, preparing for the introductory call of the day, I found my name written on a small scrap of paper, folded and affixed to the phone receiver with tape. I removed it and opened it to find…"Rick-thank’s for all you hard wrok at working with me and I say thank’s to all staff. Love Curt."
The words of this aspiring young man capture the profound emotion and precept on his life that spelling nor punctuation can obscure…Simple, yet with clarity to we who have shared his enormous challenge, endured his rage and admonishment, and each time returned to the plate in his support so he may learn to keep his eye on the ball.
I can only respond in offering OUR thanks to this young man…and all he has given in return…All days are good days…and be assured, it doesn’t get any better than this…
Rick Ferree

As we’re joined by new staff, I have no doubt they will bring with them a new range of abilities, interests and experiences to share with our residents. I’ll keep you posted…

Since Hamilton House became the property of Marathon Youth Services, the work to improve on it has never stopped. Initially, most work was done by staff on their free time, much donated! What started out as a somewhat neglected older house has now turned in to a fine older home; proud to be part of a fine old neighborhood on Wausau’s central eastside. We continue to strive to be the best neighbors we can be, and hopefully are succeeding. Staff has had an opportunity to meet many of the neighbors personally, and to invite them in for a visit. We continue to look for ways to be a good community member.

Staff is very happy with the fully remodeled and updated kitchen!

In recent months, several additional remodeling projects have been completed at Hamilton House. All the windows have now been replaced, a new roof installed and a second bathroom is finishing completion this week. Currently pending are plans to pave the driveway and parking pad, and new siding. Our intention is to keep with the architectural scheme of the neighborhood. I’ll keep our readers updated as we progress, and we continue our invitation for you to come by for a visit.

It was reported last month that we’ve acquired some new staff members at Prospect Place. This month, Larry Austin has agreed to write a brief bio to introduce himself…

My name is Larry Austin, and I’ve been a certified nursing assistant for nineteen years. I’ve worked in hospitals, AODA facilities, mental health facilities, nursing homes, community based residential facilities and home health care. I have worked with adolescents, frail elderly, cerebral palsy patients, suicide risks and developmentally disabled individuals.
God is the first most important one to me, then comes myself, then my family. My family values are very strong, which would include spending time with them, eating meals together, and being there for moral support. Then comes my extended family and I feel it’s just as important to be there for them for whatever reason.
My volunteer experience includes volunteering at a local nursing home with outings, and volunteering in the judicial system with AODA meetings.
My personal goal in life is to keep making a difference in people’s lives. I enjoy working with adolescents and young adults (as I once was one) and I feel that everyone should have a chance to be loved and be shown that someone cares.
God motivates me the most and then seeing people turn their lives around for the better. And, just seeing people happy.
One experience I had in my professional life stands out…One time when I was working with a nursing agency I was sent to work at a hospital. I arrived there early so I was just sitting in the parking lot when a car came flying through. I knew something was wrong, so I ran up to the car and this lady was having a baby! I got help and then we finished the delivery on the sidewalk. They brought the baby up to the unit I was working on a few hours later. It was a great experience, knowing that I helped bring a new life into this world.
Larry Austin, Residential Care Worker

Just another example of the highly qualified and motivated staff we’re fortunate to have at Marathon Youth Services. For more on our staff, see our web sit.