Somerset Home for Temporarily Displaced Children
Jeffrey Fetzko, ACSW, LSW, CFRE
Vol. 2, No. 24, November 18, 2004
The executive director news is published specifically for the employees of the Somerset Home. This issue and past issues of this newsletter are available on our web site at http://www.somersethome.org/main/pages/employee_newsletter.htm.
Happy Thanksgiving!
This is a time for giving thanks and it is important to reflect on the substantial contributions of the staff. Your commitment to serving young people is critical to our capacity to create the environment of caring we are so proud of at Somerset Home. I look forward to celebrating your success at the upcoming holiday events.
The Somerset Home Thanksgiving celebration will be held at the Shelter on Tuesday, November 23rd at 6:00pm. Dinner will be planned and prepared by volunteers from National Starch (the same folks who did it last year). All staff from all programs are invited to attend this festive event.
Run for Runaways - A huge success!
November 6, 2004
A special thank you to all staff members who helped make our 6th Annual Run for Runaways a huge success!! The event had a record breaking year raising over $34,000. From set-up to break-down, staff was on hand to make sure the event ran smoothly. Everyone enjoyed the pre-race National Anthem performed by shelter staff member Katie Smithyman. Even some of the Somerset Home residents participated by volunteering or running on race day. A big thank you to Tierney, Tracey, Ellen and Melissa for going the extra mile and thanks again to everyone for making this a banner year for our run!
Holiday Season has begun...
The holiday season has begun here at Somerset Home. It is an important time of the year for in-kind donations. Many people will call to drop off items for our holiday celebrations. When they do, please be sure to have them fill out the in-kind donation log book. It is important to capture the information on our donors so that we can keep them informed and thank them for their contributions.
Please remember to thank the donor personally as many times as possible while they are here. We really appreciate their efforts on our behalf and without them we could not provide for the kids the way we do. Also, the holiday wish list is now available and we should encourage those who call wishing to help to go to the web site to get the list. Just tell them to click on the gift box on the somersethome.org web site.
Holiday Wish List
http://www.somersethome.org/main/pdf/Holiday_Wish_List_04.pdf
Did you know that President Bush signed a Proclamation establishing November as "Runaway Prevention Month". (See his letter)
http://www.somersethome.org/main/pdf/president_bush_letter_2004.pdf
New Dental Plan! The new cards are in!!
I am very pleased to announce that effective November 1, 2004 we have a new improved dental plan for all employees. Delta Dental Premier has replaced our existing Fortis Dental Plan. Under the old plan the maximum benefit was $1,000 per year and under the new plan it is $1,500. The plan also includes 9,000 participating dentists which is far more than the old plan.
Please see Gary Kreutzer for your new cards. If you have a question regarding dental work that may be in progress, please ask Gary Kreutzer. All members will essentially have an additional $500 of dental benefit from 11/1-12/31/04 and then a new $1,500 in dental benefit from January 1, 2004 through December 31, 2005.
My Place Update
During the last two weeks Chubb Corporation contributed $1,000, The Van Winkle Foundation contributed $3,000, the ARC foundation contributed $400 and the J.M. McDonald Foundation contributed $10,000 toward our efforts in developing My Place I and My Place II.
My Place I facility readiness continues. We now have an office and most of the facility work completed. We are still projecting an opening date of January 1, 2005.
As always, thank you all for your continued hard work on behalf of our youth.
