5.1. SR 05-04-2009I~em ~~ 5.1.
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Elk~`--~
River
MEMORANDUM
T~; Mlayor and city council
FRAM: Bill Ma~rt~, Pa~rl~~ and Recreation Director
DI~T~~ ~~}~ 4, ~~09
UBJ~~: Recognition of due liostanshel~, senior coordinator
.fit the a~nua~ meeting ~f the M~nes~ta association of Seniax Services, Sue ~~ostanhek was
awaxded the ~0~9 ~utstand~r~g Se~iax e~~ice 1'r~videx o~ X00 ~waxd. ~'he award was a
surprise to Sue. Sue's Family, pity .dm~nist~atox I~oxi ~ohnson, and ll~ayox ~~lin~~g
sux~rised hey on stage after the a~~auncexn.ent.
Attached i a copy of the ~.oxn~nation faxxn which details the ~.a~y worthy pxoraa.s and
~~ents that Sue has developed i~. ov~~ twenty-four years working fox the pity of Elk ~i~er,
Staff would like to take s oppoxtunit~ to ieco~.i~e Sue's award aid thanl~ hey fog: years of
e~e~ripia~~ sex~ice.
Minnesota Association of Senior Services
Outstanding Senior Services Award
The J~innesota Association of eniQr services ~IIIIA~ is a statewide organization estoblished in
~8 to encourage prof essiona) development and the mutual excha~re of ideas and concerns of
ersons who work with senior citizens. each yeo~r, an award is presented to a member of the
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CIA or anixation honoring outstanding achievement in senior service. Criteria to be considered
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would include the f ollowing~
'Longevity in service to seniors
Desirable personality traits in wording with seniors
Community outreach and collaborations
Growth of pragramsldevelopment of new progral~s
Persons who are past recipients of the award are not eligible, they include Connie Thompson,
Alene Fink, Dvdie Johnsrud, Pam Laidolt, Jeanne Fackler, Lail ~inke#, Susan Newville, kris ~rluck,
Cathy Bailey, Jennifer ~Crotteau} pado, Melinda l.udwicxak, JoAnne Kvern, l~inda Dietz, Mary
I~illheim, Dorothy I~lilliams, Carol I~uettner, Jean ~`horne, Steve l~ennes, Kathy Meyer, and
l~athryn l~eBrasseur,
Please complete the nomination form below and return by March 31, 2009 by any of the following
ways;
• Mail ; ~Iopkins Aci-ivity Center ~~-I~~"` Avenue North, Hopkins, MN 5543
Fa~~ ~~-3g~13~2
• ~~~ail, activit centerC~ho kinsmn,com Please ~u~ "M~~s NorN~~o1~'~ in the subject line)
Name of nol~ineei due l~ostanshek ~'itle+ eniar Center Coordinator
Address 4~ Proctor Avenue i=1k River ~14N 55~~~ Phonew 7~-b35-~5~~
Name of organization; Elk River Parks and Recreation De artment
Name of person submitting nomination Bill Maertx Title; Director
Address; ~~D~ ~.iQns Pork Drive Ik River IIIIN ~~ Phone; 7b~-~~~~~~~
Nor~inee's years of services to seniars~
3~ total dears. Sue has been or~i~a in her e~•ent position since ~g8~~ Prior to that she marked ~ a
Senior I~~a~~g Coord~ntar, Certified IVledicatian Assistant at the ~11~ I~i~er Care Center, and a Certified
Respiratory ~'herap~st for fit, ~au~ TAI.
describe Nominee's deiralr~le personality traits in ~rorl~ing r~ith seniors.
due has an abundance of per~onaiit~ traits that aid her i~. being e~ceptian~~~ effective vvarking with
sonior. Saplings a~'these trait 1nc~ude her earr~paslon, p~ofeslana~~s~n, creat~~lty, re~~on~i~ene~~,
paslt~~o ~.ttitr~de~ a~.d strong pork eth~c~
ue ut111Zes ~. "hands on" a roach to providing services to her participants. She makes herself available
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to seniors and actively listens to their ideas on the programs they are interested in. These traits have
contributed to the huge success of the senior services she provides. The seniors Sue v~orks v~ith knov~
herb name, and recognize that she sees her v~ark as more than. ~ gust a ~ ob, but rather a vital part of
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enhancin the value of the Elk River on~~.unity. She is a tree tearri player shov~n by that fact that she
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is continuall milling to Fork with other agencies to provide the highest level of services to the
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cornun~t .Sue 1s ener etxc and tireless ~n her efforts to constantly seek out new opportunities, and is
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never satisfied to let programs became stagnantF
Describe Nominee's outreach and collaboration ~cor~r~ittees served on, r~emberhip~ and
involve~-nts with the camr~unity~.
• Nlernber of the National council on Aging
• IVlen~ber of MASS
• ll~ernber of the SALT ouncll since 1t's inception in l X95
• eniar Helping Hands Advisory Oornn~ittee
• RSVP Sherburne Oounty Advisory Oouncil
• Elk River Senior Dining Site ouncxl
• a-hatred the Elk River Health I~A.RE l l in~tlat~ve
~ 1Vlenr~ber of Volunteer Bridge
• Site oordinatar for the AINA.P S progxam in Elk River
• Member of the Guardian Angels "Be An ,Angel" ~ampa~n in aaa leading fundraising efforts of
1 D,a~O far a sound system for the Activity RoorrilDining Room area.
• ~`undraising for the local Food shelf, This March the mast successful year ever collecting 40~ ibs
of groceries and ~2~0 ~co-sponsored with the Elk R.zver area Eians}
• Started t'o Performing Sensor groups at the Elk River Senior tenter
+ o-sponsor of the Senior CenterlSALT auncil pineaod golf Tournament
• o~sponsor of a are.givers event Frith FZA every November
• Safety First and ~VNO ~- pat~tner v~rith Elk diver Police Department
~ Sherburne Oounty History Oenter
• l 8t~' year to partner with the 1Vlonticella and Haan Rapids Senior renters for an Older Americans
Month Oelebratxon
• Oafs and Acorns Znterge~.eratianal programs. ollaboratio~a with ISD 728
~ ll~any of the eniorlActivity~ renters programs are based on partnering v~ith othex agencies such
as the ~M,A, Boys and Girls flub, and ISD 728 Oarnnnunity Education.
Describe Nominee's ability to change, grow and creation of programs over the years to
i~-prove pr~ogram~ning,
Sue started at the sensor center 24 years ago ~ At that tune there were four pragra;ms per n~anth being
offered which mere utilized by a handful of participants operating out of one site. Since then Sue has
develo ed new, energizing programs and drnatically increased participation, Over 7a programs and
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services are nom offered v~lnrch received aver 2~,~~~ uses in 2aa$1
Her ~ andin ro ran~n~1ng has led to the opening of second site in 245 known as the ilk River
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Actlvit tenter. This repurpoed library b~~lding is 1 ~,D~~ square feet in s~~e and ~nclt~des an~er~~t~es
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such as a fitness area, ool tables, a reading area with a fireplace, card playing tables, a ping gong table,
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and an Internet lab. This new Activity tenter has been extremely popular ~n our can~mun~ty.
Throe h the ears Sue has remained on the forefront when it cones to planning prograrn.s and actlvit~e.
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As she identifies a new service that would benefit the senior population, she formulates a strategy to
make it a reali .For example, when the new .Activity tenter was ~n Its planning stages, several senrQr
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mien a coached her and expressed their desire to have two toun~rnent size b~ll~ard tables. This idea
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was not in the burl et roftle for the new center Despite financial challenges, Sue was creative in her
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fundraisin efforts and was able to nuke the tables a reality, we now have ~. Silver Snookers pool tearrr
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that has a monthly tournarrient with other centers as well as having a strong attendance of ~~ ~nen or
more er da . fringing senior m,en into an activity center can. be a challenge. ~y err~bracing this idea,
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Sue was able to draw large population of ~nen anal in turn expose thenr~ to otb,er beneficial programs
also bein offered in the Activity enter ether centers have commented on Sue's success in attracting
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the male o elation of seniars~ This is just one of the many exa.ples of her desire to serve the senor
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o elation, fiver the ears Sue has also created the ilvertunes hoar, Faxy Trotters Tap Dancers} yaks
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and Acorns ~ntergenerational group, and a variety of other gro~~ps~ From trad~tlonal bingo to cutting
edge copper jewelry classes, Sue strives to provide sorr7ething far everyone,
~es~ribe wh Qu f eel ~hi~ person ~~s~rves ~h~ Du~s~andin~ eniar ervice ~war~
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with 3~ years of service to seniors Sue has a pi~oven tracl~ record of success, growth and achievement.
with the o erring and great success of the second senior activity site in ~Oa$, due is very deserving to
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receive the outstanding Sensor Services .Award. wring ~~~5 not only did Sue maintain the high quality
of service and prorarris at the original site, but also created many new programs and services fay" the
uew site. with the addition of only one pai•t~tim.e staff Sue has added to her work load and put in many
extra hours to ensure the success of tlae two sites, The results have been. so phenomenal that most days
the arkin lots axe overflowing and eve1"y available area w~th~n the t~vo centers ~s being ~tll~~ed by
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~tive Senl~r5,
Sue has endeavored to offer a wide variety of programs and beep up with current trends. Same afthe
new ro corn offerings include fitness classes, a carnp~ter lab with Internet access and a special warn
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test ro ram far tow vision, and Using the wli computer game system to bring seniors and youth
together to play active fitness oriented video games.
when asl~ed about her success Sue is uicl~ to cornpliinent the staff she works with i~. delivering sen~oi•
services, This humble trait is part of what makes her a strong leader. Sue's spirit of caaperation,
dedication, and tireless efforts to bring top quality programs and activities to seniors rnalce her deserving
of this award. Thank. you far your consideration,