- The Michaels Organization

Fa l l 2 0 1 5
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Developments
Together We Build Communities
@michaels
Fish Tales & Other Stories for Employees of The Michaels Organization
‘I Am a
Michaels’
Scholar’
Campaign
Showcases
Resident
Scholar
Stories
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From John’s Desk
Gearing Up for the Future
To paraphrase a classic line from
Spiderman: “With great privilege,
comes great responsibility.”
career—to The Michaels Organization has agreed to serve as our new
Chief Operating Officer.
It is a tremendous honor and a
privilege to be The President of The
Michaels Organization, but it is also
a great responsibility. Protecting our
legacy of success while positioning
our organization for future growth
is a topic of constant conversation
among the senior leadership team. It
is our role to ensure that all 2,000+
employees and their families can
continue to have every opportunity to
thrive and benefit from a financially
healthy and growing organization.
Mark begins his new role Nov. 2, and
will begin overseeing IRM, Michaels
Management Services, and Continental Mortgage Corp., as well
as the support functions of Human
Resources, Information Technology, and Corporate Marketing. The
Presidents of Michaels Development
Company, University Student Living,
Prestige Building Company and the
soon-to-be-renamed Prestige Affordable Housing Equity Company will
continue to report directly to me.
The recently announced internal
reorganization will help us going
forward in managing our growth
responsibly. I will talk in more detail
about this at our upcoming Tall Hall
Meeting on November 5, but the
main reason for the reorganization is
simply that I needed help handling all
of the responsibility that comes with
leading this organization.
At our management retreat in
September, Mark summed it up
this way: “John O’Donnell will wake
up every day focused on growing
the organization and I will wake up
everyday focused on how to best
manage what we’ve got. We will be
developing processes that make us
stronger and leveraging each other’s
strengths.”
In looking for the right person to do
this, I looked no further than Mark
Morgan, who for the last eight years
has served as the president of our
largest operating company, Interstate
Realty Management. I am thrilled
that Mark, who has devoted the
past 30 years — literally his whole
Transitions are never easy and I’m
sure that there will be some bumps
along the way as we implement
these changes. With Ava Goldman
stepping away from the role of MDC
President and Kimberlee Schreiber
new to the role of IRM President,
our two flagship companies will have
new leadership in place. Additionally,
MDC will be pursuing new business
that’s different than what we’ve done
over the past decade, focusing less
on Housing Authority development
partnerships and more on tax credit
and workforce housing.
That said, both Kimberlee and the
new MDC president, who I hope to
have on board by early next year, will
be starting from a strong place. I am
grateful that Ava will be continuing
on as an executive consultant. I am
also grateful that the tireless efforts
of Ava and her team have developed
a pipeline of development deals that
will keep MDC busy for the next two
years.
As we continue to implement
changes, institute new procedures,
and develop new processes, remember that all these changes are meant
to position us to be even stronger
organization in the future.
One thing won’t change though,
and that’s who The Michaels Organization is at heart: An organization
where we care about each other and
support one another.
It’s a great feeling to be able to look
ahead knowing that someone’s got
your back. Here’s to gearing up for a
great future together!
JOIN US!
All Staff Virtual Town Hall Meeting
November 5, 2015
3:00 Eastern Time
John O’Donnell
President
The Michaels Organization
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The Michaels Organization Culture Statement
A culture of values that define us, unite us and guide our actions
OWNERSHIP
ACCOUNTABILITY
ACCOUNTABILITY
EVERYONE
EVERYONE IS
IS
ACCOUNTABLE
ACCOUNTABLE FOR
FOR
THEIR
THEIR PERFORMANCE
PERFORMANCE
AND
AND WE
WE HOLD
HOLD EACH
EACH
OTHER
OTHER ACCOUNTABLE.
ACCOUNTABLE.
TEAM & FAMILY
TEAM & FAMILY
WE BUILD A POSITIVE
TEAM AND FAMILY
WE
BUILD
ACARING
POSITIVE
SPIRIT
BY
TEAM
AND THE
FAMILY
ABOUT
SPIRIT
BY CARING
WELL-BEING
AND
ABOUT
THE
SUCCESS
OF
WELL-BEING
AND
TEAMMATES.
SUCCESS
OF
WE
HAVE EACH
TEAMMATES.
OTHER’S
BACKS
WE HAVE EACH
OTHER’S BACKS.
EVERYONE OWNS
OWNERSHIP
OUTCOMES,
BOTH
GOOD AND BAD, AND
EVERYONE
OWNS
OUR
TEAMMATES
OUTCOMES,
BOTH
SHOULD FEEL
GOOD AND BAD,
AND
EMPOWERED
TO MAKE
OUR TEAMMATES
DECISIONS
WITHIN
SHOULD
FEEL
THEIR
AREA
OF
EMPOWERED
TO MAKE
RESPONSIBILITY
AND
DECISIONS
WITHIN
DRIVE
INNOVATION.
THEIR AREA OF
RESPONSIBILITY AND
DRIVE INNOVATION.
COMMUNICATION
COMMUNICATION
WE COMMUNICATE
WE COMMUNICATE
RESPECTFULLY, OPENLY
RESPECTFULLY, OPENLY
AND HONESTLY;
AND HONESTLY;
LISTENING AND
LISTENING AND
WELCOMING THE
WELCOMING THE
OPINIONS AND
OPINIONS AND VIEWS
VIEWS OF OTHERS.
OF OTHERS. EVERYONE
EVERYONE HAS A VOICE.
HAS A VOICE.
GROWING, LEARNING,
& EVOLVING
GROWING, LEARNING,
WE ARE
COMMITTED TO
& EVOLVING
A CULTURE OF LEARNING
AND
TO
PROVIDINGTO
WE
ARE
COMMITTED
KNOWLEDGE
AND
ATHE
CULTURE
OF LEARNING
SKILLS
TO MAKE
AND
TO PROVIDING
ATAND
THETEAMMATES
KNOWLEDGE
EVERY
LEVEL
MORE
SKILLS
TO MAKE
PRODUCTIVE,
ENGAGED,
TEAMMATES
AT
MOTIVATED
ANDMORE
HAPPY.
EVERY LEVEL
INTEGRITY
OURINTEGRITY
WORD IS OUR
BOND. WE TAKE PRIDE
OUR
WORD
IS OUR
IN
OUR
REPUTATION
BOND.
WE TAKE PRIDE
AND
COMMITMENT
TO
IN OUR
REPUTATION
OUR
ORGANIZATION,
AND COMMITMENT
TO
PARTNERS,
OUR
ORGANIZATION,
COMMUNITIES
WE
PARTNERS,
SERVE,
AND EACH
COMMUNITIES
WE
OTHER.
WE DO WHAT
AND
WESERVE,
SAY WE
AREEACH
GOING
OTHER.TO
WEDO.
DO WHAT
WE SAY WE ARE
GOING TO DO.
DOING
DOINGWELL
WELLBY
BY
DOING
DOINGGOOD
GOOD
PRODUCTIVE,
ENGAGED, MOTIVATED
AND HAPPY.
WEBELIEVE
BELIEVETHAT
THAT
WE
OUR WORK CAN
MAKE A POSITIVE
IMPACT ON
PEOPLE’S LIVES
AND IN THE
COMMUNITIES
WHERE THEY LIVE.
WE GIVE BACK.
OUR ORGANIZATIONAL CORPORATE CULTURE
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C o v e r S t o ry
“I Am a Michaels Scholar”
Campaign Celebrates
Scholar Stories
The year 2015 marks 25 years since The Michaels Organization’s founder and CEO Michael
J. Levitt first created a scholarship program for
residents of the affordable housing communities
that his companies own and manage. Since then,
more than 2,000 aspiring students have benefitted
from more than $4.6 million in college scholarships, administered by The Michaels Organization
Educational Foundation.
To celebrate this milestone, The Michaels Organization has kicked off its “I Am A Michaels Scholar”
campaign, which tells the stories of some of these
resident scholars, both in print and on video. The
videos premiered Sept. 9 at The Michaels Organization Educational Foundation Golf Tournament,
held in Marlton, NJ, an annual fundraiser for the
scholarship program.
“We are so proud of these scholars and hope that
by telling their stories, we will inspire and encourage more of our residents to pursue their dreams
of higher education in the years to come,” said
John J. O’Donnell, president of The Michaels
Organization.
According to O’Donnell, “giving back” to the
people and communities where The Michaels
Organization works has been a core value ever
Tell Their Story
Teammates: Do you know a scholar who would be willing to share their story? Are you having a team meeting
where you’d like to show the videos or distribute copies of
The I Am a Michaels Scholars booklet, which features the
inspiring stories of 12 of our past scholars from across the
country? If yes, please contact Heather Young, Corporate
Marketing Manager, at hyoung@themichaelsorg.com
Rhasaan Nichols, a Michaels’ scholar and budding
filmmaker introduced the videos at our Golf Tournament.
since the organization’s first two companies were
founded in 1973.
“We are invested in what matters most—housing, family, and education,” O’Donnell said. “What
better way of giving back than with the gift of an
education.”
Each year, all residents who live in The Michaels
Organization’s affordable, mixed-income or military housing communities are invited and encouraged to apply for scholarships. The scholarship
funds, which are paid directly to the educational
institution, can be used toward higher education
at any accredited college, university, or vocational
training program in the country, and students can
reapply every year of their education.
All private donations raised from associates
throughout The Michaels Organization’s business
network are matched two-for-one by Michael Levitt and his wife Patricia Levitt.
To create the videos, The Michaels Organization engaged the help of a multi-year scholarship
recipient, Rhasaan Nichols, who grew up in North
Philadelphia at Eight Diamonds. A graduate of
Yale University, Nichols is now a filmmaker based
in Los Angeles, whose company Nichols Makes
Sense produces innovative and inspiring media,
including documentaries.
The “I Am a Michaels Scholar” video stories and
additional success stories can be found at www.
themichaelsorg.com/foundation.
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Team Announcements
Promotions
Mark Morgan Named Chief
Operating Officer of The
Michaels Organization
Mark Morgan has been
promoted to
the newly created position of
Chief Operating
Officer of The
Michaels OrganiMark Morgan
zation, effective
Nov. 1. The COO position reports
directly to John O’Donnell, The
President of The Michaels Organization, and has primary oversight
responsibility for our management
and mortgage finance operations as
well as the organizational support
functions of Information Technology,
Human Resources, and Corporate
Marketing. The company presidents
of Interstate Realty Management
and Michaels Management Services and the Senior Vice President
of Continental Mortgage Corp. will
now report to Mark, as will our Chief
Technology Officer and the Vice
Presidents of Human Resources and
Corporate Marketing/Communications. Mark Morgan has been with
the Michaels family for 30 years. He
has served as President of Interstate
Realty Management since 2008.
Kimberlee Schreiber Steps
Up to Role as IRM President
Kimberlee Schreiber succeeds
Mark Morgan
as President of
Interstate Realty
Management,
starting Nov. 1.
Kimberlee joined
The Michaels
Kimberlee Schreiber Organization as
Vice President
for IRM’s West Coast Portfolio in December 2009. Kimberlee brings over
30 years of diverse real estate experience to her new role as IRM President, including market-rate multifamily, military housing, tax credit, HUD
and USDA affordable housing. She
also has in-depth experience with
portfolio acquisitions, new business
development, and new construction
lease-up. Before joining the Michaels
family, she worked for several large
national companies including Balcor,
AIMCO, and Equity Residential. Kimberlee will be relocating to the home
office in Marlton.
MDC President Announces
Transition to Executive
Consultant
Ava Goldman,
president of
The Michaels
Development
Company
(MDC), has announced she will
transition to the
Ava Goldman
role of Executive Consultant, beginning in January
2016. Goldman has been with The
Michaels Organization for 22 years,
the last three as MDC’s President.
“We are so grateful for everything
Ava has achieved as MDC President,” said The Michaels Organization’s President John O’Donnell.
“She has created an amazing
pipeline for our development team,
and we are very grateful that she
will be staying on as an Executive
Consultant to help us through this
transition,” John said.
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Team Announcements
Stacie Brach Promoted to
IRM Vice President
Stacie Brach has
been promoted
from regional
property manager to IRM Vice
President for
the company’s
western region,
Stacie Brach
which currently
includes California, Hawaii, Nevada,
and Colorado. Stacie takes over the
VP slot previously held by Kimberlee
Schreiber. Stacie joined IRM in 2011
and since then has overseen a portfolio that comprises 26 properties,
including Interstate Realty Management’s first property management
effort in the state of Hawaii, The
Towers of Kuhio Park. Most recently,
Stacie led IRM’s first management
operations in Colorado, following
Michaels Development Company’s
acquisition of three existing marketrate communities in Boulder that
will be renovated and preserved
for long-term affordability. In 2013,
Stacie was named the “Regional
Property Manager of the Year,” by
the National Association of Home
Builders.
MDC Acquisition/New
Business Team Announces
New Vice President
Amay Inamdar has joined
Michaels
Development
Company as a
Vice President.
Based in Houston, Texas, Amay
Amay Inamdar
will be seeking
affordable and workforce housing
opportunities for both new development and rehabs. Amay has an
extensive background in affordable
and market-rate multifamily development across Texas and is widely
recognized in the industry as one of
the top talents in the state.
Staff Moves at MMS
Nancy Thomas
Carlos Proano
Congratulations to Nancy Thomas, who has been named Director of Operations for Michaels Management Services. Nancy has been with MMS since
June of 2006 and has held numerous positions, most recently as the Community Director at Fort Leavenworth. In her new role, Nancy will be working with
both the East and West Coast Vice Presidents as well as the Regional Facility
Directors, the Business Manager and the Corporate Accounting Team. She is
based in Kansas City, Kansas.
MMS also announced that Carlos Proano, Community Director at Fort Irwin
has accepted the Community Director position at The Parks at Monterey Bay
effective immediately. Stacey Loucks, Senior Community Director at Fort
Huachuca has accepted the position as Community Director at The Villages
at Fort Irwin effective immediately. Joe Gandara, Project Director at Fort
Huachuca, will be assisting MMS in oversight at Mountain Vista Communities
at Fort Huachuca on a temporary basis as the company transitions through
the changes resulting from assuming management operations for 6,000 new
homes at four military installations.
Stacey Loucks
Joe Gandara
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m i l i ta ry m at t e r s
Ft. Irwin Garrison Commander
Recognizes Carlos Proano
Upon hearing that Ft. Irwin’s Community Director Carlos Proano had
accepted a transfer to become the
new Community Director at The
Parks at Monterey Bay, the Garrison
Commander at Ft. Irwin presented
Carlos with a “coin” and plaque in
recognition of his service. Coins
in the military have a long history,
dating back to 1917 and World War
I. They are considered extremely
special and are presented by unit
commanders in recognition of outstanding achievement by a member
of the unit. Congratulations Carlos!
Mountain Vista Communities
Celebrates Scholars
Thanks to Jolene Cooper,
Marketing Outreach Coordinator
at Mountain Vista Communities,
in Ft. Huachuca Arizona who
shared this photo from their
resident scholarship celebration
in August. The community had
a record-breaking number of
scholarship recipients in 2015.
Yuma Maintenance Tech Celebrates Becoming a US Citizen
Born in Mexicali, Mexico, Luis Saminiego has
lived in the Yuma area since 1992. He has
been with The Michaels Organization as an
AWESOME maintenance technician at Desert
Oasis Communities, Yuma Proving Ground
since August of 2010. He started the citizenship
process several months ago. After a month of
paperwork and another month to study, Luis took
his exam in September. On 16 October 2015, he
was sworn in as a citizen of the United States of
America. Luis is most excited about having the
right to vote. Congratulations Luis!
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m i l i ta ry m at t e r s
Fall Festival a Big Hit
at Ft. Belvoir
Thanks to Amanda Weeks Walker,
Community Director at the Villages of
Belvoir, for sharing these photos of
the base’s 2015 Fall Festival. Over
2,000 residents came out for the
event to enjoy pumpkin picking, jumbo
bouncing castles, train rides, and face
painting. Residents also indulged in
candied apples, cakewalk dances
offs, hot dogs and shared laughs with
their neighbors and The Michaels
Management Services team. To top
it off, all leftover treats from the event
were given to a local shelter to keep
the theme of giving back, not only to
our residents but the the community
at large.
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Developing Stories
Michaels Development Company,
Prestige Building Company Host
Implosion Event in Jersey City,
New Jersey
In August, The Mayor of Jersey City, along with
community leaders, residents, HUD officials and
our development partner, The Jersey City Housing
Authority, The Michaels Development Company
and Prestige Building Company hosted a press
event to watch three of five obsolete buildings at
the Montgomery Gardens public housing complex
beimploded to make way for the start of brand new
affordable housing on the site. You can watch a
video of the implosion at www.TheMichaelsOrg.com
The Michaels Organization
is Part of Master Development
Team in Camden NJ
Waterfront Revitalization Project
Moving the Corporate
Headquarters to Camden is
Under Consideration
On September 25, The Michaels Organization’s President,
John J. O’Donnell, joined New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and City of Camden, New Jersey Mayor Dana Redd,
along with a number of other regional business leaders at
an event to announce The Michaels Organization’s participation in an exciting new project that promises to bring new
energy and economic vibrancy to the city of Camden and
the surrounding region.
“The Camden Waterfront” is a $700-$800 million development that The Michaels Organization, along with other
partners, has committed to as the master developer. The
mixed-use project that is being planned includes 1.5 million
square feet of office space, restaurants, retail shops, a
hotel, and hundreds of resident units with amazing views
of the Philadelphia skyline. The development would be the
largest private sector investment in Camden’s history.
With the development targeted for delivery in 2019, the
executive leadership is considering whether moving our
corporate headquarters to the new campus would be appropriate for our organization.
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Developing Stories
Chicago Celebrates Start
of City Garden Apartments
The Michaels Development Company in partnership with Brinshore Development and the Chicago
Housing Authority hosted an official groundbreaking
ceremony Oct. 27 for City Gardens Apartments, a
new mixed-income community Brinshore-Michaels is
developing on the former site of the Chicago Housing
Authority’s Maplewood Courts.
Part of the CHA’s Plan Forward program, the new
rental community will feature 76 apartments in seven
three-story buildings, an on-site management/leasing
office, community gardening area, a recycling center
and an impressive expanse of open green space for
outdoor resident gatherings.
CITY GARDENS – Building #6
MDC Chicago celebrated the start of City Gardens with a
groundbreaking ceremony on Oct. 27.
Congratulations to Michaels Development Company Vice President Hume
An, and the whole Michaels Development Team on their recent award of
9% tax credits for the Carling Hotel
in Chicago, one of two Single Room
Occupancy properties acquired there
so that they can be modernized and
preserved for long-term affordability.
PAHEP ABOUT TO GO BIG WITH
NEW NAME, NEW LOGO, NEW LOOK
Our tax credit syndication company, formerly known as Prestige
Affordable Housing Equity Company, has an expanded staff of
experienced professionals, new technology, and a sophisticated
platform in place to offer superior service and innovative solutions
to developers and investors looking to connect to capital for their
affordable housing communities, including the syndication of Low
Income Housing Tax Credits. In January, PAHEP will officially
become Riverside Capital. Look for more details in the next issue
of the newsletter.
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B u i l d i n g R e p o rt
Prestige Building Company Wins
General Contractor Opportunity from
National Church Residences
National Church Residences, a large non-profit development
company specializing in affordable housing, has selected
Prestige Building Company to be its General Contractor
for Clymer Village, an 81-unit senior housing community in
Phillipsburg, New Jersey, which is slated for major renovation. Prestige competitively bid the $4.5 million renovation
project that is expected to start in June 2016. The renovation includes common area upgrades, siding improvements,
lighting improvements, boiler replacements, ADA upgrades,
elevator upgrades, a 630 sf addition and a new garage.
PBC Welcomes New Project Manager
The Michaels Organization offers a warm welcome
to Kevin Thorton, who has joined the Prestige Building Company team as a project manager. Based in
Chicago, Kevin will be working on jobs in the Midwest
as well as in California. He is currently serving as the
project manager for three of Michaels Development
Company’s renovation deals in California: Oakdale,
Blackberry Oaks, and Parlier Gardens.
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HR News
401(k) Update!
New Investment Funds Added
In response to a question received at
a recent Town Hall meeting, two new
passive index funds have been added
to the 401(k) Investment fund selection. The funds are: Vanguard S&P
500 and the Vanguard Aggregate Bond
Index.
The addition of these investment
funds provides employees an option
to the other investment choices in the
Michaels Organization 401(k) plan
which are actively managed funds.
Most of the actively managed funds
are predominantly from the American
funds family. Many of the funds in this
fund family have had very good performance relative to their peers and their
indexes over the long-term. In addition
the funds are amongst some of the
lowest cost mutual funds in the actively
managed space.
months to review plan demographics,
asset allocation, plan cost as well as
investment fund performance to make
sure that there are ample investment
alternatives for varying investment objectives with competitive performance
versus their peers.
There are times when passive outperforms active and active outperforms
passive. That’s just the way the markets work. Generally passive alternatives are less costly that active alternatives. However cost is not the only
determinant. The Michaels Organization Plan Fiduciaries meet every six
With the addition of these passive
fund alternatives those of who wish to
add these funds to your investment
selection or reallocate, may do so by
logging into www.empower-retirement.
com or call 877-694-4015.
Educational Fliers
Now Available!
We are pleased to inform you that
20 new educational fliers have
been added to the 401(k) section
of the Intranet for your reference. These fliers are related to
subjects on the 401(k), investing,
retirement planning. To access
the fliers, log into the Intranet,
click on Human Resources, then
401(k).
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HR News
Attention Managers: New Hire Orientation Now Available
We are pleased to announce that Human
Resources has begun hosting “The Michaels
Organization — New Employee Orientation”
on a weekly basis starting Tuesday, October
20th. This Orientation will take place every
Tuesday at 3 pm eastern time and will be
about 1 hour in length.
Areas that will be covered by the orientation
will include:
n Overview of TMO Companies
n Our Culture
n Introduction To Your Benefits
n Payroll, Time Off and I-Pay
This New Employee Orientation is designed
to provide the opportunity for newly hired
n Intranet / Learning Center / Resources
employees to become acclimated to The Min Performance Management
chaels Organization and to contribute towards
a smooth transition into the new workplace.
n “Navigating” TMO
This orientation is intended for all new
n Risk Control / Safety
employees working for any of The Michaels
Organization companies. This orientation
2016 Holiday Schedule For more information and to enroll new
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13
10/21/2015
10/21/2015
10/21/2015
{
campus corner
University Student Living and Rowan University
Host Preview of New On-Campus Housing
University officials, students, and
executives from The Michaels Organization gathered with community and
business leaders at Rowan University
October 14 to celebrate Holly Pointe
Commons, a $145 million student
housing complex now under construction on the Glassboro campus. The
Mayor of Glassboro, Leo McCabe, was
also in attendance.
“We’re honored to be partnering with
Rowan University to assist the institution in fulfilling their vision for student
living,” said Joseph Coyle, president of
University Student Living, the comprehensive student housing company of
The Michaels Organization.
The celebration at the site included
the filling of a time capsule by University officials and students, who wrote
100 letters of hope for the future and
who have collected items — a Rowan
yearbook, a selfie stick, and assorted
University memorabilia—to fill the
time capsule that will be placed in a
prominent location at Holly Pointe
Commons.
Welcome to our New
USL Management
Teammates!
Carroll Van Hook - Regional Leasing Specialist
Twenty91 North - Buffalo, NY
Mandy Taborda - Leasing Manager
Hai qi (Tracy) Lu - Leasing Specialist
Emily Mistretta - Leasing Specialist
Nick Korniczky - Leasing Specialist
The Edge on Old Shell Road - Mobile, AL
Ashleigh Heinz - Leasing Specialist
The Vue on Stadium Drive - Fayetteville, AR
Shelby Urban - Leasing Specialist
Radius at 15th - Minneapolis, MN
Jen Cassel - Leasing Specialist
Michael Hosay - Shuttle Driver
David Newton - Leasing Specialist
The Next - Pensacola, FL
River Edge - Boise, ID
Tori Tucker - Leasing Specialist
Danelly Albino-Rodriguez - Leasing Specialist
Haydon Stone - Leasing Specialist
Smiling faces at the USL Managers
meeting held in October in Minneapolis.
Pictured: Brad Thomas, Brent Loughridge
The Vue; Jerod Aufderheide, Erin Johnson, River Edge; Mary Rutherford, and
Chris Eyermann, The Edge
Zachary Cody- Groundskeeper
Steven Budine- Maintenance Technician
Yasha Loera-Gracia - Leasing Specialist
14
{
Resources
How to Access IRM’s
New Policies and
Procedures:
A Step-by-Step Guide
15
{
Resources
Robin Madison
16
{
Site-ings
‘We’re Doing More Than Leasing Homes’
Country Club Gardens Hosts Amazing ‘Back to School’ Event
for Residents, Parents, and Teachers
The entire team at Country Club Gardens
in Tulsa, Okla., came together in August to
host a ‘Back to School’ celebration for young
residents and their parents. Staff set up the
space, sepa-rated supplies, stuffed backpacks, prepared food, and threw one heck of
a successful event!
The team gave out 75 backpacks full of
school supplies (clorox wipes, hand sanitizer,
kleenex, baby wipes, copy paper, pencils,
and dry erase markers) all emblazoned with
the Country Club Gardens and The Michaels
Organization logos. They also gave out 50
boxes full of cleaning supplies, health and
beauty aides, household supplies, and travel
packs to all the adults.
But that wasn’t all! Country Club has partnerships with two great local groups, both of
which were invited to join in to showcase
all the services they have to offer. These
services are very diverse: tutoring/mentor
program with a scholarship for teenagers,
kids place for grade school age after school
homework assistance, literacy program,
internships, interview skills classes, resume
workshops, budgeting classes, and a “man2man” program that works to inspire young
men to make good choices, and a “LadiesFirst” program that teaches self-esteem and
values to young ladies. The groups also offer
summer enrichment activities, a summer
lunch program, basketball camps, martial
arts, and family dinner/homework nights (to
help parents help the children with homework). Country Club partners
with these same two groups for Thanksgiving and Christmas assistance for residents,
so they took the opportunity at the back to
school event to get families signed up for
holiday help.
Country Clubs Gardens Community Manager
and Assistant Regional Property Manager
Crystal Ragsdale tells us the event was
also the perfect opportunity for residents to
meet and greet rep-resentatives from Wolf
Creek, a new company providing security
on the site. The Wolf Creek representatives
were able to get to know the residents and
answer questions. This was very successful and reassuring to the residents. Crystal
also invited representatives from a daycare
provider who is looking at using space at the
community, to join in, so they could get to
know the community better and understand
the residents needs. They were able to see
what age groups would use the facilities and
actually had a few residents ask for applications for employment.
At the end of the this very beneficial line
of stations showcasing all these services
was dinner for everyone! The team served
hotdogs, chips, water, and fruit.
But it didn’t end there!
The next morning, which was the first day
back to school for Tulsa Public Schools and
Academy Central, the Country
Club Gardens team brought
backpacks stuffed with supplies to each teacher! It was a
gift to them for all their efforts.
Crystal says that so many of the
educators in the nearby schools
are required to buy their own
supplies.
kids call me by name and run up for hugs,”
said Crystal. “I also saw so many of them
who had brought their bags of supplies and
were smiling as they unpacked because they
had something to give. The teachers were
like kids themselves. The smiles, hugs, and
kind words were of true appreciation. I felt
as if I was the one receiving the gift as we
walked the halls and saw the excitement,”
she said.
As part of the partnership with the local
school, Crystal arranged for parent/teacher
conferences, family nights, and other school
events to be held at the community.
“The goal is to help parent participation
which in turns makes a more pleasant home
life which leads to kids not acting out for
attention,” explained Crystal. “I do strongly
believe our community can make a dramatic
impact on many with our outreach and support. It’s so much more than leasing homes,
you must give them a community to be proud
about, to nurture self confidence, and motivate them to strive for more out of life.”
Congratulations and thank you to the whole
team at Country Club Gardens, who were
all so important to making this great event a
huge success: Violet Newport; Angela Harris;
Loretta Jamerson; Joyce Lawrence; Marvel
Padillow, and Brandon Clevenger.
“It was an amazing feeling walking into every class and having
17
{
Site-ings
Bridging the Language
Barrier at Reading Elderly
Lehighton Elderly Pink Light Walk 2015
Lehighton Area Lioness Lions Club sponsored its
Pink Light Walk on Tuesday, Oct. 6, at the Lehighton Recreation Center. Participants walked from
the Lehighton Recreation Center to the Lehighton
Amphitheatre and back. The Lehighton Amphitheatre
is located across the street from Lehighton Elderly.
Thank you to Lucretia Lee, Community Manager, at Reading Elderly
in Reading, Pa., who shared this
photo from the property’s first-ever
Spanish/English class in the community room. Reading Elderly is a Senior property with a large
hispanic population. Carmen Iglesia, a retired social worker has
volunteered through her church to teach Spanish to the English
and English to the Spanish. Lucretia says it was beautiful to see
everyone working together to try to understand each other’s
language. The class was so successful that a one hour class has
now turned
into a two-hour class. Three staff members are sitting
in on the class to learn Spanish.
Better Tomorrows and the residents of Lehighton Elderly, teamed up with the Lehighton Lioness club to
show our support to the community. Selected apartments were given a battery operated pink candle
light for their apartment window for this evening.
Superintendent of the property Alan Gower, mapped
out where the candles would go on the front and
back of the building to construct the Breast Cancer
Awareness ribbon.
The candle lit ribbon pattern was on the front and
back of our building. Not only could they be seen
down town but from afar as well.
This was a great opportunity for the residents to
show their support and participate in the event in a
unique way. We are looking forward to next year’s
Pink Light Walk!
Healthy Sports
for the Children of
Village Park
Eileen Bonczek, Site Manager at
Village Park Apartments in Scranton, PA, shared these photos of
her young residents, learning
to stretch and do yoga, after
concluding a run with their team.
This healthy program was made
possible with a $2,000 grant from
The Scranton Area Community
Foundation that was secured
by the site’s Better Tomorrows
Social Services Coordinator, Lisa
Schmidt.
18
{
Site-ings
Wood’s Edge Team Goes Above and Beyond During Historic Flooding
in South Carolina
by Julie Lucas, Site Manager, Woods
Edge Apartments
Columbia, South Carolina recently
experienced catastrophic rainfall
and the worst flooding in the history
of the city. During this flooding, my
maintenance technician Cedric Currence, stayed with the property and
when the water level breached the
building both Cedric and my maintenance Supervisor, Clay Thomas
sandbagged the breaches to minimize the water flow. As I was unable
to reach the property due to impassable roads, I was comforted to know
that my staff was there and staying
in constant contact with me. The
presence of Cedric was also such
a comfort to the residents. Both my
Vice President Marc Getson and my
Regional Property Manager Kevin
Cook provided support and guidance
during this disaster through emails
and phone calls.
In recalling some words from The
Michaels Organization’s President
John O’Donnell in a Town Hall Meeting, he said we are family at The
Michaels Organization. I will say that
sentiment rang true this last week. I
felt so blessed to have such wonder
staff and support from Marc and
Kevin during this trying time.
The community also gave Woods
Edge their support. A local Church
donated over 1,000 bottles of water.
Cedric and myself along with many
residents of Woods Edge bagged
and distributed this water to the residents. How heartfelt it was to work
right alongside the residents and pull
together as a community.
Wood’s Edge teammates pulled
out all the stops to make sure
their residents were prepared
for the flood.
The writer and poet Maya Angelou
once said: “People will forget what
you said, people will forget what you
did, but people will never forget how
you made them feel.” I know through
this tragedy the community of Woods
Edge feels fortunate to have such
support and knowledge knowing that
even through trying times we will all
pull together as family.
19
{
Site-ings
Country
Oaks
IRM Communities Across
The Country Celebrate
National Night Out
National Night Out is an annual communitybuilding campaign that promotes policecommunity partnerships and neighborhood
camaraderie to make our neighborhoods safer,
better places to live. Many IRM sites, several
working in conjunction with our non-profit partner for supportive Services, Better Tomorrows
hosted events this year.
Maintenance Tech Lawrence
at Skyline Gardens
Maintenance Tech Lenford
at Skyline Gardens
Camden Night Out
Skyline Gardens
Village Park
Left and right,
The Plaza at
Centennial Hill
20
{
Kudos
IRM Celebrates Community
of Quality Award Winners
Interstate Realty Management had a record number
of properties this year that were named a “Community of Quality,” by the National Affordable Housing
Management Association. The Communities of Quality
National Recognition and Awards Program is designed
to convey an important message to policymakers,
government agencies, industry specialists, and the
general public that the affordable housing industry is
succeeding in creating safe, attractive modern, and
well-maintained housing for the most vulnerable among
us. The program also showcases how residents in
these communities are aided in ways rarely addressed
in conventional rental housing.
To earn the Community of Quality Award, these properties had to meet rigorous criteria and document that
they are well-managed, well-maintained, and adding
value to the communities where they are located.
Congratulations to all the staff and managers of the
following communities who earned this prestigious
designation this year:
Lehighton Elderly Apartments
The Plaza at Centennial Hill
North Hills Manor Apartments
NIA (Amity Heights Apartments)
Halls Corner
Pennville
Mallard Run
21
{
Adams, Tony
Antoine, Khalifa
Boczkowski, Amanda
Bower, Justin
Canaday, Steven
Cline, Caitlin
Conners, Lacey
Conroy, Cristina
Daroshefski, Nicholas
Davis, Katelyn
Davis, Nicole
Eastburn, Jamie
Fida, Giavanna
Fida, Giuseppe
Glenn, Jason
Halley, Lauren
Howard, Jayme
Kony, Resy
Longmire, Tyler
Lugli, Colleen
art, education, and community volunteerism.
Malusis, Macey
Avery
Dr. Rodriguez noted that Mo is responsibleMerrick,
Mitch, Mike
for various community-based initiatives thatRidge, Logan
Allyson
provide resources to those less fortunate, Rola,
Rola, Stephen
Scanlon, Dillon
including food for Thanksgiving, a warm cup
Kudos
Better Tomorrows’ Mo Delgado Receives
Atlantic City’s Hispanic of the Year Award
Mo Delgado, social services coordinator at
four of IRM’s communities in Atlantic City,
recently received the “Hispanic of the Year,”
Award, presented by La Casa Dominicana, a
nonprofit organization based in Atlantic City,
NJ, that actively supports the Latino community there. Almost a quarter of the residents
in Atlantic City are Hispanic.
Mo was honored at a ceremony held at City
Hall as part of a Hispanic Heritage Month
celebration declared by the city’s Mayor and
City Council. Among those at the ceremony
was Mayor Donald A. Guardian, and Erika
Guzman and Marco Antonio Fortanel from
the Mexican Consultate in Philadelphia, and
Dr. Luis Rodriguez, president of the Dominican House of NJ.
of soup and a warm coat for the homeless, and toys for children at Christmas.
Through his many associations, Mo drives
educational opportunities for children, and
advocates for the rights of immigrants
seeking the American Dream. Every year,
Mo coordinates a city-wide Easter Egg Hunt
and he has served as lead coordinator for
the city’s Unity Festival. Mo also serves as
a Councilman-at-large for the city and is
chairman of the Atlantic City’s Committee for
Multicultural Programming.
“Mo Delgado is a person who by their excellence and dedication has led positive change
in our community,” said Dr. Rodriguez. who
lauded Mo’s efforts in Public Service, health,
Mo’s day job is serving as social services
coordinator for Atlantic Marina (comprised of
both Atlantic Villas and Townhouse Terrace
Apartments West) as well as Townhouse
$3500
$3500
$1000
$1000
$3000
$3500
$1500
$2500
$3500
$1500
$3000
$1500
$1000
$1000
$2000
$3000
$2000
$2000
$3500
$3500
$3500
$2000
$2200
$3000
$1500
$2500
$2000
Chesapeake Coll.
Barry Univ.
East Stroudsburg
Lock Haven Univ.
Clemson Univ.
Camden CC
Undecided
Cumberland CC
Drexel Univ.
Burlington CC
Rich. Stock. College
Washburn Univ.
Widener Univ.
Delaware CCC
Penn State-Altoona
Westminster Choir Coll.
Bradley Univ.
Grand Canyon Un.
Camden CC
Wm. Paterson U.
Salem CC
Camden CC
PA Coll. of Tech.
Rutgers
Nyack College
Harvard Law School
Univ. of Kansas
Junior
Fresh.
Senior
Junior
Junior
Soph.
Fresh.
Junior
Fresh.
Junior
Fresh.
Senior
Soph.
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Fresh.
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Junior
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Terrace Apartments East II and Townhouse
Terrace Apartments East I, where he
provides a wealth of innovative programming
and services for the youth and families of the
communities. Mo was a member of the IRM
team before Social Services transitioned to
the non-profit organization, Better Tomorrows.
“Mo is a leader and a unifier” for the Atlantic
City Community and his impact is felt
everyday! Congratulations to him on this
well-deserved recognition.
IRM Recognized by HUD for Helping
End Homelessness in Philadelphia
Designation Earned!
Congratulations to Susan Gehris, Rental
Agent and Social Services Coordinator
at Shirley Futch Plaza, who received her
ARM Designation in July, 2015. We are
very proud of Susan for continuing her
education and furthering her commitment
to our profession.
Congratulations to Senior Vice President Chuck Durnin and Regional
Property Manager Julieann Duca, who were recently recognized by the
Department of
Housing and Urban
Development for
their efforts in
Philadelphia to
help end homelessness. Julieann
has been working
with HUD throughout the year on
this issue and now
a number of the
formerly homeless
are living in decent,
safe and wonderful
properties. ​
22
Business
Adams, Tony
Psych.
Antoine, Khalif
Physics
Boczkowski, Am
Health
Bower,Sci.
Justin
Philosophy
Canaday, Stev
Business
Cline, Caitlin
Health
Conners,
Sci.Lacey
Early
Conroy,
Child.
Cristin
Bio-Chem.
Eng.N
Daroshefski,
Psych/Soc
Davis, Katelyn
Marketing
Davis, Nicole
Elem.
Eastburn,
Ed. Jam
Elem.
Fida, Giavanna
Ed.
Bus.
Fida,Adm.
Giuseppe
Business
Glenn, Jason
Music
Halley, Lauren
Nursing
Howard, Jaym
Psychology
Kony, Resy
Nuclear
Longmire,
Med.
Tyle
History
Lugli, Colleen
Education
Malusis, Macey
Commun.
Merrick, Avery
HVAC
Mitch, Mike
Finance
Ridge, Logan
Commun.
Rola, Allyson
Law
Rola, Stephen
Exercise
Scanlon, Sci.
Dillon
Daroshefski, Nicholas
Davis, Katelyn
Davis, Nicole
Eastburn, Jamie
Fida, Giavanna
Fida, Giuseppe
Glenn, Jason
Halley, Lauren
Howard, Jayme
Kony, Resy
Longmire, Tyler
Lugli, Colleen
Malusis, Macey
Merrick, Avery
Mitch, Mike
Ridge, Logan
Rola, Allyson
Rola, Stephen
Scanlon, Dillon
{
TMO Ed u c at i o n a l
F o u n d at i o n
Michael and Pat Levitt Create a Legacy Scholarship
in Honor of IRM VP Bob Sampson
Michael and Patricia Levitt
have created a new memorial
scholarship named in in honor
of Robert E. Sampson Jr., IRM
Vice President of Government
Affairs and a 34-year employee
of The Michaels Organization
who passed away in July. This
memorial scholarship, like the existing legacy scholarships named for other departed friends and business
associates of the Levitts, will offer $1,000 in addition to
the $500- $5000 scholarships that the recipient student
will be awarded from The Michaels Organization Educational Foundation.
$3500
$1500
$3000
$1500
$1000
$1000
$2000
$3000
$2000
$2000
$3500
$3500
$3500
$2000
$2200
$3000
$1500
$2500
$2000
Drexel Univ.
Burlington CC
Rich. Stock. College
Washburn Univ.
Widener Univ.
Delaware CCC
Penn State-Altoona
Westminster Choir Coll.
Bradley Univ.
Grand Canyon Un.
Camden CC
Wm. Paterson U.
Salem CC
Camden CC
PA Coll. of Tech.
Rutgers
Nyack College
Harvard Law School
Univ. of Kansas
All who knew Bob Sampson remember that Bob faced
several health challenges in his life and was able to
enjoy a very successful and rewarding career despite
these obstacles. The Robert Sampson Memorial Scholarship will be given annually to a resident scholar who
has shown the ability to overcome adversary in his or
her life.
The other legacy scholarships awarded each year
include The Jeanie Hatfield Memorial Scholarship; The
Frank Nash Memorial Scholarship, and The Jacqueline
T. Jones Memorial Scholarship.
Foresight Affordable Housing Partners Endows Scholarships
in Honor of Past Chairman
Foresight Affordable Housing Partners,
a non-profit organization that specializes in providing and preserving quality
affordable housing communities—and
often a development or finance partner
with The Michaels Development Company—has created a special endowment for The Michaels Organization
Educational Foundation, in honor of its
founding partner Morton Baruch, who
died last year.
Mr. Baruch specialized in the development, financing and management of
large-scale multifamily communities
for over 40 years. He participated as a
lead executive in both the private and
public sectors. He also co-developed
the first self-subsidized apartment development in New York City. While with
the department of Housing and Urban
Development, he directed the Office
of Assisted Housing and subsequently
became the General Deputy Assistant
Secretary for Housing and the Deputy
Federal Housing Commissioner. In that
capacity he was recipient of the Distinguished Service Award, the Department’s highest honor.
The Morton Baruch Memorial Scholarship will provide additional funding for
a TMO EF scholarship recipient who
lives in a property owned or managed
by The Michaels Organization, in
which Foresight is also involved: Currently that includes 15 properties. (You
can see a list at www.foresightinc.org/
properties ). In 2015, three of Michaels‘
scholars were awarded The Morton
Baruch Memorial scholarships.
Linda Awed and
Zabihullah Abubakar
received The Morton
Baruch Memorial
Scholarships in 2015
23
Fresh.
Junior
Fresh.
Senior
Soph.
Fresh.
Fresh.
Fresh.
Soph.
Fresh.
Fresh.
Fresh.
Soph.
Soph.
Fresh.
Junior
Junior
1st Yr.
Soph.
Bio-Chem.
Psych/Soc
Marketing
Elem. Ed.
Elem. Ed.
Bus. Adm
Business
Music
Nursing
Psycholog
Nuclear M
History
Education
Commun.
HVAC
Finance
Commun.
Law
Exercise S
{
TMO Ed u c at i o n a l
F o u n d at i o n
Annual Golf Tournament
Raises $114,000 for The
Michaels Organization
Educational Foundation
Congratulations and a big thank you
to IRM Senior Vice President Sandy
Cipollone for her leadership in organizing the major fundraiser of the
year for our non-profit affiliate The
Michaels Organization Educational
Foundation. The 2015 Golf Tournament drew hundreds of golfers, who
enjoyed a day on the greens, a wonderful dinner, and then an auction.
Thanks also to our “Angel of Golf”
volunteers who kept the whole event
moving smoothly, to Cheryl Hernandez for coordinating the beautiful
baskets for the silent auction, and to
all those teammates and friends of
the organization who donated baskets, sponsored the tournament and
great prizes, and to all those who
played golf. It was a great day for a
great cause!
24
{
live, work, play, michaels
Walking With Purpose
Yvette Hill, site manager for both
Hansberry Square and Savory Square
in Chicago, recently participated in a
2K Unite for Fight Event, sponsored
by Traci Lynn Cares, an organization
that works to bring awareness and
hope to people and families living with
the affects of Breast Cancer. Unite For
The Fight was created with the belief
that all women should feel beautiful,
enlightened, celebrated, and understand
a community that walks together heals
together.
This Face!!
This sweet little face belongs to Kevin Patrick
Barry, who made his debut on August 14th at
3:31 a.m.! The lucky parents are Kathy Barry,
our Community Director at Fort Benning, and her
husband Jack. Congratulations to Kathy and Jack!
Lynda Flink’s Grandson Appears
on Broadway
Judah Flink, the adorable grandson of Lynda
Flink, The Michaels Organization’s Director of
Investor Relations, was featured on Broadway
in September as part of the National Down Syndrome Society’s (NDSS) annual Times Square
Video presentation.
The photographs featured in the video highlight
children, teens, and adults with Down syndrome, part of an education effort showcasing
the contributions and milestones of people
with Down syndrome. These collective images
promote the value, acceptance and inclusion
of people with Down syndrome, which is the
mission of NDSS, according to an article about
Judah that ran in The Ocean City (NJ) Sentinel.
Judah’s photo was selected from more than
2,000 entries in the NDSS worldwide call for
photos. His mom snapped the photo. The Times
Square Video presentation was part of kick-off
for Down Syndrome Awareness Month, which
NDSS promotes ever year in October. The video
presentation was followed by the 21st Annual
Flagship Buddy Walk® in New York City. To
learn more about NDSS and it’s National Buddy
Walk® Program, visit www.buddywalk.org or call
(800) 221-4602.
Time flies
Congratulations to Bill Kerr at Orchard
Apartments who recently celebrated 25 years
with The Michaels Organization family! Here
he is (on right) accepting his Recognition
Award from his manager, Keith Tyson.
Little Sister Joins Kovack Family
Congratulations to Controller Steve Kovack
and his wife Dana on the birth of their second
daughter, Casey Francine Kovack. She was born
at 11:50 a.m. September 21. Her
vital stats: 7 pounds 5 ounces,
20 inches long, and absolutely
beautiful.
25
{
live, work, play, michaels
Victoria Brutto’s District Enjoys Camaraderie
During RealPage Training Week
Regional District Property Manager (and work mom!)
Victoria Brutto presented her team with notebooks
and pens, and snapped these photos in front of the
bus on the first day of “RealPage school” for her
district.
Lisa Cameli, Mahanoy Elderly; Keith Tyson, Orchard Apartments;
Heather Tare, Orchard/Mallard Apartments; Lynda Zuercher, Wyndcliffe House Apartments; Jill Weems, Meadowood Apartments;
Tammy Anthony, Lansford Townhouses; Amanda DeWire, Mallard
Run Apartments; Amy Zeigenfuss, Lehighton Elderly
Gail Weirbach, front, Shirley Futch Plaza; Allison Wetzel,
Coal Township; Michelle Reismiller, Hazlewood Apartments;
Eileen Bonczek, Village Park; Amy Boston, Milton Village;
Shelly Bowers, Timberland Apartments; Deb Miles, Williamsport Elderly; Kneeling Sue Gehris, Shirley Futch Plaza
Quite Possibly the Sweetest Thing
We’ve Ever Seen!
MVC Employees Get Sporty!
Mountain Vista Communities Landscape
Supervisor, Vince Cardona and Maintenance
Service Order Clerk, Rachel Smith are both
actively involved as coaches in local youth
sports. Vince has been coaching his son’s
pee-wee football team since 2011 leading the
Douglas Chargers to a 4-3 streak! This year,
Rachel has coached her daughter in softball
as well as soccer and the Transformers are
well on their way to their first championship!
Follow Us on
FACEBOOK
Congratulations to Lea Johnson, Marketing
Manager at Ft. Belvoir, and her husband Anthony, who welcomed Evelyn Grace Johnson
into their family October 9.
For more news from
our sites around the country
26
[
Better Tomorrows Brings Health Fair to Leighton Elderly
Healthy residents are happy residents,
as you can see from these photos
shared by Katie Hydro, the Better
Tomorrows Social Services Coordinator at Lehighton Elderly in Lehighton,
PA. The photos were taken at a health
fair Katie recently organized at the
community, where residents were able
to take advantage of the following
services:
Blue Mountain Health Systems provided blood pressure checks, pulse
oxygen screenings, and glucose
checks. During the glucose checks,
their blood work was tested to see
whether the results matched the
number that they residents took with
their personal meters. The purpose of
the glucose checks is to make sure the
residents personal meters are work-
ing accurately. If their personal
meters are inaccurate, they will
receive a new meter from the
hospital.
First National Pharmacy provided flu
shots and a safety station to dispose of
all old medications.
Beltone provided hearing tests and ear
checkups. At this station the residents
were able to look at a computer screen
and actually see inside their ears.
Beltone also provided a raffle for a
prize value at $150.00 that will be announced at the end of this year.
After receiving services, residents
could enjoy coffee, doughnuts, and
candy and were treated to novelty
cups, magnets and pens, which where
handed out from the vendors.
Good Spelling, Good Sportsmanship on Display at Annual Spelling Bee
On Friday, August 14th, the 9th Annual Better Tomorrows/Interstate Realty Management Company Spelling Bee Finals
were held at the Eight Diamonds community in Philadelphia.
Students competed in both the 8 -10 year age group and
11 - 14 year age group. At the end of a robust competition
that lasted several rounds, My’Own Carter, a young resident
of Jameson Court, emerged as the champion in the younger
age group over several other students including second
place finisher Aniyah Watson (West Poplar). In the 11 -14
age group, Caron Broaster (Haddington Townhouses) took
top honors over Nasir Smith (Eight Diamonds)
All participants were champion of their local spelling bee
held at their respective apartment communities. Each
student that participated received a certificate and their
choice of a reference book from three different titles that
were available. The second place winner in each age group
received a $50 gift card and the top finisher in each group
received a $100 gift card.
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Haddington Elderly Residents Enjoy Camp Outing
In October, 15 residents from our Haddington Elderly community in Philadelphia, were transported to Camp Ladore, a
beautiful mountain resort in Waverly, Penn., for a 5-day, 4-night
camp vacation, organized by Better Tomorrows. Because the
camp is run by the Salvation Army, the camp experience was
free for our income-eligible seniors. While there, our residents
can enjoy the resort’s pool, lake, pontoon boat, shuffle board,
four-wheeled bicycles, hearty meals and plenty of organized
activities throughout the day.
This year’s theme was “Jungle Junction.” Along with animal decorations throughout the Resort, activities included a
“Jungle Safari” Fashion Show, Bell Choir, Conga and Rhythm
Band, Water Aerobics, line dancing, wii bowling, paddle boats,
movies, an outside shopping trip, an auction, chapel, and an
“African Queen Jungle Cruise”, on the Resort’s pontoon boat.
What an incredible time the residents had! They are already
talking about next year’s vacation, which is themed “Mystery
and Illusion.” It sounds like another great Camp Ladore vacation opportunity!
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