T h r e s h o l d R e s i d e n t i a l S e r v i c e s, I n c. Crossing the Threshold Q u a r t e r 4 I s s u e 2 8 D e c e m b e r 2 0 1 5 New Face in the Place Scott Mckeel is one of our new Residential Managers! Scott came to us from GPSL in Beaver County, PA where he was a Housing Director. In his own words about his new role at Threshold, The position is very interesting, you never know what s going to happen day to day. Scott has four children and a wonderful wife at home. Scott also played football at the University of Pittsburgh! Clark Cretella is also one of our new Residential Managers! Clark is from the Youngstown area and attended Youngstown State University. He graduated YSU with degrees in psychology, sociology and a few others. Clark obtained his masters degree in clinical mental health counseling and has been working in residential facilities for the past several years. When asked about his new position at Threshold Clark said, I enjoy the position at threshold very much; although it can be challenging at times it is a good atmosphere and I enjoy our staff and clients. The job is fast paced and continues to keep me on my toes. I have seen many positive changes being made within the organization and I am happy to be a part of our team and I contribute to the best of my ability. I feel that with the right people in the right positions we can make a positive change in our clients lives while providing a higher level of care. Paul Parteleno is Thresholds new ODO Workshop Director! Paul has over 30 years of background in the field of vocational rehabilitation. He worked for 6 years as a vocational rehabilitation counselor for the state of Ohio Bureau of Vocational Rehabilitation. He then worked another 19 years as a Vocational Rehabilitation Supervisor in both Mahoning and Columbiana counties! More recently, he had worked as a Service and Support Administrator in Trumbull County for the TCBDD. There he specialized in a caseload of clients who were interested in working in the community. Paul was retired for about 18 months and during that time he was taking care of his father in law who lived with him and his family. He was diagnosed with Parkinson`s disease and dementia. He passed away in August of this year so he decided to return to work full time. Paul says, So far I`m really enjoying my job as Workshop Director. I have begun to meet and learn all about the clients at the ODO workshop as well as the clients who work at the Detail Shop. It has so far been a very good experience. The clients are very receptive to working, and my main focus for this first year is to get the clients to think about employment as their main responsibility when they show up at the workshop each and every day. As the program evolves I want the clients who wish to work in community jobs to be given every opportunity to achieve this goal. Paul is married to his wife, Carol, and they have a daughter Lena who is a junior nursing student at Kent State Main Campus. His wife Carol is a CPA in Boardman Ohio. Paul and Carol have been married for 32 years and live in Struthers, Ohio. Paul's hobbies include: golfing, landscape design, and home improvement projects. He really enjoys painting, finding it soothing and calming. Paul is a cancer survivor! He was diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer at age 40 and he says this has shaped his life in a very positive way and has given him a clear perspective on what things in life are really important. Paul says, Being a personal care giver for my father in law Dutchie was a life altering experience and gave me a different perspective on how I view those who can no longer do for themselves. It gave me a real perspective on both dignity and respect.
P a g e 2 New Face in the Place Sherree Zamary is our new Habilitation Specialist at ODO workshop! Before coming to Threshold, Sherree was working for Purple Cat in Coitsville at Farmer Casey s Ranch. Sherree says, I love working with the people here at Threshold. I get to set up the programs that we do everyday and I also get to have fun joining in for craft projects and parties. Sherree lives in Youngstown and has a sweet husband and four grown children. Of her children, the oldest is a nun, one is a lawyer, one is a singer and actress in local theater, and the youngest attends college. Her favorite place is Mill Creek Park and she likes reading and listening to jazz music in her spare time. Cyndi Dickey is our new Director of Nursing! She has been a registered nurse for 32 years. Cyndi is the council person for the Fourth Ward in Salem, Ohio. Most recently before coming to Threshold she had been working in administration for home health agencies in the area as Director and Quality Assurance. Cyndi is married to her husband John, and has six children and seven grandchildren. In regard to her new position at Threshold Cyndi says, I am enjoying this new challenge and feel honored to be part of the great team at Threshold. Heather Carnegie is one of our new LPN s! She comes to us from East Liverpool, Ohio. Heather says she is loving her new position. Heather is married and has three daughters as well as two beautiful granddaughters. Heather says she is excited to meet everyone here at Threshold! Marica is also one of our new LPN s! According to her, she s The Queen L here at Threshold! She came to Threshold after working 10 years of long term care, primarily in Alzheimer/Dementia units. I love people almost as much as I like to talk, and if anyone knows me you truly know how much that is. Marcia is a mom of two boys; Kenyon, who is a freshman at YSU, and Ayrien, who is a freshman at EPHS! She has been married for 25 years to her husband Tom. I feel beyond blessed to be part of the Threshold Team, the clients are amazing and each one is My Favorite LaRae Mattern is another of our new LPN s! She had been working at Calcutta Healthcare Center for eight years prior to coming to work at Threshold. LaRae says, I am enjoying my new job at Threshold tremendously. I enjoy working with all my new coworkers they are all very helpful. I am very happy to work with all of the clients, they are all receptive to me and I hope I can help all of the clients in any way I can. LaRae has been married to her husband Eric for 20 years! They have a son Nick, 18, daughter Skyler, 15, and another son Gavin, 11. LaRae says she can t wait to learn more about everyone else here at Threshold!
P a g e 3 Residential Repositioning Two of our clients, Randy and Tim, recently moved into different residential homes. They are adjusting very well to their new homes and fellow residents! Randy has plenty of room in his homes basement for rocking out on his drums! Tim enjoys having an occasional cigar on the large front porch of his new home! Written by Scott McKeel C r o s s i n g t h e T h r e s h o l d
Adult Day Services P a g e 4 Go Phantoms! Adult Day Services During the month of December the clients at ODO and the Detail shop attended two field trips. One field trip was to the Covelli Center in Youngstown to watch the Youngstown Phantoms play a hockey game. The game was enjoyed by all and Alan Striker was given a hockey puck by one of the Phantom players as the game ended. The group was asked to move to accommodate another large group during the event. The Covelli Center staff gave Threshold staff 25 tickets for any YSU Men or Woman games. All in all it was great day enjoyed by all. Written by Paul Parteleno The other field trip was taken at Kraynaks in Sharon, PA. The group spent the morning touring the Kraynaks showroom enjoying all the exhibits and looking at all the beautiful displays. Many of the clients then enjoyed shopping at the store and brought back treats and gifts as part of their Christmas shopping for the year. Written by Paul Parteleno Happy Holidays!
P a g e 5 Threshold Residential Services, Inc. Serving Individuals with Disabilities of Northeast Ohio Larry Duck, Executive Director Chris Page, Program Director Frank Thompson, Finance Director Cyndi Dickey, Nursing Director P.O. Box 351 50 N. Sumner Street East Palestine, Ohio 44413 Paul Parteleno, Workshop Director Phone Office:... 330-426 - 4165 Fax:... 330-426 - 4006 Workshop:... 330-426 - 4553 Workshop Fax:... 330-886 - 0541 Detail Shop:... 330-426 - 9694 Corner Store:... 330-886 - 0372 E-Mail: info@threshold75.com In Loving Memory... Special Guy - Eddie Black He thinks no evil - Does no harm. His disposition is always calm. So full of love and kindness too, he only sees the good in you. Anger, lust, they re not real, such normal impulses he doesn t feel. He is innocent, this is true, of hate and fear and things we do. Such a perfect trust, so hard to find, with eyes upturned and heart sincere, his thoughts may seem quite far from here. A deeper knowledge, yet not expressed, perhaps he s wiser than the rest. He s sweet and gentle, meek and mild, he s our lovely Downs Syndrome child. November 23, 1960 - January 25, 2016