Press Releases
For Immediate Release
FROM: Linda Anderson Smith
Public Relations Director
Champaign Residential Services, Inc.
1150 Scioto Street
Urbana, Ohio 43078
937-653-1324
lsmith@crsi-oh.com
Date: February 22, 2010
In February, Champaign and Logan Counties were both blanketed with huge snowfalls that seemed to go on and on for days. Both counties were issued Level 2 and then Level 3 emergencies by local authorities as the snowfall worsened; thereby mandating motorists to stay off the roads.
CRSI is considered a necessary healthcare provider by law enforcement agencies; therefore essential personnel have clearance to get to consumers during the worst Ohio weather. That does not mean, however, that direct care employees won’t be questioned along the way.
In Urbana, Sharon Kline, a DSP who had just worked until midnight the night before, traveled across town at 8:00 a.m. to again relieve staff at the Hill St. group home where she is assigned. She was stopped along the way by the police and questioned as to why she was driving under Level 3 emergency conditions. When she identified her purpose, she was cleared to drive to her destination, but then got stuck in front of the residence and could not pull into the driveway.
At the beginning of the snow onslaught, Adult Day Services in Urbana closed early. This meant that consumers were going home to unstaffed locations. DSP Helen Hull of Urbana packed her bags and went early to her assigned Urbana group home location to be on hand when consumers arrived home. She subsequently stayed all night so she could be on her shift the next morning.
In Logan County, DSP Kris Dwyer spent an unscheduled Friday night with consumers at the Spring Ave. group home in Bellefontaine. The next morning Logan County was elevated to a Level 3 emergency. Living three miles outside of Bellefontaine, she managed to return home to retrieve some clothing and her dog. She then returned to the group home to work another twelve hours on her weekend off.
Also in Logan County is Mandy Alexander who works third shift at the Spring Ave. group residence. Her husband, Bryce, volunteered his time to help transport his wife’s co-workers back and forth from both the Spring and Richard Ave. group homes using his four-wheel drive truck. He managed this despite the fact that he is paraplegic and operates his truck with hand controls. Alexander was recently honored by CRSI staff for his heroic volunteer efforts.
CRSI’s direct care workforce is an amazing group of dedicated providers who will do most anything to protect consumer safety including volunteering to serve unscheduled all-nighters or give up week-end time. There are many more just like these examples who are too numerous to mention but equally deserving of praise and recognition.