February 3rd, 2012
 Community Link consumers held an election on January 19, 2012 to vote in new members for the Consumer Advisory Council (CAC). New members include Mallory Wessling, Connie Wahl, Heather Holthaus, Steve Huelsmann, and Jason Seidel (not pictured) who were installed at the CAC meeting on Monday, January 30, 2012. Kathy Wempe (not pictured) is also a CAC member currently serving a 2-year term. The new members were introduced at the All Consumer Meeting held Wednesday, February 1, 2012.
The Consumer Advisory Council acts as a representative for all of the consumers. The Council makes recommendations, voices their concerns, and discusses issues with representatives of the agency. The Council is made up of five consumers elected from a consumer voting process.
Tags: community link, consumer advisory council
Posted in Uncategorized
February 3rd, 2012
 Community Link announces Janice McElroy as the new Director of Children’s Programs. Janice started employment on Monday, January 23, 2012. She has a Master of Science in Counseling & Human Development and a Bachelor of Arts in Child, Family & Community Services. Most recently Janice has worked for the Department of Children & Family Services as a Child Protection Specialist. She has also worked at Central Baptist Family Services and Lutheran Child & Family Services. She resides in Beckemeyer with her husband, Ken and 5 sons. We welcome Janice to our team!
Tags: community link, First Step
Posted in Feature Stories, Uncategorized
January 19th, 2012
 The board of directors of Community Link is pleased to announce the appointment of Breese native John A. Huelskamp as the new executive director of Community Link effective January 30st. John Lengerman, president of the board of directors made the announcement following the December 27th board meeting. Lengerman commented: “The search committee followed a very deliberate and transparent process in the evaluation of candidates to fill the position; the board unanimously approved the committee’s recommendation and are pleased to welcome Mr. Huelskamp, a very qualified professional, to lead our dedicated staff and volunteers in their mission of service to our clients.”
Huelskamp has had a 20-year career working in the long-term care nursing home field, most recently as the Administrator of Freeburg Care Center. He earned a B.A. in Political Science from SIU-Edwardsville and is currently participating in Master’s Degree Program for Public Administration through SIU-Edwardsville with an emphasis on non-profit organization management. He served honorably in the United States Marine Corps from 1988 to 1992. Huelskamp is a board member and current chairman of the Breese Little League and previously served on the All Saints Academy School Board. John and his family, that includes his wife Kim, daughter Kourtney and sons Zach and Parker, reside in Breese.
Huelskamp stated, “I believe it is imperative that everyone involved understands the impact of their work and how critical the organization’s success is to the clients and the community. When all members understand and invest in the organization’s mission, it will continue to thrive during good times and bad. I understand that this all starts with the leadership of the executive director and believe that I can provide this type of leadership to Community Link.”
Community Link, founded 39 years ago as Clinton County Rehabilitation Center, helps people with developmental disabilities, and other difficulties, achieve learning breakthroughs, find a job, live in a home of their own, and make friends. It operates two developmental training sites in Breese and one in Fairview Heights and owns and operates six group homes located in Aviston, Breese, Carlyle, Germantown and Highland. The agency’s more than 150 employees provide a full array of services, including employment support, adult day programs, service learning, small-group homes, family supports and infant programs to more than 500 individuals over ten counties in Southwestern Illinois. Community Link has been a proud member of the United Way of Greater St. Louis since 1999.
Tags: community link, community link board of directors, john huelskamp
Posted in Feature Stories, Uncategorized
January 19th, 2012
This Dec ember, Community Link was fortunate to have received two new vehicles through the state’s Consolidated Vehicle Procurement program. A grant application with supporting documents was submitted the fall of 2010. The first vehicle is a 14 passenger van which is capable of being configured for 3 wheelchair passengers/5 ambulatory passengers or 14 ambulatory passengers. This vehicle will give the day program at the Metro location the flexibility to transport individuals to and from services as well as take persons into the community for various events or to utilize the area’s resources.
The second vehicle is an accessible van which will be used to replace the current van at the Breese 245 CILA home. Their van has over 108,000 miles on it. The van includes a removable front passenger seat for use by a person with a wheelchair as well as a flip bench seat if there was a need to transport a second wheelchair. The van will hold 1 wheelchair resident as well as 5 ambulatory residents.
Both vehicles are being supplied with binders containing various vehicle tracking forms and procedures as well as any safety and first aid supplies not included. Staff will be trained to drive each vehicle and use their respective lifts prior to their use.
Posted in Feature Stories, Uncategorized
January 19th, 2012
 After discussing a renovation for one of the restrooms in the Breese West building, Stacy Hart, DSP III with Community Link, mentioned that her father was a wholesale distributor for flooring. Well, one thing lead to another and this wonderful donation of flooring came through. Special thanks to Stacy and her father for this really, really nice donation.
Tags: community link, stacy hart
Posted in Community, Feature Stories
January 17th, 2012
 When times are tough, it affects us all and many people are not able to give back. Community Link wants to share a story about a group of individuals who, when Christmas time rolls around, asks — “Do we get a family?” Donna Gruenenfelder (Production Coordinator and coordinator of this giving back effort) cannot remember how many years the vocational consumers have been sponsoring a family from Community Link’s First Step Program at Christmas. It has become a tradition that keeps the “spirit” of giving alive and fulfilling some of the dreams of a family.
Before the Thanksgiving holiday, Donna already had consumers in the Vocational Department reminding her to select a family so they can shop. There are some consumers who love “Black Friday” shopping and this gives them an extra reason to go hit the crowds with friends and family. They have a list of the family dynamics — parents, kids, gender, ages and some of their wants and needs. This year the family consisted of a mother and four children. What impressed Donna the most was a “need” for blankets. The consumers took it upon themselves to buy material to make a blanket for each child.
A total of $178 was collected and four blankets were made. Donna was able to buy all of the needs on the list with the money collected. The group knows how special it is for children to have a Christmas, and that is what the group strives for – to put big smiles on some faces. Donna cannot stress enough how big a heart this group of individuals have – they really do think about others. Thanks to all of them for being the caring people that they are.
Tags: community link, First Step
Posted in Community, Feature Stories
January 12th, 2012
 Community Link is happy to give back. It is always nice when our consumers can do something for someone else. Once again this year the consumers in the Breese DT West building made several Christmas table decorations for the Carlyle VFW Post 3523 Women’s Auxiliary. The Ladies Auxiliary make a donation to the agency; and the consumers, with assistance from staff, create some table decorations that are used at the Christmas party and then distributed to its members. We are grateful to the ladies for giving us this opportunity to give back. Pictured from l to r: Melody Williams, community volunteer; Mallory Wessling, consumer; and Tammy McCord, employee of Community Link and VFW Ladies Auxiliary member.
Posted in Community, Feature Stories
January 3rd, 2012
 The First Step Early Head Start and Early Intervention Programs were selected as a 2011 Payless Gives partner. Each year, Payless Gives invites nonprofit organizations who serve children in need to apply to receive coupons for new, free shoes at Payless. Children from both programs were given $20.00 gift cards to be used at a local Payless store. Families enjoyed taking a shopping trip to Payless and picking out a new pair of shoes, just in time for Christmas. We would like to thank Payless Gives for their generous donation to our families.
Tags: community link, Early Head Start, First Step, payless gives partner
Posted in Community, Feature Stories
December 20th, 2011
Tony Jansen, owner of K & J Chevrolet of Carlyle, IL once again held their toy drive this year. Several wonderful donations were accepted by community members and employees. The toys and monetary donations were distributed to Community Link’s First Step program, who serves kids with developmental delays ages birth to three, and BCMW for needy community families. K & J would like to say “thanks” for another wonderful toy drive year! Accepting the toys were Brandi Schuetz and Amanda Davenport of Community Link’s First Step, Chris Gebke the Toy Drive organizer, Deb Kohnen of BCMW.
Posted in Community, Feature Stories
December 20th, 2011
The Consumers of Community Link wanted to give back to the employees who assist them every day. One way to do this was to vote their favorite Direct Service Person who works with them daily. The Consumer Advisory Council (CAC) members came up with criteria of what they felt were the important characteristics of an award winning DSP. The CAC decided that they wanted someone who is friendly, a good listener, involved in many different services, tough when they needed to be tough, able to communicate concerns, and speak-up when needed. Each consumer had an opportunity to vote for their favorite DSP.
The CAC members announced the awards at the Consumer and Family Christmas party held December 16th. The gifts given were determined by the consumers which was a Community Link T-shirt that states “DSP of the year” and “awarded by the consumers” along with a certificate for the DSP Recipient of the Year to display. The award winners were Jackie Toennies and Tammy McCord of the Breese West facility; Janice Aarns of the Breese East facility; and Brian Tucker and Stewart Tull of the Community Living Program.
Posted in Feature Stories
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