Strong Throughout Snowvember

This article is the lead story in our November 2014 issue of the Cazenovia Compass and is about how our agency stayed strong throughout Snowvember:

The staff of Cazenovia Recovery Systems certainly proved their dedication during the recent and unprecedented snowstorm. Stories came in from across the agency about how our employees worked tirelessly to ensure the safety of our residents.

At Cazenovia Manor, John Deabold, one of the program’s resident monitors, worked for three days straight on little sleep. O’Dell Hall, another resident monitor, wanted to help, but was not able to get close enough to Cazenovia Manor due to an extensive driving ban in South Buffalo. He ended up parking his car at Bailey and Clinton and walked for two miles in waist-high snow all the way to Cazenovia Manor to assist John. The program even went without hot water for a week

John Gleason, maintenance assistant, also helped out at Cazenovia Manor. According to our property manager, Jessica Teresi, “he was able to walk to the program and provided relief for staff.” He also checked in on and helped out with our various Supportive Living apartments throughout South Buffalo.

Despite the office being closed, staff members at Supportive Living (especially Kaitlin Lydo, Latera Hodges, and Ryan Zwan) “were all available to assist calling residents and made sure they were safe,” said Erika Caldarella, senior counselor.

The boiler at New Beginnings went down in the middle of the storm, and the program was temporarily without hot water. However, thanks to the quick and considerate work of Jeff Pries, the agency’s facility assistant coordinator, the boiler was replaced within an hour.

According to Briana Petersdorf, Visions Place program director, Amanda Lyon, Visions Place counselor, “covered an overnight shift on Monday night which then got her stuck in Buffalo. She was unable to return to her home until Friday and had to stay with relatives in the northtowns.” Kristin Harnischfeger, a fellow counselor at Visions Place, helped out by working 16-hour shifts and 13-hour overnight shifts.

Greg Fulgham, senior housing specialist, received a call from a resident of our Housing program on Tuesday morning during the brunt of the storm. The resident, who left for work at 5:30AM, found himself stranded on Walden Avenue in Cheektowaga by 11AM. Greg attempted to pick the resident up but found that Walden was closed past Transit Road. Greg then walked down Walden to meet the resident halfway in near-whiteout conditions. Once the two met up, Greg drove the resident back home.

Meanwhile in Eden, Turning Point House (TPH) saw snow later in the week as the storm moved further south. Matthew Rachwal, resident monitor, spent all week at TPH and while there, he shoveled very often. Raymond Woodin, counselor associate, “also worked around the clock and engaged residents in fun activities to help pass the time,” according to Maranda Villa, counselor. Maranda also worked multiple shifts, along with Michelle Harvey, medical case manager, who “was a huge help with additional coverage.” Some TPH residents were also generous enough to help out their neighbors in Eden by shoveling snow off of roofs.

Our staff are incredibly committed and the agency would like to extend its sincere gratitude to those who put the needs of our residents first. We truly stayed strong throughout “Snowvember.”