“Spring is sprung, the grass is riz,

I wonder where the flowers is?”

May facts & events…

Mental Health Month

Flowers blossom, grasses turn

green.

Cinco DeMayo, May 5

Kentucky Derby, May 7

Mother’s Day, May 8

May 30, Memorial Day

Emerald is the birthstone

APRIL facts & events…

Autism Awareness Month

April showers bring May flowers

April Fools Day (April 1) Humor month

Small animals are coming out of their burrows

Professional baseball season starts

Earth Day, April 22

Arbor Day, April 29, plant a tree

Diamond is the birthstone

JUNE facts & events...

National Rose month

June 3, National Doughnut Day

Flag Day, June 14

Father’s Day, June 19

Summer begins mid month

June bugs (lightening bugs) are seen at night.

Two birthstones: pearl and alexandrite

April-June 2016

2

Emily Friedrich was hired

on February 25 as a Com-

munity Supports Aide in

Menominee. Emily has a

CNA Certificate from

NWTC in Marinette. Her

hobbies include anything

outdoors! Hunting, fish-

ing, boating, and of

course...shopping!

Carolyn Fredlund returned to NBHS on February 1 (following a brief

retirement) as a Care Manager in the Iron County office. Carolyn has a

Master of Education from University of Cincinnati, She has one grand-

child, Leo William Dunham. Her hobbies/interests include visiting Leo

William, gardening, sewing, community service, i.e. Supper at His

House— free weekly community meal in Iron County, Tai Chi Chih,

spending time with family & friends.

Alexander Fields starting

working at Gathering

Pointe in Iron River on De-

cember 28 as a Personal

Care Assistant. Alex enjoys

the outdoors, mountain

biking, and good coffee.

Jennifer Ballenger began employment as a

Community Support Aide at Boyington Group

Home in Iron River on February 1. She com-

pleted specialized training at Bay College. In

her spare time, she enjoys spending time with

her daughter Addison..

Edon Feurstock began

working at The Lighthouse

on January 12 as a Com-

munity Support Aide.

Edon has an educational

background in Psychology.

He enjoys music, helping

others and school.

Northpointe News

3

June

Tiffany LaFond - 1 Amanda Neumann - 13 Beth Wilmers - 25

Peggy Mattson - 3 Susan Meade - 15 Amanda Freis - 25

Ricky Kurian - 3 Brent Johnson - 15 Amanda Mortl - 27

Luanne Guiliani - 6 Jean Cole - 18 Miranda Opolka - 27

Jill Beaudin - 7 Marvin Roth - 19 Jessica Dickerson - 28

Cindy Cole - 10 Billie Jo Johnson - 21

Melissa Buffinton - 12 Cindy Reynolds - 25

April

Matthew Bray - 1

Laurie Gardipee - 2

Karen Dunn - 3

Lorena Smith - 4

Nancy Davis - 6

Sean McLauglin - 7

Cindy Curtis - 10

Jennifer Riley - 10

Wendy Arnold - 10

Jean Gribble - 12

Laurie Caruso - 16

Kay Williams - 16

Tammy Mattson - 16

Bill Adrian - 17

Patty Webber - 20

Jean Andrew - 21

Candy Janssen- 23

Tracy Finn - 24

Missy Gauthier - 27

Mary Ellen Verdegan - 28

Patricia Soderbloom - 30

May

Joetta Mosher - 3

Stacie Pickerign - 3

Jessica Hill - 3

Tim Zarling - 4

Susan Tousignant - 5

Sierra Schindler - 9

Briana Jackson - 9

Margery Giachino - 11

Krystal DeWitt - 11

Susan Guzowski - 16

Melinda Teske, 19

Amy Neville-Keill - 21

Randy Stromberg - 21

Diane Roell - 23

Mary Polachek - 26

Judith Chinn - 29

Pam Sundquist - 30

Jackie Hendricks - 31

Northpointe News

4

By Fran Mackay, Peer Support Specialist

Tuesday, May 16th, is the Upper Peninsula 10th Annual Recovery Conference (formally known as Con-

sumer Conference). The theme this year is: “Recovery to the Stars and Beyond.” The Recovery Con-

ference will be held at Northern Michigan University, which is located in Marquette, MI, from 8:45

a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and is free of charge. The Conference is sponsored by the Michigan Department of

Community Health and NorthCare Network.

Who should attend? The Conference is for individuals receiving services currently or in the past from

a community mental health agency; individuals recovering from mental illness; Peer Support Special-

ists; community mental health professionals; and anyone interested in recovery from mental illness-

es and/or substance use disorder.

The keynote speakers for this year’s conference are Kathy Bennett and Shelley Olson. Kathy and

Shelley work for the Justice in Mental Health Organization (JIMHO) which is located in Lansing, MI.

Their keynote speech is “The Choice Belongs to You: Surviving or thriving?

The day also offers a continental breakfast, lunch buffet, raffle and twelve different workshops with

topics ranging from: Budgeting, Not as Hard as It Seems, to Social Security and Working: A Win-Win

Combination. Many of this year’s workshops, as in the past, are taught by Peer Support Specialists,

Community Mental Health Professionals, and JIMHO staff. Several Northpointe employees: Chelsea

Monfils, Menominee Clubhouse Manager; Tracy Finn, Peer Support Specialist Kingsford; and Fran

Mackay, Peer Support Specialist, Menominee are active in presenting workshops or on the com-

mittee that works throughout the year to make each conference run smoothly.

For those that arrive the night before the conference, there is an evening social which consists of Kar-

aoke, renewing old or making new friendships and refreshments. This informal social starts at 7:00

a.m. at the Superior Alliance for Independent Living, located in Marquette.

Registrations can be made by calling the NorthCare Network at 1-888-333-8030 and need to be in by

May 11, 2016. Come join us for this, our 10th Annual Recovery Conference, Reaching to the Stars and

Beyond.

Northpointe News

5

Laurie Gardipee! Laurie always has a positive attitude.

She works long hours, doesn't complain. The individuals at

Belgium Pointe always come first and she looks for their needs

first. She is nice to work with through difficult situations. Takes

time out of her day to give to individuals. Thanks Laurie!

Nominated by Rose Ball

OTHER NOMINEES:

Elyse D’Amico. Elyse took an

extra call and helped individuals

in major crisis while Kristin was

out with a family emergency.

anonymous

Phil Hefner. On very short notice (20 minutes)… Going

above and beyond to get me set up for a WebX one day

earlier than I had scheduled. He coordinated the room

(as all were being used), set up the laptop & projector

and when he couldn't get it connected contacted IS to

assist. All was done with Phil’s usual smile and style!

Nominated by Jane Lindow

Beth Hellman. Beth help coordinate

the local Foster Parent Support Group

to help promote foster parenting in our

community.

Nominated by Jill Doll

Roberta Wright. Roberta is always

willing to help with on-call coverage.

She does it with a positive attitude and

smile. anonymous

Amanda Mortl. She really stepped up to assist

ACT team when Kristin’s mom was in the hos-

pital.

anonymous

A special thank you from Michelle Windsor

to her staff at MAPLE RIDGE:

“This career choice takes a special kind of person. Maple Ridge is fortunate to have a house full of such people. I truly

appreciate all the support, help and dedication that the individuals and I receive by our staff. Not only do they make my

job easier, they truly care about those they help every day. So at this time I just wanted to let you all know how much I

appreciate you! Thank you for everything—you truly are the best! Michelle”

Northpointe News

6

Northpointe News

Getting to Know You… This Quarter features:

Sylvia Menghini

Community Supports Aide, Boyington Group Home

1. Where is your hometown? Caspian Michigan

2. Where did you graduate from? i.e., high school, college, etc. West Iron County

3. How long have you worked at Northpointe? 29 years

4. What positions have you held at Northpointe? Community Support Aide

5. What do you attribute your longevity at Northpointe to?

My desire to care for the people I serve. I like being able to come into work everyday and have the ability to make some-

one smile.

6. What do you like to do in your free time?

I love to do gardening and decorating for the holidays. I like to attempt to bring cheer to my neighborhood through land-

scaping skills

7. What type of music station is your car radio turned to?

Country and the Whip and Nae Nae with my Boyington crew

8. Tell everyone one thing they would be surprised to know about you! I like to snapchat.

Health Tip Corner… Don’t Let Foot Cramps and Charley Horses Slow

You Down 7 causes and remedies for foot cramps and charley horses You’re sound asleep, and then, without warning, you wake up with a paralyzing stiffness in your calf or foot.

1. Lack of hydration.“If you are experiencing cramping, it’s important to look at your hydration first,” Dr. Gladden says.

You want to make sure you are drinking enough water throughout the day.

2. Problems with nutrition. While a balance of electrolytes (calcium, sodium, potassium, and magnesium) is essential for

the contraction and relaxation of a muscle, it’s best not to simply self-treat with supplements. “Taking excess supple-ments if you don’t need them can be harmful,” Dr. Gladden says. Instead, she suggests eating a variety of foods with plenty of colorful fruits and vegetables. This includes leafy greens and fruits, including bananas, to add a balance of elec-trolytes to you diet.

3. Side effect of medication. Some medications such as statins and furosemide (Lasix®) can also cause muscle cramps. A tip-

off is when cramps start suddenly after you begin taking a new medication. If this happens, see your practitioner.

4. Not stretching enough. Taking time to stretch each day, including after a brief warm up or after a shower can help. “You

want your muscles to be as strong and supple as they can be. Adequate stretching after a brief warm-up period is key to this,” Dr. Gladden says.

5. Overexertion. If you exercise harder than usual or experience muscle fatigue, this can cause cramps. Pace yourself.

6. Poor circulation. If you have cramping that increases when you walk, it could be a problem with your circulation.

“Some circulation problems cause pain that feels like cramping. If it gets worse when you walk, or if you have cramps that just don’t stop, definitely see your doctor,”.

7. The wrong shoes. A less-known cause for muscle cramping: your shoes. “You want to look at your shoes, especially if you

changed from flats to heels.

*stay hydrated *stretch daily *Limit alcohol * Eat balanced diet: calcium potassium & magnesium *increase activity

7

Northpointe News

House of Dreams Clubhouse is growing!

The Menominee Clubhouse, House of Dreams continues to grow and improve its program!

House of Dreams is a program for men and women recovering from mental illness. The Club-

house helps support individuals with their life goals while participating in all the functions of the Clubhouse program. Here are a few highlights from our Clubhouse community:

Recently House of Dreams was awarded some block grant money from MDHHS to attend a

Comprehensive Clubhouse Training. The training was an in-depth experience at a well-

established Clubhouse that helps mentor fellow Clubhouse colleagues in improving and

strengthening their Clubhouse. Kathy Brock- Clubhouse Member, Katelyn Mackay- Clubhouse

Generalist, Chelsea Monfils-Clubhouse Manager, and Maria Domitrovich- Menominee County Director, all attended the training in March at the Independence Center Clubhouse in St. Louis,

MO. Before attending the training, our Clubhouse had a set of goals it wanted to work on and

achieve. While at the training, the group learned so much and was inspired to bring back the

knowledge to accomplish these goals. During the training the attendees developed an action plan

based off of goals expressed by members and staff at House of Dreams. The main focus of the ac-

tion plan is to: increase membership, strengthen the work of the day at the Clubhouse, and de-velop a Transitional Employment program for members to get back into paid employment.

Through accomplishing the goals set in the action plan; the House of Dreams hopes to strength-

en its program and develop more opportunities for its members.

After the completion of the training action plan; the clubhouse will complete an application for

accreditation and complete a self study in preparation for a formal visit from an accredited team.

House of Dreams Clubhouse looks to become an accredited Clubhouse through Clubhouse In-ternational and the State of Michigan by 2018.

House of Dreams has also created an advisory board and is looking to further develop the board

by adding new board members. The purpose of the board is to help support members and the

Clubhouse as a whole in achieving their goals. If you are interested or know someone who would

want to be part of our board please contact Chelsea Monfils at 906-290-3186.

Submitted by Chelsea Monfils, Clubhouse Manager