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December 2018 Goodbye and Good Luck
By Katherine Schneider, ADRC Board Chair
AGING & DISABILITY RESOURCE CENTER [ADRC] 721 Oxford Avenue Room 1130 Eau Claire WI 54703 Monday Ͳ Friday 8 am Ͳ 5 pm 715.839.4735 1.888.338.4636 %y: use Relay (711)
The ADRC will be saying “goodbye” to its Director, Jennifer Speckien. Her last day is Friday, December 7. She started at the ADRC in July 2008 and has been Director since July 2013. She’s moved the ADRC forward with her great ideas and careful carry through. The staff and board join me in grieving her moving on, but being happy for her as she takes on her next challenge. She’ll be contracting with the Greater Wisconsin Agency on Aging Resources to develop a statewide care transition program. They’re lucky to get this dedicated, hardworking woman! In the meantime, we’ll be hunting hard to find our next director. Since we’re known as a dynamic leader in the world of ADRCs, I’m sure we’ll find a fine director. Stay tuned! The Top 10 Things I’ve Learned at the ADRC By: Jennifer Speckien, ADRC Director
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As you just read, I will be leaving the ADRC on December 7 to pursue a new opportunity. I’m leaving with very mixed emotions. I’m very excited about my new adventure but I am certainly going to miss the daily interactions with the staff at the ADRC, Eau Claire County and our customers. The good news for me is that my new work will still intersect with the ADRCs throughout Wisconsin, so I’ll get to see a lot of familiar faces! I have learned A LOT in my 10+ years at the ADRC from both the staff and our customers. I thought I would share some of those lessons with all of you. 1. Every single person and their situation is unique. You never see or hear the same thing twice. 2. Humility goes a long way. You never really feel like you know it all and that’s OK. You never will. Repeat after me “I’m sorry but I don’t know the answer to that. I will gladly look into it and get back to you.” This is our mantra. 3. Just when you think you’ve met someone or heard of someone’s situation that has to epitomize the words survivor and resilience, something comes along that takes your breath away. 4. Never underestimate the power of information. Knowing something that someone else doesn’t and choosing not to share it is abusing that power. Our main service is providing information and that’s a really important responsibility. 5. Nothing ever stays the same. And if it does, that probably means you are missing something. 6. A listening ear is more meaningful than you’d think. 7. Just when you think you can’t possibly give anything more to a new project, the thank you calls start rolling in and before you know it, you’re ready to take on the next big challenge. Which leads me to #8. 8. Gratitude and kindness is what keeps people going. 9. I didn’t truly understand multi-tasking until working in the ADRC. 10. Something amazing happens when you put 30+ people together who truly believe in the same mission. This is not the norm but it is here. I wish you all a joyous holiday season and hope our paths cross again in the future!