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Dear Imagine friends and family,
Warm Greetings from an undisclosed location. There have been some changes at Imagine. You'll read a personal note to Jordan below from Brenda Lopez who worked with Jordan as Facilitator and Lead Staff. Jordan started with Imagine as one of the "Kennedy girls women." She's been a fixture at our events and has shared a bunch of great smiles and stories. At the start of August, she moved home with her family out of town.
In her seven years with Imagine, there have been a lot of changes and a fair number of adventures (What happened in Vegas stayed in Vegas or at least from me.) We're grateful for our time working with Jojo and we wish them all well. Y'all come visit now and then.
Another fond (semi-)farewell to Rosie L. Rosie has been with Imagine twice as long as I have (almost 17 years!). She's been reliable, helpful and caring. I'm told she is moving into a new career. We wish her the best with that and, frankly, envy the new employer who will benefit from having her on their team. This isn't really goodbye, because Rosie has offered to stay with Imagine as a sub. But during this change of status, we do want to express our gratitude. Thank you, Rosie. Yvette has another appreciation below. Ron adds "I hope you like your new job."
Speaking of Ron, at the end of this month, he will be leaving our SLS program at the end of the month, to join our FHA program. Ron has benefitted from very loyal and capable staff (including Rosie.) I have heard from some how fervently they wish him well in his new family. It's a serious change and will affect many people. But Ron's fans and friends do stay loyal to him. And we're glad we can continue Ron's journey with him. He's very excited over what's to come.
And we also want to welcome Pasquale. He and his mom, Sarah, formally join the Imagine family today. Pasquale is a young man from Southern California who has lived to this point with Sarah and will be starting the journey into adulthood and independence with us. When you meet them, please let them know how welcome they are.
One last transition, Imagine is changing our COVID prevention protocol. The main difference is that, as of this morning, masks are mandatory except where there has been a carefully reviewed request for a more liberal policy. A way of saying this: masks are mandatory except in a few places where they aren't. By the end of the month, we intend the opposite to be true. Masks will be optional except where there is a need for a different protocol.
The reason for this shift is kind of complicated but the basics are:
- COVID is probably near an equilibrium where preparation to get through an occasional infection by developing immunity and be aware of treatment options) makes more sense than trying to arrest transmission. Newer variants may be contagious enough that masking has a less profound impact. One thing we have noticed is that in the early days of the pandemic, PPE allowed us to prevent transmission across teams and between staff and clients. Since January, mandatory PPE has still left whole teams and their clients to become infected together.
- We have a growing awareness that mandatory mask policies have a much stronger negative impact on staff morale than we had realized. The safety and wellbeing of our clients are generally, in our view, more sensitive to the morale and continuity of staff than to more frequent COVID exposure (in 2022.)
- As masks become less prevalent across our community, the mandatory mask policy makes client's homes feel more like workplaces and less like natural places where people live.
As with everything at Imagine, we want these changes to be person-centered. If you are a client, caregiver or family member and want us to consider a mask-mandatory policy, please reach out to your Facilitator, Patty or me.
The Gathering was fantastic. Or so I am told. I finally got my COVID and had to miss it. But feedback from Imagine people and others who are there is that the return was triumphant. Thank you to everyone, especially Norma, who worked so hard to bring this fixture of our community back to glorious actuality. I am humbled that the Santa Cruz Community recovered from COVID symptoms the same day I did.
But we are not done with events this year, oh no. The Imagine Nation Wander, our homegrown replacement for the Human Race returns this month on the 24th. If you would like to participate without fundraising (just have an adventure on 9/24 and feed our social media stream,) you can write to Norma and make the arrangements. If you would like to Fundraise. you can set that up by clicking here. There is more below. Or, at least the same information again.
And the Imagine Holiday Party is coming back! December 2 for your calendars. Because food will be served and singing is inevitable, the event is not recommended for people who are worried about COVID and if you feel you can't or shouldn't join us, we will miss you. Let me know, though, and I'll be glad to bring you by a plate and have a holiday visit.
Finally, remember the Imagine Film Festival is coming in October. More on that next month but I'm already excited. See Patty's note below for your encouragement.
Further down, this month's newsletter includes the following:.
Patty Lopez, Imagine's Assistant Director of Human Resources, is promoting participation in the Film Festival. You know would make a cool entry? A documentary of someone's Imagine Nation Wander adventure.
In The Service Sector, Charlie tosses out a few words on his way out of town.
In Community Connections, Susan Douglass, a parent and board member, promotes the Imagine Nation Wander.
Our usual stuff in the columns around advocacy, self-determination, and the Imagine Endowment.
The Person-Centered Evolution this month is hijacked (but kinda appropriately) to give details on how the new masking policy will work and how to advocate for a different policy in a house where you live, work or have a friend or family member.
This month we have spotlights on Jordan and Rosie.
As ever, if you have any questions, feedback or concerns, please don't hesitate to get in touch. You can write me here. I look forward to hearing from you.
Gratefully yours,
Doug
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