Fall 2014 T H E D S O C O N N E C T I O N

STATE REPRESENTATIVE SEAN McCANN

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60th DSO Passing of the Baton @ the 60th District Service Office

By Edie Trent, DSO Director &

Legislative Aide to State Representative

Sean McCann

The Voters have spoken!

With the election results tallied up just as we go to press, the baton is being passed by Sean McCann to the next State Representative of the 60th House District of the Mich-igan House of Representatives, Mr. Jon Hoadley. Congratulations!

Over the course of the next couple months, there is understandably much to do in transition. However,

extreme care will be taken so that there will be a smooth and seamless process to not interrupt our all im-portant constituent service work, both in Lansing and here at the DSO in downtown Kalamazoo.

If you have an issue or a prob-lem to resolve with a State government program, please continue to count on the DSO being your “go-to” resource. We are right downtown, just north of the Burdick Mall @ 315 N. Burdick, near the train / bus station. Accessible, Friendly Problem Solvers available at no cost to you, on a walk-in basis.

DSO Partners with PATH Program at MichiganWorks To Help

Clients Hone Skills for Employment

Over the past couple of years, the 60th District Service Office has been thrilled to be a community service site for “PATH,”a workforce development program jointly run in Kalamazoo County through the partnering of Michigan Works!, the Department of Human Services, and the W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Services.

It is nothing short of “Win! Win! Win!” The community ser-vice volunteers who are selected to work with us through this program gain meaningful work experience and a current job reference. In re-turn, we get awesome volunteer

support for our constituent service work for local residents. Starting in the interview pro-cess, we look for candidates who possess an attitude for success, a positive work ethic, and an aptitude to grow into working with our con-stituents. As with any volunteer placement, we look for opportuni-ties to build skills in computer work, customer service skills, and general office administrative assis-tant work. Based on interest and initiative, direct service with our constituents is also very much a possibility. We are investing time and en-couragement to help an individual reach out to search for and get that important launch into meaningful work and gainful employment in the local workforce. Please take a look at the feature article on page 2, as we introduce our most recent participant, Rashonda Stapleton.

We recently also caught up with our PATH volunteer from the past Spring, Ms. Sha’na Cole. She left us in June to take a position as a Mobility Driver for Life EMS. She and her girls, Khamanni and Riyah, are

doing well. Sha’na is plotting her next moves—planning to return to school and enjoying times with her family. We miss you, but are thrilled for you!

Want to track current legislation going through the House or the Senate? On your computer or mobile device, go to https://legislature.mi.gov. If you know the bill #, insert it here or enter keywords. The prompts are easy to follow to see the progress of law-making. Call 382-4676 with questions you might have.

Who are we serving?

Conveniently located in Down-

town Kalamazoo, at 315 N. Burdick

near the bus\train station, we welcome

drop-in visitors, as well as phone calls

and emails. We serve “face-to-face.”

Here are a few examples of our recent

constituent service work:

We learned that if your Driver’s

License or ID card has been ex-

pired for more than 7 years, the

Secretary of State has most likely

purged your file and you have to

show all of your required docu-

mentation again. We helped such

an individual put all of his papers

together to present, including an

out-of-state birth certificate on

which the midwife put the wrong

year fifty years ago. Legal Aid is

actually helping him make that

correction with the State of Mis-

sissippi’s Vital Records.

We helped put a widower in touch

with the right office at the Treas-

ury Department in Lansing to re-

coup a $3,500 bank certificate of

deposit that had been returned to

the state that had belonged to his

late spouse.

We helped several voters read up

on the August Primary ballot issue

regarding the repeal of the Person-

al Property Tax. We provided a

link for them to the bill analysis on

the Michigan Legislature’s public

website.

We helped a constituent know

what the process was to report sus-

pected child abuse and neglect.

He had a young neighbor child

about whom he was very con-

cerned.

We helped a constituent learn how

to apply for one of the new jobs

coming into town, after he’d seen

a Facebook posting that Rep.

McCann had helped to cut a

ribbon at a recent Grand Opening.

We handed out hundreds of pieces

of State publications and maps at

both the recent Senior Expo and

the Project Connect event held in

October at the County fairgrounds.

(It was great to see the wonderful

turnout for these annual events

planned to help link local folks to

local human services.

We made several requests to Con-

sumers Energy to place holds on

potential shut-off notices, to give

constituents a little extra time to

find the resources to assist with

high heating and cooling bills.

During the summer months, the

state does not process requests for

payment assistance with these ex-

penses. Other local agencies have

experienced backlogs to handle

requests.

A constituent with

young children,

who literally lost

her wallet, was

linked to a faith-

based organization

to help get diaper-

ing supplies for

her children until

her ATM card was

replaced. We also

helped her sign up

for the drop in

child care center.

Fall 2014—Page 2

Serving the Kalamazoo Area’s House District Since 1973

Welcome to one of the DSO’s Newest Volunteers:

Rashonda Stapleton

My name is Rashonda Staple-

ton and I was born in Chicago, but

raised in Kalamazoo, MI. I have 4

amazing kids: Dezmeon is 5 years

old, Dezariah is 3 years, and my

twins are 1 year old Damyra and

Damarion.

I graduated from Flint Genesee

Job Corps Center in 2006 with my

G.E.D. and a certificate in Business

Technology. I plan to attend KVCC

in the fall for Small Business Man-

agement which I consider to being

the beginning step to starting my

own business.

I have volunteered over time

with the several non-profit organi-

zations, including my Job Corps

internship. I was named “Helping

Hands Student of the Year“ for

2006.

Working at the DSO, this excit-

ing experience is breathtaking and I

plan to take in all that I can. I’m

very honored to be working with

Rep. Sean McCann at the 60th

District Service Office.

Knowledge is power.

Rashonda Stapleton

We truly must have an “in” with the weather bureau.

Once again, on August 15th, the weather was perfect for

our traditional Summer DSO / CSC fundraiser, in which

we raise an ice cream salute and sing “Happy Birthday”

to Mary Brown.

Page 3 - Fall 2014

60th District Service Office (DSO)

Carolyn & Melvin Alford

Tom Bailey & Katherine Joslin

Cheri Bell

Mary & Don Brown

Toni & Dave Buskirk

Omarr & Leona Carter

Bob Cinabro

Paul & Aiden Clements

Martha Cohen

Ron & Nancy Crowell

Ron DesNoyer & Conni Lutes

Rick & Lisa Fuller

Jeff & Kristen Getting

Melvin & Alberta Goebel

Kelly Grace

Dean & Cynthia Halderson

Tracy Hall & Amanda Bouman

Caroline Ham

Alan & Laurie Harbaugh

Barbara & RD Havira

Jon Hoadley

Bobby Hopewell

Brian & Linda Johnson

Ed & Ann LaForge

Millie Lambert

Margo Light

Tim & Joy Light

Bill & Jeannette Maxey

Sean McCann & Priscilla Lambert

Stephanie Moore

Dick & Karen Phillips

Mike Pioch

Art Cole & Sally Reames

Bob & Carol Smith

Linda Teeter

Max Tibbitts & Jeff Suida

George & Clare Todd

Edie Trent

Bill & Carrie Venema

Julie & Bob Vogel

John & Marjorie Weir

Nina Wolpe

Kevin Wordelman, Andrea Smalley &

Wally

Mary Brown Turns 79 at #80minus1

Bill Farmer John Curran Wendy Flora & Bob Cinabro

A piece of Representation LEGACY of the 60th House District: Ed LaForge (1995-2000, Sean McCann (2010-2014), Mary Brown (1977-1994), & Jon Hoadley (2015—…. )

Our Sponsors Honor Us with their Generosity ~ Thank You!

Friendly Faces in the 60th District include (from left to right): Olga Bonfiglio & Ann LaForge, Gwen Lanier,

Edie Trent, Namita Sharma, Rick Fuller & Stephanie Moore.

Art Cole & Sally Reames Leona Carter

Mark Your Calendars!

Mary recently sent us an email with the tentative

date for her 80th!!

August 21, 2015

Sean McCann State Representative

60th District Service Office

315 N. Burdick Ave., Ste. 100

Kalamazoo MI 49007

(269) 382-4676

www.60thdso.org

Lansing Office

N-994 House Office Bldg.

P.O. Box 30014

Lansing, MI 48909

Phone: (517) 373-1785

Toll Free: (888) 833-6636

Fax: (517) 373-5762

Established in 1973, the 60th District Service Office is a non-profit corporate entity established for the purpose of

providing Kalamazoo area residents with direct access to their government and increasing the responsiveness of the

government to their needs and concerns. Services are provided without fee on an entirely non-partisan basis. While

the staff for the 60th DSO is provided by the State Representative, it relies on the contributions of supporters to fund

the daily operations.

Matthew Lechel, Chair Laurie Terlesky, Vice Chair Laurie Harbaugh, Secretary Fran Dwight, Treasurer Toni Buskirk Traci Hall Rev. E. A. Hayes Ken Greschak Janet Jones Millie Lambert Rondale Nichols-Templeton Mary Roscoe

Mary Brown Ed LaForge Alexander Lipsey Rep. Sean McCann Rep-Elect Jon Hoadley Julie Vogel, Staff Edie Trent, Staff

60th DSO Board of Directors

Page 4 - Fall 2014

Follow us on Facebook

The Back Page i

https://www.facebook.com/

pages/60th-District-Service-

Office-of-Rep-Sean-

McCann/196617097024987

Or use your smart phone to

find us on the web.

60thDSO.org

Dedicated to Serving Others

It’s Poinsettia Time!! SAVE THE DATE!!

On Saturday, December 6th from 10 am —1 pm at the Pavilion at Prairie Gardens, 1501 Blakeslee, the 60th DSO will once again sponsor our Annual Holiday Poinsettia Pick-up Brunch. Please see the enclosed order form for details.

These are such gorgeous plants, produced locally by Panse Greenhouse in Alamo. Prices remain the same this year—Good News!!

The 60th District Service Office has assisted with 375 cases so far in 2014 (through 10/31), up significantly

from 2013. Our problem resolution, information & referral services are free to anyone in the 60th District.

Annual Fund Drive to Start in December

The boards of directors for both the Community Service Charity and the 60th District Service Office are also soon to conduct our Joint Annual Fund Drive. Please look for our letter in the mail to you and consider an end of the year donation to these important organizations.