You’re Just Somebody’s Type!

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Be part of the County’s long and proud tradition of saving lives.

Starting Wednesday, April 2, the County will launch its 30th Annual Blood Drive. This year, the event will also include a Be The Match marrow registry drive, to benefit patients fighting more than 70 different diseases including blood cancers or sickle cell anemia. Registering for a marrow database is as simple as having your cheek swabbed. The County Blood Drive is the third largest in the region.

Sign up now! Just visit the County Employee Blood Drive Web page and scroll to the bottom to find the time and location that best suits you. The drive will visit 11 different County offices throughout the month of April, from Chula Vista to Vista and stops in between. The first stop will be the County Administration Center in downtown San Diego on Wednesday, April 2 from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Donating blood takes about an hour and the drives are open to employees and the general public.

Appointments are encouraged but prospective donors can also drop in.

No appointment is necessary to join the Be the Match marrow registry, and the process takes about five to 10 minutes. The nonprofit is seeking donors between the ages of 18 and 44.

The help is critically needed. Each day, the San Diego Blood Bank needs to collect 380 units of donated blood to meet the needs of patients in area hospitals.

Since the mid-1980s, the County has partnered with the San Diego Blood Bank on the drives, in all collecting more than 15,000 pints of blood. Each pint benefits three people, said Juan Olmeda, a cancer survivor and County employee who has chaired the County Blood Drive for the past nine years. The County began holding joint drives with Be The Match last year.

For more information on the marrow registry, contact Shelley Baker at Be The Match at 714-296-8479 (cell) or sbaker@nmdp.org or visit the organization’s website. For more information about the blood drive or to sign up, visit the County Employee Blood Drive Web page or the San Diego Blood Bank website or call 1-800-MY-4SDBB (469-7322).

Giving Back – On the Job and Off

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Making a difference is an everyday occurrence for three County employees, but for them it just isn’t enough. The threesome recently traveled to Huatulco, Mexico to help with conservation efforts at turtle nesting beaches.

Why spend your time off helping others?

“All of us have a passion for service, not just locally, but internationally,” said Housing and Community Development’s Megan O’Dowd. “There’s a lot of camaraderie and close friendships, we have similar mindsets for improving communities and for the long term.”

If that name isn’t familiar, you may recognize her last major project. O’Dowd recently coordinated the County’s participation in the annual count of homeless people. HHSA’s Shelly Tregembo deals with integrated care contracts involving physical, behavioral health and substance abuse. HHSA’s Anita Darling helps procure and monitor county behavioral health contracts.

“My nine-to-five work is very technical and very dry, it’s funding-based and I basically help contractors adhere to funding regulations,” said Darling. “I help people in roundabout way; I like a more hands-on approach.”

Back row, second from left, Shelly Tregembo, third from left Megan O'Dowd, fifth from left Anita Darling

One at a time, all three joined San Diego’s Uptown Rotary Club. The small group of about 18 volunteers regularly performs community service projects.

“I’ve always done volunteer work," said Shelly Tregembo. “I joined Uptown because it provided more structure to my giving back to the community as opposed to having great intentions to do charity work. At Rotary, we’re doing projects once a month.”

When WILDCOAST talked to Uptown about a great way to connect with nature, help a community and have fun doing it, well OK, but then…

“If you look at a baby sea turtle and your heart doesn’t melt,” said Tregembo.

All three were hooked. All paid their own way. Temperatures expected to be in the 90s were actually in the 100s and with 85 percent humidity. Tarantulas, geckos, and iguanas abounded. But the scenery was breathtaking, miles and miles of undeveloped coastline, coral reefs and small villages relatively untouched by tourism.

‘The area is so amazingly beautiful: jungle, then sand, then ocean,” said Darling.

The key is to maintain that beauty. The volunteers created bilingual signs on how to keep the area clean and stressed the ecological importance of the shoreline. They took advantage of what is now the dry season and picked up trash in a stand of mangroves before the debris could be washed into the ocean.

“You realize how delicate the ecosystem is,” said Tregembo.

The volunteers visited a school and helped create a mural highlighting the different marine animals found offshore. They also stressed the importance of conservation to the grade schoolers.

“They live at the beach, it’s a way of life,” said O’Dowd. “We emphasized this is really their community and conservation is key.”

At one time, turtles were slaughtered in this region for their meat. Now an aquarium and conservation center raises baby turtles until they are old enough to be released into the wild. 

“For every 1,000 eggs, only one survives to adulthood,” said O’Dowd.  

Seeing the natural environment where turtles breed proved to be a highlight of the trip. Each of the three was able to set a young turtle back into the sand near the shore and watch it return to the sea.

Now the whirlwind trip is over and all three Rotarians are back at work but they’re already working on their next project.

“We’re all running in the Hot Chocolate Race, a 15K, to benefit the Ronald McDonald house in two weeks,” said Darling.

Naturally. They’re doing what they like to do: give back to help others, again.

Seeing Green: Trees Planted at CAC

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The first true signs of a park were planted at the County Administration Center (CAC) over the weekend. Queen palm trees now stand outside the south entrance and tipu trees are lining the walkway to the building.

Tipu trees are native to South America and are grown here in Southern California to be used as shade. Project Manager Suzanne Evans said that the tipu trees will eventually get big enough to provide a natural canopy over the walkway on the south side entrance of the CAC.

The Waterfront Park is one tree closer to opening day, slated for May 10. Stay tuned for video on the new greenery gracing the CAC. 

 

Getting Real About Ethics

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Even just the word “ethics” can sound lofty and intimidating.

But if you think about it, ethical questions come up all the time, in forms both big and small. How often do we ask ourselves if we are doing the right thing? Or if others around us are?

March is Ethics Awareness Month, but questions like these can arise anytime: Is it OK to accept a gift at work, paid for by an outside vendor?

What about letting a vendor pay for a conference registration?

Cool for a co-worker to attend a charity event on work time? What if the event benefits the County?

We’ll get back to those specific questions in a moment, but the point is, sometimes we need help with the answers. That’s where the County comes in.

The first place employees can turn if they have a concern about possible unethical, illegal or unsafe activity is their department’s chain of command, said Joe Cordero, Director of the County’s Office of Ethics and Compliance (OEC), formerly the Office of Internal Affairs.

If an employee isn’t comfortable going to a supervisor or other manager, or if their concern relates to a supervisor or manager, they can call OEC or the County’s Ethics Hotline at (866) 549-0004. The hotline is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week and is operated by a third party. So employees can report concerns anonymously. Employees can also report concerns online.

So far this fiscal year, the hotline has received about 30 calls. The County looks into issues raised in each one. Where necessary, departments have then taken preventative or corrective action on issues raised including alleged abuse of authority, hostile work environment and sexual harassment.

The reality is, ethical breaches can happen in any workplace.

“For a County this big, we don’t have a lot,” Cordero said. “But we have a few.”

And there’s a strong system in place to deal with them when they happen.

A recent example: a former employee is currently serving a three-year jail term after pleading guilty to grand theft. Perhaps you heard about it in the news. The employee, it turns out, stole printer ink cartridges worth a total of $360,000 over about a six-year period. The behavior was reported by another County employee through the chain of command, and from there action was taken.

Cordero emphasizes that he and his staff at the OEC are available as a resource to employees. They are available to answer questions--and they often do. In addition to conducting investigations when necessary, the department’s mission is to be accessible to employees when they need information or advice about the full range of concerns.

“We’re not here to teach employees to be ethical,” Cordero said. “That would be presumptuous. And we handle more than formal complaints. We’re here to serve as a resource for employees, to help them in making those ethical decisions.”

As for those other questions:

Is it OK to accept a gift at work, paid for by an outside vendor? It depends. In one recent example, a few County employees won iPads and Kindles in a raffle through the Department of Human Resources’ Employee Wellness Program. The prizes were paid for by the County’s health insurance carriers. But the employees weren’t in a position to select the carriers as vendors, so there wasn’t a conflict.

As far as letting a vendor pay for an employee’s registration at a professional conference, the answer is: it’s better to say no.

And finally, what about a co-worker attending a charity event on work time? What if the event benefits the County? The answer is not straight forward. It depends on the situation. Employees can talk to their supervisor and call the OEC for advice.

Free, On-Site Health Screenings Filling Up Fast

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Get your health checked on site and get $100!

The County’s popular wellness screening incentive is back. Employees can once again this year get key health indicators, like blood pressure and body mass index, checked for free. And get paid for doing so.

Starting March 11, employees can visit the Kaiser Permanente mobile health van at one of its 11 stops at County office locations. There, employees can get the screening, regardless of which health insurance provider they use, then be eligible for a $100 payout by following a few additional steps.

Employees just need to complete the screening, get a signature from medical personnel, then go to their health care provider’s website and fill out a Health Risk Assessment. Then they can send a confirmation form and the form signed by a medical provider to Human Resources’ Benefits Department. For more detailed instructions and the required paperwork, visit InSite’s Employee Health and Wellness Incentive Program Web page.

The mobile vans will make a series of visits to County offices from Vista to Chula Vista March 11-28. For details on when and where they will stop, check out the schedule.

Appointments are filling up quickly. As of Monday, slots were all booked at the County Operations Center, Health and Human Services Agency South Region office in Chula Vista and the East County Regional Center in El Cajon. Appointments were still available at the Duffy Administration Center in Kearny Mesa, Rosecrans Health Services Complex and County Administration Center. Appointments were almost filled at the North County Regional Center in Vista and Edgemoor Hospital in Santee.

To sign up, employees can call Kaiser Permanente at (619) 641-4536 between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.

If you can’t make it to these screenings, stay tuned for more information on additional free screenings to be offered at some County sites in April. You can also be eligible for the $100 if your own doctor performs the screening and you complete all the steps.

Foster a Tweenie

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They’re here and they need you! Adorable kittens beTWEEN the age of 4 and 7 weeks of age – Tweenies – are already coming in to the County shelters, and Animal Services is looking for loyal, trustworthy, dedicated employees to foster these little balls of fur until they’re old enough for adoption.  

Flattered yet? Good, because it’s you all who have really come through in the past for these little ones. This program started in 2007 with 36 foster parents and 125 Tweenie kittens. Last year, more than 110 foster parents cared for more than 600 Tweenies.  

“These babies aren’t to be confused with the newborn kitties which need to be bottle-fed round-the-clock,” said Animal Services Director Dawn Danielson. “Tweenies are at least four weeks old but they do need to be nurtured outside of the shelter in a safe, loving home to give them every chance possible to be adopted.”

If you’re a full-time County employee, don’t worry about the amount of time you’re away from home. Once you create a safe little haven for the kittens, they’ll be OK on their own while you’re at work. 

RELATED: Check Out the County Cattery in Bonita

Fostered Tweenies are adopted quickly because, well, yes, they are awfully cute, but also they’re used to being around people. Adopters have a tendency to pick out the kitties that are friendly and playful.

It’s easy to become a foster parent. Animal Services gives you kitty food, bowls, toys, litter, bedding and of course kittens! You’ll need to take at least two because they need companionship of their own kind. You just need to provide the home, the care and snuggles. Fill out the application and you’ll be on your way.

Tweenies need a foster home until they reach eight weeks of age or weigh two pounds. At that point, the Tweenies return to Animal Services where they will be neutered or spayed, microchipped, vaccinated and placed in the adoption program.

The hard part for some foster parents is giving up these cuties. Don’t worry, if you fall in love with your Tweenies, you’ll get the first chance at adopting them.  

If fostering isn’t for you, you can lend a hand at the department ‘Kitteries.’ Animal Services could always use some help cleaning, feeding, weighing and enriching the lives of its furry felines.   

Either way, you can make all the difference in getting these kittens off on the right paw to a new start in a happy home and that’s something to mew about!  

What's Your Favorite Rainy Weather Meal?

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San Diego is finally getting some relief from its dry winter with some much-needed rainfall this weekend.

This, of course, means staying in, throwing on those sweats and settling down with a good book or your favorite movie.

But we want to know what kind of meals the rainy weather provokes in your home. Are you someone who enjoys soup when the sky is falling? Or do you turn to comfort foods, like chicken pot pies? Maybe you spend all day cooking or pick something up from your favorite restaurant.

Tell us in the comments what your favorite rainy weather meal is (along with your name and department) and stay dry this weekend! 

 

Hard Work Pays Off: Employees Get Recognition, Awards for Wellness Achievements

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CAO Helen Robbins-Meyer, HR Acting Director Susan Brazeau and Wellness Coordinator William Erese book-end the four top wellness champions of 2014: Michele Curley, Terri Foster, Mary Crooks and Michael Tarrach.

We upped our veggie servings, lowered our cholesterol and stood side-by-side in support during 2013 as we dedicated ourselves to wellness. But those who really excelled at their efforts got extra recognition last week at the first ever Employee Wellness Awards and Recognition Ceremony.

“This event gives us an opportunity to show our appreciation for your support and participation in the 2013 Employee Wellness Program,” said Wellness Coordinator William Erese.

The 2013 outstanding four “Wellness Champions,” who scored Amazon Kindles, were Michael Tarrach, Michele Curley, Terri Foster and Mary Crooks.

Tarrach said he lost 100 pounds in 2012, which provided an incentive for him to participate in all the Wellness programs this past year.

“My motivation to become a Wellness Champion was to motivate and support others to lose weight or maintain a healthy weight so that they feel the same energy, happiness, and joy of living I am feeling ever since (my weight loss in 2012),” Tarrach said. “In my opinion there is no greater satisfaction than to being recognized for helping others.

Wellness Champion Michele Curley agreed, noting that a colleague confided that it was because of Curley that she got the biometric screening and found out she had high cholesterol.

“Kaiser ordered her medication right from the van and she picked up after work that very day,” Curley said. “This is more than enough pay off. I feel I changed a life.”

Erese said each of the winners actively engaged employees at their workplaces and “aggressively promoted” the wellness programs throughout the County.

“They were always looking for ways to impact the well-being of their fellow employees and share information with other wellness champions,” Erese said. “Most of all, they had a passion for wanting to help others.”

All of the wellness champions exhibited these traits, according to the wellness coordinator, but the winners “had more passion and consistency of promoting wellness.”

“I am particularly proud of the BHS (Behavioral Health Services) Zumba classes because I was able to initiate the classes at our location,” Tarrach said. “And fortunately, we are able to continue the Zumba classes at BHS in 2014.”

Twenty employees total completed each of the required Wellness activities in order to be eligible for an opportunity drawing. Ten of those were lucky enough to win iPads, donated by both Kaiser and Anthem Blue Cross.

The awards ceremony also highlighted other events and their winners, including  Healthy Holiday Dessert Recipe Contest, Thrive Across America, Mix It Up Challenge and the Amazing Race.

Chief Administrative Officer Helen Robbins-Meyer welcomed the group and called the Wellness Program important for personal health, family health and the health of your colleagues.

“It’s been a great reward for employee morale.” Robbins-Meyer said. “When you’re healthier, you’re more productive and happier at home and at work.”

Read More: Employees Healthy Transformation Pays Off in Unexpected Ways

People from more than 20 departments were recognized at the ceremony, Erese said, all of whom he’s appreciative of for embracing Human Resources’ mission to wellness.

“The fact that we’re impacting someone’s life… I can’t ask for anything better,” he said.

“I am so grateful that the County is providing all these opportunities for the employees!” Tarrach said.
“I hope a lot of County employees will follow the Wellness Team’s lead and take advantage of it.”

Do you participate in Wellness programs? What’s your favorite? Tell us in the comments below.

 

County Employees Take on 'Chicago'

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David Guthrie and Carmina Vasquez smile backstage in costume. Photo courtesy Carmina Vasquez.

Two County employees recently got caught up in murders, alibis and lots of cabaret — but it was all for show!

David Guthrie and Carmina Vasquez shimmied and sang their way to the stage for Coronado Playhouse’s production of Chicago, but the two didn’t even meet until after the show opened on Jan. 17.

“I didn’t know Carmina was a County employee until after the show started, because she was on ensemble, so we didn’t have much interaction,” said Guthrie, an information technology engineer with the Sheriff’s Department for 12 years. “We started talking backstage and found out then.”

Guthrie plays manipulative lawyer Billy Flynn, a major role in Chicago’s plot, as he’s pivotal to main character Roxie Hart’s fate. Vasquez is one of the featured ensemble dancers— a talent she’s been displaying on stage for about 25 years, most recently in productions of Grease and Pippin.

“I joked with David that we’re County employees by day, jazz slayers by night,” said Vasquez, who works in Community and Housing Development. “It gets harder to find outlets to dance as an adult. (Community theater) is a great way to keep it up.”

Landing a lead role is nothing new to Guthrie, though theater acting is. The three-year actor has played Jean Valjean in Les Misérables, Marco in Carnival! and Sheriff Ed Earl in The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. But his passion growing up? Singing.

“It was quite a change to go from singing to performing and taking on a persona,” Guthrie said. “The best thing about it is the people I meet. I’ve been learning so much these past three years, and it’s just been so fun.”

Both Guthrie and Vasquez said the combination of rehearsals, shows and work make the weeks run together.

“It is tiring,” Vasquez admitted. “I haven’t had a day off since I started. It’s like work, it’s definitely another job, but it’s very rewarding.”

Guthrie and Vasquez’s colleagues came out to see shows, supporting the two’s passion for taking the stage.

“I have a tight-knit group of people that come and see me perform in each of my shows since I started,” Guthrie said. “They’ve been really supportive.”

And not just the colleagues, but their significant others as well.

“The director of my office went with his wife. Everyone in my office has gone!” she said. “It’s fun to encourage a date night and share my passion and hobby.”

The pair said being able to perform at the Coronado Playhouse (the second time for them both) is a real treat, as the community theater goes above and beyond its normal duties.

The Playhouse raised money for the Make-a-Wish Foundation during the run of the show. During the opening weekend of Chicago in January, a teen from the organization got to perform in the show as a reporter in multiple scenes.

“It was a really neat experience to work with him and have him be a part of the show,” Guthrie said. “I think that’s what makes Coronado (Playhouse) a cool experience to work with because they do so much outside of just being a theater.”

As for the future, Guthrie has plenty of upcoming productions to keep him busy, including I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change, performed at Patio Playhouse in Escondido, and Little Women scheduled to show sometime this summer.

“The opportunities keep coming… I’ll take a break after Little Women,” Guthrie, a father of two, said. “I’d like to spend time with my family.”

Vaquez agreed.

“I’ll definitely audition for more shows, as long as they need dancers,” she said. “I’ll try for one show a year. You get so excited and then it ends… I don’t know what I’m going to do with myself on that first Friday off!”

Want to see these County employees sing and dance their hearts out? Chicago has been extended for an extra weekend, Feb. 28-March 2. Seats are still available online at www.coronadoplayhouse.com or by calling the box office at (619) 435-4856.

The whole "Chicago" cast in action. Photo courtesy David Guthrie.