Volunteers Put in Nearly 16,000 Hours of Service to MCF
Miami Correctional Facility (MCF) celebrated the nearly 16,000 hours donated since April 2015 by volunteers recently by hosting a dinner in its recreation building.
A total of 70 volunteers gathered along with some of the offenders in their programs and numerous staff members to show their appreciation. This was the second year MCF volunteers were able to visit with a select few of their program participants in the facility’s Recreation Building.
Annually, MCF honors its volunteers with a dinner and gifts. It usually is filled with music and words of appreciation from both staff and offenders. Each volunteer group had at least one offender from their programs in attendance to share in the meal.
President Barack Obama proclaimed April 10-16, 2016 National Volunteer Week stating, “Volunteers help drive our country's progress, and day in and day out, they make extraordinary sacrifices to expand promise and possibility.”
Volunteers “help make prison just a thing to go through and not something that defines the rest of our lives,” Offender William Chaplin told the volunteers during his emotional speech of gratitude. “You help breathe life into words like honesty, compassion, respect, responsibility, tolerance, and integrity. You make PLUS (Purposeful Living Units Serve Program) like a family. It may seem thankless at times, but saving lives usually is. You, out there, helped save mine. I’m so grateful for that. If it were up to me I would not call you volunteers, I would call you heroes… thank you for being my heroes.”
Volunteers donated 15,940 hours from April 2015 to March 2016. That total includes 12,613 hours from 25 groups and 3,327 hours from 36 individual volunteers who donate time to the facility in the way of programs for the offenders.
The facility has more than 200 registered volunteers who devote their time and energy to providing programs to the offenders. The programs range from worship services and Bible studies to working with offenders who are about to reenter society. The volunteers were treated to a dinner and a few mementos of appreciation. Members of the Offender American Legion Post 555 presented the colors to begin the evening.
Indiana Department of Correction Executive Director for Adult Facility’s northern district Bill Wilson was present to also show his appreciation.
Superintendent Kathy Griffin told the volunteers it is hard to put a value on what the volunteers do for the facility. Their mere presence can change the atmosphere. They provide good role models, enhance safety and security as well as offer valuable programs, which increase their chances of being successful upon release from prison.”
Each volunteer was given a plant from the facility’s Horticulture Program. The PLUS program donated several handmade wooden jewelry boxes that went to volunteers as door prizes.
In addition, volunteers were given years of service pins.
Those recognized for five years of service included:
James Brandenberger, Martin Brandenberger, Willis Brandenberger, Marlin Schmucker, Marcus Schwartz, Marlin Schwartz, Matthew Schwartz, Nicole Harrah, Adam Binkerd, Don Alexander, Keith Townsend, Wayne Balmer, Robert Bonesteel, Steve Madden, Claude Markstahler, William Neale, John Simpson, Ronald Sparling, and Adam Speicher.
Those recognized for 10 years of service included:
Bruce Buddenhagen, Sheena Bowman, Gladys Ash, Carmine Gentile, Gaylord Kramer and Ron Burdine.
Those recognized for 15 years of service included:
Carolyn Beachy, Marvin Beachy, Darlton Bontrager, Rosalyn Bontrager, Larry Schrock, Marjorie Schrock and Meta Hume.
Some of the largest number of hours donated came from the following volunteer groups:
• Kairos group who donated 5,015 hours
• Apostolic Lighthouse/Greater Life Ministries donated 778 hours.
• St. Charles Catholic Church/St. Patrick’s Catholic Church of Peru and Kokomo with 550.25 hours
• Jehovah Witnesses of Peru with 483.5 hours
• Bridges to Life group donated 455 hours
Those individual volunteers who donated more than 100 hours of service included:
• Gaylord Kramer of Hartford City with 675 hours
• David Quick of Peru with 504.75 hours
• Gladys Ash of Kokomo with 279.5 hours
• Marvin Hamilton of Logansport with 249.75 hours
• Evelyn Willis of Kokomo with 225.25 hours
• Keith Townsend of Kokomo with 187.5 hours
• Carmine Gentile of Peru with 122.75 hours
• Alan Arnett of Kokomo with 117.5 hours
• Jim Pratt of Kokomo with 105.5 hours
MCF Names Employees of the Year
Miami Correctional Facility (MCF) named four individuals as Employees of the year during the annual Correctional Employee Appreciation Week celebration recently.
Selected as Employee of the Year was Ann Hubbard, Community Involvement Coordinator/Public Information Officer. Hubbard of Peru began her career at MCF in November 1999 after 12 years with the Kokomo Tribune, working as a reporter. “Since 2011, Ms. Hubbard has organized a 5K Run/Walk event as part of the Wellness Committee activities and help to bring in more than $2,500 since then to the facility’s Correctional Employee Appreciation Fund. Ann steps up and provides coverage for the Chaplains when needed, ensuring the religious services are being conducted accordingly. She also recently took on some added responsibilities involving the facility’s Prison Rape Elimination Act and has done an excellent job, according to Assistant Superintendent Sharon Hawk. She strives to be a positive role model for not only the staff at this facility, but the entire department and the community. Her leadership and dedication to make staff feel appreciation is worthy of recognition.”
Selected as Officer of the Year was Officer Scott Renaud. He began his career at MCF in September 2013 as a Correctional officer. “Officer Renaud of Peru always maintains a positive and professional attitude while working in the Restrictive Housing unit. His calm demeanor and positive attitude has gained a high rapport not only with the staff he works with but the offenders as well. He is able to deescalate situations quickly and prevent them from escalating into worse and possible volatile situations. His ability to multitask and his superior work ethic help him complete numerous tasks simultaneously.”
Selected as Supervisor of the Year was Gene Cooper, Physical Plant Manager. Cooper of Peru, was hired at Logansport State Hospital as a Maintenance Carpenter in May 1995. He promoted to MCF in January 2000 as a Maintenance Foreman 1. He promoted to Maintenance Supervisor 3 in February 2007 and to Physical Plant Director in December 2012. “Gene is a working supervisor. He is not content with sitting in an office and managing his department. He is constantly in the field with his staff working alongside them to ensure that both MCF and Chain O’ Lakes Correctional Facility continue to function efficiently. He has done well to foster the ‘get it done’ mentality and pass it on to his staff. His ability to manage multiple tasks and resources, his ability to prioritize and his overall sense of fiscal responsibility are just a few more traits that make him worthy of this recognition.”
Selected as Contract Employee of the Year was Twanna Jiles of Peru. She is employed with BCForward as the site administrator at MCF for the offender phones. She also is the site administrator at Chain O’Lakes Correctional Facility as well as Logansport Juvenile Correctional Facility and the backup administrator for all facilities in the greater Northern area and central Indiana. She has worked at MCF since June 2004. She has also received a letter of accommodation for customer assistance. “Ms Jiles is a team player. She has been able to keep up with all the requirements of her position and all that is asked of her by this facility. She works for several facilities, but always makes time to assist other departments. On several occasions she has voluntarily assisted he mailroom on heavy mail days. She is off and running with new projects. Her dedication has been a great benefit to this facility. Her unselfish personality is welcomed and appreciated.”
Employees of the year are selected from those chosen as Employee of the Quarter during the previous year. These awards come from nominations from staff peers.
Several staff also received their Years of Service Pins:
Those receiving five-year service pins included: Eric Callaway, Robert Hann, Katie Miller, Jake Morgan, Bennett Peterson, Michael Richards, Billy Sturgill Jr., Nicholas Terry, Jerry Thompson Jr., Ryan Wheeler, and James Whited.
Those receiving 10 year pins included: James Flack, Trevor Heishman, Tina Hyde, Richard Jones, Denise Ross, Bruce Shaw, and Kimberly Smith.
Fifteen year service pins were given to: Dennis Black, Sonia Bontrager, Brenda Bowman, Deborah Eldridge, Wayne Hardy, Brian Howard, Franklin Kaicy, Jake Kieninger, Jeffrey Prater, David Rish Jr., Sandra Roark, Sara Robison, Gregory Runkle, Tracey Sykes, and David Wise.
A 20-year pins were given to Steven Boatright, Bill Martin, and Judith Maurer. Amy Clark and Bradley Holt received a 25-year pins.
Perfect Attendance Awards were also issued for those not taking any sick days between April 2015 and April 2016. Those recipients included: (non-custody) William Croto, Tina Hankins, and Dan Rich; (custody) Beverly Abney, Anthony Banks, Jeffery Childers, Justin Crousore, Stanley Green, Jeanette Herrod, Jake Kieninger, Rodney Mygrant, Terry Neal, Jeffrey Prater, Diane Reason, David Rish Jr., Nicholas Rish, Matthew Schoettmer, Carl Smith, James Stamper, and Danny Tucker.
Correctional Employee Appreciation Week is celebrated annually in May. Each Indiana Department of Correction facility hosts several events to give back and recognize its employees.
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