Photo By Scott Sturkol | Kari Albrecht (center) is recognized May 25, 2021, by Directorate of Family and...... read more read more
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Members of the Fort McCoy Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation (DFMWR) gathered May 25 to hold as part of a stand-down day to recognize directorate personnel and more.
Dozens of directorate members received recognition.
High Five awards
• Josh Shisler — According to DFMWR, Shisler went to Pine View Campground in August 2020 “to help in a time of need.” Custodial staff was down two members and the campground was very busy. “His help was greatly appreciated and ensured that we were able to keep our facilities clean and ready for guests. The flexibility and positive attitude he displayed was tremendous, and we can’t thank him enough.”
Shishler also received the High Five recognition because he does not hesitate to offer his assistance in any department at any time if needed. Usually responsible for bowling, recreational activities, custodial services, and delivery check-in, Shishler has been a bartender on short notice and provided customer service at the restaurant counter (taking orders and expediting orders) — all while still maintaining his daily assigned duties. He has volunteered his time for events like the tree lighting and played important roles like Santa. He maintains a positive attitude and high morale throughout each work day.
• Pine View Campground custodial team — Carol Tester, Diana Trenda, Babs Martin, Barb Roberts, and Shisler — The custodial team was “phenomenal” in their service to the campground during the pandemic in 2020. The team went above and beyond to keep comfort stations, lodging units, and campers cleaned and sanitized during the pandemic. The addition of 10 new cabins made the summer even more challenging, but the team never complained, never kept a customer waiting, and kept DFMWR ahead of the game despite there being only five employees in custodial. Their efforts, positive attitudes, and hard work are greatly appreciated.
MVP awards
• Larsi Bendriss – Bendriss “did a great job” with the ski school at Whitetail Ridge. She made sure she had volunteers brought on properly and available to help with lessons. She also worked with staff to make them adequate instructors. She is constantly coming up with ideas and having conversations about how Whitetail Ridge can better its program. Bendriss is always willing to go the extra mile with customers, from helping with equipment to giving pointers to struggling patrons — and always doing so with a smile on her face and with a positive attitude.
• Shawn Eckelberg — Eckelberg received a satisfied ICE comment from a patron. Eckelberg’s “great relationships with the children shine through in her day-to-day interactions with the children.”
Here are the customer comments: “I wanted to give Shawn a shout out! I walked in to pick up my child who had just created a big mess with the soil. Shawn could tell the other staff in the room tonight needed an extra hand as well. She helped get an extra broom so my child could help clean the mess. She then helped with two other children who needed assistance. Before we left my child went and talked to Shawn about the mess she had made. Shawn was so kind and calm. Shawn talked to my daughter just like you’d want someone to talk your child. The way my daughter talks about Shawn, I just know that’s how she is all day with her! Thanks for being so great with my daughter Shawn even when she refuses to wear shoes.”
• Dianne Sommers — Sommers is an Army Community Service (ACS) specialist, and one of her roles is to ensure all incoming and outgoing Soldiers, families, and Department of Army civilians are aware of the Fort McCoy community and surrounding areas. She does this by reviewing the Army Career Tracker to get ahead of the Soldiers moving to Fort McCoy.
Following is a comment she recently received from an incoming Soldier: “I just wanted to take a moment to comment on the outstanding service Dianne Sommers provided at ACS. She reached out to me before I even had an official projection for my next PCS by email. After I responded, she immediately sent me information about my next duty station and even sent me some great books in the mail about Korea. I have never, in my 16 years of service, experienced such an outstanding and professional act of support from any previous ACS. Thank you very much Ms. Sommers for your outstanding support!”
Unsung Hero award
• Sarah Wiedenfeld — Wiedenfeld is a touch point for DFMWR. According to her award write-up, her designs are informative, eye catching, and impactful. She is responsible for the content on the DFMWR webpage, which was completely relaunched in December 2020. Web sessions are up 45 percent from the second quarter of 2020. Her expert layouts were directly responsible for an increase in patronage at Whitetail Ridge over winter, where skiing was up 115 percent and tubing increased by 22 percent from the previous year. Her winter campaign highlighting rental equipment led to an increase of 136 percent in business, and lessons were up 152 percent. In February, Wiedenfeld developed all the marketing materials for the Family Resilience Boot Camp.
Other recognition
• Child and Youth Services (CYS) Award of Excellence — This award provides tangible recognition for those individuals and teams whose exceptional achievements in child and youth programs had a dramatic and positive impact on the Army and its CYS patrons. Fort McCoy has won the 2020 CYS Award of Excellence for the 2020 Strong Beginnings 4K graduation. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic and CYS closure, the child development 4K teachers and management developed a drive-by graduation to celebrate each child’s special day and awesome 4K year. The team of Ann Boegler, Angela Kast, Cindy Storkel, Megan Humphrey, Derek Hunter and Shawn Eckelberg drove more than 400 miles to all 21 graduates’ homes. The team’s presence made each child feel the love and support the CYS community has for them. The single most common factor for children who develop resilience is at least one stable and committed relationship with a supportive parent, caregiver, or other adult. “The McCoy CYS team has gone above and beyond to make sure each distinguished graduate was recognized and shown how important they are.”
• Michelle Bubbers was recognized for earning the baby sign language badge. “We want to recognize employees who go above and beyond the minimum requirements to acquire training and demonstrate specific skills,” according to DFMWR.
• Fort McCoy Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention (SHARP) team — The team was recognized for their work during the month of April for Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month. The team headed up by Rebecca Wilkinson and Ryan Harvey showed their strength and power by providing the installation with several events both on- and off-post by partnering with Brighter Tomorrow of Sparta and Tomah along with all garrison and tenant units. There was a month full of events to ensure awareness was apparent at every road intersection on post.
Several events were held, including a proclamation signing with garrison and all tenant units, which was shared via video and disseminated around the post and social media. They also coordinated a virtual 5k run, in-person and online presentations on sexual assault by Obie West, Denim Day, Teal Tuesdays and Thursdays, a Clothesline Project with inspirational messages, the Strike Out Sexual Assault bowling challenge, and more.
• Christy Stelzner was recognized for completing the Department of Defense Financial Management Level II training. This training includes audit readiness, ethics, fiscal law, and more. Stelzner completed more than 75 hours of course work on top of her regular duties for DFMWR.
• Casey Batchelor received recognition as the “Army Microsoft Teams Champion.” According to DFMWR, champions drive engagement and business transformation. They combine technical acumen with people skills to drive meaningful change. Champions help build, grow, and sustain the Microsoft 365 rollout by evangelizing and helping their peers with the new technology. Champions are not only passionate about what they do but also passionate about seeing the success of others.
• Kate Sharp and Kari Albrecht were recognized for outstanding performance, dedication to duty, and professionalism.
Sharp and Albrecht greatly contributed to the success of the Fort McCoy Non-Appropriated Funds (NAF) Human Resource Office, placing fourth in the command NAF Human Resources Office of the Year.
Length of Service awards
The following employees received Length of Service awards:
• Five years of service — Jamie Harrison, Danielle Petska, Stephanie Pfaff, Sierra Rice, and Izaiah Thompson.
• 10 years of service — Elizabeth Alt, Dorothy Bristor, Amanda Ellington, Elizabeth Faber, Alex Karis, Tammie Noe, Mark Sprague, and Sarah Wiedenfeld.
• 15 years of service — Dustin Lakowske, Kevin Lieder, and William Easley.
• 20 years of service — Derek Hunter and Elizabeth Weaver.
• 25 years of service — Norma Conant, Shawn Eckelberg, DFMWR Director Patric McGuane, Rebecca Walley, Rebecca Wilkinson, and Carmen Ortiz.
• 30 years of service — Dianne Sommers.
• 35 years of service — Julie Pressler.
The directorate is responsible for operating many facilities and offices on the installation. These include McCoy’s Community Center, Army Community Service, Pine View Campground, Whitetail Ridge Ski Area, Sportsman’s Range, Child Development Center, School Age Center/Youth Center, Rumpel Fitness Center, and more.
(The Fort McCoy Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation contributed to this article.)
| Date Taken: | 06.09.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 06.09.2021 17:06 |
| Story ID: | 398525 |
| Location: | FORT MCCOY, WISCONSIN, US |
| Web Views: | 182 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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