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| Office administrative position aims at medical sites | Glen Oaks Community College’s Office Administrative Assistant – Medical program can open numerous doors within the medical profession, according to Brenda Luczek, Allied Health Instructor. Luczek said several classes leading to the certificate are offered this fall 2008 semester, including Medical Terminology, Medical Law/Ethics, and others. This certificate is sometimes confused with the Medical Assistant Certificate, a 50 credit hour program utilizing more diverse administrative and clinical duties in the health care field.
The 41-credit hour Office Assistant – Medical Certificate is designed to prepare graduates for entry-level employment in a health agency, clinic, hospital, pharmaceutical company, insurance firm, public health facility, or private health practice. The student may apply the certificate to an Associate of Applied Science in Business Degree or the Associate of Applied Science in Allied Health Degree.
Students will enroll in such courses as:
Diagnostic Coding (ALH 210) is a 3 credits/3 contact hour class that provides students with the necessary principles for properly coding disease conditions and injuries. Students will learn and be expected to demonstrate the ability to translate written diagnoses into the appropriate ICD-9-CM numeric designations. Laboratory practices will prepare students for eventual employment in health care settings.
Medical Terminology (ALH 218) is a 3 credits/3 contact hour class which presents basic medical terminology. Students will learn the various work elements that make up and form medical terms.
Medical Law/Ethics (MOA 250) is a 2 credits/2 contact hour class taught as an introduction to the legal aspects of the medical office/clinical setting. The class provides a foundation (of law) against which individual practitioner behavior may be measured. It is intended to prevent medical malpractice litigation by exposing the student to legal concepts.
Medical Office Procedures (BIP 232) is a 3 credits/5 contact hour class designed to provide the theoretical foundations for performing essential administrative functions in the medical office/clinical setting. Included are methods of greeting patients, screening telephone calls, scheduling appointments, creating and maintaining patient records, managing patient accounts, processing the mail and preparing and processing written communications.
Students enrolled in this program should be keyboarding approximately 45 words per minute, so Beginning and Intermediate Keyboarding (BIP 120 and BIP 121) are available to students through the Business Department. Similarly, Introduction to Computers and Software (EDP 101), a 4 credits/4 contact hour course, is important for terminology as it applies to computers, networks, operating systems, and internet usage. Students will work with current software on word processing, spreadsheets, and databases.
“The Office Administrative Assistant – Medical may be applied to either the Associate of Applied Science in Business Degree or Allied Health Associate Degree. In this way, students will have two strong professional paths they can follow,” said Luczek. While many office assistants in the medical field earn $30,000 or less annually, the demand nationally from medical offices seeking full or part-time assistants means pay is often $10 to $15 per hour or more, and annual pay may be $30,000 to $45,000, depending on location, experience, and other factors.
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| Rebekah Kesler Earns Lockwood-Warner Scholarship | Rebekah M. Kesler has been awarded a 2008 Dennis W. Lockwood-Gary Warner Scholarship administered by the Three Rivers Area Community Foundation. She receives a $1,000 scholarship from a fund established in memory of Dennis W. Lockwood, Gary Warner, David Hagerman, Terrance Smith and David Hanchon.
Kesler, the daughter of Stanley and Deana Kesler, graduated last year from Howardsville Christian School with a 4.0 GPA. and is attending Grace College in Winona Lake, Indiana. She is taking courses through the summer at Glen Oaks Community College in Centreville, Mich. Kesler plans to pursue a business administration degree with a minor in marketing. Her goal is to receive an internship in one of the orthopedic companies in Warsaw, Indiana.
Throughout high school and college, Kesler has been involved in extra curricular activities and community service programs. As a student at Grace College, she volunteers to teach elementary students at the “Science Central” program, and was an ESL teacher during Spring Semester.
Lockwood-Warner Scholarship recipients are selected based on merit and need by a committee of business leaders, educators and clergy. In addition, candidates are required to write a brief essay on, “If you could be some historical person, who would you choose to be and why?” Kesler selected Eleanor Roosevelt as her historical person to emulate. “This great woman was known for her commitment to promoting the rights of those who could not speak for themselves. I, too, wish to speak for those who do not have a voice and make a lasting impression on their lives,” says Kesler.
The Dennis W. Lockwood-Gary Warner Scholarship Fund is an endowed fund established within the Community Foundation by Dr. Jack H. Lockwood and his deceased wife, Donna J. Bradford Lockwood, to honor the memory of their son Dennis, and their nephew Gary, along with their friends. The Lockwoods are former Three Rivers Area business persons.
For more information on Three Rivers Area Community Foundation or to make a tax-deductible contribution to any of the Foundation Funds, call (269) 279-7402.
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| River Country Journal is off the ground! | Former Three Rivers Area Chamber of Commerce General Manager, Bruce Snook has officially launched his new business venture, River Country Journal. The on-line community news site's purpose is to celebrate and nurture Life in Southwest Michigan’s River Country. Visit the website often for important area news and happenings! www.rivercountryjournal.com
(not to be confused with the St. Joseph County tourism site River Country.com which focuses on tourism in our area)
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| ECCU AWARDS $23,000 IN SCHOLARSHIPS TO HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS | Educational Community Credit Union (ECCU) held a reception on Saturday, June 14, 2008 in recognition of 21 outstanding students who received $23,000 in scholarships. The 2008 ECCU Scholarship Awards Ceremony was held at ECCU’s Administrative Office on 8th Street in Kalamazoo with over 70 people in attendance.
ECCU’s President/CEO, Charles Cornelius, presided over the outdoor ceremony and presented nineteen $1,000 and two $2,000 scholarships. The $2,000 scholarships were created and named the Robert E. Treloar Scholarship and the Donna vanWestrienen Scholarship in honor of two individuals for their dedicated service on ECCU’s Board of Directors for over 20 years.
The $2,000 Robert E. Treloar Scholarship was awarded to Brittany Douglas. A graduate of Bloomingdale High School, Brittany will be attending Hope College to study Secondary Education.
The $2,000 Donna vanWestrienen Scholarship was awarded to Rebecca Doster, a graduate of Plainwell High School. She will be studying Accounting/Finance at Michigan State University.
Nineteen $1,000 scholarship awards were given to each of the following recipients:
Alexander Crook is a graduate of Mattawan High School and will be attending Kalamazoo College with an undecided major.
Andrew Dykhuis, a graduate of Kalamazoo Christian High School, will attend Calvin College with an undecided major.
Danielle Eby graduated from Constantine High School and plans to study Science/Biology at Glen Oaks Community College.
Garrett Gokey is a graduate of Paw Paw High School and will be studying Flight Science at Western Michigan University.
Hannah Granlund is a graduate of Plainwell High School and will attend Northern Michigan University to study Elementary Teaching.
Aakash Gupta, a graduate of Portage Northern High School, will study Economics at University of Michigan: Honors College.
Stephanie Hall graduated from Mattawan High School and will attend Michigan State University to study Psychology.
Emma Karsten is a graduate of Kalamazoo Christian High School and will attend Calvin College to study Nursing.
Kimberly Koehler, a graduate of Parchment High School, will study Nursing at attending Western Michigan University.
Bailey Lester is a graduate of Delton-Kellogg High School and will study Radiology at Kellogg Community College.
Megan Loney graduated from Vicenza High School in Italy and will attend Saint Mary’s College to pursue a degree in Communications.
Jackie Norey is a graduate of Plainwell High School and will attend Ferris State University to study English.
Griffin Roblyer graduated from Plainwell High School and will study Environmental Engineering at Michigan Technological University.
Randi Rowe is a graduate of Mattawan High School and will be attending Grand Valley State University with an undecided major.
Stephen Stuifbergen is a graduate of Plainwell High School and will study Heating, Ventilation/Air Conditioning at Kalamazoo Valley Community College.
Gordon Warwick, a graduate of Kalamazoo Central High School, will study Architecture at University of Michigan.
Carly Wheaton graduated from Loy Norrix High School and will attend University of Michigan to study Pharmacy.
Steven Yankoviak is a graduate of Otsego High School and will be studying Psychology at Grand Valley State University.
Jocelyn Zimmerman, a graduate of Otsego High School, will attend Grand Valley State University with an undecided major.
Established in 1935, ECCU has $327 million in assets and serves over 36,000 members and their families throughout 21 counties in Michigan.
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| IRS announces new mileage reimbursement rates effective July 1, 2008 | The IRS has raised the business standard mileage reimbursement rate from 50.5 cents-per-mile to 58.5 cents-per-mile to reflect skyrocketing gasoline prices. Taxpayers may use the higher rate for business use of an automobile for the period July 1, 2008 through December 31, 2008. Travel before July 1 must be computed using the previous rate of 50.5 cents-per-mile.
This standard mileage rate is the maximum rate of reimbursement amount the IRS allows to be paid to employees, but you may elect to reimburse at a lower rate if you wish. You may also elect to reimburse at a higher rate, however, any amount above the standard mileage rate must be included in the employee’s income.
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| Summer programs at HealthTRAC | Three Rivers Health and its fitness center, HealthTRAC, announce the late Summer Programs schedule.
On the schedule for adults are Yoga classes on Wednesday evenings starting August 6. There is also an ongoing class on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 12:10 pm. Pilates is available on Mondays and Wednesdays starting July 21 or Tuesdays and Thursdays beginning July 22.
Swim lessons are offered for kids (age 6 months and up) on Saturday mornings beginning on July 12 or August 16. Additional sessions will be offered throughout the year.
For complete information on prices, schedules, or pre-registration, contact HealthTRAC at 269.278.8722.
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| CPR Classes at Three Rivers Health | Three Rivers Health is offering American Heart Association (AHA) classes during July in CPR, Heartsaver First Aid, and Basic Life Support (BLS) for Healthcare Providers.
According to the AHA, 75 to 80 percent of all out-of-hospital cardiac arrests happen at home, so being trained to perform CPR can mean the difference between life and death for a loved one. Death from sudden cardiac arrest is not inevitable. If more people knew CPR, more lives could be saved. Save a life – learn CPR.
CPR is offered on July 12 from 8 AM to 12 noon. This course teaches CPR and relief of choking in adults and children, and infant CPR and relief of choking, and use of barrier devices for all ages.
Heartsaver First Aid is offered on July 12 from 12 noon to 4 PM. This course teaches how to manage illness and injuries in the first few minutes until professional help arrives.
BLS for Healthcare Providers is offered on July 14 from 8 AM to 12 noon or July 24 from 6 to 10 PM. This course covers core material such as adult and pediatric CPR, foreign-body airway obstruction, and automated external defibrillation.
Both CPR and First Aid are required to be a licensed daycare provider.
These classes will be offered each month. For more information and to register, call Mary Ann at 269.273.9742.
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| Next Chamber after hours program September 8th | | America's Best Value Inn, W. Broadway off US-131 will host the September TRACC Quarterly Get-together from 5-7pm. Chamber members and guests are invited to stop by for the open house style event which will include a facility tour, refreshments and opportunity for networking amongst community business representatives. |
| Annual dinner and awards night October 1st | The Three Rivers Area Chamber of Commerce Ambassador Committee is planning your 2008 Chamber Annual Dinner. This event is important each year so that we may gather together and celebrate the various accomplishments of members and businesses within our community.
Themed “In it to Win it”, this years event is sure to get you fired up as we show community pride and support for our area high school football teams. A great menu, fun decorations supplied by area athletic departments and fantastic door prize drawings will add to the celebration.
Also, please remember that nominations are now being accepted for annual awards. Categories are Brick Award, Outstanding Community Service Award and Chamber Participation Award. Nominations should be forwarded to the Chamber mailing address by August 25.
Mark your calendar for Wednesday, October 1st and watch for reservation information soon!
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| Grant to Provide FREE Training for Local Small Businesses | Glen Oaks Community College is offering FREE training for local small businesses in the soft-skill areas through an Innovation in Training Incentive grant. Classes are planned to start toward the end of August with a detailed schedule to be published the week of July 28th. Topics to be covered in the first round of courses include customer service, time management, communication and change management. Details on each of the training topics will be included with the schedule in July.
The Innovation in Training Delivery grant combines the needs of smaller companies (55 employees or less) and focuses on “soft skill” training. The goal of this program is to train at least 200 employees from area small businesses by providing accessible staff-development opportunities that meet the current needs of area businesses. The training is made possible through a grant received by Glen Oaks Community College from the Department of Labor and Economic Growth.
All of the training courses offered are being designed to meet industry standards for soft skills. Each participant completing a training module will receive a certificate of completion and general education credits from Glen Oaks Community College. In addition, certification is being offered in two areas for those taking a specific set of training modules. The first certification is a Personal Development certification, which includes communication, time management, and being a valued employee modules. The second certification is a Leadership Development certification. This certification includes team building, change management, motivating employees and successful leadership modules.
The instructor for most of the classes is Ann Meskauskas. Ann has managed her own business providing consulting and training services for the past twelve years. Prior to this, Ann had over 20 years experience in planning and project management for a multi-national Fortune 500 company. There she held positions at the corporate level in Engineering, Manufacturing, and Information Services supporting all organizational areas of the company. Ann has a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Engineering from the Illinois Institute of Technology and an MBA from the University of Chicago with a concentration in Operations Research. She also completed the Executive Development Program at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
Anyone interested in participating in this training can contact Kari Scare, Director of Business Services at Glen Oaks Community College, at 269-467-9945 or kscare@glenoaks.edu. Input regarding time and day of offerings as well as specific course content are welcome and encouraged. Courses will be added to the schedule based on input received. In addition, companies that would like to support the training by providing meeting space, refreshments and advertising are also encouraged to contact Kari Scare.
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| AFLAC Association Group Program benefit | Chamber member businesses, employees and family members are now eligible for AFLAC coverage regardless of the size of their business, etc. The new Association Group Program is designed for those that are not already covered by existing AFLAC policies or have it available thru a corporate program.
For a list of licensed AFLAC chamber member agents, please contact the Chamber office at (269) 278-8193. |
| Chamber awards Scholarships | Three Rivers Area Chamber of Commerce
awards scholarships to 2008 Graduates
The Three Rivers Area Chamber of Commerce has awarded two scholarships totaling $750 to area students.
A $500 scholarship to Celia DeBoer and $250 scholarship to Loren Sampson both of Three Rivers High School.
Celia plans to attend DePaul University and pursue a legal career. Loren plans to attend Saint Mary’s College for a business career.
The Chamber Scholarship Program was established in 1994 and funded through donations by Chamber members.
Congratulations to these young ladies, and best wishes to all area graduating seniors as they begin the next chapter of their lives.
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| Chamber Award Nominations Sought | 2008 Annual Dinner and Awards Night ~ The Ambassador Committee is busy planning the October 1st event for our membership and business community. This year highlights area high school football teams with a theme “In it to Win it”, celebrating the last great American neighborhood; families, friends, fans, food and football!
Nominations are being sought for the awards to be presented during this special evening. Specifically, awards will be presented in the following categories: Brick Award – Established in 1993, the Brick Award is designed to recognize Three Rivers area businesses and industries for renovation, expansion and construction projects representing a significant investment. Eligibility extends to member and non-member businesses.
Chamber Participation Award – This award recognizes contributions to Chamber membership recruitment, programs and activities. Eligibility extends to Chamber member businesses, industries, organizations and individuals.
Outstanding Community Service Award – This award is aimed at recognizing exemplary service to any sector of the community. Eligibility extends to all Three Rivers area businesses, industries, organizations and individuals regardless of whether they are members of the Chamber.
Nominations should be submitted – in writing – by August 29th to: AWARDS, Three Rivers Area Chamber of Commerce, 57 N. Main Street, Three Rivers, MI 49093. If you prefer, the nomination may be submitted by fax at (269) 273-1751 or e-mail – info@trchamber.com. We encourage you to include a brief explanation of why your nominee is deserving of the award.
Feel free to submit nominations as you discover more great candidates!
Proud of your business or personal contributions to our community? Self nominate
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