Hello, all. Welcome to WFHR's Rapids Report for this April 25th, 2025.
Have your host, James J. Mala. Today, we are joined by our friends from the
Aging and Disability Resource Center of Central Wisconsin. Mike Ray on the phone
with us. Mike, how you doing? Hey, I'm doing great today. Good to hear, man.
Good to hear. Appreciate you joining us. We're going to get into some of the new
locations available and meals on wheels and some other great volunteering
opportunities for our community. But if you don't mind, Mike, I'd like to start
talking with you a little bit about the budget and how you guys are adapting
with that. Absolutely. I appreciate that opportunity to kind of talk about that.
So, you know, this is a really big time for us right now is, you know, from a
state perspective and also from the federal government perspective is, you know,
this is budget time, you know, and right now there's a lot of different
things that are floating out there and a lot of things that are that are going
on that have, you know, direct impacts to us at the ADRC and the work that we're
doing. So, you know, one of the biggest areas, you know, within the state budget,
is that, you know, just looking at the fact that, you know, our population is
definitely aging within the state. And, you know, with that comes, you know,
the need for some support level and support services to be able to make sure
that people can stay and remain as independent as healthy as possible
within their homes. So, you know, some of the impacts that, you know,
are really looking at for us as an ADRC is just the volume of
people and customers and how do we serve them, you know, with the staff we have
and making sure that we're able to provide that, you know, high level of service
and ongoing service to customers as are coming in. And just, you know, for us
specifically, and we'll talk a little bit later about our meals on Wheels program,
but, you know, just the impact on our meals on Wheels program from a
budgetary aspect has been pretty challenging for us over this last year.
You know, it's probably one of our, well, all of our services are great, but, you know,
having that ability to impact and connect with people, you know, in their home for that meal
is something that, you know, a lot of times is that bridge to keep them
within their home. So, we've had some funding challenges with that
program over this last year that we've had to actually, you know, make some,
make some really tough decisions and had to make some cuts in regards to the volume of meals
that we can serve. So, Mike, I really appreciate
us diving into this because, in part, I think that for one, it is an ever-changing
landscape going on with our federal government right now. There's nothing political about that.
That's just a fact. There are people that are working in DC right now that are uncertain
of what's going to come and what could happen. And in the time I've said this sentence,
things could have changed up and down. Being the way the things are affected on a
federal level and a state level is really key going forward here and how talking with our
representatives and how certain things are, Wisconsinites will not be affected by. So, we're kind
of almost coming on the other end of this are the things that are being affected. And such key
services are being, you know, drastically affected. Whether we're talking about the Wisconsin
Rapids Family Center and domestic violence shelters around the country or an organization like
RC and the work that they're doing there with meals on wheels and some of these things.
We talk all the time whenever we are joined by meals and wheels about how key and important it is
volunteers out there. I don't know in the nine years we've been doing this that it's ever been
more vital to get people to be volunteering and putting into their community, especially with
the ADRC. I don't want to press you on this and I don't mean to, we don't want it to get too bogged
in the details of it, but you mentioned meals on wheels. Are there other services that are being
affected that, you know, I think would be good to let people know about?
Yeah, you know, so, I mean, you hit it right on the nail on the head in regards to the, you know,
there's just a lot of information coming out and, you know, trying to sift through that information
to really digest, you know, what is the true impact on us? So, and it's kind of a daily,
a daily process in trying to see what's coming out of the federal government and the state government.
But, you know, there is potential that it could impact our, you know, our healthy living,
you know, the work that we do for prevention-based classes and some things that were,
to really help people stay, you know, independent, you know, so those are some things that
are potential and then also, you know, our benefit specialists and the assistance that they provide
individuals with understanding Medicare, all the different complexity with that, you know,
there's some potential impact to those programs as well. So, right now, you know, we're at the
point where we're just trying to digest what's coming at us as far as information and then, you know,
ramping up our advocacy efforts to make sure that our representatives are knowledgeable about the
work that we're doing and how that impacts the constituents that live within our state.
What are some things, and we can get more into the volunteering and some of that that people can do,
but also want to let people know that they can reach out to their representatives, they can,
you know, be a voice speaking on this one. It certainly means something when members of the ADRC
are joining the cause and wanted to be heard, but, man, everyday citizens, you guys get things done.
Yeah, absolutely. And, you know, that voice from citizens, from individuals who live within our
communities, that is, you know, in their stories and the impacts and things that have been
done with them on a personal level, that really truly is, you know, what's impacting legislation.
You know, they do hear you. You know, when you call them and talk to them or if you go to a town hall
meeting or you, I'm sure that up at an advocacy day, and you relay your story, your personal story,
that really has impact. You know, so I think that that, using that voice to connect with your,
you know, your elected officials, making sure that they understand, you know, what it is that you
value and how you value that and the impact it's had on you is really, you know, kind of,
really important, kind of a critical time right now for that to occur.
We're speaking with Mike Ray from the Aging and Disability Research Center of Central Wisconsin,
and Mike, if you want, I thought we could move on to some of the new locations and fun opportunities
for people in those areas. I want to start with the new location in Marshfield. How is that going?
You know, it's going great. You know, we're about, I think we're just a week into that. So we moved
into the location just over a week ago. You know, it's definitely a downsize for us. You know,
we had a pretty large office building in the Marshfield area and moved into a smaller suite
within the Community Center, the Second Street Community Center in Marshfield, and honestly,
I think it's been a great fit for us. You know, the Community Center, we have a dining site there.
It has an active, very active senior center there. The parks and rec department is within that,
that area as well. So it's just a natural fit for us to have customers that can ask us our offices
within that suite. So that's been going great so far.
Good to hear. When it comes to services that are available for the Marshfield residents now
over there, similar to, if not the same services available here in Rapids and that?
Yeah, it is. You know, it's a little bit more limited. I'd be honest just because of,
you know, the amount of space that we have. So, you know, we, there are a couple of days that we do
by appointment only. You know, we definitely, you know, value having people call us or try to contact
us by phone prior to just walking in, but we're always available for a walk-in during our open
hours as well. It's a little bit different. It's a little shift in model, you know, within the
Marshfield community, but we had the opportunities to make sure that we had a presence there,
that we can still provide, you know, great service there. And really excited to see how this model fits.
And, you know, it's what they're a little bit reduced space for us.
Mm-hmm. And certainly with it just opening, we're just kind of getting going over there,
whether with this location. So, we'll see what services and what things are going to come of that,
but very excited and very happy for the staff and everybody over there getting the, you know,
open the doors and offer that. And the Marshfield Center is at 211 East Second Street,
Sweet 101 through a 123 in Marshfield. They're open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday,
eight to four, and also Wednesday and Friday by appointment, which you can make at 888-486-9545.
That's 888-486-9545. You can find this information at adrc-cw.org. Get that out there again
before we wrap up, because I wanted to get to the Wasall location as well, Mike.
Yeah, so yeah, we had a big move within our Wasall location as well. We had been in a
formal building for, you know, about eight years. So, we moved back. I was kind of moving back
to what we moved to. What was formerly known as the North Central Healthcare Campus within Wasall,
which is a pretty large campus, but have a lot of different county departments that we can,
you know, connect with, collaborate with that are just on the hall from us now. So, it's been a great
move for us as well. It's more accessible for our customers. It's definitely easier to get to
in regards to getting into the building. So, we're really excited about that as well, and just
the service that we can provide for our customers, I think is going to be great moving forward.
You know, and with us talking about budget cuts and everything to start with and everything,
and then talking about these new locations, one of the things that come, one of the things that
comes to mind for me is these locations are going to need volunteers. They're going to need people
helping out, and we know how great our local communities and ours here in Rapids are about that.
I wanted to wrap up with you a little bit, Mike, talking about some of the volunteer opportunities
and ways people can really put back into their community, just taking a couple hours out of their day.
Absolutely. You know, a volunteer, we absolutely cannot do the work that we do with our volunteers
in so many different areas within our organization. So, obviously, the biggest one is in regards
to our meals on wheels program and, you know, the whole operation of that, whether it's packaging
meals or actually delivering meals within our community. And, you know, it's always a great
opportunity. The feedback I get from volunteers that do that is just, you know, amazing and the
impact it has on them and the participant as well. But we also have other opportunities for
volunteering within our organization. We have individuals who are coming in to do some, you know,
office support or disconnecting and doing short-term projects. So, we don't turn volunteers away.
You want to make sure that we try to find an opportunity for them. And if we don't have an
opportunity within our organization that meets their needs, you know, we can also recommend other
community partners that you have volunteer needs as well. So, volunteering has a huge impact on
the individual that does it and obviously a huge impact on the organization as well.
When you're part of meals on wheels, whether it's preparing the meals or delivering them,
you're a part of an integral part of our society where you're not only being able to bring meals to
people that may not have a meal otherwise or at least a well-cooked meal or something along
those lines, you're also checking in on them. You're able to keep an eye on some of our most vital
part of our population and an invulnerable part of our population. And certainly in all these
local areas that we're mentioning our ADRCs, we know how heavy our senior population is and that
whether it's that or it's isolation that they deal with. That's an important thing and being
able to just say hello. And all of these things, we focus so much on the clients and they deserve
that. But I have to tell you as somebody who has done it and I don't say the word promise unless
I can back it up, I promise you, you will get so much out of this as well. You will wonder if it's
more for you than them. It's such a great program. I almost promise and guarantee you'll make friends
that you wouldn't have had otherwise and it's such a wonderful opportunity where you're doing
some good. You're literally putting into the community, helping the ADRC do the work they're doing
while also really enjoying yourself. It's a wonderful service to be a part of. And Mike,
if people want to be a part of this or have any other follow-up questions with what we've talked
about today, how can they get a hold of you? Yeah, absolutely. They can call our toll free number,
you know, 888-486-9545 or they can also just go on to our website and search around there.
There's a way to connect with us through that as well. And at ADRC-CW.org.
Appreciate you, Mike. Thanks so much for joining us. Say hi to everybody over there for us and we'll
talk again real soon. Sounds great. Thanks, James. Take care. Thank you too. Thank you.
And remember, everybody, to spread the word that you can download Rapids Report every day,
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