House manager receives honors for efforts during ice storm

Betsy Walls, Housing Manager of Cotton Boll Handicapped, recently received a certificate of appreciation from the Poplar Bluff Regional Office for her efforts during the recent inclement weather.

The housing staff took both homes, Battlesgroup and Lemons, and moved the consumers to a shelter at the Church of Christ on Jan. 27, following the ice storm, according to House Parent Gwen Murrell.

The consumers were unable to take baths, so they used towels and soap to hand-wash during the stay. Also, the consumers became complacent with no activities at the shelter. The staff gathered a VCR and TV in order for the consumers to be able to watch movies together during the placement, according to Murrell.

Other activities included doing haircuts and styling the women's hair.

"The Church was really good at helping and supplied snacks for the consumers," Murrell said.

The transition was very smooth because all of the employees worked together as a family, Murrell added.

"Betsy was constantly calling nurses and others in charge to make sure everyone was taken care of at the shelter," Murrell said.

All of the arrangements for the employees schedules were handled by Walls, who was immediately aware of any change in plans or events taking place with the consumers, Murrell said.

"She keeps so much more in her head than I ever could on paper," Murrell noted.

The 14 people with the staff suffer from various medical problems, but suffered no conflict with their medications or any other type of care.

Laura Hobbs, of Alternative Opportunities, was with another group staying at the church shelter that furnished three hot meals per day.

"Betsy Walls bought meals out of her own pocket and bought bags of snack fruit when she has nothing to do with our company," Hobbs said.

The Alternative Opportunities group consisted of five consumers, who slept on cots provided by the Red Cross, according to Hobbs.

The Alternative Opportunities group remained in the shelter for 15 days, using the church's Sunday School rooms for its personal shelter.

"Our shelter was more private than public, which we needed," Hobbs said.

Jim Lawrence, who worked for the Poplar Bluff Regional Office for more than 20 years, said he could not recall this type of award being given in the past.

"Betsy is a phenomenal individual having everyone accounted for and safe and warm," Lawrence said.

The consumers that are supported rely on the staff for security.

"I overheard one consumer say, 'We will be OK now, they are staying with us,'" Lawrence said. "The consumers were afraid they would be left by themselves at the shelter."

"I have never seen the standard of care provided in home that occurred here," Lawrence said.

The Lemons home returned to their regular quarters on Saturday Jan. 31, while the Battlesgroup home returned the following Thursday Feb. 5, according to Murrell.