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A Family Reunited ....An Escape From Laos by Anthony Oliver It took some time, but a Laotian family separated in a refugee camp was finally reunited in McHenry after a year of searching. That was more than a year ago, and things are looking ^ Bondasak and his family escaped advancing Communist forces in Laos by swimming the Mekong river to Thailand. The family was relocated in the Nongkhai Refugee camp with thousands of other Laotian people. It was in this multitude of people that the third eldest son, Chanh, was lost. Through the efforts of the Lutheran Immigration Service, Moune and all of the family, but Chanh, was brought to the United States, and more specifically, McHenry. Moune and Panh, his wife, and their six children lived with Ed and Maria Guettler for about a month, until a home was found at 1409 Green street, McHenry. With their grasp of the English language improving, they had lived in McHenry a couple of months when Maria approached McHenry hospital about the possibility of a job. Moune was employed in the kitchen at a job he has held now for more than two years. "They came here with nothing, just a couple of shopping bags with all their belongings," Maria said. While the Bandasaks were settling in McHenry, the Lutheran Im­ migration Service was conducting a separated Family search for Chanh. In July of 1961, he was located and came to McHenry to be reunited with his family. That life does not treat each of us equally is no hidden fact. One of us plans an active day away from the office and it rains. Another prefers to stay in bed and the sun shines brightly. This is true in the animal as well as the human world. For every poodle parading toward the neighbor's garbage can to stay alive, there is a pampered pet living in the lap of luxury., So well known is this fact that a leading hotel chain has compiled a list of tips to make traveling with pets easier. Most important is to find out whether Fido or Queenie is welcome. This is true whether the lodging is being paid for or the catered cat or canine is having his meals prepared by relatives or friends. We who are animal lovers find it difficult to understand how even our best friends sometimes fail to ap­ preciate the cuteness of. the jewel that is our pet. A playful paw on a new pair of nylons can alienate the best of pals. And the best meaning dog who - just Moune Bondasak is hard at work in the kitchen of McHenry hospital. He has been working at the hospital for more than two-and-a-half years. Tlie Bondasak family was finally reunited with their third eldest son, Chanh, who was lost Airing their flight from Laos. STAFF PHOTO-WAYNE GAYLORD Maria said there are two older sons, both, of whom are .married. One. remained in Laos and the other is living in Texas with his family. Ed commented, "From now on they'll he just like any other im- rotera&t blend in With the community, irjey rea mdd- natured people and their neighbors just love them." The eldest daughter, Khame, has been a junior volunteer at McHenry hospital. "Our aim was to get them to be self- supporting Americans," Guettler said. Mrs. Guettler noted that the Bon- dasaks have friends all around. "I don't know how they find them, but word gets around and they've had letters from people in Virginia, Maryland and California," Mrs. Guettler said. "There are about 1,000 Laotians in Elgin," she commented. "Once a month, they go to Elgin to buy Laotian food." The English-teaching chores are being split between members of the church community and the Sears family in the Johnsburg area, who have also been working with a Laotian family there, the Boudaphans. "The first year it was all very confusing," Mrs. Guettler said. "But, it's all starting to click now. Hie girls talk a mile-a-minute and their teachers just love them." Khame, a daughter, is a sophomore at East campus; Bao, a daughter and O. a son, are both at Edgebrook school; Pao, a son, is in kindergarten; and the twins, No and Ne, are in the Headstart urogram. THE MCHENRY PLAINDEALER •• j "SERVING THE CHAIN 0-LAKES REGION SINCE 1875" VOLUME 107 NUMBER 23 FRIDAY. .OCTOBER 15, 1982 1 SECTION 18 PAGES 25* Challenge In Mental Health wants to curl up in a prized new chair can wear out the welcome mat even before it's been extended. So check with the host or hostess well in advance. Some hotels say all pets are off limits. Others permit them in rooms if they are well mannered. One of them has a grooming service on the premises. Even here, the dog or cat is ex­ pected to act like it has had disciplinary training in advance of the outing. "Make sure it sleeps on the floor, not on chairs/bed or bedspread", is the advice of one hotel manager. "If an animal is to be left alone in the room, place a 'Do Not Disturb' sign on die door, and warn the maid and front desk" is another bit of sage advice from the same manager. Now we have just returned from a week away from the desk and We received no such consideration. There was no "Do Not Disturb" sign on our door and no one cut the phone lines. We took our outings by the day "The challenge is how much in the way of community based programs we can maintain," noted director Dennis Smith of the McHenry County Comprehensive Mental Health Ser­ vice System (708 board) during discussion this past week on the effect of long range state planning and financing. He advised the Policy and Management board of the M H system that case management now seemed to be the big issue and he didn't know why except for apparent state policy. Smith added that the charge to local mental health groups will be to;service the "high risk copulation" who will be among the people who will be discharged into the community from state institutions. He warned, "We will have to take money from our existing programs foc.it." If we don't deal with this prdgram (case management) we will wind up with only the program for the high risk population." Smith explained that if they don't meet the challenge of meeting the needs of the high risk people, the state could change their criteria for funding other programs. Smith reported that he learned at the first task force presentation by the state that Department of Mental Health director Sector Chief Dr. Peter Diamond, preferred the concept of using a separate agency for case management instead at having the various existing agencies trying to cooperate by using their own employees for linkage. Smith an­ ticipated that the proposed program would probably start by next July. He cautioned that there were many issues to be worked out including a possible diversion pull back of aQ case management monies that would be apportioned to individual agencies. Existing budgets would not be touched. Smith also suggested that they in the mental health work may have to re-define their expectations about the future of some of the people with whom they deal.' He warned that** realistically they couldn't expect all of thflti to get well. He feels they should work for an improvement over a long period of time within the limits of a client's condition They also should help the clients to maintain ac­ ceptable behavior in the community into which they are returning. He noted that many patients have only chronic or temporary problems while a smaller number have more long lasting conditions to deal with. Ann Patla, assistant director for the system, reported that case coor­ dination was being used in Madison, Wis., for all people who were discharged from the state facility Okay Reassessment Area Bypass Hassle Goes On Shaw Media News Service In spite of opposition by merchants in the Village of Richmond, the county board voted to keep alive the possibility the county would go along with a Route 12 bypass, proposed by regional planning agencies. Richmond merchants argue that state traffic projections are inac­ curate and say rerouting traffic around the village would have a detrimental effect on their businesses. In response, A1 Collins (Distict 3) met with a small group of Richmond merchants Monday afternoon for what he termed a "mini-political seminar." . The Transportation committee .approved a resolution requesting the Illinois Department of Transportation review traffic projections, reassess the economic impact of a bypass on Richmond and determine im­ provements necessary to the existing Route 12 in order to satisfactorily carry future traffic through the village. Committemen John Murphy, Robert Stoxen and Ervin Walters voted in favor, Edward Buss and George Lowe were opposed. "The county plan is Ok as far as I'm concerned," Lowe said. "Whoever thinks Richmond does not have a (traffic) problem is in dreamland." Collins* primary concern is the threat of a parlimentary move at the next board meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 19. Bypass proponents could alter the resolution approved by the Tran­ sportation committee and move ahead without updating the plan approved a year ago. ColiUiS added that to do so would violate state statute on planning and there. Fifteen people (not state em­ ployees, but hired by a private not-for- profit organization) worked together as a team to serve a hundred clients. The team members were familiar with each other's cases and could fill in during emergencies or absences of other members. Floating dischargees^who don't appear for appointments) are followed up. The system eliminated the problems of duplication in previous unworkable programs which used case managers in each servicing agency, according to Ms. Patla. She noted that this program is not more economical than keeping the patients in the institutions but it seems to produce a greater success rate of return to the community. Many P and M board members received their first look at the Crystal Lake Vocational Rehabitation center which director Ron Muhlethaler expects to play an important part in the coming patient dispersal program. The unit, according to Tom Gowan, director of day services for Pioneer center, is part of the number of options offered by the McHenry County Association for the Retarded. The Crystal Lake center is available to persons within the normal range of intelligence, but who have other disabilities or problems. Muhlethaler said the center is a fully accredited workshop meeting state and OSHA standards. It presently has 31 clients enrolled, of whom 17 are considered as full time employees. Besides providing meaningful work vat nominal wages, the shop also furnishes evaluation services to determine the level of the client's ability to work in private industrial jobs, and some are eventually placed. The estimated capacity of the present facilities is 50 persons. Muhlethaler explained that as a sheltered workshop they don't have to meet the minimum wage standard, but a good worker can meet or exceed this rate. However others who couldn't qualify for productive jobs in industry can work up to their limit and be paid accordingly: The average pay is $1.80 per hour. The shop is really "scratching for work" during the present economic times, Muhlethaler noted. Jobs are subcontracted, mostly from local industry, based on competitive bids. The work is usually of temporary nature for which private industry would have to Hire short term em­ ployees, or which would exceed their overtime capacities, or which would have to be done by persons qualified and paid for more skilled work at the contracting firm. The shop is also linked with the Family Services and Mental Health center. It furnishes needed day ser­ vices or activities to clients to get them out of their home envirtmment during the day. Work days are kept to five hours. Question Village Road Repairs SHAW NUCHA NEWS SHVICf. After spending nearly $13,000 on road repair in the Village of Wonder Lake, officials are now questioning how long it will last. The village spent $12,954 on repairing roads this season. Of that, about $1,783 was spent on shaping, grading and ditching roads, but Trustee John Sorenson doubts that enough ditching was done. Allan Zeman, superintendent of public works, argued the roads must be crowned first. "There's no sense ditching if there's a puddle in the middle of the road," he said. Zeman wants to systematically repair roads, and pointed to Acorn Path as an example, which is paved and sealed. Other roads, scarified and crowned this year, will be completed next season. Zeman used about 140 toifir*8f patch and 120 tons of gravel this year at a cost of $3,892. "It's working out pretty darn good," he said. Other expenses as from May 1 to Oct. 9 break down as follows: $433 for culverts, $5,530 for sealant and primer, $220 for hauling, and $1,096 for labor. Zeman's salary accouts for an additional $960 to date. Patching still is being done, par­ ticularly on Thompson road in preparation for a road program funded in part by the federal govern­ ment. The urban aid systems program will foot 75 percent of the bill for resurfacing sections of Thompson, East Wonder Lake and Wondermere roads in the next two to three years. According to Village Clerk Duane Zeman, the public works budget is down to about $600, despite an ad­ ditional $1,000 approved by the board in August. In another financial matter, trustees worked out a wage seale system for the Police department, accounting for merit raises and steps in rank. The proposal should be ready by the next meeting, Tuesday, Oct. 26. Police expenses total about $14,000 a year. "That's about a third of the total budget," said Finance committee chairman, Trustee Anita Vanderwiel. Trustee Brian McLaughlin called for a more detailed breakdown of the Police department budget, including wages and an equipment inventory. In other news: -- Trustee John Sorenson objected to by the village clerk that he had missed four meetings this year. Contrary to Duane Zeman's records, Sorenson claimed he has missed only three meetings and had good excuses for each absence. Sorenson said he received per­ mission from Village .President William Andrea to dispense with contacting him or clerk if his excuse was legitimate. "He (Andrea) is not trying to run a kindergarten where you have to bring a note if you're flying," said Sorenson, an airline pilot. "If they want to throw stones, why don't they throw them at everybody." Sorenson commented that his ab­ sences do not impair his ability as a trustee and he is considering running for another term in April. Andrea said the attendance or­ dinance providing for optional fines for unexcused absences is not dead. But there is no indication it will be enforced. The board's position is to monitor attendance records and wait for next year's elections. -- The village park ordinance is being revamped and condensed at the suggestion of Village Attorney Michael Poper. Poper also fielded questions concerning establishing a. park district in the village. Duane Zeman was concerned • nearby subdivisions or the Wonder Lake Master Property Owners association might form a park A lawsuit filed in August by Indian Ridge and Highland Shores' sub­ divisions alleges-.that six proxy votes at the Dec. 13, 1961, meeting were invalid. If the courts agree, a park (Continued on pago 14) Food Coupons Aid Needy McHenry township residents are being asked to clip food coupons from newspapers and magazines in an effort to aid needy families. Supervisor Albert Adams said several township families are currently being assisted when buying food by "food order vouchers" which they receive from the township. These vouchers are used to purchase food at local grocery stores, then are reimbursed by the township. Adams said although this system helps the families, the general assistance funds which support the program are not unlimited. In order to supplement the program, he is requesting residents to dip coupons for food items and bring or send the coupons to the township office, 3703 N. Richmond road, McHenry. Adams said coupons from local newspapers or national magazines for food items are nekled. Township employees will sort the coupons for distribution to those families which could most benefit from the added discount. Perfection From Years Of Practice (Continued on H) (Continued en H) Red Tourville.'at right, chairman of the McHenry Rotary club ham dinner, and his co-chairman, Fred Holsrichtes^jget in some early practice as they prepare for the twentpflrst annual ham dinner served by the club. The event will be held Sunday, Oct. 17, at the V.F.W. clubhouse on Rt. 120, with serving from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. In addition to the ham will be parsley potatoes, corn, cole slaw and pies. Last year the local club served 1,200 persons in the clubhouse as weU as providing 500 carry-outs. Tickets may be purchased at the door. STAFF PHOTO-WAYNE GAYLORD Fine Arts Series Opens Outstanding Program Page 15 FREE TV Guide In Today's Edition Help For Agoraphobics Contact Clinic Page 14 M