Each of our Hammer & NER homes is unique because of the people who live and work there. The “Showcasing Our Homes” profiles celebrate our homes (and apartment programs), the people who live there, and the staff who support them. Let’s learn about the Edgewater home in Shoreview!

Kevin

The Edgewater home is led by Program Manager Kevin Fruetel. Kevin worked for Target out of college. However, his wife, Glorina, worked at our 36th Street home in Oakdale as a Behavior analyst. She and Kevin and their two children resided in the downstairs apartment for four years. Coreen Schmidt was NER’s administrator at the time and asked Kevin if he would like to work for NER, too. A few years later, he accepted a job at the Edgewater home writing program plans and doing behavioral analysis. He has been at Edgewater since 2017.  

Let’s meet the Edgewater staff

Bola

Omobolanle (Bola) Egege (night staff): Bola has worked at the Edgewater home for six years. Bola focuses on how to serve the individuals and best support them safely and positively. She has been very helpful picking up additional shifts when needed and loves to cook new food for everyone to experience. In fact, Bola has recently started making the African version of an empanada (meat pie), which everyone loves! She also experiments with other African dishes to see how everyone likes them. She’s expanding their horizons!

Natalie

Natalie Hausker (weekend staff): Natalie has also worked at Edgewater for six years. She works very well with all the people who are supported in the home. They enjoy hanging out in the kitchen and helping her bake. Natalie is currently pursuing a doctorate in Occupational Therapy. Her skills are proving to be very helpful in enabling the people at Edgewater to maintain their mobility.

Deb

Deb Holt (weekend overnight staff): Deb began working at Edgewater two years ago. In addition to working weekends, she picks up extra shifts when needed. Deb works hard to find activities that each person enjoys and helps them with being able to pursue the activity. Deb helps Peggy with her diamond art and takes her shopping to pick out her next project.

There are several new staff who have been with Edgewater for just a few months. They have all been great at jumping in and getting to know the four people supported in the home. They have also proven invaluable in picking up extra shifts when needed.

Deb

Jodi Pautzke (overnight weekend staff): Jodi is fairly new to Edgewater. She started with us about nine months ago. In that short time, she has learned much about the people at Edgewater and what she can do to support all of them.

Emmanuel

Emmanuel Mwakyusa (overnight staff): Emmanuel is also new to Edgewater, having joined us eight months ago. He has been getting to know everyone at Edgewater and how he can best support them.

Ramzi

Ramzi Geraldo (weekday and Saturday staff): Ramzi has been working at the Edgewater home for four months. Ramzi takes pride in keeping the house clean. He says it’s not hard as everyone does a little bit to help and everyone is very organized. Ramzi takes one of the men to Vikings games who has season tickets.

Ahmadou

Ahmadou Toure (overnight staff): Ahmadou has been working at the Edgewater home for three months. Just like Jodi, Emmanuel, and Ramzi, he is learning about the home and the needs of everyone here.

Let’s meet the people supported at Edgewater. They have all lived together for approximately 15 years:

Sharon

Sharon loves to go out to eat and shop. She also loves watching football, baseball, and wrestling. On Sundays, while watching football, she likes to yell at the TV during plays. She also enjoys watching the Westminster Dog Show and animal care programs. Sharon enjoys meeting new people and talking with everyone she gets to know. She loves pink as evidenced by her bedroom, which is kept very tidy.  

Peggy

Peggy has a strong relationship with her sister, Kris. They go out to eat and spend most weekends together. The two have cruised to Alaska and Hawaii. Peggy also enjoys watching the Disney channel, cooking shows, and comedy and animal programs. She is very creative and loves to work on diamond art and looming and is quite good at it. She just finished a huge diamond art project that nearly filled a large table in her crafting area.

Tim

Tim, at the age of 67, is the youngest person in the home. One of Tim’s favorite pastimes is watching a variety of television programs ranging from British shows to AMC. It ranges from month to month–he’ll watch whatever comes up on Hulu. Tim loves his TV guide. He also loves to do what he calls “paperwork”–writing on papers and organizing them into piles. He can be very sociable and loves to meet new people and talk with them. He also enjoys going to the annual Hammer & NER Luau and getting up on stage and dancing.

Joe

Joe worked as a chef earlier in his life, including on Amtrak trains. He loves a variety of television programs like Baywatch and the old (Bob Barker) “Price is Right” shows. He is a Vikings fan and has season tickets. Joe also likes to listen to ’70s Rock and Roll. He enjoys hanging out downstairs where he has a dart board.

Tell me about the culture of the home: What kinds of activities do the people you support like to do either on their own or as a group?

KEVIN: Everyone goes to a day program. Peggy and Sharon get up at 5:30 each morning because they are excited to go to their day program. Everyone used to do a lot of activities together. They were in a bowling league. One year, we took them to Las Vegas. But now everyone is slowing down; some have mobility issues. They don’t like doing things during the week. They just want to come home after their day programs and spend quiet evenings in their own rooms. However, they still enjoy going out to eat together occasionally. We have a walking “track” in the house to help people get some steps in as they spend a lot of time sitting while at their day programs. 

What makes this home special? 

KEVIN: This house is where all four people are compatible. They all care for each other; they’re really like a family. They have their disagreements, but they get along. They like to hang out in their own rooms doing their own thing (they each have their own TV). It’s a very easy-going house and is a great place for staff to learn if they don’t have a lot of experience.

As Program Manager, what hopes and dreams do you have for the home? 

KEVIN: We want to keep everyone happy, healthy, and as mobile as possible so they can continue to experience life to the fullest.

(Tim, Sharon, and Joe are pictured in the photo above.)