The whole ride: Forty years of service at Pine Tree Society
Case manager Carolyn Cheney, our longest-serving team member, reflects on forty years of service at Pine Tree Society, sharing her journey in her own words.
Carolyn Cheney started her career with Pine Tree Society in 1981. Bill Haney was the Director and then that role turned over to Greg Ouellette. At that time, it was called Pine Tree Society Maine’s Easter Seals Organization.
Her first position was a job developer and job coach with the Projects With Industry federal grant program. The focus of the program was to help adults with disabilities secure meaningful employment. This later transitioned into having a focus on youth which involved summer projects, working with vocational centers to help set up part-time jobs or apprenticeships for young people going into the trades. Carolyn moved up into a role as an Assistant Director of this program and worked developing a Job Seeking Skills Handbook and setting up a labor board consisting of employers who had worked to build the transition program and offered training sites within their businesses. She also served as president of Rehabilitation Professionals of Maine for two years during this time.
In addition to Projects with Industry, Pine Tree Society had strong programs in audiology, deaf services, speech and language services, physical therapy and occupational therapy supports. Over the years, all of these programs have gone through several transformations to meet the needs of people across the state of Maine.
When the Projects With Industry federal grant lost funding and the program closed, Carolyn had the opportunity to remain with Pine Tree Society to run the Children’s Case Management Program. The program started with a team of three in 2000 and quickly grew into a larger program. Pine Tree was awarded the adult case management contract as well. During that same time frame, the organization was offered a contract to provide day habilitation services and Kim Munro managed that program for several years. Both of these programs (day habilitation and case management) were run out of the Humpty Dumpty potato chip factory location. A piece of trivia!
Both programs continue to grow and thrive today. As do all Pine Tree Society programs. Over the years, Pine Tree Camp has also grown to offer more opportunities.
In 2018, Carolyn decided to step back and work in the field again. Each day is different with its challenges and rewards.
“Organizational structure changes, dynamics change and there is always something new to learn,” she said. “Just when I think I have heard it all I realize I have not. Many of the members I have had the opportunity to work with were teenagers when we started our relationship and are now in their 40s. Some have accomplished some fantastic things in their lives.”
The true reward has been the “whole ride”. The work stays interesting because it is always changing, but her commitment to the journey of those she serves remains the one thing that hasn’t.
“I have had the opportunity to work with so many providers, families and members over the course of time and to establish lasting friendships that keep me moving forward.”