It's spring which means a season of re"new"al here at Presbyterian Homes & Services. One event that comes to mind and is dear to my heart is this year's 5^th Annual Ted Kroll Memorial Parkinson's Awareness Walk (PAW). It will be held on Saturday, September 8, 2007. Mark your calendars now and reserve this date to come join us.

I would like to introduce to you our 2007 PAW Honoree, Michael C. Austin, Vice President and Director of Corporate Communications of Utica National Insurance Group in New Hartford, NY. Mike was diagnosed with Parkinson's in August, 2005.

Mike received an Associates Degree from Mohawk Valley Community College and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the State University of New York College at Oswego.

He has served as an adjunct faculty member at MVCC’s Rome campus, has served twice as president of the MVCC Foundation board, and in 2004 was named to the College’s Board of Trustees by Governor George Pataki.  He is a board member and past president of Upstate Cerebral Palsy in Utica, a member and past chair of the Oneida County STOP-DWI Program, a member of the CURE Epilepsy Committee, and the Upstate New York Chapter of the Mickey Mantle Foundation to raise awareness on organ donation.  He is past president of the Mohawk Valley Advertising Club, a past board member of the Utica Safe Schools Program, the United Way, GroWest, the Mohawk Valley Chamber of Commerce and the Mohawk Valley Council on Alcoholism/Addictions.  He also assisted the United Way with organizing a telethon to raise money for the victims of the 9-11 attack on the United States.

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Michael C. Austin

He received MVCC’s Alumni of Merit Award, was named to the MVCC Hall of Fame and to the State University of New York Alumni Honor Roll. He has received the Community Service Award from the Oneida County STOP-DWI, the Caring Person of the Year Award from Upstate Cerebral Palsy, and the Outstanding New Yorker Award from the N.Y.S. Jaycees.  He twice received the Advertising Person of the Year Award from the Mohawk Valley Ad Club, and with great pride was Grand Marshal for Utica’s 2004 St. Patrick’s Day Parade.  In 2006 he received the Michael Cianfrocco Humanitarian of the Year Award from the Utica Chapter of the American Red Cross.

His work for the company in advertising, sales promotion and public relations has earned awards from the Insurance Marketing Communications Association; the Mohawk Valley and Syracuse Advertising Clubs; the Industrial Film Festival; and the Telly Awards.

He has been named to Who’s Who Among U.S. Writers and Editors, Who Who’s in Advertising (first edition); Who’s Who in America; and Who’s Who of Emerging Leaders in America.

He and his wife Patti have one son, Bryan, and live in Utica.

Recently some of our staff completed specialized training in Parkinson's Disease. We are currently the only facility in New York State to have achieved Parkinson’s Proficient Accreditation by the Parkinson’s Foundation of the Heartland.

PH & S has implemented a new electronic medical record system. The One Touch system offers health care professionals an innovative way to update a patient's record at the bedside where the care takes place. It allows our nurses and certified nursing assistants to spend more time with our residents and less time with documentation.