Greetings!
Much has transpired since
our last communication. We will try to
bring you up to date.
In May we held our first
luncheon at the Marion Diner. For those who
had not heard, or who have been out of the area, Ryan’s parent company filed
for bankruptcy. Although we were first
informed the Marion Ryan’s would reopen shortly, that proved to be
incorrect. We have been fortunate to
reserve the south room of the Marion Diner as a replacement. It is located at 1565 Marion-Waldo Rd, Marion, OH 43302, in front of the mall. We will order from the menu. Our luncheon will be at noon on Tuesday, September
6th.
There has
been a special invitation received from MCI:
Wednesday,
September 14,
MCI will be hosting a cookout for MCI retirees from 4 till 7pm.
It will be held at the FOP Park just outside of Caledonia (5327 Harding Hwy E, Caledonia, OH 43314).
There is no cost involved, except
for bringing your favorite side dish and non-alcoholic beverage. Hot dogs, hamburgers, and appropriate
accessories will be provided. We suggest
calling Kathy Hamilton (740-382-5781, ext. 2210) by September 9th to
confirm attendance, so an appropriate amount of food can be prepared.
There is a
special part of this gathering that deserves mention. MCI is serious about collecting and
preserving information regarding the history of the facility. One important resource is you. As employees we saw the facility evolve over
a significant period of years. Some
changes were minor, and some so major they almost defy description. Warden Bunting has requested we assist with
preserving what we know of MCI’s history, and what our experiences have been.
Each retiree has a story, and PNN will help document it. Whether you stop by their studio after one of
the free lunches, make an appointment for a different day, or take advantage of
their presence at our luncheons (May & September), they would like to hear from
you. At our September luncheon and at the
picnic, Kathy Hamilton and John Mathew will be available to record your
recollections.
Warden
Bunting has informed us of new plans to recognize the history of the
institution. In the main Lobby, where
the Visiting Desk was formerly located, a display of MCI’s history is
planned. Arrangements are being made for
display cases for that purpose. In
addition, a mural is being planned for the main hallway, from the Control Room
down to M Block. The mural is intended
to represent the timeline from delivery of the first load of bricks to the
present time.
The next
time you are in the institution, we have two recommendations.
The first
recommendation is to go to PNN and have a new MCI Retiree ID made. It only takes a few minutes, and the new ID
will be compatible with MCI’s new photo recognition system. When you are leaving the Main Lobby you will
notice a pedestal to the left of the gate to the A Building. Your photo ID has to fit into the slot for it
to be read, and to permit you to continue out to the A Building. Unfortunately the original IDs issued to
retirees do not fit the slot. That could
be a big deal if you had planned to be home by supper.
The second
recommendation is to take your time walking to or from the Wander Inn. The area of the South Hall has seen plenty of
changes over the years, some of which you might not notice unless you look for
them. One change has been the
redesignation of R block to preferred housing.
Old timers will remember it as the Correctional Cell, but many changes
have been made from those days. The
transformation is one that needs to be seen to be understood. Another change is O block, formerly known as
6 Cell Block. Years ago the Southern
Steel Corporation converted it from preferred to disciplinary housing. With the recent restructuring of the inmate
disciplinary process, the activities within the block are much less
restrictive. For obvious reasons this
area isn’t open to tours, but on a recent visit the staff welcomed questions
about the changes.
After you
make your way back to the Wander Inn, you will notice something new. In the NE corner is the Coffee Crafters
cart, which features specialty coffee drinks.
This the most visible evidence of a new program at MCI which trains
baristas for stores like Starbucks.
Unfortunately for us their products aren’t free, but you can purchase a
card at the Cashier’s Office which will enable you to sample their wares.
The last
item we have is organizational.
We try to reach all the retirees of MCI, and now NCCI. Given the numbers involved, and the costs of
printing and postage, we’d
appreciate your assistance. To cut costs
we’d appreciate receiving your email address for future distributions. For our part, we promise not to "sell"
or give away your email address, and promise not to send videos of puppies or
kittens - Face Book already has that franchise.
To do this, contact John Mathew at copta2003@yahoo.com, or email us at mcira43302@yahoo.com.
One last thing!
Warden Bunting forwarded an
IOC, dated 8-24-16, that he requested be provided to all retirees. It is copied below for your information. (As an FYI, copies will be available at our luncheon
on the 6th for those without email.)
If you have any questions or concerns about how the process might impact
you, it would be best to contact the institution for clarification of
individual circumstances.
That’s all we know for
now. We’ll see you at the Marion Diner
on the 6th.
Charles Daniel, President
John Mathew, Vice President
mcira43302@yahoo.com
http://mciretireesassociation.blogspot.com/
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To: All Concerned
From: Jason
Bunting, Warden
Date: August 24, 2016
Subject: Friendly Reminder
________________________________________________________________________
In a continued effort to honor our retired MCI employees, a kind
reminder when processing for the monthly meal or if/when accessing any type of
“services” available to you as a retiree, the following are necessary to allow
you entry and access to designated areas being accessed:
·
Valid Photo Identification and
Authorized Retiree Badge
·
Sign-in and Sign-out on the Institution
Visitor Pass
Log (DRC 1027)
·
Identify specific area/department
visiting on Institution Visitor Pass Log
(DRC 1027)
·
Request and maintain a pendant
mandown alarm issued from Control 1
or Sallyport
If accessing services via the Sallyport, for example,
Vehicle Maintenance/Auto Mechanics, following is necessary:
Ø
Clear any/all items from vehicle
that could pose a threat to security
Ø
Process vehicle thru Sallyport
Ø
Report to location of drop off
point, turn vehicle over to the authorized staff member
Ø
If staying on grounds during
service, stay in the area or work location
Ø
If staying on grounds and desire
to eat at the Wander Inn, you shall have a pendant mandown alarm issued from
Sallyport
By no means is this communication meant to hinder your
access to MCI. It is merely an
opportunity to remind you all of how important you are to us which includes
keeping you safe and accounted for during the times you visit us for meals and
services. Your MCI Family continues to
look forward to seeing you as often as possible!
Cc: File
