RISE Housing and Support Services bids a fond farewell to David Wurster and Lawerence Putnick, both of whom retired this year after long and illustrious careers in RISE Care Management. Dave, who worked in RISE Care Management for 34 years, retired earlier this year in March. Larry, a New York State Employee who was embedded in RISE Care Management for the past 18 years, retired in August. They will be missed by RISE clients and staff alike as they are regarded with great esteem for the caring, personable, and dedicated service they have provided to the individuals receiving RISE Care Management services.
Dave started his career in human services in 1982 at Saratoga Hospital Mental Health Unit. In 1989, he came to RISE when Intensive Care Management services were first offered, and is in fact the last original Intensive Care Manager from that era. Dave accredits his longevity with RISE to enjoying his job, as well as his fellow colleagues, and because RISE has remained consistent to its mission to assist people living with mental illness, addictions, and chronic medical issues to achieve their highest level of stability. Dave states that he has obtained great satisfaction from his career by being a strong advocate for the people he has worked with and by being able to help ensure their sense of safety and stability. He says he feels he has been successful when he has been able to connect people with the services they need to ensure their sense of well-being.
Similarly, Larry states that if he has been able to honor a person’s needs and help them satisfy some of their wants along the way, he has done a job well worth doing. He feels that his career at RISE has been both challenging and rewarding especially when seeing incremental improvements made in peoples’ lives. Larry feels that the programming and services that RISE provides the community allows people to enjoy a quality of life they might not otherwise have achieved. Larry started his career in human services in Warren and Washington Counties where he worked for 12 years. He then went to work for New York State and after two years was embedded in RISE’s Care Management program and has remained there until his retirement. He says that he will miss the RISE staff with whom he has always had good rapport.
The Staff at RISE will surely miss Larry and Dave. Both are looking forward to their retirement years and being able to spend time with their families. Dave has 2 children and 2 grandchildren with whom he sees frequently now he is retired. He stated he has been spending his time camping, hiking, riding his bike and working on projects around the house with his wife. Larry too said that his wife already has a “honey do list” of house projects for him to do. Larry has 5 children and 3 grandchildren he plans to enjoy spending time with in his retirement. He also enjoying camping, hiking, reading and swimming. Both Dave and Larry have travel plans, currently on hold, they are looking forward to once it is again safe to travel.
