NOV/DEC
2023
Garden Center Services
The View From My Chair A MESSAGE FROM OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Gerry & Lucian at the GCS Halloween Party
INSIDE THIS ISSUE THE VIEW FROM MY CHAIR Page 1 GCS’S BAKING CLUB Page 2 GARDEN APARTMENTS Page 3 THRIFT NEWS Page 4
As much as I enjoy the season of Christmas, I feel that at this time in our lives Thanksgiving needs to be our most revered and celebrated holiday. Not so much for the history and myth that are its underpinnings, but because of a hope that a day dedicated nationally and personally to an expression of gratitude for all the marvels that make up our lives is the surest way to bring some healing to the brokenness and division that we are experiencing.
And what is gratitude really? Robert Emmons, perhaps the world’s leading scientific expert on gratitude suggests that gratitude has two key components. First, it’s an assertion that there is goodness in the world, experienced through the large and small gifts and benefits that we receive on an ongoing basis.
Be Mindful, Be Grateful, Be Positive, Be True, Be Kind” -Roy T. Bennett
Secondly is the recognition of all the people and even higher powers that provide us with the nurturing that help us achieve goodness in our own lives.
In the past two decades, a growing body of evidence in the field of social science has found that gratitude has measurable benefits for just about every area of our lives. Gratitude appears to contribute substantially to individual well-being and physical health. So much so that the Greater Good Science Center at the University of California, Berkeley - a leader in research on the science of social and emotional wellbeing describes gratitude as “social glue”, key to building and nurturing strong relationships. Here’s are some of the top reasons for practicing gratitude: Feel Happier, Strengthen Positive Recall, Deepen Resilience, Boost Immunity and Heart Health, Calm the Nervous System, Make Healthier Choices, Stronger Connections …… continued on page 4
GARDEN CENTER FAMILY COMMUNITY DAY SERVICES TRY SOMETHING DELICIOUS FROM GARDEN CENTER’S BAKING CLUB Garden Center holds several clubs and classes throughout the week on wide ranging topics Easy Pea ch Cobb including photography, poetry, meditation ler 1/ 2 and personal finance. One of Garden cup but t er, m Center’s most popular clubs, Baking 1 cup se lf-risin elted 1 cup mil Bootcamp, meets twice a week to learn gf 1 cup wh ite suga lour 2 (16 k essential cooking skills and bake delicious oz) can r DIRECTIONS s goodies that fill the community day p e a ches in sliced 1. Gathe services building with mouth watering h eavy sy r rup 2. Preh ingredients aromas. Recently, the group baked e a t t h e ov “Easy Peach Cobbler” and we wanted 3. Mix s elf-ris en to 350° to share the recipe with you. ing a Melissa shows off the cobbler recipe
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GCS GEAR...is here!
about 10
minutes
Sizes S - 4x
In honor of our newest mascot, GCS has created a cozy, new, gnome hoodie that will be the perfect gift for everyone on your list! Order yours on our website NOW through NOV. 27th Orders will be available for pickup at Second Chance Thrift Shoppe starting Dec. 11th during regular business hours.
ONLY $20!
Shop Garden Center Services
Detail
THIS IS NOT A FUNDRAISER Items are sold at cost and will be available for pickup at Second Chance
TENDING OUR GARDEN - Do Good When you Shop!
SIGN UP!
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iGive Many of us will be doing at least some of our holiday shopping online. Why not use iGive? You can help GCS (at no cost to you) with each purchase. iGive works with over 2300 of the most popular stores you shop online. Just go to igive.com and register. Each time you shop online at stores like Walmart, Crate & Barrel, PetCo., Best Buy, and more, those stores will donate a percentage of your purchase to GCS! Visit www.iGive.com/GardenCenter to get started. Second Chance Thrift Shoppe Did you know that Second Chance has everything you need to get your home ready for the holidays at AMAZING prices? Stop by and check us out! We also have gift cards - the perfect holiday gift!
GARDEN APARTMENT UPDATE We are very pleased to share that our Permanent Supportive Housing Project is moving ahead very smoothly. The architectural drawings for Garden Apartments, a three-story, sixteen unit apartment building specifically built for persons with disabilities, has been finalized and the plans have been sent out for bid. We are hopeful that we are on track for shovels to dig into the earth next March with the building ready for occupancy in late spring of 2025. Please direct any questions to Gerry at gbeagles@gardencenterservices.org.
Garden Center’s Future Garden Apartments
SUPER SUNNY WALK ‘N ROLL WRAP UP! We had a great time at Garden Center’s 2023 Super Sunny Walk ‘n Roll and raised over $45,000 for programs and services at Garden Center! Help us show some love for our event sponsors below and be sure to save the date for next year’s event! Next year’s Super Sunny Walk ‘n Roll will be Saturday, September 21, 2024
OUR SPONSORS The Lovelady Family
GOLD
The Sherwood Family The Sibik Family
SILVER
WJW Architects Insperity The Beemsterboer Family Make it Matter Foundation Annonymous (2)
BRONZE Transamerica Advisors Tony DiMiele
Burbank Chamber of Commerce The Craig Head Family David J Cobb - Remax Howard Beagles The Beagles/Haworth Family Burbank Park District RJ Till & Sons Mary Kay Marello
Mark your
Save the Date
Save these important dates! NOV 23rd & 24th Thanksgiving Holiday (Community Day Services closed) NOV 28th
Giving Tuesday - watch your mail for info
DEC 25th & 26th Christmas Holiday (Community Day Services closed) JAN 1st
New Year’s Holiday (Community Day Services closed) Watch for details about Giving Tuesday in your mail soon!
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Jenny Wojcik Mitchell’s Flowers & Events Athenian Body Shop Linda McFerron Victoria Kudlinski A special thank you Pete’s Service Center to these businesses/ Athletex Physical Therapy organizations, our many The Village of Bridgeview donors & volunteers who The Shadden-Perez Family made this event possible! The City of Burbank St. Christina Fields Mahoney, Crowe, Goldrick PepsiCo & Cannon, P.C. Wolf’s Bakery Friends of Rep. Mary Gill Marist Poms Friends of Bill Cunningham Knights of Columbus Chucks So. Comforts Cafe’ Amber Mechanical
SUNNY
SEP 21st
PLATINUM
tin g
G a rd e n C e nt er S
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See Thrift Shoppe sale dates on the back of this newsletter!
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and independence
Bring your own device & take a
FREE PHOTO WITH SANTA!
Nov. 25th
NOV 25th
10am - 2pm
8333 S. Austin Ave. Burbank, IL 60459
ALL Jewelry & Art are 50% OFF!
November
ALL MONTH
SUPER SALE 50% OFF Store-wide!
DEC
10444 S. Kedzie Chicago, IL 60655
30th
phone 773-941-4151
NOV
Special Tag Sales
email info@GardenCenterServices.org
DEC
Growing dignity
SECOND CHANCE THRIFT SALES
web www.GardenCenterServices.org
Shop our Nov. Super Sale and snag a photo with the big guy himself... for free!
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
General Store Hours: Tuesday through Saturday 10am to 4pm Donation Hours: Thursdays & Saturdays 10am to 2pm
President
Donna Blair
Vice President
Shannon Benaitis
Treasurer
Anthony Di Miele
Secretary
Cindy Malloy
Members
Lisa Beemsterboer John Dahlke Rep. Mary Gill Dr. Chris Grunow Mary Ann Lema
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Any time you can help is appreciated. If you can sign up for one three-hour shift a week, that would be terrific! Visit our website and follow the THRIFT link for more information OR reach out to Gerry directly at 708-560-4400.
We’ve Moved! GARDEN CENTER SERVICES
FOLLOW US TO OUR NEW FACEBOOK ADDRESSES! Garden Center: www.facebook.com/GardenCenterServicesGCS Second Chance: www.facebook.com/gcsSecondChanceThrift
Maria Zeimen, OSF
Advancing lives of connection, contribution, and meaning for persons with developmental disabilities and the individuals that support them.
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GIVE THE GIFT OF TIME
Ava Rhodes - Smith
OUR MISSION
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When one has the chance to walk through our day program or one of the homes and observe the individuals we support interacting with one another or our dedicated staff, your heart can swell with such gratefulness at the decency and kindness you will experience. If you’ve never had the opportunity take a tour, or it’s been a while, please reach out to me so that we can get something on the calendar. Walking persons through our settings is one of my favorite activities. Because gratitude encourages us not only to appreciate gifts but to repay them (or pay them forward), the sociologist Georg Simmel called it “the moral memory of mankind.” We are hoping that you will be moved to pay it forward by contributing what you can to this year’s Giving Tuesday campaign. This year’s date is Tuesday, November 28th. So after Black Friday and Cyber Monday, if you have any money left over, please send some of it our way! And you can certainly make a donation anytime between now and then. In closing, “It is not happiness that makes us grateful. It is gratefulness that makes us happy.” - Brother David Steindl-Rast May you have a happy and healthy Thanksgiving!! 10 minute Gratitude Practice