A Publication of Easterseals Dreams Unlimited Clubhouse
Dream Weaver Volume 27 Number 3
Founded 1991
Summer 2018
1222 Catalpa Drive Royal Oak, MI 48067 Phone: (248) 544-2034 Fax: (248) 544-2152
L to R: Nancy H., Melissa M. Emily B., Michael M. (Melissa’s son), Megan L., Joyce R., Jessie O., and Tom T. Kneeling in front is Marty Alward from MDHHS.
Inside this issue:
Clubhouse Michigan Conference
Cover…....Clubhouse Conference
By Jessie Oglesby
Page 2…Conference & Advocacy Page 3……....From Our Members Page 4...Training & Employment Page 5……………………..Look at Us Page 6 ……..…DUC Annual Picnic Thank you to the Clubhouse Members & Staff who contributed to this edition of Dream Weaver:
Kimberly T. Jessie O. Emily B. Gregg S. Kimberly T. Khalilah R. Nancy H. Jennifer W. Megan L.
From Sunday, July 15th through Wednesday, July 18th, a group of us from Dreams Unlimited traveled to Traverse City to attend the Clubhouse Michigan Conference at the beautiful Grand Traverse Resort. We attended many workshops on Monday and Tuesday on topics ranging from improving the Work-Ordered Day, Community Involvement, Transitional Employment and many more. At one of the plenaries I gave a speech on my life story and how finding the Clubhouse completes me. I’m challenging myself to ask questions and take on more roles in my life. At the conference I heard stories that I can relate to. This experience has done me well by helping me to become a better respected person and to stay around positive people. I am becoming a leader and a role model.
CLUBHOUSE CONFERENCE & ADVOCACY Clubhouse Michigan Conference
By Emily Burnett
At this year’s Clubhouse Michigan Conference, Dreams Unlimited was able to present at both a workshop and a plenary. Our workshop focused on employment and bridging the gap between the “I can’t work” mentality to the “I want a job” mentality. We got help from 4 colleagues from Northern Lights Clubhouse in Houghton-Hancock, Michigan. Lots of participants came up to us after the workshop to express how great our content was. Some even told us it was their favorite workshop because of all of our great ideas and audience participation. The Plenary we participated in focused on the use of Data in the Clubhouse. We were on a panel with colleagues from Genesis House from Fowlerville; Carriage House from Fort Wayne, IN; and Wellspring Clubhouse from Sellersville, PA. Dreams shared results from our state-wide Cost Avoidance Survey, that proved Clubhouse keeps members out of the hospital. Jessie O. even shared his personal story which touched a lot of people in the audience. It was a very powerful conference and we all gained a lot from it.
“I met a lot of great people from other Clubhouses. At the dance I felt in my element. I learned how to take pictures on the Clubhouse Camera.” -Megan LaMountain
L to R: 4 Northern Lights Colleagues, Megan L., Nancy H. and Emily B.
Visit from State Representative Robert Wittenberg
By Gregg Streicher
As part of our Clubhouse advocacy efforts, both members and staff have attended Representative Wittenberg’s community coffee meetings to educate and inform him about mental health and specific Clubhouse issues. He has been very receptive to our ideas, and, as a result, we have established a dialogue. As part of that dialogue, Pam Bellaver, DUC Advisory Board member, invited Representative Wittenberg to tour Dreams, speak with our members and also join us for lunch on Wednesday, June 13 th. As it turned out,, Representative Wittenberg was forced to reschedule as his wife was scheduled to give birth to their first child on that day! He was gracious enough to reschedule his visit for Friday, June 22 nd. Karen B. and I gave him an extensive tour, and he was impressed with the size and scope of our facility as well as the wide variety of tasks members do each day. After the tour, he met with members and staff during lunch, providing a question and answer session focusing primarily on the newly submitted state budget. He left very impressed and promised to keep in touch and to continue to advocate for mental health and Clubhouse issues. Thank you, Representative Wittenberg, and congratulations on the birth of your daughter! 2
FROM AND ABOUT OUR MEMBERS What Clubhouse Means To Me By Kimberly T.
Dreams Unlimited Clubhouse is a wonderful place to go to meet new people and to learn job skills like cleaning. I am working on my math skills such as multiplication & division. I am also learning to count money as well. In addition to learning math, I am practicing my computer skills and improving my typing by using the “Mavis Beacon Traches Typing” software. Since coming to the Clubhouse, I have learned a lot of new things, including how to work and how to do a job correctly. The Clubhouse has also helped with my social skills and learning how to express myself better. I have really learned a lot about how to do a variety of different tasks, meeting a lot of nice people and making new friends along the way.
A Member’s Update By Khalilah R.
Hello, my name is Khalilah. I have been a member of Dreams Unlimited Clubhouse for almost two years. This is an update on my “new member” article a year and a half ago. Since I have been attending Dreams, I have learned to meet both career goals and social goals. I have learned how to work well with my peers. I have also learned how to finish my tasks for the work-ordered day and how to complete something I’ve started. I’m glad that I asked my case manager about this program. Since I’ve been a member, I believe I’ve made progress. This program has changed me for the better and I am confident that I will be able to pursue a career one day in the future. Honestly, Dreams and Easterseals helped me change for the better. This program gives me something to look forward to. Last, but not least, I am proud to be a member. This program is something special.
An Author in Our Midst! By Nancy Heinz
Betty Ruoss
Do you know that we have an Honorary Member who is also publishing an autobiographical memoir about her journey through mental illness and recovery? Betty Ruoss, who is also an active advocate on various Oakland Community Health Network committees, has been working diligently on her book, entitled “Betty’s Battle — A True Story of Depression and Schizophrenia”. Excerpts from Betty’s work-in-progress have been recently published in the “Schizophrenia Bulletin — The Journal of Psychoses and Related Disorders”. Check it out at https://doi.org/10.1093/schbul/sby074. This article starts with Betty’s adult life in 1976, but, when her book is published, Betty’s story starts with her childhood. Good luck, Betty, and thank you for sharing your story of courage and hope. 3
TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT Colleague Training By Jennifer Wilczek
April 23rd—May 4th, 2018 Megan L. and I flew to Greenville, South Carolina and attended a two-week Clubhouse training. Megan and I stayed at the guest house located across the street from Gateway Clubhouse, a Clubhouse International Training Base.
Megan and Jennifer’s Colleague Training Group
Four other Clubhouses participated in the training; the other Clubhouses included Polaris House in Juno Alaska, Unlimited Jennifer and Megan Solutions in Bangor Maine, a new Clubhouse in South Carolina and Outlook Clubhouse in Coldwater, Michigan. For Megan this was her first time on a plane and her first time out of Michigan. We both met wonderful people, and some of them Megan still keeps in touch with today. Megan says, “I grew up a lot in those 2 weeks, learning about Clubhouse, social skills, living skills and time management.” Being immersed in this training taught us so much about the Clubhouse model. We hope to spread that knowledge to all our colleagues.
A Successful Ending and a New Beginning! By Nancy Heinz
We are pleased to announce that Adel N. has successfully completed a 6-month Transitional Employment position at Detroit Taco in Royal Oak. While the work was hard, Adel says he was grateful to have the experience of working again. He is looking forward to getting back into the field he has the most experience in—working in a lab in a hospital setting. Our newest person to be placed at Detroit Taco is Tom T. Not only was Tom extremely excited for this opportunity, but both his mom and dad were excited as well. Tom first tried working at the Miracle League concession stand last summer and is now doing exceptionally well in his new position at Detroit Taco. Staff member Antonio trained Tom in the art of washing dishes and keeping the dining area cleaned. Antonio states, “Tom caught on very quickly as evidenced by the fact that he always smiles when asked about his new job.” Keep up the great work, Tom! 4
LOOK WHAT WE’VE BEEN UP TO...
FORE!! TOM & JESSIE IN TRAVERSE CITY
GO TIGERS!
B-I-N-G-O-!
HORSING AROUND AT THE MENTAL HEALTH FAIR
New Friends
CLUBHOUSE FRIENDS AT THE OCHN CONSUMER CONFERENCE
Labor Day Picnic & BINGO!
TEAMWORK IN BUSINESS OPERATIONS
A LITTLE SIDE TRIP AFTER THE CONFERENCE 5
DUC ANNUAL PICNIC—AUGUST 29TH HOOPS!
F R I E N D S
BUBBLES!! SMILES!
FUN, FUN, FUN!
AMAZING SKILL!