Dream Weaver - Spring 2024

Our Dream Weaver

Our Accreditation Here at Clubhouse

By Karen B. & Bridgette L.

My Job at a Law Firm

By Karen B.

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The T.E. at Dreams

By Andrew F.

My Experiences Here at Dreams

By Cass M.

The Member’s Van

By Dan M.

The Music that Dreamers Listen To Employment Articles

By Dan M.

Our Holiday Gift Exchange and Our Holiday Party

By Karen B.

Accreditation Here at Clubhouse

By Karen B. & Bridgette L.

From February 5th through the 7th, we had our accreditation visit. Rich Meyer from Indiana and Elissa Kinch a member from Yahara House in Wisconsin came to do our accreditation. Karen gave them a tour of our clubhouse, and they settled in and watched us in action on that Monday and Tuesday, and they visited one of our Transitional Employment positions over at Easterseals MORC in Southfield where one of our members works a scanning position there.

They were impressed at how things are run here, and it was great to show them how we do our tasks, n can n, ouse s ever

My Job at a Law Firm

For the past two years and more I have been working a part time job at a nearby Law Firm as a Mail Clerk/Office Assistant. I quit this job in early 2022, and I worked a transitional employment position through clubhouse at Oakland Community Health Network for six months as a Wellness Center Attendant then this Law Firm hired me back. It was a real challenge for me at first. I’m very used to doing office work but hadn’t worked in an office for quite some time. I ended up informing my boss all about my illness when she interviewed me in March of 2021, and she thankfully decided to hire me despite my having it.

By Karen B.

At the firm, I process the incoming and outgoing mail, including a bunch of certified mail, and I also do some data entry, scanning, faxing, and copying documents. I also close files, and I use software there called QLaw software to process documents. During the end of their fiscal year, I process a lot of tax garnishments, as debtors sometimes have their wages garnished, along with bank garnishments, and yes, even their taxes garnished! But I guess that’s how things go when they don’t pay up what they owe.

I like the staff and the lawyer, who works very hard. She is also a divorce attorney besides doing collections, and she has a great sense of humor which helps me keep happy while I go through the day there. Many thanks to her and the staff for working with me and teaching me new things. I’m so thankful to be working in an office again! Many thanks to the clubhouse for their support in this great job that I’ve been working at!

By Dan M.

I don’t think I realized how important work can be until I started my T.E. with Easter Seals for Dreams. That’s not completely true – I used to work as a librarian full-time before I became sick – but this T.E. has given me structure and purpose, and in that sense has improved my quality of life. There’s something to be said for working each day, and the way it gives one a mindset that is more disciplined at times. My therapist told me once that making your bed is worthwhile because afterwards you can say, “today I made my bed.” I feel the same way about this T.E. – I can come home and say, “I worked five hours today as an office assistant at Easter Seals.” There’s a certain degree of pride that comes with that, as well as gratitude.

The T.E. at Dreams

By Andrew F. Working

The

Member’s Van

By Dan M.

Our Clubhouse Van is very reliable. It has a nice events, it is very comfortable to sit in. Nissan is great, and the air conditioning works great too! this van. I hope the Clubhouse has this van for a while.

I believe in the van.

I’ve been attending Dreams Unlimited Clubhouse since 2007. Dreams has served as a reference to help me find paying jobs, but more than that, I’ve made lots of friends, my communication skills have gotten better, and my self-esteem has improved. In the Hospitality Services Unit, I learned how to eat healthier, with different recipes I had never had before. I like attending the holiday parties, because I have lots of fun there, hanging out with friends. My favorite holidays are Christmas, Valentines, St. Patrick’s Day, and Easter, because those holidays are important to me. They represent me, who I

My

We use this van for picking up groceries at places such as Sam’s Club and Gordon’s Food Service. It has very good room for seats. We’ve used this van to go to places such as Belle Isle, Frankenmuth, Bowling, and more. We also use it to go on trainings and other Clubhouse related business. It’s used quite a bit. Mechanically, it’s reliable! As a van, I think it’s really up there. It’s rock solid. I believe in the van. Am! I’m grateful to Dreams for letting me meet people who have mental illness like I do, and for motivating me to want to do better. Coming here has been a part of my everyday life for sixteen years. Thank you for having these services.

ByCassandraM.

Music That Dreamers Listen To

By Dan M.

The music that people listen to in Clubhouse is really good. We even have our own performer, Shayno-8, who is a rapper. He has a good personality and his artistry resonates with me as a Clubhouse member. It makes me want to play the guitar. The music that we listen to while we work helps to keep me motivated and helps to keep my mind off of things that I don’t need to worry about. We listen to alternative, rock ‘n roll, country,

and even the blues. It makes me feel good to hear a group that I like, like the Rolling Stones. We play it while cooking lunch, during preparation- it really helps get us motivated. We listen to all of this through the radio system in the kitchen, CD’s, and a selection of music on a playlist that plays through our T.V. during lunch. I hope to hear more of our members perform, such as Andrew- who is a guitarist. Music is capital.

Holiday Gift Exchange & Holiday Party

Our On Thursday December 14th we had our annual Holiday gift exchange and our Holiday Party here at Clubhouse. After lunch those who participated brought in a gift to exchange, and when you went to open your gift, you could steal another’s gift if you wanted to instead of opening the gift you chose! It was a lot of fun, and the gift of lottery tickets was the “hot” gift that everyone seemed to want to steal!

By Karen B.

Later on that day in the afternoon, we decorated cookies, painted picture frames and made Holiday cards and ornaments. It was a lot of fun! Here is what some members liked about the event:

Tom T. – “It was fun, and I had a good time. I got the lottery tickets as my gift, and I won $1.00 on them.”

Jessie O. – “I thought it was real nice, and I got a big bag of chocolates as my gift.”

Debbie G. – “I got a box with a calendar on it with socks and a pony tail holder in it as my gift.”

A great time was had by all, and we look forward to doing this next year at the Holiday time too!