A Publication of Dreams Unlimited Clubhouse
Dream Weaver Volume 24 Number 1
Founded 1991
Winter 2015
Another Great Year To Remember...2014 by Joyce Rupp, Program Manager
1222 Catalpa Drive Royal Oak, MI 48067 Phone: (248) 544-2034 Fax: (248) 544-2152
Inside this issue: Cover…………..… 2014 In Review Page 2……………..……..Education & Employment Page 3….Staff Appreciation Day Page 4……...……An Original Rap Page 5………………...…...Recovery Page 6…..…..Media Lab Update Page 7...Have Fun & Work Hard Thank you to the Clubhouse Members and Staff who contributed to this edition of Dream Weaver: Joyce Rupp Julian T. Jennifer V. Pepa H. Emily B. Shayne R. Gregg S. John R. Stephanie L. Lyndsey S.
Once again, our Clubhouse accomplished significant outcomes in areas of importance to not only our members but also to the community-at-large and to our worldwide Clubhouse community. Targeted goal areas included the following categories: Employment, Education, Wellness, Community Building & Partnerships, and Leadership. Employment: We are very proud to report that on September 30, 2014 when Fiscal Year 13-14 ended, 24 of our members had earned a grand total gross income of $112,519 in wages. This number includes those on Transitional, Supported, and Independent employment with an average wage per hour of $9.56 and working an average of fifteen hours per week. The types of employment included a variety of Clerical, Janitorial/Housekeeping, Stocker, Substitute Teacher, Home Care, Grocery Bagger and Gardening Assistant positions. Education: Since the new Fiscal Year started on October 1, 2014, 63 different members have utilized the resources within our Education Room either as a student or as a tutor who assisted other members on subjects of their choice. Improving upon math, English, reading and writing skills is always popular in the traditional way, but members are also finding the newly established “Media Lab” another way to learn new skills while being creative and also having a lot of fun at the same time. Wellness: In addition to finding new ways to incorporate more health conscious practices into our food component (6,698 meals served last year), 27 members participated in the Michigan State University Extension Office’s 7-week “Eating Right is Basic” course. Both members (and staff) found the instructor to not only be informative with useful ideas, but were also impressed with how she made the course a lot of fun to attend during the late afternoon scheduled time. Community Building and Partnership: Dreams Unlimited hosted 125 community visitors over the year including students from many of the local community colleges and universities. As an organization, we continue to be a proud member of the Royal Oak Chamber of Commerce and attend their meetings on a regular basis. We also work very closely with the Michigan Department of Community Health (MDCH) and Michigan State University to find ways to improve the Clubhouse Model within Michigan. Leadership: Dreams Unlimited was honored to be chosen to serve on a 20 member statewide MDCH workgroup that focused on the re-evaluation of the Medicaid Standards for Psychosocial Rehabilitation programs within the State of Michigan. This workgroup was made up of both members and staff from Clubhouses throughout Michigan. As a group, we are anxiously waiting to see if any of our recommended changes will be adopted in 2015.
EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT Employment By Julian T.
When I started attending the Clubhouse this past summer, I came so that I could have some structure to my day and to be around other people. Employment wasn’t something I thought would be in my near future. I started becoming active in the Clubhouse’s work-ordered day and began reading the daily bulletin in the morning meeting. By doing this, I realized that the Clubhouse was promoting employment and I thought work would be good for me too. I felt that working would be a positive choice in my life and a step in the right direction. In October, I applied for a couple of jobs through SnagAJob.com and my interview at Macy’s went really well. They hired me on the spot! I continued to attend Clubhouse on my days off because I felt like I still needed the structure and could get support form others. It was a seasonal position, but by taking the opportunity at Macy’s, I realize that I like working and I have become more motivated about getting a job. If you are thinking of trying employment don’t give up on yourself!
Winter Tutoring By Jennifer V.
Learning isn’t easy no matter what age one is. However, the students of Jennifer V. are doing quite well. If you happen to stop in the Education Room on a Monday, Wednesday or Thursday you will see all of them busy at work learning Mathematics, Reading or French. All agree they have come a long way since they started with Jennifer. The students are Jason B., Karen B., Selina H., Beverly J., Julie K., Marie P., Shayne “Shayno” R., and Karl W. Shayno admits he lost his memory through an accident, but learning math has helped him bring back a lot of memory skills. “I learned many things that I didn’t even know. Dreams is a wonderful place to me.” Unbeknownst to Shayno, teaching him has been a benefit to his teacher’s memory as well! Julie K. is also studying math, but in the form of pre-algebra. She says, “It’s important to know the basics of good math. I enjoy learning math.” Jason B’s reading ability has increased greatly in the Education Room, but, he has had so much fun learning, he has barely noticed. “Everything Jennifer does for me is great; she teaches the things I need. As well as the one-to-one instruction that meets my need of reading, Jennifer does a good job finding a way to teach me and stay positive at the same time.” “Bonjour, comment allez-vous?”, the teacher says. “Je suis tres bien merci beaucoup et vous!” her students reply. What is this? Why, it’s Jennifer’s French students, Julie, Karl, or Karen, in one of two French classes offered at DUC. Julie states, “Jennifer is a very gifted teacher. She is thorough and takes her time with us. She never gets angry.” Karen says, “I enjoy learning French. I started by learning the alphabet, numbers, months, and days. I’ve learned how to conjugate the verbs and read sentences. The most fun is conjugating verbs. French is a fascinating language to speak.” Julie agrees that French is fun but a bit of a challenge. She says, “I pick it up easily and I get it done right. I am proud of my work with Jennifer. I wouldn’t have the class any other way. At Dreams, all things are possible.” So, the next time you pass by the Education Room and see us hard at work, why don’t you come join us? Come join us, have some fun and learn something new at the same time too! 2
STAFF APPRECIATION DAY
Top: Pepa H. Bottom: Certificates of Appreciation
DUC Staff Antonio Dimovsky, Lyndsey Shelby, Nancy Heinz, Joyce Rupp, Tom Frontier and Emily Burnett
Top: Jo T. - Bottom: Melissa Moody of Easter Seals & Marty Alward of the State of Michigan DCH
By Pepa H. and Emily B.
All of the Dreams Unlimited members wanted to show appreciation for the staff of our Clubhouse. We were planning this event in secret for about 2 months. It was very hard keeping staff from finding out, but we made it fun. Every time a staff walked by while we were planning, we would “shush up”. They had no idea what we had in store for them on December 5th! On the day of the celebration the staff may have begun to get suspicious, especially because we had some very special visitors come. Marty Alward, Melissa Moody, Kim Timmington and baby Mae were all there for the party. Many members, as well as Alicia Salas, a close friend of Dreams, had given very generous donations. With these donations we were able to get the staff special decorations, delicious food and some nice surprises. On the day of the event we all helped with decorations. The tables were decorated with purple table cloths and set with purple place settings. There were balloons flanking either side of the table with a “congratulations” banner behind it. For lunch we had veggie trays, fruit trays, Jimmy John’s sandwiches, pie, cheesecake, cake, donuts, and coffee. We got our wonderful staff all their favorite goodies! To make sure the festivities ran smoothly, Pepa was the Mistress of Ceremonies and Denise was the Presenter. Stephanie was the official photographer and took many beautiful pictures of the event. Other members helped by sharing their talents and providing entertainment. Karen B. played her harmonica; Shayno did a rap about the staff; Gregg played his saxophone. Then many of the members gave personal speeches about the staff and their appreciation for the hard work they do to make our Clubhouse a success. The members presented the staff with individualized certificates of appreciation, appreciation medallions, flower pen vases handmade by Jo T. and even Snack Shack cards! This day was a long time coming and well-deserved for our hard working staff that makes all the members feel very welcomed and to be a part of Dreams Unlimited Clubhouse. It will not be forgotten. As one member, Norman S. stated, “Staff Appreciation should have been done a long time ago. The staff is really great, including the new ones. Well done, staff!” 3
“IT’S A BEAUTIFUL PLACE” An Original Rap By Shayno8
You should come to Dreams, it’s a beautiful place; like my church, God’s Grace You should come to Dreams, it’s a beautiful place; like my church God’s Grace Toni done took Kathi’s place; people don’t steal, people don’t hate They have faith in their hearts; to get there sometimes you have to ride the SMART But it’s all good, as long as you’re doing what you should A couple of tasks — sometimes you get them done fast The staff is terrific; I believe the Lord done kissed it Each and every person, they don’t think about no hurting Just getting the job done and having fun; if it was a game, we already won Tom is a wonderful man— he do what he can I love him to death, he is real blessed You should come to Dreams; it’s a beautiful place like my church God’s Grace You should come to Dreams; it’s a beautiful place like my church God’s Grace It’s a place you need to come see; there’s no violence in nobody Emily is not lazy; Lyndsey amazes me They give hugs and show love; Nancy is stuff, Joyce does her own stuff I make it there three times a week, if I had to I would walk on my feet The people are real; they are learning their own skills You can buy from the Snack Shack and that’s a fact — don’t matter if you are white or black Everybody is wonderful people, not the evil Thank you father for bringing me to this home; I got the number locked in my cell phone Everybody does the right, not the wrong; everybody gets along You should come to Dreams it’s a beautiful place; like my church, God’s Grace You should come to Dreams it’s a beautiful place; like my church God’s Grace
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RECOVERY Music to Soothe the Savage Beast –The Role Music Can Play in Recovery By Gregg S.
If you ask anyone if music can effect one’s mood, I am certain the overall answer would be a resounding “yes”. Many people say that some form of music can put them in the “right” mood. Not only is this true of the average person, but, taking the principle one step further, music can be an effective therapy for people suffering from depression, particularly bi-polar disorder. Music therapy can be in conjunction with other methods of treatment such as medication and traditional therapy. Being a person who is an active musician who also suffers from bi-polar disorder, I think I have the experience to comment on this topic. I have learned from the Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP) process that even a small step forward toward battling mania or depression can help point you back in the right direction. This applies to music as well. Whether you are a musician like me or just a devoted listener, you could take some of the following suggestions to help steer you into a more balanced mood. It is common for those who feel depressed to brood over sad music and those in the phase of mania to use loud, frantic music to fuel their mania. The trick is to force yourself to play bright, happy music when depressed and calming, soothe music when you are feeling manic. It may be a little hard to get used to this approach at first, but repeated practice can make this technique a positive enhancement to traditional approaches such as medications, group therapy & individual therapy. This technique is similar to the WRAP approach that encourages even small steps in a positive direction, leading to even larger steps later on. I encourage you to add listening to the “right” kind of music to your “wellness toolbox”; I wish you much success!
Fighting Stigma By John R.
Before I talk about combating stigma; let’s examine what stigma means. Stigma, in so many words, is stereotyping certain people for one or more reasons; most, if not all, for unjust reasons. One of the most targeted classes of persons who are stigmatized is persons who suffer from mental disorders and/or developmental disabilities. Why is this so? In my opinion, selfish pride is some of the answer to why persons with mental illness are stereotyped. Society in general lacks the knowledge for what causes certain people to exhibit “different” behaviors. Stigma is often fueled by what’s on the news or by a Hollywood movie such as “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest”. Often society gets scared by what it does not know. I left a church because I was stigmatized; I am glad in the long run that I did so. Being a valued member of Dreams Unlimited Clubhouse, I feel welcomed by both other members and staff. One big way to combat stigma is to educate society regarding the truth about mental disorders and emotional impairments. Each fiscal year the state budget keeps being cut; so, we go up to Lansing with signs and billboards some of which read “KEEP HOPE ALIVE!”; “NO MORE CUTS!” Unfortunately, with less money, often a person’s needs cannot be fully met. There’s an important general election in November and it’s important to find out who stands for what political platform. Write letters if necessary to our Governor and Lt. Governor as well as our state legislators. Be an advocate for yourself and others! 4
MEDIA LAB UPDATES AND O.T. AT D.U.C. Media Lab News By Stephanie L.
Dreams Unlimited’s Media Lab, which actually began in June 2014, is up and running. The Media lab is currently working on several exciting projects including: - A movie on DVD about the history of Dreams Unlimited Clubhouse - A new updated TE Manual and TE Brochure - A booklet called the “Dream Catcher” featuring members’ works of all different types of art and written works - Assisting with the Clubhouse newsletter, “Dream Weaver” The Media Lab now has its own email address to receive submissions to the “Dream Catcher”. The deadline for submissions to the first edition of the Dream Catcher is March 1st. The Media lab is accepting photos of paintings, sculptures, jewelry and ceramics, as well as printed poetry, quoted lyrics, short stories, etc. Contributions may be submitted to the Media lab directly or they may be emailed to the Media Lab at DUCmedialab@gmail.com.
Media Lab members hard at work!
Candace P.—ready to assist
Toni D., Karen B., Gregg S., & Pepa H.
Occupational Therapy Internship Candace P. is an Occupational Therapy student from Eastern Michigan University. Candace is beginning her 2nd year of a 2 ½ year program. Having started at Dreams, she will be here for 10 weeks. Candace is here to learn about the Clubhouse and how Occupational Therapy fits or benefits the Clubhouse setting. Candace’s first impression of the Clubhouse members was feeling very welcomed and also feeling like everyone wants you here. Candace was impressed with the Clubhouse membership and how the Clubhouse is “run” by the members as part of the work-ordered day. Candace was also impressed with the members’ tasks and how many different areas that exist within the Clubhouse. Candace will be working in the units as well as assisting in the Media Lab during her internship at6 Dreams. In her free time, Candace likes to draw, paint, do ceramics, and video editing. 6
HAVE FUN & WORK HARD! Redford Theatre By Karen B. On Saturday, December 20, 2014, Lyndsey and six Dreams members went to the historic Redford Theatre to see the movie “White Christmas”. We had popcorn (with real butter!) and Santa was there. A few of us sat on his lap and told him what we wanted for Christmas and got our pictures taken with him. There was also a master organ player there who played holiday songs on a restored pipe organ before the movie and during intermission. The theatre was packed, and a great time was had by everyone. Some of us plan to suggest that we all go there again in the near future. 2014 After Work-Ordered Day Social Recreational Statistics: Total number of Social Recreational Activities in 2014: 43 Number of Members who attended Social Recreational Activities: 422
My Experience in Hospitality Services Unit for a Day! by Karen B. Some people (my Member Services Unit friends) may call me a traitor for switching sides over to the Hospitality Services Unit (HSU) for a day. But I would encourage them to give it a try! Boy, do they ever “hustle and bustle” over there each day to get us our lunches served correctly and tasting delicious. Every task in HSU is important, from menu planning to shopping, rolling silverware to mopping the dining room floor, wiping tables to cooking the meals, and from washing the dishes to folding the laundry. Another task HSU does for those of us who don’t want to order the main meal is to make salads (delicious), lovingly cook the grilled cheese (yum), make awesome tasting pbj’s (filled to capacity) and cook those scrumptious beef hot dogs (shazam!). There are even tasks to fill the condiments and napkin holders – all of which are important so our mealtime is enjoyable and care free. When I switched sides I tried being the hostess while working with the servers and expediter to get the meals served to all the members of Clubhouse. It was just like a fancy restaurant with everything falling nicely into place. I felt active and involved with the HSU members and staff. Like I said, they kept me on my toes! HSU members and staff all give “service with a smile” and I was impressed by the unit. I may go back and work there next week. I believe we over in the Member Services Unit may be the “Head” of our Clubhouse, but it looks like the Hospitality Services Unit may be the “Heart” of our Clubhouse. Either way, I’ve learned that both units are necessary to keep Dreams Unlimited running. And, just an FYI - we have also started a Media Lab at our Dreams. This is a component of MSU with one member who has taken a leadership role, but, together we’re doing all the media tasks of the Clubhouse. Keep your ears and eyes open for new developments. Until then, bon appetite!!!
Karen B., “stirring things up!”
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Spring officially begins! Friday, March 20th at 6:46 pm Phone: (248) 544-2034 Royal Oak, Michigan 48067 1222 Catalpa Drive
February 2015 Activities Sun 1
Mon 2
Tue 3
Wed 4
Thu 5 Rummage and Bake Sale at DUC 4:00 pm
Fri
Sat
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14 Valentine’s Day
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21 Detroit Institute of Arts
(Dinner available to buy)
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12 Valentine Party at DUC 3:30 pm Free, Fun, Fabulous!
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16 Presidents’ Day DUC Open Regular Schedule
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24 BINGO & Dinner at DUC 4:00 pm Only $2.00!
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19 Career Club
Meet at DUC 10 am, bring money for lunch.
Meeting & Dinner 3:30 pm 25
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