THIS MONTH’S ISSUE The View From My Chair
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Garden Center Family Spotlight
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GCS Gears up for Reading
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Friends of Garden Center
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THE LEAFLET ISSUE JUL YEAR 2012
The View From My Chair a message from our Executive director
Check out Gerry's Blog at www.GardenCenterServices.org
OUR MISSION Garden Center Services is committed to supporting and empowering persons with developmental disabilities through innovative and person-centered services. Our commitment to the excellence of our programs is surpassed only by our devotion to the people we serve and the communities in which they live.
A couple of Saturday’s ago, a memorial the lack of adequate funding service was held for a wonderful woman we experience year after year has that had been attending programs at the made it harder and harder to provide agency for over 24 years. Karen, who had programs and activities that exceed struggled with cancer for the last several minimal standards. The challenge of years, continued to exhibit her goodness, attracting and retaining the kind of staff we friendliness, and strong work ethic, though want working with the individuals we assist the effects of her illness and treatments is made more difficult by the insufficient were obvious. During the time that I have wages we are able to pay. been lucky enough to work at Garden Center Services, Karen was not just a Our agency has remained financially consumer of our services, she became a sound by increasing the number of persons attending our programs, friend. There were certainly a review of the current days that our interactions; Did we do however, referral packets identifies many chats about weekends or “ everything individuals whose needs would holidays, touching base about how we both were possible to help not be effectively met by the state’s paradigms. But I honestly feeling, joking about/with her this person funding think the overriding source of my classroom staff, and the hugs, concern is tied to how well are we brought as much or more have the life the quality of life for the nurturing to me as it did to her. they wanted? ” affecting 150 or so individuals we serve. I had been with Karen in the hospital shortly before she passed, and It seems the older I get the faster time I know her leaving was a thing of mercy. passes. I so appreciate all of you that What weighs on me, and this has happened are reading this newsletter, and the many every time we’ve lost someone we’ve ways that you provide the backing and supported, is dealing with the question, encouragement that strengthens our efforts “Did we do everything possible to help this to provide the best services possible. I ask that you take up a sense of urgency about person have the life they wanted?” persons with developmental disabilities There are a number of factors that make it having the necessary resources to craft stressful to be a provider of supports and the lives they deserve. services to persons with developmental disabilities in the state of Illinois. Obviously A 5 0 1 ( c ) ( 3 ) N o n p r o fit organization
Garden Center Family Spotlight Kristin came to Garden Center Services almost five years ago. She lived in Garden Center’s Burbank Manor Apartments (BMA) until her recent move to the newly opened Oak Lawn home. Kristin is very happy with the move because the open, one-level layout of the Oak Lawn home makes it much easier for her to get around. Kristin moved from BMA with one of her good friends, Karen, as well as one of her favorite support staffs, Nicole, which helped to make her feel at home right away.
KRISTIN KIMBALL
Kristin loves hanging out at her new home with her housemates, watching her favorite show Jeopardy, and, her friends say, she is always ready for a party. This past week, Kristin took a vacation to attend summer camp. She has been attending the camp each summer for several years now and enjoys going back every year to see the many friends she has made there.
Brian is Garden Center’s Director of Maintenance and Transportation. He joined the Garden Center family in March of last year. Brian is responsible for overseeing the maintenance of GCS’s 12 program/residential sites and our ever-growing vehicle fleet. Despite the demanding schedule of his position, Brian is always quick with a smile and a laugh. He says his favorite thing about Garden Center is definitely the people. “The consumers really make this place. They make it a lot of fun to be here.”
BRIAN FRAIDER
Before coming to Garden Center, Brian was a volunteer fireman and worked in the building trades for over 10 years. Brian grew up in Alsip and now lives in Chicago Ridge with his wife, Emily, their three-year-old daughter and their seven-year-old twin son and daughter.
Garden Center Remembers...
It was with tremendous sadness that we learned about the death of Karen Marcinkiewicz. She had been battling cancer for some time but until recently it seemed as if she was winning the fight. We will long remember Karen and the wonderful attributes she brought to the Day Program. No matter the stage of her battle, Karen always had a smile on her face, never letting on what physical struggles she might be enduring. To the contrary, she always showed the warmest caring and concern for those around her. There were two other qualities about Karen that we will always remember - her extraordinary story telling ability and her astonishing aptitude at bowling! A hole has been left in our hearts, one that we will try to fill by remembering all the wonderful things that Karen was. Our heartfelt condolences to the family.
Karen Marcinkiewicz
Garden Center Gears up for Reading Garden Center’s NEEDS List
This past fall, Garden Center received a grant from RR Donnelley, a Chicago-based global provider of integrated communications, to start our literacy project. The project is now well underway and we wanted to share some of the highlights with you. Thirty GCS consumers received a reading evaluation using READ, an informal reading inventory for low-literacy adults. Twenty-eight of those individuals, 21 at the Main Building and seven at our Kedzie building, are actively participating in the literacy program.
Desktop or laptop Literacy Program participants at GCS Kedzie building attend a meeting.
Funding from the RR Donnelley grant allowed the purchase of computers, literacy software and curriculum for the project. Readers at both locations have been divided into groups by reading level and are meeting with our literacy instructor, volunteer Jo Liebermann, once a week. The participants also work on individualized learning plans throughout the week with their team leaders’ support. We are working to create reading lounges at our day sites. If you have books or furniture that we could use for that purpose, please contact Sheila Ryan-Henry at sryan-henry@ gardencenterservices.org or 773-941-4151 Ext. 201.
Computers
Sofa/Chairs for our reading area
Umbrellas
Bar-type stools
Free-standing shelf units Printer Phone
Office desk Microwave
Large coffee maker Books
Second Chance Thrift Shoppe turned 4 years old on July 1!
Electronic keyboards (music)
They have had another great year and continue to do fantastic things for Garden Center.
Event tickets
Craft supplies
Frames for artwork
Thank You Second Chance Staff and Volunteers!!!
Blank canvases X-Box games Knights of Columbus St. Louis de Montfort Council # 14553 donated $500 toward the relocation to our new Kedzie building
BULLETIN BOARD SAVE THE DATE ! GCS has earned over $240 from our supporters’ online shopping! To sign up and help GCS every time you shop, go to www.igive.com/ GardenCenter today!
GCS 56th Annual Fa shion Show Friday, Novembe r 4th Doubletree Hote l 5000 W . 127th St . Alsip, IL
If you have an item to donate, please email Anne McFerron at amcferron@gardencenterservices.org
FRIENDS OF GARDEN CENTER Where we grow dignity and
independence phone 708.636.0054 email info@gardencenterservices.org web www.gardencenterservices.org
Board of Directors President
Daniel Wenzler
1st Vice President
Scott Hardek
2nd Vice President
Doug Combs
Treasurer
R. Pat Ballis
Secretary
Annmarie Caulfield
Members:
John J. Kunkes Linda Stearns Linda Sherwood Sharon Duncan Jenny Wojcik
Don’t Forget!
r lumbus Fundraise Knights of Co h 16t ly Ju y, Monda rant YB Hungry RestauStreet 6840 West 95th Oak Lawn, IL ION SHOW ANNUAL FASHr 4th be vem Friday, No sip Doubletree in Al
$1,000- $3,000 • •
William Ramsden UNITED WAY OF METRO CHICAGO TRUIST UNITED WAY
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Joan Strainis Lila Helme
MEMORIAL FOR DEBBIE HELME
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Ronald Nowobielski BURBANK SERTOMA CLUB
$100- $499 •
BURBANK WOMEN’S CIVIC CLUB William Duncan
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MEMORIAL FOR JANET DUNCAN
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Dorothy Ballis PRYME TYMERS/TRINITY EV COVENANT CHURCH Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Strainis Deborah & Dennis Conway Clorox Co Foundation Employe Giving Camp Sherry L. VanKuren Mr. & Mrs. Shawn Kane
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Steven Zitowsky Gary Duncan
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LEE COUNTY
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Mr. & Mrs. Brian Clark
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MEMORIAL FOR DEBBIE HELME
MEMORIAL FOR JANET DUNCAN MEMORIAL FOR JANET DUNCAN
Brian & Elizabeth Wojak Mr. & Mrs. Randy Duncan
MEMORIAL FOR JANET DUNCAN
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Beverly Peters
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Patrick J. Malloy Ann McGrath-Harty Mary Cullen
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Myrtis Winter
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Mr. & Mrs. Buford
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Sheila Ryan-Henry
DONATION FOR JANET WINTERS BIRTHDAY
Memorial for Lorey O’Grady MEMORIAL FOR PEARL REID MEMORIAL FOR JANET DUNCAN MEMORIAL FOR CATHERINE KRICKL
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Richard Rivera
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Mr. & Mrs. Charles Green
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Mr. & Mrs. Dimitri Hoteko
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Mr. & Mrs. John Wright
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Mr.& Mrs. Calvin Smith
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Mr. & Mrs. Mark Sarich
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iGIVE ONLINE SHOPPERS James Pawluczyk Mr. & Mrs. Dennis Galeher Dolores Keating
MEMORIAL FOR JANET DUNCAN MEMORIAL FOR DEBBIE HELME MEMORIAL FOR DEAN HOTEKO MEMORIAL FOR JANET DUNCAN MEMORIAL FOR DEBBIE HELME MEMORIAL FOR JANET DUNCAN
GC
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February 2012 - APRIL 2012 Bridget McGrath
Memorial for Anna Pfieffer
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Mr. & Mrs. Jerre Santschi
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Mr. & Mrs. John Haugh
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Mr. & Mrs. William Shaughnessy
MEMORIAL FOR DEBBIE HELME MEMORIAL FOR DEBBIE HELME
MEMORIAL FOR JANET DUNCAN
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Connie Saviano
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Mr. & Mrs. Douglas Combs
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Mr. & Mrs. Berniece Buttinger
MEMORIAL FOR DEBBIE HELME MEMORIAL FOR DEBBIE HELME
MEMORIAL FOR DEBBIE HELME
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Linda Stearns
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Mary Dalrymple
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Mr. & Mrs. Peter Lesiecki
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Margaret Metz
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Diane Peterson
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Mr. & Mrs. Gilbert Gizowski
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Mr. & Mrs. Anthony Pernice
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Diane Doody Josephine Lapp
MEMORIAL FOR DEBBIE HELME MEMORIAL FOR PEARL REID MEMORIAL FOR DEBBIE HELME MEMORIAL FOR DEBBIE HELME MEMORIAL FOR DEBBIE HELME MEMORIAL FOR JANET DUNCAN MEMORIAL FOR JANET DUNCAN
Memorial for Jackie Menzel
MEMORIAL FOR DEBBIE HELME
Give GCS the Gift of Long-Term Financial Strength Contact Michele Hula to learn about GCS Planned Giving Opportunities mhula@ gardencenterservices.org (773) 941-4151 Ext. 212
SECOND CHANCE THRIFT SHOPPE
SALE July 29th 12pm-4pm
HALF OFF EVERYTHING
http://www.youtube.com/user/ gardencenterservices
http://www.facebook.com/ gardencenterservices
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Up to $99
$500- $999
http://gardencenterservices. wordpress.com/
http://twitter.com/gardencentersrv
MEMORIAL FOR JANET DUNCAN
GCS in the NEWS
See Gerry’s interview on the Tinley Park Chamber of Commerce Cable TV show, airing every Tuesday in July at 6:30pm on Comcast Community Channel 19. Stay tuned for a story on Garden Gallery & Studio to air on ABC7 Sunday Morning News with Karen Meyer this August.
Prepare Building for Occupancy GOAL 22,500
$21,770
We’re almost there!