MAY
2015
Garden Center Services
The View From My Chair A MESSAGE FROM OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
House Majority Leader, Rep. Barbara Currie & Gerry
INSIDE THIS ISSUE THE VIEW FROM MY CHAIR Page 1 GCS FAMILY Page 2 LEADERSHIP RETREAT Page 3 AROUND GCS Page 4
I wanted to share some thoughts with you about my travels last week to Springfield where I took part in “Advocacy Day” coordinated by staff from the Illinois Association of Rehabilitation Facilities (IARF). Essentially, this is a day where a large number of staff, families, and persons receiving services converge on the state capitol and the offices of our elected state legislators to convince them that cutting revenues from an already heinously underfunded human services support system is not a good idea, and to help them understand the real costs in misery and unsaved cashola that such cuts would bring about. Certainly, there are already some state senators and representatives that get this; it is our goal
to convince a majority of our elected officials not to further the downward spiral of our most vulnerable citizens by seizing this opportunity to share facts & faces. I wanted to share one positive point in my day when I had the chance to spend time with Representative Barbara Currie, the House Majority Leader.
implemented. In the coming weeks as negotiations over the FY 16 budget continue, I am hopeful that the facts and figures shared with Rep. Currie and other supportive legislators will embolden them to successfully fight for our cause, for all persons with intellectual/developmental disabilities & their families.
“...it is our goal to convince a majority of our elected officials not to further the downward spiral of our most vulnerable citizens...”
In the coming weeks, we will be reaching out to you and asking that you contact your legislators. Your recent involvement made an enormous impact and I ask you to please put forth that same effort again to help us ensure the funding that is desperately needed to provide quality services for individuals with intellectual/developmental disabilities at Garden Center and similar programs throughout the state of Illinois.
Representative Currie has sponsored many bills over the years to help those Illinois individuals and families that are impoverished and marginalized. I felt she really took to heart the information I shared with her regarding the actual impact to support, services, and stability if the proposed cuts coming out of the governor’s office were actually
IARF Advocacy Day
GARDEN CENTER FAMILY James “Jimmy” C. began attending Garden Center programs in November of 2012. He is a private person who prefers quiet pursuits. Jimmy loves to be outside and enjoys taking walks with his group and using the computer to search topics of interest to him including physiology, graphic art and air conditioners. Jimmy splits his time at Garden Center between our Kedzie and Gallery programs. He is an amazing artist who enjoys drawing portraits of people and animals. Jimmy uses permanent markers, pencils or paint to create. He has the unique ability to use y m Jim very few lines to achieve the look he wants and is able to use marker with no sketch underneath - getting it “right” the first time. Last year one of Jimmy’s pieces, a werewolf, was featured (and sold!) at the AccessChicago Expo. In July, Jimmy’s work will be featured in the Artist’s Market at the AbilitiesExpo in Shaumberg, but you won’t have to wait that long to see his amazing art! This Friday, Jimmy will be Garden Gallery’s featured artist for the May First Friday event. You will be able to purchase Jimmy’s unique original artwork or silk-screened reproductions on t-shirts, dog bandanas and canvas tote bags. See the information below for more details.
F I R S T F R I DAY at G A R D E N G A L L E RY Join us for the May First Friday to see artwork by our featured Garden Gallery artist, Jimmy C. Jimmy is an amazing caricature artist who draws interesting portraits of people and animals. This month we will also feature the LIVE music by Famous Unknown - usa New this month - Silk screened items featuring Jimmy C.’s work First Friday is FREE and ALL AGES are welcome.
MAY 1st 7pm to 9pm 17459 S. Oak Park Ave.
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Do good when you shop... COFFEE Co.
. Tastes Good. Does Good. Feels Good
how you can help GCS
LEADERSHIP RETREAT This past Saturday, the Garden Center Services Board of Directors and key GCS management staff earned their capes at a retreat with internationally known speaker, author, trainer and consultant, Carol Weisman. The interactive session, Transforming Ordinary People Into Fundraising Superheroes, was both educational and fun. The event was a great opportunity for the group to get to know each other better after the recent board elections. Mrs. Wiseman led the attendees in discussions revolving around fundraising and planning that resulted in the development of an initial steps that will help guide future GCS fundrasing activities.
Garden Center is in need of donations of the following items
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art & craft supplies
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porch swing
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basketball hoop
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wall-mountable TV for exercise room
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kitchen table &
THANK YOU! A BIG Thank You to Janet for covering receptionist duties at our Kedzie site this week while our receptionist Becca is on vacation.
chairs •
Great Job Janet!
Wii game station
If you have something to donate, please contact Anne at amcferron@ gardencenterservices .org
PLANNED GIVING Garden Center Services has been fortunate to have the support of so many wonderful people since its opening in 1956. Gifts at every level have allowed us to provide exceptional opportunities for the individuals we serve. It is our hope that we can continue providing outstanding programs not only to our existing participants, but also those individuals who may someday join the Garden Center Services family. To those supporters who wish to help assure the continuation and growth of Garden Center Services, we invite you to talk to us about making a planned gift. For assistance with planned giving, please call Jennifer Georgis at 773-9414151 ext 218, or email Jennifer at jgeorgis@gardencenterservices.org.
Mark your calendar... More Dates! June
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SUPER SUNNY 5K & WALK ’n ROLL-a-THON
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Growing dignity
GCS earns money when you shop online!
and independence
If you haven’t signed up for iGive, now is the perfect time! Just visit www.igive.com and choose Garden Center Services as your charity of choice. You’ll instantly start earning money for GCS every time you shop at the over 1500 stores registered with iGive.
8333 S. Austin Ave. Burbank, IL 60459 10444 S. Kedzie Chicago, IL 60655 phone 773-941-4151
Join today & help GCS with every online purchase you make!
email info@gardencenterservices.org web www.GardenCenterServices.org
Kelly Jo works on a weaving BOARD OF DIRECTORS President
Dr. Jenny Wojcik
1st Vice President
Annmarie Caulfield
2nd Vice President
Paul Krutulis
Treasurer
George Sterba
Secretary
Florence Head
Members:
Caroline Connors
SECOND CHANCE SUPER SALE Visit us for HALF OFF everything STOREWIDE!
Mary Beth Herr Representative Fran Hurley Sean O’Shea Dave Rauen Tom Beemesterboer
x at ith Ma Circus w y r r e P rs Troupe Triton
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.
MAY 17th
12pm to 4pm
SAVE A TREE ...AND GCS MONEY
JULY
2014
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Garden Center Services
HE LEAFLET
The View From My Chair A MESSAGE FROM OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
by the referral agencies that require the person to take a number of assessments. The purpose of these assessments is to pinpoint those deficits in cognitive, physical, and lifeskill development that will
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
THE VIEW FROM MY CHAIR Page 1
GARDEN CENTER FAMILY Page 2
GCS WALKS, ROLLS & RUNS Page 3
AROUND GCS Page 4
Amy in music group
“It is only by spending quality time with an individual, deeply listening to them, observing them, that one comes to grasp their aptitude and ambitions. ”
We so appreciate the input provided by the families about their loved ones, and also the insights contributed by our caring staff that spends so much of their day engaged with our consumers. As an agency, as we become more aware and sensitive to the hopes and possibilities that are within each person we support, we must strive to make those changes necessary that will give them better access to full lives of participation.
When you sign up to receive THE LEAFLET online We need your help to cut postage costs! If you would like to continue to receive the GCS newsletter, please contact Sandi at scoleman@gardencenterservices.org to Nicole & Gerry
Looking forward to this coming weekend and all the 4th of July celebrations leads me to think about the term “independence” and the struggles we’ve all gone through, as individuals and as a country, to become the people we want to be, spending our precious lives doing what we want to do. I would say the overarching goal we have as an agency that provides services and supports to adults with intellectual and physical disabilities is getting to know each person well enough so that we can accurately identify what their hopes and aspirations are and then doing whatever we can to assist them in realizing this potential. Before individuals are “awarded” state funding so that they can attend our programs, they must be screened
verify they meet the criteria of having a developmental disability. It seems to be such a “what’s broken” way of looking at human beings, and does not give proper emphasis to the unique presence and contribution that each person possesses. It is only by spending quality time with an individual, deeply listening to them, observing them, that one comes to grasp their aptitude and ambitions. In both our day and residential programs we are continually working to improve the experiences and exposure our consumers receive driven by the approach described above.
As much as I wanted to mention independence in this article, I also wanted to stress the need and benefit of “interdependence”. It’s truly only through the acceptance and support of one another that we can really become our best selves. I often think that one of the greatest gifts bestowed on us by the persons we support at Garden Center Services is their innate understanding of this principle, and the enviable way they open themselves to receiving and providing kindness.
Enjoy the newsletter, and have a great summer.
2015
SUPER SUNNY 5K & WALK ’n ROLL-a-THON
Ken enjoys the Easter party
For more information, visit www.GardenCenterServices. org
JUNE 6th