Sweet Charity - Winter 2013

Dear Friends, The holidays and end of the year are always a special time to reflect on the blessings of family and friends. This year, I have something more to be grateful for – the path that led me to serve at Good Shepherd and the bounty of goodwill that has made me feel very welcome.

Nowhere was this more evident than my inauguration on November 8 at Grace Lutheran Church in Allentown where The Rev. Dr. Conrad Raker served. Everyone came together in fellowship, bound by a common sense of purpose started 105 years ago by The Rev. John “Papa” Raker and his wife, Estella “Mama” Raker. It was their spirit of innovation, deep compassion and commitment to charitable care that launched Good Shepherd and still thrives today.

Good Shepherd has survived through world wars, the Great Depression and economic uncertainties. On more than one occasion, Papa Raker fell to his knees and prayed for divine intervention when times were tough and the money wasn’t there. His prayers were answered and I’ve no doubt he and Mama would be amazed at what Good Shepherd has become.

As you plan your holiday festivities, I hope you will remember the legacy of love that the Rakers left as a reminder to help the less fortunate who rely on Good Shepherd’s mission of charitable care to get through their own difficult times. Whatever you can spare in your year-end giving – $10, $20, $50 or more – will be put to meaningful use.

Your gifts let us invest in new technologies that help people like Dave Fessler, a spinal cord injury patient featured in our cover story, walk. Your gifts help our MS Wellness Program be one of the most innovative and best in the area, giving participants a place to learn, find friendship and be as fit in body and mind as possible. And your gifts to our Resident Holiday Wish List make Christmas happier for our long-term care residents.

For all you’ve given, thank you. I hope the new year brings you good health and peace.

Sincerely,

John Kristel, MBA,MPT President & CEO 2

COVER STORY

Where There’s a Will

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Features

Pathway To Wellness.............................. 10 Living with multiple sclerosis doesn’t mean feeling isolated for those who come to the MS Wellness Program, thanks to by donor gifts and many friends going the extra mile.

A freakish accident in a far away place left Dave Fessler with a spinal cord injury, but his resilient spirit and courage are propelling him forward in his inspiring recovery.

On the cover: Dave and Anne Fessler of Nazareth Cover photograph: Randy Monceaux

IN THIS ISSUE The 2013 Golf & Tennis Invitational.............. 8 Giving Back.................................. 22 — Patti Engler Gifts of Love................................. 24

The Candyland Ball.................................16 Sweet memories were made at the Bethlehem resident Candyland Ball.

A Simple Act of Kindness ..........................18 Angie and Chris Kopach along with friends from LifeChurch in Bethlehem have a special ministry of love at Good Shepherd’s inpatient pediatric unit.

Follow Sweet Charity on Facebook! facebook.com/sweetcharityonline

Resident Holiday Wish List......................... 20 Read how your gifts are an extension of the Raker legacy of love in action for Good Shepherd’s 159 long-term care residents.

OUR MISSION Motivated by the divine Good Shepherd and the physical and cognitive rehabilitation needs of our communities, GoodShepherdRehab.org

1-888-44-REHAB

our mission is to enhance lives, maximize function, inspire hope, and promote dignity and well-being with expertise and compassion.

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here are two kinds of people in this world; those who look at life as a glass-half-full and those who look at life as a glass-half-empty. I fall into the first category, which is a good thing since life, as I knew it, took a hairpin turn almost two years ago, challenging me in ways I never would have imagined.

I’ve always had an analytical mind, so I went to Rochester Institute of Technology where I got a degree in Electrical Engineering. I spent 25 years in the semiconductor business and was fortunate to be able to retire at the ripe old age of 47.

I began a second career as a writer and speaker at financial seminars. I’m now 60 and fortunate to be able to work from home most of the time. However, the speaking part of my career has taken me to exotic locations all over the world.

One of those locations is a beautiful hideaway called Rancho Santana. I’ve visited Rancho Santana numerous times as part of my job. It’s located in the southwest corner of Nicaragua, on the Pacific coastline.

It has three miles of beautiful U-shaped beaches with giant rock outcroppings separating them.

I arrived in Rancho on February 1, 2012, for a conference. I had some time to spare, so two of my friends and I decided to go bodysurfing. The water was warm and the waves were perfect… all except the last one. It was a little too close to shore and I got ahead of it. It flipped me upside down and slammed the back of my neck into the sand.

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It was a hard hit, but the ocean had tumbled me around before. This time, though, I knew something was terribly wrong. I was face down in the water and when I tried to lift myself up, I couldn’t move my arms or legs.

I was holding my breath waiting for help.

My friends initially thought I was kidding around. But I kept shaking my head no. My lungs were searing and I had to keep fighting the urge to take a breath. It was terrifying.

I mustered all my focus not to breathe in.

Just when I thought I couldn’t hold my breath any longer and was going to inhale saltwater into my lungs, my friends turned me over. “I can’t move my arms or legs,” I said. “Grab me under my armpits and get me out of the water.”

I was dragged up and out of the surf. As it happened, a visiting doctor and nurse from the local health clinic were walking nearby. They saw my friends dragging what appeared to be a lifeless body on the beach.

They ran over and asked what happened. I explained my unfortunate encounter with the wave. The doctor was a cardiologist, but he knew exactly what to do. He knelt down and kept my head between his knees to keep me from moving.

The nurse ran to summon the ambulance at the clinic and get a backboard and neck collar. I was transported to the clinic where they started an intravenous line of Prednisone. My boss was standing over me holding my hand and telling me everything was going to be okay. I wasn’t panicking. In fact, I felt a great sense of calm. Perhaps this was because there was nothing I could do to help myself. I was in the complete care of others. Believe it or not, I was also feeling embarrassment at having screwed up the seminar. I could see the tears in my boss’s

With help from a team of therapists, Dave Fessler gives his all during his weekly workouts in the Ekso Variable Assist.

eyes as she told me that was the last thing I should be worried about.

The next problem was getting me from the remote location of Rancho Santana back to a hospital in Managua, the capital of Nicaragua. It’s a two-and-a-half hour drive by car over bumpy roads. Clearly, I had to be airlifted out. About two hours had passed since the accident. There were only two medical evacuation helicopters in the country. Both were out of the country for repair.

BY DAVE FESSLER Fortunately, Antonio, one of my new Rancho friends had a brother who is the head of the Nicaraguan military. He summoned a military helicopter that arrived in 30 minutes. Eight soldiers dressed in military fatigues loaded me aboard the helicopter. It was a quick flight to a military base in Managua.

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After ambulance transport to a brand new hospital, I had a CAT scan. It showed I had no broken bones in my neck. Next was an MRI. Initially, the attending doctor told me that my spinal cord was completely severed.

For the next 15 minutes, I was contemplating how this was going to change my life.

Then a little bit of good news came from the head doctor in the neurosurgery department.

He said the first MRI diagnosis was incorrect.

In fact, my spinal cord was not severed. I had an injury referred to as a "spinal contusion." This is essentially a bad bruise to the spinal cord. The resulting swelling is the cause of my paralysis. While there is no way to gauge how complete my recovery will ultimately be, the potential is there.

From Managua, I was flown by a medical Learjet back to ABE airport in the Lehigh Valley where I was met by my wife, Anne.

I was transported to Lehigh Valley Hospital.

My diagnosis was confirmed by additional tests. I then underwent surgery to help reduce the pressure on my spinal cord.

I spent nine days in the hospital ICU. The doctors weren’t sure if I had a complete or incomplete spinal cord injury at this point.

After four days, all I could move was the big toe on my right foot. It didn’t look good. I was so grateful, though, for the support of my wife, friends, and family.

(Left) Dave Fessler rode from 2006-2011 in the annual 150-mile MS City to Shore bike ride. In his last race, he was the 28th largest fund raiser out of 7,000 participants. (Above) Writing on his home computer.

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After researching the various options for spinal cord injury recovery, we decided Good Shepherd was the best choice.

I was then transferred and admitted to Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Hospital in Allentown where I began rigorous physical and occupational therapy. My therapists and nurses became my new best friends. I spent between two and four hours every day in therapy. At first, all my therapy sessions occurred in bed. It was at least a month before I could even get into a chair.

At this point, I had regained very little movement in my arms and hands. All my muscles had tightened up since the accident. Therapy was difficult and painful.

The first goal was to regain range of motion. Even the simplest task was incredibly hard. My legs moved a little but I had almost no strength in them. It was about this time in my recovery when I began to realize the size of the effort I had ahead of me.

After a seven-week stay, I was discharged to home care.

This was a huge transition. Our house is more than 200 years old and not handicap-friendly. Friends of mine built a ramp and Anne and I turned our bedroom into my “everything” room. It took us several weeks to get used to being at home, but eventually it became the “new normal.”

The next phase of my recovery was outpatient therapy that I began in May 2012. I came three times a week for hand, occupational and physical therapy. I am now more than a year and a half into my recovery. With the help of more than a dozen therapists, I have made significant progress.

None of it has been easy. Therapy is more difficult than exercising. It’s not just about making my muscles stronger but about getting them moving in the first place. In some cases, therapists employed electrical stimulation to help “wake up” the nerve paths connecting my brain to my various muscles.

The mental component to therapy is extremely important.

You have to want to succeed. If you don’t, you probably won’t. My biggest challenge was, and still is, regaining functional use of my hands. I now come in once a week

2014 Independence Days Calendar Help us raise funds for Good Shepherd’s Spinal Cord Injury Program by purchasing the 2014 Independence Days calendar. Each month of this original calendar features someone with a spinal cord injury who has been helped

by Good Shepherd doing something they love.

Calendars cost $12 each and are available by contacting Betsy Hartman, RN, at bhartman@gsrh.org or calling her at 610-778-9220.

Calendars must be paid for in advance.

Quantities are limited.

continued on page 26...

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Friends who believe in Good Shepherd’s mission of service to children with disabilities gave generously and raised $160,000 at the 2013 Golf & Tennis Invitational benefiting the pediatric program. The September 9 event at Saucon Valley Country Club featured a picture-perfect

A highlight of the day was the presentation of the Bob Ford Volunteer Leadership Award to Bob Ford himself. The award, established this year, honors a volunteer for exceptional commitment to Good Shepherd and its mission by coordinating, motivating and inspiring other volunteers to achieve fund raising goals.

Bob has been involved in fund raising for Good Shepherd since 1987. He served as chair, assistant chair, and most recently, honorary chair of the Golf & Tennis Invitational, devoting countless hours to the event.

day and camaraderie among the 96 participants, many who have been supporting this event for years.

A resident of Salisbury Township, Bob (center) is pictured receiving the award with his wife, Mary Elaine, also a devoted friend to Good Shepherd, and John Kristel, president and CEO.

Thanks to our wonderful participants, sponsors, volunteers, and volunteer committee chaired by Gerald Nau, chairman and CEO of Lafayette Ambassador Bank.

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Andy Tomasic was 20 years old when he climbed out of bed one morning and collapsed. The son of a former Major League Baseball and NFL player Andrew Tomasic Sr., Andy had always been healthy and active in sports, so the sudden weakness in his legs was baffling. “I just dropped to the floor,” he says. “I knew something was very wrong.”

Andy was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, a chronic, often disabling disease that attacks the central nervous system. Andy was able to manage his disease well.

Although he walked with a cane, he says his symptoms remained “pretty much in the background,” which allowed him to go on with his life working for a local cement company and later rebuilding diesel engines. Then, about eight years ago, he fell and shattered his hip bone.

“For whatever reason, it wasn’t repairing well,” he says.

“They did a hip replacement and that’s what put me in the (wheel) chair.”

No two people experience MS exactly the same way.

But for Andy, who lives in Allentown, and 30 others who

Andy Tomasic

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“I always come away with a good feeling.”

— Andy Tomasic, MS Wellness program participant

participate in Good Shepherd’s MS Wellness Program, there is a shared need for a community of people who know what it’s like to live with MS. There are the good days and there are the bad days. But every day spent in the companionship of one another is a day well spent.

Good Shepherd also provides free roundtrip, door-to-door transportation to all participants at a cost of $6.80 per round trip.

This year, the projected cost for this aspect of the program alone is almost $19,300.

“Just being with people who understand the problems of having MS is helpful,” says Andy, who works out in Good Shepherd’s Optimal Fitness gym five days a week and attends the twice weekly group meetings offered by the MS Wellness Program.

The art program, which includes a paid instructor, runs in excess of $5,500 a year; and charitable and indigent patient care for the program’s 31 participants costs more than $42,000 a year. Ninety-nine percent of the clients who attend the program are on very low incomes, Medicaid and limited Social Security disability income.

On a recent Wednesday afternoon, Andy was working on a still-life painting in an MS therapeutic art class at Good Shepherd.

Funding for the Wellness Program relies heavily on donor partnerships. One of the most steadfast supporters has been the

“This allows me to get into my own head and just express myself,” he says. “I enjoy that. You don’t have to be a good artist. I always come away with a good feeling.”

National Multiple Sclerosis Society (NMSS), Greater Delaware Valley Chapter, which through the years has donated more than $370,000 to Good Shepherd’s MS Program.

Most recently, the MS Wellness Program received a $50,000 grant.

In addition to the weekly opportunities to socialize and learn, participants in the program benefit from a wide range of support services through a care manager who helps them navigate the complexities of living with MS. Dealing with insurance issues and reimbursement concerns, scheduling psychology appointments, and addressing housing and landlord problems are all part of the mix.

“The full cost of attending the MS Wellness Program is about $65 a day (per person),” says Jerry Werner, a multiple sclerosis certified specialist who is the MS Wellness Program manager and has led the program’s growth in 13 years from a handful of participants. “With the donation of the NMSS and the willingness of Good

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Shepherd to provide services without cost, we’re able to charge just $5 per person for those who demonstrate financial need to attend the program. Without help from NMSS, we would not be able to offer the quality program our participants count on to help them deal with the challenging issues of MS.” A strong “giving back” component is ingrained in the Good Shepherd culture, and relationship-building with the national MS organization dedicated to the broader fight against MS has motivated a number of Good Shepherd associates to literally go the extra mile. In addition to participation in the annual MS Walk, a small cadre of Good Shepherd associates and friends pump it up in the annual Bike MS: City to Shore ride.

In the last six years, the Good Shepherd team, of which Jerry is a part, has raised about $45,000.

Joining in the ride this year was Carrie Kane, a speech pathologist/assistive technology professional, who works closely with many of Good Shepherd’s long-term care residents. Carrie rode 150 miles over two days from Cherry Hill, NJ, to Ocean City, NJ, in honor of the residents who have MS. Many of their names were taped on her helmet.

For Carrie, the ride was a milestone in her recovery from reconstructive ankle surgery and a way of saying thanks to the physical therapists at Good Shepherd who helped her gain strength.

“I was fatigued but empowered. I wanted a goal that would not only help my recovery, but also help raise funds for others,” says Carrie who has two metal rods in her left ankle. “I still have some pain and swelling, but it’s nothing compared to what people with MS have to deal with.”

A new donor partnership within the last three years has a powerful personal story behind it. Candice Arnold was entering her senior year at Muhlenberg College in Allentown when she started developing symptoms which led to a diagnosis of MS. She was 25 years old.

In 2005, Candice, then majoring in business administration with a concentration in entrepreneurial studies, needed a school project. An avid ice hockey player since childhood, she conceived of a fund raiser for the National MS Society, calling it “Hockey Fights MS.” It began with seven women’s teams competing at the Steel Ice Center in Bethlehem.

But Candice, a 1998 Parkland High School graduate now living near Burlington, Vt., had played hockey all around the Lehigh Valley and wanted to see funds remain in the community. She did some research into who in the Lehigh Valley was the leader in rehabilitation and Good Shepherd rose to the top.

“I’d heard of Good Shepherd for years,” she says, “but I never really knew how big a scope it had. I was really impressed with what was offered to the MS community.”

“Without help from the National Multiple Sclerosis program our participants count on to 12

Although the tournament has expanded to 101 teams in four states raising money for MS research and other rehabilitation centers, funds raised at the Pennsylvania tournament all support Good Shepherd’s MS Program.

In the last three years, Hockey Fights MS has raised more than $26,000 for Good Shepherd. This past year, 650 players from 49 men’s and women’s teams competed in the Pennsylvania tournament held in August.

Pennsylvania tournament, the Whalers also placed first in the team fund raising competition which earned them automatic placement in next year’s tournament.

“The team has really gotten into it,” says Eric. “Knowing Candice and some of the battles she’s gone through living with MS has touched our team and the other teams too. It’s a great cause.” continued...

Doing their part is the Lehigh Valley Whalers of which Eric Simons, senior accountant at Good Shepherd, is a member.

The Whalers have played in the tournament for the last four years. Besides placing first in their division in the 2013 men's

Carrie Kane (center) with Good Shepherd residents Karen Geller and Carole Urbach.

(Top right) MS bike riders Team Good Shepherd in 2012 with Jerry Werner (second row, third from left).

Society, we would not be able to offer the quality help them deal with the challenging issues of MS.” — Jerry Werner, MS Wellness program manager

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The National MS Society has designated Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Network and Lehigh Neurology as a Comprehensive Care Center for the treatment of multiple sclerosis.

Learn more at GoodShepherdRehab.org Good Shepherd’s MS Wellness Program meets Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 am to 2 pm in the Health & Technology building on the south Allentown campus.

For more information, contact Jerry Werner at jwerner@gsrh.org or call her at 610-776-3585.

For more information about Hockey Fights MS, go to hockeyfightsms.org. Team registration opens around February 1, 2014.

The Lehigh Valley Whalers will hold fund raisers for Hockey Fights MS benefiting the MS Wellness Program on December 24 and May 10; and June 5, at Allentown Brew Works. For information, contact Blake Strobl at 610-597-7792, or mrhatrik@ptd.net.

Candice never expected her school project to turn into a full-time job, but now she can’t see herself doing anything else. She says her MS doesn’t limit doing the things she loves, which includes playing hockey.

“I’m not as fast but I still love it,” she says. “I love the people that come out for these tournaments. They have such good hearts. And we have quite a following in the Lehigh Valley. It’s uplifting. Next year will be my first year to devoting 100 percent of my time to this and growing it big. I want to look back and say, I created this, I built this, I grew this. I want to leave behind a legacy or some sort of special path.”

Whether she knows it or not, Candice has already created that path, along with all those who support Good Shepherd’s MS Program. And for clients like Andy Tomasic, it makes the journey just that much easier.

“There are days when I get in a hole, but coming to Good Shepherd and seeing so many people with so many different problems, I focus on how lucky I am,” says Andy. “If it wasn’t for Good Shepherd, I’d be stuck.”

(Left) Eric Simons of the Lehigh Valley Whalers.

(Above) Candice Arnold, founder, Hockey Fights MS, with key supporters and event organizers Kris Maguire (left) and Darryl Arnold.

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Are you thinking of including a gift for Good Shepherd in your will? Consider naming us a beneficiary of your retirement account and leave other less-taxed assets to your family.

Easy as 1, 2, 3!

1. Request a “change of beneficiary form” from your retirement plan or financial institution.

2. List “Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Network” as one of your beneficiaries at the following address: Development Dept., 850 S. 5th Street, Allentown, PA 18103 3. Inform us of your intentions so we can thank you!

Enjoy the satisfaction of knowing your future gift will help Good Shepherd provide compassionate care to children and adults in the years to come.

Ask Us How We can answer questions and provide information to complete the change of beneficiary form. Contact Jeannette Edwards in the development department at 610-778-1075.

For more gift planning ideas, visit our website GoodShepherdRehab.PlannedGiving.org Good Shepherd encourages you to consult your legal and tax advisors.

It was a sweet night for more than 135 people who attended the Bethlehem resident “Candyland Ball” on Friday, Sept. 27, at the Days Hotel in Bethlehem. Attendees made their way through the Gumdrop Pass to the ball room decorated with a peppermint forest, rainbow trail and edible centerpieces of what else? — candy! Residents and their guests were attired in vivid colors in keeping with the Candyland theme and sported colorful handmade boutonnieres made with candy canes, ribbon and artificial flowers.

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The creative concoction was planned and organized by the recreational therapy team with lots of help from inside and outside the Good Shepherd community. Nurses, some of whom came in on their day off, helped get the residents in their ball finery. Metro Beauty Academy sent more than a dozen beauticians to do hair and makeup. Just Born donated boxes of Mike and Ike’s for the table decorations. And five members from the Alpha Tao Omega fraternity at Muhlenberg College helped decorate the ball room.

Many thanks to all who made the Candyland Ball truly a night to remember.

The Royal Court King Kandy: Arlington “Arlie” Miller Lord Licorice #1: Jason Labowski Lord Licorice #2: Chad Davidheiser Queen Frostine: Madeline “Lynn” Leach Lady Licorice #1: Wendy Eberts Lady Licorice #2: Rosemary Barbati

Your gifts help make special events like this possible for our residents.

Won’t you make a gift today using the envelope in this issue or save a stamp and go to SweetCharityOnline.org. Thank you!

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lanked by two toddlers and with her hands cleaning out the innards of a Halloween pumpkin, Angie Kopach was in her happy zone at Good Shepherd’s pediatric inpatient unit. What started out three years ago out as a “20 Acts of Kindness” outreach project for her church’s 20th anniversary has become an essential part of her life as a donor and a volunteer.

“This ended up being my ministry,” says Angie with a look of sheer joy in her eyes as the tot next to her cautiously handled a bit of the pumpkin’s gooey fibers. “It keeps me real.”

Angie and her husband Chris first became acquainted with the inpatient unit when they delivered Christmas presents during a Christmas in July celebration on the unit.

She and Chris were so inspired by the Good Shepherd staff and the young patients that they knew the seeds had been sown for a more lasting relationship.

“This unit just became a life of its own,” says Angie. “The staff is amazing, just amazing.

They’re such special people working with such special kids, kids that just want to get back to being normal.”

Since that first visit, Angie and Chris, along with others from LifeChurch in Bethlehem, have returned many times to the unit as volunteers. The Kopachs also have become generous donors and won over many hearts through such things as providing funding for animals from the Lehigh Valley Zoo to visit the unit.

But the Kopachs wanted to do more. They consulted with Michele Shara, a recreational

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therapist, who confided that the outdoor play area could benefit from some more activities.

The Kopachs didn’t have to be asked twice.

Along with a donation from LifeChurch and friends, the Kopachs raised enough money for the purchase of felt blackboards that adhere to the fence for children of all ages to play games with Velcro-like items that stick. Michele explained that these games have therapeutic value because it challenges her young patients to stand and use their core body strength as well as some of their fine motor skills.

“They’re so awesome with the kids,” said Michele. “They see each child for all the things they can do, not what they can’t.”

Donations also provided for the purchase of colored wall decals and flags, window paints, foam mats, three umbrellas with stands for outside play, items for the pediatric Feeding Program, and a metal rack that was needed for storage.

Angie, who is a cancer survivor, says she and Chris know what it means to need help; so on a more personal level, she feels very deeply for the children and their families who come to Good Shepherd and rejoices in the opportunity to help others, just as she was once helped. And, she is grateful for the continued love and support of her own church family who have joined in giving their time and money.

“People love to give because they know that I love to be here,” says Angie. “This hospital was founded on faith and there’s faith in healing. And every once in a while, you really end up making a difference.”

Volunteer and donor Angie Kopach has found a special ministry in spending time with children at the pediatric unit.

Hunter Bentley plays a game in the outdoor play area with Angie Kopach (left) and her husband Chris (background) as Recreational Therapist Michele Shara lends support.

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Don Bell, security officer (foreground) and Tony Melendez from housekeeping help with the annual gift passing for residents of the Good Shepherd Home-Bethlehem.

Christmastime in the nursing home where Gail Gebhardt used to live was, she says, “just another day.” But since she moved to the Good Shepherd Home– Bethlehem a year ago, Gail has rediscovered the joy of the holidays when she and the other long-term care residents have a bounty of presents to unwrap.

Last year, Gail, who is 68 years old and was born with cerebral palsy, received a new CD player and a beautiful black cape. This year she’d like some new CDs and gift certificates to craft stores.

For many years now, donor support for the Resident Holiday Wish List has provided for the Gail Gebhardt

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purchase of items which otherwise residents wouldn’t be able to afford themselves. The 159 residents in both the Allentown and Bethlehem homes look forward to making up their lists, asking for comforters, clothing, sports memorabilia, perfumes and colognes, gift certificates to restaurants, CDs, DVDs, and electronics such as televisions, Kindles and CD players.

But over the years, funds have dwindled, challenging Good Shepherd’s shoppers to be more creative than ever in finding bargains to stretch those limited dollars.

“What used to buy four ladies slacks and tops now buys two,” says Maureen Rath, executive secretary and Wish List coordinator in the Good Shepherd Home Raker Center, who has shopped for residents for more than 14 years. “Just like everyone else out there, our resident Wish List is feeling

the pinch. Times are financially hard and I shop the sales and get the coupons.”

Dozens of Good Shepherd associates and volunteers turn out in December for “Hands Down St. John Street” in Allentown when hundreds of wrapped gifts are ceremoniously passed along and put into individual Santa bags for each resident. A similar gift passing is also held at the home in Bethlehem.

This holiday ritual and the multitude of gifts symbolize a tradition rooted in Good Shepherd’s founding when The Rev. John and Estella Raker were called upon through their faith to “do for the least of these.”

Today, the loving spirit of the Rakers continues to resonate through the generosity of those who give to the Resident Holiday Wish List, helping to ensure that for all Good Shepherd’s residents, “the least of these” will be loved the most.

The Resident Holiday Wish List needs your help! Make your gift today by using the envelope in this issue or visit us on the web and make a donation today at SweetCharityOnline.org Thank you!

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meant nothing. The two bonded as volunteer Patti helped resident Patty organize her closet, write letters and go shopping together.

After some years, Patty O’Neill moved to independent living in the western part of the state, but that friendship and others Patti Engler found at Good Shepherd has kept her coming back and giving back. She’s even recruited help from her 23-year-old daughter Elizabeth, her husband, Brian Engler, Sr., and son, Brian Engler, Jr. A friend, Kim Beitler, also pitches in.

f Patti Engler lined up the hundreds of holiday presents she’s wrapped for the residents of Good Shepherd over the last 20 years, it’s not hard to imagine they’d reach as far as State College. That’s a lot of wrapping, and with each snip of the scissors cutting through yards and yards of wrapping paper and more tape than Santa has elves comes a ton of heart.

“It’s a labor of love,” says Patti, a magisterial district judge in Allentown who has been volunteering at Good Shepherd since 1983, except for a two-year hiatus to start a family.

Patti was 14 when she first started volunteering at Good Shepherd. A friend introduced her to the organization. “I was in middle school,” she says. “I remember looking for something to do during the summer.”

She soon formed a close relationship with long-term care resident Patty O’Neill, 22 years her senior. But the age difference

The wrapping frenzy begins in September and runs the gamut from comforters to cologne. Just days before Christmas Eve, you’ll find Patti back on the Good Shepherd campus in south Allentown, participating in Hands Down St. John Street. This annual ritual brings together employees and volunteers as they pass hundreds of gifts from a truck into the Good Shepherd Home Raker Center where the gifts are put into individual Santa sacks for each resident. A similar event is also held for the residents at the Good Shepherd Home-Bethlehem.

“This has been a very good thing for me as a person,” says Patti. “It’s wonderful to see how joyful an individual can be with circumstances that seem insurmountable and experience the joy of just living.”

If you would like to become a Good Shepherd volunteer, contact JoAnn Frey at 610-776-3125 or email her at jfrey@gsrh.org.

Learn more about volunteering at SweetCharityOnline.org.

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IN HONOR OF…

DONATED BY…

Tony Bartal Chad Coleman Kyle Parker Mrs. Rita P. Scheller Mrs. Jean A. Schumacher Ms. Rita A. Tunnhoff Ms. Anna Marie Valentini

Mr. Vincent J. Valentini Mr. Raymond A. Coleman Mr. Scott A. Parker Mrs. John Raker Hudders Mr. and Mrs. John E. Schumacher Mrs. Ruth E. Scott Mrs. Anneliese Tunnhoff Mr. Vincent J. Valentini

IN HONOR OF THE BIRTHDAY OF…

DONATED BY…

Anna McDonnel Ms. Lisa A. Windish

Mrs. Georgine M. Poole Alice and Joseph Windish

IN HONOR OF the 80th Birthday of…

Rev. Paul Spohn

Anonymous Anne and Brad Baum Jill and Al Douglass Home-Sew, Inc. Mr. David Lyons and Dr. Pamela Shields Blake C. Marles, Esq. Mrs. Jacqueline G. Mock Rochelle Quiggle Atty John P Servis Harold and Mary Anne Weiss Mr. and Mrs. W. William Winkler

DONATED BY…

DONATED BY…

Helen Berkenstock

Mrs. Georgine M. Poole

Mrs. Mae D. Bittner Mr. and Mrs. Donald Boyhont

IN MEMORY OF…

DONATED BY…

John J. Baranko Joseph W. Benzak, Sr Ruth E. Benzak John Bischof, Sr. Martha E.M. Bischoff Phyllis J. Bortz

Mr. and Mrs. Leslie A. Matthews Mr. David J. Benzak Mr. David J. Benzak Mr. Albert Bischoff Mr. Albert Bischoff Mr. and Mrs. Lee L. Berry Mrs. MarySue Bulcavage Ms. Lilo Callmann Ms. Nancy J. Hunsberger Mr. and Mrs. William H. Itterly Mr. and Mrs. David Jaindl Mr. and Mrs. Wesley A. Landis Ms. Rosemary K. Lehman Dr. and Mrs. William J. Liaw Ms. Carol E. Miller Mr. and Mrs. Todd M. Zoltack

DONATED BY…

Mr. Edward H. Coleman

Len and Bev Bloch

IN HONOR OF the 88th Birthday of…

DONATED BY…

Mrs. Georgine M. Poole

Mr. and Mrs. Harold A. McDonnel

IN HONOR OF the 90th Birthday of…

DONATED BY…

Mrs. Mary K. Hilbert Ruby H. Kistler

Mrs. Ruth L. Hensinger Bruce and Diana Hill

IN HONOR OF the 103rd Birthday of… DONATED BY…

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Ms. Sally Gammon

DONATED BY…

FOR A Speedy Recovery of…

IN HONOR OF the 85th Birthday of…

Ms. Mary Reiter

IN HONOR OF the RETIREMENT of…

Mrs. Susan J. Lewis

We thank the generous families and friends who honor their dear ones with memorial gifts and living gifts of honor.

These gifts help support Good Shepherd’s mission of service to people with disabilities, many who otherwise could not afford the therapies or long-term care they need.

IN MEMORY OF…

DONATED BY…

IN MEMORY OF…

DONATED BY…

David J. Burke Helen Foldes Minnie V. Gehris and Family Nancy Ann Gigler Emil L. Godshall Krista J. Harakal Charlotte Harrison John and Mary Hazuda J. Lawrence House Arthur Lorrah Carolyn Martinez Mrs. Verna H. McLaren Mrs. Esther E. Miller

Mrs. Kori Rusnock Mr. Joseph N. Foldes, Sr

Scott G. Sandler

Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Agnello, Sr Mr. and Mrs. Patrick M. Cahill, Jr Tom and Carol Caruso Jeff and Susan Cashen Mr. Anthony R. Colavita Dr. and Mrs. Joseph C. Eberhart Mrs. Jane H. Ehret Eurotainer US Ms. Marcia Fay Ms. Sallie Cooney Girard Harold and Anne Goucher Ms. Anne M. Heitzman Mr. and Mrs. Robert B. Henderson Ms. Elisabeth Q. Hill Dr. and Mrs. Theodore J. Hovick, Jr Mr. and Mrs. Edwin R. Huddy, III Mr. and Mrs. James L. Manning Mitch and Allison Orr Myrna and Ferd Prevost Mr. Douglas Rogers Mr. and Mrs. Leo J. Rogers, Jr Mr. and Mrs. Christopher Sandler Mr. and Mrs. Melvyn A. Sandler Mr. and Mrs. Timothy R. Sandler Ms. Angela Smith Ms. Amy Volz Glenn and Ann Hackman Willard Mr. and Mrs. Rod Brooks Mrs. Marjorie H. Klotz Mr. Stanley D. Sloyer Mr. Stanley D. Sloyer Mr. William K. Bishop Miss Elizabeth A. Keat Miss Elizabeth A. Keat Ms. Terri L. Eyer Ms. Sharon L. Munshour Mrs. Anneliese Tunnhoff Ms. Luane M. Weller Mrs. Alice C. Winter Mrs. Sandra A. Wruble Mr. Carl R. Youngdahl, Jr

Ardella F. Moyer Richard F. Moyer My Parents Sallie A. Nemeth Richard A. Parsons

Angeline Policelli Wilmer and Viola Rice

Mr. and Mrs. Charles L. Gehris The Sinklers Gary Godshall Ms. Rebecca S. Robertson Mr. and Mrs. Robert Bahr The Estate of Mary Hazuda Mrs. Georgine M. Poole Mrs. Katherine B. Plarr Jean and Emil Suarez Mrs. Hilda H. Price Mr. and Mrs. George J. Gallagher, Jr Mr. and Mrs. Minh Q. Nguyen Mrs. V. Sue Moyer Frank and Edith Weisbecker Ms. Rosie Nemeth Mr. and Mrs. Richard E. Eckert Mr. James M. Falco, DMD, PC HRI, Inc. Mr. and Mrs. William I. Phillips Mr. and Mrs. Earl L. Hess

Mr. Kenneth J. Schaefer Candy C. Shepard Barbara Sloyer Ira and Emily Sloyer Tom Taglang Mr. A. Cooke Thomas Evelyn S. Thomas Mr. Paul Tunnhoff

Earl H. Weller, Jr Mr. John R. Winter Mr. David H. Wruble John Youngdahl

Gifts were received from July 17 through September 24, 2013.

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continued from page 7...

just for physical therapy and go to Good Shepherd’s Optimal Fitness gym twice a week.

takes over. It’s much more of a workout since the therapists push me to make more of an effort to complete a step on my own.

I have regained significant movement in both my arms and legs. I am now relearning how to walk with the Ekso exoskeleton. It’s an amazing piece of bionic equipment. A new version, known as Variable Assist, challenges me to initiate and take as much of each step as I can before the machine

It’s an amazing feeling to be able to walk again and I look forward to my weekly sessions with the Ekso. I can actually feel my legs getting stronger. I hope to eventually transition directly to a walker.

Daily rigorous hand and arm stretching has helped me remain hopeful about gaining greater independence. While a firm grip is still beyond my grasp (pun intended), every day brings me a little bit closer. My sense of feel also continues to slowly recover. I now have partial feeling just about everywhere.

I continue to make progress towards my ultimate goal of 100% recovery.

It will likely take several more years for me to reach my goal, but I remain fully focused on doing so. This is where the glass-half-full kind of outlook is a big help. I want to get back to doing the things I enjoy most: cycling, fishing, hunting and most importantly, spending time with those I love.

Without all the support of my family, friends and my therapy team at Good Shepherd I’m sure I wouldn’t be this far along. My heartfelt thanks goes out to all of them. Keep pushing me! I don’t mind. Really.

Dave Fessler lives in Nazareth with his wife Anne and his two sons, Jared and Noah. He continues to write for professional publications in print and on the web.

Dave Fessler standing in the Ekso Variable Assist with (left) Nicole Smith, physical therapist, and Dori Billowitch, physical therapist assistant.

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Winter 2013 Official Publication Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Network Allentown, PA Volume 106, Issue 6

BOARD OF TRUSTEES GOOD SHEPHERD REHABILITATION NETWORK DAVID G. DeCAMPLI, MS, Chair, Allentown SANDRA L. JARVA WEISS, JD, Vice Chair, Haverford SCOTT A. BAKER, MBA, Secretary, Schnecksville LAURIE K. STEWART, BS, BA, CPA, Treasurer, Center Valley PATRICK J. BRENNAN, MD, Havertown ALVARO DIAZ, Allentown ROBERT E. GADOMSKI, MS, Bethlehem F. MARK GUMZ, Bethlehem ELSBETH G. HAYMON, M.Ed, Allentown KATHERINE (Kassie) HILGERT, BS, Bethlehem JOHN KRISTEL, MBA, MPT, President & CEO, Allentown JAAN NAKTIN, MD, FACP, Center Valley ROSALIN PETRUCCI, New Jersey KAREN SENFT, MD, Allentown DONALD W. SNYDER, Esq., Orefield THE REV. DAVID R. STROBEL, M.Div., Bowers

DANIEL J. WILSON, PhD, Allentown Trustee Emeriti JOHN V. COONEY, MS, Allentown NELVIN L. VOS, PhD, Maxatawny THE REV. DR. HAROLD S. WEISS, M.Div., Allentown BOARD OF TRUSTEES GOOD SHEPHERD SPECIALTY HOSPITAL JOHN KRISTEL, MBA, MPT, Chair, Allentown SAMUEL MIRANDA, Jr., MS, RN, NEA-B.C. Vice Chair, Allentown JAMES J. DALEY, MD, Center Valley PETER T. ENDER, MD, Center Valley SUSAN L. LAWRENCE, MS, CPHQ, Bethlehem LARRY L. LEVIN, MD, Allentown GREGORY WUCHTER, RN, MSN, Easton

FACILITY MEDICAL DIRECTORS SCOTT K. EPSTEIN, MD Good Shepherd–Wayne Memorial Inpatient Rehabilitation Center CLINTON C. HOLUMZER, MD The Good Shepherd Home–Bethlehem CATHERINE GLEW, MD The Good Shepherd Home at Conrad W. Raker Center GOOD SHEPHERD SPECIALTY HOSPITAL PROGRAM MEDICAL DIRECTORS JAMES J. DALEY, MD PETER ENDER, MD WILLIAM GOULD, MD JAAN P. NAKTIN, MD ADMINISTRATION JOHN KRISTEL, MBA, MPT, President & CEO MICHAEL A. BONNER, MBA Vice President, Neurosciences JOE HESS, MSA, NHA Administrator, Good Shepherd Home–Bethlehem FRANK HYLAND, MSPT Vice President, Rehabilitation Services Administrator, Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Hospital FRANCES IANNACCONE, MS, CRRN, NHA Administrator, The Good Shepherd Home at Conrad W. Raker Center CYNTHIA LAMBERT, M.Ed., Vice President, Government and Community Relations DAVID F. LYONS, CFRE Vice President for Development SAMUEL MIRANDA, Jr., MS, RN, NEA-B.C. Senior Vice President, Patient Care & Chief Nursing Officer, Ethics & Compliance Officer

SWEET CHARITY IS A PUBLICATION OF: Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Network Good Shepherd Plaza 850 South 5th Street Allentown, PA 18103 1-888-44REHAB GoodShepherdRehab.org DEVELOPMENT David F. Lyons, CFRE Vice President for Development Major & Planned Giving Officers: Joie L. Barry Carol Carpenter, CFRE Jeannette Edwards Andrew B. Block, MPA Major Gifts & Sponsorships Officer EDITOR, WRITER Elizabeth McDonald PHOTOGRAPHY Randy Monceaux Elizabeth McDonald GRAPHIC DESIGN Klunk & Millan Advertising To make an address correction, or remove your name from our mailing list, please call 610-776-3146.

RONALD J. PETULA, CPA Vice President, Finance LAURA M. SHAW-PORTER Vice President, Human Resources

Good Shepherd serves persons with disabilities on the basis of need regardless of ethnicity, color, national origin, ancestry, age, sex or religious creed and is an equal opportunity employer.

Sweet Charity is printed by Kutztown Publishing Company

HAROLD M. TING, PhD, FACHE Senior Vice President, Strategic Planning & Business Development GREGORY WUCHTER, RN, MSN, Administrator, Good Shepherd Specialty Hospital

Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Network and its affiliates are tax exempt organizations as provided by IRS regulations. Pennsylvania law requires us to inform you of the following: The official registration and financial information of Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Network may be obtained from the Pennsylvania Department of State by calling toll free, within Pennsylvania, 1-800-732-0999. Registration does not imply endorsement.

USPS-530800. A bi-monthly publication of Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Network, Good Shepherd Plaza, 850 South 5th Street, Allentown, PA 18103, 1-877-734-2247, a non-profit corporation, founded February 21, 1908, by the late Rev. John H. Raker, D.D. Incorporated by decree of the Court of Common Pleas of Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, November 15, 1909, under the corporate title of “The Good Shepherd Home.” Postage paid at Allentown, PA, and at additional mailing offices.

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Non-Profit Org. US POSTAGE PAID Lehigh Valley, PA Permit No. 158

Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Network Good Shepherd Plaza 850 South 5th Street Allentown, PA 18103

Your gift to Good Shepherd will go on giving long after it is unwrapped.

A contribution to Good Shepherd will support vital programs and services that help people with disabilities achieve greater independence. It’s also a great way to honor a friend or family member on your gift list. We’ll work with you to create a gift that can save taxes and help your charitable giving dollars go further.

Ask Us How Contact the Development Department at 610-778-1075 or visit SweetCharityOnline.org to give online and for more gift planning ideas.

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