2012 fall hoyletonian by Hoyleton Youth and Family Services

Fall 2012 A publication of Hoyleton Ministries

A mission partner of the United Church of Christ Illinois South Conference and Indiana-Kentucky Conference

g n i m r a W t r a e H A g n i m o c e Hom Hoyleton Ministries

As President and CEO of Hoyleton Ministries, I have always been proud of our mission and our commitment to the communities of Southern Illinois, just ask me and I am happy for the opportunity to share more with your church, civic group, or just over a cup of coffee. I am passionate about Hoyleton Ministries and our care for children and families. BUT, never have I been quite as excited as this particular time in our history; for Hoyleton Ministries is on a new threshold and is poised for the next chapter in the long tradition that has been handed to us, a legacy of life-giving, hope-filled, and transformational ministry. This issue of the Hoyletonian pays homage to the incredible foundation on which we stand as a ministry. This past September 15th, Hoyleton Ministries held what is sure to become a new Hoyleton tradition; we held a Homecoming and

what an event it was. We gathered the Hoyleton family of current residents and staff, past residents and staff of many different generations under one tent. We celebrated and most importantly, we remembered. For, in all things and in all our serving we have always belonged to God. Remembering who we are and from where we come is critically important as we continue to answer God’s call to us for the future. Standing on that strong foundation and sure in the knowledge of our past; Hoyleton Ministries is moving forward into a bright future with exciting new ways to better serve and meet the unique needs of the children, youth, young adults and families with whom we journey. Because of Hoyleton Ministries care throughout these years, we have been called upon to answer God’s call and expand programs to areas where a need

is growing. I hope you will be as excited as I am when you read how Hoyleton is moving forward in new ways. Finally, as always, there are those things which are constant and which we simply cannot do without—YOU. You are the glue that holds our ministry together and there is no other time of the year where this is as apparent than at Christmas. I give thanks for the solid foundation of the past, the bright future, and the sure knowledge of the present. Praise God from whom all blessings flow!

Chris L. Cox, MSW, LCSW President and CEO Hoyleton Ministries

sion Our Mis ks to enable all Hoyleton Ministries see realize the people, young & old alike, to nds. This inte God t tha wholeness of life the compassion will be accomplished with er of the Holy of Jesus Christ and the pow the physical, Spirit reaching out to meet al, and social ritu spi l, emotional, intellectua we journey. needs of those with whom

Hoyleton Ministries Chris L. Cox President & CEO Jill Lombardo, Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer Articles may be copied and distributed along with the notation they came from The Hoyletonian and the Hoyleton Ministries.

Miriam Evans, Puentes Program Supervisor Tammy Sweet, Residential Programs Director Sharon McDevitt, Community Programs Director

Fall 2012 Issue

The Hoyletonian is published by Hoyleton Ministries

3 Focus on Clinical Therapy 4 Reflections and Experiences 12 Honors and Memorials

Down South

A Heart Warming Homecoming

Tidings and Joy

HOYLETON OPENS OFFICE “DOWN SOUTH”

e recently expanded services to our clients with the addition of an office at Zion United Church of Christ in Marion. The new office is staffed by Kaelynne Motsinger, who joined Hoyleton in July, and it’s housed in the education wing of the church. The new Zion location fits both regionally and historically. The Independent Living Opportunities (ILO) Program is a growing part of our ministry. ILO is a transitional program that helps foster kids between the ages of 19 and 21 move from home placements to

living on their own. When it’s time for a foster care client to find employment, get an apartment and maybe go to school, we ask them where they want to live. We encourage them to live near existing family and friends so they have familiar support systems nearby. More and more frequently, our clients are choosing the Marion - Carbondale area, particularly because of its proximity to John A. Logan Community College and Southern Illinois University Carbondale (SIUC). ILO young adults need support with interview tips, resume writing, establishing a household, money management, guidance and many other skills. Previously, staff from the East St. Louis office would schedule two visits

a month with each client, which didn’t allow much time for solving problems, let alone building rapport. Sharon McDevitt, Director of Community Programs, explained why the Marion office is so important. “It allows case workers on a day-to-day basis the opportunity to cultivate relationships. We can give our clients more outreach and dedication than two scheduled visits can provide.” Just being nearby can also be a big help when something unexpected comes up. Kaelynne shared a recent example of a client who had car trouble. He didn’t want to lose his job because he couldn’t get to work. He also needed to get his car

2012 • Fall

HOYLETON OPENS OFFICE “DOWN SOUTH” cont.

Fall • 2012

100 years. Chris Cox, President and CEO of Hoyleton Ministries delivered the message one Sunday in September to dedicate the new office and to celebrate the long history between the church and Hoyleton. Chris talked about his visit a few years ago with Zion member Geneva Stalhut. Geneva’s parents used to load up a Model T with some of their harvest for the kids at Hoyleton back before there were paved roads. Her folks felt they had a responsibility to give back from their bounty, and supporting the kids at Hoyleton was part of that giving. At 96, Geneva is one of the oldest members of the Zion congregation. Chris also recalled Romelle Kaeser, a former Hoyleton Board member, who passed away this summer. He said after a particularly difficult Board meeting focused on numbers, programs and budgets, Romelle took him aside and gave him some advice. “Chris,” she said, “at the end of the day you’re responsible to make sure the children are taken care of.” That bit of clarity still continues to guide Chris through thick and thin as the guiding principles of his leadership of the organization. A new generation from Zion recently became part of the Board, when Sara Holst, wife of Zion Pastor John Holst, joined the group on October 1. Sara is dedicated to Hoyleton, and she said, “I believe in the ministry Hoyleton provides families and children.” About her decision to be part of the Board, she says, “I thought it was my time to get involved.” Pastor John is nothing short of thrilled that Zion is home to Hoyleton’s Marion campus. “This is a ministry of ours and a ministry of the Illinois South Conference. I have great dreams for this ministry.” He described Kaelynne as, “a person of wisdom and knowledge who can also help us here at Zion.” Kaelynne currently shares an office with a drum set used by the high school youth in the church, but that may not be for long. In only a couple of months, she’s already grown to a full case load, and there are more young adults in the area looking for placements. Sharon says, “There is definitely demand for staff here. We’d like to add another person to this location.” In addition to adding more staff for the ILO program, there’s a need for Foster Care case workers

and translations services for Puentes de Esperanza clients. Hoyleton will continue to expand in areas where children are in need, and we look forward to growing our ministry down south through Zion UCC in Marion.

Kaelynne Motsinger

fixed both quickly and cheaply. Kaelynne was able to give him a lift to work to solve the first problem. She also knew about the automotive technology program at the local community college that did repairs cheaply as part of training their students. In technical terms, she referred our client to resources that would meet his needs. But in practical terms, she helped him keep his job that day and get his transportation back on the road. Kaelynne is a Marion native who recently graduated with her Master’s degree in Social Work from SIUC. While in school, she did an internship with the Veteran’s Administration Hospital in Marion, working with young vets returning from war with post-traumatic stress disorder. She gained the skills necessary to evaluate client’s mental issue and to spot trouble quickly. It was these skills that made her stand out as the right person to start the Marion office. Sharon said, “Kaelynne came to us with a mental health background, and that’s important working with our ILO young adults.” Once in a while things get off track, and a client might loose a job, start to withdraw, get depressed and may even touch on the idea of suicide. It’s very hard to have been in foster homes a large portion of your life where you made few decisions, then suddenly be on your own and responsible for so many things. Having staff that can recognize warning signs of a potential problem can be critical for some clients. Kaelynne says she, “has a passion to do a really good job,” which you know immediately upon meeting her. She brings enthusiasm to a position where she quickly went from brand new to a case load of ten clients in just a couple of months. Her first day in the Marion office coincided with a meeting of a ladies group in the church, and they promptly welcomed her to their meeting with a rootbeer float. She describes her clients as “a blast to work with. They are really motivated to succeed.” She has already discovered that, “every visit with a client generates a need for a new referral to a new service.” She’s able to visit all of her clients weekly, asking them about their goals and helping them be successful. Historically, Zion UCC has had deep ties to Hoyleton Ministries for more than

The Marion location isn’t the only new Hoyleton office.

September, we opened a new counseling office at St. John’s UCC in Wood River. Hoyleton Ministries now operate from eight locations, four of which are in churches. “Our ministry being attached to a church is part of our DNA at Hoyleton,” as Chris says. Watch for a story on the new outreach at St. John’s in the next issue.

OCUSONCLINICALTHERAPY

everal

months ago, we brought together the leadership team to identify priorities for the coming fiscal year. After extensive discussion, the 23 member team determined the goal for 2013 will be to improve our clinical services. Chris Cox, President and CEO of Hoyleton Ministries, underlined the importance of clinical services for our kids saying, “the clinical component is the important thread that binds all our programs together.” We then took a inventory of our clinical staff’s skills and discovered they had a lot of expertise in several areas of clinical service. “We had capacity we didn’t realize we had,” Chris said. “We also learned staff would benefit from additional training.” Tammy Sweet, Director of Residential Service added, “we were surprised to find out we’re all dealing with exactly the same groups. When Foster Care and Residential staff came to the table, they thought they were in completely different areas. While one deals with parents, the other deals with youth care workers, who are like parents to the residential kids. They discovered they’re dealing with the same issues, and there are a lot of similarities.” Part of this reflective summary of ourselves involved taking a hard look at the assessment tools we use to measure progress. As an organization that depends on grant funding for our programs, our assessment tools have, by necessity, been set by our funding agencies. We use what they require. Unfortunately, some of those tools date to the 1960s and 1970s, and are not up to date. “We realized we needed to use

the best, state-of-the-art tools available to really document progress with our children,” said Chris. The team identified the need to partner with a university that could help us with behavioral analysis. There are only six schools in the country that are accredited in behavioral analysis, and Southern Illinois University Carbondale (SIUC) is not only one of those few schools, it was the first. Behavioral therapy is a type of psychotherapy based on learning new skills to change maladapted behavior by substituting new responses in given situations. Through this partnership, three doctoral students each work 20 hours a week with kids in the residential, foster care, Independent Living Opportunities (ILO) and Community Integrated Living Arrangement (CILA) programs. The SIUC students compile case studies on kids who have some of the toughest behaviors. This group will be with us until May, 2013, which gives a bit of stability to the kids they work with. They also do “in the moment” therapy if they are observing a child who’s in the midst of a behavior issue. Chris described these as often being, “physically aggressive behaviors that come from years of abuse. Our kids don’t always have the intellectual capacity to express themselves in other ways, and they can be physically aggressive.” Part of the case study process is to build a behavior plan around each child’s individual skills. The process aims to recognize the antecedent that causes the negative behavior so it can be averted or diffused. For example, if elopement (running away) is an issue, all the staff who work with the child will be interviewed, the child will be interviewed, and the doctoral students will build a plan that will address and hopefully correct the behavior. The goal is always to ask what will make a better outcome for the child? Tammy emphasized the impact this has for our children in residential care. “Our residential program is Medicaid funded, and because of that we focus on mental health issues while the kids are here. When they transition to adult services is when behavior issues are more prominent. CILAs don’t want to take kids with behavior issues. Doing behavioral therapy concurrently with

Story continued on page 13 2012 • Fall

Reflections Experiences &

HOPE is a word that has several meanings. To me the word has a simple meaning and that is, “Endless Possibilities”! I’m proud to know the branch of Hoyleton Youth & Family Services I work for is the Community Integrated Living Arrangement, or CILA called Hope House. Since starting my work at Hope House in December of 2011 as a Direct Support Provider, I have seen a lot of possibilities for the staff and the young adults that we assist. HOPE allows a yearning for knowledge and understanding. Currently, I am managing the dayto-day tasks of Hope House. Let me start out by saying, WOW! What an experience it has been so far. Many people including myself, have no real idea how much time, work, and patience running a CILA takes. There is a lot of “behind the scenes” action going on and a very large network of people linked to a well-running facility. I now have an even better understanding of the importance of time management and organizational skills. I have learned several things in this position that when I go back to being a Direct Support Provider, I will be better at assisting others at Hope House. The stress can get a little overwhelming and I have utilized a few coping skills lately like listening to music, reading a book, and shopping. We teach the young adults about coping skills but it’s good to know that we practice what we preach. It’s been a lot of fun learning new things and

Fall • 2012

By: Gabriel Emerick

Hope House Direct Support Provider meeting new people in this position. I have also been lucky enough to have Valerie B., and all the staff helping me and telling me I’m doing a good job. HOPE is cooperation even among those you normally wouldn’t be involved with. I would like to say that I contribute a huge part in the success of Hope House; however, I am a part of a VERY large puzzle. It takes a multitude of amazing, hardworking, driven and hopeful people to make anything successful in this world. Hope House is made up of a large array of diverse staff which makes for a wonderfully well-rounded team. Also, like all Hoyleton programs, there are many wonderful people in the community that are willing to assist us and we greatly appreciate them. HOPE is inspiration to do well for the betterment of the world. Hope House is our young adults’ hope for a better tomorrow. As of now, we are currently in the process of creating a Life Skills program for our young adults. This program will help us teach our residents useful tools to better themselves for a higher level of independent living. The great thing about building this program is we have people from several parts of Hoyleton and the community helping out. At

our main campus, we have Kevin Kriesel and Tina Steibel providing their valuable time and patience with answers to our abundance of questions. In Highland, IL our young adults attend Evangelical United Church of Christ, which has donated clothes, time, energy, meals, and various items to help out our kids. The Life Skills Project teaches young adults budgeting, household management, cooking, nutrition, hygiene, computers, work ethics, assertiveness, safety, dating, advocacy and etiquette. It requires a lot of planning, time, resources, materials and teamwork but we have a lot of willing people to help. I believe this project will make a large difference in the abilities of our young adults and their bright & prosperous futures. HOPE is achievable! There will be people in everyone’s life that will try to discourage them or tell them their dreams, goals, and hopes are impossible. At times things may look bleak or maybe they seem impossible. But, we must remember to never give up. I’ve understood from early on I wouldn’t be an astronaut, Nobel Prize winner, or NBA player; however, I won’t give up on the idea of flying in space, meeting NBA players or making a significant change for the betterment of the world. Everyone has strengths and weaknesses, and they don’t make us more or less than someone else. I have learned from my weaknesses. I have gained from my strengths, my friendships, fulfillment of my purpose in life and in always having more hope for the future. Everyone’s meaning for “Hope” may be different but the best thing to remember is to continue to always have hope for the future. HOPE! What does it mean to you?

HOPE

couldn’t have had a more picture-perfect day for our first Homecoming celebration in September to welcome friends both young and old back home to our main campus. Former staff member Charlie Sprehe was one of the first to arrive at the celebration, which wasn’t hard for him since he lives within sight of the main building. Charlie was a member of the co-ed staff for a short time in the 1990s, back when all the kids lived on the third floor of the main building. The boys were on one end of the floor, the girls on the other, with staff diligently monitoring between them. Charlie soon found he wasn’t a good house parent. He explained, “I live right across the street, and I grew up with these kids. I knew them and played with them. When I was working here, I wanted to be their friend more than their parent.” That’s when he moved to a position on the groundskeeping staff, which with his addition, was made up of one. Charlie recalled this was in the era before zero-turn mowers. He joked, “I would start mowing the grounds on Monday morning, and not finish until Sunday evening. Then the next morning, I’d

g n i m r a A Heart W g n i m o c e Hom 2012 • Fall

start all over again.” Charlie has a family association with Hoyleton that goes way back, as his grandfather, mother, sister, and brother-in-law have all worked here at one time or another. Donna Dollgener also has a deep connection to Hoyleton, as her grandfather was Fred “Papa” Hotz, the first Superintendent at Hoyleton. “When I would visit, I would see babies lined up in cribs around the room,” she said referring to a time when infant orphans were numerous at Hoyleton. Anna “ Mama” Hotz was the one who kept the nursery at Hoyleton back then. Donna remembers coming to play on the swings, and describes returning at Homecoming as, “a way to be in touch with my grandfather.” Donna’s parents met through Hoyleton, too. Her father Walter graduated from Centralia High School and grew up to be a pastor like his father Fred. Donna’s maternal grandparents both died young, leaving her mother Freda and many other siblings as orphans. All but Freda were adopted, and Freda went to work cleaning rooms at the former Hoyleton Hotel. Later she moved to working at the local Post Office. She eventually met Walter and they were married. Donna’s ties to ministry don’t end with her family. Her husband Dwayne has been a minister for more than 50 years, and he’s currently serving in an Interim position in Christ UCC in Dupo.

Donna Dollgener

Fall • 2012

Through a sea of Hoyleton Homecoming t-shirts, you could not help but smile at all the kids in our residential care playing games on the lawn in the fall sun. The littlest ones played with the water toys and beanbags, while the older ones tried mini golf and a baseball toss. When it was time for the barbecue lunch, you didn’t have to call the kids twice to come get a plate. Rev. Pamela Smith, pastor at Zion UCC in Hoyleton and Hoyleton Youth and Family Services Board member, gave the meal blessing before everyone dug in. The short program after lunch included words from Rev. Dr. Paul Schippel, past President of Hoyleton from 1978-1998. When Paul started, Hoyleton was at a low point of 11 children, but it didn’t stay there long. He recalled that first day of his tenure, the very first thing he had in his planner was a staff meeting at 9:15 am. “Because you don’t have a home without staff,” he noted. Paul went on to say, “Hoyleton has never been a lone ranger. We’ve always known the importance of working together with all groups to be successful.” Cleo Terry started with Hoyleton in January 1998, and she was here during a period of transition for the organization. “We had more children coming to us with emotional problems then,” Cleo said, which was coupled with low reimbursement from the state. Working with others, Hoyleton was able to raise the state allowances, which ultimately provided better care for our children. Cleo also praised Hoyleton employees noting, “it’s the staff who have been the backbone of the organization.” She concluded saying, “Hoyleton thrives year after year, decade after decade,” as our long history attests. Cleo is presently Special Assistant to the President at Hoyleton. Debbie Kleiboeker, former Vice President of the Children’s Home Foundation, talked about the incredible support Hoyleton has had through the years from our church neighbors. “Our churches always have lifted up the ministry of Hoyleton,” she said.

When we had a fire and the children lived in tents on the lawn, our churches were there.” She described how congregations would, “bring bushels of apples and potatoes because they cared about the kids at Hoyleton. Debbie summed up her feelings of Hoyleton by saying, “Hoyleton is in our hearts.” Rev. Ken Kramer, Jr. gave a moving history of his father Ken Sr.’s time at Hoyleton. Ken Jr.’s grandmother died at an early age, leaving his grandfather Raymond with three little children, in an era when men just didn’t raise children. Ken Jr. says the Kramers were never church people. They didn’t believe church was important to anyone, except for Raymond’s wife who was a Baptist. At her death, Raymond asked a local Baptist minister to bury his wife, and the minister said it would cost $10. That was a staggering sum of money in 1934 for a man who was out of work in the Depression. Raymond talked to the pastor at St. Peter’s Evangelical Church in Centralia, who said he would do the burial for free. He also helped Raymond get Ken Sr. and his brother and sister into the children’s home at Hoyleton. At Hoyleton Ken Sr. got plenty of exposure to a spiritual life through the meal time prayers and scripture readings of Papa Hotz. Ken Jr. said his father kept the tradition of reading scripture at every meal all while he was growing up too. Ken Sr. went

with the other kids to Zion UCC (then Evangelical and Reformed) down the street, and often went home with congregation members for Sunday dinner after worship. It took ten years but after Raymond got back on his feet and remarried, he came to get the children and bring them home. Ken Sr’s time at Hoyleton influenced him so much, he was called to ministry. When Ken Jr. was growing up, his father was pastor at Addieville UCC. He recalls how his father would ask the 400 members of the congregation to bring donations for

the kids at Hoyleton, and the food and clothing would fill the front of the sanctuary. He described how it would take several pickup trucks to bring the mountain of donations to the school late in the evening on the night before Thanksgiving. What a sight that must have been for the kids the next morning. 2012 • Fall

Ken Sr. later served on the Hoyleton Board of Directors, and at one point he was called to be Interim Director of the organization for six months between Superintendents. This stint unfortunately included the time of the third (and last) fire on the third floor of the main building. Ken Sr. valiantly went through the smokefilled building that day, making sure every child was accounted for. He got home so tired that night he needed help getting from his car to the house, but he said “Hoyleton’s not going to go down on my watch.” Ken Sr. certainly found a place for faith in his life, and he learned, “to love church and church people,” while at Hoyleton, said his son. Ken Sr. has celebrated 50 years of ordination. He was too ill to make the trip to Homecoming, but he was greatly remembered for his dedication and work to the Hoyleton family. Hoyleton’s web of connectedness extends today to Ken Jr., who has been a minister for 32 years and currently serves as an interim pastor in Jasper, IN.

As Ken Jr. said, he wouldn’t be here today if it weren’t for Hoyleton. Planting a little seed of faith in one young man grew into a life of ministry. Then it sprouted again in his son. Imagine the many lives that have been impacted through 82 years of ministry and counting between these two men, and you can see how the gifts of Hoyleton spin out far beyond our walls and into the world. The drive behind this event was to bring people who have lived, worked, or been connected to Hoyleton together to share memories and to stay connected to Hoyleton Ministries as it exists today. Jamie Bullock, who is both a former resident of Hoyleton and who presently works as an Assistant in the Development Office, was the driving force behind the idea. Jamie says, “Before I started working at Hoyleton, I had the idea with another former resident about getting people together.” After she joined the staff, Jamie came across some photos in the archives and was reminded again of the idea of Homecoming.

It took a year of planning to prepare for the event. “Four months ago I thought we still had a lot of work to do, but it all came together.” Staff planned for things like having safety measures in place for our kids during the cottage tours, and having enough activities to keep them busy during the day. Jamie said, “There are very few functions where everyone gets to participate on campus, due to being gone for home visits, logistics, and many other things. This was one of those events.” Because it was a very special event, Jamie made a decision early on for everyone, including the kids, to have the same t-shirts. “I didn’t want the kids to feel like they were somehow different.” Her vision was for Homecoming to “mirror a church picnic, or a big family reunion,” and it certainly lived up to that. She’s still working on thank you notes for the many people who contributed to polishing the campus for visitors and preparing for the day’s activities. She’s also got some ideas for next year already percolating. The day’s formal activities concluded with a reminder about the saints that surround us, given by Doni Driemeier-Showers. Doni has been Vice President of Development the past two years, and has recently answered a persistent call to ministry by starting at Eden Theological Seminary this fall. She shared the name of the first child at Hoyleton, Herman Fredrick Rudolph Schiller. She called out the names of past saints who have supported Hoyleton, like Adelheid Luhr and Ida

At Hoyleton Ken Sr. got plenty of exposure to a spiritual life through the meal time prayers and scripture readings of Papa Hotz. Ken Jr. said his father kept the tradition of reading scripture at every meal all while he was growing up too. 8

Fall • 2012

Koelling. She remembered staff who have come and gone through our doors with fondness and smiles. Then, she asked all gathered to share the names of people they knew who were no longer at Hoyleton. Normally, in a group of adults there is often a prolonged pause at about this point when we’re called on to speak publicly. Perhaps you have had a moment like this. We often hesitate to join in while we’re analyzing the situation as to what’s appropriate and what’s expected. But this day at Homecoming under our large blue and white striped tent was not an ordinary group of sedate adults. This group was filled with tables of our kids, who immediately started saying first names of other children and staff that they remembered. Not just a few names, but dozens of names. Adults took their cue from the kids, and started sharing names of folks they remembered too. Had this been during a time of joys and concerns during a Sunday morning worship, we might have thought it

went on too long. But at Homecoming, it seemed just right. When the offering of names began to slow down, Doni asked us to remember those who were unnamed but not forgotten because their names were in our hearts, then she led us in prayer. When she concluded the prayer, everyone could audibly hear all the children say “amen.” Many hugs were given at this first of what we plan to be many Homecomings. Many stories were shared - some embarrassing, some emotional, some remembering the legacy of the organization. Hoyleton is the kind of place where stories of real life can break your heart and fill your soul at the same time. Surely God blesses us each and every day to continue to be able to make an impact in the lives of our kids. And all the children said, Amen!

Ryan with Vicki Chatteron and Charlie Sprehe

2012 • Fall

Tidings And Joy TIMELINE Puentes s Christma Party

PAST Mr. and Mrs. Bange of East St. Louis, IL, again furnished the turkey for our Christmas dinner in honor of their parents. We all thank you for your love and kindness. Taken from the “Evangelical Orphan’s Friend” Volume 48 • Number 1, 1945

PRESEN Growing up and now having my own children, Christmas has always been a magical time of year. The lights, songs, presents, food, and family all contribute to making exceptional memories in life. Working with the children at Hoyleton has given me a different perspective on Christmas and what their Christmas memories have been prior to coming to us. The holidays are not always a merry time of year. Often times, the holidays serve as a reminder of what they don’t have in their lives. They don’t have a home or a family to be with during the holidays. Perhaps they have siblings at home and they feel like they are missing out on the holiday experience. This brings up negative thoughts and feelings and we often see a lot more acting out behaviors. There are also some clients that will break your heart when you witness them having their “first” Christmas. Those clients who have never experienced Christmas the way we know it. Perhaps the cottage tree is the first tree they have ever had in their home, or a present given to them by Hoyleton or one of the generous donors is the first gift they have received that is truly only for them. Prior to working here, I could not conceptualize a child who did not love Christmas. Either Christmas has negative connotations or they have never experienced the magic of Christmas. Giving every client the full holiday experience is so important to us. The lights, the trees, the food, and the presents brings the holiday spirit to campus and the children. With this, we can work on making the holidays the magical and positive experience so many of us have taken for granted. Lynn Ryder, MAPC, LCPC Residential Program-Clinical Supervisor

Fall • 2012

Long... Ye ar

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One thing we’ve noticed is that we have some kids both at Hoyleton and Hope House that never leave for home visits because they have no family to visit. At the moment, we have 5 boys and 8 girls who have no outside connection and they could use some friends. This Christmas season we’re kicking off a new Hoyleton family pen pals network, and we need your help! We need folks willing to take a little time to write a note and be a friend to these kids. You might be a pen pal sibling, a pen pal parent, or a pen pal grandparent. Age is not relevant in building a meaningful relationship. We’d like to start this program in December as part of the joyful holiday season, to bring some extra light into the lives of kids who don’t have much connection to the rest of the world. If you have a little time and a stamp, this is a great way to make a special connection with a child at Hoyleton.

Christmas S piri t

Most Christmas traditions give all the credit to the jolly man in the red suit. This past year, our Santas came in jeans, and didn’t have a white beard. They were a listening ear , “lost travelers,” and loving friends. Angeline Milton, Manager of Breese McDonalds, heard whispers about Hoyleton while in a waiting room and called us to see how she can help” She took our ideas, gathered her employees and collected a bin full of new wrapped toys ready for Christmas morning. Then just like the Kings who came to honor baby Jesus, Hoyleton was visited by, “lost travelers,” but strangely they had gifts for our cottage residents; they were just what they had asked for too. Just like the winter winds, they were gone before we could even get their names! One of our own staff Sharon Crook, is so passionate about “her kids” as she calls them, she can’t wait to tell her friends about the magic of her day. As she tells these stories, a crowd gathers and is inspired to give back. Knowing each kid personally she uses this money for healing and therapeutic gifts.

ly not on as, a d n o Rh ristm k at Ch ure c a b s es s give e mak but sh s here the kid l on ecia o! feel sp day to h t r i b their

To participate in Hoyleton Christmas plans and especially in the new pen pal program, just contact Tina Steibel, Special Events and Volunteer Coordinator in the Hoyleton Ministries Development Office. Tina has all the details and she can be reached at (618) 493-7575 or by email at tsteibel@hoyleton.org. 2012 • Fall

HONOR AND MEMORIALS From July 1st through October 2nd In Memory of... Richard Ambuehl

Mr. and Mrs. Alvin Steiner Mr. and Mrs. David Steiner Mr. and Mrs. Vernon Steiner

Mr. and Mrs. Vernon Steiner

Mr. Rob Anstedt Mr. and Mrs. Tim Boyce Miss Nancy K. Clark Mr. & Mrs. Gary Heuring Mr. & Mrs. Dave Kronemeyer Mr. & Mrs. James Kuehn Mr. Paul Riggs Rev. Dr. & Mrs. Herbert Schafale Mrs. Patricia Schroeder Mr. & Mrs. Darryl Stein Mrs. Jackie Tewell Mr. & Mrs. Daniel Wombacher

Ms. Edith P. Campbell

Mrs. Mildred Warnecke

Ms. Sharon Deutsch

Mr. Daniel Dietz

Janet J. Baumann Rita Boller

Adele M. Buettner Ronald Denton Jeff Deutsch Judy Dietz

Thomas G. Marti

Franklin J. Isringhausen

Mr. & Mrs. David Steiner Mr. & Mrs. Vernon Steiner

Elsa F. Kaeser

Mrs. Dorothy C. Brandt

Mr. & Mrs. Alvin Steiner Mr. & Mrs. Vernon Steiner

Mrs. Shirley Anderson

Jack R. Klaus

Papa & Mama Hotz

Ms. Emily Ulrich

Mr. & Mrs. Alvin Steiner

Duane Kraus

Zion UCC

Ms. Shirley Aikman Mr. & Mrs. Larry Boudouris

Romelle Kaeser

Rev. & Mrs. Tom Drewer

Mr. & Mrs. David Steiner Mr. & Mrs. Vernon Steiner

Mrs. Ruth Goldschmidt

Mr. & Mrs. Elmer Kavanaugh

Ms. Emily Ulrich

Joseph & Jean Jacober

Mrs. Linda Schneider

Mr. & Mrs. Albert D. Barth

Mrs. Doni Driemeier-Showers

Mrs. Dorothy C. Brandt

Ms. Loretta S. Uzzelle

Glenn Meffert

Amy Mehermann Olga Meyer

Mrs. Padget

Alice Plocher

Elmer Plocher

Kenneth R. Schneider Mary Singleton

Gertrude Stallings

Anna Stutz Mr. & Mrs. Dale O. Helms Norma Thiele

Elizabeth Koch

Honor and Memorial tribute gifts allow supporters of Hoyleton Ministries to pay a lasting tribute to friends and loved ones. Hoyleton is grateful for these gifts in recognition of others. When you recognize someone or mark a special occasion through the Hoyletonian, we will notify the honoree or honoree’s family with a letter describing the memorial or honor gift. For additional information about making an Honor or Memorial gift, please contact us at 618-493-7575

Fall • 2012

Please call us with any corrections or changes.

Gifts from

Mr. & Mrs. David Braswell Ms. Jan Collins Mr. & Mrs. Mike French Mrs. Claire Giles Mr. & Mrs. Charles Hardin Mr. & Mrs. David Hesterberg Mr. & Mrs. Barry Hoffmann Mr. & Mrs. Richard A. Hunsaker Ms. Beth Jordan Ms. Theresa J. Kaeser Rev. & Mrs. Kenneth Kramer, Jr. Ms. Christine Miller Mr. & Mrs. David A. Muertz Mr. & Mrs. Ned J. Ray Mr. & Mrs. Ron J. Rousseau Mr. & Mrs. Thomas L. Sevier Mr. & Mrs. Jack Tanner Ms. Laura Travelstead Mrs. Toni Wells Zion UCC

Harold J. & Della Englert Mr. Curtis Meyer Justin Erickson Mr. & Mrs. Leif R. Erickson David Etling Mrs. Michelle Etling Clyde Eversmeyer Mrs. Phyllis Cassady Fred Eversmeyer Mrs. Phyllis Cassady Walter P. Gerth Mrs. Betty L. Gerth Elvera Heggemeier Mrs. Irene Toensing James Hoffman Mrs. Doni Driemeier-Showers Mrs. Mildred Hoffman

s e t u rib

Tributes to

“To err is human, to forgive divine.” ~Shakespeare~

Benjamin Uzzelle

Helen Leezy

In Honor of... Edna Dell Weinel

Our 3rd wedding anniversary Rev. Cal Bloesch & Ms. Christin Tonni Art & Rita Boller Mrs. Frances Griebel

Mr. & Mrs. Fred Habermehl

Doni Driemeier-Showers

Dr. & Mrs. Donald Driemeier

Mr. & Mrs. Jerry Zurliene

Ms. Margie Brimmer Mrs. Mildred Frederking

Jana Gathard

Shirley Richards’ 60th birthday

Rev. William L. Groennert Miss JoAnn Hermeling Mr. & Mrs. Waldemar Hermeling Ms. Shirley Richards Rev. & Mrs. Howard Self Mr. Wilbert Tielemann

Ruth Steiner

Mr. & Mrs. Alvin Steiner Mr. & Mrs. David Steiner Mr. & Mrs. Vernon Steiner

Mrs. Dorothy C. Brandt

50th wedding anniv. of Mr. & Mrs. Trimmer

Clinical Therapy cont. mental health therapy while they’re here is better preparing them for adult life. We can intervene now to have different outcomes later.” Sharon McDevitt, the Director of Community Programs and head of the Foster Care program, is the other coleader of the clinical care team. She remarked that there’s already been great results from having the interns working with kids in foster care. She described a particularly difficult case with a sixyear-old girl who has been reunited with her biological mother. Anytime there’s a change in environment, there’s potential for behavior issues, and this little girl has certainly had them. She has a need to be assured that she can stay this time – that she won’t be taken away again. She has a need for her mother’s attention, and that sometimes comes from both good and bad behavior. She has been throwing temper tantrums, pulling her hair and hitting herself, and her mother has been at wits end to deal with it all. Sharon explained, “Our goal is to keep the child stable and with her mother.” So one of the interns went into the home to observe behavior and look for clues as to why it’s happening. With some guidance and new mechanisms for dealing with this behavior, this child and the situation are getting better. Sharon gladly shared that, “It’s been successful. It’s helping the mom with hands on tools and helping her in the moment when she needs it.” Chris also has plans for the future, including expanding other clinical specialty areas, including play therapy, art therapy, music therapy, and equestrian therapy. As an example, Chris described children who may not have the verbal skills to talk through their problems, but who can put it into a drawing through art therapy. He noted that kids in our residential program have an average IQ of 52, which puts them between the first and third grade in emotional intellect

and cognitive processing. Sometimes a child will draw a giant figure on the page next to a tiny figure. When asked, that child will identify the tiny figure as them. The giant figure represents someone who abused them before they were taken into state care. The picture becomes a way to begin to process the abuse and the feelings that surround it. “Traditional talk therapy doesn’t always connect with our kids. They don’t like the feeling they’re being questioned,” Chris continued. Expressive therapies engage kids at a different level.” Expanding these other clinical therapies will be an asset to all our children. Chris also has a more visionary plan for clinical care, particularly within the foster care program. He said, “we spend an enormous amount of time recruiting parents to be foster parents. Being a faith-based organization and looking for a faith-based home environment with parents narrows that pool even more. We recruit as many as we lose yearly, and we’re only maintaining the status quo.” He believes one of the key reasons foster parenting is so difficult is because there is not enough help in live time with families in crisis. For a foster family, that means when a child is acting out with an aggressive or anti-social behavior, they can’t wait a couple of days for a case worker to come by and process the event. They need help in the moment. Chris’ idea is, “to provide an immediate response team that would help parents when they need it. It would give them backup and hopefully more success as foster parents.” Successful foster parents would stay in the program and have better home environments for foster children. They would likely tell other parents by word of mouth about the joys of foster parenting. “We currently use a kinship model of foster care, or a home of relative model. Many of our kids are placed with a relative. This model keeps families together, but it’s not always the best.

Sometimes bad parenting skills run in the family.” The flipside of this is when a child has no relatives suitable for a placement. That child might be transferred to a foster home far away, losing friends, school and church connections in the process. Tammy sees the clinical care team moving to a new phase, too. “The next step will be looking at treatment models across all programs, emphasizing trauma-based treatments.” Trauma here is defined as significant life events that have happened in the past, like soldiers who have post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Some of our kids have PTSD, too. She continued, “ trauma-based treatment is treating them with the understanding that they come in with unique issues. In community mental health, you may have a person with a grief issue, or a relationship issue, not a major trauma. This kind of therapy works with daily issues, but acknowledges and addresses those past traumas.” The significance of working across all programs in this style fully integrates clinical services into Hoyleton programs. “The staff are faced with behavior issues every day, and this (the behavioral therapy emphasis) is giving them more tools in their toolkit. We are taking the idea of behavioral therapy and skills and going through the entire system, across all programs, from the youth care workers on up,” Tammy concluded. Partnering with SIUC is helping right now with current behavioral therapy skills and case studies. Plans are in place to expand our expressive arts therapies. While the foster care immediate response team is still on the drawing board, it is an achievable goal that will improve the services we can offer children and their foster parents. Clinical therapy has been the foundation of Hoyleton Ministries’ work to help kids live better lives and with the work of the Clinical Care Team it will take on a larger role going forward.

From your friends at Hoyleton Ministries 2012 • Fall

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