LIVE
2501 W. 26th St., Sioux Falls, SD 57105-2498
A Quarterly Publication for Families & Guardians of Those Supported by LifeScape December 2014
A Message from Anne Parents, Guardians, and Family Members,
Upcoming Events February 7, 2015 MallWalk Go to www.LifeScapeSD.org/events to register.
In This Issue: Holiday Message from Anne Rieck McFarland LifeScape Ambassadors LifeScape Advisory Groups MallWalk Special Olympics FERPA Notice Meet Our Staff: Randall VanBemmel Patrick Derrick
January 30, 2015 The Super Hero Show A mixed-ability children’s musical performance produced by the LifeScape Center for the Arts and Dakota Players. 7 p.m. at the Edith Mortenson Theatre at Augustana College. Admission is free. Call (605) 444-9507 for details.
April 12, 2015 Pancake Benefit Enjoy yummy pancakes at this fun event in its 23rd year. Tickets go on sale February 12th-- $5 in advance, $6 at the door. Sioux Falls Convention Center. For more information on events visit www.LifeScapeSD.org/events
Limited supply of 2014 LifeScape ornaments! Available for $10.00 each
If you are interested in purchasing an ornament, please email miranda.petersen@lifescapesd.org to reserve your ornament. Checks can be made to LifeScape. Ornaments are available for pick up in Marketing at 2501 W. 26th Street.
As we quickly approach 2015, we have many wonderful things to reflect upon from the past year, as well as new, exciting opportunities to look forward to in the future. A year ago at this time, we were still deep in the due diligence phase in preparation for potentially joining our two founding organizations together. And now, we’ve been LifeScape for nine months! We can look back and see all the great things that were accomplished in the past year! Here are just a few highlights from 2014: • Establishing and living the LifeScape mission, vision, and values. • Telling the LifeScape story through our newsletters, Facebook, new website, and participation at community events. • Sharing expertise across the organization to better support children and adults that we serve. • Creating new opportunities for children and adults to gain more independence through a variety of meaningful activities and experiences. • Achieving national accreditation from the Council on Quality and Leadership (CQL).
In 2015, we will continuously work toward improvement. We will seek out your input through a variety of methods such as surveys and focus groups. We will continue to share our expertise across the organization to ensure that we are providing the very best services to your loved one. And, we will look ahead, through a strategic plan, to ensure that LifeScape has a map for the next five years that represents a clear pathway to a bright future for the children and adults we currently support, as well as those who may need our services in the future. It is an honor to work with and support the people who have selected LifeScape as their service provider. Thank you for putting your trust in us! May your family have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! As always, my door is always open. You can reach me by phone at (605) 444-9515 or via email at anne.mcfarland@lifescapesd.org.
Anne Rieck McFarland LifeScape CEO
Have a friend or family member that is looking for a rewarding career?
Send them to www.LifeScapeSD.org Mission Statement
LifeScape is committed to promoting independence for children and adults with disabilities by providing specialized services, healthcare, community connections, and lifelong learning.
Values
Integrity • Compassion • Fiscal Responsibility • Collaborative Relationships • Excellence
The LifeScape Ambassadors were formed in October 2014 when the auxiliaries of the former South Dakota Achieve and Children’s Care Hospital & School voted unanimously to join together to form one group. The mission of the LifeScape Ambassadors is to provide the “extras” to enhance the quality of life for the adults and children supported by LifeScape. It’s a legacy of the “mother’s touch” that both auxiliaries sought to provide when they formed—to be sure all felt loved and cared for. The Ambassadors meet this mission through highly successful fundraising efforts, including the Mall Walk walkathon in February, the Pancake Benefit in April, the Tablescapes table decorating competition and brunch in June, and the Fall Social. Proceeds go to buy equipment and supplies for residential services, the school, and therapies. A “Special Needs Fund” is also funded by the Ambassadors to provide for urgent needs that cannot be funded elsewhere. This might include medical care, eye glasses, school pictures, or special equipment. The Ambassadors also host and help with events for the people supported, such as a fall dance and costume party for adults and Cookie Day giveaways at the holidays and Valentine’s Day. The group’s monthly lunch meeting provides camaraderie and learning—programs often feature LifeScape services and how they’re aided by the Ambassadors’ support. Ambassador officers are Lisa Rasmussen, President; Bunny Timpe, President-Elect; Leslie Stusiak-Drew, Secretary; Lynne Steele, Treasurer, and Cindy Walsh, Past-President. To get involved, contact Jackie Knowlton with the LifeScape Foundation at (605) 444-9808 or jackie.knowlton@LifeScapeSD.org
Ambassadors
LifeScape Parent/Guardian Advisory Group
You are invited! We want to hear from you and your son/daughter! LifeScape-Children’s Services is in the process of developing an advisory group of parents, guardians, and young people who receive services through one or more of these programs: Residential, School, and Specialty Hospital Services. We will meet just four times a year to provide input into policy, planning, and agency performance. You will have an impact on areas such as: staff training, determining new programs/supports to develop, and improving general satisfaction with services. You will be at the ground level of developing policy, planning, and practices! If this sounds like something you want to be a part of, or if you have further questions, please contact Tisha DeGross, Director of Service Coordination 605-444-9534 or tisha.degross@LifeScapeSD.org.
Our FERPA notice is now on our website! Go to the Special Education School page at www.LifeScapeSD.org to view.
MEET OUR STAFF
Auxiliaries join together to form LifeScape Ambassadors
Get your Mall Walk teams together! Special Olympics team is ready With family and friends together for the holidays, it’s for basketball! a great time to get teams together for Mall Walk! The 21st Annual Mall Walk is Saturday, February 7th at the Empire Mall. Funds support children and adults and go to such things as therapy equipment, curriculum and other learning aids, social and community experiences, household basics, and urgent needs with no other funding source. Last year’s event raised $100,000. We are shooting to meet that goal again! Mall Walk is sponsored by the LifeScape Ambassadors, formed with the joining together of the South Dakota Achieve Auxiliary and the Children’s Care Auxiliary. To get involved, click on the Mall Walk logo at www.LifeScapeSD.org, You can also contact the LifeScape Foundation at (605) 444-9600 or email jackie.knowlton@LifeScapeSD.org Plan now to Walk ‘N Roll for LifeScape!
With a successful bowling season behind them, the Sioux Falls Bulldogs are ready for Special Olympics competition in basketball, starting in January. The area tournament in Yankton is February 21st and the state tournament in Pierre on March 13th and 14th. Track and field events will happen in the spring. “We always welcome more volunteers,” says LifeScape registered nurse Michelle Boadwine, a Special Olympics volunteer. “It’s a very rewarding experience, and you don’t need to know anything about sports to help.” The Bulldogs team includes students from the school, and is open to outpatients and participants in outreach programs who don’t have another team to compete with. Learn more at www.sobulldogs.org Or, contact Michelle at LifeScape, (605) 444-9690 or michelle.boadwine@LifeScapeSD.org
Walk ‘N Roll for
Randall Van Bemmel Director of Residential Services In his role as Director of Residential Services, Randall Van Bemmel oversees operations for the 60 or so children and young adults living at the 26th Street location of LifeScape. With the help of Ben Jacobs, Program Manager, Randall leads the team of Direct Support Professionals and Direct Support Professional Supervisors to ensure the children get excellent and loving care. He also ensures LifeScape meets accreditation requirements, completing an annual ICF survey. He represents residential services on various committees and teaches Person Centered Thinking with Leslie Stusiak-Drew, Service Coordinator. Randall has worked in human services since college, and has been with LifeScape since 2013, first as a Coordinator of Support Services. “I realized early on that service to others is important and a great calling. As a kid I would often tag along with my father as he drove a para-transit bus for Hope Haven in Rock Valley, Iowa.” Randall says his passion for helping others was furthered by his experience working at camps for children with disabilities through Sanford Hospital. After college he began working at DakotAbilities before coming to LifeScape. “I truly believe an ordinary life is an extraordinary thing,” says Randall. “I want continue to serve others to meet that end, in addition to promoting the overall mission of LifeScape.”
Patrick Derrick Director of Employment Services/Production In his role as the Director of Employment Services/Production, Pat oversees Employment Service staff, Production Workers, Truck Driver/Production Coordinator, Custodial staff, and the Coordinator of Support Services of the Palisades/Rushmore Room. In his position, Pat is always thinking of ways to match people with jobs – that means securing in-house production work and finding community employment opportunities. In order to accomplish this, Pat works with potential new business customers and assists with time studies for new work opportunities that he can bring into the organization. He also works with five Employment Specialists (Deidrea Peabody, Sarah Conrad, Chad Haeder, Pamela Larsen, and Michelle Treasure) who meet with businesses to explain how LifeScape’s services can help their operation and the benefits of employing a person supported by LifeScape. Pat’s biggest goal is to ensure the health, safety and welfare of all the people that LifeScape assists in their community employment search. He seeks to have some variety in their workdays and to have several options to choose from while working. In his free time, Pat enjoys working with horses and judging at horse shows. He is a licensed judge with the American Miniature Horse Association, the American Miniature Horse Registry, Pony of the Americas, and the Pinto Horse Association of America.
Thank you for giving us the opportunity to work withtheyour Pat joined LifeScape staff in 1999 and says the people he supports at LifeScape are Randall has a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and a Master’s degree in Public the best part of his job. “If I did not work here, I would really miss the people,” he says. Administration from The University of South Dakota. In his free time, he enjoysmember! family He loves working with an outstanding team, who he says are always looking at ways spending time with his girlfriend Tina and their friends, reading, tinkering with guitars, and listening to as much heavy metal as possible.
they can do things better. “Better together,” says Derrick, “seems to be a great description of our team.”