CENTER POINT
2015 | Issue 2
BRAD
HELPING
OTHERS TO
SUCCEED
TULSA RUN JOIN OUR TEAM! pg. 3
CENTER EXPERIENCE IS BACK!
LEADER LETTER “TOP 10 DISNEY QUOTES TO BRIGHTEN YOUR DAY!” Many people grew up watching Disney movies, yet we often forget how profound some of the messages and themes in Disney movies can be. Here are the top 10 quotes from Disney movies that are sure to put a smile on your face! 1. “You must not let anyone define your limits because of where you come from. Your only limit is your soul!” Gusteau (Ratatouille) 2. “Who says that my dreams have to just stay my dreams?” Ariel (The Little Mermaid) 3. “I just needed to get out on my own, live my own life. And I did, and it’s great!” Simba (The Lion King) 4. “Your talent makes you who you are. You should be proud of it!” Tinkerbell (Peter Pan) 5. “The flower that blooms in adversity is the most beautiful and rare form of them all.” Emperor (Mulan) 6. “You’re braver than you believe, stronger than you seem and smarter than you think.” Christopher Robin (Winnie the Pooh) 7. “I never look back, darling. It distracts from the now.” by Edna Mode (The Incredibles) 8. “Oh yes, the past can hurt. But the way I see it, you can either run from it or learn from it.” Rafiki (The Lion King) 9. “You’re mad. Bonkers. Off your head. But I’ll tell you a secret…All of the best people are!” The Mad Hatter (Alice in Wonderland) 10. “If watching is all you’re going to do, then you’re going to watch your life go by without you.” Laverne (The Hunchback of Notre Dame) *BONUS* “Some people are worth melting for.” Olaf (Frozen) There is a reason we have good memories of Disney. Love is the reason! ** The above article was published on thespiritscience.net on 5/26/14
There is good reason that people have SUCH wonderful things to say about The Center. PEOPLE are the reason! There is no doubt the Members of The Center impact each other on a daily basis. Friendships are formed daily, they are constantly watching out for each other, and genuinely care for one another. They celebrate one another’s accomplishments and pick each other up on bad days. Not only do these members impact one another, but they also have a profound impact on our donors, our volunteers, our staff and anyone who steps through our doors. You cannot help but leave The Center feeling uplifted. If you have never been to The Center or haven’t visited here in a while, we invite you to do so. Do something good for yourself. Brighten YOUR day right here at The Center. Come visit us! We would love to host you!
The Center Staff:
Yours in Center Service –
• Janice Bawden, Art Instructor • Donna Bridenstine, Receptionist • Margie Crossno, Program & Volunteer Coordinator • Katrina Cuenca, Fitness & Recreation Specialist • Bradley Forbes, JWCS & Fitness Instructor • Andrea Hernandez, Fitness & Recreation Specialist • Vickie Holler, Director of Member Services • Erin Jacobs, Director of Community Relations • Lori A. Long, Executive Director • Darlene McGrail, Recreation Therapist • Burt McLachlan, Program Coordinator
Val Fimbres President, Board of Directors
Lori A. Long Executive Director
• Cathy Pennington, Executive & Development Asst. • Paige Stuart, Transition Services Coordinator • Erin Wambold, Director of Development
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MEMBER STORY BRAD ANDERSON When a couple first finds out they are pregnant they hope for the best for their child. They dream about what he or she will look like and what they will grow up to be. No parent expects their child to be born with a disability. That however, is exactly what Brad Anderson’s parents found out the day he was born. Brad was born with Cerebral Palsy. Cerebral Palsy is a condition caused by a brain injury or a brain defect that affects muscle coordination. Those with Cerebral Palsy may not be able to walk and require a wheelchair or only occasionally be able to walk short distances. This condition also requires a lot of patience and effort on a parent or caregiver’s part as they are needed to help with various daily activities. It was important to Brad’s parents that he be involved in as many normal childhood activities as possible, and worked to make sure Brad never felt confined because of his disability. Being born with Cerebral Palsy for Brad meant that he was unable to walk, but being the determined boy he was, he would crawl around and pull himself all throughout the house. Brad became depressed however, as it was difficult for him to see his family participate in activities that he knew he wanted to do, but was unable to do on his own. That was when Brad’s family found The Center. Brad’s time at The Center started at a young age in 1984 for summer camp. He said coming to The Center “was just something we did.” Around the age of 6, Brad had a life changing surgery on his legs that allowed him to be able to walk short distances. Although he still uses a wheelchair for long distances, it doesn’t stop Brad from challenging himself. Brad loves to challenge his limitations whether it is on The Center’s basketball court, in the fitness center, or helping others. He says “the best thing in my life is challenging myself.” The Center helped him because for him “The Center does not feel like a rehab facility, it is a way for me to improve my outlook on life while working on getting in shape at the same time.” You can frequently find Brad in the gym shooting baskets or in the fitness center working out. As for The Center, he says “my life revolves around here; I am just inspired by this place. It’s like home to me.” The Center is not only a place for Brad to help himself, but also to help others. Brad loves to volunteer at The Center and when asked what his favorite part about The Center is he quickly answered “the people, I love to help people.”
Brad and his grandfather running in the Tulsa Run.
Brad showing off his catch at The Center’s 1984 Summer Camp
CENTER HAPPENINGS PERFORMANCE NIGHT During our annual performance night we had the chance to listen to 19 different acts from members of The Center and 3 acts from our Center Staff. Our Performance Night is a way for members to show off their talents. This year we kicked off our fun filled night with a chant by The Tulsa Wreckers, our power soccer team. We also got a chance to hear Bradley and Stephanie sing “Joy to the World” which has become a Performance Night tradition. Paula had everyone laughing during her stand-up comedy act and Daniel’s Broadway lip-sync received many laughs and thunderous applause. We heard a lovely duet from Melissa and her husband Dwayne, along with many other excellent performances. Performance Night is always a fun event to find out what everyone’s hidden talents are, and we are pleased to say this year’s Performance Night was a success.
TULSA RUN
ONE AWARDS OUTCOME
We are so honored to have been selected as a general beneficiary of the 2015 Tulsa Run. We are excited to cheer and support the runners as well as possibly one of our own who may be cycling in the race. Come join us for a fun day of running, friendship and memories. The race will take place Saturday Oct. 31, but hurry and register if you want to participate because rates will increase Aug. 15. To register visit www.tulsasports.org/tulsarun, when you register there will be an option to “Join a Team” we are the “Center Cruisers.” Once you click the join box, you will choose your event and go through the payment process. We get a small donation if you join our team!
Every year The Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits awards 24 nonprofits in 8 different categories at the Oklahoma Nonprofit Excellence Awards or ONE Awards. All finalists are awarded at least $5,000, category winners are awarded $7,500, and the overall winner is awarded $10,000. We are excited to announce that we were not only a finalist for the Chickasaw Nation Award for Health Services, but we were fortunate enough to have won the category! We are so grateful to have won this remarkable award and would like to thank The Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits for their tremendous support and the Chickasaw Nation for their generous award.
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TULSA ADAPTIVE GAMES Did you know The Center is a Paralympic Sport Club? We offer competitive and recreational adaptive sport opportunities for individuals with physical disabilities! Every year we have the Tulsa Adaptive Games to make more people aware that we are a certified Paralympic Sport Club. This year we will have boccia, archery, goal ball, field events, wheelchair races, and wheelchair basketball for anyone with a disability to try. This year’s games will be held Thursday, July 23. If you have a primary physical disability and are over the age of 14 we would love for you to come and compete whether it is as an experienced athlete or just for fun! It is $15 to register which includes a T-shirt, participation in 3 different sports, and lunch from Olive Garden. We hope to see you at The Center July 27 to compete, try out a sport, or support our athletes. For questions or more information you can contact Margie Crossno at (918)794-4510 mcrossno@tulsacenter.org or Bradley Forbes at (918)794-4504 bforbes@tulsacenter.org
TRANSITION CORNER Diego Bernal joined The Center in November of 2014. He entered into the Transition Program with a trauma injury to his left shoulder, causing paralysis to his left arm and severe nerve pain. His doctor told him he would never be able to move his arm again, let alone use it functionally. Diego was determined to prove his doctor wrong and due to his motivation and hard work, he has done so. Diego’s goals were to get his arm back moving as “normally” as possible, and to return to school and work. Diego started out with extremely minimal movement which only allowed us to work on table top tasks. We worked to try and move the shoulder or move a finger, all which exhausted him in only an hour. Nerve pain also limited further movement initially. Diego always did everything Transition Staff asked of him and slowly overtime he has gained more and more movement. He initially needed adaptive cuffs and equipment to assist with his left arm movement, but is now using the Fitness Center independently with minor adjustments. Transition staff has even challenged him in ping pong, Wii golf, Wii tennis, and hand cycling to name a few, and now he is even able to challenge us. He truly is an inspiration of where hard work and determination can lead you. Diego will be graduating from Transition at the end of June and has already increased his confidence in community activities as well. He states he is still not where he wants to be, but is confident that he will get there and we have no doubts!
SUPPORT CENTER EXPERIENCE Last year we started an event called The Center Experience and it was so successful we decided to bring it back again this year! This event is a way for people to experience life with a disability by participating in various adaptive sports and educational activities. The goal of this initiative is to allow coworkers to not only learn about disabilities, but also understand the day to day challenges people with disabilities face. The event will be held Aug. 28. To register a team of 4 – 6 people contact Erin Wambold at (918) 794-4506 or email ewambold@tulsacenter.org.
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SAVE THE DATE
Power Soccer Exhibition
HOLIDAY MART
As you know, every year The Center hosts an event called the Holiday Mart. Our members spend much of their time in the art studio preparing for this event creating paintings, drawings, sculptures, pottery, mosaics and much more. This event allows members to show off the amazing art work they create here at The Center. This year, the event will take place Nov. 21. Each member has their own booth so there is a lot to choose from and you can get some of your holiday shopping done! The members keep 80 percent of their proceeds and just 20 percent goes to The Center for materials. The event is free to attend and it is a great way to find unique gifts for those on your list while helping Center members earn money for their holiday shopping. We hope to see you there!
Health Fair @ Center
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UPCOMING EVENTS
Holiday Mart
NON PROFIT ORGANIZATION US POSTAGE
PAID
TULSA OK PERMIT NO 31
Board of Directors
return service requested
Val Fimbres, President Tom McPherson, 1st Vice-President Samanthia Marshall, 2nd Vice-President Dylan McCants, 3rd Vice President Ken Etheredge, Secretary/Treasurer Megan Meussner, Past President Kris Beach Scott Beller Amber Burton William J. Doyle III Eric Ellsworth Seth Erkenbeck Payvand Fazel Jason Grunin Dwayne Henderson Brendon Maguffee Meredith McDaris Jack Montgomery Jim Ogez Garth Renfrow Justice Waidner Smith Lance Taylor John Villareal
Printing courtesy of:
Interns Stephen Robertson Lori A. Long, Executive Director
CENTER SUPPORT GROUPS ALS - Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis or Lou Gehrig’s Disease: Meets the second Thursday of each month at 6:00p in Classroom One. Aphasia Support Group: Meets the second Wednesday of each month at 9:30a in Classroom Three. Child and Family Support: Want to be a part of a new group that plans fun activities for yourself and your child with a disability? Come the last Friday of each month at 6:30p.m. TAGS – Tulsa Amputee Support Group: Meets the first Monday of each month at 6:30p in Classroom One to discuss various topics of interests, provide support, education and socialization.
Spinal Cord Injury Support Group: Meets the second Wednesday of each month at 3:00p in classroom one. This is an informal group of SCI survivors who meet monthly for discussions, education, and socialization. VISTA – Visually Impaired Seeking Technique Alternatives: Meets each Wednesday at 1:00p in Classroom Two. Meetings feature dialogue concerning community resources, adaptive equipment, social activities and supportive interactions Youth Amputee Support Group: Peer to peer interaction and support, occasional speakers, family encouragement, and information. The group will meet once a month. The meeting day and time will be determined at the first meeting July 9th at 4:00p.m.