June 2014 - Bethesda

The
Bethesda
ISSUE 3 • JUNE 2014
IN THIS ISSUE
Respite Services
PAGE 2
Thank You Bethesda
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AMS Phoenix
PAGE 4
Celebrating Peter
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“Fun”raising for Bethesda
PAGE 6
Finding God Through the
Seasons of Life
PAGE 7
Guest speaker and Canadian Hockey Legend Paul
Henderson with winning bidders who received a personalized
signed jersey.
Welcome to another publication of The Bethesda Link. We trust you will
find this issue informative, keeping you connected to Bethesda.
It has been a busy spring! On April 11, four hundred guests enjoyed
Bethesda’s Annual Dinner Auction. Paul Henderson, hero of the 1972
Hockey Summit Series, was the guest speaker. His inspirational talk
encouraged us all. Entertainment was provided by spotLight, Bethesda’s
Drama Team. It was a great evening; most importantly, over $22,000 was
raised to assist children waiting for supports. Thank you to all who made
this evening such a success.
If you haven’t yet heard, Bethesda is building a 27,000 square foot “Family
Centre” on Schmon Parkway. This state-of-the-art building will provide
the children we support with facilities that will greatly enhance clinical
outcomes. More to come on this exciting initiative!
I trust you will all have a safe and enjoyable summer.
Sincerely,
Brian Davies
Chief Executive Officer
Bethesda Dinner Auction
Provides Additional
ResPite seRviCes
By Alyson Wilson, Director of Bethesda Children’s services
Bethesda’s Autism Spectrum Disorder Respite Service has over 900 children under the age
of 18 on the registration list. This program offers six different Respite options for families,
including:
• After School Social Skills Programs
• Preschool Programs
• Saturday Recreation Programs
• March Break and Summer Camps
• Flex Funds
• Intensive In-Home Respite
saturday Recreation Program
In addition to the services offered at Bethesda, the program accesses space across the
Niagara region in churches, community agencies, Early Years Centres and schools. The
dedicated team of Respite staff strive to offer service close to home for families and plan to
group children together that have similar interests and abilities.
The funding from the Ministry of Children and Youth Services allows Bethesda to serve
close to 290 children each year. Thanks to the generous donations at Bethesda’s Annual
Dinner Auction in 2013, $30,000 was raised to enhance Respite opportunities for families.
A portion of that money was used last year to provide an additional 56 children with Respite
Services. We have a plan to use the donation dollars over the next several years to continue
to increase opportunities for families to access service.
Feedback from parents and children is important to the Respite Team. They use this
information to help guide future program development. Over the last year, we received
the following comments from parents.
Off to summer Camp
• 98% of families who accessed Respite found the service had a positive impact on
their family.
•100% of families found the staff professional and helpful.
• 98% of families found the content of the program beneficial for their child.
The Respite Team is gearing up for another busy Summer Camp season! We are privileged
to be able to provide 63 children Summer Camp this year and look forward to building
meaningful opportunities for children to learn new skills and develop new friendships!
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tHAnk yOu BetHesDA
DA
By Maureen Fast
While working at Bethesda I have learned a lot! However, it was only in this past year that
I realized how much of this learning I could apply to other places in my life. In 2014, I was
fortunate enough to attend Brock University teacher’s college in Hamilton. Throughout my
time there I continued to work in Bethesda’s Autism Respite program on Saturdays and
some of what I learned in this program became invaluable in my teaching.
During my first teacher block I was placed in a grade three class that included six children
with Individualized Education Plans, including one child with Autism and another with
Down Syndrome. Needless to say this was a bit daunting to a student teacher. However, as I
began my observations in the classroom and started to get to know the children a bit better I
realized that, thanks to Bethesda, I already had many beneficial skills to work with these two
awesome kids in a classroom setting!
Thanks to the training that I have received through Bethesda and the experiences I have
had as both a volunteer and a staff in the Autism Respite program, I was able to make a
real difference in the classroom; I was able to suggest iPad apps for social stories, which
helped make things such as class trips and having supply teachers a little easier. These social
stories also helped with increased integration in typical class activities for both children. It
was incredible to be able to use many behavioural and positive reinforcement strategies to
encourage the students to do their best and follow the rules at all times. At the end of my
teaching block, both the classroom teacher and the Educational Assistant thanked me for
teaching them something about working with children with exceptionalities.
It was such a blessing for me to be able to take what I have learned over many amazing years
as a Bethesda volunteer and staff and enhance the learning experience of students in my
own classroom. Bethesda is such a fantastic place to work, learn and grow!
iPad social stories
elizabeth and Maureen showing off
the Dinner Auction Raffle Prize
HAPPy
RetiReMent!
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Hennie Vellenga
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Cu rric ulu m
of Ca rin g
Centred
Person- are
Health C
for People with
Develo pment al
Disabi lities...
AMs PHOenix
PROjeCt:
uPDAte
that...
Com pas sio n &
Com pet enc e
n ic a t e
Commu E
R
CA
The AMS Phoenix Project has been an exciting journey for Bethesda and various partners! Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine,
Niagara Regional Campus, has partnered with Bethesda and Brock University’s Centre for Applied Disability Studies and the Department
of Nursing to create and evaluate a Curriculum of Caring for people with developmental disabilities. From the time of application for
the AMS Phoenix Project, recognition of and support for the project has been growing. The aim of the curriculum is to generate health
care providers who are more capable (comfortable, confident and competent) of delivering compassionate, person centered care to
people with developmental disabilities. Growth of the project has seen Bethesda staff, friends and family share their experience and
insight with future health care providers on film. The Southern Network of Specialized Care has provided promotion, facilitation of
focus groups, research support and knowledge translation.
It is refreshing to see people come together, with enthusiasm, to support and further the Phoenix Project vision. Many have supported
the project with time and talent. Mendelt Hoekstra has worked with spotLight Theatre to produce a dynamic music video called We
Are Here – Communicate CARE. The video has taken flight to the United States and has been accepted by the American Academy of
Developmental Medicine and Dentistry as part of their national RESPECT Campaign.
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The Phoenix Project continues its journey into the coming months and we look to capturing wisdom of leading experts in the field of
developmental disabilities via video, with links to resources. The Curriculum of Caring now has a home on the MacHealth
website making national and international accessibility possible! To check out what your community and friends have
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been doing to help further the Curriculum of Caring message visit CommunicateCare.MacHealth.ca – you’ll find
them there!
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Those who have dedicated time, talent and insight will be invited to a celebration in September, in sincere
gratitude for your help in enriching and furthering the Curriculum of Caring message! More to come…
Bethesda Friend spotlight
Peter Burke
CeLeBRAtinG
PeteR
With his thick accent and cheeky sense of humour there is no
doubt Peter Burke is from Scotland. Born in Glasgow in 1949,
Peter lives and breathes blue and white. Whether it’s his love for
liver and onions or Saint Andrew, there is little denying it.
One of Peter’s favourite things to do is to go to Swiss Chalet for
lunch with his friends Carrie and Rhonda. Peter usually orders
ribs, fries and lots of gravy (the messier the better) and a couple
of cups of black coffee, of course.
A fanatic Aberdeen supporter, Peter loves cheering on the
Dons while sipping a cup of black coffee. When not watching
soccer Peter enjoys fishing or going to the Hamilton War Plane
Museum, which he is a member of, to see his favorite planes the
Lancaster and the Spitfire.
Peter’s great talents, aside from his sense of humour and
knowledge of history, are; singing his favourite song “I’ll Fly
Away” or belting out his lines at the Bethesda Dramas.
Peter currently lives at Grapeview and is
celebrating his 65th birthday/retirement
with friends and family. Peter’s love for
Scotland hasn’t faded in the least - just
ask to see his Scottish dragon tattoo!
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As a World War II history buff, Peter loves telling anyone within
ear shot about Pearl Harbor, D-Day and Hiroshima. Boasting a
collection of over 365 movies (enough to open his own shop)
ranging from Gene Autry to Charles Bronson, Peter is a true
cinefile. His favourite movie - Brave Heart - of course! If he’s
not watching Family Feud or Titanic, Peter can often be found
reading his bible or colouring.
A long time resident of Bethesda, Peter has made many friends
over the years from his days at Parkside to working in
Perry’s room at Schmon.
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“Fun”raising for BetHesDA
2014
Artwork created by individuals
supported by Bethesda
Bethesda
dinner
auction
Celebrating Me and We
spotLight performs
“We Are One”
kaleb janzen speaks from the heart about
the Respite Program.
Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce
40th Annual
FALL CLASSIC
GOLF TOURNAMENT
To benefit Bethesda & Hotel Dieu Shaver Health and Rehabilitation Foundation
MONDAY, SEPT. 8th, 2014 • ST. CATHARINES GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB
For information please email: events.admin@gncc.ca or call 905-684-2361
thank You Jack astor’s st. catharines!
Jack Astor’s adopted Bethesda as their charity of choice this year in which proceeds from silent
auction, raffle ticket prizes and ticket prices from their annual bar competition were donated to
Bethesda. “It is always a fun event, where friends of Jack Astor’s and staff can hang out , show case
their skills and give to a good cause” said Simon McDonald of Jack Astor’s. Bethesda
employees and board members also came out to the event which was hosted by
Jack Astor’s. Jack Astor restaurants across the province participate and host
their own annual bar competitions which in the end gives back to a charity
within their community. “It’s a blast and we get to help kids in need, we
are glad to help out!”
Chaplains Corner
by
Mike Gilmore
FinDinG GOD tHROuGH tHe
seAsOns OF LiFe
“The Lord lives! Praise be to my Rock! Exalted be God my Savior!” (Psalm
18:46)
While in my backyard on the weekend, I sat in wonder at the beauty of God’s creation as I felt
the warm evening breeze blow through the trees and watched the sun set slowly in the distance.
As I sat there, I began to ponder and question - how often do I look for God in the different
seasons of life?
Just a few weeks ago we were wondering if Spring was ever going to arrive. The winter was long,
cold and harsh; many storms came through leaving a path of destruction behind them. There
are many people who do not like Winter, and there are many others who would say they feel like
they are in a dark winter storm of life. Where is God in the midst of this seemingly cold, stormy
darkness? Winter is a time for the ground to rest, to be still. When everything looks dead and
hopeless there is an amazing event happening deep down inside of creation. Where is God in
the winters of life? God is present saying to us “Come to me, all you who are weary and
burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28). Rest is what creation needs
and it is exactly what we need. To rest in the loving arms of the One who made us and gave
Himself up for us. Rest in the promises of scripture, that when we are weak He is strong! Rest
in the promise that when life seems hopeless, in the midst of the darkness, something amazing
is happening. Hope is growing! Praise God for winter.
As the snow starts to fade we see life; crocuses poking their heads up out of the ground, new
buds on the trees, and the sound of birds returning from the south. In small gentle ways a
season of darkness is becoming lighter. God was our rock through the winter and now we see
His goodness shine through in the springtime of life. Psalm 31:24 reminds us to “Be strong
and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord.” After a rest we find new strength, new
hope, and new purpose. Praise God He is with us guiding our lives, directing our steps. His plan
and His ways are never wrong. The steadfast love of the Lord never changes. His mercies never
come to an end. They are new every morning. Great is your faithfulness. Praise God for spring.
The summer of life is a time to reinvest. To plant again, a new crop, a new garden, a new
beginning. A time to reinvest in life and in the lives of others! Where do we find God in the
summer of life? We find God in ourselves and then in others as He brings other people, perhaps
in their own winter of life, that we can encourage and invest in. It is time to grow our own
fruit again. “But the fruit of the spirit is Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness,
Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self Control.” (Galatians 5:22-23).
Praise God for summer.
Finally, there is the season of Fall. A time to harvest, a time to reap what we have sown. A time
to reflect on God’s faithfulness and proclaim His goodness! “I will sing the Lord’s praise,
for he has been good to me.” (Psalm 13:6). Praise God for fall.
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Praise God from whom all blessings flow. Praise Him all creatures here below. Praise Him above
you heavenly hosts. Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Amen
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MY GIFT
Please accept my gift of :
q $50
q $100
q OtHeR ___________________
name:
Address:
City:
q i have enclosed a cheque payable to the Bethesda Home Foundation inc.
i prefer to use my
q visA
q MAsteRCARD
Card number
expiry Date
Cvs
name on Card
Card Holder signature
OR i want to be a Monthly supporter in the amount of $________________________ per month
*tax receipts issued for donations over $10
3280 Schmon Parkway, Thorold , ON L2V 4Y6
T : 905.684.6918 F: 905-684-5866
www.bethesdaservices.com
3280 Schmon Parkway
Thorold , ON L2V 4Y6
T : 905.684.6918
F: 905-684-5866
www.bethesdaservices.com
Upcoming Event
Attention Families!
Bethesda’s Annual Residential Programs
Client Family Picnic will be held on Sunday, July 27, 2014.
All individuals and families of the individuals in our
Residential Programs are encouraged to come and enjoy a
wonderful afternoon of Fun, Food, and Friendship.