Building Building - J.D. McCarty Center

70
years of service to
Oklahomans
1946-2016
The
Volume X, Issue 1
January-March
2016
Building
Block
An e-newsletter of the J. D. McCarty Center for children with developmental disabilities
Stieber thrilled about first
summer as camp director
As a teen, Paxton Stieber
volunteered for two summers at a
camp for kids with disabilities. The
experience was eye opening and
life changing for her.
Stieber learned patience,
gratitude and acceptance while
working with kids at Camp Barnabas in Missouri. She was inspired
by the joy and perseverance shown
by the campers and learned that
“laughter is a universal language.”
out of state.
She heard about Camp
ClapHans through a friend and the
two worked at the camp last summer.
Stieber served as a unit leader and her
duties included planning and organizing daily activities and evening programs.
“It taught me how to love
unconditionally,” Stieber said about
the experience. “I ended up getting
so much out of it.”
Now, the Broken Arrow
native, is leading Camp ClapHans, a
residential summer camp in Norman that is an outreach program
of the J. D. McCarty Center.
“I am so excited about this
job and the opportunity to serve
campers and their families this
summer,” Stieber said. “I had the
privilege of being a member of last
year’s camp staff and I am honored
to get to lead this summer.”
Stieber was hired in September 2015 after former director, Kyle
Cottrell, resigned to accept a job
Broken Arrow native Paxton Stieber is the new
director of Camp ClapHans.
ground includes jobs in management, customer service, marketing and event planning. She also
has served on the operations staff
for The Big Event, the University
of Oklahoma’s day of community
service, and has volunteered in the
Tulsa area at Hillcrest HealthCare
System, the Parkside Psychiatric
Hospital and Clinic and the Little
Light House, which offers educational and therapeutic services to
children with special needs.
Mike Powers, an administrator at the McCarty Center, said
Stieber’s initiative, dependability
and determination are a few of
the qualities he noticed during her
work at Camp ClapHans last summer.
“I loved it. It gave me a sense of
purpose,” Stieber said, adding, “The kids
“She was able to see a task
were amazing.”
and she would step right into that
gap and fill that need,” said Powers,
Stieber said she was impressed
with the camp and the McCarty Center administrative programs officer and
coordinator of Quality Asssurance
and decided to apply for the director’s
position to give her more opportunities and Performance Improvement at
the hospital.
to serve children with disabilities.
“I have a passion for doing
something that will positively impact
this community, and specifically, these
kids’ lives.”
Stieber’s professional back-
Powers said he also is impressed with Stieber’s enthusiasm
and excitement about working
with kids with disabilities.
See Stieber on page 2
Stieber
“The amount of experience
she has with this population is
pretty incredible,” he said.
Stieber’s interest in working
with kids with special needs grew
out of a desire to serve others,
which is what prompted her to
volunteer at Camp Barnabas. Her
first summer she worked with a
camper with Angelman syndrome,
a genetic disorder that causes developmental disabilities and neurological problems, such as difficulty
speaking, balancing and walking.
“She changed my outlook
on life,” Stieber said. “She taught
me so much about people with
disabilities that I had misunderstood in the past. And she and I
connected in a unique way because we both knew we were
different than everyone else. She
struggled with a disability that affected her nervous system, and I
The
Building
Block
The Building Block is published by the J. D.
McCarty Center for children with developmental disabilities in Norman, Oklahoma,
and is authorized by Vicki Kuestersteffen, director and ceo. This publication is
distributed via e-mail. If you would like your
name removed from our mailing list, please
send an e-mail to ggaston@jdmc.org. Write
The Building Block on the subject line. Write
Please Remove in the message box.
Director: Vicki Kuestersteffen
Editor: Greg Gaston
Associate Editor: Sharla Bardin
Cerebral Palsy Commission:
Rob McCalla
Karen Rieger
Joe Steil
Chuck Thompson
William Hart
J. D. McCarty Center
for children with developmental disabilities
2002 East Robinson Street o Norman, Oklahoma 73071
405.307.2800 o 800.777.1272 o www.jdmc.org
was born partially deaf.”
Stieber said this camper and
other children she has worked with inspire her with their strength, willpower
and happiness. It’s one of the reasons
she is excited about her job and about
providing a camp program that gives
kids with disabilities a place where they
can be independent, take on new
challenges, meet new friends and build
their confidence.
“There is no greater
disability in society
than the inability to
see a person as more.”
Robert M. Hensel
Stieber said one of her favorite
quotes is from Robert M. Hensel, a poet
and writer who has spina bifida. The
quote is: “There is no greater disability
in society than the inability to see a
person as more.”
“That’s what I love most about
the opportunity to get to be the director of Camp ClapHans. I get to lead a
place full of people who see these kids
as so much more. And, in return, we
all receive the blessing of their joy,” she
said.
This year’s camp theme is
Summer Olympics
Camp sessions start on Sunday afternoons and end Wednesday evenings.
Here is the 2016 schedule:
Session 1: June 12 - June 15
Session 2: June 19 - June 22
Session 3: June 26 - June 29
Session 4: July 10 - July 13
Session 5: July 17 - July 20
Page 2
Paxton at Camp
ClapHans 2015
Page 3
It’s time to Gutter Dance again
Gutter Dance 13 charity
bowling event, presented by the
Bob Stoops Champions Foundation, is scheduled for Thursday,
May 19. Proceeds from this event
will go to support Camp ClapHans
operations.
Camp ClapHans is a residential summer camp project of
the McCarty Center for boys and
girls ages 8 to 18.
According to Greg Gaston,
hospital spokesperson, the Gutter
Dance is $200 for a team of four.
Team registration includes dinner
catered by Johnny Carino’s Italian
Restaurant, bowling shoes, two
lines of bowling and a chance to
win a trip for two courtesy of Reynolds Ford.
Again this year, one lucky
bowler will win a trip for two to
Banson, Mo. “In the past we had
the 7-10 split roll off for a chance to
win a new car,” said Gaston, “but
no one ever got close to winning
it. Now we have a winner at the
end of the evening.”
At the end of the Gutter Dance,
the bowler with the most strikes will
win the trip . In case of a tie, the number of spares will be counted. If a tie
breaker is still needed, the high score
will win.
The trip is 4 days/3 nights,
with accommodations at the Dutton
Inn in Branson. The package includes
free breakfast, 2 tickets to the Dutton’s
music show and 2 tickets to the SIX’s
music show. “What makes this trip
unique,” said Gaston, “is that there are
no blackout dates or limitations. Accommodations are based on availability.”
Corporate sponsors of the
Gutter Dance are Reynolds Ford,
Johnny Carino’s Italian Restaurant,
Republic Bank & Trust, Oklahoma
Electric Cooperative , Norman Family Dentistry and Clark Construction
Company.
Registration forms are available at the Sooner Bowling Center
and at the corporate sponsor’s
locations or by contacting Gaston
at ggaston@jdmc.org or 307.2807.
Greg Greenfield shows off his bowling form during
the 2015 Gutter Dance.
The Gutter Dance will be held
May 19, at the Sooner Bowling Center,
550 24th Avenue, in Norman. Check
in and dinner for the teams is from
6-7 p.m. with bowling from 7-9 p.m.
Dinner is also avilable for spectators for
$10. Dinner tickets are available at the
door.
Bowling teams will be competing for 1st, 2nd, 3rd and last place trophies. There will be a prize for the most
creative bowling team shirts, as well as
prizes for making a strike with a color
pin in the rack. Additional door prizes
will also be drawn.
Dr. Julie White, a veterinarian from Purcell, was a new Gutter Dancer last year.
Cerebral Palsy Commissioner Chuck Thompson poses with Team PECS from the SpeechLanguage Pathology Department. From left
to right are Jennifer Hendrix, Steffan Spain,
Thompson, Randi Wilkie and Cara Taylor.
Bowlers who are throwing too
many gutter balls may buy a “ringer” to
bowl frames for them to improve their
pin count. Ringer tickets are $5 and
can be used as many times as needed.
Again this year bowlers can
register online. Go to soonerbowl.
com and click on the Gutter Dance
Reservation link. This link is also
available on the Sooner Bowling
Center Facebook page.
Deadline for Gutter Dance
registration is Tuesday, May 17. For
more information about the Gutter Dance, contact Greg Gaston at
307.2807 or ggaston@jdmc.org.
Phillip Favela from
Maxwell Supply
Company in Oklahoma
City won the Branson
getaway for two last
year.
Page 4
‘Street Eats’
Our occupational therapy team is hosting “Street Eats,” a food truck festival
here at the hospital. The event is to celebrate Occupational Therapy Month in
April. Other activities include live music, raffle prizes and the open house for
Camp ClapHans.
Here are the delicious details:
When: Saturday, April 16
Where: South parking lot at the McCarty Center
Time: 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
Fundraising events
Gutter
Dancer
Gutter Dance 13
Thursday, May 19
Sooner Bowling
Center Norman
Call Greg at
307.2807 for details.
Bicycle League of Norman
21st Annual Norman Conquest
Bicycle Tour on Saturday, July 9.
Tour begins and ends at the McCarty Center. Call Jerry Puckett at
255.8677 for details or visit
www.bicycleleague.com.
4th Annual Ride for Recovery
Poker Run
Hosted by the Clean & Sober Motorcycle Club. Run begins and ends
at the McCarty Center on Sunday,
Sept. 4. Registration opens at 9:30
a.m. Kickstands up at 11 a.m. Contact Willie “Farmboy” Moore for
details at 580.451.0712.
30th Annual Oklahoma
Municipal Contractors
Association Golf
Tournament
Monday, Sept. 12 at Twin Hills
Golf & Country Club in Oklahoma City. Shotgun start at 8
a.m. For details, contact Rick
Moore at 236.2248
New clinic offering
services at hospital
Ear, nose and throat specialists
from Oklahoma City are now offering
services at the J.D. McCarty Center.
Dr. G. Paul Digoy and Rachel
Schwegal, physician assistant, with Pediatric ENT of Oklahoma provide care
for children from infants to teens with
otolaryngology needs.
They are now offering a clinic
on the second and fourth Mondays
of each month at the McCarty Center
in Norman to provide easy access for
families in the south metro area.
Digoy and Schwegal specialize in treating conditions of the ear,
nose, throat and related structures that
include:
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Chronic ear infections
Chronic sinus infections
Chronic tonsillitis
Dysphagia
Eustachian tube
dysfunction
Hearing loss
Nasal obstruction
Sleep apnea
Snoring
Vocal cord dysfunction
Digoy has practiced as a
pediatric otolaryngologist for 11
years. He said he is excited about
the opportunity to partner with the
staff at the McCarty Center and to
have the opportunity to help more
families in the metro area.
“I have always heard
wonderful things about the J.D.
McCarty Center, and I believe in
the importance of collaborative
centers of excellence,” Digoy said.
“The J.D. McCarty Center has great
opportunity to mold the skills of a
pediatric otolaryngologist with a
diverse group of successful pediatric speech and language specialists.
It has both an inpatient and an
outpatient population of children
who can benefit from subspecialty
care.”
Digoy was the first fellowship-trained pediatric otolaryngologist in Oklahoma. He also has been
Continued on page 5
Digoy’s ENT clinic
elected by his peers as a “Best Doctors” award recipient every year
since 2009.
Digoy practices medicine at
Children’s Hospital at OU Medical
Center, Lakeside Women’s Hospital, Integris Baptist Medical Center
and Summit Medical Center.
He completed his pediatric
ENT training at Boston Children’s
Hospital, and is currently a faculty
member in the otolaryngology
department at Oklahoma State
University. He also serves as a
member of the executive board of
otolaryngology of the American
Academy of Pediatrics.
Page 5
Patients participate in prom
sponsored by Tim Tebow
Foundation
Two patients from the McCarty Center got the chance to “Shine”
bright during a prom in February.
The teens participated in “Night
to Shine,” a prom for people with
special needs ages 16 and older. The
annual event is sponsored by the Tim
Tebow Foundation.
The event was simultaneously
hosted on Feb. 12 by 200 churches in
48 states and seven countries.
Patients from the McCarty
Center attended the prom hosted at
Putnam City Baptist Church in Oklahoma City.
Prior to the prom, the patients
got VIP treatment from the Epsilon
Epsilon Chapter of the Phi Mu sorority
and the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity of
Oklahoma City University.
The sorority members served
as a glam squad helping one of our
teens by finding her a dress and shoes
and doing her hair and makeup. The
women also helped in finding a fraternity to donate clothes to the other
patient who attended the event.
Dr. Paul Digoy, pediatric ENT
Dr. Digoy writes a presciption for one of his
patients.
The guys from Phi Gamma
Delta played basketball with the teen
and helped him get ready for the big
event.
Participants at the prom got a
red-carpet entry into the event, complete with photographers serving as
paparazzi. The guests also received
corsages, boutonnieres and crowns
and got the chance to karaoke and
dance.
The Epsilon Epsilon Chapter of the Phi Mu
sorority at Oklahoma City University acted as
hair and makeup artists for a McCarty Center
patient attending the prom.
Free movie part
of activities for
awareness month
A picnic, Olympic games
and a free movie for the community were some of the activities
hosted by the center to recognize
“Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month” in March.
The events – featured
March 28 through April 1 -- were
also part of the center’s celebration
of 70 years of operation.
The week featured different
clothing theme days, from employees and patients wearing patriotic
outfits on “America Monday” to the
staff dressing up like their favorite
movie characters during “Film Friday.”
The celebration also included a proclamation from the Norman City Council naming Monday,
March 28 as “J.D. McCarty Center
Appreciation Day.”