Friends of WCDC Newsletter Happy New Year Cathy’s Corner I wish for you.. a jolly January, a fantastic February, a mesmerizing March, an awesome April, a magnetic May, a joyful June and July, an amazing August, a superb September, an onus-less (burden free) October, a never to forget November and a dynamic December.

My full column is on page 6

January 2016

Friends & WCDC Activities January 4Day Program resumes

January 11Friends Monthly Meeting – 6:00PM

January 18 – Martin Luther King Day–Day Program closed

January 20January Birthday Party -12 Noon WCDC Board of Directors meeting- 6PM ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

WCDC Mission The Worcester County Developmental Center is committed to empowering adults with developmental and physical disabilities to be productive, responsible and participating members of the community by identifying, enhancing and creating opportunities so all individuals can achieve their highest level of economic and social independence.

“January 1st is the first blank page of a 365 page book. Write a good one..” Brad Paisley

Worcester County Developmental Center PO Box 70, Newark, MD 21841 410-632-2382 www. wcdcservices.org

From the desk of our Executive Director For about a year now, I have been sending you information about changes coming to service providers in Maryland because of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Final Rule. The biggest impact on WCDC will be the very real possibility that we will not be able to provide work opportunities for our clients as of March 2019. Maryland is getting ready to submit an amendment to its CMS waiver application. As part of this process, there is a public comment period until January 31. A number of you wrote to the state last year asking that facility based work be allowed. I am asking you to write once again to let DDA know the importance of work for our clients. Let them know, too, that the client is the one who has the choice in how he or she wants to spend his or her day, and all choices, including working at WCDC, should be made available. Families, caregivers and clients will have the greatest impact on the state. Let them know what working at WCDC means to you or to your son or daughter, and how devastating losing this work will be. We have clients who pay rent and buy groceries with their paychecks. We have others who use the money to go out to dinner or to a movie. All this money will be lost to the clients and to local businesses. We can provide the supports necessary for our clients to work, supports that local businesses are not equipped or able to provide. Please share this with everyone you can. This direction, if continued, would have an impact on the entire community, so please get this plea out there. There is strength in numbers. Send an email, it does not have to be long, in favor of client choice and facility based employment.

The address is wfb.dda.maryland.gov. If you need help, please call me. If you don’t have access to a computer, you can hand write a letter and we will scan it and send it in your behalf.

Mark your Calendar & Save the Date

4th Annual Finnegan’s Wake Saturday March 19, 2016 – 5 – 9 p.m. Seacrets ~ Morley Hall

Ocean City Pipes & Drums Band The Irish Lads and a Lass The Folk Heros All Proceeds go directly to WCDC Client Services

Jack Ferry, Sr., Mary Ferry, TJ Jones, Diane Howard, Jeromey Johansen, Monique Smith, Eddie Davis, Kern Taylor, Libby Davis, Martha Mongelli and Cathy Gallagher

January Birthdays Dec. 6 – Gordon Ashley Dec.. 9 – Orzella Williams Dec.. 12 –Jeromey Johansen Dec. .12 - Kern Taylor Dec.. 12 – Kelli Lockwood Dec.. 15 – Cara Cooper Dec. 28 – Theresa Newton

Dec . 20 – Monique Smith Dec. 21– Brenda Beckett Dec. 21 – Pamela Cutler Dec. 22 – Gretchen Cooper Dec. 24 – TJ Jones Dec. 25 – Robin Johnson

Kendra joins Commissioner Bertino

Mark hangs a star

Eddie & Melinda

Kurt & Commissioner Lockfaw decorate the tree

Amy & Commissioners Purnell & Bertino

Sara & Kevin add a snowflake

Betsy & Troy

Beautiful Christmas filled the halls of Dunes Manor Party sponsored by Dunes Manor & OC Lioness Club

WCDC Choir & Soloist Fritz Goetze

June Todd Musical Director

Friday December 11th was a wonderful day at WCDC. Our 1st Holiday Open House was a lot of fun and a great success.

Thank You

for your support and Loyalty 2015 was a very busy year for WCDC and Friends. New and successful programs were started at WCDC but on the flip side, major program changes for the future were proposed by both the Federal and State Governments. As you can imagine this issue has necessitated many hours of work and networking for the staff. Friends had a growth in membership and our projects have also grown in success. We have been able to support social activities for the clients and assist WCDC in supporting programs and providing manpower when needed. We have also be helpful in getting the WCDC Story out to the community and educating citizens of the services offered and the abilities of our program participants. Although a lot has been accomplished, the challenges for tomorrow remain. We could not have been able to accomplish what we have if it weren’t for your support and unwavering loyalty to WCDC and the clients. Words fall short when trying to express how grateful we are to have you on our team. Thank you, Thank you, Thank You! Now that 2016 has arrived, I ask that you look for some of these fun-filled and exciting projects that we are planning: An Oldies Dance, the 4th Annual Finnegan’s Wake, A Wine Making Evening at a local brewery and an Art Show. The most exciting venture that we are exploring is the opening of a Consignment/Thrift Store. Over the past 3 years our Garage Sales have been very successful. The community has been very supportive in donating items and patronizing our sales. We are in the process of locating a site for our store and hoping that we will be open for business by early summer. I promise to keep you informed and updated as we move forward. And so we start 2016 at lightening speed. The needs are great and our mission states that we will work hard to meet these needs. I thank you once again for all the time, effort, suggestions, hard work and positive energy that you have provided Friends of WCDC as we work together to make the lives of our clients brighter and fulfilling. It is a true pleasure and a privilege to work along side of you, my friends. Sincerely, Cathy Gallagher

20 years from now you will be more disappointed by things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowline, sail away from the safe harbor, catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore, Dream, Discover. Mark Twain

Santa & his helpers visit WCDC

Aaron

Kevin

Adam

Brandon

Karla

Danny

Chauncey

Ericka

Betty

Donta

Gordon

Doris

Cory

Bruce

TJ

Courtney

Karen

David

Eric

Terry

Eric

David

Ginny

Katie

Jeromey

Lester

Kern

Lou

Michael

Nick

Logan

Michelle

Michael Monique

Olivia

Pat

Bret

Ron

Steven

Carol

Robin

Thomas

Tracy

Phyllis

Rodney

Sedric

Sylvester

Val

Will

Virginia

Vince, Robin, Jack, Cathy, Laura Ann, Rachel, Nicole, Sara Nadine, Claire, Stacie, Jamie, Raven, Katlyn Brenda, Karen, Bismark & Deb

Happy, Happy New Year We wish you all the best, Great work to reach your fondest goals, And when you’re done, sweet rest. We hope for you fulfillment, Contentment, peace and more, A brighter better new year than You’ve ever had before. Joanna Fuchs

F R I E N D S of

WCDC

Nicole Dobelstein, Rachel Buser, Linda Fentress, Libby Davis, Diane & David Howard, Frieda Truitt, Vicki Tillery . Seated : Jack Ferry, Jr, Cathy Gallagher, Claire Desautels

S A N T A’ S H E L P E R S

Friends of WCDC The purpose of Friends of WCDC shall be to see that the needs of people who live with a disability are made known to the community and that these needs are being met. The members of Friends of WCDC shall be advocates for the individuals who live with a disability within the community and are participants in the programs of the Worcester County Developmental Center. Friends of WCDC shall provide support and assistance to WCDC whenever possible.

Friends of WCDC Need You!! * * * *

Meetings are every 2nd Monday of the month in the WCDC cafeteria Meetings start at 6:00 p.m. and last one hour * Yearly dues are $5.00 New members are welcome at any time. Your talents and ideas are needed All our projects are fun filled * All our efforts support the clients and programs of WCDC

2015– 2016 Officers – Friends of WCDC President – Cathy Gallagher Vice President – Mary Ferry Secretary – April Davis Treasurer –Jack Ferry, Sr. _______________________________________________________________ Friends of WCDC Membership Slip Name_________________________________Address______________________________ Phone # __________________ Cell___________________ E Mail ____________________________

Please return to Jack Ferry @ WCDC or mail to : Cathy Gallagher 338 Ocean Parkway Ocean Pines, MD 21811