VOLUNTEER news A Newsletter for the Shepherd Auxiliary & Volunteers

January 2011

We’re Not Horsing Around! Hippotherapy Comes to Shepherd Center

Therapists work alongside a patient during a hippotherapy session.

Shepherd has a reputation for always looking for diverse therapies to maximize the rehabilitation of its patients, and the use of Equine Assisted Therapy (also known as hippotherapy) is no exception. About a year ago Michelle Nemeth, a Research Scientist here at Shepherd, connected her friend Anne Preston (the founder and Director of Stride Ahead, Inc., a therapeutic riding program at Little Creek Farms in Decatur, Ga.) with Katie Krauseneck in Recreational Therapy. The idea of using hippotherapy with Shepherd patients began to develop! After months of planning by our staff, this type of therapeutic recreation is now used three Wednesdays a month at the Decatur stable with appropriate patients who have multiple

sclerosis or a spinal cord injury. Although “therapeutic horseback riding” is led by a certified riding therapist with a goal of better horsemanship by the rider, hippotherapy is quite different. It must be led by an occupational therapist, physical therapist, or speech therapist, with the goal of facilitating neurophysiologic systems in the participant. To the uneducated eye of a visitor, a patient atop one of the trained therapy horses may look like they are just “along for the ride,” and not gaining any benefit. To the contrary, this treatment strategy is very effective in achieving functional outcomes. Horses’ movements are used to facilitate systems that support daily living skills. Among other things, participants increase trunk strength, control, and balance, and build postural strength and endurance. Volunteer Services is thrilled that a volunteer assisted during the pilot portion of this program, and we now have an opening in this ongoing program. If you have a passion for contributing to the rehabilitation of a client in an outdoor setting and are comfortable around horses, please contact Alex Seblatnigg, Volunteer Manager at [email protected] or 404-350-7316 to learn more.

from the

AUXILIARY PRESIDENT

Dear Auxiliary Members, Happy New Year! I hope you all had a happy and healthy holiday season and are off to a great start in 2011. Pecans on Peachtree 2010 is now behind us and I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who helped make this fundraising effort another huge success. First of all, I want to thank all of the Shepherd employees who helped us with logistics, security, technology, promotion and of course, purchasing pecans, too. Midge Tracy, Gale Eckstein, and Alex Seblatnigg, all from Volunteer Services, are always supportive and assist us in a variety of ways. We could not function without them and all the other Shepherd employees! Our own Candy Sugarman is amazing and runs the website, phones, shipping and accounting for Pecans along with a host of other things! She continues to be a treasure to the Auxiliary and we appreciate her so much. Mary Kay Howard took on the HUGE job of scheduling all the volunteers. She did an incredible job and we cannot thank her enough! She makes it all look so easy. Our Day Captains worked hard assisting Candy, managing daily shifts, labeling, pulling orders and keeping the sales locations running smoothly. This year we were fortunate to have Bonnie Capsuto, Maureen Escott, Debbie Goot, Ann Kay, Mary Sue Howard, Anne Jones, Molly Lanier, Valerie Sikes, Linda Stephens and Jane Ulicny serve as Day Captains. Jane also served as Consignment Chair and delivered pecans to multiple sales locations. Thank you to each of them for their weekly commitment! We also were pleased to have pecan parties hosted by Emory Schwall, Buck Rogers and Angie Shaginaw. They graciously opened their homes to their friends and family to celebrate the holidays and to purchase pecans. We thank each of them for their generosity. Thanks also goes to the members who worked at these parties: Mary Sue Howard, Betsy Cozine, Midge Tracy and Jane Ulicny. We’d also like to thank the following pecan business

partners who either sold pecans at their places of business or allowed Auxiliary members to sell pecans: Coca-Cola, Canterbury Court, Carter Barnes Phipps Plaza, Carter Barnes Paces Ferry, Felicity Hair Design Salon, Westminster School and Woo Cosmetics. Bart Marks and Mary Sue Howard sold at Canterbury Court and Mary Kay Howard and Carol Olsen sold at Coca-Cola. Last but not least, a BIG thank you to everyone who volunteered to work a Pecans on Peachtree shift. Many of you worked multiple times! We absolutely could not take on this project without your time, commitment and energy. You are what makes this fundraiser complete!!! The following members and volunteers worked at least one shift: Cookie Aftergut, Lesa Bell, Marla Bennett, Polly Bowman, Bee Breitenbach, Bonnie Capsuto, Kathy Caputo, Cathy Compton, Betsy Cozine, Maureen Escott, Lora Fishman, Diann Gillenson, Debbie Goot, Larry Greenberg, Randa Hamdan, Ann Kay, Mary Kay Howard, Mary Sue Howard, Anne Jones, Carol Jones, Betty Kreimer, Molly Lanier, Bart Marks, Karen Mathews, Barbara McArdle, Queen Noreiga, Phyllis Nygaard, Gwin Oliver, Carol Olsen, Lois Puckett, Shirley Rich, Bunny Rosenberg, Jennifer Sauers, Valerie Sikes, Eiren Steele, Linda Stephens, Gloria Stone, Janet Sunshine, Jan Thurston, Midge Tracy, Annie York-Trujillo, Jane Ulicny, Sandy Unruh, June Weitnauer, Cheryl Watkins, and Ginny Wolf. We’d like to offer special thanks to CB Richard Ellis, our Pecan Partner. Each year they send us wonderful volunteers to staff the sales kiosk, and we appreciate their continued support. I think I have included everyone but please forgive me (and let me know) if I have left anyone off. Pecans on Peachtree is a group effort and we appreciate everyone’s contributions. We should know just how successful we were in time for my next letter. Have a warm and wonderful January and I’ll see you around the Center! Sincerely,

Marla Bennett [email protected]

Starting with a Clean Slate: What’s Your New Year’s Resolution?

January is a time to look at the year ahead with fresh perspective and set goals for ourselves. Some are lofty, others are funny, but they give us a sense of purpose as we usher in a new year. What will you resolve to do in 2011? Chuck Nicolaysen (Patient Tutor) - “to make a contribution in some way that the world may be a better place because I did something worthwhile.” Jeff Savier (Locomotor) - “to earn a position as a Physical Therapist aide.” Holly Kelly (Patient Tutor) - “to listen more and talk less.” Ted Denning (Locomotor) - “to graduate with my Bachelor of Science in Recreation Therapy from Western Carolina University, become a Certified Recreational Therapy Specialist, then become a recreational therapist and complete my journey from Shepherd Center patient with a traumatic brain injury, to Shepherd Center volunteer for 3+ years, to recreational therapist working with fellow traumatic brain injury survivors.” Betsy Cozine (Auxiliary) – “to designate my time more wisely next year and save a little more time for my painting.” Linda Stephens and Alice Patterson (Breakfast Feeders) – “to get airway training so Bill Pritchard and Zach Wilson don’t have to do all the airway feedings themselves.” Kiel Voight (Locomotor) - “to run my first marathon.” Zada Weston-Hill (Welcome Desk) – “to build great mental and spiritual health with a positive attitude while achieving better physical health.” James Curtis (Foundation) - “to be the best I can be for Shepherd Center. In the past, I have benefited as an outpatient from Shepherd Center. I want to continue showing my appreciation.”



Volunteer Spotlight: Peer Visitors Bruce and Laura Allen When their daughter completed nursing school and joined the

staff in the Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) Unit of Shepherd in 2007, Bruce and Laura Allen had no way of knowing that they would one day become volunteer Peer Visitors there. However, it was not their daughter’s budding career that brought them to Shepherd; it was Bruce’s unexpected brain injury. In December of 2007, Bruce started having trouble completing basic daily tasks. He had undergone routine outpatient surgery just three weeks earlier, and now doctors discovered a fastgrowing infection that had spread to his brain and was wreaking havoc. After surgery and weeks of recovery, Bruce was admitted Peer Visitors Laura and Bruce Allen greet ABI patient family members. to Shepherd’s ABI Unit. During his stay, his wife Laura attended the weekday ABI Support Group meeting, where family members could ask questions, share concerns and experience empathy. As Bruce continued his recovery both at Pathways and at home, they both felt that the Lord was leading them to encourage and support other families in similar circumstances. Eventually the Allens trained with Ann Boriskie, Director of the Brain Injury Peer Visitor Association. They become part of her team of volunteer Peer Visitors, initiating a second weekly ABI Support Group meeting at Shepherd on the weekend. It was well attended from the very beginning, as even working family members could find time to participate on Saturdays. The Allens’ complex life experiences, caring hearts, and great communication skills are an excellent match for families supporting a loved one that has sustained a brain injury. We are very grateful they continue to reach out to others as ABI Peer Visitors throughout the year, sharing their story of healing and hope.

spotlight Left: Auxiliary members wrap blankets for Shepherd Center patients - an annual holiday gift from the Auxiliary. Front row: Ginny Wolf, Bart Marks, Ellie Bernhardt, and Mitzi Richardson. Back row: Betsy Cozine, Mary Sue Howard, Marla Bennett, Barbara McArdle, Sandy Unruh, and Linda Stephens. Above: Carol Malia helps decorate the Shepherd Center walkway for the holiday season. Right: Damaris Alvarado from Courtyard Marriott Midtown greets family member Maria Cook at the Family Brunch.

VOLUNTEER news Scott Sikes, Executive Director, Shepherd Center Foundation Midge Tracy, Director, Volunteer Services Alex Seblatnigg, Volunteer Manager & Newsletter Co-editor Gale Eckstein,Volunteer Services Assistant & Newsletter Co-editor Membership in the Shepherd Center Auxiliary, Peach Corps, SCS, and Junior Committee is open to all volunteers. Members provide ongoing fundraising and volunteer support to Shepherd Center. For more information on becoming a member of one of these groups, contact Midge Tracy at (404) 350-7315 or visit www. shepherd.org. Shepherd Center’s mission is to help people with a temporary or permanent disability caused by injury or disease rebuild their lives with hope, independence, and dignity, advocating for their full inclusion in all aspects of community life while promoting safety and injury prevention.

Left: Dr. Lewis Wheaton and his son, Lewis Wheaton Jr., donated dozens of toys to entertain visiting children in the Family Lounge.

Holiday Happenings at Shepherd Center

Members of the Ft. McPherson Band played beautiful holiday music for our patients, family members and staff. Jan Stair from Peachtree Garden Club adds the finishing touch to holiday decorations in the cafeteria.

Volunteer Lynne Elander works with a patient at the Holiday Art Clinic. Volunteer Anne Muller-Wise strings beads at the Holiday Art Clinic. Left: Kathy Healy, volunteer masseuse, shares holiday cheer with a patient family member. Right: Rebecca Baker, Jessica Harrison, and Alicia Dunn from Fairfield Inn & Suites got into the holiday spirit when they hosted a Family Brunch.

Holiday Happenings at Shepherd Center

Top left: Singers from Academe of the Oaks sang Christmas carols in the cafeteria and put us all in a festive mood. Top center: Volunteer Amy Bartholomew readies her station at the Holiday Art Clinic. Top right: Credit Suisse employees spent an afternoon decorating gingerbread houses with patients and their families. Right: Dr. Leslie thanks the volunteer gift wrappers from Accord Services.

Above: Members of the Peachtree Garden Club decorated the cafeteria for the holidays. Center Right: Dan Miears of Accord Services wraps gifts with a smile for patient family member Tena Testerman. Right: Carolers from Christ Church serenaded patients and their families.