The Bethesda BethesdaBethesda

ISSUE 3 • JUNE 2014

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 DaviesChief Executive Officer

IN THIS ISSUE

Respite ServicesPAGE 2

Thank You BethesdaPAGE 3

AMS PhoenixPAGE 4

Celebrating PeterPAGE 5

“Fun”raising for BethesdaPAGE 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.

PAGE 2

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

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.

• 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!

ResPite seRviCes

Bethesda Dinner Auction Provides Additional

By Alyson Wilson, Director of Bethesda Children’s services

saturday Recreation Program

Off to summer Camp

PA

GE 3

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!

tHAnk yOu BetHesDABy Maureen Fast

HAPPyRetiReMent!Hennie Vellenga

DA

elizabeth and Maureen showing off the Dinner Auction Raffle Prize

iPad social stories

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. 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

been doing to help further the Curriculum of Caring message visit CommunicateCare.MacHealth.ca – you’ll find them there!

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…

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AMs PHOenix PROjeCt:

uPDAte

for People with Developmental

Disabilities...

Compassion & Competence

Curriculum of Caring

Person-Centred

Health Care

that...

Communicate

CARE

PA

GE 5

Bethesda Friend spotlight

Peter Burke

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.

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.

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.

CeLeBRAtinGPeteR

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.

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.

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.

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!

“Fun”raising for BetHesDA

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!”

2014 Bethesda dinner auction

thank You Jack astor’s st. catharines!

40th Annual

FALL CLASSICGOLF TOURNAMENTTo benefit Bethesda & Hotel Dieu Shaver Health and Rehabilitation Foundation

MONDAY, SEPT. 8th, 2014 • ST. CATHARINES GOLF & COUNTRY CLUBFor information please email: events.admin@gncc.ca or call 905-684-2361

Celebrating Me and We

spotLight performs “We Are One”

kaleb janzen speaks from the heart aboutthe Respite Program.

Artwork created by individualssupported by Bethesda

Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce

Chaplains Cornerby

Mike Gilmore

PA

GE 7

Chaplains CornerChaplains Corner

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.

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

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

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

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www.bethesdaservices.com

Upcoming EventAttention 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.