HORIZONS A NEWSLETTER FOR FAMILIES AND FRIENDS OF CROTCHED MOUNTAIN WINTER 2007 VOLUME 7, NUMBER 1 FROM THE PRESIDENT Donald L. Shumway Assuring the Comforts of Home for Everyone It’s the New Year and a good time to look back on what we’ve accomplished here at Crotched Mountain, and to renew our commitments to the people, principles and projects that will define our work in the coming year. The Verney Avenue Apartments are finished and home to three residents living with brain injuries. The revolutionary design that is both sustainable and accessible was cited in a number of national science and architectural publications including Popular Science and Fine Homebuilding. The wood chip plant is up and running after a seamless transition and now provides heat and hot water to most of the Greenfield campus. Its development has inspired a number of similar plants around the country. The new Maintenance and Vocational Skills Center is slated to be finished this spring. And we extended our reach this year to provide case management services to several people in the Greater Boston area. There will be more on this exciting expansion in upcoming Horizons. As we settle back into our familiar routines after the excitement and energy of the holidays, I’m moved to think about those in our communities struggling with illnesses and disabilities related to age. New Hampshire’s senior population is booming. With this growth come the gifts of our senior population’s experience and wisdom, and a responsibility to address their needs. For many, aging brings added challenges of living on a fixed income, complex medical issues and increased difficulty managing the day-to-day tasks of living. Crotched Mountain is dedicated to assisting this population in the context of their homes and communities. In 1986, Crotched Mountain launched Crotched Mountain Community Care (CMCC) which began with a grant from the State of New Hampshire, Division of Mental Health,for which I served as Director. This pilot project provided elders and disabled adults with care coordination and advocacy to help them remain independent. Since then we have expanded our efforts with five regional offices around the state that served over 700 seniors and adults with disabilities last year. By monitoring and managing home care and linking elders with community services such as transportation, housing, respite care and a host of other resources, we make it possible for older adults to remain active and vital members of their communities. Experience has shown us that the benefits of a home and community-based approach to care are two-fold. First, it is well-known that quality of life is consistently better when people are allowed to remain in their homes and connected to family, friends and other supportive networks. Secondly, it makes good economic sense to care for people in their homes rather than in institutions. Caring takes many forms – from assessing social, psychological and medical needs to ensuring a safe, accessible home environment. Over the years, through a number of foundation grants, CMCC has made funds available to help people address safety issues in their homes. Ramps, handrails and other home modifications have allowed people to remain in their homes when they would otherwise be forced to enter residential care facilities. The Home Maintenance Program has been extremely valuable to our clients. The one-time repairs and modifications have greatly improved the quality of life of many seniors around the state. As our elder population continues to grow, it makes sense for us to continue to assist our most vulnerable citizens in ways that keep them close to home, and to ensure that anyone who wants to remain independent can do so in safety and with peace of mind. Best wishes to all for a healthy and happy year. Don Ray Mailloux of Community House Calls and Ann Schwartzwalder of CMCC join the Mitchells for the finishing touches on their ramp made possible through CMCC’s Home Maintenance Program and the Thompson Endowment Fund. PRODUCING ANNIE THE STORY BEHIND THE STORY When we watch a play, too rarely do we think about all the things that have to come together to create the polished production we see on stage. From concept to opening night to cast party, the number of details is daunting – even to the most seasoned producer. At Crotched Mountain, Bonnie Arpin’s Performing Arts class pulls it off every winter. And this year is no different as Bonnie, her students and dozens of Crotched Mountain volunteers and staff produce the musical, Annie. At one rehearsal, ten students armed with mops and sponges mime synchronized scrubbing to the song, Hard Knock Life. Director, Bonnie Arpin, always listening, watching and encouraging, shouts out cues, and frequently refers to a large binder open at the foot of the stage that holds every detail of the production. Teaching assistants swarm the stage helping here, adjusting there, cajoling, praising and singing along. Jenny Ventre, who plays Annie, says this is her sixth holiday show. It’s the second time around for co-star Chelsea Fernandes. Both look relaxed and pleased to be on stage. Chelsea, who hopes to become a music producer, says she loves the stage because “I get to express myself and live another person’s point of view.” For Jenny, who wants to teach adaptive dance, the lure of the stage is all about singing and dancing. “When I’m dancing I feel happy and free – like I’m flying,” she says. All together there are at least 40 students directly involved in the show. Performing Arts students help with casting decisions. Many prepare scenery and props. Others work the lighting and sound. School personnel contribute time and talent as well. Art teacher Bill Corwin, fashioned two, life-sized street lights from plywood. The sweeping grand staircase, centerpiece of Daddy Warbuck’s mansion, was designed and built by teaching assistant, Marcia Davis. The NY skyline, painted by students, was hung by the maintenance staff, along with a chandelier that can be raised and lowered for scene changes. Costumes, props, sets, programs, music, chorus– all require time, energy and commitment to accomplish– things that Crotched Mountain has in abundance. “Our annual production involves all kinds of people, from senior administrators to our many talented students,” says Bonnie. One other secret to the success of the performance is high expectations. “I never think about what my students can’t do; only what they can do,” says Bonnie. “I like seeing their enthusiasm and love of the performance, and the pride I see in them when they are doing their best.” “I never really think of them as having any disabilities,” she adds. “I make adaptations, yes, but only to allow them to show us what they do best. THE WILLOWS A COMMUNITY OF MUTUAL SUPPORT IN ACTION There's nothing so satisfying as when something works just the way it’s supposed to. Walking into the recreation room at Willows on a typical weekday afternoon, one gets the feeling that this is one of those places. It’s 2:00 pm and the seven girls ranging in age from 13 to 21 who live at the group residence on Crotched Mountain have not arrived home from school yet. Staff members take the opportunity to work on planning and paperwork before the most important work begins– creating a warm, nurturing home and community with the young women who live here. Led by house manager Jeanne LeFleur, the people of Willows forge a life together on and off Crotched Mountain that is lively, interesting and positive. A sign on the recreation room wall that reads “Children may forget what you say, but they’ll never forget how you make them feel,” could be their credo. “Jeanne’s major focus is to get the girls into the community,” says staff member Kate Geraci, who recites a litany of charitable events and other activities residents have enjoyed just over the past few months. Most notably, Jeanne, Kate and two residents, Rachael Horyn and Tonia Maeder, who are also students at Crotched Mountain School, took part in the challenging 60-mile Susan G. Komen Walk for Breast Cancer last summer in Boston. Together they not only walked 60 miles, but they raised over $10,000 for breast cancer research and awareness. Kate says the families helped out a lot. Rachael, who hails from Nantucket and knows just about everyone there, received enormous support from her island community. In addition, Willows had bake sales, car washes and benefited from the generosity of family, co-workers and friends. And they raised it all in just two months! Most recently, Willows stole the show at the shopping cart derby at the Monadnock Wellness Festival in Peterborough. The Wellness Princess (Megan Richards) and her pumpkin patch (Rachael, Tonia, Melissa Rorick, Kassie Jones and Caitlin Gamboli) all donned pumpkin suits, and joined the parade. “Everybody thought we were great.” says Jeanne, who has been with Crotched Mountain for 21 years, the last seven as manager of Willows. Jeanne says it’s absolutely vital to integrate the girls into the community as often as possible. “People need to see what they’re about,” she said. “We take them sledding and hiking. We’ve been to see Blue Man Group and just last week they went to see the Nutcracker. We’re going to try skiing this winter too.” And every summer they hit the road to go camping. “We do it up. We build a campfire and make s’mores. We cook outside. They’re pretty physical kids,” observes Jeanne. Which becomes evident when the girls come in from school. Cheerful greetings and reports of happenings at school break the calm. One excitedly shows off her latest purchase, a silver Christmas ball for her mother. Another joins staff members in poring over photographs of the recent tree-trimming party. The ratio of staff to residents is high. Five staff members will spend this and every afternoon and evening with the seven residents. Family members and friends of residents and staff are frequent visitors and the house takes on the feeling of a secure and caring home all wrapped up in a close-knit community. When the residents complete their education, they leave Willows supported by the Crotched Mountain transition teams and case managers. Some return to their home communities, while others find new places to live. “But wherever they go,” says Jeanne, “my hope is that every girl is safe and happy, and that others see what we see – people who are capable and valuable to their communities.” PASSING THROUGH SHORT STAYS OFFER LONG-TERM LESSONS They say education is a journey, and one of the stops along the way for nursing students from New Hampshire Technical Institute (NHTI) is the Children’s Specialty Hospital at Crotched Mountain. As part of their training to become Registered Nurses, students complete a five-week rotation at the 30-bed specialty hospital for children with brain injuries,developmental disabilities and other health challenges. Most of the children in the hospital have complex and chronic health conditions, so their stays at the hospital tend to be weeks or months. A rotation here allows students to focus on one patient, giving them a rare opportunity to build solid relationships with patients and their families, which helps greatly with their care decisions. Zachary Byrne, a UNH graduate with a degree in biology, follows 15-year old Robin, who has sustained a brain injury. Zachary says he’s valued the opportunity to really get to know him. He’s enjoyed many an afternoon engaged in Robin’s favorite role-playing game – a great way for Robin, who is non-verbal, to show his stuff. “He especially likes to imitate a race car driver,” says Zachary, showing us how Robin shifts through the gears. After graduation, Zachary wants to work in emergency medicine, preferably in a busy urban area. He currently works in a small emergency room near his home. Fellow student Teresa Pelky, has followed a circuitous career path – from a stint in the Marines, to information technology, and finally to nursing, a vocation she has long been drawn to, having worked as a nurse’s aide off and on over the years. “I did it for a long time and when I stopped, I missed the connection with people,” she says of her decision to pursue nursing. Her special interest is pediatric cardiology, so this rotation holds special relevance for her. She follows a 13-year old patient with degenerative dystrophy, here for palliative care. She, too, has learned much about getting to know people through expression, gesture and quality time spent together. “When I met my patient, who is non-verbal, I thought, how are we ever going to communicate? It turns out he’s very able. He has a great sense of humor, and laughs often,” says Teresa. Judy Maurer, an instructor at NHTI, accompanies the students on their rounds, offering direction and assistance when needed. She says Crotched Mountain is a good choice for a pediatric rotation because students have an opportunity to form real bonds with their patients. “It teaches them to see the child, not the disability,” she says. “And, it translates easily to the care of other of patients – people who have had a stroke or who are elderly.” Along with this learning comes valuable technical know-how and an understanding of the care and treatment of more complex medical issues. Students become familiar with the diagnosis and treatment of traumatic brain injuries, seizure disorders, spina bifida, cerebral palsy and other complex neurological and developmental disorders. They learn to care for children dependent upon gastric tubes for nutrition and tracheostomies for respiration. And, they learn how to address their patients from a holistic perspective. Teresa adds that she knew the care at Crotched Mountain was great even before she got here. “When I worked at a hospital in Concord, children who transferred from Crotched Mountain for treatment were always in good shape. It was clear they were getting wonderful care,” she said. THE FACE OF PHILANTHROPY Recent Grants Crotched Mountain actively pursues funding from foundations and government sources to supplement the gifts from the thousands of individual and community groups who loyally support us. We are pleased to report receiving the following grants over the past few months. The Rowland Foundation $150,000 This is the second year of a two-year grant supporting the Brain Injury Center of Excellence at Crotched Mountain. It will be used to develop a community based program to support brain injury survivors. The New Hampshire Charitable Foundation $47,000 We applied for and received grants from NHCF to fund three projects. First, a $20,000 grant will support the Healing Arts Program. A second grant of $15,000 from the Fund for Accessible Living will provide small grants to support the lives of people with physical disabilities. The last grant of $12,000 will support the community-based brain injury services initiative. Cogswell Benevolent Trust $15,000 This grant for the Healing Arts Program will support visiting artists engaged in projects with clients and staff. The Russell Piscataquog River Watershed Foundation $50,000 The Russell Foundation grant will support the development of the outdoor education program that will be the focus of the first accessible trail around Dutton Brook on the Crotched Mountain campus. This trail, including facilities such as an outdoor classroom and viewing blind, will be built this summer. The Bank of America Charitable Foundation $20,000 This grant will continue our project of providing opportunities for needed home improvement projects for low-income clients we serve through the Crotched Mountain Community Care program. Roger and Theresa Thompson Endowment Fund $18,500 This grant will allow the Crotched Mountain Community Care program to develop a business enterprise which will provide care management services under a fee arrangement to people who do not meet the income eligibility requirements of the existing program. The Gilbert Verney Foundation $30,000 The Gilbert Verney Foundation, a long-time supporter of Crotched Mountain, made a three-year commitment of $10,000 per year to support the accessible trails program. CHARITABLE GIVING FROM YOUR IRA New Program Encourages Charitable Giving for Seniors Last year Congress passed the Pension Protection Act (PPA) of 2006 which contained an exciting provision that allows seniors to make tax-free charitable gifts from their IRAs. But seniors will have to act this year because the law expires at the end of 2007. Seniors who are at least 70 1/2 may choose to make charitable distributions in any amount up to $100,000 from their traditional or Roth IRAs. Gifts must be made directly to qualified charities such as Crotched Mountain Foundation. Seniors who are required to take IRA withdrawals that they believe are unneeded for their living expenses will find this new law of particular interest. Since assets held in IRAs are subject to income tax when withdrawn and may also be subject to estate tax if left to loved ones other than a spouse, this law provides new opportunities for making charitable gifts. Making a gift from an IRA can also help seniors avoid additional taxes on their social security benefits. Gifts to charity from IRAs are also not subject to the limits on annual deductible contributions under the tax code. There are some restrictions on the types of gifts that qualify under this law. For example, a gift from an IRA cannot be used to fund a charitable gift annuity. Seniors should consult with their financial advisors to determine whether the PPA of 2006 makes sense for them. As always we are pleased to assist you with your questions about this law and other ways of making a gift to Crotched Mountain. Please contact Michael Redmond, Vice President for Advancement, 603-547-3311 ext. 404 or michael.redmond@crotchedmountain.org. BRIEFLY Noted KUDOS TO CROTCHED MOUNTAIN’S FINEST Two nurses from Hayden Children’s Specialty Hospital received good news recently. Sue Sperry LPN, who is currently pursuing her RN at NH Community Technical College, was chosen by the NH Long Term Care Health Foundation to receive one of its major scholarship awards toward the completion of her RN program. At a dinner and reception in October, Sue was praised for her high quality work and the attributes of selflessness, compassion, intellect and leadership that she brings to it. Jessica Teates, RN, Nurse Manager at Hayden, also received word of an educational achievement in nursing. Jess, who took the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) certification exam in Medical Surgical Nursing received word that she passed. ANCC certification is comparable to AMA Board Certification for physicians, and is recognized as the gold standard for specialty certifications. ESSAY TAKES STUDENT TO TOP OFFICE Thanks to a winning essay about his career goals, Miles Forma, a nineteen year-old student at Crotched Mountain School, was selected to spend the morning of October 18th in the office of Governor John Lynch as part of Disability Mentoring Day, an internationally recognized initiative that promotes career development for students and job-seekers with disabilities through job shadowing and hands-on career exploration. Forma, whose family lives in Mamaroneck, NY, has cerebral palsy. He uses a wheelchair for mobility and communicates using a DynaVox speech-output device. CMF THINKS AHEAD Crotched Mountain received the Land Ethic for Tomorrow Award (LEFT Award) from the New Hampshire Land Surveyors Association (NHLSA) in November. The award recognizes an individual, company or government agency that has made unique and significant land-use decisions based upon accurate and complete land information gathered and used in an advanced and innovative manner. Accepting the award, Don Shumway said, “This award recognizes that we carefully plan for the future of our campus and the environment, and that we truly care about the future of New Hampshire’s landscape. WEAVING OUR STORIES TOGETHER The Healing Arts Initiative at Crotched Mountain continued with weaver Sarah Haskell who led folks from the Brain Injury Center, Children’s Specialty Hospital and Crotched Mountain School and residential programs in community-building weaving projects. Weavers took turns choosing strips of colorful felt and weaving them into mandalas with hues and textures representative of everyone in the group. Sarah says such projects “help us make meaning of our experiences in the world.” WOOD CHIP PLANT IS TURN-KEY OPERATION The wood chip plant is up and running, and according to all reports the start-up was smooth as silk. Testing of systems will continue for several weeks. A ribbon-cutting opening is planned. CLINTON HILLIARD SERIES March, 2007, Date to be announced Adaptive Competitive Skiing Tyler Walker, University of NH student and member of the US Disabled Ski Team will speak about his life as a competitive skier. Tyler, a double amputee since the age of four has met with much success skiing competitively on a mono ski. Skiing since the age of 13, Tyler rapidly worked his way up the competitive ranks to join the US Disabled Ski Team at the age of 16. He competed at the 2006 Paralympic Winter Games in Torino, Italy where he placed 15th in the Downhill event, 11th in the Super G, 6th in the GS and 14th in the Slalom. April 10, 2007, 3:15 pm Over My Head Claudia Osborn, M.D. is an Associate Clinical Professor of Internal Medicine at Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine. She is an advisor on traumatic brain injury education and prevention to government agencies including the institute of Medicine, the Center for Disease Control, the National Institutes of Health in Washington DC, and the Michigan Department of Health. Formerly a physician with a practice in Detroit, her career ended abruptly one summer evening when her bicycle was struck by an automobile and she sustained a traumatic brain injury. Following rehabilitation, she returned to Michigan and began writing. Over My Head, an account of her unrelenting and courageous pursuit to cope with life following severe traumatic brain injury. HORIZONS Published by the Office of Advancement Edited by Robin Boyd Crotched Mountain Foundation One Verney Drive, Greenfield, NH 03047 603-547-3311, ext. 401 robin.boyd@crotchedmountain.org Photos by Clair Abel, Pat Whitney, Don Shumway, Robin boyd, Kate Geraci, Kim Cole As a service to our readers, please write us at the above address if you wish to have your name removed from our mailing list for fund-raising requests supporting Crotched Mountain.