A RED-Letter Day at Krause

RED Day (Renew, Energize and Donate) is national Keller Williams Realty initiative to improve local communities.  Each year, on the second Thursday in May, tens of thousands of associates from across the United States and Canada participate in a wide range of service projects, specifically in the neighborhoods where they work. Projects are chosen by each individual Keller Williams office based on a need they identify within their own community. Held Thursday, May 12^th this year, the project chosen for the 3^rdAnnual RED Day by Keller Williams Premier Realty in Katy was Krause Children’s Center.

The scope and volume of work and the energy they brought to Krause was extraordinary! This group was well organized and served with a smile. There was not a job too big for them.  It was awesome how they worked together. We felt the love all over the building as the red shirts flooded the Krause Center.  Following is a report (edited for space) by Tammy Harris, the 2011 RED Day event coordinator for Keller Williams in Katy:

It’s hard to describe the impact RED Day had on the residents and staff at the Krause Children’s Center. They are still celebrating the day and the blessings we shared with them. The accomplishments and gifts left a lasting impression on everyone involved. Thanks again to every volunteer, worker bee, agent, staff member, and participant who helped make May 12, 2011, a RED DAY we will not soon forget.

RED DAY ACCOMPLISHMENTS

With the monies raised from our corporate sponsors, agent donations, and RED Day fundraisers, we were able to gift the following items to the Krause Children’s Center:

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• 1 year supply of ice cream in the Krause cafeteria
• 24 new sports balls (soccer, basketball, volleyball, football & dodgeball)
• 1 new outdoor weather-resistant storage unit for sports equipment
• 10 new pool noodles, 4 new beach balls  and 10 new frisbees
• 15 new sets of linens for current and future residents
• 8 new motivational posters for the day rooms
• Checkers, dominoes, playing cards and  Uno
• 10 new DVD movies
• Assorted board games – Yahtzee, Scrabble, Racko, Mad Gab and Pit
• 4 (500-Piece) puzzles and  6 (XL) coloring books
• Assorted Xbox 360 Games – MBA 2011, Michael Jackson, Madden 2011 & Dance Central
• Assorted Wii games – Just Dance, Big Beach Sports, Game Party & Build-n-Race
• Goodie basket treats that included personalized baskets, beach towels, RED Day journals, shampoo, shower gel, body lotion, chapstick, assorted chips, fruit snacks and assorted candies

RED DAY Volunteers

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A total of 105  volunteers worked hand-in-hand on RED Day at the Krause Children’s Center. These volunteers worked from as early as 7:00 am until the last item was cleared at 4:00 pm. Special kudos to our friends, business affiliates and relatives who joined us and rolled up their sleeves to put in some priceless sweat equity (even in the rain).

Because of these worker bees, our talented steering committee and our agent volunteers, we were able to accomplish the following on RED Day and in the days after the event:

• We assembled and distributed personalized goodie baskets for 40 Krause residents
• We assembled and distributed goodie bags for 115 Krause Center employees
• We organized a surprise Pizza Party/luncheon for the Krause residents and staff
• We replaced, restored and primed the Krause garden planters for a spring/summer crop
• We painted 27 resident dorm rooms & 27 bathrooms
• We painted 4 laundry rooms & 2 day rooms
• We installed carpet in 2 meditation rooms
• We delivered 500+ pieces of new and gently used luggage for departing residents
• We transformed 4 dry erase boards into chalkboards
• We delivered 24 classroom desks for the charter school on site at Krause

RED DAY Corporate Sponsors

We collectively raised over $6,000 to finance all of our RED Day projects. Our Corporate Sponsors included the following businesses and we could not have done it without each of you; your generosity will not be forgotten. Special kudos to every business that donated at every level:

PLATINUM SPONSORS

ABM                                        

Network Funding                      

Pittsburgh Paints

PREMIER SPONSORS

Academy Sports & Outdoors                             

Babbaloo International Café & Bar                      

Carl Bassewitz – The Big Fan Experience           

Chicago Title                                        

CiCi’s Pizza Katy Mills                                     

Farmer’s Insurance – Rigo Villarreal       

First American Title                                           

Frito Lay                                              

Homes & Land Magazine                                  

McCoy Workplace Solutions                  

Midway BBQ                                                    

Stewart Title                 

GOLD SPONSORS

Trendmaker Cross Creek

BRONZE SPONSORS

Cornerstone Mortgage                                       

Credit Score Consultants

Firethorne                                                         

Katy Orange Guy

Mason Mortgage                                               

National Credit Federation

Perry Homes                                                    

RMJ Home Services

Titan Business Suites

RED Letter Day at Krause

Elite WWII Paratrooper is VGF Resident

[UPDATE: Click here to see KHOU Houston interview with Bob Rust]

Bob Rust, an 86-year-old resident at The Village at Gleannloch Farms in Spring, Texas, was only 18 when the young World War II soldier joined one of the US Army’s most elite fighting units—the 517th Regimental Parachute Team. The men of the 517^th were some of America’s best, called on to fight their way from the south of France through Italy, Belgium, and finally into Hitler’s Germany. This unit is officially connected to five campaigns, but one event especially stands out in Bob’s memory: an onslaught in the winter of 1944 that became the crucial focus of the war—later known as the Battle of the Bulge.

Ultimately, the 517th was credited with stopping the forward advance of the “bulge” in its tracks, sealing the demise of the Third Reich. Bob’s battalion was honored with the French Croix de Guerre, the Belgian Croix de Guerre, and a special Unit Citation, given only by direct authority of the President of the United States.

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“They were very brave men, any of whom would have died for each other without hesitation. They moved forward with dedication and unflinching courage. I was very fortunate to serve with them,” said Rust.

Wounded twice during the Second World War—steel shrapnel from a German artillery shell is still lodged in his back—Bob is now considered technically disabled. A year ago, he came to live at The Village at Gleannloch Farms and “gets around” without any assistance in the independent living part of the community.

Today, Bob’s medals adorn the wall of his apartment: A Bronze Star and Purple Heart with Oak Clusters, among others. He enjoys talking to other veterans at his new home, where he says, “we’re all like one big family.”

Celebrating Memorial Day is a timely opportunity to remember the sacrifices made by Bob Rust, the men of the 517^th, and other veterans who fought for our freedom.

The Village at Gleannloch Farms is a LSS senior living community in Spring, TX, offering 123 independent living apartments and cottages for active adults aged 62 and above. In addition, the community offers a continuum of care including 30 assisted living apartments, 18 memory support residences, and 35 private skilled nursing suites. For information: www.villageatgleannlochfarms.com; (877) 312-2140.

Is There a Teddy Bear Doctor in the House?

At the Nelson Children’s Center, yes there is! Her name is Anita Ferguson, a Denton resident and longtime volunteer, who serves as a mentor and surrogate parent for several kids at the Nelson Center.

While Anita doesn’t claim a medical license, she does have a big heart, a sewing machine, and very crafty fingers. That’s all we need for Teddy Bear Doctor credentials.

At the Nelson Center, children often arrive with no more than a plastic trash bag of personal belongings, because many have been bounced around half a dozen home placements throughout the previous year or so. Consequently, those few items in the trash bag are precious, as are any other belongings the kids acquire from the “Point Store” (the Nelson “rewards store” for positive behavior) or from birthdays, Christmas, etc.

Teddy bears have great value here. They represent safety, security, and innocence to children who have lacked most of these things in the past. Because of the sometimes aggressive nature of many of our children, stuffed animals often take the brunt of a tantrum or outburst. It is so important to the staff at Nelson Center to help the kids keep the few belongings they have in good condition, so we  sought out a “Teddy Bear Doctor” to fix any major or minor repairs needed. Anita has been faithfully fulfilling that role for the past two years. She has reattached limbs, reunited tails with backsides, and performed many other forms of “cosmetic surgery.” Her most recent “patient” belonged to a 9-year-old boy. The bright orange teddy bear had a detached muzzle, and you can see by the post-surgery picture (above) he is back in one cuddly piece. 

We are so thankful for Anita, her good heart, and her talent! Because of her teddy bear skills, the kids continue to have a piece of tangible, huggable security to call their own.

Meet Sonya: a little girl who gets the giggles

Sonya (not her real name and photo) was born on October 5, 2007, in the Bulgarian village of Medovene. Placed in the orphanage just five months later, the baby girl was given the diagnosis of “failure to thrive.” She is still tiny for her age and while she is somewhat delayed in her physical and neurological development, her institutional delays are quite common.

What Sonya does thrive on is praise! She just lights up when someone says “Well done!” She is described as “lively and responsive to emotional contact” as well as “rarely irritable or capricious.” She giggles happily when playfully teased, and while she speaks in unintelligible phrases she is able to imitate meaningful words.

Sonya has a slight limp in the left leg and only began walking around her second birthday. She can climb up and down stairs while holding someone’s hand and occasionally meets with a physical therapist and a speech/language pathologist. At only 3 ½ years old, Sonya has a hopeful future if she can find a nurturing family to give her the love and attention she needs to flourish.

For more information about adopting Sonya, please contact Konnie Gregg by e-mail at Konnie.Gregg@lsss.org or call either 512-454-4611 or 800-396-4611.

Sonya, like the other Bulgarian children we have been featuring, has special needs and is available for immediate adoption. The entire adoption process could take less than 12 months. Many healthy children, ages two and over, are also awaiting homes and families in the United States, but the process and the wait is longer.

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LSS Board Extends CEO Kurt Senske’s Contract to 2018

In a unanimous vote, the Board of Directors for Lutheran Social Services of the South (LSS) approved a contract extension for current chief executive officer Dr. Kurt Senske at a quarterly board meeting held on Friday, May 13. Dr. Senske’s contract extension secures his position as CEO through the end of 2018. He has served in that capacity since 1997 and started with the agency in 1994. As chief executive, Senske led the growth of the 130-year-old agency to its current status as the largest provider of children’s services in Texas, broadened and diversified the senior services portfolio, and guided the successful conclusion of thousands of claims made by Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Ike victims while strengthening fiscal agency health and improving the quality of LSS programs.

Lutheran Social Services of the South is a multi-service nonprofit agency with 31 locations in Texas and Louisiana. It operates continuum of care retirement communities, residential treatment centers for abused and neglected youth, a shelter for refugee minors, foster care and adoption services, disaster response, community assistance programs, and charter schools.  The current operating budget of LSS is approximately $100 million, and the agency employs about 1,000 people. LSS raises about $25 million annually from private donors and grants in order to meet the highest quality standards of care and operating expenses.    

“With state budget cuts looming and change the only certainty, we’re privileged to have Kurt’s leadership secured during this critical time,” said Allison Mull of North Richland Hills, chair of the LSS Board. “The Board is confident in Kurt’s abilities to channel the agency’s resources to where they are needed most while continuing to guide LSS to a position of strength. His proven track record as leader of LSS over the past 14 years, his diverse educational background, and his focus on the mission give the Board that confidence.”

“The legacy of LSS is its ability to adapt to change and continue to serve our most vulnerable citizens while remaining fiscally sound and true to the original intent of the mission,” said John Long of El Paso, LSS Board member and chair of the Personnel Committee. “Dr. Senske’s proven leadership has positioned LSS well to be flexible during uncertain times.” 

“The social services world in which LSS operates is rapidly changing. Programs are facing significant funding cutbacks and we’re being asked to serve more with less,” said Senske. “What has not and will not change is that LSS will continue to provide quality Christian care for all our existing clients, and seek every opportunity to expand our services to the least of these.” 

Dr. Senske holds a degree in law from the University of Illinois, a Ph.D in government from the University of Texas in Austin, a master of arts in international relations from Schiller International University in Paris, France, and a bachelor’s degree in business from Valparaiso University in Valparaiso, Indiana. He also serves as chairman of the Board for Thrivent Financial, a Fortune 500 financial services organization. Dr. Senske has authored three books, his latest entitled The Calling: Living A Life of Significance, is available on Amazon.com, Barnes&Noble.com, and at other book retailers.

On the Air with Rhonda

Care-Connect on KJCE

Recently I was invited to be an in-studio guest of the Dr. Dan Show on Austin radio station KJCE. Dr. Dan Ladd is a local dermatologist and his “Be Healthy for Life” show airs Saturdays, 9-10am on TALK 1370. His wife Lurleen Ladd, a social worker in a former life, co-hosts with him.

I stopped by the station on May 7th to discuss senior care management and explain what a Geriatric Care Manager (GCM) does. As program manager of Care-Connect Senior Services for LSS, I frequently speak to different groups, congregations, and retirement communities on senior care issues.

Security at the radio station is pretty tight, so we met in the studio parking lot and were escorted into the building, all the while discussing the upcoming show. I admit I was nervous about talking for a whole hour, but the Ladds assured me it would “seem like five minutes.” They were right! I felt like I was just getting warmed up and it was over! They were both so easygoing and fun, and during the breaks we chatted about what to talk about next; Dr. Dan doesn’t like to “over-rehearse” because he says it messes up the natural flow of the conversation.

The video clip above focuses on just one particular eldercare issue: the common problem many seniors have keeping up with their medications. Of course, this is just the tip of the senior care iceberg. Now that I’m a radio “veteran,” I’m looking forward to my next opportunity to hit the airwaves on subjects like navigating the maze of long-term care services, Care-Connect, and the wonderful services we provide for seniors, their families, and their caregivers.

Care-Connect is a senior care management and home care service that enables seniors to remain independent and safe in their living environment. Learn more at www.care-connect.org, or call 866-963-5777.

BeREAL Artist Shows His Stuff

BeREAL* youth Joseph Hensley had two paintings featured in the New Orleans Contemporary Arts Center (CAC) show “Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow: Teen Artists’ Perceptions of Time.”  Joe’s medium is acrylic on paper, and his works were titled “Self Effigy” and “A Native in Green.” Joe is a junior and a talented visual arts student at John McDonogh Senior High School in New Orleans.  His BeREAL Transition Coach Michael Patrick, BeREAL Program Director Christie Kieschnick, Department of Child & Family Services (DCFS) caseworker, and friend Akieba Sims (who is also a BeREAL youth) accompanied Joe to view his art on display.

The art display ran from March 19 through May 1.  It showcased the teens’ interpretations of past, present, and future personal experiences, dreams, fears, and hopes.  The CAC Teen Board curated this eclectic collection of recent student artwork, representing 16 local area schools. The CAC provides support to artistic teenagers by giving them a place to display their work and develop their artistic passions. 

Congratulations, Joe!

* BeREAL (Ready, Educated, Accomplished Leaders), a project of Lutheran Social Services in collaboration with the Louisiana Dept. of Children & Family Services, provides transition services for youth ages 13-25 aging out of Louisiana’s foster care system, through training, support, and mentoring programs.

A Salute to LSS Nurses During National Nurses Week

Nursing is an art, a science and a calling all rolled up into one profession. Nurses comprise the largest group of healthcare professionals, with nearly 3.1 million registered nurses nationwide meeting the ever-expanding health care needs of this nation. Lutheran Social Services employs 121 nurses and certified nursing and medication assistants throughout Texas in a variety of capacities. For example:

· Phyllis Christensen RN, Mary Appl LVN, and Julie Pedro LVN, are forever on the road visiting foster care homes all over the state, making sure the Primary Medical Needs children we serve receive the best possible care.

· LSS corporate nurse Sara Rodriguez RN, provides education and training to our medical staff and Care-Connect senior care attendants.

· At our Health for Friends Clinic in Lubbock, Tami Washington LVN, offers screening and diabetes consultation to those who cannot afford health insurance.

· Hortencia Hinojosa RN, and Belinda Rosales LVN, monitor and assist the elderly and disabled day residents at Buena Vida Adult Day Center in El Paso.

· At our senior facilities: Mary Charles LVN, is the one nurse on staff at Wedgewood South Assisted Living in Lubbock. In our Skilled Nursing and Memory Care communities, 26 RNs and LVNs work at The Village at Gleannloch Farms in Spring; we have 17 RNs and LVNs at Kruse Village in Brenham.

· Five LVNs monitor the health of the vulnerable children at our residential treatment centers.

“National Nurses Week” is celebrated annually from May 6^th (also known as “National Nurses Day”) through May 12^th, the birthday of Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing. This is the perfect time and opportunity to give special recognition for the steadfast efforts and dedication of our LSS nurses. From bedside nursing in homes, clinics, adult day care, and long-term care facilities, LSS nurses work tirelessly to serve those in need. Our deepest admiration and appreciation for the important work they all do.

Good Hair Days at the Nelson Center

Bad hair days can actually have a negative impact on self-esteem. So what can you do to prevent bad hair days? The first step is to make sure your hair is healthy and cared for.

The girls at the Nelson Children’s Center in Denton often arrive with very little knowledge of hair care and other healthy self-care “must-dos,” and little-to-no self esteem to build upon – typical side-effects of the neglect and abuse most have suffered prior to moving into the Center.

A new “Life Skills” series of volunteer programs for the girls was recently launched at Nelson, designed to teach, empower, and encourage healthy self-care practices. T

he first program was an evening of hair care tips and techniques.  Volunteers with many different textures of hair presented a panel discussion on healthy hair care practices, and the girls were encouraged to ask questions.

At the end of the program, each girl met with a volunteer to have her hair individually styled. There were 14 volunteers and 18 Nelson Center young ladies. It was a night to remember for all of them, as the girls are learning that it is important to maintain a good appearance in order to feel good about themselves.

Give a Gift of Significance for Graduation

If someone in your life is graduating from high school or college soon, it’s likely you are trying to come up with the perfect gift to give them, to celebrate this milestone. You could give that new graduate a wallet. Perhaps a new computer or a mini fridge for a college dorm. Some people lean toward the practical, giving cash or gift cards, luggage, or a camera.

Wouldn’t you prefer to give a gift your graduate will appreciate long after graduation ― a gift of significance?

A book written by Dr. Kurt Senske, our CEO at Lutheran Social Services, could be the solution to your gift-giving dilemma. The Calling: Live a Life of Significance includes some concrete ideas about how to lead the best life we can. Graduates just starting out on new paths in life can use all the guidance they can get!

The Calling, now in its third printing, is also available on Kindle. It applies so well to the lives of new graduates because it enlightens readers on the true meaning of “success,” and how one’s vocation can determine how we live out our lives in all its realms: family, professional, community, and congregational. 

The Calling appeals to the practical rather than simply theoretical reader, providing an eight-step roadmap to follow in the course of day-to-day living. A series of self-evaluation exercises help establish and set goals while avoiding common pitfalls.

The Calling stands to become the next timeless graduation gift book, in the company of such classics as Dr. Seuss’s Oh, the Places You’ll Go! or Congratulations! Now What? A Book for Graduates by Bill Cosby. It’s a great way to say, “You did it, now good luck!”

 The Calling: Live a Life of Significance can be purchased online: Amazon.com, Barnes&Noble.com, and through Concordia Publishing House. All proceeds benefit the ministries of Lutheran Social Services.