Winter/Spring 2015

winter/spring 2015
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Success Story
Caroline
Caroline says she stopped fitting in when she was 12. She’d had a happy childhood with lots of
friends. But then her family moved and Caroline started seventh grade in a new school where no
one liked her. In fact, she was bullied.
It wasn’t until 10th grade that she made any friends, but not
at school. Her friends were the 21-year-old people she
worked with in the kitchen of an assisted living facility, and
they introduced her to smoking pot and drinking.
Using drugs gave Caroline the first relief she had from the
anger and depression she’d felt since moving to the new
school. So she kept using them. She got her high school
diploma, worked, and earned money to go to community
college, but she continued to drink and smoke. From 11th
grade through college graduation, Caroline says, she never
spent one full day sober.
Caroline kept working in the food service industry. Eventually,
though, her drug use started to damage her personal and
professional life. She was told she would lose her job if he didn’t
get treatment, so she went to rehab. It was the first program of
many; she went in and out of rehab and detox 20 times over a
10-year period. At one point in her struggle she received a
diagnosis of bipolar disorder, putting one more burden on
Caroline’s shoulders.
Then Caroline found her way to POWER. After graduating
from POWER House, she stayed sober longer than she ever
had before — two and a half years. She liked that, in addition
to teaching sobriety skills, POWER offered classes like writing
Thursday, April 16, 2015
and healthy living. POWER gave her structure and, for the first
time in a long time, she felt calm. Maybe most important of all,
Caroline says POWER helped her learn how to relate to others.
Although she sometimes felt uncomfortable around people,
“POWER staff refused to let me hide.”
“At POWER I finally felt accepted.
I wasn’t an outcast.”
Caroline relapsed, which is sometimes part of the disease, but
then she went back into treatment. Although she received care
through other agencies, POWER is the one she returns to.
With more than 10 years clean and sober, Caroline remains
employed in the food service industry and she remains
connected to POWER. She participated in the Faces of
Recovery photography project for POWER’s 20th anniversary
celebration. She is a member of the POWER Alum Association
and supports the agency by attending events. Why does
Caroline remain part of the POWER family? Because, Caroline
says, “At POWER I finally felt accepted. I wasn’t an outcast.”
Board of Directors
Erin M. Felix, President
Sherree R. Goldstein, Vice President
Susan S. Everingham, Secretary
Eileen Simmons, Treasurer
Jan Bamford
Tina Flowers
Judith Griggs, PhD
Christine Hoover
Nancy Kurdyla
Judith R. Owen
Mary Prezioso
Margaret Sitko
John Wilds, PhD
Roger Yost
Advisory Council
Arthur M. Scully, III, Chair
Jan Bleier
Paul E. Block
Darieth Chisolm
Christopher Dunn
Dr. Andrea Fox
Judge Livingstone M. Johnson
Gayle Manning
Grant McLaughlin
Terry Miller
Tom Murphy
Boyd Murray
Raj Narendran
Jan Pagliari
Norma Raiff
Kristi Rogers
Cindy Shapira Mindy Shreve
Lora Sigesmund
Joy Starzl
Jim Turner
Dr. Abraham Twerski
Virginia Volponi
Mike Walsh, PhD
Sheila Washington
Brenda Joyce Waters
Karen Farmer White
Lois R. O’Connor, Emeritus
dear friends,
As I write this, it’s almost February, but New Year’s resolutions are still fresh
in my mind. Like most of us, I make—and break—resolutions each year. But
I hope this year will be different: This year, I resolve to do my part to end the
stigma around addiction.
Several months ago, when a local police department began offering Narcan
to overdose victims, I watched a backlash unfold in our local news outlets
and on social media. Commenters repeatedly blamed drug users, harshly
suggesting that all consequences – even death – are deserved.
But I had to wonder: How many of those who were so quick to judge have ever driven above
the speed limit, tried marijuana, or had too much to drink? Choices we make every day have
implications for our health and wellbeing, but we cut ourselves some slack. I believe we owe that
same respect to individuals for whom overdose prevention medications may be a lifesaving measure.
Is Narcan different from a defibrillator for someone in cardiac arrest or an EpiPen for a person
suffering from a severe allergic reaction? I don’t think so.
Addiction is often viewed as a moral failing, but it is a disease that directly affects two out of three
families — people of all races, education levels, socio-economic statuses, and religious backgrounds.
In 2015, I vow that POWER will continue to educate the public and advocate for resources like
Narcan in our communities to ensure that those who struggle with alcohol and other drugs are saved
from preventable tragedies. I hope you’ll join me in making 2015 the year we say goodbye to the
stigma and shame around addiction and open our hearts and arms to those who need our help.
Rosa Davis, MSW, ACSW
Executive Director
Kudos & Special Thanks
Administration
Rosa Davis, MSW, ACSW
Executive Director
Diane Johnson, RN, BSN
Associate & Clinical Director
Madelon Edelstone, MEd
Associate & Development Director
Debra Raubenstrauch, MPM
Director of Finance & Operations
Olivia Zitelli, MSW, SPHR
Director of Human Resources, HR-C
• Kudos to Gretchen Luchs, Clinical
Supervisor at POWER House, who
completed her certification for EMDR
(Eye Movement Desensitization and
Reprocessing) therapy. EMDR therapy has
been proven successful in the treatment
of post-traumatic stress disorder.
• Thanks to the Verizon TelecomPioneers,
longtime supporters, who stopped by in
November to deliver a donation check.
POWER welcomes questions, comments,
and suggestions from our readers
about programs, services, and topics
discussed in our newsletter. Please
send all inquiries to:
Development & Communications Associate
Volunteers
Daviea Davis &
Valerie Bacharach
412.243.7535, ext. 223
Development Director
Kate Gross, volunteer
Diane Johnson, Associate & Clinical Director
Design by: SJH Design
• Congratulations to Sherri Roberts, the newest
artist to be added to the POWER Collection.
• Special thanks to Daviea Davis and Valerie
Bacharach, who are working on a project
that incorporates mosaic art and poetry in the
décor of the Great Hall at POWER House.
Editor
Emily Stimmel
Contributing Writers
Rosa Davis, Executive Director
Karen Clark, Volunteer Coordinator
Madelon Edelstone, Associate &
Rhonda Schuldt & Sherri Roberts,
POWER Collection artist
Karen Clark and Emily Stimmel with Verizon
TelecomPioneers’ Mary Palfy (center).
Mark Thursday, April 16 on your
calendars! POWER Promises is
moving to April this year.
Robert Levin and his wife,
Dr. Kerry Bron, are our Honorary
Chairs for the second year and we
couldn’t be happier. The evening
will be filled with the celebratory
spirit that honors women and
men in recovery.
As always, the highlight of the
evening will be the presentation
of three POWER graduates whose
stories will no doubt bring the
crowd to their feet. Dinner by
Tallulah’s Catering, music by
DJ Kelli Burns, silent auction, raffles,
a live auction led by Tom Murphy,
and appearances by celebrity guests
Cara Sapida, Sally Wiggin, and emcee
Brenda Waters will round out this annual
event that combines fun and purpose. To top it
off, we’re also raffling off two Steelers tickets!
Email [email protected] to enter your name
in the drawing. Tickets are available for a suggested donation
of $10 each, $25 for three, or $50 for 10.
Jan Bamford & Sherree Goldstein
Dr. Kerry Bron
& Robert Levin
Cara Sapida
& Jack Bellas
Brenda Waters & Sally Wiggin
Clinical Spotlight:
Cutting-Edge
Training
Infusing the culture to
reflect trauma-informed
care (TIC) requires
continued attention
and creative solutions.
This year, to help us continue our efforts to
provide TIC and to help staff integrate the
concepts into their own practice, POWER staff
is providing several internal workshops that
support POWER’s foundation of genderresponsive, trauma-informed care. We are
eager to provide a forum for staff to develop
training skills by giving them the opportunity to
co-facilitate workshops with more experienced
trainers and develop expertise in their areas
of interest. Continuing education credits are
offered for selected workshops. Workshops
are focused on treatment modalities that
reflect POWER’s mission and core values,
including gender-responsive and traumainformed care; Motivational Interviewing;
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT); health
and wellness; medication-assisted therapy;
and overdose prevention.
Workshops are offered twice a year to ensure
all staff has an opportunity to participate.
The trainings have been well received, with
some staff declaring the DBT workshop one
of the best trainings they ever attended! The
workshop lays the groundwork for POWER
to further develop its DBT programming and
supports the overall trauma-sensitive culture
of POWER by encouraging the practice of
validation and mindfulness skills.
We are excited to provide staff opportunities
to develop their expertise as trainers, while
offering top quality workshops to POWER staff
in modalities that reflect POWER’s theoretical
underpinnings. We look forward to extending
the workshops to other providers in the
near future.
Diane Johnson, RN, BSN
Associate & Clinical Director
Photos by: Kristy Lumsden Photography
April is National Alcohol Awareness Month.
Thank you
POWER
volunteers!
volunteer news
Cindy Ortenzo
delivered 27
hoodies donated
by St. Louise de
Marillac Church.
A broken femur
didn’t stop
Rosemary
Hulsman from
organizing her 23rd
holiday gift project!
Anita Lioi, Sandie Stuart, Vicky Clancy,
Carol Jeffrey, Dawn Getty and Debbie Weis,
members of GlaxoSmithKline’s Women’s
Leadership Initiative, baked holiday cookies
with POWER House residents.
Over 20 volunteers from Word of God parish and
Delta Kappa Gamma, plus 18 South Brook Middle
School students, helped Rosemary Hulsman wrap
holiday gifts.
Eileen Flaherty
delivers gifts
from Shadyside
Presbyterian
Church.
Board Member Judi Owen and her daughter
Lauren deliver throws they bought as holiday
gifts for House residents.
Krista Kaley,
her parents
Dan and Pat,
and the staff
of Victorian
Finance donated
toys for clients’
children.
Ernestine Myreck
was one of the
Factory’s volunteer
receptionists.
Holy Wisdom’s Gail Buchman and POWER
Volunteer Jamie Grimes with gifts for POWER
clients’ children
Mary McKinney
is doing clerical
projects at
POWER’s
administrative
offices.
Arlene Cain helps
staff the Factory
reception desk.
Jason Shellhammer and Mike Schramm
deliver holiday gift bags from Giant Eagle.
Southbrook Middle School gift wrappers
To become a POWER volunteer,
please contact Karen Clark at
[email protected] or
412.243.7535, ext. 214
Members of the POWER
Alum Association
assemble bears with
inspirational messages to
give to POWER clients.
“Storms make trees
take deeper roots.”
~ Dolly Parton
Tasia Blair
of Alpha
Phi, Epsilon
Iota chapter,
displays pillows
at Sunflower
POWER.
Daviea Davis
measures the
space in
POWER House’s
Great Hall where
she will install
glass art pieces
she’s creating
for POWER.
Stuffed animals donated
by Mt. Lebanon United
Methodist Church
POWER Connection Manager Lori Abbott
talks about a clerical project with volunteer
Devika Wheatley.
Marcia Smith is helping POWER staff member
Emily Stimmel and is walking with POWER
House residents.
Max Chis, Emily Szopinski, Sandra Saba, and
Mili Patel of Pitt’s Campus Women’s
Organization spent half a day doing yard
work at the POWER House.
Gaye Fifer
is walking
with House
residents.
GlaxoSmithKline human
resources professional
Linda Guest conducts
a mock job interview
with a POWER client at
GSK’s latest business
education seminar.
Poetry volunteer Valerie
Bacharach organized a reading
of clients’ poetry at POWER’s
fall All-Agency meeting.
The Ladies
Ancient Order
of Hibernians
donated a live
Christmas tree
to POWER
House.
Jessica Vanderwalle assisted with
the auction at Sunflower POWER.
Research suggests that women are more vulnerable than men to the brain damaging effects of excessive alcohol use,
and the damage tends to appear with shorter periods of excessive drinking for women than for men. Source: www.cdc.gov
Donor Honor Roll
Recognition is based on cumulative gifts, including United Way pledges, made from
January 1, 2014 to December 31, 2014. Thank you for your generous support
throughout the year! A full list of donors can be found at power-recovery.com.
Garden of Promises
($1,000+)
Allegheny County Conservation District
Amcom Office Systems
Anonymous
Valerie & Paul Bacharach
Jan Bamford & Ron Tiberio
BNY Mellon Community Partnership
Burke Family Foundation
Citizens Bank
Clapp Charitable and Educational Trust
Cochenour Law Offices PC
Kathleen D’Appolonia
James D. Darby, Jr.
The David S. and Karen A. Shapira
Foundation
Rosa Davis
Patty Devlin
Bob & Barb Dunkelman
Duquesne University
Elsie H. Hillman Foundation
Erin Felix & John Connelly
Tina Flowers
Gateway Rehab
Giant Eagle
GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare
GlaxoSmithKline Foundation
Sherree Goldstein
Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield
Christine Hoover
Huntington National Bank
Jody R. Schurman Fund of the
Cornell University Foundation
Robert Levin & Dr. Kerry Bron
Levin Furniture
Local Goodness LLC
Gayle Manning
Massey Charitable Trust
Lynn McCarthy & Family
Grant McLaughlin
Tom & Mona Murphy
Lois O’Connor
OSS, Inc.
Judi & Ron Owen
Jan & Dick Pagliari
Pitcairn-Crabbe Foundation
The Pittsburgh Foundation
PNC Bank
PNC Foundation Matching Gift Program
Point Legal LLC
Richard King Mellon Foundation
Roy A. Hunt Foundation
Lauren Schneider & Dean Thompson
Schneider Downs Wealth Management
Advisors, LP
Charles & Betsy Schumacher
Arthur M. Scully, III & Debbie Scully
Shadyside Presbyterian Church
Eileen Simmons
Margaret Sitko
Sitko Bruno, LLC
Soroptimist International
of Pittsburgh Inc.
Wesley Sowers & Sara Hamel
Square Café
University of Pittsburgh
UPMC & UPMC Health Plan
Virginia Volponi
John Wilds, PhD
Roger Yost
Zonta Pittsburgh North Foundation
Benefactors
($500-$999)
Anonymous
3 Rivers Combined Federal Campaign
Jim & Alison Bischoff
Paul Block
Celerity LLC
Chris & Barb Dunn
Fair Oaks Foundation Inc.
First Commonwealth Bank
Hans & Leslie Fleischner
Marlayna Gehrking
Lucille Glover
Maryann Gottlieb
Gymkhana Gymnastics
Jean Haller & Henry Haller, III
Henry & Elsie Hillman
Diane Johnson
Kennon Insurance Consultants Inc.
Nancy Kurdyla
Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians, Inc.
Susan Lieber
John Lovelace
Terry Miller
Suzanne Parks
Stephen & Debbie Paschall
PerLora
Pittsburgh Mennonite Church
Revive Marketing Group
Linda Barry Robertson
Nikolyn Roumm & Mary Jeanne Serafin
Mindy Shreve
Joel & Debbie Sigal
David Yates
Sunflower POWER
2014 In-Kind Donors
Marchele Andrews
Stephanie Armbruster
Michele Bamburak
Baron Batch
Bella Christie & Lil’ Z’s Sweet Boutique
Bistro 19
Gloria Rogulin Blake
Jillian Bloise
J.G. Boccella
Terry Boyd
Dee Briggs
Alberta Certo
Rose Clancy
Carol Constantine
Amber Coppings
Lin Ferlo
Gisele Fetterman
Patty Frankhouser
Giant Eagle
Glassworks/Cheeks
Nancy Hart
Mia Tarducci Henry
Laura Jane
Joe King
Dorothy Lampl
Michael Lotenero
Kirsten Lowe-Rebel
Emy Mack
Heidi Mamula
Mansions on Fifth
Cecelia Mignogna
Tom Mosser
Helen Naimark
Cassandra Ott
Esti Piels
Posy
Mary Prezioso
Jen Primack
Katie Reardon
Sherri Roberts
Kristi Rogers
Bonnie Rubin
Judith Ruszkowski
Keith Schmiedlin
Kathy Sickels
Lora & Perry Sigesmund
Square Café
Kathleen Stewart
Kathryn Stanko
Brenda Waters
Sally Wiggin
Bobbi Williams
Jonathan Winslow
Wanda Yeager
In Memory of…
J.C. Hood
Rosa Davis
Michael & Debra Ignelzi
Uttam Gaulee
Dottie Ingersoll
Barbara S. Moore
Dorothy McMahon
Tom & Mona Murphy
Diane Johnson
Laura Kingsley
Victor & Thelma Novak
Shirley Novak
Terry Miller
Gen Davidson
Tony Sallo
Rosa Davis & Madelon Edelstone
Kristine Nipaver
Gen Davidson
Lois O’Connor
Anonymous
Ken & Coreen Bahney
Jim & Alison Bischoff
James D. Darby, Jr.
Rosa Davis & Madelon Edelstone
Barbara Float
Lois Mikus
Matthew & Carol Nicholas
Marjorie Sherts
Henry Sundermann, Jr. &
Hilda Sundermann
Sam Verdilglione
Jackie Verdiglione
Dorothy Wedeen
Rosa Davis & Madelon Edelstone
Annette Zanos
Judy Smalley
Charleen Roland
Anonymous
William & Jeannette Smith
Sr. Joyce Serratore
Beverly Banovatz
Jan Bamford
Anonymous
Sally Ann & Bill Bensur
Jackie Kalocay-Hogg
Joel & Judy Smalley
Mindy Shreve
Jessica Burns
Gen Davidson
Tina Verba
Gen Davidson
Eileen French & Patrick Jordan
Rosa Davis & Madelon Edelstone
Karen Waggoner
Gen Davidson
Please report any errors or omissions to 412.243.7535, ext. 223 — thank you!
Bernadette Turner
John Lovelace
Mary Phillips
Gen Davidson
Caesar Azzam & Family
Anonymous
Betty Hnat
Patricia Thompson
Kendall Simon
Jan Bamford
Nicholas Payiavlas & Mary Prezioso
Robert Wholey
Arthur M. Scully, III & Debbie Scully
Anonymous
Patty Himes
Gen Davidson
Ken & Jan Bress
Mindy Shreve
Amy Caruso
Caruso & Weiksnar Family Fund
Sheila Johnson
Gen Davidson
In Honor of…
Sherree Goldstein
Anonymous
Les & Joan Becker
Jean Comber
Lori & Mike Comber
Stacy Doepken
Deborah Hughes & Devo Ihonde
IE Interactive
Monteverde’s Inc.
Cathy Samuels
Charles & Betsy Schumacher
Nathan Bacharach
Valerie & Paul Bacharach
Margaret Hart
Margaret Sitko
“Be present in
all things and
thankful for all
things.”
~ Maya Angelou
Planned Giving
Donor Spotlight:
On September 10, 2014, POWER held its sixth annual Sunflower
Florence Rouzier
on the South Side.
– In Her Own Words
Florence Rouzier has been an
active POWER volunteer and
donor since 2007.
A Board member for several years,
Florence continues to serve as the Chair
of the POWER Collection Committee. In
a recent conversation with Associate &
Development Director Madelon Edelstone,
Florence spoke about her reasons for
including POWER in her planned giving
portfolio.
“At a stage in my life when I experienced
the devastating loss of my husband Steven,
I began to think about things in a new
way. I started to contemplate what I
wanted to leave as a legacy. After my
children and my family, I thought about the
organizations I care about. POWER was
at the top of the list because of the way
it empowers women and helps them
transform their lives. In addition, I have
immense faith and confidence in POWER’s
leadership. Sadly, addiction will be around
for a long time and we need strong,
well-run organizations like POWER to be
here. After consulting with my financial
advisor, I created an estate plan and
identified five non-profits to be included
in my will. I feel good knowing that I have
given a lot of thought to this matter and that I
am leaving a legacy to the organizations and
causes I feel passionate about. It’s been an
interesting and heartfelt process that I hope
others will begin to think about.”
To learn more about planned giving
options, contact Madelon Edelstone
at 412.243.7535, ext. 215 or email
[email protected].
POWER — our celebration of National Recovery month — at PerLora
Honorary Chair Michael Lotenero saw
his vision become a reality, as close to 50
local artists transformed throw pillows into
one-of-a-kind works of art. The Pillows for
POWER auction and sale featured pillows
with a wide variety of embellishments:
embroidery, special dyeing techniques,
paint, and even sculptural elements made
each contribution special.
Models clad in comfy pajamas and styled by
Cheeks, Izzazu, and Emy Mack, showed off
the pillows to eager bidders. Scrumptious eats
from Altius, Bistro 19, and Square Café were
on hand all evening, and Bella Christie & Lil’
Z’s Sweet Boutique offered delicious desserts
from their food truck.
Models show off Pillows
for POWER and pajamas
from Cheeks.
DJ Kelli Burns kept the crowd
moving with high energy tunes
and items from the POWER
Collection designed especially for
POWER — also available online
via localgoodness.com – were
available for purchase.
Nicholas Payiavlas (OSS, Inc.), Sherree Goldstein,
Michael Lotenero, and Mary Prezioso
Lora and Perry Sigesmund with Ilene Levy
Many thanks to our partners,
artists, donors, and our event
underwriters, Duquesne University
and OSS, Inc. Look for details
about Sunflower POWER 2015
online and in our Summer/Fall
2015 newsletter!
Save the date
for the 2015
Sunflower POWER:
Wednesday,
September 16
Brenda Waters & Joe King
Photos by: Buzzy Photography
More than 10 percent of U.S. children live with a parent with alcohol problems, according to a 2012 study. Source: www.niaaa.nih.gov
Administrative Office
7501 Penn Avenue • Suite 8
Pittsburgh, PA 15208
Phone 412.243.7535
Fax 412.243.8711
www.power-recovery.com
Our Mission
Helping women reclaim
their lives from the disease
of addiction to alcohol and
other drugs, and reducing
the incidence of addiction in
future generations
A copy of the official registration and financial information may be obtained from the PA Department of
State by calling toll free, within Pennsylvania, 800-732-0999. Registration does not imply endorsement.
Coming Back
Join us...
By Kate Gross, POWER volunteer
power-recovery.tumblr.com
facebook.com/POWERRecovery
You hear it all the time: “Keep coming back.” And it’s said for a reason.
Staying sober is something you can’t do alone.
twitter.com/POWERRecovery
pinterest.com/POWERRecovery
Download the POWER app today!
I tried that once, and lost something along the way: a piece of my spirit, and the
scrap of serenity that I had gained from two and a half years sober. I relapsed. Now,
POWER Line
with only a month sober, it’s hard to walk into meetings, and would be impossible
412.243.8755
if not for the support of my new sponsor and the two friends I have left. The
lesson I’ve learned is this: that there is no shame in focusing on your
donate online
sobriety. You don’t have to be a social butterfly in order to fit in.
www.power-recovery.com
You just have to want to be sober, emotionally and
united way contributor choice
physically. It’s not about cliques or cool people.
It’s about hearing the message, doing the
steps and working with others.
You get sober for you.
“Deep in
your wounds are
seeds, waiting to
grow beautiful
flowers.”
~ Niti Majethia
#3511
CFC
#85191