Newletter Winter 2014 1Final FINAL 2

Shakespeare reminds us that it is not in the stars to hold our destiny, but in ourselves, and at The Center for
Discovery we have always been very adept at planning our future and then seeing those plans through to
fruition. Often in recent years it seems as if the growth we have experienced and the improvements we have
implemented have been going against the tide as much of the county has regressed around us. I think that is
about to change.
For one thing, after forty years of working and waiting for one, Sullivan County is getting a casino. Approval by the state of the Montreign
Casino and the Adelaar Resort, to be built on the former property of the Concord hotel, means that construction will likely start this year on
the nearly one billion dollar project, and that could change the face of the region for the foreseeable future.
Some people choose to dwell on the potential negative impacts a casino destination will have on the area, including the possibility of
increased crime and the proliferation of excessive or problem gamblers, and these are likely legitimate concerns. But there will be positive
impacts as well.
Having a world-class resort and casino in the county should make the area more attractive to those considering moving here. That should
make it easier to recruit professional staff from out of the area, which has always been a challenge. In addition, the revenue this massive
project will eventually contribute to local governments in property tax, sales tax and room tax will inevitably ease the tax burdens on the rest
of us. If the resort destination's projection of 2.2 million annual visitors is accurate, there could be a significant amount of money spent at
ancillary businesses such as gas stations and convenience stores throughout the region, and that's a good thing for all of us.
Another significant project that will inevitably have an impact on the region is the redevelopment of the old Kutsher's Resort by Z Living,
formerly Veria Living. This projected $90 million health and lifestyle management center will feature a 265-room hotel and a redesigned
golf course. The project's focus on health and healing is a modern reimagining of the concept that built tourism in the county to begin with,
and should prove an important positive addition to our region.
In fact, we have already made a friend in Subhash Chandra, the visionary media leader who is behind Z Living, the exciting wellness center
that is scheduled to rise on the grounds of the former Kutsher's Resort. Mr. Chandra is a remarkable man whose Z Living brand is growing
exponentially around the world. The network is carried in the U.S. by Dish Network, Cablevision Systems, Verizon FiOS TV, GCI in Alaska, RCN
and some smaller independent distributors. It has recently launched in Russia and plans upcoming launches in Eastern Europe, the Middle
East and the Caribbean. Mr. Chandra has visited The Center and has expressed an eagerness to collaborate with us on a number of local
initiatives.
Changes are coming, without a doubt. Some will be positive and some perhaps not. We think we will be prepared for them either way,
because we are alert to the events around us and we plan ahead. As Alexander Graham Bell famously said, “Before anything else,
preparation is the key to success.”
THE CENTER
Remember
We can’t make great
discoveries without you!
FOR DISCOVERY
THE CENTER FOR DISCOVERY
CAMPAIGN
Your tax deductible gift can be made
on-line at: thecenterfordiscovery.org
or mailed to:
THE CENTER FOR DISCOVERY
The Development Ofce
PO Box 840
Harris, New York, 12742
THE CENTER FOR DISCOVERY
PO BOX 840
HARRIS, NY 12742
WINTER 2015
Changes Ahead
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Message from Patrick H. Dollard
Program Notes:
Theresa Hamlin, Ed.D.
Associate Executive Director
HealthE6 Futures Training
The HealthE6, our new core curriculum, is
being piloted with Director-level
management staff at CFD.
Forty director-level staff members are
currently enrolled in the HealthE6 Futures
Coaching Program. Through this six
TM
month pilot program, which features
online coursework as well as regular
meetings, these staff members are
delving deeper into the six major
components critical to the model. The
components include: environments,
eating/nutrition, energy regulation, emotional regulation, evidence-based approaches,
and education. These core components when integrated are the cornerstone for
everyone who attends our program at The Center.
This group of staff is not only experiencing the program, they are also beginning to
disseminate this information to their various departments. Upon completion of this
course, these staff members will receive a professional certificate of completion from
The Center for Discovery and SUNY Sullivan.
After this initial pilot is completed, additional training programs related to HealthE6
Futures will be offered agency-wide. We are also working with various partners including SUNY Sullivan and SUNY Morrisville - to develop academic degrees that will
be accessible to our employees and relevant to our model of care.
Senior Director of Training Dr. Helena LeRoux Ohm and I are also working with our
training staff to develop a parent education module that will be designed not only to
educate parents about our program and the cornerstone components, but to support
parents by giving them techniques and strategies that can help their children in the
home and community environments.
All of these trainings will eventually be expanded and offered nationally and
internationally to all those supporting children with complex conditions.
The Health-E Actions Contest
This fall, The Center sponsored an exciting contest based on Health-E
Actions for Staff Success, a concept derived from the innovative HealthE6
model of care. The contest was designed to encourage and spotlight the
creativity of those who work here, while educating others about the
Health-E actions and their benefits.
The Health-E Actions for Staff Success are a set of eight simple specific
actions that staff members can take to support the HealthE6 model of care.
These actions include: Show Up, Say Hello, Tune In, Lend a Hand, Breathe,
Build Peace, Take it Slow, and Take Care. For the contest, participants were
asked to create a public advertisement for the Health-E Actions in the form
of a video, commercial, song, jingle, logo, poster, or other visual. The
competition was open to all currently employed and active staff, and in all
26 different groups participated, representing almost 100 people.
The submissions were judged by a panel made up of Dr. Terry Hamlin and
two members of The Center's board; winners were announced at the
Holiday Open House in December.
The winning submission was an original song written and performed by
Jenny Foster, Rachel Thompson, and John Damaio, and the group was
awarded the $5,000 grand prize. There were two runner-up submissions
that were awarded $1,000 each: one by Kate Poley, and another by the
team of Sam and Leanne Rose. All other groups were awarded $300 each.
Contest coordinator Dr. Helena LeRoux Ohm, senior director of training at
The Center, was more than pleased with the quantity and quality of the
submissions. “They were all truly fantastic, and highlighted the dedication
and creativity of our staff,” she said.
The winning submissions will be used for training, and distributed agencywide to help ensure that everyone understands the Health-E Actions for
Staff Success.
Dr. Theresa Hamlin Appointed to Board of
Sullivan County Community College
“Participants in the HealthE Futures Training Program help prepare herbal teas. This activity
relates to their recent study of Eating and Energy Regulation topics."
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Associate Executive Director Theresa Hamlin has been appointed to the
board of trustees at the State University of New York's (SUNY) Sullivan
County Community College. The appointment was made by a unanimous
vote of the Sullivan County Legislature, and welcomed by the college's
president, Dr. Karin Hilgersom. “I think she will be a fantastic addition to our
board,” Dr. Hilgersom said. “I'm very excited that she's coming to join us.”
The appointment is for a term that extends through June of 2024.
THE CENTER
FOR DISCOVERY
Clinical Dept. Updates
The Center's Power Mobility Team submitted a case study to Assistive
Technology Journal, and continues to use power mobility as a tool to
enhance the learning of both intellectual and visual-perceptual skills, to
foster physical rehabilitation and development, and to provide for both
children and adults the experience of initiating action upon their own
surroundings.
The Center's Occupational Therapy Department continues to
disseminate The Center's expertise: Jessica Piatak is teaching an earlyintervention course at Misericordia University, and Orley Templeton is
teaching an assessment course there, while John Damiao is teaching a
fieldwork seminar at Dominican College and will teach a course in
kinesiology in the upcoming semester. Jessica Piatak and Rachel
Thompson are beginning a research project into the use of humor as a
treatment strategy for our students and residents. Orley Templeton is also
being supported by a number of The Center's teachers, physical
therapists, and occupational therapists in an intensive four-week
research study into the potential benefits of aquatic therapy. Members of
the Occupational Therapy Department have been asked to present two
posters at the American Occupational Therapy Association national
conference in Nashville, Tennessee this coming spring. And Sarah
Wagner's in-depth proposal to establish a facility-dog program at The
Center has been approved by administration and awaits certification.
The Center's Occupational Therapy and Communication
Enhancement Departments are cooperating on combined initiatives,
including the FED (Food Exploration and Discovery) program, which is
starting an exciting new project: home-made blended feeding formulas in
which one student and family are participating in a pilot study. Alex
Besecker and Stephanie Harrigan, who are treating students together
in Little Red Schoolhouse – through the use of sensory strategies
coupled with communication strategies in order to foster socialinteraction and engagement – are reporting positive finding that they
plan to write up for professional publication. Meanwhile Krista
Cameron is teaching a course on childhood language disorders at
SUNY New Paltz and Jessica Scanna presented at SUNY New Paltz
on low and high-tech augmentative-and alternative-communication
options for different populations.
In The Center's Physical Therapy Department, an adapted tap
dance collaborative project with music therapists and dance
therapists is planned to begin in January. Lisa Gradziel received the
American Physical Therapy Association Section on Pediatrics national
scholarship in order to pursue her Pediatric Clinical Specialist
certification, and Annelise Potgieter recently earned Halliwick Aquatic
Therapy certification.
Finally, the clinical departments joined forces to host the third annual
SEED (Synergistic, Evidence-Based, Experiential, Discoveries)
Talks in November, and to host a continuing interactive-interview
series. This series is an opportunity for clinical staff to get to know
agency leaders on a personal basis, share future plans, and provide
project updates. To date, Jim Cashen and Patrick Dollard have taken
part, with more meetings planned.
Heirloom Series - The Sun's Rhythms and How They Affect Us
The most recent presentation in The Center's
Heirloom Series focused on the relationship
between the sun and the earth, and how the
rhythms thus generated give rise to the
seasons and serve as a template for the
changes that occur in organic systems –
including human life itself.
Dennis Klocek, noted artist, scientist, teacher,
researcher, gardener and alchemist – and
good friend to The Center for Discovery – gave
the thoughtful presentation on the sun's
rhythms and how they affect us, and the
functions of our brains. Dennis lectures all
over the world on soul work, meditation,
consciousness and physiology, biodynamic
gardening, weather and teaching… and he
can be mesmerizing.
As Heirloom Series coordinator Jean-David Derreumaux explained, “He took a look at the whole year and went
systematically through all the points of change that take place, how past generations referred to them, and how
today we can apply this universal information to our daily activities.”
Dennis suggested in his talk that people can begin to consciously pay attention to these rhythms in their lives by
journaling about what they witness every day in their particular areas of interest, whether that is cloud formation,
temperature, wind, animal and plant life, the number of eggs collected, or almost any other experience. He
suggested that staff members could begin to take notes about how they or a person in they know or care for is doing
on a day-to-day basis. Journal entries could then be plotted against sun and moon phases, and patterns might be
detected that could prove helpful. Audience members then suggested other possible applications of such
journaling, including tracking the sun at noon to see the Lemniscate Curve it forms on the ground over time; farmers
are currently using this method to assist in the timing of their cultivation.
The Heirloom Series for 2015 will continue to focus on the theme of rhythm and the power of life, and will feature,
among others, presentations by Kelsey Dickens, a beekeeper and biodynamic gardener from the St. Croix River
Valley in Minnesota; Gunther Hauk, teacher, lecturer, biodynamic gardener and beekeeper for nearly 40 years and
co-founder of the Pfeiffer Center in Chestnut Ridge, NY; and The Center's own Kerry Jehanne, who has an extensive
background in small-scale diversified organic farming and in nature-based education.
The Center's 2014 Giving Tree
The Giving Tree this year was located in the South
Campus Education Program Office; its ornaments
gave the age and gender of a student and a
suggested gift item. Participants provided wrapped
gifts to match their chosen ornaments. This year
there was also a Hat/Mitten/Scarf Tree, with donated
items hung on the tree located in the South Campus
Program Office and then given to students who
needed them.
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Big Barn Dinner and Educational Conference
Building Healthy and Sustainable
Communities for All
Exploring New Models of Care
John Milligan, The Center's inspirational Board Chairman, offered
an opening address on the importance of building community and
acknowledged the enormous changes facing the field. The
Center's C.E.O. Patrick Dollard was then joined by Arthur Webb,
“It's a time of great transformation in New York State as
far as deinstitutionalization and as far as funding. There
are tons of problems and we have a lot to solve, but I will
say that The Center for Discovery… To me, this is what
we want across New York State - we want our kids to be
educated and we want them to be assessed at a very
early age, so we can provide the intervention that is
necessary. Every facility, every assessment should be like
The Center for Discovery; I'm so incredibly proud to
represent you in Albany.”
- New York State Assemblymember Aileen Gunther
owner and principal of the consulting firm The Arthur Webb Group,
in an in-depth dialogue on transforming models of care in a
changing political and economic environment for the care of
people with disabilities. Finally, a distinguished panel of visiting
experts discussed the Center's Hurleyville Transformation Project.
Moderated by Michael Arougheti, president of the global
alternative asset management firm Ares Management, the panel
also featured, in addition to Patrick Dollard, Dr. Hamlin, and Arthur
Webb: John H. Adams, chairman of the Open Space Institute,
founding director of the Natural Resources Defense Council, and
Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient; Kim Elliman, C.E.O of the
Open Space Institute; Jay Quaintance, assistant secretary for
higher education in the Office of the Governor of New York; and
Sandra Gerry, founder and chairperson of Sullivan Renaissance
and the Gerry Foundation.
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MICHAEL
THE
At the November 1st Big
Barn Dinner and
Educational Conference,
held at the Michael
Ritchie Big Barn, the
theme was “Building
Healthy and Sustainable
Communities for All:
Exploring New Models of
Care.” The Center's
Associate Executive
Director Dr. Theresa
Hamlin outlined the problems facing our residents and their
families – and society at large – and discussed the ways that The
Center is addressing them. An era of dependable funding for
services to the vulnerable is ending, and incidence rates of autism
and Alzheimer's disease are soaring. At The Center, we believe
that the time has come for a creative plan that serves the interests
of our region and society as a whole with new models of healthy
living, like The Center's new Farmstead Model and sustainable
communities, among other bold initiatives. A diverse publicprivate partnership is uniting around The Center's innovative
social venture centered on the Hamlet of Hurleyville. The
revitalization of Hurleyville's Main Street has begun, and is merely
the first step in a process that will benefit residents, the land and
the region. The Center is uniquely positioned to orchestrate this
bold undertaking, this investment in the future, and The Big Barn
Educational Conference was yet another forum for announcing
our innovative plans and generating ideas from esteemed
panelists and speakers.
RITCHIE
BIG BARN
EVENT FOR A
SUSTAINABLE FUTURE
The conference was followed by the
annual Michael Ritchie Big Barn Event
for a Sustainable Future, hosted by
Nelly and Michael Arougheti and
featuring the DaVinci Master Chefs, at
which the conference's themes were
continued in presentations and
comments throughout the evening.
HappeningsonMainStreetHurleyville
M A I N S T R E E T
HURLEYVILLE
Maker's Lab and Learning Center
Dance Studio and Performing Arts Center
Construction of Maker's Lab and Learning Center
The Center's continuing Main Street Transformation Project, centered in Hurleyville, is
about reimagining what it means to be an inclusive community, and over the next three
years will develop a vibrant universally accessible environment into which individuals
with disabilities can be fully integrated in the fabric of their community.
Important elements include a variety of residences that provide unique universally
designed living spaces, a number of retail and service businesses, parks with fully
accessible walking paths and trails, cultural attractions, and education centers.
A key component will be the Walter and Vera Scherr Maker's Lab and Learning Center,
where designers and developers will be provided with the resources to undertake
projects dedicated to increasing function for people with disabilities, and for the elderly.
The Learning Center will provide training for students, including young adults with
disabilities, to increase functional skill development as well as to develop practical
skills, skills transferable to work opportunities in the Maker's Lab itself or in other
businesses on Main Street.
The Center is fortunate to have received a $1.9 million commitment from the Scherr
Family and the Walter J. Scherr Foundation to support construction of this unique design
and education facility.
The Maker's Lab will offer myriad opportunities to students of all ages and capabilities,
including The Center's own residents. Experiential learning opportunities for students
will include hands-on participation in the design-build process of learning to use a 3-D
printer. The Maker's Lab will also engage college students in projects related to
disability. Focus areas for these projects will include communication, mobility, and
functional tool development, all intended to help people with disabilities increase health
and well-being and further engage in work, play, and the activities of daily living.
Among the most innovative goals is developing a human-centered design laboratory in
which projects can be undertaken by design students from across the nation in
engineering, industrial design or other disciplines. Using web-based communication,
students will interact on a regular basis throughout the semester with clinicians,
teachers, peers, and people with disabilities. Through distance-learning technologies,
students will be able to collaborate with – and better understand – the needs of
individuals with disabilities while working with professionals in the field and peers from
diverse backgrounds and disciplines. Outside makers will be charged a minimal
membership fee.
Construction of Dance Studio
and Performing Arts Center
Most community revitalization experts agree that libraries, museums, concert halls,
theaters and similar facilities provide unique cultural experiences and can serve as
magnets for a Main Street. People who patronize them can be enticed to visit nearby
shops and restaurants, and when they are situated strategically they can encourage
visitors to explore a town center on foot – and thus serve as linchpins for
redevelopment.
With this idea in mind – and with a generous gift from The Janet & Gerald Carrus
Foundation in hand – The Center is building the Main Street Dance Studio at the corner
of Main Street and Railroad Avenue in Hurleyville.
The Main Street Dance Studio will be a multi-purpose building, providing not only space
for programs run by The Center but also space designed to be leased to a for-profit
dance teaching company. The building will include a large ballroom with an
international-sized dance floor, three retail spaces (one of which to accommodate a
dance school), and a screening cinema and theater space suitable for events like the
popular “TED Talks” (presentations on technology, entertainment and design).
When completed, the two-story building will offer some 23,000 square feet of
functional space.
Architectural rendering of the
Dance Studio and Performing Arts Center
The Maker's Lab and Learning Center is expected to be operational by June of 2015.
Maker's Lab and Learning Center
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Adventure Team Corner
Recreation therapy staff members Kelsi, Chris, Jim, Sam and Amanda.
News from The Center's
Recreational Therapy Department
Family Fun in Sullivan County
Callicoon Indoor Farmers Market
Farmers, food producers and artisans offer the
best of local farm-fresh goodness: Apple
cider, hard cider, wine, farm fresh turkey, salad
greens, salad dressing, sweet potatoes,
Brussel sprouts, cheese, milk, cookies, muffins,
pies, coffee, tea, honey, artisan cutting boards
and bowls, flower center pieces and much more.
Autumn Apple Picking
As part of their Adapted Physical Education course, students from the Ridge
Campus were given the opportunity recently to help pick apples at the clinic
orchard. All nine classes picked apples, filling more than three large field bins.
Students learned how to distinguish between apples for eating and apples for
cider, and to sort them appropriately. They were joined by students from the
South Campus and Discovery School with the help of Recreation Therapy and
Outdoor Education staff members. The cider pressing has begun, and now
students will enjoy delicious fresh cider from the apples they helped pick.
Callicoon, New York
January 18, February 1, April 12
11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Garden Day
Vendors of flowers and garden-related
merchandise, lectures by master gardeners,
musical entertainment, food vendors.
Livingston Manor, New York
May 17
10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Holiday Mountain Ski and Fun Park
99 Holiday Mountain Road
Monticello, New York
Skiing, Snowtubing, Arcade, Restaurant
Open 6 Days a Week (Closed Mondays)
(845) 796-3161 / www.holidaymtn.com
The Center's Fifth Annual Horse Show
Bethel Woods Museum
Thursdays - Sundays, 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
200 Hurd Road
Bethel, NY 12720
(866) 781-2922
bethelwoodscenter.org
Kiamesha Lanes Bowling Alley
Open Daily
4685 NY State Route 42
Kiamesha Lake, NY 12751
(845) 794-5561
Forty-two riders took part in The Center for Discovery's Fifth Annual Horse Show, held
over two days in mid-October at Milligan Hill. The event was coordinated by riding
instructor Heather Ackerman; The Center's own Lynne Porter served as judge, doing
her typically superb job of evaluating each rider and sharing information with the
spectators – families, friends, classmates and staff members. The event was emceed
by Jim Cashen and Sam Rose, and many other helping hands ensured that it was a
great show. The riders were thrilled by the large and enthusiastic audience, and they
can't wait to do it all again next year! Pictured here, Justin is assisted by Liz Boucher
(who helps Heather with the program) as he sits astride Bailey.
Skaters World Roller Rink
1234 Old Route 17
Ferndale, NY 12734
(845) 292-3288
Discovery Duplicates
Look-a-likes Ariana (left) and staff member Ashley light up the day with their
smiles.
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NUTCRACKER
The Nutcracker: Dance on Campus!
On December 12 the therapeutic dance department presented The
Nutcracker at The Michael Ritchie Big Barn Theatre, featuring a cast made
up entirely of The Center's residents and students.
As they took their seats audience members were entertained with a
classical prelude on piano, performed by Kahlil, a pediatric student.
Following the introduction, Dr. Laura Sagan offered a detailed narration of
The Nutcracker story. Dancers then took the stage to perform the second
act of the show, showcasing dances that included Dream, Spanish,
Russian, Waltz of the Flowers, Sugar Plum Fairy and The Nutcracker Suite.
Joy filled the theatre as the dancers entertained the audience with their
skills – a wonderful way to start the holiday season for performers and
spectators alike.
Congratulations to Christine Ertola, Sherma Williams and all of those
involved with the production!
at
Bird Houses
“Pop-Up” Dance Sessions
On Halloween, the Dance and Recreation Departments teamed up for a "pop-up" dance
session at the vehicle maintenance garage. The team surprised the garage and
transportation staffs when they walked in, jamming to the "Sanford and Son" theme
song. Following the grand entrance, department members demonstrated cool dance
moves to hits like "YMCA" and "Ghostbusters." The purpose of these "pop-up" dances
is to show appreciation while boosting staff morale. The Dance and Recreation
Departments have also joined forces with the Music Therapy Department to provide
agency-wide "pop-up" sessions. We're waiting and watching – we never know where
or when they'll pop up next!
Students in the Farmstead classrooms, have started a new project to help some local
feathered friends: they are building bluebird houses in the basement of The Discovery
School. Construction began in mid-December; students, with the help of a custom
birdhouse jig table, take a stack of pre-cut and pre-drilled boards from one station to
the next on their way around the jig table, each station with a special jig that holds the
pieces in place while the students screw them together with a power drill. After the
steps at each of five different stations have been completed, the result is a fully
assembled birdhouse. The bird houses will next be mounted on fence posts - and out
go the welcome mats!
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Dr. Hamlin with UCP Conference honoree Carpio Ramos, who has
been employed at The Center for more than twenty years.
UCP Conference Awards
Three long-time employees of The Center for Discovery were honored at the annual Cerebral Palsy
Associations of New York State Conference in Albany in October.
Carpio Ramos, a driver in the transportation department since 1994, is a dedicated employee whose positive
attitude, warm nature and great sense of humor have touched residents and staff alike. Carpio is a wonderful
example of what The Center looks for in an employee, and his years of hard work and loyalty are greatly
appreciated.
Dr. Theresa Hamlin (left) congratulates longtime Center employee
Jose “Luis” Toledo, who was one of three TCFD staff members
honored at last fall's annual UCP Conference in Albany.
Jose “Luis” Toledo has been with The Center's environmental services department for almost 10 years. Luis
exemplifies the word professional, and provides the highest quality of service while embodying dignity and
respect for others at all times. He is known for going above and beyond what is asked of him, and has an
exemplary work ethic. Luis is humble, kind and well respected by all who know him.
Lee Karasik utilized The Center's outpatient Occupational and Physical Therapy services for 18 years. When he
graduated from school in 2005, he knew that he wanted to return to The Center to embark on a lifelong career.
Lee has now been employed at The Center for more than eight years; he currently serves as a training support
specialist. He is well known to all staff as loyal and hardworking, and has been called “the face of The Center”
due to his kind, welcoming nature. Lee is always looking to improve himself and expand his skills. Among his
many accomplishments, he is an American Heart Association Basic Life Support Instructor, a volunteer first
responder and a NYS Emergency Medical Technician. He has been an American Red Cross volunteer for 13
years, and holds a number of life-and-safety certifications.
Each of these deserving employees accepted his honor with the quiet humility that those who know them have
come to expect – and cherish.
Dr. Hamlin at the UCP Conference with Lee Karasik, who spent 18
years in The Center's Occupational and Physical Therapy
programs before being employed here from 2006 to present.
Siblings Connections
The Discovery Circle:
Caring Brothers & Sisters of Our Residents
The Discovery Circle hosted their second annual Evening with Friends in October at the
New York City headquarters of Ogilvy and Mather. Once again the event was a
resounding success, with a great turnout despite rainy conditions. Proceeds from the
event will go to support the Discovery Circle's continuing efforts to build its Universal
Treehouse on The Center's campus. Construction on the project is well underway, and
our members are very excited to be able to share this space with their siblings, friends
and families.
The evening also included a beautiful presentation of another current project of the
Discovery Circle, in which members read excerpts from the remarkable interviews they
have been conducting with one another about the joys and difficulties of having a
disabled brother or sister.
If you're interested in hearing more about this
group, or in attending a Discovery Circle
gathering in New York, please contact Carly
Welter at [email protected] or (845) 7078627. And, if you're interested in receiving
the Discovery Circle newsletter, with
updates on their various projects, please
sign up on their page at at The Center's
web site, at
thecenterfordiscovery.org/supportdiscovery/discovery-circle/.
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Sharing Our Vision with the World:
Russian Colleagues Observe
and Learn at The Center
Members of a delegation of Russian professionals came to The Center
in early November to observe our methods and participate in
specialized training. The group was led by Slava Dovbnya and Tanya
Morozova, program consultants for Firefly and The Naked Heart
Foundation. Firefly is a Virginia-based charity that is dedicated to
helping Russian professionals reduce the number of children in
institutions by developing support programs for families who are
socially at risk, raising children with disabilities, and fostering or
adopting young children. The Naked Heart Foundation, a Russian
charity founded to ensure that every child in Russia has a loving family
and a safe and stimulating place to play, is creating a network of family
support centers for families of children with disabilities. Other
delegation members included program directors and clinicians from
schools in St. Petersburg and Nizhny Novgorod. They observed
classrooms classrooms and took part in training sessions at both The
Discovery School and The Little Red Schoolhouse.
Our Russian guests expressed thanks for the information and insights
we were able to offer them; upon their return to Russia, they were to
begin development of a new playground project being created with
support from the Naked Heart Foundation. They are also adding
sensory rooms in schools, and looking to add them in other venues that
provide services to individuals with autism in Russia. These are
innovative ideas, and The Center will proudly continue to serve as a resource for our Russian colleagues
as they carry on their work.
The Center hosted a similar Russian delegation in February of last year, and Alyce Sherwood and Nicole
Kinney presented at The Naked Heart Conference in Moscow in October of 2013, while Johanna Lantz
and Tiffini Amato presented training sessions at a school in St. Petersburg in September of 2013.
Arthur Y. Webb, who received the annual Thomas P. Morahan
Lifetime Achievement Award at The Center's 2014 Harvest
Festival in November, addresses the crowd.
2014 Harvest Festival
Following the Big Barn Dinner, on November 2nd, we celebrated the annual Center for
Discovery Harvest Festival, an afternoon celebrating new discoveries, old and new
friends, and a bountiful harvest. Held at Milligan Hill Equine Assisted Therapy Center in
Harris, the festival's Autumn Harvest Buffet featured the seasonal bounty of The Center's
Thanksgiving Farm, prepared by Mr. Willy's Restaurant and Catering of Monticello. As is
traditional, the Harvest Festival was also our opportunity to honor outstanding leaders in
the fields of care for those with disabilities and care for the environment.
The Thomas P. Morahan Lifetime Achievement Award for 2014 went to Arthur Y. Webb.
Mr. Webb has close to 40 years of experience in the field of health care. He is recognized
for his work in building systems of care for some of the most difficult-to-serve persons.
With almost 18 years as public official in New York State government, including
responsibility for Medicaid budgets, Arthur has served as commissioner or director of
four government agencies including the Department of Social Services, the Office of
Substance Abuse Services, the Health Planning Commission, and the Office of Mental
Retardation and Developmental Disabilities. As OMRDD Commissioner (precursor
agency to the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities), Arthur was instrumental
in forging policies and programs that served individuals with developmental disabilities
and medical frailties. In many important ways these programs and policies
implemented by Arthur fueled The Center's growth and inspired many of the innovative
The Center's CEO, Patrick H. Dollard (right) presents the 2014 Green Shovel Award
to Kate Sinding (left) and Mark Izeman, attorneys for the Natural Resources
Defense Council and friends and advocates for The Center.
models for service delivery pioneered here. In the private sector, Arthur was President &
Chief Executive Officer of Village Care of New York and, more recently, Chief Operating
Officer of Saint Vincent Catholic Medical Centers in New York.
The 2014 Green Shovel Award went to Mark Izeman and Kate Sinding of the Natural
Resources Defense Council. Mark Izeman is director of NRDC's New York urban program
and senior attorney. He has worked at NRDC for more than 20 years on a wide range of
environmental issues, including gas drilling, green jobs, recycling, brownfields,
transportation, and drinking water. He is currently spearheading NRDC's New York
regional food project. In addition to being a friend to and advocate for The Center, Mark is
the author or co-author of many publications, including The New York Environment Book.
Kate Sinding is a senior attorney and deputy director of NRDC's New York program. Kate
works on advancing recycling programs involving the producer responsibility model, as
well as other energy and land use matters that directly protect and support The Center
for Discovery's mission. She sits on the boards of the Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance
and the New York Product Stewardship Council.
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Professional Wrestling at The Center!
Some of our young-adult residents are inveterate fans of
professional wrestling, and it was a thrill for them – and many
others! – when "The Free for All in the Cover-All" came to The
Center in November. A dozen professional wrestlers from
Northeast Wrestling, accompanied by WWE Hall of Famer “Rowdy”
Roddy Piper, put on an exclusive show at Milligan Hill for residents,
families and friends. It was a terrific show, and every one of the
wrestlers – including the "villains" – graciously stayed afterwards
to sign autographs and pose for pictures. Here wrestlers Colt
Toombs, far left, and Brian Anthony, far right, and Rowdy Roddy
himself, pose with John and Tommy following the show.
South Campus Choir Performs at
Sullivan County Government Center
The South Campus Choir at The Beagles and the Discovery School Rock Band
presented their first off-campus performance at the Sullivan County Government
Center in December, as part of the center's holiday concert series. The student
musicians worked very hard to learn and perfect their pieces, and were excited
about this opportunity to showcase their skills.
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Holiday Musical Concert: Voices Heard 6
Talk-radio host, musician, mom - and advocate for persons with disabilities - Cris
Spinner presented a Saturday afternoon concert at the Michael Ritchie Big Barn Concert
Hall on December 13.”Voices Heard 6 Celebrate the Holidays,” with a troupe of
accomplished singers and its own musicians, was also presented the week before in
Yonkers as a benefit for The Center.
In this photo Cris (on the left in the red sweater) is accompanied by her son Anthony (a
resident at The Center) on the clarinet.
Save the Date!
Unity
Day
Thursday, February 26th
The Center for Discovery is a landscape of possibilities and a
community of care devoted not only to the health and well-being of
people with disabilities, but to all of us who call it home, and to the
larger community of which we are a part. We are able to achieve our
greatest vision because of the array of talent with whom we
collaborate – and the diverse population we support. Implicit in all
this is the notion that diversity goes beyond race, gender, age, and
economic status to include the diversity of thought that
accompanies our human identity.
For one week in February The Center will host a “spirit week”
focused on embracing the talents, perspectives and experiences of
our employees, and that will culminate in Unity Day. Unity Day will be
held at the Michael Ritchie Big Barn and will include workshops,
keynote speakers, and collaborative opportunities for people to
explore and bring awareness to The Center's inclusion and
collaboration initiative.
The Communication Enhancement Dept.
The Center for Discovery Communication Enhancement Department is an energetic
group of speech-language pathologists dedicated to giving our students and residents
opportunities to interact successfully with their peers – and with others – throughout
their days. In a place as dynamic as The Center, as in life, it's important to be able to
communicate beyond the walls of the classroom. CHATT – Communication Happens All
The Time – is a centerpiece effort of the department to spread this awareness.
Along with CHATT, several other initiatives have recently begun across campuses.
Speech therapists have been involved with the adapted physical education team's
pool-intensive program, bringing a variety of communication systems (paper-based
and even iPads!) into the pool twice a week. They capitalize on the language-rich
environment that is often found in such physical and sensory-intense experiences.
This SWIM – Speech While In Motion – program extends into the Little Red School
House, where speech therapists have teamed with occupational therapists to use
regulatory activities to teach, through modeling and turn taking, communication
strategies that go beyond making simple requests. Participants have shown increased
initiation not only in communication activities but also in academic, vocational, and
social activities.
Pairing social communication opportunities with peer motivation is also a focus at The
Discovery School. A group of young men with dynamic display augmentativealternative communication (AAC) devices has been meeting regularly with speech
therapists to participate in a leisure-activities social group focused on language
development. The group is learning how to use language to interact with each other to
make comments and to learn about each other through games, storytelling, and humor.
This group is aptly named BFF – Building Fun Friendships!
Finally, we welcome Maria Landon, newly appointed director of the communication
enhancement department. Maria has been a member of The Center for Discovery
family for more than eight years, and has worked with many groups at The Center as
well as being deeply involved in developing the augmentative-alternative
communication program.
Staff Publications and Journals
Three proposals from The Center's Occupational Therapy department
have been accepted for poster presentations at the American
Occupational Therapy Association national conference in Nashville in
April. Presenters include team members Rachel Thompson, Alex
Besecker, Jessica Piatek, and Lisa Wagner.
Clinical staff members Orley Templeton, Rachel Thompson, Lisa Wagner,
Nicole Kinney, and Dr. Olasin offered a panel presentation on transitional
care at the Cerebral Palsy Associations of New York State annual
conference in October in Albany.
Physical therapy team member Lisa Gradziel presented a poster at the
Neuro-Developmental Treatment Association conference in May; her
topic was “Adapted Dance for Students Functioning at GMFCS Level IV &
V: A Series of Pilot Projects.”
Lindsey Veety and Amy Baxter will be presenting two lectures at the
Assistive Technology Industry Association national conference in Orlando
in January.
Amanda Ward Appointed to Board of Community
Foundation of Orange and Sullivan
Senior Director of Workforce
Development, Diversity and
Training Amanda Ward has been
named to the board of directors of
the Community Foundation of
Orange and Sullivan. Dr. Ward
holds a J.D from Hofstra
University School of Law, and in
addition to her work at The Center
teaches constitutional law,
business law, and healthcare law
and ethics at SUNY-Sullivan. She
is president of the Sullivan County
NAACP, a member of the Girl Scouts Heart of the Hudson Board of Directors, and is a
trustee of the Fallsburg Library. In 1991, the multi-talented Amanda Ward was
featured in Sports Illustrated for Kids as one of the youngest competitors in that
year's U.S. Figure Skating Nationals. She will serve a three-year term on the board
of Community Foundation, which administers a charitable endowment consisting of
more than 180 separately identified funds primarily serving the Hudson Valley
counties of Orange and Sullivan.
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DON’T FORGET IT’S FLU SEASON
Get Your Flu Shot!
Schedule an appointment through
Employee Health Nursing (x8 310)
Or…visit the Discovery Health Clinic
Walk-ins are welcome!
Students find their way through the hay maze!
Students and staff enjoying a hay wagon ride!
Fall Festival
The Center's annual Fall Festival brings departments together to share meaningful and joyful activities for our students at the
beautiful Milligan Hill Farm. This tradition started several years ago, and for 2014 included sensational live music, Zumba dancing,
apple cider pressing, a fantastic (and completely accessible!) hay maze, festive games and treats, Dusty cart rides, and hay wagon
tours of the farm. The fall fest setting in our gorgeous riding arena allows all activities regardless of weather, but this year however
participants enjoyed to blue skies and warm temperatures as they shared in the fun. Tradition being a great part of who we are as a
community, the Fall Festival is a shared pleasure that all staff and participants look forward to with great anticipation.
News from the
Education Dept
Winter News from the
Education Department
During the holiday season The Center's students studied the holiday
celebrations of many cultures and baked delicious treats, and learned
about the effects of weather on crops, and various types of horses, as well
as winter squash and sweet potatoes. Several students performed in the
Nutcracker Ballet at the Big Barn, and spent time caroling at the Government Center in Monticello, as reported elsewhere in this
newsletter.
Throughout January, February, and March the students on North and South Campuses will spend time both inside and out staying
warm while working and learning. The Discovery Curriculum is centered on three organizing themes: organic farming, farm animals,
and seed to belly. Our teachers incorporate the Common Core Learning Standards (CCLS) into these themes for English Language Arts
(ELA) and math, as well as social studies, science, and health. In organic farming our students will learn about the life cycle of plants as
we prepare for spring planting, many types of farm equipment, from hand tools to machinery, and the process of maple sugaring; the
farm animal focus is on the life cycle, habitat and byproducts of sheep, goats and pigs; our seed-to-belly recipes for the month will
focus on garlic, onions, berries, cocoa, and maple sugar. Many teachers are integrating technology into their lessons – using
programs with their students as anticipatory sets, guided practices, or assessment tools.
This is also the time of year that many of our students will be completing their New York State Alternate Assessments (NYSAA),
assessments that correspond to the skills/CCLS that they have learned in ELA, math, science, and social studies. The NYSAA are
integrated into the daily instructional routine, so that while there is an element of seriousness in the air, students are still engaged in
the daily vocational jobs that reinforce their skills, in the indoor and outdoor activities that keep their bodies and minds sharp, and in
the classroom activities that increase social opportunities. The education department's programs continually personalize and
calibrate instruction to meet the needs of our students, and help them to move forward.
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The 2015 flu season comes with
particular challenges, especially
with widespread news in the media
that the flu vaccine may not be as
effective this year as it has been in
other years. So should we bother
getting our flu shots this year, even
at this late date? The answer is
emphatically YES! Here's why:
Flu is so common that even a mere
30 percent reduction in illness
prevention adds up to a lot of
people who will still be protected –
and there's a good chance one of
them will be you.
Getting the flu can be more
dangerous than you might think.
Last year nearly 400,000 people
were hospitalized with it.
Flu vaccination has both direct and
indirect effects. It directly reduces
your risk of getting sick. And it
indirectly lowers your chance of
infecting someone else – like the
members of your family, or the
people you work with, and
especially the students and
residents under our care here at
The Center, who are often more
vulnerable than others to
complications from illness.
And perhaps most compelling:
EVEN IF VACCINATION DOESN'T
PREVENT YOU FROM GETTING
SICK, YOU'LL PROBABLY GET A
MILDER CASE. (So you'll be less
likely to be hospitalized or die from
flu complications!)
If you haven't gotten your flu
vaccine yet this winter, remember
that flu shots are offered FREE to all
The Center employees, and you
owe it to yourself and everyone
around you to get yours now.
Schedule an appointment through
Employee Health Nursing by
calling extension 8310, or visit the
Discovery Health Clinic – walk-ins
are welcome!