2013 Spring - The Center

Ice Cream
Sunday!!
May 19
Top notch
volunteer:
Alicia Lee
Ahoy, Matey!
Douglas &
Lifecare
Meet Jack
campaign a
success
Center and
MHMRA meet
for coffee
pg 2
pg 3
pg 4
pg 5
pg 8
inside the newsletter
Life with
Judy,
Cullen
resident
pg 2
VOLUME 17
NUMBER 1
Spring 2013
Remember the Opportunity Center on Montrose Boulevard? Where that luxury
hotel with a fine French menu—La Colombe d’Or—is presently located? Well, that is
where Anne Keeshen first encountered people who would put her daughter on a path to
living a happy and productive life. The Center, back then, was named The Opportunity
Center. She went there looking for services for her daughter, Cathy, who was around
six years old at the time (1960s). Mrs. Keeshen, now 89 years old, recalls her warm
memories of those early years on Montrose.
She remembers when, “The Chautauqua sorority built
the first sheltered workshop at Mrs. (Ella) Fondren’s house
on Montrose.” Before it became known as the Opportunity
Center, the house on Montrose belonged to the Fondren
family. It was built in 1923 by Texas architect Alfred C.
Finn for W.W. Fondren, Sr., founder of Humble Oil and
Refining Co. — now ExxonMobil. Mrs. Keeshen also
remembers Charlton Heston visiting the Center and playing
on the floor with the kids. “Mr. Heston was in Houston
filming El Cid,” said Keeshen. “He said his mother would volunteer with an Opportunity program back home.”
She is thankful for The Center for the many years that it has been good for Cathy. “I think back to what children had
before The Center. So little was known about mental retardation. All you could do was love them. There was nothing known
about capabilities. This place (The Center) was a miracle.” Mrs. Keeshen thinks Gloria Fossati is a wonderful person and is
Theatrical release
forever grateful to Dr. Borreca, The Center’s beloved first executive director. “People got together and had a common goal. It
poster. El Cid. 1961
was like magic. We called Dr. Borreca our Santa Claus. Our prayer to God was to thank Him that Kathy was born about the
time that she was to get involved with all of this, (The Center and all of its program and service offerings),” said Keeshen.
Mrs. Keeshen, contributed in her own way to the development of Center services. She worked weekends as a registered nurse and helped start the
Infirmary. She also volunteered and drove residents to St. Anne’s church on Sundays. “I have always supported The Center, up to the last cent I could give
them,” exclaimed Keeshen.
When asked, what she loves best about The Center, Mrs. Keeshen responded with (The Center being), “a result of a miracle in thinking by a few, very
emphatic and inspiring people, who served as a catalyst in gathering the support of special, special people and brought them out of the darkness.” She also
said she loves the staff. “Their caring is very evident. They are just as exceptional as the people they work with.”
Cathy is Keeshen’s fourth child and has been part of The Center for over 40 years. She was a longtime resident of Cullen Residence Hall and is presently
involved with the Home and Community Based program which has placed her with a foster companion care family living near Old Town Spring. She rides
Metro Lift to and from The Center, daily. “She is very content with her community family. It seems that all of the members of that family love her. Riding the
bus has also helped her to become more outgoing. It is important to me to know that someone else loves her besides us. That will be a good foundation for
her to be as secured as possible in her emotional life,” says her mom.
The Center, founded in 1949 as the Houston Council for Mentally Retarded Children, continues to provide programs and services which help people, like
Cathy Keeshen, live long, happy, and productive lives.
Mother and daughter, Anne and Kathy, at their favorite Friday lunch spot: Jack in the Box
Life with Judy at
Cullen Residence Hall
by Paula Brady Moxley
Mission Statement
The Center, a private not-for-profit agency,
believes all adults with developmental
disabilities should have opportunities to
promote choice, personal growth, and independence so they may achieve their full potential.
The Center upholds this belief by offering high
quality residential, vocational and day services
to support our clients and our community.
Vision Statement
The Center will play a leadership role in the
provision of services to adults with developmental disabilities through the quality of its
programs and services driven by the needs of
clients, families, and the community, thus
transforming the lives of those we serve.
The Center Values
• Respect: We uphold the value of those
we serve by treating everyone with
dignity and respect.
• Worth: We uphold the value of those
we serve by providing choices and opportunities for growth and independence.
• Quality: We uphold the value of those
we serve by providing high quality programs and services with a firm degree of
integrity and professional best practices.
• Stewardship: We uphold the strength
of our mission by meeting the needs of
our clients and community in a financially
responsible manner.
• Legacy: We uphold the success of our
heritage by embracing and investing in
continuous improvement of programs and
facilities.
New Center website
The Center Foundation and The Center
will launch a new website! We received a
grant from the Vivian L. Smith Foundation
last year so that we could finally do this project. We are working with a creative team of
writers, visual artists and program developers
to make this a reality. The site will be easier
to navigate and donor-friendly, making your
on-line giving even easier. We will even
feature a monthly contribution option that
will automatically charge to your credit card
or bank account. The site is very secure. We
will feature testimonials from families and
from those we do business with at the Adult
Training and Employment Services. We may
even launch by the time you are reading this,
go to www.thecenterhouston.org.
Page 2
In the mid 70’s I was attending the University of Houston and read an interesting article about a facility called
Cullen Residence Hall. I called and spoke to the director,
had a tour and spoke with members of the staff. I even
visited Cullen at different times of the day to get as many
perspectives as possible.
My sister, Judy Brady, was living at home with our
mother, father and younger brother and would spend a
month or more with our maternal grandmother. She had a
wonderful life. Our parents and grandmother seldom sheltered her, teaching her to be as independent as possible and
she grew up in a loving family and community.
Although Judy was happy, something inside of me knew there was more fulfillment to her
life. For that reason I focused on trying to communicate to my parents about this wonderful
place called Cullen Residence Hall. I mailed the newspaper article to them, spoke to them on the
phone, drove home to visit them and even visited with our family’s close friends. There was little
or no interest in changing Judy’s living arrangement.
I understood my mother and grandmother’s feelings of Judy being happy so why change the
situation but something kept me visiting Cullen. Our grandmother became ill with a serious case
of the flu. When we spoke one day she said she didn’t want to believe that someday she might
not be able to help our mother care for Judy. At that point communication opened and my mother
hesitantly agreed. The application process to Cullen was completed and Judy was accepted.
The day I flew home to take Judy to Cullen was one of the most emotional days of my life.
My mother was so sad and crying and the rest of my family would not speak to me. Judy on the
other hand was ready for an adventure. We arrived at Cullen and Judy was welcomed with open
arms. We decorated her room and she has lived at Cullen ever since. To say the least, Judy has
flourished. She has a job, she has friends, she has a church and she is part of a community. She
has a wonderful life and it’s her very own life.
She calls me several times a day and I hear about the latest. Judy can be irritated or upset at
something and she is the first to communicate what’s irritating her even with her speech impediment. Just ask her program manager, Walter, the nursing staff, the receptionist or other staff
members. However, the staff listens to Judy and works with her with respect. Since I live out of
the Houston area, I visit her almost every month. On holidays she visits our father, stepmother
and my family. When she is visiting us she’s calling her friends at Cullen and she can’t wait to
get back so she doesn’t miss anything. How fortunate can a family member be to know a special
loved one is living her or his life to the fullest!
A footnote - our mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 1979, our grandmother died in
1982 and our mother succumbed to complications of Alzheimer’s in 1987.
Some things in our lives are unexplainable. Judy as well as our family are truly blessed with
the caring staff and programs at Cullen Residence Hall.
Ice Cream Sunday!
Here’s the scoop! Plans are underway for the 11th annual Ice Cream Sunday, a fun family event
benefiting The Center. Co-chairmen of this year’s event, Lauren Allen, Monica Bickers, Alyssa
Kilpatrick and Amy Urquhart, invite your family to attend.
Ideal for families with children ages 5 to 13. It would be
plain vanilla without you!
Ice Cream Sunday will be held on Sunday, May 19,
2013, from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. in Autry Park, a fenced-in
grassy area adjacent to The Center at Shepherd and Allen
Parkway. In addition to a wonderful ice cream bar for creating your own sundae, James Coney Island will be serving
hotdogs with all of the fixings, and there will be a wonderful
variety of inflatables, rides and games.
Alicia Lee
Gingersnaps, Etc. is a dream come true for
Alicia Lee, founder and lead volunteer since
1995. Before this business existed, her love of
cooking, combined with a creative personality,
prompted her to start using her own fruitcake
recipe to help raise money. Along with fellow
volunteers, Hazel Pierson and Marion Armstrong, Alicia sold slices of fruit cakes at Willow River Farms’ first NovemberFest in 1987.
Her son Jeffrey was one of the first residents at
Willow River so this annual event was the perfect opportunity to volunteer while she lived in
Washington D.C.
Alicia relayed, “One of my favorite
memories is about former First Lady Barbara
Bush, in whose White House office I worked
as a volunteer, not liking fruit cakes. At the
time, I didn’t know this and sent her my own
homebaked holiday fruitcake as a gift for
several years. One day she asked me if I’d
ever considered making something else, like
gingersnaps? After much trial and error, I sent
a tin of gingersnap cookies to the First Lady.
I was very surprised to receive a call from her
ordering a case of gingersnaps! The rest is his-
Loyal ExxonMobil volunteers working The Center’s
booth at the Nutcracker Market selling our
wonderful goodies of Gingersnaps, Cheesesnaps,
Fruit cakes and Crunchy Chocolate Nuggets
tory ­­— Gingersnaps, Etc. was born after that
initial order. At first, it was just Alicia, her sister Harriet Kahn and friend, Catherine Darden.
The cookie orders and team of volunteers
continued to grow. They moved many times
throughout the years to a variety of loaned
and rented bakery kitchens and finally found
a home at The Center around 2006. Since all
profits benefit The Center, it was a win-win for
all. Another big change during the move was
when the volunteer cooks decided to outsource
the baking to Alphorn Bakery, owned by Peter
Hobi.
here, everything about it makes me happy!”
So whether Alicia is supervising, training or
working alongside fellow volunteers such as
her original, reliable group of friends, Alley
Clown Group, NCL Chapters or corporate
volunteers, know that she is loving every
minute of it!
Many say Alicia’s enthusiam and endless
energy is the backbone of Gingersnaps, Etc.,
although, she contributes its success to all the
loyal, longtime volunteers, who she calls her
best friends. “Volunteering and running this
business gives me purpose and fullfills me
each and every day!” states Alicia. “I love it
The Center is very fortunate to have such
a dedicated volunteer. Thank you Alicia!
Alicia’s husband of 64 years, B.Z. also
volunteers at Gingersnaps, Etc. and sits on The
Board of Governors for The Center and The
Center Foundation. Together they had one son
Jeffrey and three daughters Wendy, Donna and
Tracey plus seven grandchildren.
A Special Note of Thanks: Gingersnap sales at
Nutcracker set a new record and were more than
$50,000. Our sincere thanks to the 70 individual
volunteers who made it possible.
Holiday Banquet Sparkled in Work Center
Salvation Army’s Harbor Light Choir entertained during The Center’s annual Holiday
Awards Banquet on December 15th, 2012. Festive decorations, dinner, dancing and awards
throughout the evening was enjoyed by staff and residents from Cullen, Supported Living and HCS. The Robert E. Von Minden Award of Excellence was presented to Catherine
C. Chandler for her outstanding service and dedication to The Center. “It is so rewarding
working with all our volunteers. Whether beautifying our campus or interacting with our individuals, it’s a wonderful experience to see everyone’s face light up with a smile knowing
they have made a difference here! I truly love my job in Community Relations!”
Many thanks to Prince Food Systems and our talented staff and volunteers who transformed the workshop into a festive and sparkling ballroom. Special thanks to friends and
colleagues of David and Maire Baldwin who volunteered their time throughout the evening.
Bob Von Minden with Catherine Chandler,
recipient of the Robert E. Von Minden Award of
Excellence
Page 3
Days of
Caring!
This summer and fall many wonderful corporate volunteers from the community
beautified our campus and interacted with our clients! Talented volunteer musicians
& singers entertained and played a variety of games in all departments. Carpentry
projects included laying a new metal roof; repairing & staining outdoor deck / picnic
tables & building new benches. Painting classrooms, rails, curbs and four amazing
wall murals in the Adult Activities Center. New landscaping plus laying sod, top soil,
mulch, pavers & river rocks. Lots of campus wide weeding, trimming and removing
dead trees & scrubs. Volunteers cleaned and power washed concrete, windows, floors
& doors and removed enough Astroturf to fill a large dumpster..... plus so many more
projects! THANK YOU CORPORATE FRIENDS!!!
Letters from
LifeCare
Douglas sports his pirate moustache!
Enbridge - 100 volunteers on September 18th
LifeCare client Douglas Mosher made
a trip with his two advocates Bertha
Herrera and Eric Henderson to South Padre
Island this summer. He wanted to go on
the Pirate Ship and he did along with
numerous other activities. This is just one
of the many activities that Douglas enjoys
through his participation in LifeCare. The
Center Foundation offers guardianship and
trust services as well as a plan that guarantees a seamless transition when their
primary caregiver is no longer able to
manage their care. For information, contact
Bob Von Minden at 713-525-8482 or
[email protected].
CenterPoint Energy - 55 volunteers on
September 28th plus small group
four additional times
News from Troop 21
Cameron - 100 volunteers on June 1st
ExxonMobil - 6 volunteers on June 22nd
Baylor College of Medicine - 50 volunteers
on July 28th
HEB’s Mi Tienda 1 - 6 volunteers on
August 8th
UPS - 14 volunteers on September 7th
Shell - 20 volunteers on September 11th
Nordstrom - 16 volunteers on October 1st
Williams - 60 volunteers on October 8th
Kinder Morgan - 50 volunteers on
November 1st
This year begins a new century for Girl
Scouts as 2012 marked the Girl Scouts
100th Birthday. Troop 21 celebrated our
35th Birthday in 2012. The troop is having
a great time staying active. In November,
members trekked out to the Farm to cheer
on bicycle riders. In December, a a troop
from River Oaks Elementary attended our
meeting to share in our Christmas Celebration of decorating Christmas Cookies and
visiting with Santa Claus. In January we
had a Tea Party and made hats using recycled paper bags and decorations. Since
we renewed our Troop last year we added
seven new members and two new leaders.
Page 4
The Center
713-525-8400
Special Thanks to ExxonMobil Retirees who volunteer every year to set up for
the next day’s NovemberFest activities. And, a big shout out to Bob Steele and his
merry troupe of workers!
Annual
Luncheon
ENTER STAGE RIGHT:
TUTS/THE RIVER at
The Center!
Last fall, The Center began to explore
musical theatre with Theatre Under the
Stars & The River Visual & Performing
Arts Center in the Community. Energetic
and enthusiastic teacher, Jill Giles, leads
two 45 minute classes once a month.
Each month participants learned the
various skills necessary in the exciting
world of professional musical theatre
including singing, dancing, acting, and
staging. Each month a new theme, complete with props and instruments, creates
a fun-filled new experience. October’s
theme, “A Broadway Salute,” had the
class singing There’s No Business Like
Show Business (and other familiar hits).
In November, student’s learned the hand
jive, how to do-wop and the techniques
to stay hopelessly cool with musical
numbers from the 50’s. Finally, to celebrate the season, a medley of Christmas
carols taken from Broadway scripts were
performed with bells, tambourines, puppets and star-topped glow sticks - ushering in the new year with the magic of
live theatre. So, don’t be surprised if you
hear a little more singing - and see a little
more dancing - on the sidewalks of our
community-it’s probably just one of The
Center’s rising stars getting in a little
extra practice!
Annual Luncheon committee: Amy Miller,
Elizabeth DeLuca, Angie Holloway,
Kathryn Smith and Elizabeth Vail
OW!
W
Meet Jack
The Good News
Outreach Foundation
offered The Center
Foundation a matching grant that would give us
one dollar for every dollar raised. With
your generosity and quick action, we met
the matching requirement in one week in
our “Meet Jack” campaign!
Thank you to everyone who made a
contribution to help us meet this challenge! Including the matching grant,
The Center Foundation Year–End Campaign raised over $90,000 this year!
Chaired by Elizabeth DeLuca
with Advisory Chairs Angie Holloway, Amy Miller, Kathryn Smith
and Elizabeth Vail the 12th Annual
Luncheon was a huge success!
Held on Thursday, February 28
at River Oaks Country Club, it
featured speaker Buzz Bissinger,
the Pulitzer Prize Winning author.
His topic was his most recent book
written about his cross country car
ride trip with his special needs son.
Decorated in a 50s diner theme,
each table sported a lemon meringue pie. Our terrific committee
overraised $190,000!!
28th John J.
Eikenburg 8K
Fun Run
The HBA’s 28th Annual John J.
Eikenburg Law Week Fun Run was
held on March 23 at the Central Library
Plaza, in Downtown Houston. Over the
past 27 years, the event has raised over
$1 Million for The Center. The event
features an 8K run, a one-mile non-competitive children’s run, a non-competitive
one-mile family walk, and a wheelchair
division in the 8K. The 8K race is an
official spring series race of the Houston
Area Road Runners Association, and is a
sanctioned U.S.A. Track and Field event.
Page 5
Contributions to The Center Foundation and The Center — October 1 thru January 31, 2013
Mr. and Mrs. Bob Ackerly
Ms. Marlene Albers
Mr. Carl Alexander
Mr. and Mrs. Timothy Allen
Mr. and Mrs. Edward R. Allen, III
Amegy Bank of Texas
American Express Foundation
AMPCO Services, L.L.C.
Mr. and Mrs. Jerry W. Anderson
Ms. Jerry Johnston Andrew
Mr. Randy Angeles
Mr. Rikki Aping
Ms. Michelle Asselin
AT&T Employee Giving Campaign
Mrs. Theresa Attwell
Mr. and Mrs. Jim Aycock
Mr. and Mrs. Kyle Baccinelli
Mr. Daniel Baldwin
Mr. and Mrs. Lance Ballard
Ms. Kristen Ballard
Mr. Kevin Barnard
BDO USA, LLP
Ms. Judy Black
Mr. and Mrs. Jerry E. Black
Ms. Beth Black
Ms. Buell Blackburn
Mrs. Gloria Borreca
Ms. Bess Bright
Mr. and Mrs. James C. Broach
Mr. and Mrs. George A. Brookes
Mr. Cecil Brooks, Jr.
Ms. Jennifer Bruce
Mr. Pat Buckley
Ms. Jamie Burch
Mr. Dean L. Burden
Mr. and Mrs. James R. Burke
Mr. and Mrs. J. David Cabello
Ms. Cathy Cagle
Ms. Nicole Caldwell
Mr. Luis Cano
Mr. Fernando Castaneda
Catalyst Finance, L.P.
Mr. and Mrs. Gary R. Chandler
Mr. Tom Charlton
Mr. John Chen
Ms. Debbie Chenevert
Mr. Rick Chester
Chevron Humankind Employee
Funds
Chevron Humankind Matching Gift
Program
Chi Omega Alumnae of Houston
Mr. Kim C. Christensen
Mr. Neil Christie
Chubb Group of Insurance
Companies
Mr. and Mrs. Joseph A. Cialone, II
Dr. William J. Coffey, II
Mr. Mark Colby
Ms. Debra Collins
Mr. Wesley Conger
Mrs. and Mr. Erin A. Connally
Ms. Teresa H. Convington
Ms. Patricia Conway
Ms. Alwena Cooper
Mr. and Mrs. William Coorsh
Page 6
Mr. and Mrs. Robert G. Copes
Ms. Shelley Corman
Mr. and Mrs. Herman L. Coronado
Ms. Lori Coulter
Ms. Susan Cournoyer
Mr. and Mrs. James C. Culpepper
Mr. and Mrs. Gregory Curran
Mr. and Mrs. John Daly
DAMB Foundation
Ms. Drue T. DaSilva
Mr. Douglas Davidson
Mrs. William Dean
Mr. Harry Dean
Ms. Maria DeCristoFaro
Ms. Teresa Demetriou
Dr. and Mrs. Franco DeMonte
Ms. Naomi R. Dempsey
Mr. Chester E. Dickson
Mr. Louis Ditta
Dixon Golf, Inc
Mr. and Mrs. Michael J. Dobert
Ms. Nancy Dunbar
Ms. Veronica A. Dungan
Mr. John Dupree
Mr. Ron H. Durden
Mr. Robert Dzik
Edith and Robert Zinn Foundation
Ms. Janice Ehlinger
Mr. Hugh Eichelman
Mr. and Mrs. J. Kelly Elliott
Ms. Jennifer M. Elskes
Ms. Sheila Elwell
EOG Resources, Inc.
ExxonMobil Foundation
Ms. Leslie Farnsworth
Ms. Anna Felton
Mr. and Mrs. Mark L. Fichter
Ms. Lisa Fincke
Mr. and Mrs. Ruben E. Flores
Mr. and Mrs. Phillip Fox
Ms. Alma Fox
Mr. Brian T. Frank
Fred and Mabel R. Parks
Foundation
Ms. Judy Frederick
Ms. Twilight Freedman
Mr. and Mrs. Jim Freeny
Frost Bank
Mr. Mark Fuller
Ms. Gina Gallagher
Ms. Justa L. Garrett
Mr. Gustavo Garzon
Mr. and Mrs. Cris Gaut
Mr. and Mrs. Larry Gentry
Mr. Jay Gerber
Mr. Ed Ghiselin
Mr. and Mrs. Michael Gideon
Ms. Deborah Ginsburg
Girl Scout Troop 25240
Mr. and Mrs. Mark K. Glasser
Mr. John P. Goodman
Mr. and Mrs. Robert M. Goodside
Mr. Jason Gray
Greater Houston Community
Foundation
Mr. Michael J. Green
Ms. Allison Green
Ms. Geraldine G. Greig
Ms. Martha Guity
Mr. Willem Hack
Halliburton Charity Golf
Halliburton Giving Choices Match
HalloweenFest
Mr. Grady Harrison
Mr. and Mrs. Russell Hawkins
Healthcare and Nursing Education
Foundation
Mr. and Mrs. Alan Helfman
Mr. John A. Henley
Ms. Isabel Hernandez
Mr. Paul W. Hesson
Ms. Tammie G. Higgins
Ms. Pat Highet
Mr. and Mrs. Carl Hock
Mr. and Mrs. Paul F. Hoffman
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas D. Hollaway
Mr. and Mrs. Randall Holstead
Ms. Christy Hood
Ms. Patrice Horstman
Mr. and Mrs. Bobby Horton
Houston Jewish Community
Foundation
Huffington Foundation
Mr. and Mrs. James A. Hughes
Mr. Michael Hummel
Mr. Mathew Hunt
Ms. Joanne Hunter
Iberia Bank
InduMar Products, Inc.
Ms. Betsy Isaac
Isla Carrol Turner Friendship Trust
Mr. and Mrs. Joseph P. Ivers
J. A. and Isabel M. Elkins
Foundation
Ms. Harriette Jackler
Ms. Allison L. James
Mr. and Mrs. Desmond Jenkins
Mr. and Mrs. Scott Jensen
Mr. Thomas A. Johnson
Mr. Royce Johnson
Ms. Carmen Jones
Ms. Norma Jones
Mr. Lerone Jordan
Mr. Dimitri Karhu
Ms. Rebecca A. Keeshen
Mr. and Mrs. Kevin Keller
Mr. Michael D. Kerr
Mr. and Mrs. Warren Kinsey
Ms. Sue Kirby-Webb
Mr. and Mrs. Mervyn Klein, M.D.
Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Koch
Mr. Mike Kolat
Mr. Jeffrey C. Kubin
Ms. Marcy E. Kurtz
Mr. Jordan R. Lally
Mr. and Mrs. Charles L. Lamme
Primary Addressee
Ms. Liz Latta
Mr. and Mrs. B. Z. Lee
Mr. Mitch Lee
Ms. Tina Lee
Mr. John Leggett
Mr. and Mrs. Derek Lewis
Mr. and Mrs. Greg Leyendecker
Ms. Bessie J. Liedtke
Mr. H. A. Littell
Mr. M. E. Lytle
M. D. Anderson Foundation
Mr. Michael Machala
Mr. and Mrs. David Madden
Ms. Debbie Mailand
Mr. and Mrs. Garry L. Marshall
Ms. Mariella Massa
Ms. Karyn M. Mathis
Mr. David Mack and
Ms. Marie F. Maurice
Mr. and Mrs. Eric J. Mayer
Ms. Betty McCarty
Mr. Brian McCary
Mr. and Mrs. Mark A. McCollum
Ms. Carol McDavid and
Mr. Herman Kluge
Mr. Stephen McDonald
Dr. and Mrs. Raul T. Meoz
Mr. and Mrs. John C. Merritt
Mr. Paul D. Miller
MissionFish
Mr. and Mrs. Richard W. Mithoff, Jr.
Mithoff Family Charitable
Foundation
Mr. and Mrs. Jack Modesett
Ms. Joni B. Morgan
Ms. Blaine Morris
Mr. and Mrs. Chester Morris, Jr.
Ms. Leslie Mucha
Mr. and Mrs. Ronald M. Mueller
Ms. Yvonne Myles
Mr. Ashoak Nagaraj
Mr. and Mrs. Mike Nesmith
Mr. and Mrs. Joe S. Nettles
Mr. and Mrs. Ken E. Newton
Ms. Susan Norris
Mr. and Mrs. Cameron Norvell
Mr. Sam Nuckols
Mr. Tye Numelin
Mr. and Mrs. Henry Nunn
Mr. Bruce Olson
On Q Financial, Inc
Ms. Yvonne A. Onak
Mrs. Dorothy T. Parker
Ms. Gina Pavlik
Mr. Bob Perchonok
Mr. and Mrs. Dat Huu Pham
Mr. Bill Pineston
Mr. & Mrs. William L. Pinkston, Jr.
Ms. Dana Pitney
Dr. and Mrs. Matthew G. Powers
PWC
Mr. and Mrs. James R. Raborn
Mr. William H. Randolph
Ray C. Fish Foundation
Mr. Renato Reasonda
Mr. and Mrs. T. R. Reckling
Mr. Richard Repnak
Ms. Robyn Reso
Mr. James Roach
Ms. Tracy Robbins
Mrs. Lynn Rosas
Mr. and Mrs. Richard Rosenberg
Mr. and Mrs. Gary Rosenthal
Rosetta Resources Operating LP
Mr. Michael Rouse
Mrs. Ellin Royds
Safeway Stores, Inc.
Mr. and Mrs. Phillip H. Santamaria
Mr. and Mrs. M.K. Schatzman
Ms. Stephanie Segura
Mr. and Mrs. Perry Sendukas
Mr. and Mrs. Kirby Shanks
Shell Oil Company Foundation
Matching Gifts
Mr. and Mrs. Paul A. Shubnell
Mr. Warren Sloan
Mr. and Mrs. William G. Smith
Mr. and Mrs. Stephen J. Smith
Mr. Kenneth Smith
Ms. Marilyn G. Smythe
Mr. and Mrs. Paul SoRelle
Mr. and Mrs. Brent Southwell
Mr. and Mrs. Joe Spellman
Mr. James Staley, Jr.
Mr. and Mrs. Bret W. Stanley
Mr. and Mrs. Gary W. Stein
Stephenson Snokhous Fournier
Mrs. Betty Stone
Mr. Brad Stuebing
Ms. Erin E. Suhr
Mr. and Mrs. John Swinney
Ms. Lorraine Texada
The Albert & Ethel Herzstein
Charitable Foundation
The Brown Foundation
The Earl W. and Hazel C. Pierson
Foundation
The Kalman Foundation
The Lubrizol Foundation
The Mutt Foundation
The Saunders Foundation
The Virginia and L. E. Simmons
Foundation
Ms. Jacklyn Thomas
Mrs. Gina A. Thornbrough
Mr. and Mrs. James Thorpe
Mr. and Mrs. David Tong
Tootsies
Mr. Jose Torres
Ms. Tiffany Tosh
Toyota 100 Cars For Good
Truist
Mr. and Mrs. Paul K. Tufano
Uniform Components Co.
US Zinc Corporation
Ms. Claire F. Vackar
Mr. Christopher Vance
Mr. and Mrs. Rimas Vebeliunas
Mr. Charles E. Verostko
Vinson & Elkins, LLP
Mr. Robert E. Von Minden
Mrs. Jeri Waddell
Mrs. Denise Wagner
Mr. Jeff Wagner
Mr. Terrence Wakefield
Ms. Carri Wallis
The Center
713-525-8400
Contributions to The Center Foundation and The Center — October 1 thru January 31, 2013
Mr. Allan E. Walson
Mrs. Elizabeth Walter Keeney
Mr. Randolph L. Warner
Mrs. Mellinese E. Washington
Mr. Timothy Watson
Ms. Kelli Weinzierl
Ms. Gail A. Wellenkamp
Mrs. Kristin H. White
Ms. Carol Wiggs
Ms. Fran Wilcox
Ms. Cherlynn Williams
Mr. and Mrs. Peter D. Williamson
Ms. Catherine Wilty
Mr. and Mrs. Michael Wolf
Mr. and Mrs. James D. Woods
Ms. Lee Wright
Mr. Coy Wright
Ms. Diane Wurthrich
Ms. Kathy Yang
In Memory Of
Jack Baldwin
Mr. and Mrs. Jim DeOms
Kay Harrison Barncord
Mrs. Gloria Borreca
Teddy Baxter
Mr. and Mrs. James B.
Wakefield
Samuel Reading Bertron
Ms. Catherine C. Bertron
Dr. Frank Borreca
Mr. Richard D. Ornelaz
Mrs. Gloria Borreca
Dr. & Mrs. George Clayton
Mr. Clay E. Crawford
Dorothy Cook
Mr. and Mrs. B. Z. Lee
Vincen Fossati
Mr. Xavier R. Fossati
Dorothy Gustavsen
Mr. and Mrs. Larry D.
Callender
Nancy M. Harris
Mr. and Mrs. Bill Morgan, Jr.
Murriel Hill
Ms. Gloria Park
Jeremy Knapp
Mr. and Mrs. Marvin
Schumacher
Lolly Kugler
Mr. and Mrs. B. Z. Lee
Jeffrey Lee
Mr. and Mrs. Jay Bahme
Mr. and Mrs. Lee Herman
Sterling Family Foundation
Mr. and Mrs. Daniel H. Pears
Mrs. Lucy Burns
Dr. and Mrs. Raul T. Meoz
Thomas Leger
Mr. and Mrs. Ray G.
Rosenbaum
Betty and Harold Madden
Mr. and Mrs. David Madden
Mollie Megill
Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Turboff
Marlene Melamed
Mr. and Mrs. B. Z. Lee
Sara Merritt
Mr. and Mrs. Ray G.
Rosenbaum
Anna Mohler
Mrs. Margaret Lester
Al Moore
Mr. and Mrs. Craig H. Terrell
Irene and Harold H. Nicoll
Mr. and Mrs. Harold I. Nicoll
Jack O’Connell
Mr. and Mrs. B. Z. Lee
Wynona Owens
Ms. Judith A. Riggin
Maria Pablos
Mr. Oscar Pablos
Wendell E. Pierson
Mr. and Mrs. Nathan P. Steffen
Jose Quintanilla
Ms. Mary Quintanilla
Ms. Christie Blackburn
Sam Sacco
Mr. and Mrs. B. Z. Lee
Laura and Willie Sampson
Ms. Vera Lee Garvie
Stan Smith
Mrs. Jane C. Hogan
Mrs. Nancy Weaver
William Stanley Smith
Mr. and Mrs. Geoffrey T.
Davis, Sr.
Joan Spitz
Mr. and Mrs. B. Z. Lee
Laurence Still
Lt. Col. and Mrs. John R.
Pardo
Timothy Teague
Mr. and Mrs. W. L. Magee, Jr.
Dean Williams’ brothers
Ms. Elizabeth Espinosa
Ms. Cindy Rodriguez
Ms. Debra Collins
Martha Witschey
Ms. Michele Hayes
Tom Wurth
Mckesson Foundation
The Williams Companies, Inc.
Ms. Rebeca Carter
Mr. Barry Turner
Mr. Paul W. Hesson
Mr. Danny Duncan
Ms. Debbie Darroh
Catherine Fossati Wyatt’s mother
Mr. Rabb Wyatt
Duke
Dr. Kathy Cook
Mr. Adam B. Farris
Gina and Larry Corbin
Mr. and Mrs. Randall S. Riepe
Leigh H. Cox
Ms. Virginia C. Brown
Gertrude Cuccerre
Ms. Chris Brown
Ann and Jim DeOms
Dr. & Mrs. John S. Baldwin, III
Larry Dulaney
Ms. Lillian Dulaney
Wally Ekholm
Ms. Kay E. Westbrook
Friends of Cullen
Mr. and Mrs. John T. Bowen
Chris Futch
Mr. & Mrs. Alexander Waugh
Gingersnaps Volunteers
Dr. and Mrs. Raul T. Meoz
Bernice Hick
Mrs. Georgiana Zustovich
Bobbi Hill
Ms. Gloria Park
Janis Jackson
Mr. and Mrs. Mercer L.
Jackson
Kimberly Johnson
Mr. and Mrs. C. Wayne
Johnson
Darlene Jones
Ms. Arleen Garcia
Alden Jude Knobloch
Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence C.
Jackson
Eric Kolb
Mr. Jack Kolb
Margaret Lam
Ms. Martha Smith
Alicia & B.Z. Lee
Mrs. Lucy Burns
Mr. Fred Shinagel
Ms. Peggy Burk
Dr. and Mrs. Glenn A. Goerke
Dr. and Mrs. Raul T. Meoz
Mr. and Mrs. William G. Smith
B.Z. Lee
Mr. Howard B. Allenberg
Emma MacDonald
Mr. and Mrs. Randall S. Riepe
Sue and Jack Manning
Mrs. Betty Stone
Jack Manning
Mr. and Mrs. Ross Anderson
Joshua Martin
Ms. Deborah K. Poston
Isabelle and Eric Mayer
Mr. and Mrs. Peter Mayer
Sara and Jack Merritt
Mr. and Mrs. Ray G.
Rosenbaum
Don Merwin
Mr. and Mrs. B. Z. Lee
Joshua Jonathan Murphy
Mr. John D. Murphy
Nancy and George Nemetz
Mr. and Mrs. Randall S. Riepe
Mary Ann and Jesse Noland
Mr. & Mrs. William G. Smith
Mrs. Dorothy Mason
Mr. and Mrs. William J.
Maxwell
Jan Phelps
Mrs. Mary K. Callaway
Angela Posey
In Honor Of
Bette and Corky Atkins
Mr. and Mrs. Randall S. Riepe
Bonnie and Robert Baldwin
Dr. & Mrs. John S. Baldwin, III
Maire and David Baldwin
Dr. & Mrs. John S. Baldwin, III
Ms. Jennifer Dugas
Marguerite Baldwin
Dr. & Mrs. John S. Baldwin, III
Sally and Mark Baldwin
Dr. & Mrs. John S. Baldwin, III
Richard Borreca
Hawaii Insurers Council
Judy Brady
Mr. and Mrs. Paul S. Moxley
Michael Bryant
Mr. and Mrs. Ray G.
Rosenbaum
Boone Bullington
Ms. Renee S. Davis
Linda and Bob Candito
Mr. and Mrs. Rudy Carlin
Agnes Ceasar
Mr. and Mrs. Raymond L.
Mr. and Mrs. Randall S. Riepe
Ellen Reichenthal
Mrs. Evelyn Reichenthal
Carol Lee Robertson
Mr. and Mrs. Ulyesse J.
LeGrange
Cathy Sewell
Mr. and Mrs. John B. Sewell
Caryl Singer
Mr. Harold L. Harris
JoAnn and Glenn Sliger
Mr. and Mrs. Robert J. Inger
Betsy and Gil Smith
Mr. and Mrs. Geoffrey T.
Davis, Sr.
Patty and Kurt Sommer
Mr. and Mrs. Randall S. Riepe
St. Luke United Metodist Church
- The Joy Class from
The Center
Mr. & Mrs. Tom E. Gossett, III
Steven Suchicki
Mr. and Mrs. Edwin J.
Suchicki
Victoria Tansey
Ms. Karla Tansey
Crystal Terrell
Mr. and Mrs. Craig H. Terrell
Pam and Hum Tett
Mr. and Mrs. Randall S. Riepe
Betsy and Jack Tismeer
Dr. & Mrs. John S. Baldwin, III
Anita & Charles Weiner
Mr. and Mrs. B. Z. Lee
Catherine Wyatt
Mrs. Gloria Borreca
Board of Trustees
President
James A. Pavlik
Vice President/Treasurer
Bernard Z. Lee
Vice President/Secretary
Jerry Johnston Andrew
Vice Presidents
David C. Baldwin
Elizabeth R. DeLuca
Mark Glasser
Trustees
C. Len Benckenstein
Christopher P. Borreca
Jamie Naiser Broach
Joseph A. Cialone, II
Brian J. Cohen
Bill Coorsh
David Cunningham
Louis M. Ditta
Jack T. Dulworth
Mark T. Dulworth
Joni Hruska Fichter
Elizabeth Lyons Ghrist
Arthur E. Jones
Marcy E. Kurtz
Shon Link
Charles M. Lusk, II
Jack B. Manning
Isabelle Mayer
Mark McCollum
Glen Shepard
Thad “Bo” Smith
Page 7
The Center and MHMRA partner to serve Asperger’s clients in
coffeehouse setting
In a unique opportunity to serve people with Asperger’s disorder, The
Center has partnered with MHMRA of Harris County to establish a “coffeehouse” program for adults. Located on The Center’s West Dallas campus in
classrooms once occupied by the Caning program, is a comfortable, enclosed,
environment purposely laid out with tables, chairs and coffee. It’s a “drop-in”
program for socializing and skills training.
“The rooms are set up so clients can
practice in a safe environment and develop
social skills that they may have had deficits
in, in family and other social situations,”
said Margo Childs, MHMRA Coffeehouse
program director. The “drop-in” model
Rodney Keller, direct care manager, discusses social skills
makes it easy for people to attend discuswith Coffeehouse participants
sions of relevant and interesting topics, as
Margo Childs, MHMRA Coffeehouse their daily schedule allows. “Parents bring them, some ride the Metro-Lift, some live at Cullen and
program director and Dr. Alton
others drive themselves,” said Childs. Through the program, they can obtain individualized treatment
Bozeman, program psychologist
planning, peer mentoring, and psychological support. Dr. Alton Bozeman, who is responsible for
addressing the clinical, curriculum, emotional, and behavioral needs of the clients, stated that he likes The Center’s West Dallas campus,
“very well.” “I really like this location because it has served us best by providing a conducive and productive environment, allowing staff
to split groups comfortably for training.”
MHMRA’s Coffeehouse program has served approximately 85 individuals with Asperger’s; 31 attend the West Dallas campus. The Center
is pleased to collaborate with MHMRA and understands that the Coffeehouse is where people with Asperger’s can find a community of
support so they can learn and rehearse skills that promote their ability to find jobs, remain employed and manage relationships successfully.
Robert Goodside
Elizabeth L. Ghrist
Cathy Coers Frank
Norris Fergeson
Leslie Farnsworth
Michael Dobert
Jeffrey Davis
Chief Executive Officer
Eva Aguirre
Life Members
Jerry Johnston Andrew
Henry A. Hill
C. Wayne Johnson
Raymond Terrell
Larry Coulter
Marlene Albers
Ellin Royds
David Baldwin
Lisa Schott
Christopher P. Borreca
Glen Shepard
Ian J. Butler, M.D.
Betsy D. Smith
Brian Cohen
Jeff Wagner
Herman Coronado
Tyler Williams
Become a fan of The Center Houston
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Richard Rosenberg
Paul Franks
Treasurer
Jon M. Prather
James Pavlik
Bill Coorsh
President
Linda Hilliard
Joni Hruska Fichter
Vice President
Bernard Z. Lee
Greg Savage
Secretary
Harold Nicoll
Jack B. Manning
return service requested
Gwen Koch
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