the connection - Family Connections

THE CONNECTION
www.familyconnectionsinc.org
VOLUME 7 Edition 4 2012
A Houseful of Teenaged Girls
CLINIC—Call for information about our counseling services:
The photo of Brooke Place is one
that might exemplify quiet and peace
with a nice lawn, beautiful sunshine,
and pine trees. Yes, Brooke Place is
all that but also a home away from
home for up to 12 adolescent girls
who are with us for a temporary period of time.
Weirton Medical Center
Medical Office Building
651 Colliers Way, Suite 412
Weirton, WV 26062
Phone: (304) 723-3423
Fax: (304) 723-3426
E-mail:
admin@
familyconnectionsinc.org
Missio n S t at em ent
Fam ily C o nnect ions is com m it ted to hel pin g i ndiv idu als f unct ion to t he best of t heir a bili ties by e ng agi ng t he resources th at ex ist n at urall y wi thi n the ir fam il y a nd com m un ity.
BROOKE PLACE—Call
for a referral for residential group treatment for
girls:
I nterven tion prov ided by F am ily C o nnect ions is derived from an d g uide d by the de velop ing bod y of kno wled ge in the f am ily field.
Fam ily C o nnect ions is dedica ted to t he care, we lfare, an d respect o f fam i lies an d t he in divi du als wh o com prise them .
P.O. Box 348
Tent Church Road
Colliers, WV 26035
Phone: (304) 527-3303
Fax: (304) 527-3306
This facility is funded in part
under an agreement with the
Bureau of Children and Families, WV Department of Health
and Human Resources
If one should ask any of our staff what it’s like to work with our girls, the responses
run the gamut from a wonderful rewarding experience to the stress, emotional turmoil
and physical endurance that it takes to provide structure, support, and love, yes
LOVE, to girls who may have lost their way. Our girls are very typical in that they love
to shop, go to movies, dances, chat on the phone, participate in school activities and
we try to accommodate all those normalizing experiences. One thing though is common throughout the house—the yearning to be connected, to transition back to their
family, or foster care, or independent living. Our staff help them find their way.
Family Connections-Brooke Place is currently looking for full-time child care workers who will work with our present team. If you know of a family member, a neighbor,
a person from your club or church who you feel would be an asset to this important
work, please let them see this newsletter. The child care worker position comes with
health insurance, paid time off, holidays, short term disability and life insurance. Our
website at www.familyconnectionsinc.org tells you more about it. Thanks for passing
this along!
Brooke Place Wish List
Email:
brookeplace@
familyconnectionsinc.org
Gift cards for girls’ birthdays
Construction paper
Overnight carry all bags/
satchels for home visits
Toilet paper, paper towels
Pajamas—S,M,L,XL
Underwear—all sizes
Slippers
Mesh bags for large laundry
baskets
Regular while towels
Batteries, all sizes
Craft items, e.g., beads,
yarn, scrapbooking supplies,
etc.
60 -watt light bulbs
Laundry detergent & dryer
sheets
Flash drives/thumb drives
for the girls’ computer time
School supplies: notebooks,
binders, folders, pencils, etc.
Questions?
Please contact Barb
Jones at 304-723-3423.
THE CONNECTION
Page 2
Dorothy Comes Through Again!
Family Connections’ 5th annual fundraising
event, “There’s No Place Like Home,” was held
this year on May 5th at the St. Francis Centre in
Follansbee. The Wizard of Oz theme depicts the
journey the Brooke Place girls take throughout
their time at the residential facility in Colliers.
Gathered around Dorothy are the members of
our fundraising auxiliary who all deserve our appreciation for the time-consuming leg work that
goes in to organizing such an event. Standing in
the front row are Vicki Williams, Dorothy, Cathy
Sobel (Chair) and Jean Bartholow. Standing in
the rear are Gary Williams, Joyce Young, Beverly
English and Joyce Heise.
We want to especially thank all the individuals and businesses who gave monetary gifts and donations
of items for raffles, door prizes and silent auction baskets. Thanks to Gus’s Goodies and A-1 Mossor Contracting for our sheet cakes, to our great DJ Rico Johnson for setting a lively tone for the evening, and to
Tom Falter of American Financial for the LEDTV which was won by Robin Lojszczyk. Thank you to our
event sponsors whose thoughtfulness moved our dance forward. Emerald: First Choice America Community FCU and Century 21 Greathouse Realty. Silver: Hancock County Savings Bank, Merco Marine, Delegate Ronnie Jones, and Rico Johnson. Yellow Brick Road: Jennifer Kirkbride, Peggy Cartus, Guglielmo
Charitable Scholarship Foundation, Senator Orphy Klempa, Tom Zielinsky, Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Sabia,
Dee Jay’s BBQ Ribs, and Dr. Michael Palma.
Plans are already underway for our next event. It’s loads of fun and more importantly, all proceeds directly benefit the girls at Brooke Place.
New Vans Arrive!
Our Brooke Place girls and Brooke Place employees
will be sittin’ pretty in our two, new 2012 Chrysler
Town & County vans purchased at Sunset Motors
Volkswagen-Jeep in Steubenville, Ohio. As we travel many miles with our Brooke Place residents, not
only with local driving, but taking the girls to their
homes for visits, our annual and long term planning
always contains a goal for replacement of our vehicles. Thanks to Sunset Motors for their time and
attention!
Brooke Place shift leaders, Ashley Boyce and Debbie Brush
THE CONNECTION
Page 3
Brooke County Rotary Donates Garden Benches
Four beautiful, weather-safe garden benches now adorn
the grounds of Brooke Place due to the generosity of the
Brooke County Rotary. Dr. Terry Geary, president of the
Rotary, stated that Brooke Place was chosen as the recipient of this recognition due to the “great work” done by the
organization.
Dr. Geary, far left on the photo, and incoming Brooke
County Rotary president, Jerry Simpson, delivered the
benches to Brooke Place. Rose LaRosa, Brooke Place director, joined them for a photo. Family Connections
thanks the Brooke County Rotary for this great gift and
also for recognizing the important work we do.
We just want to be beautiful...
B e in g a r es iden t a t B roo ke Pl ac e is n ’t a lwa ys t h e
e as i es t t h in g t o d o. H ow eve r , we m an ag e t o f in d t h e
t im e t o p am p er ou rs el ves . I t m ay n ot b e t h e s am e as
g oin g t o a s p a an d s o akin g ou r p ig gies in a s olu t i on
an d g et t in g a d eep t is s u e m as s a ge, b u t we en j oy en h a n cin g ou r n at u ra l b e au ty by p la yin g wit h cos m et ol ogy . Hav in g goo d s elf -es t eem is a ch a ll en ge f or
m os t t e en s ar ou n d ou r a ge an d s om et im es it ’s h a rd to
l ook at y ou r r ef le ct i on an d n ot s e e an y t h in g b u t
f l aws . “Pam p e rin g p e e rs ” is n ot ju s t s om e t h in g we
l ike t o do .. .it ’s s om e t h in g we f ee l is n e c es s ar y at
t im es . Ev en wit h ou r s h or t ag e of s u p p li es , w e m ak e
it p os s ib le t o b e “gir ly gi rls ” an d h a ve m a ke ove rs .
M ak in g a gi rl f ee l b eau t if u l is r ew ar din g , n o t on l y t o t h e r es id en t p la yin g s t ylis t , b u t als o t o
t h e gi rl re cei vin g t h e gl am o ri zat i on . C u r lin g ou r las h es an d f la t t en in g ou r h ai r is n ’t s om et h i n g w e do ju s t f or f u n . I t m akes u s f e el b e t t e r ab ou t ou rs el ves in s i de an d ou t . I t g ives u s a
c h an c e t o b on d an d b e com e s is t e rs , in a s en s e . We t ry t o m ak e t h e b es t of ou r s it u at ion an d
k eep ou r p e ers h e ads as we ll as ou r own h eld h igh .
S om e of t h e gi rls c om m en t ed on t h ei r e xp e ri en ce… “I t m akes m e f e el lik e a p rin ces s , I
a p p r ec iat e s p en din g t im e wi t h m y g ro u p h om e s is t ers .” “I en jo y do in g a c ryl ic n ails on m y
p ee rs . I t m a kes m e f ee l g ood h elp in g t h e gi rls wit h t h ei r s elf -es t eem .” “I lov e wh en t h e g irls
d o m y n ai ls an d d res s m e u p . I f e el lik e B arb i e. ” “Wh en I get a m a ke ove r , I f e el r en ewe d. I t ’s
n i ce t o f ee l p am p e red an d b eau t if u l on c e in awh i le .” “Wh en t h e gi rls d o m y h ai r, it always
l ooks r eal ly n ic e. I l ik e f ee lin g p r et t y. ” “On e of t h e res iden t s d yed m y h ai r an d I lo ok ab s o lu t el y g or ge ou s n ow . I t com p le t el y ch an g ed m y ou t lo ok on m ys elf . I f e el b e au t if u l.”
Wh en you f e el goo d ab ou t a p p e ar an c e, y ou exu de p os i t ivi ty b ec au s e , af t e r a ll, w e ju s t
B rook e Pla ce Res idents
w an t t o f eel b eau t i f u l.
MISSION STATEMENT
Family Connections is committed to helping individuals function to the best of their abilities by engaging the resources that exist naturally within
their family and community. Interventions provided by Family Connections are theory-based and are guided by the principle that the individual
is best treated within the context of their family. Family Connections is dedicated to the care, welfare, and respect of families and the individuals
who comprise them.
family connections, inc.
P.O. Box 348
Colliers, WV 26035
By giving a contribution in memory of or in honor of a family member or friend, many generous people
have found a way to express their caring spirit while investing in the lives of those served by
Family Connections.
In Memory Of
Joan R. Dobrzanski
By
Jeffrey H. Gerow