A GOOD SHEPHERD PUBLICATION
Finding
JOY
A child's journey from heartbreak to happiness Resident Holiday Wish List Matching Gift Challenge Raker Memorial Awards
VOL 113 ISSUE 3 • WINTER 2020
Tradition is Alive and Well Dear Friends, In August I joined Good Shepherd as president and chief executive officer. What a whirlwind it’s been, and a gratifying one at that. Getting to know my colleagues has just reaffirmed what I already knew and why I came here. At every level, Good Shepherd’s associates are dedicated to perpetuating the mission of our organization, bringing hope and healing to our patients and long-term care residents. Our associates have proved resourceful in keeping tradition alive. The annual Raker Memorial Awards was held virtually this year. As this was my first RMA, I would have enjoyed meeting many of you, our donors and friends from the community, face to face. I look forward to the day when we will gather in person to celebrate the Raker legacy of caring embodied in our award recipients. If you missed the RMA broadcast on November 13, you can still watch it on SweetCharityOnline’s Facebook page. In September, with all COVID-19 safety precautions in place, we were able to hold our Fall Classic fundraiser for pediatrics, at Lehigh Country Club. I enjoyed getting to know golfers, and pickleball and tennis players, just some of the people committed to supporting our mission and who made the event a success. And it was, raising more than $114,000, no small achievement given the challenges. I don’t have a crystal ball that tells me when we’ll resume activities as we normally do. What I do know is during this extraordinary time of the COVID-19 pandemic, holding to cherished traditions, and staying connected with our donors and the community has never been more important. Thank you for being our loyal supporters during a most unusual year. My new year’s hope is for a truly connected 2021, in person!
ichael Spigel, PT, MHA M President & CEO
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Finding Joy Rescued from a life of abuse, a little girl named Hannah finds healing at Good Shepherd and her forever home filled with love.
4 Cover photograph: Lynn Ashley Photo
14 Answering the Call to Serve Chris Fistner planned to join law enforcement when an injury put him on a more fulfilling career path as administrator of the Good Shepherd Home-Raker Center.
Take Them Out to the Ball Game 16
Donor support of the Year-End Matching Gift Challenge helps Good Shepherd’s long-term care residents enjoy lives of greater independence.
Making Holiday Dreams Come True 17
Looking for a great gift idea? The Resident Holiday Wish List may be just the thing for a gift that changes lives.
9 Reflections By The Rev. Corrine Dautrich
10 The 35th Annual Raker Memorial Awards 12 Profiles in Legacy Giving Rita Granitz
18 The 2020 Fall Classic 20 Gifts of Love 22 In Memoriam Arthur Ayers Margaret Graybill
facebook.com/sweetcharityonline
Our Mission Motivated by the divine Good Shepherd, and the often complex physical and cognitive rehabilitation needs of our communities, our mission is to enhance lives, maximize function, inspire hope, and promote dignity and well-being with expertise, innovative care and compassion.
GoodShepherdRehab.org • 1-888-44-REHAB
Liz Cook didn’t hesitate to take on the most heart-breaking foster child imaginable. What Liz gave in love and security has come back in the smile of a little girl with joy in her name and her heart.
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As a foster mom, Liz Cook was accustomed to taking on children from some pretty difficult home situations. But nothing prepared her for the heartrending sight and medical complexities of 14-month-old Hannah*, a beautiful little girl with golden hair and a golden spirit waiting to be free. “The foster agency called and said they had a referral in the hospital, but we’re not sure she’s going to make it,” says Liz recalling that day in February 2017. “She was really touch and go. She was the size, weight and ability of a two month old.” Hannah*, and her two cousins, all three whom Liz agreed to foster, had been rescued from an abusive home. Hannah faced a long road to recovery and lifelong impacts from the abuse. “When I met her, she had more tubes coming out of her body than I’d ever seen,” says Liz. “There was no life in her. Nothing. I was pretty terrified.” But Liz is not one to walk away from a child in need, no matter how challenging. The 37-year-old director of training for a college campus ministry has fostered several children from newborns to 17 years old. As daunting as the prospect was of fostering a child with such significant disabilities, Liz took one look at Hannah, promising then and there to love and care for her. “I committed to visiting her every day,” says Liz. “At that point she was mostly stable.” That promise was sealed with hope when Liz held Hannah in her arms and the little girl who seemed beyond reach whimpered for the first time. “It meant she felt safe enough to express something without fear of being hurt again,” says Liz. “I promised I would keep her as safe as I could.”
* Editor’s Note: At Liz Cook’s request, Hannah’s last name is being withheld.
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Within a few days after that first meeting Hannah had progressed enough to be transferred to the Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Hospital Pediatric Unit in Bethlehem. Liz had never heard of the pediatric unit but was impressed by the staff and the warm, childfriendly environment with accommodations for parents to stay overnight. Hannah’s care team of physical, occupational, speech and recreational therapists soon discovered the complex intertwining of Hannah’s physical and psychological challenges. “She was one of the most timid kids we’ve seen,” says Kendall Shelly, the occupational therapist who worked with Hannah. “Just trying to hold and handle her was a challenge. We worked a lot on increasing her tolerance.” Feeding was a major hurdle for Hannah who arrived malnourished and weighing only 15.5 pounds. The World Health Organization says the average weight for baby girls her age is 20.7 pounds. “She was refusing to drink,” says Liz. “She had been force-fed a bottle by a five year old and wanted nothing to do with it.” The goal was to wean Hannah from a feeding tube and transition her to a bottle and pureed foods. “Hannah had refeeding syndrome,” 6
says Liz. “It’s like when a child has been starved. We needed to introduce food slowly and deliberately because she could get sick and her body reject food.” Therapists also focused on the basics that normally come naturally to babies. “She was a 14 month old who wasn’t able to sit up on her own,” says Kendall. “We worked a lot on developmental milestones, helping Hannah to build up her strength and play with toys at a more appropriate level. She also loved watching people’s expressions and playing in the mirror.” Music opened doors to Hannah’s rapid development. “Music has been so healing for her,” says Liz. “I love that Good Shepherd recognized she was motivated by music and used it in her therapy.” From the beginning, Liz was involved in all Hannah’s therapy sessions. On weekends, Hannah’s cousins, who also are living with Liz, visited and were included in those sessions. “That was fantastic,” says Liz. “Good Shepherd has that awareness that you don’t just work with the patient, that you have to work with the family and consider the surroundings.” The training Liz received at Good Shepherd gave her the confidence to take Hannah home,
The training Liz received at Good Shepherd gave her the confidence to take Hannah home.
knowing she had the skills to care for her daughter. That day came just one month after Hannah was admitted. “They thought she was going to be there more like two months,” says Liz, “They discharged her early because she was just plowing through her goals and then some. She could sit and crawl on her own, support herself, eat, all the things that were critical to her being safely discharged. She’s a fighter. She was incredibly abused and hurt, yet she didn’t give in to that. As soon as she had appropriate care she immediately started turning corners and thriving.” The care tools in Liz’s arsenal didn't just help her with Hannah. “I’ve been able to identify problems much faster in other children placed with me and get help sooner,” says Liz. “I’ve learned what it’s like to care for a child with special needs even when their disabilities are invisible. I’m not nearly as scared by challenges because I’ve lived through them with Hannah.” When Hannah went home with Liz, she had gained two pounds and no longer needed a feeding tube. The little girl who was painfully timid had transformed into an engaging child.
Hannah with Liz on adoption day.
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“I’ve learned what it’s like to care for a child with special needs even when their disabilities are invisible." 7
"From day one she has exhibited an insane amount of joy, and that is contagious to anyone around her."
“We didn’t see much personality when we first got her,” says Kendall, “but as she progressed and was able to tolerate physical touch and play, that’s when she began to flourish. Now she’s in a loving home and thriving.” Hannah turned 5 in November and is continuing to make progress with outpatient therapy at Good Shepherd Pediatrics Program in Allentown. Denise Roncolato, a pediatric occupational therapy assistant, is helping Hannah learn skills she’ll need for kindergarten next fall: how to write her letters and numbers, develop visual motor skills for reading and follow directions. “She is the model patient and quite the little spirit,” says Denise. “She’s funny and a little stubborn because she has a very independent streak, but cooperative and compliant. She is strong and motivated to learn and do things. If she doesn’t know how to do something, she’ll figure it out.” Hannah loves riding her two-wheeler and being outside running, swinging, sliding and camping. “We’re just a very active family,” says Liz. Hannah’s brain injury is expected to last throughout her life, but with each day, she lives up to her middle name, Joy. “From day one she has exhibited an insane amount of joy, and that is contagious to anyone around her,” says Liz. In August, Liz adopted Hannah, adding a happy chapter to Hannah’s life. The radiant smile on Hannah’s face reflects the security and love she has come to know. Against all odds, the little girl who began life deprived of love, found a forever family and her own heart that just wants to give back. “She says, ‘I will share my toys mommy. I will take care of them,’” says Liz. “That’s just who she is.” n
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Reflections By The Rev. Corrine Dautrich I wonder how many of us are glad the year 2020 is behind us. Few would argue that the novel coronavirus made 2020 one of the most complex and challenging years in history, impacting the day-to-day ways many of us live. In his letters to the Corinthian church, St. Paul writes, “The old things passed away; behold, new things have come.” Paul wrote about being made new once and for all. There is no turning back from accepting the new covenant of Christ. His epistles are rich with imagery in living whole lives in spite of suffering, persecution and unrest. Imagine the same is true for us. At Good Shepherd, as for many of you, the traditional Sunday worship services for our residents were on hold for months. But the need for providing pastoral care to our patients and residents remained. I started recording a weekly devotion on my cell phone and then uploaded it to my laptop for sharing with individual residents. I also uploaded creative hymn recordings on Zoom videos from around the world including Hawaii, Ireland and Australia. Sunday worship services at Good Shepherd Home-Bethlehem resumed briefly, with social distancing guidelines and limited attendance. During a recent service, when asked the question, “How do you know God is with you?”
The Rev. Corrine Dautrich and Raker resident Bill Prueter, both U.S. Air Force veterans, on Veterans Day.
one resident replied, “He saved my butt, after my accident!” Another responded; “He watched over me when I was in a coma for three years.” The residents seem to know the power of God’s love and presence in their lives. Many have experienced life-altering events that would truly test a person’s faith. Yet their steadfast belief that God is with them no matter how difficult life’s changes, teaches us all that our covenant with God can always be renewed, giving us lasting hope. n
“The old things passed away; behold, new things have come.” 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NASB) 9
35TH AN N UAL
RAKER MEMORIAL AWARDS
2019 Raker Memorial Awards, Fuente de Vida church
The 35th Annual Raker Memorial Awards went virtual this year, bringing together donors, Good Shepherd colleagues, family and friends in a COVID-19-safe social media event held November 13. The awards are given to those who live the Raker legacy of compassion and selfless service to others at work and in the community.
Watch the 2020 Raker Memorial Awards on the web at: bit.ly/GSRMA20 10
Raker Memorial Award
Raker Spirit Award
Gary Schmidt
physical therapy assistant, outpatient aquatics
chairman, board of trustees
Gary has a long history of dedicated service to Good Shepherd beginning with his tenure as a Work Services Advisory Committee member in 1997. He then joined the network’s board of trustees for a nine-year term. After a brief hiatus, Gary answered the call to continue his service and returned to the board, becoming chair in 2017. Gary retired from Mondelez Global, LLC, in Tatamy where he served as a human resources executive for nearly 30 years. That retirement was short lived, when in November 2018, Gary became interim president and chief executive officer at Good Shepherd, a position he held until August 2020. In his remarks introducing Gary, President & CEO Michael Spigel said, “I would say that you met one of the reasons you first became involved with Good Shepherd, and that was to perpetuate the mission of the organization. I would say that in the future, when the history of Good Shepherd is told, your name will be near the top.” Gary has been a steadfast philanthropic supporter for many years. “As I’ve come to know Good Shepherd’s staff and witness their selfless efforts to facilitate healing and recovery, it prompts me to give what I can to help perpetuate the organization and preserve its mission,” said Gary.
Annette Span
In nominating Annette for this award, her colleagues described her as considerate, highly skilled and a compassionate caregiver. “She teaches and shares with others whenever asked and has earned the respect of employees from other departments,” said Michael. Annette spends most of her day in the therapy pool helping heal patients at Good Shepherd’s Health & Technology Center. One of the most rewarding aspects of Annette’s job is getting to know her patients on a personal level and giving them the tools to “better their life.” Annette joined Good Shepherd 38 years ago after a student internship. Her selfless spirit and compassion was particularly evident during the first months of the COVID-19 pandemic at Good Shepherd. Annette worked tirelessly for days sewing masks for her colleagues and filling in wherever needed. “What we do for people would not be possible without the commitment of our associates,” said Michael. “It is their spirit, the Raker spirit, that restores hope to people who seek us out. Annette truly lives the Raker spirit each and every day.” Annette serves on the board of TriBoro Sportsman Club and has volunteered for her church and with the Boy Scouts. n 11
Legacy PROFILES IN
RITA GRANITZ When Rita Granitz retired from her job at PPL she spent the first month organizing and planning. “I like to set priorities as to how I spend my time,” she says. After writing 100 thank you notes to friends, family and co-workers for her retirement party and gifts, Rita was not about to be idle. She wanted to do something different than the job she retired from, and she found it at Good Shepherd. A month after retiring, Rita began her volunteer career, including weekly visits with residents at the Good Shepherd HomeRaker Center. Fifteen years as a volunteer have given Rita a clear vision of the need for support, which is why she decided to include a gift for Good Shepherd in her will. Rita, who was honored for her service earlier this year, chose to volunteer with residents because she has a “soft spot” in her heart for people with disabilities. She also wanted to build friendships. “I get attached to people,” says Rita. Over the years, Rita has enjoyed doing a variety of things with the residents, including helping with writing and art classes. For the last five years she has organized a weekly Scrabble game.
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According to Rita, “It’s a team effort when we play and we help each other out.” Visiting restrictions because of COVID-19 have prevented Rita from volunteering since March, but she stays in touch with phone calls and sends notes of encouragement. Rita’s gift honors and supports those residents who have become her friends, as well as those who will call Good Shepherd their home in the future. She put Good Shepherd in her will with confidence, knowing of the organization’s great reputation helping residents enjoy greater independence and a better quality of life. “I love knowing that residents will enjoy trips, holiday events, art classes and more because of my gift,” says Rita. “My heart is with Good Shepherd. It gives me great satisfaction to know that my legacy there will continue because of my gift.” n Interested in becoming a volunteer? Contact JoAnn Frey at 610-776-3215 or visit SweetCharityOnline.org.
To learn more about including a gift for Good Shepherd in your will or estate, contact Jeannette Edwards, Kim Stolarik or Greg Wilson, CAP®, CFRE, at 610-778-1075 or visit SweetCharityOnline.org/PlannedGiving.
Get Organized in 2021! Perhaps one of the tasks on your “To Do” list is writing a first will or revising an existing one. If so, we have a great tool to help you get started! Good Shepherd offers a free online estate planning kit with a simple guide and record book for keeping all your important information in one place. The kit can be downloaded from our website making it easy to update, save and share with family and your attorney. A printed version of the estate planning kit is available by returning the form below. If one of your family members receives disability income, we also offer a “Resource List” for
families with special needs. The list will help you connect with resources that can help preserve your loved one’s eligibility for these benefits.
Get Organized in 3 Easy Steps: 1. Order your free estate planning guide. 2. Review the guide and gather information. 3. Schedule an appointment with an attorney. Call Jeannette Edwards, 610-776-3386, to request the “Special Needs Resource List” if you or a loved one has a disability.
Good Shepherd encourages you to consult an attorney.
Yes! Please send me a free Estate Planning Guide. NAME PHONE # EMAIL ADDRESS
Return this form in the envelope provided, or mail to: Good Shepherd Development Dept. 850 S. 5th Street Allentown, PA 18103
Have you already included a gift for Good Shepherd in your will or estate plan? Please let us know so we can thank you and welcome you into our 1908 Raker Society. n Yes, I have included a gift for Good Shepherd in my will or estate plan.
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Answering the Call to Serve “I’m extremely proud to be working alongside such a fantastic team,” Chris says of the Raker staff. “There’s a lot of longevity here.”
Chris Fistner with his wife, Catherine, and daughter Reagan, 2.
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The Good Shepherd Home-Raker Center welcomes a new administrator. Starting a new job during a pandemic was not exactly Chris Fistner’s ideal scenario. But when the opportunity arose to apply for the position of administrator of the Good Shepherd Home-Raker Center, Chris set his sights on rising to the challenges posed by COVID-19 and applied for the job. He’s glad he did. In August, Chris stepped into the administrator role, ready to make a difference in the lives of Raker’s 99 residents with a dedicated staff of caregivers, many who have been long-time Good Shepherd employees. Chris comes to Good Shepherd after serving as administrator for another local skilled nursing facility. This is his second tour of duty with Good Shepherd having previously been admissions liaison covering eastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Chris has deep local roots. He was born and raised in Bethlehem and graduated from Saucon Valley High School. With two degrees in criminal justice from Northampton Community College and Kutztown University, Chris was focused on a career in law enforcement. He was accepted into the Allentown Police Academy, but life had other plans. “After sustaining a leg injury I found myself having to scramble to find another career,” says Chris. “A family member of mine who works in the long-term care arena encouraged me to look for an entry-level position in the field. That was six years ago, and here we are!”
Chris was drawn to the field of long-term care because he wanted to serve others and better their lives. He sees in Good Shepherd a special culture not typically found at other skilled nursing facilities. “It was clear to me that Good Shepherd’s philosophy has always been to provide resident-centered care, and that really appealed to me,” he says. With safeguarding the health and wellbeing of residents and staff from COVID-19 a priority, Chris and his colleagues have worked with heart and soul to uplift the residents’ spirits (and their own) during the long months when they haven't able to enjoy in-person visits with family and friends or go on community outings. “Our main goal has been to find innovative ways to increase our residents’ quality of life,” says Chris. Virtual visits with loved ones, creative dining with take-out meals from residents’ favorite restaurants, and weekly devotionals recorded on a cell phone and shared with residents have helped everyone get through difficult times. COVID-19 remains the number one challenge, says Chris, but with careful management, a team dedicated to serving the best interests of the residents and hopes for eventually resuming some sense of normalcy, Chris knows better days are ahead. “I am confident that we have the resources to succeed,” he says. Chris lives in Cetronia with his wife, Catherine, and two-year-old daughter, Reagan. n
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Take Them Out to the Ball Game Ball games. Movies. Concerts. Shopping. Dining out. Holiday visits with family at home. For three decades, the Community Access Fund has helped Good Shepherd’s long-term care residents in Allentown and Bethlehem enjoy greater independence. “Because of this fund, our residents are able to go anywhere they want,” says Melinda Guffy, a recreational therapist at the Good Shepherd Home-Raker Center. “And if not, I make sure they have reasonable accommodations to do so. That’s what it’s all about.” Melinda, who has worked at Good Shepherd for 32 years, says the fund began in the early 1990s with a grant and a goal to get residents into the community. The first excursions treated residents to dinner at Hess’s Patio, an Allentown restaurant known for its mile-high strawberry pie in Hess’s Department Store.
Melinda Guffy and resident Migene Burkey in 2017 on an annual outing with the Frick Boat Club in Allentown.
Through the years, donors have helped sustain the fund which pays for staff to accompany residents on outings including trips to Disney World, Nashville and Niagara Falls, plus expenses. “It takes a lot of planning,” says Melinda. “I consider myself a mini-travel agent for people with disabilities.“ COVID-19 has curtailed resident outings and activities, but Good Shepherd’s therapists are resourceful and have come up with ideas to lift spirits, such as a take-out to dine in program. “We are doing everything we can to keep a glimmer of light in their lives,” says Melinda. n
Take the Year-End Matching Gift Challenge Several generous donors have once again pledged to match funds up to $20,000. Donate before December 31 and your gift will be matched dollar for dollar, doubling your impact. Make your gift today by using the envelope in this issue or at SweetCharityOnline.org.
Thank you!
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Making
Holiday Dreams Come True
The holidays are a favorite time of year for the 159 long-term care residents who call Good Shepherd home in Allentown and Bethlehem. This year is playing out differently though. Keeping our residents safe during the COVID-19 pandemic made it necessary to cancel several beloved group events such as Christmas tree decorating, special musical performances and holiday shopping at the local mall. But one tradition our residents still enjoyed was filling out their annual holiday wish lists.
Filling Santa sacks in 2018 with gifts purchased from the Resident Holiday Wish List Fund.
Every year, residents like Ed Miller, who lives at the Good Shepherd Home-Raker Center, receive $150 from a special donorfunded account to help purchase gifts for their holiday wish lists. Staff and volunteers
shop for and wrap hundreds of gifts, everything from body wash and cologne to CDs, DVDs, sports Ed Miller at a resident ball attire and cozy with his wife Jennifer and son, Nathaniel. comforters. The presents are then put in individual Santa sacks and distributed to the residents just in time for Christmas Day joy. For Ed, who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis when he was 23, and Good Shepherd’s other residents who live with traumatic brain injury, spina bifida, cerebral palsy and other disabilities, these presents are a poignant reminder that they are not forgotten by our donors at this special time of year. “He’s a good person with a good heart, and no matter what, he’s always smiling,” says Ed’s wife, Jennifer. This year, Ed is in for a special holiday surprise. Jennifer is installing a large canvas print of their 13-year-old son, Nathaniel, and their dog, Gigi, in Ed’s room. “It’ll be nice, especially if we can’t all be together for Christmas this year,” says Jennifer. “Ed is deserving of everything he gets.” n
Will you open your heart today and help make the holidays extra special for Good Shepherd’s residents by donating to the Resident Holiday Wish List fund? Giving is easy. Use the envelope in this issue; text GSRN to 91999; or on the web at SweetCharityOnline.org 17
2020 FALL CLASSIC Benefits Children and Families Social distancing, hand sanitizer aplenty and staggered tee times were new to the game, but an abundance of precaution made it possible for golfers, and tennis and pickleball players to gather for Good Shepherd’s Fall Classic at Lehigh Country Club on Monday, September 14. The excellent weather added to the upbeat spirit of the day as participants enjoyed spending time with friends for a good cause raising more than $114,000 for the Good Shepherd Pediatrics Program. “We're grateful to our many sponsors and participants for their continued support, even in these challenging times,” says Greg Wilson, associate vice president, development. “It's inspirational to see the community rally around children, families and a critical program like Good Shepherd's pediatric program. We worked hard to repay this trust by taking all necessary precautions to protect everyone involved with this year's event.”
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CONG R ATU L ATION S TO ALL TH E WI N N E RS GOLF 1st Gross: 65 Jaime Mendes, Jack McGeehan, Kevin Kunkle, Scott Masenheimer (PenTeleData) 2nd Gross: 73* Gary Clewell, Jill Kramer, Todd Heller, John Bassler 1st Net: 70* Brian Paugh, Anne Baum, Kevin Paugh, Nick Lukow (Capital BlueCross) 2nd Net: 70* Pete Kareha, Tiffany James, Steve Gergar, Bob Platner
Specialty Contests #3 – Closest to the Pin – 21' Steve Gergar (Hospital Central Services, Inc.) #18 – Longest Drive Men Nick Lukow (Capital BlueCross) #18 – Longest Drive Women Jill Kramer #9 – Straightest Drive Kyra Melleby Myers (Highmark Blue Shield)
PICKLE BALL Dottie Kelly • Dan Ginter • Rich Underwood
TE N N I S Marie Johns • Ron Freeh *Won on Match of Cards 19
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IN HONOR OF…
DONATED BY…
IN MEMORY OF…
DONATED BY…
Carolyn Bryce
Mr. Gerard Bryce
Anita Koppenhaver
Ms. Sherry Koppenhaver
Gary R. Schmidt
Mr. and Mrs. Alvaro A. Diaz
Ann Battipaglia
Ms. Anne Marie Grattan
Gail Loughman
Mr. & Mrs. Robert A Miller III
Annabelle Roth
The Clark Family
Good Shepherd Bethlehem Staff
Mr. Joseph Bickert
Anneliese Tunnhoff
Ray & Inge Lindner
Good Shepherd Bethlehem Home Staff
Cera-Met
Arthur Ayers
Good Shepherd 4th Floor Staff
Mr. & Mrs. W. Scott Cryder
Mr. & Mrs. Arlo Babp Ms. Jane Fleck Ms. Sharon Ayers Ms. Susan Spaziani Mr. & Mrs. Tommy Hillel
Good Shepherd Kutztown Staff
Mr. & Mrs. Thomas Biehl
Bernice Miller
Ms. Eileen Teater
Good Shepherd Palmer Township Staff
Anonymous
Bob Lindner
Ray & Inge Lindner
Buffy
Mr. Dennis Wood
Good Shepherd Schnecksville Staff
Mr. & Mrs. Luther H. Lutz
C. Richard Youngdahl
Mr. Carl R. Youngdahl, Jr.
Catherine M. Youngdahl
Mr. Carl R. Youngdahl, Jr.
Good Shepherd Therapists Lisa, Amy, Jake, & Erin
Anonymous
Carolyn Volk
Mr. Paul Volk Joseph & Patricia Brewer
Maurice James
Mr. & Mrs. Amos R. Gross
Chet & Bette Brewer & Family
Marion C. Beatty
Dr. Karen L. Beatty
Dave Volk
Mr. Paul Volk
Matthew Kern
Ronald Sr. & Gail Stofko
David Bryan
Mr. Norman T. Bryan, Jr
Rina & John Johnson
Mark & Peg Franko
David M. Donati
Eugene L. Donati
Gary Schmidt and his efforts to promote and mentor female leaders at Good Shepherd.
Mrs. Carry Gerber
David McCandless
Mr. & Mrs. Dale McCandless
Dena Pugh
Mrs. Ruth Hensinger
Donald G. Wagner
Mr. & Mrs. Thomas G. Keller Ms. Betty Jane Remaley
Deby Bewley
Mrs. Judith A. Jablonski
IN CELEBRATION OF 2ND BIRTHDAY…
DONATED BY…
Diane Johansson Adams
Mark & Peg Franko
Eden Dancho
Ms. Maryann Dancho
Dorothy Hartman
Mr. Lloyd I. Hartman
Duke Riegel
Mr. Lester Riegel
Edith & Charles Orr
Mark & Peg Franko
IN CELEBRATION OF 90TH BIRTHDAY…
DONATED BY…
Elizabeth Stringer
Dorothy E. Murphy
Ray Barg
Anonymous
Francine Sockin
Mr. & Mrs. Abraha Nudel
We thank the generous families and friends who honor their dear ones with memorial gifts and living gifts of honor. These gifts help support Good Shepherd’s mission of service to people with disabilities, many who otherwise could not afford the therapies or long-term care they need.
IN MEMORY OF…
DONATED BY…
IN MEMORY OF…
DONATED BY…
Frederick Roth
The Clark Family Mr. Charles E. Clark Joe, Jen and Fred Faust
Marie L. Farr
George Rader
Mr. Lloyd I. Hartman
George Zeyn
Ms. Annamarie Carlson Mr. & Mrs. Thomas F. Rose
Ms. Caroline Beck Guys & Dolls Bowling League Ms. Patricia Fields Mrs. Peggy Toro Ms. Susi Buchler TelecomPioneers/Cynthia Price
Mathilde Middeke
Ruth Scott
Gerard Hille
Eric & Liz Hille
Michael Capper
Gregory Miller
Mr. & Mrs. Harold Hummel
Hazel Lindner
Ray & Inge Lindner
Helene Schaefer
Mr. John M. Schaefer
Ms. Char Fleming Mr. & Mrs. David Slepian Mr. & Mrs. Ian Slepian Mr. Lawrence Marcy Ms. MaryAnn Burisch
Jack A. Hauck
Dr. Deborah Kimmel
Paul Tunnhoff
Ray & Inge Lindner
Jeffrey Stasa
Mr. & Mrs. George Rollman
Pauline Worman
Miss Frances R. Worman
Jim Maul
From an anonymous friend
Rev. Charles Fair
Mrs. C. Louise Fair
John Baranko
Mr. & Mrs. Leslie A. Matthews
Rick Schall
Mrs. Terri Purdy Schall
John J. Gorman
Raymond & Maryann Gardner
Rose Baranko
Mr. & Mrs. Leslie A. Matthews
John Carl Johnson
Mark & Peg Franko
Ruth Beer
Ms. Margaret Schneider
Joseph Benzak
Mr. David J. Benzak
Ruth Benzak
Mr. David J. Benzak
Joyce Tomanik
Mr. & Mrs. Joseph A. Toth
Sharon Early Clark
Al & Gwen Miller
Kate Hille
Eric & Liz Hille
Scott Sandler
Ms. Jerri Rogers
Kenneth Schaefer
Mr. John M. Schaefer
Sparky
Dennis Wood
Krista J. Harakal
Mr. & Mrs. Robert S. Billings Ms. Rebecca S. Robertson
Tim Bannon
Ms. Jerri Rogers
Wayne R. Kemery
Mrs. Patricia Kemery
Lilly Keim Van Sweden
Ms. Joanne E. Keim & Mr. Bryan D. Van Keim
LuAnn Lester
Mr. Frank S. Lester, Jr.
Luis Chong
Mr. Evan Skinner Mr. & Mrs. Francis Cosgrove Mr. Glen Osborne Mr. & Mrs. Michael Curtin Mr. & Mrs. Michael S. Kowalski Mr. & Mrs. Peter Kennedy
Gifts were received from August 1 through October 31, 2020.
WAYS TO GIVE Text GSRN to 91999 or Visit SweetCharityOnline.org
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Arthur Ayers Sharon Ayers’ first blind date in January 1979 with her husband to be, Arthur, was both memorable and mortifying because she literally fell for the handsome young man with a winning smile and intense blue eyes. Stylishly attired in high-heeled boots to greet Arthur, Sharon stepped outside when the heel broke, sending her sliding down the icy driveway and half way under the car. “I was mortified. I thought, he’s never going to call me again,” says Sharon. But Art did call again. The couple married in 1986 and settled in Martin’s Creek. For the next 34 years, love charted the course of their lives until Art’s passing at the age of 70 on Saturday, September 19, at the Good Shepherd Home-Bethlehem. Art served in the U.S. Army in Vietnam. A lengthy career followed as a quality assurance engineer at United Engineers until Huntington’s Disease forced his retirement in 2014. Art loved camping vacations with Sharon at Hickory Run State Park, hunting, fishing and was the proud owner of a 1957 Chevy.
Margaret “Peg” Graybill Margaret “Peg” Graybill didn’t have children of her own, but countless little ones were showered with love in Peg’s own motherly fashion during her 15-year career as a daycare provider, along with her late husband Stanley, in Mt. Pleasant Mills. A resident of the Good Shepherd Home-Raker Center, Peg passed away at the age of 75 on Thursday, October 15. Peg lived independently until declining health brought her to Good Shepherd. There she discovered the joy of painting with the resident art group and participated in the book club. Peg’s keen mind and compassionate heart kept her engaged with residents, staff and visitors, always interested more in others than herself. "Peg had a drive to overcome her disability and to live as full a life as possible,” says Traci Sierer, Peg’s friend of 38 years. “She had a strong degree of independence ever since I met her. She never expressed sympathy for herself. She always looked on the bright side.” 22
A GOOD SHEPHERD PUBLICATION
BOARD OF TRUSTEES GOOD SHEPHERD REHABILITATION NETWORK GARY SCHMIDT, MA, Chair, Orefield SANDRA L. BODNYK, Vice Chair, Orefield THE REV. JOHN RICHTER, M.Div., Secretary, Sinking Springs LAURIE K. STEWART, BS, BA, CPA, Treasurer, Center Valley POLLY BESTE, Wind Gap PAMELA DeCAMPLI, Allentown ALVARO DIAZ, MS, Allentown PAUL D. EMRICK, CIMA®, CFP ®, Allentown DAVID FESSLER, Nazareth JAN HELLER, MBA, Bethlehem DEBORAH KIMMEL, MD, Allentown THOMAS J. LYNCH, Allentown STEVEN D. MORRISON, MBA, BS, Coopersburg JAAN NAKTIN, MD, FACP, Allentown PETER D. QUINN, DMD, MD, Haverford TINA Q. RICHARDSON, PhD, Bethlehem VICTOR SALICETTI, Bethlehem DONALD W. SNYDER, Esq., Orefield MAURA TOPPER, Philadelphia JONATHAN P. WARNER, CEBS, ISCEBS, Philadelphia Trustee Emeriti JOHN V. COONEY, MS, Allentown NELVIN L. VOS, PhD, Maxatawny Legacy Trustee JILL DOUGLASS, Allentown BOARD OF TRUSTEES GOOD SHEPHERD SPECIALTY HOSPITAL FRANK HYLAND, MSPT, Vice Chair JAMES J. DALEY, MD, Center Valley PETER T. ENDER, MD, Center Valley WILLIAM GOULD, MD SUSAN L. LAWRENCE, MS, CPHQ, Bethlehem
Good Shepherd serves persons with disabilities on the basis of need regardless of ethnicity, color, national origin, ancestry, age, sex or religious creed and is an equal opportunity employer. Sweet Charity is printed by Christmas City Printing.
VOL 113 ISSUE 3 • WINTER 2020
FACILITY MEDICAL DIRECTORS SCOTT K. EPSTEIN, MD Good Shepherd–Wayne Memorial Inpatient Rehabilitation Center CLINTON C. HOLUMZER, MD Good Shepherd Home–Bethlehem PATRICK DOSTAL, MD Good Shepherd Home–Raker Center
SWEET CHARITY IS A PUBLICATION OF: Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Network Good Shepherd Plaza 850 South 5th Street Allentown, PA 18103
GOOD SHEPHERD SPECIALTY HOSPITAL PROGRAM MEDICAL DIRECTORS JAMES J. DALEY, MD PETER ENDER, MD WILLIAM GOULD, MD JAAN P. NAKTIN, MD JOSEPH B. SCHELLENBERG, MD
DEVELOPMENT Gregory Wilson, CAP®, CFRE, Associate Vice President for Development
ADMINISTRATION MICHAEL SPIGEL, PT, MHA, President & CEO CINDY BUCHMAN, MHA, Vice President, Physician and Clinical Services JESSICA COOPER E xecutive Director, Good Shepherd Penn Partners CHERYL FISHER, SPHR Chief Human Resources Officer CHRIS FISTNER, NHA, PCHA Administrator, Good Shepherd Home– Raker Center JESSICA FLORKOWSKI, MSN, RN, CWCA, Administrator, Good Shepherd Specialty Hospital CARRY GERBER, Vice President, Marketing & Communications FRANK HYLAND, MSPT, Executive Director, and Administrator, Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Hospital CARRIE KANE, MS, CCC-SLP/L, ATP, A dministrator, Good Shepherd Home– Bethlehem GEORGINE A. OLEXA, Esq., JD, MBA Vice President, Legal Affairs TERENCE O’NEIL Chief Information Officer JENNIFER SILVA, DNP, RNC, NE-BC, Vice President, Chief Nursing Officer SANDEEP SINGH, MD Senior Vice President, Medical Affairs, and Chief Medical Officer
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Ask Us How Contact Jeannette Edwards, Greg Wilson or Kim Stolarik at 610-778-1075. Visit SweetCharityOnline.org to make a gift in honor of someone special today.
