chatter winter 2017 | issue 3
a publication of mosaic in colorado springs | facebook.com/mosaicincoloradosprings
From the Executive Director AN ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE by Cheryl Wicks We have truly been blessed at Mosaic. Earlier this year, we had an initiative to focus on building partnerships with people in our commuCheryl Wicks nity as well as Executive Director Mosaic in Colorado Springs the families we support. This one initiative has helped us increase and enhance the activities we offer to people we serve in our community activities program and residential program. People have attended Colorado Rockies events, visited the May Museum, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, Sip-n-Splatter, Paint-nFire, YMCA classes (i.e. Zumba), attend Lion’s Camp and much more. Not only have our community
Dale Root
partnerships helped provide these opportunities, our committed donors have helped as well. It has been heartwarming to witness true happiness in the people we serve by being connected to their community. In October, we had our 4th Annual Partners in Possibilities event. This is the one time each year that we ask for cash and pledges to help sustain the
Dale Root with his project
Mosaic mission. We were elated at the success of this year’s event. We exceeded our goal for the event and the cash and pledges raised will help
Alicia Montana and Chuck Miles
us provide new community activities, help us work towards increasing the wage for our employees and help us with our growth initiative to serve more people. Thank you to those of you who made a one-time donation and those of you who joined our Partners in Possibilities Society, which is a commitment of $1,000/year for five years. Blessing to you and your family in the coming year. “Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all the others.” - Marcus Tullius Cicero
Kathy McEwan painting
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Meaningful Life FEEL THE MUSIC by Cat Reineke, Direct Support Manager Melissa Devolve, with Little Hearts Big Music, arranged to have a recital for day program at Ascension Lutheran Church. She invited members of the church to attend as well. The kids did a great job performing and the music was lovely. All the people we serve seemed to enjoy it, and so did the staff.
and didn’t really understand what was going on. She told me she found it boring.
It was one of those moments that was overwhelming. The pure joy made us all weep.
Then, one of the boys let her put her hand on his violin while he played. She looked like she’d felt an electric shock. Michelle could feel the musical vibrations through the instrument.
Melissa said she’s been running Little Hearts Big Music for five years, and although she had a few truly memorable moments, this was really huge. It was life changing for Michelle and the student who played the piano. The girl was shy and the interaction with someone we serve helped her come out of her shell.
Melissa said we should try the grand piano and asked one of her students to play so that Michelle could feel it. She was reluctant at first and we had to give her plenty of encouragement to touch the piano. When the student began to play, Michelle’s body language changed drastically. For the most part, she is in constant motion – signing her thoughts and feelings with fervor – but Michelle was suddenly still. Harvey Frazier and Michelle Alexander volunteering at TCRASS.
One of the people with us was Michelle Alexander. Michelle is deaf
I nudged her over and helped her lay her upper body over the top of the piano. Then, I gently put her head on it. She was motionless as she ‘listened’ to music for the first time in her life.
Michelle Alexander at Little Hearts Big Music performance
This is why we do what we do. We don’t change the world – we change moments, one at a time. The people we serve wrap these moments up and put them in their vault for the rest of their lives. It’s something good they can take out when things aren’t going so well. I went home and teared up again as I told my husband about my day. I feel so lucky – this really is what it’s all about!
Michelle Alexander at Colorado Springs park
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Caring Community PEOPLE WHO MAKE US GREAT Jolene Bowers, Mosaic at Home provider Jolene goes above and beyond to make Daniel feel comfortabe. Daniel has been saying the ‘Our Father’ prayer before bed since he was 7 years old, but in a group home, Jolene Bowers there wasn’t always someone available to help him. Now, at the age of 42, Jolene asks him every night if he would like to say his prayer. Daniel is a spiritual person. “One night she (Jolene) tucked him into bed and asked him if he wanted to say his prayer,” said Daniel’s mother, Pat. “He said ‘no,’ thought for a moment, then said out loud, ‘I love you God, I’ll talk to you tomorrow.’ Jolene immediately called and told me all about it—we laughed together.” Every provider/client relationship is different. As an artist, Jolene tried to keep Daniel feeling close to his family. She painted a tree on his wall with family photos hanging from each limb. For all the work you do helping Daniel express himself spiritually and stay connected to those who love him, we thank you Jolene! We would also like to thank Pat Bush for nominating Jolene as one of the “people who make us great.” Pamela Wagner, Direct Service Associate Pam started at Mosaic less than a year ago as a natural support volunteer, coming to work
with our Day Program two or three days a week. It takes commitment to volunteer in natural supports, as well as extensive training. A retired special education teacher, Pam knows what it takes to help someone with an intellectual disability grow. As a volunteer, we were all impressed by her perseverance and compassion. Recently, Pam accepted a position with Mosaic as a Direct Service Associate. She has jumped right in and goes above and beyond to bring our mission to life. We are so grateful to have her on board! Melissa Devolve, Volunteer Logistics Coordinator Melissa has been volunteering with Mosaic as our Logistics Coordinator for the past eight months. It is a position that takes significant commitment, which is why we normally suggest it as a three-month Melissa Devolve position. But Melissa just kept going – and got her whole family involved. In addition to her duties at our monthly Discover the Possibilities events, Melissa goes out advocating for Mosaic, securing lunch sponsors, and seeking opportunities for financial contributions (e.g. Couples Who Care). Melissa’s work as a volunteer has saved Mosaic more than $1,000 and earned us contributions exceeding $5,000. We are so grateful to you Melissa for spreading the word – as well as to your amazing ensemble, Little Hearts Big Music!
SPONSOR RECOGNITION Thank you to our Discover the Possibilities lunch sponsors: September: Sabine Massey September: Special – Peak Vending October: Dale Wilderness, Wilderness Treasures November: Dale Wilderness, Wilderness Treasures January: Dickey’s BBQ and Bill Shirer, Leader One Financial Thank you to our Partners in Possibilities Platinum and Gold sponsors: Platinum Sponsor: Sara Freeman, JSF + Associates
Gold Sponsor: Jack Caton, First Priority Roofing Gold Sponsor: Paul Gamache, Thrivent Financial Interested in sponsoring our next event? Contact Emily Plotkin at 719.377.2087 or emily.plotkin@mosaicinfo.org. Sponsorships range from $150 to $1,500 depending on the event.
Pamela Wagner Colorado Springs 3 Mosaic Chatter
Meaningful Life THE GREAT OUTDOORS Pete and Jolene Bowers took Daniel Stewart and Mark Duncan camping early this fall. Daniel and Mark have limited mobility which requires them to use wheelchairs, which can make outings like this a challenge. Thanks to the dedication of Jolene and Pete, they made it work so the people they serve could have a real Colorado camping experience. They sat around the campfire, sang camp songs, rode three wheelers (slowly and with supervision of course), and even slept in a tent. These kinds of activities are far more common with our host
homes than they were in the group home setting. We are so glad to see the people we serve gaining new experiences and enjoying life thanks to their Mosaic at Home families.
© 2016 Mosaic Mosaic is an affiliated social ministry organization of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and a member of Lutheran Services in America. Mosaic will not discriminate in matters of employment or service delivery on the basis of race, creed, age, color, sex, religion, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, marital status or veteran status. Language Assistance Services Español (Spanish): ATENCIÓN: si habla español, tiene a su disposición servicios gratuitos de asistencia lingüística. Llame al 1.877.366.7242 Tiếng Việt (Vietnamese): CHÚ Ý: Nếu bạn nói Tiếng Việt, có các dịch vụ hỗ trợ ngôn ngữ miễn phí dành cho bạn. Gọi số 1.877.366.7242
Volunteer Opportunities
Daniel Stewart
Ambassadors: Probably our most crucial volunteer position, Ambassadors commit to bring a minimum of 10 people to our Discover the Possibilities monthly luncheons within a 12-month period. Development Associate Volunteer: Small grant proposals; Giving Circles; Corporate Giving Applications. Six-month minimum. Logistics Coordinator Helps to set-up and break-down the Discover the Possibilities lunch and learns the first/second Monday Daniel and Pete by the fire
of the month. Three-month minimum. PR/Blogging Volunteer: Facebook, Website,
Connect with Mosaic in Colorado Springs! mosaicincoloradosprings.org
facebook.com/mosaicincoloradosprings
mosaicinfo.org/blog
twitter.com/mosaicpossible
donate.mosaicinfo.org/colorado-springs
linkedin.com/company/mosaic
and E-News content creation. Six-month minimum. For more volunteer opportunities, email
Mosaic Chatter is published by Mosaic in Colorado Springs | 888 W. Garden of the Gods Rd., Ste. 100, Colorado Springs, CO 80907-9437 | www.mosaicincoloradosprings.org Executive Director
cheryl.wicks@mosaicinfo.org
Community Relations Manager
emily.plotkin@mosaicinfo.org
Mission Embracing God’s call to serve in the world, Mosaic advocates for people with intellectual disabilities and provides opportunities for them to enjoy a full life. Integrity at Mosaic If you have a concern, call our national Confidential Reporting Hotline at 800.443.4899, or email integrity@mosaicinfo.org
Emily Plotkin at emily.plotkin@mosaicinfo.org.
Relationships Mosaic is an affiliated social ministry organization of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and a member of Lutheran Services in America. Non-discrimination Mosaic will not discriminate in matters of employment or service delivery on the basis of race, creed, age, color, sex, religion, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, marital status or veteran status. To be added or removed from the mailing list or to receive information via email, please contact Mosaic at the address given. ©2017 Mosaic. All rights reserved. Mosaic is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization.
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Caring Community HAPPY APPLE FARM
TRICK OR TREAT!
Participants in our day program visited family owned Happy Apple Farm in Penrose this fall, which has become something of a tradition at Mosaic in Colorado Springs. This year, their harvest of pumpkins wasn’t what the
Every year we do trick-or-treating through the agency with our day program for Halloween. This year, staff decided to go with The Wizard of Oz as our theme. Staff were incredibly engaged with great costumes ranging from ‘The Lollypop Guild’ to Toto. Individuals in service dressed up like the elusive bumblebee, the New York Yankees, a Sock Hop dancer, a pirate, a witch, and a rabbit – just to name
Wish List • Bowling Fund contributions • Glow golf or putt–putt tickets (120 tickets) • iPad data plans/funding (six plans for three years) • American Sign Language courses for staff ($450 – $1,500) • Sporting Event tickets (10 – 20 tickets) • Museum tickets (10 – 20 tickets) • Discover the Possibilities sponsorship ($150 or food for 25 people)
Debbie Hayes and Michelle Alexander
Corrinne Ronde and Tim Grove
farm had hoped for and they were struggling. We did not expect to come home with pumpkins this year.
a few. Thanks to the efforts of agency staff going above and beyond, from direct service associates to managers, we can truly say that we live our mission, bringing the people we serve a meaningful life in a caring community.
But when Tony Ferrara, owner of Happy Apple Farm, saw the joy the people we serve experienced just being there, finding pumpkin pieces in the field, he sent everyone home with their very own pumpkin. We are so grateful to Tony and his family for this generous donation and for all they do for the community.
Michelle Alexander, Alicia Lee-France, and Conor Eckoldt
Vicki Arthur
Dee Drummond
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Giving a Voice BUILDING A REPUTATION OF EXCELLENCE There is a lot of work that goes into maintaining the quality of our programs – maybe even more in building the relationships necessary for community access. For much of this, we have Carrie Richards to thank. Carrie has only been with Mosaic for a little more than a year but as Quality Assurance Coordinator (QAC) she has done an incredible job increasing our visibility as a resource for those with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
LET ME BE HEARD! by Somber Alfaro, Administrative Secretary A few years ago, I helped Suzie Caddell claim her right to vote. This past November was her first presidential election and she was overcome with excitement. We found an opportunity for Suzie to visit a rally for her candidate in Pueblo, and together, my family helped ensure Suzie got there. She was thrilled to go and contribute her support.
Thanks to Carrie’s efforts, our agency has placed five people in caring host homes, helped 17 individuals integrate with their community through our day program, supported 10 people in their independence through Supported Living Services, and provided job training for four new members of the workforce. Carrie’s work ensuring the quality of our services and promoting a reputation of excellence has allowed us to extend our ministry to those who need it most.
No matter your political views, I think we can all agree that having the ability and opportunity to express them is an integral part of being a recognized American citizen. I’m so glad to be a part of Suzie’s journey to find her voice.
Upcoming Events
Understanding how to access funding from Medicaid for someone with disabilities can be confusing and frustrating. Carrie has introduced a record-breaking 26 new individuals to our services since last May, and helped at least 10 families navigate the system for services eligibility. Creating a reputation of excellence is more than offering a helping hand to struggling families, it is also ensuring we stay current with school transition programs, have a seat at the table with the Pike Peak Interagency Transition Team, and connect regularly with The Resource Exchange in an effort to keep them up-to-date on our programs.
feeling happy to have been able to attend such a memorable event.
Mosaic in Colorado Springs 888 W. Garden of the Gods Rd., Ste. 100 Feb. 6 | 11:00 a.m. – Noon and 12:30 p.m. –1:30 p.m. March 6 | 11:00 a.m. – Noon and 12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. April 3 | 11:00 a.m. – Noon and 12:30 p.m. –1:30 p.m. Somber Alfaro, Adam Honeyman (Somber’s son)
Suzie met a lot of new people who could relate to her views and who were kind to her. She got to hear from politicians running in the democratic race and from Hillary Clinton herself, which she was most excited about. Weeks prior to the rally, the chance to see her candidate in person was all she could talk about. Suzie left there
May 8 | 11:00 a.m. – Noon and 12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. Learn how Mosaic helps create a life of possibility for people with intellectual disabilities in our community. You will hear stories told by the people who know Mosaic best—the people we serve, their families and volunteers. These one-hour presentations open our doors in an attempt to share our mission, vision, and passion for those being served. To RSVP, contact Emily Plotkin at emily.plotkin@mosaicinfo.org. February 23 | Thrivent Give2Get Seminar March 11 | St. Patrick’s Day Parade March 18 | Special Olympics Polar Plunge
Suzanne Caddell and Adam Honeyman
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Caring Community A CHRISTMAS MOSAIC There was so much to be grateful for this holiday season. What an amazing series of celebrations! Mosaic’s annual Christmas party on Saturday, Dec. 10, was at Ascension Lutheran Church. The outpouring of support from local faith communities has been truly remarkable. Thanks to Ascension, we had a great venue, and we had 100 percent of individuals in service receive Christmas gifts this year thanks to church donations. First Lutheran, Holy Cross, Grace Lutheran, and St. Luke’s came together to provide everyone with a bit of holiday
bliss. We could not have done it without you! More than 140 people attended the celebration this year and participated in our door prize raffle of locally donated items, face painting, and gift giving festivities. A big hug and thank you to Jodi and David Valdivia, who once again opened their home to family, friends, and Mosaic staff for caroling on Dec. 16. Parents of individuals living in their host home got to meet for the first time, share dessert and sing to willing neighbors. What a wonderful tradition for spreading cheer!
The staff Christmas party had an outstanding turnout with only a few people already out for the holiday. Bowling, a white elephant gift exchange, and an ugly holiday sweater contest made for an evening full of good will and laughter. We announced our door decorating contest prize winners, Corrinne Ronde and Vanessa Mason who got an astounding 110 votes for their door on social media. To view all of the entries, visit Facebook. com/MosaicinColoradoSprings – and don’t forget to like our page!
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888 W. Garden of the Gods Rd. Colorado Springs, CO 80907-9437
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A life of possibilities for people with intellectual disabilities.
Caring Community THE POWER OF COMMUNITY In July, Couples Who Care, an up-andcoming giving circle in Colorado Springs, heard our request at their quarterly meeting to be the recipients of a gift. Volunteers Melissa Devolve (Logistics Coordinator), Shelly Shepard (Ambassador Manager), and Austin Shepard (Storyteller/Advocate) crafted a five-minute appeal and presented on Mosaic’s programs, fundraising, and community impact.
program’s activity calendar. This donation, and others like it, from community giving circles provide an opportunity for families without a large disposable income to have a significant impact on the well-being of local nonprofits. CWC’s donation will go toward cooking classes, canvas and pottery painting, GlowGolf, and Pikes Peak Therapeutic Riding Center sessions for four people in service.
Thanks to the combined donations of CWC’s more than 30 members, Mosaic received $3,700 toward our day
For more information on CWC and how to join, call 719.375.9015 or visit facebook.com/coupleswhocare
Harmonized Brain Centers Only $60 per session instead of $100 for people employed by, contracted with, or receiving services from Mosaic.
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