The official publication of the NJ Key Club District Project
Volume 1 Issue 1
Hello NJ Key Clubbers, On behalf of the New Jersey District Board, The CSH Committee, and the entire Children’s Specialized Hospital Family, we would like to welcome you to the new service year. Whether you are new to Key Club, or you are a devoted member, you know that for the past 5 years, CSH has been the NJ District Project. What makes CSH so unique is it’s ability to help children of all ages who suffer from various diseases and injuries. The “CSH Chronicle” is a NEW newsletter which will be sent out periodically throughout the service year. Its main purpose is to bring the face of CSH to members all throughout the state. In each issue, you will find fundraising and service project ideas, success stories from projects other clubs have held, and a story about a patient currently at one of the hospitals. As we embark on yet another year with Children’s Specialized Hospital, we hope that this is our most successful. It is our goal to help the patients in the hospital in any way possible. We hope that you find this publication useful throughout the service year, and you continue to serve this amazing organization. We appreciate your continued support and generosity! Yours In Caring, Service, and Friendship, The CSH Committee
In This Issue: Committee Welcome:…1 About CSH…………………..2 Why 5 years………………..3 Service Goals……………..4 Service Projects.………4 Fundraising Goal ………..5 Fundraising Projects..5 A Patients Story………..6 Visiting a CSH…………….7 Club Interaction…………8 Check Your Progress….9 Inside a CSH………………10 Inside a CSH………………11 Generosity Rocks…..….12 5 Years of CSH………….13 Important Contacts…14
The 5 years of smiles
Walking into one of their 8 sites means seeing bright colors, state of the art equipment, friendly and kind doctors and nurses, and in the eyes of the Children; a home. Children’s Specialized Hospital had been the preeminent provider of rehabilitation for children with special needs for over 119 years. CSH is the largest free standing pediatric rehabilitation hospital in the United States and is found solely in New Jersey. CSH serves children affected by brain injury, spinal cord dysfunction and injury, premature birth, autism, developmental delays, and life-changing illnesses. Children's Specialized has eight sites in New Jersey and in 2009 treated over 17,000 children from across the country and around the globe. CSH is known for its miracles and providing them to anyone in need- no matter their financial situation. One of the amazing things about CSH is their dedication to making the patients feel at home at the hospital. This will be the NJ Districts 5th year working with CSH, and their efforts to provide a home for their patients.The vision of Children's Specialized Hospital is to see "A world where all
children can reach their full potential� and for the next year, Key Clubs in the New Jersey District will share this vision and truly make a difference. We work to help CSH continue to do the amazing things they do on a daily basis, and we ask that you do the same.
The 5 years of Hope Many members have asked us the question of “why 5 years?” The answer to this question, simply put is that “We’re not done yet” Being given the tremendous opportunity to serve CSH has allowed us to put smiles on patients faces, provide them with donations to obtain life saving equipment, to participate in countless hours of recreational therapy and to brighten the patient’s at the hospital day.
One year of service would mean touching the lives of hundreds, but five years of service means touching the lives of thousands. New Jersey District of Key Club has been donating to and doing countless service hours for the Children’s Specialized Hospital for five years now, and a lot has happened in that time. Through recreational therapy and the amazing work of the doctors at the hospital, countless numbers of children’s lives have been saved and changed for the better. All of the money we raise has gone to better the hospital and provide for new machinery to save more lives than ever. The patients at CSH require special care and equipment to cure and better their conditions, and the money we raise goes toward being able to provide these things for the children. And so now the number 5 has much more meaning than ever before… If only patients at the hospital could be cured in five years, five months, five days, five hours, minutes, or even five seconds, our work with Children’s Specialized Hospital would be complete. Unfortunately, this has not been accomplished; however Key Club has an amazing opportunity to ensure that our five years of service to this hospital pays off. Therefore, we ask you to be apart of something BIG. Be apart of our mission to ensure that the lives of these children are bettered, no matter how long it takes.
This year our new service goal is:
15,700 hours. There are 157 Key Clubs in New Jersey, so this number represents 100 service hours for each club. Try your best to reach and surpass this goal!
Service Project Ideas -Recreational Therapy (visit one of the three Children Specialized Hospitals and interact with the children. Schedule your visit at least a month before your visit!) -Make Birthday Cards -Visit a Patient on their birthday -Make Greeting Cards that would brighten a child’s day
What our service has done in the past: Our service has helped thousands of children in the past, but mostly Key Club has brightened the lives of the children residing in Children’s Specialized Hospital. Participating in Recreational Therapy and interacting with the children has made them so much happier and realize that someone else out there cares about them. The birthday cards, videos, and visits really make their day so much better. Aside from the fundraising aspect, service to children at Children’s Specialized Hospital really makes a huge difference in their lives. Making their day better is what Key Club aims and continues to keep doing.
The 5 years of Help
What we’ve done in the past: Over the past four years, one of the most helpful things we’ve been able to do for Children’s Specialized Hospital is fundraise. Our current four year total is about $326,000. This number is absolutely staggering to think about; to think that high school students and members of the greatest high school service organization in the world, in the smallest geographical District in all of Key Club, were able to raise such a large amount of money.
Where The Money Goes To: This money has gone to help the hospital not have to turn away any patient, regardless of financial issues or their inability to pay. This year, however, we’ve changed our focus a bit. Now, every penny we raise for CSH will go to assisting them in buying the equipment necessary to care for the patients.
This year’s Fundraising Goal: The 2010-2011 Fundraising Goal is:
$75,401.65. this number may seem random, but it’s not. The seven denotes our seven-days-a-week dedication to the patients at CSH. The five represents our fifth year of service to CSH. The 401 signifies the thousands of dollars we will have raised over the five years after we reach this year’s goal. Finally, the sixty-five is in honor of the New Jersey District of Key Club International’s sixty-fifth anniversary.
How Can YOU Help: .There are countless different things you can do for CSH including -Walk-A-Thons-Restaurant Nights -Bake Sales -Crayon and Art Supplies Drives -Stall Days And MUCH MORE! Anything you raise will go directly to CSH through the New Jersey District.
The following letter was written to CSH by a patient’s parent, expressing their gratitude to the hospital for everything they have done for their child. Without the help and generosity of members like you, these success stories would not be possible.
Dear Ms. Mansue.... I am writing this letter because I am extremely thankful for the Hospital Assistance Program. Although, we do have Health Insurance, we still would not have been able to afford the coinsurance payments for our son to be able to see his therapist Lisa Schultz on a much needed weekly basis. When I first received a bill seeing that my portion of his initial evaluation was close to forty dollars and his weekly visits were twenty dollars each, my heart was broken. I thought we would have to cut my sons visits down by at least two visits per month. It was just an awful feeling as two hard working parents struggling to make ends meat having to cut back on something so important.*John is already starting to show signs of improvement thanks to such a wonderful therapist as Lisa. He also has two more evaluations coming up to determine if he has Asperger's Syndrome. It is such a relief to not have to figure out which bill is not getting paid in order for us to pay for his evaluations. We have had nothing but exceptional experiences with Children's Specialized Hospital. Everyone has just been so courteous and sensitive to our needs. What a wonderful, positive environment for my son *John to grow and thrive. Thanks to all! Most Sincerely, Toms River, NJ *Patient’s name has been changed due to legal purposes.
A great way to put meaning to the work we do with CSH is to actually visit the hospital. We encourage you all to participate in recreational therapy or take a tour (contact info listed below). Key Clubbers can volunteer to participate in Recreational Therapy at the Mountainside, New Brunswick, or Toms River facilities. They must be in groups of five or less, as long as one of the five is older than eighteen. Taking a group of officers of a club is a great way to get them passionate about the District Project for the fourth year. To set up visits for Rec Therapy or to plan their own event at one of the hospitals, clubs should contact the rec therapist for the facility. When emailing them, clubs should provide your contact information and dates of interest. Soon, there will be a Rec Therapy Request form located online. Clubs must schedule 1 month in advance. If requesting multiple dates, you can spread the appointments over several weeks (i.e. 1st and 3rd Tuesday). After dates are confirmed, you will receive information and a confidentiality form (HIPPA). All new volunteers must submit a signed HIPPA form. The following are Rec Therapy hours (some dates may be unavailable or reserved already):
s, amie Richard J : k ic sw n u rg r New B pecialized.o -s s n re d il h c jrichards@ 405 PM (732) 258-7 :15 PM-7:30 6 , s ay sd ur Sundays-Th :00 PM 10:45 PM-12 s, y a d r tu a S
Toms Riv er: Caro lyn Bash cbashan ant, t@child rensspecializ ed.org (732) 9 14-1100 ext. 371 Thursda 6 ys, 6:00 PM-7:30 Saturda ys, 10:4 PM 5 PM-12 :00 PM
Mountainside: contact Lindsay Healy, LHealy@childrens-specialized.org 1-888-244-5373 ext. 5162 Mondays-Fridays, 6:15 PM-7:30 PM Saturdays-Sundays, 2:00 PM-3:00 PM
Children’s Specialized Hospital is always looking for new arts and crafts supplies. Have an arts and craft supplies drive (collect crayons, markers, paper, cotton balls, glue, glitter etc.) To find out more about where to drop off the supplies, and for a specific list of materials needed, please contact the hospital.
Has your club held a successful service or fundraising project for CSH? Email us a short description of the event and some pictures, and we might publish it in our next newsletter.
5 years of Interaction… Because this is our fifth year with Children’s Specialized Hospital, we have vowed to make this our most INTERACTIVE year yet. Whether it is your club visiting the hospital and taking part in hands on activities or, you are reading our new newsletter we want to make sure that your are always filled in on all things CSH. That’s why we have also added a new portion to our district site. As you all know our CSH fundraising goal is $75,401.65…this may seem like a big number, however each club in the state will be helping us reach our goal, and now, when you log onto the district site (njkeyclub.org) you will be able to see our districts updated fundraising total. Meaning that you and your club will be able to see just how close we are to our goal. We will also be making a contribution score board where the 10 schools that contribute the most amount of money at that point will have their name on the district site as a current top contributor!
The 5 years of CSH… 5x’s the interaction 5x’s the smiles 5x’s the hope 5x’s the service 5x’s the donations 5x’s the inspiration ….lets make this the best year yet!
The money we raise for Children's Specialized Hospital goes to help fund special supplies and equipment for the four main CSH sites providing inpatient and outpatient care. ). Clubs should send contributions to: NJ District Key Club PO Box 447 Roseland, NJ 07068 As soon as possible
CSH Fundraising Chair: Chris Godshall LTG Division 6 chrisltgdiv6@gmail.com
CSH Service Chair: Ami Shah LTG Division 3 amishahltg3@gmail.com
CSH Fundraising: Meagan Koch LTG Division 18 ltgdiv18@gmail.com
CSH Service: Sami Fiorino LTG Division 9 sh.fiorino@gmail.com
CSH Kiwanis Advisor: Mrs. Celeste Werfel cwkiw@aol.com
Rachel Orbach District Governor governor.orbach@gmail.com
District Administrator: Mr. Barrie Werfel njdawerfel@aol.com
Nicole Darrah District Editor njkceditor@gmail.com
Kevin Sun District Secretary secretarysun@gmail.com
Devan Corona District Treasurer devancorona@gmail.com
To obtain the specific contact info for your lieutenant governor, please visit www.njkeyclub.org
On behalf of the CSH Family, We thank you for your continued support!