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Bob Kilinski, RadioShack’s Senior Vice-President for Business Development, has confirmed that RadioShack will join this year’s Joe’s Run as Title Sponsor. Our heartfelt thanks go out to RadioShack for their interest in Samaritan House and generous support.
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We have a bonus article this month, a photo essay on the day Samaritan House kids spent at a ranch in Cresson. Scroll down from the other articles to see all the fun!
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Here’s your chance to combine high style with helping Samaritan House. Vayauna Bogier, a new member of the Samaritan House family of friends, will donate 10 % of proceeds of sales at her place of business, Sheecams Shoes, if the purchaser mentions Samaritan House. Located at 5800 S. Collins St., #124, Arlington, Sheecams has ladies’ and girls’ dress and casual shoes, purses, jewelry and other accessories. Vayauna will also serve as a Table Captain at this year’s Out of the Box luncheon.
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By reducing homelessness, substance abuse, crime, new HIV infections, and the demand for publicly funded medical care, Samaritan House makes Fort Worth a better place for everyone! |
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Samaritan House News October 2008 |
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| Letter from the President
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Steve Dutton |
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Our staff at Samaritan House gets much deserved credit for the leadership they demonstrate in helping our residents achieve their goals and return to health. What you may not know is that the residents themselves are some of our most impressive leaders.
Read on this month to learn more about how those who come to Samaritan House for help and healing end up leading the way for others, helping us cast a vision for Samaritan House’s future. A look through |
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| these stories will confirm that, at Samaritan House, we’re about much more than being a home; we’re about cultivating hope. |
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| It’s Okay to Tattle Sometimes
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| A new event, called Brag & Brag On, was introduced at Samaritan House on September 16, when members of the Samaritan House family – residents, staff, volunteers and donors – gathered in the dining room to honor the accomplishments of our residents. The purpose of the “brag” event was to celebrate the fact that residents are making progress, sometimes in very small steps, sometimes in great leaps. Most residents do some of both during the time they live at Samaritan House. The net result for many is steady growth toward a more positive, independent life. |
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| Terry Dybala, Lead Chemical Dependency Case Manager, served as an outstanding emcee for the event. Welcoming the standing-room-only crowd, she spoke about how proud Samaritan House is of the progress all its residents are making, and thanked volunteers and donors for the important part they play in this process. |
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| The residents had plenty to brag about. Beverly says she is proud of “surrendering to win.” Danny V. attends church and AA, and helped his dog Simba graduate from obedience school. Brad announced that he has just been hired as a tutor at TCC and has applied to Pepperdine University to continue his schooling. Rick has a responsible job, goes to school and works actively on his recovery. Many of the residents |
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| reported achieving long-term sobriety; others talked candidly about the hard work of picking up the pieces after a relapse. |
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| The Brag On part of the evening was an excuse to brag on those who were too shy or modest to proclaim their own victories. Residents took the opportunity to recognize fellow residents such as Billy O., who spends countless overtime hours taking care of whatever needs doing in Samaritan House and The Villages; Dan B., who cooks dinner for all the residents on any night when there’s no Supper Club; and George, who helps other residents with their recovery and also designs and produces all of the beautiful décor at Samaritan House events. |
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| The big surprise of the evening was that many residents chose to emphasize the role Samaritan House has played in making their accomplishments possible. Time after time, residents pointed out that they would be homeless, sick, in jail – or maybe not even alive – if it weren’t for the support they receive from staff and other residents. The enthusiastic response from the audience made clear the strong bonds that hold the Samaritan House community together. |
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Brag & Brag On gave residents the chance to reflect on their progress and to realize that they have much to be proud of in their struggle to regain self-confidence and independence. The event was also a direct expression of the strong sense of community among residents, staff and friends of Samaritan House. Applause, proud smiles, laughter, and tears abounded – an evening of celebration for what Samaritan House is all about. |
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| Residents are All Business – Usually |
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| The word “meeting” doesn’t often stir excitement in the soul, but occasionally Resident Council meetings at Samaritan House offer unforgettable moments for those in attendance. |
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Officers of the resident council
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| The Resident Councils are the source of many good things at Samaritan House. Although the two councils – one for the Single Room Occupancy (SRO) building and the other for apartments of The Villages – are structured somewhat differently, they both serve the purposes of fostering communication and promoting self-governance in the Samaritan House community. |
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| The SRO’s Resident Council meets on the last Tuesday of each month in the dining room; attendance is mandatory. At a typical meeting, residents vote for the next month’s Resident and Staff VIP awards, the Treasurer gives a report on income (from activity fees) and outlay (for activity-related expenses), activities are announced, and other in-house business is conducted, including questions or complaints about anything having to do with Samaritan House. |
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| Ensuing discussions are often lively. Residents are especially concerned with making sure house rules are followed. “They take responsibility for making Samaritan House a safe, home-like environment.” |
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| “It’s just like a family,” says Sue Mahoney. “Sometimes we disagree, sometimes we have to solve hard problems, but in the end we’re all working toward making Samaritan House the best home for all of us.” |
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| Besides the regular business meeting, Resident Council sometimes includes a special presentation. On August 26, residents and staff listened with rapt attention as Dr. Tineke Vroman and Dr. Leo Vroman, survivors of the World War II-era occupation of The Netherlands and internment in a Japanese prison camp, shared their experiences and insights. The couple, who have been married 60 years, now reside in Fort Worth. |
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| ”It was amazing to hear what the Vromans went through,” said Tony, a resident of Samaritan House. “In a way everyone here is a survivor, everyone has had struggles. The situations the Vromans had to deal with were extreme, and yet they did survive and went on to have a great life. That’s really inspiring for all of us.” |
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| Meetings of the Resident Council for The Villages are more like a neighborhood gathering. A potluck supper is combined with discussion of any issues that affect the quality of life for people living in The Villages. Isaminger, who attends the meetings, describes them as being “like a really neat community meeting.” Among the Council’s accomplishments are the addition of new “no smoking” signs and distribution of fliers about cleaning up after your dog. In addition, the meetings help build a sense of community among residents of The Villages. |
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| All residents on the Samaritan House campus are in some stage of learning or re-learning how to function as independent, productive members of society. The Resident Councils give them valuable experience in taking initiative, reaching consensus, and implementing plans of action. Watching the Councils in action, it’s clear that the process is working. |
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| …And a Resident Shall Lead Them |
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| Make no mistake; Susan is in charge. |
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| Once every three months, Samaritan House residents elect new Resident Council officers. The skill, hard work and commitment shown by these officers go far in explaining the positive role the Resident Council plays in the Samaritan House community. |
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| Susan currently serves as President of the Resident Council for the Single Room Occupancy building. Susan’s assertive, no-nonsense style of conducting meetings assures that business is handled expeditiously and that every voice is heard. Her organizational skills keep agendas crisp and meetings on track. |
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Susan
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| Susan’s leadership is particularly striking, given her personal circumstances. She came to Samaritan House almost two years ago after life-threatening, AIDS-related health problems forced her into a nursing home at the age of 35. Unable even to walk when she entered that facility, it took almost two years for her to recover enough of her health to be able to move to Samaritan House. |
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| Today Susan continues her struggle to regain her health, still dealing with such setbacks as a recent, prolonged bout of AIDS-related psoriasis, a debilitating, painful skin condition that affected most of her body. Even that didn’t slow Susan down for long. As soon as she began to feel a bit better, she was back in the thick of things, seeking – and winning – her race for President of the Resident Council. |
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| Most of the rest of Susan’s energy goes to her daughters, who visit her frequently. Susan works tirelessly to cut through governmental red tape that stands in the way of her being able to move to an apartment in The Villages and have her girls with her once again. |
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| One has to look no further than Samaritan House’s resident leaders for many stories of success, hope and no small amount of hardship. |
| SRO Council Vice-President Tony is a frequent contributor to the resident newsletter, The Squawking Parrot, and plans to return to school next spring. Danny, the Treasurer, also chairs the Welcoming Committee and helps many residents with finding furnishings and with transportation to doctor appointments. Monroe, Activities Director, had one of his poems published in Tarrant County College’s magazine Visions last spring. Assistant Activities Director Julia organizes and runs Bingo Night. |
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| Joel, President of the Resident Council for The Villages, lived in the SRO building for three years before moving into an apartment. |
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Joel Les
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| “Joel is a very good President,” says Rick Isaminger, Family Health and Education Coordinator, who attends Villages Council meetings. “He is low key, lets everyone speak who wants to speak, and is really good at keeping the group focused.” |
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| Joel, who can often be seen walking his purebred – and very well-behaved – Yorkshire terrier Sparky around the outside of Samaritan House, works at Will Rogers Coliseum. An avid gardener, he has been instrumental in organizing the Samaritan House Garden Club, whose participants choose and tend plots in the Harvest of Hope organic vegetable garden. |
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| Vice-President Les Dennis has one of the most beautifully decorated apartments in The Villages. He often volunteers to fill in at the reception desk in the leasing office, and has even appeared as Joe the Parrot at Samaritan House events. A new Secretary and Activities Director will be elected at this month’s meeting. |
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| Down at the Ranch |
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| On Saturday, August 16th, over 40 kids, parents and Samaritan House staff loaded into two vans and five cars to make a 40-mile trip to the Cresson, Texas ranch of a long-time friend of Samaritan House. This generous supporter heard of Samaritan House children’s programs through her friendship with client and Board of Directors member Judith Dillard. Her gracious offer of a beautiful setting and entertaining activities gave our kids an unforgettable afternoon in the country. |
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| When the kids arrived, they saw two bounce houses with water pools and a clown who made balloon animals and did face painting. Water guns were available for all kids to use and proved to be a popular item. President and CEO Steve Dutton got in touch with his inner child, commandeered one of the water guns and was seen soaking all who came near. A great cook-out lunch, featuring burgers, hot dogs, chicken nuggets, and watermelon, was served. |
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| This trip was a highlight of a summer full of entertaining and educational activities for the children of Samaritan House. Many thanks to our rancher friend who made it all possible. |
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| Do you have skills in leadership, communication or other areas that you would like to bring to the Samaritan House community? We want to hear from you! Click here to contact us about the many volunteer opportunities we have right now in our community. Samaritan House can’t do what we do without your involvement. Click here for more information about our monthly SamariTours and our upcoming Out of the Box luncheon. |
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