Lindsay the Intern: Week Eight

(Lindsay is leaving us temporarily for some much deserved R and R with her family. She leaves with lots of things to look forward to upon her return.)

Sadly, this will be my last blog entry for a while as I am off to visit family for a few weeks. I am happy to say that everything seems to be falling into place for both the life skills class I will be teaching at Uhlhorn, and the events going on here in Development.

The more time I spend milling over the possibilities for the class, the more excited I get. I am trying not to get my hopes up too high because I have never done anything like this, but I can't help but see the potential for success. I now have a tentative curriculum schedule, which covers an array of topics over an 8 week time period. The topics include, but are not limited to, sexual health and safety, cultural awareness, nutrition, and interviewing. Even if the residents take away nothing from the lesson plan, at least they will have a chance to socialize and enjoy themselves. I cannot wait to share more once the class actually begins!

Also, as you know, we had our first trail run last weekend. It was a beautiful August morning as the runners gathered at the start. Myself and a few other volunteers waited at the other end with snacks and water. About 80 runners and walkers traversed the course as we patiently waited to hear how it went. The feedback was great as the runners flooded in for some nourishment. Of course, like with any event, not everything went perfectly and we learned some lessons that will help us in future years. Overall it was a great success and I cannot wait to see what the rest of the new events have to offer.

Well, that is all for now. I hope everyone enjoys the rest of summer! See you in September!

ShelterCare's Summit Challenge-A Brief Recap

It was a perfect morning on Mt. Pisgah. The sun was shining, but the air was cool and crisp-exactly the way one who is about to embark on a run/walk up a very large hill would prefer. Volunteers and staff  in blue t-shirts began to arrive as early as 6:30 to set up necessary elements like registration tables, and to take their places at various points throughout the course to ensure that participants knew the correct paths to take. Food was laid out, water was hauled uphill, and first aid stations were assembled as eager participants began to show up for the fun.

The race began at 8:30, with walkers starting just a bit later. The mood was high and people were excited to begin. Participants wound their way to the summit, some at high speeds, others at a much more leisured pace. In any case, everyone finished and spirits were high. Congratulations and thanks to all who took a role in this exciting new event, and we hope to see you all again next year!

CD

Morning Reading: Is It A Crime to be Poor?

Here's a good op-ed by Barbara Ehrenreich on the criminalization of poverty.

Lindsay the Intern: (What Week is it Anyway?)

(This week our Intern mulls over all of the fun little details event planners get to deal with as we are three days out from our First Annual Summit Challenge. Pink flags, port-o-potties, and first aid-oh my!)

It seems that every great event starts as a grandiose idea.  “Wow, wouldn’t it be cool if we had a trail run fundraiser?” Of course when you think of such a large, seemingly simple, concept as a group of people walking or running up and down a mountain, the details and tedious planning elude even the most meticulous person.

I have learned that nothing is ever as simple or as neat as it seems. We started out milling over location ideas and permit applications; now it is pink flag placements, ticket boxes and trash bags. The development team has been working tirelessly to make sure every piece is in place for the big event. Maybe I am more of a big picture thinker, but I never even imagined having to worry about some of the things we are finding ourselves debating. Seeing this event through to the end has given me great perspective on what it takes to pull something off in a big way.

Among other things I have also discovered the value of teamwork and diversity amongst team members. Nobody is perfect at everything, having a variety of skills and abilities within a team can prove to be extremely helpful when planning such a huge event. Although each of the members has their own unique qualities, they all possess courage and creativity. It takes a brave person to build something from scratch without knowing the outcome ahead of time. Where there is the possibility of failure, one must be able to stay positive and persevere. The development team has done just that in their new ventures. Also, with limited time and budget concerns, the ability to think outside the box has served them well.

As a wise development member once said “The difference is in the details.”  I am confident that the Trail Run will be a success because no detail has been left uncovered thanks to the efforts of many awesome people. The event will take place this Saturday August 8^th at Mt. Pisgah, check our website for details! Hope to see you all out there!

Study Finds Majority of Americans With Depression Go Untreated

Check it out:

http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1913312,00.html

Lindsay the Intern: Week Six

(This week, our Intern reflects upon how what she has learned about helping people has helped her to help herself.)

A large reason why I find human services so appealing is the fact that it brings different groups people together. For the most part, human service workers stand up for the vulnerable and under-represented, supplementing their abilities with resources and guiding those in need towards independence. Human service workers are advocates for many groups of people.

Throughout my professional and educational development, I have realized that perhaps the reason I am so drawn to advocating for others is because I have a really hard time advocating for myself. If the issue endangers my basic needs or rights, I can stand up for myself, but I often roll over on the smaller matters, afraid of what my peers and superiors might think if I held my ground against them. It is a quality that some might appreciate in the midst of debate and decisiveness, but the more I hold inside and shrug off, the more pent up frustration I feel bubbling inside me. This behavior brought me to a breaking point where I realized, “What good am I to a client if all of my focus and energy is spent on turning over past events and reveling in my lack of presence? How can I stand up for someone if I cannot even muster the professionalism to constructively state my opinion?”

I always thought that my education would help me to better stand up for those in need, but I now see that the lessons I am learning are helping me to figure out how to better stand up for myself. I know that if I want to properly advocate and provide for others, I need to be at peace with myself. The only way I can do that is to compassionately give my opinions and ideas, even if it is not what others want to hear. Along with this is the ability to accept what others think or feel about an issue without getting defensive. It is an equally difficult learning experience to allow others to take the lead, and admit that maybe I was wrong, or didn’t consider everything when making a decision.

By signing up for this career path, I am indefinitely accepting that fact that I will have to work with different people, from all different places and backgrounds. Learning when to stand up for my beliefs and ideas, and when to go along with others who have positive contributions is truly a challenge, but a lesson that will pay off considerably in all aspects of life.

Teaser Number Two-This Time it's a Poem!

So, last week we experimented with prose to hint at our upcoming fall event, and today, we're taking a (weak) stab at poetry. Can you guess the event yet?

On this afternoon I approach a host
Of bulbous, faceless golden orbs
As they rest against the horizon
An orange fire in gilded autumn fields
I guide the most beautiful one away
Planning my carving the way home
  
As the skies darken, I am up to my elbows in a mess
Oh orb, I transform the from the inside out
Discarding all that lies within
To reveal the truth contained without
A truth it seems is up to me
And so with care and time your image I reveal
  
I call to thee the orb named Jack
To see him glow from internal light
 I sit and watch as that orb begins to blink
But next glimmer, I swear I saw him wink
For this my attempt to make things better
For those of them held captive in the cold

More will follow. Stay tuned.