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VOLUNTEER
news
A Newsletter for the Shepherd Auxiliary & Volunteers
July
2010
National Distributing Co. hosts patient and family summer cookout
O
n Thursday, June 10, National Distributing Company
generously provided a fun-filled summer cook-out for
patients and their family members in Shepherd Center’s
Secret Garden. In an energized effort to develop a corporate culture of giving back to the community, NDC has
encouraged their employees to volunteer and make a difference in the lives of Shepherd’s patients through events
such as this cookout. Shepherd Center is honored to have
partnered with NDC as their “charity of choice!”
NDC employees grilled and served food while socializing with the patients and family members. A host of
colorful balloons matching the company’s cheerful posters
dotted the air outside the Shepherd building, and the guests
celebrated the arrival of summer by indulging in grilled
hamburgers, hotdogs, veggie burgers, cole slaw, baked
beans and potato chips, among other delicious items.
Patient Erika Heatherly and her mother Bonnie attended
the event together. Bonnie said, “The cookout was great!
To be outside was relaxing and to eat freshly grilled food
instead of take out was so refreshing. The NDC employees were very helpful. They carried our food to the table
and later checked back to see if we needed anything else.”
Other patients and family members were thankful for the
care and effort that went into the successful event!
Cook-outs are just one of the many great ways for corporations to involve their employees in meaningful and
fun volunteerism at Shepherd Center. We also welcome
new ideas for ways that corporations can touch the lives of
the Center’s patients and their families. Shepherd Center
looks forward to partnering with NDC again in the future!
ABOVE: Employees from National Distributing Company kindly
hosted a summer cookout for Shepherd Center patients and families.
BELOW: NDC employees have fun grilling burgers and hotdogs.
Cheer on our Shepherd Spinners and all the other athletes
in the Wheelchair Division of the Peachtree Road Race on
July 4. Sponsored by Shepherd Center, the Wheelchair Division is one of the largest and fastest wheelchair 10ks in
the world! The race follows the course set for the Peachtree
Road Race foot racers. Take your place on the sidelines
early as the Wheelchair Division race begins at 6:45 a.m.
Thank you in advance to all race volunteers!
from the
I
AUXILIARY
PRESIDENT
hope everyone is staying cool during this hot Atlanta
summer! July 4th brings an exciting event to Shepherd Center, the Wheelchair Division of the Peachtree
Road Race. If you are in town, please be sure to cheer
for the gifted athletes who travel from around the world
to compete in this annual event. It is both amazing and
inspiring to watch. Shepherd Center enables patients to
achieve so much independence that it is perfect to celebrate these athletes on Independence Day!
The Sunshine Committee recently met to adorn flag
fans for patients to wave as the race passes Shepherd
Center. The Sunshine Committee has also been busy
making birthday posters for patient rooms and planning
some new activities for the fall. We will have additional
volunteer opportunities for you soon!
Pecans on Peachtree planning is also in progress. We
are very excited about our new web page (currently under construction), new products and new volunteer roles.
We will keep you updated on how you can get involved.
As the summer months’ outdoor activities bring an increase in spinal cord and brain injuries across America,
please consider donating the life-saving gift of blood at
Shepherd Center’s American Red Cross Blood Drive on
Tuesday, July 27. Please contact Gale Eckstein at gale_
[email protected] or 404-367-1351 to sign up to
donate or volunteer at this meaningful event.
The Membership Committee continues to receive and
process renewals. If you have not renewed your valuable membership, I urge you to do so and to find a friend
to join with you. Please contact Midge Tracy in Volunteer Services if you need a renewal form.
Thank you for your continued support.
Marla Bennett
[email protected]
A Warm Welcome To New
Auxiliary & Peach Corps Members
Necia Kelleher, Auxiliary
Valerie and Avery Munnings
& Family, PeachCorps
ABOVE: Jessica Rogers sends faxes and organizes documents for
Shepherd Center’s Health Information Managment department.
Skills create new opportunities
J
essica Rogers, a recent graduate of Sanford Brown
College in Atlanta, knew that finding a job under
the current economic conditions would take time and
patience. During this transition from school to work,
Jessica has generously offered her skills in medical
billing and coding to Shepherd Center’s Health Information Management (HIM) department.
Jessica volunteers Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays
for four hours each day providing important clerical
assistance to the manager and other HIM employees.
In the process, Jessica also learns more about her career of interest from experts in the field. She said of
her volunteer position, “It is a rare opportunity to be
able to work directly with medical billing and coding
employees as a volunteer, and I feel fortunate to be
able to assist them and benefit from their knowledge
and guidance.”
Volunteers whom are recent graduates or are searching for new positions of paid employment may wish to
utilize their unique abilities through service to Shepherd Center. Other possible areas of opportunity for
volunteers include facilities maintenance, sewing for
spinal cord injury patients, family support publication
research, assistance to dietary services, marketing data
entry and even instruction of gentle exercise classes
for our SHARE military clients.
Volunteer Services is happy to discuss the creation of
new opportunities that best suit a volunteer’s interests
and educational background. A three month minimum
commitment is required of all volunteers. If you have
an idea of how you can be of service to the Center,
please contact Ivy Oxendine at [email protected] or 404-350-7316.
National Public Radio’s StoryCorps Interviews Volunteer, Bisi Alabi
I
t was an icy winter evening in 2003 when Bisi Alabi
one another’s lives through listening (www.npr.org).
and his wife Deborah were involved in a horrific car
Deborah interviewed Bisi on May 28 at the Side by
accident just outside of ChatSide Clubhouse, a compretanooga, Tennessee. Their
hensive day treatment provehicle slipped on a patch of
gram for survivors of brain
ice and plummeted down a
injury in Stone Mountain
steep ravine. Deborah woke
where Bisi spends a few
up to find Bisi slumped over
days each week. The two
in the driver’s seat. As a
discussed how the acciregistered nurse, Deborah
dent has changed their lives
checked Bisi’s pulse and
and the lives of their fambegan CPR, thus saving his
ily members in unexpected
life. After several weeks of
ways. Bisi also spoke of
critical care in a Tennessee
how volunteering at Shephospital, Bisi was transherd Center has made his
ABOVE:
Bisi
Alabi
and
his
wife
Deborah
attended
the
2010
fered to Shepherd Center’s
life more meaningful.
Independent Volunteer Appreciation Dinner together.
Acquired Brain Injury unit
Bisi began volunteering at
for rehabilitation. Bisi was unable to return to work as
Shepherd Center in April of 2006. He has since doa pharmacist after his injury, so instead he has chosen
nated over 2,000 hours of his time and energy to assist
to use his cheerful spirit and talents in volunteering.
our Materials Management department with filing and
The story of Bisi’s accident and his road to recovery
organizational tasks. As a brain injury survivor, Bisi is
has been selected for recording by National Public Raa testimony to the power of a positive attitude and hard
dio’s StoryCorps. StoryCorps is an independent nonwork. We are proud to have Bisi as one of our many
profit project whose mission is to honor and celebrate
beloved Shepherd Center volunteers!
Bank of America July 4th Cards
Blood Drive
Tuesday, July 27
9 a.m. - 2 p.m.
6th floor classrooms
Marcus-Woodruff Building
ABOVE: (L-R) Susan Hoffman, Karla Schultz, Virginia Dilkes
and Sahil Uirotra of Bank of America donated handmade cards.
O
ver 30 employees of Bank of America’s department of Banking Center Computer Systems made
beautiful and unique handmade cards for patients to
brighten their July 4th holiday. The cards, which feature nature and wildlife photography by Karla Schultz,
Vice President of BofA’s Network Computing Group,
will be given to patients on their meal trays. We thank
BofA employees for their generosity on this holiday.
Visit www.givelife.org and use code
“shepcnt” to make an appointment to
give your donation.
If you are interested in volunteering
for this event, please contact Gale
Eckstein at 404-367-1351 or
[email protected].
spotlight
ABOVE: Melissa Payne learns all about
Physical Therapy by assisting the Locomotor
staff during a patient session.
BELOW: Katie Buice, Junior Committee
member & independent volunteer, assists a
patient with their lunch.
ABOVE: Pat Reeve gives patient I.B. Jang
a well-deserved free hair cut.
BELOW: Pam Glustrom and Barry Phillps
relax after training new volunteers!
ABOVE: Mark Pace provides a relaxing massage to a patient’s family member.
VOLUNTEER
news
Scott Sikes, Executive Director, Shepherd Center Foundation
Midge Tracy, Director, Volunteer Services
Ivy Oxendine, Volunteer Manager & Newsletter Co-editor
Gale Eckstein Volunteer Services Assistant & Newsletter Co-editor
Membership in the Shepherd Center Auxiliary, Peach Corps, SCS,
and Junior Committee is open to all volunteers. Members provide
ongoing fundraising and volunteer support to Shepherd Center.
For more information on becoming a member of one of these
groups, contact Midge Tracy at (404) 350-7315 or visit www.
shepherd.org.
Shepherd Center’s mission is to help people with a temporary or
permanent disability caused by injury or disease rebuild their lives
with hope, independence, and dignity, advocating for their full
inclusion in all aspects of community life while promoting safety
and injury prevention.