VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT: Norma McLernon

In the past 17 years, Norma McLernon has brought joy and friendship to people with disabilities, raised money so that community pillars like the YMCA can continue to serve and has welcomed people to the Pieters Family Life Center and introduced them to a healthier way of life.

She has made serving others a full-time, volunteer job.

Through her church, Norma started the Winton Road Friendship Group when a group home opened next to Twelve Corners Presbyterian Church in Brighton. Each month for the last 17 years, Norma and others plan activities for the people who live at the home. Together they host baby showers, watch Super Bowls, create seasonal crafts and build friendships.

In 2008, she won the prestigious Gail Otto Community Service Award from Heritage Christian Services – in part because of her work with the Friendship Group but also because of her years of service at the Pieters Family Life Center, which is a community wellness center. At the center, she covered the reception desk, tabulated sign-in sheets and helped with any other task that came along, from making copies to setting up chairs. Now, she volunteers in the development office at Heritage Christian, where she documents the agency’s history and advocates for people with developmental disabilities. In just those two capacities – the Life Center and the development office – she has volunteered 136 hours. And that’s just a small sample of her busy volunteer schedule.

Local Agencies Work Toward Medicaid Solution

Nine local agencies – including Heritage Christian Services and Lifetime Assistance, Inc.– are drawing the attention of state leaders by working together to study changes in how Medicaid will deliver and pay for services for people with disabilities.

Lawmakers throughout the state are struggling to make Medicaid self-sustaining, and the coalition of local agencies, called Person Centered Services of Western New York, has invested time, intellectual capital and financial resources in being part of the solution.

Eventually the group may apply to be one of a handful of state-designated managed care organizations, which means that other agencies in Western New York would contract with PCSWNY to offer services instead of working through the state. Such changes are meant to shift away from one-size-fits-all care and move toward more customized options for people.

“This is a crucial step in advancing the Medicaid waiver redesign for people with developmental disabilities,” said Marisa Geitner, executive vice president and chief operating officer at Heritage Christian Services, which is piloting a new “universal needs assessment tool” for the state along with a new program for documenting the services that have been delivered. “We really want to learn as much as we can and then advocate and shape the system so people with disabilities are always treated with dignity and compassion. We’ve got to all be partners in this transition.”

Since the Office of People With Developmental Disabilities recently realigned its regions, some agencies find themselves working with partners in new geographic areas. The nine agencies that make up Person-Centered Services, for example, span both the Rochester and Buffalo areas.

The new 17-county region – and the partnerships – makes sense for an agency like Heritage Christian Services, which has significant operations in Rochester and Buffalo, said Geitner, adding that PCSWNY has held public information meetings in both cities.

Lifetime Assistance, which offers comprehensive services in the region, wants to protect and advance services throughout Western New York, said James Branciforte, president of the agency.

“Forward-thinking agencies need to be out front of the massive public policy changes that will occur in the next three to five years,” he said. “And Person Centered Services is demonstrating the leadership needed to assure the highest quality services for our neighbors with developmental disabilities."

It’s not too late for others to be involved, he added. Those who are interested can view a PowerPoint presentation at www.pcswny.com and learn more about the nine founding agencies.

Taking care of the caregiver

People who work at Heritage Christian Services serve with their hearts – and that sometimes means the sense of pleasure and satisfaction makes it easy for employees to forget to care for themselves, said Barb Cacia, wellness coordinator at the Pieters Family Life Center.

That’s why she’s leading an employee wellness program called Healthy You.

“I’d like to remind them to keep the oil changed so they can continue to do what they are good at,” she said. “They don’t always know that they need to take good care of themselves.”

Already she’s planning to meet with direct support professionals at each home to talk about sleep management, keeping stress levels under control and other wellness goals. Intramural sports are starting up within the agency as are programs for those who share a love of biking, photography or running. Soon she’ll be coordinating a group that meets to talk about grieving and another group that meets to map out their goals.

“We’ll probably meet in the Garden Café at the Pieters Family Life Center and do a little journaling about goals,” she said. “It doesn’t matter what the goal is. How can we help you get there?”

Eventually, Cacia wants to add an after-work exercise group and sponsor family events – like a trip to the local zoo – once a month, just to get people in the habit of moving and enjoying life.

“We want to help people explore wellness,” she said. “Instead of slugging through life, let’s start living. As our attitudes change, better health will come.”

Q&A with Kelly Nash: Raising money for the Legacy Mile & 5K

Kelly Nash, a volunteer coordinator at Heritage Christian Services, is running for 24 hours on treadmill to raise money to support people with developmental disabilities. She starts at 9 a.m. Friday at the Pieters Family Life Center in Henrietta and proceeds go to the Heritage Christian Services Foundation.

1.       How did you get started in running?

I started running about 6 years ago after receiving a postcard in the mail from "Train to End Stroke.”  It was a program through the Stoke Association, I'd raise money and they'd train me to run a marathon.  I wanted to do this in my father's memory. He died after having a massive stroke.

2.       What has been your longest run to date? How long did that take?

My longest run to date is a 12 hour Ultra Marathon.  In the 12 hours I ran 63 miles.

3.       What do you rely on to keep you going?

During long runs I need to have plenty of liquids and carbs, usually gels and sport drinks.

Mentally I need to keep my mind moving and constantly remind myself of how far I've come and visualize how far I can go.

4.       Why is it important to you to challenge yourself?

I am a competitive person, mostly with myself.  It is during times of challenge that I grow, as a person and a runner, and I still feel relatively small ;)

5.       What advice do you have for others who want to try long distance running – or really anything in life that they are going to need to work at for a long time?

Running a marathon is similar to living a faithful life.  The training takes commitment, dedication, discipline and focus and it’s just plain hard at times.  But the reward of achieving a dream is priceless and well worth the effort!

Favorite verse:  Let us run the race before us and never give up! Hebrews 12:1

FUN FACTS

Kelly Nash has raced in 17 marathons, two ultras, 10 5Ks and two 10Ks for a total of 598.4 miles. In her training, she logged 1,150 miles in the first half of 2012.

24-hour run will benefit people with disabilities

An Irondequoit woman who has already run 17 marathons and two ultras will run for 24-hours straight starting at 9 a.m. Friday.

The woman, Kelly Nash, is running in support of the Heritage Christian Legacy Mile & 5K, which raises money to support people with developmental disabilities. By making a donation, people can rent the treadmill next to hers at the Pieters Family Life Center, 1025 Commons Way, Henrietta.

Events – like Zumba classes, movies and live music – are planned throughout the day.

To donate, visit www.legacymileand5K.kintera.org and search for Kelly Nash.

About the Legacy Mile & 5K

The Heritage Christian Legacy Mile & 5K is an annual event which benefits the Heritage Christian Services Foundation, which works to ensure people with developmental disabilities will have compassionate care now and in the future.

• Saturday, Aug. 25 at Monroe Community College, 1000 East Henrietta Road, Brighton
• Registration 7 a.m.; 5K 8:30 a.m.; One-mile walk 10:15 a.m.
• Event highlights: live music, clowns, face painting, bounce house, yard games and more! 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
• Register or donate at www.legacymileand5K.kintera.org

Improving your golf game and the lives of others

Tuesday close to 150 golfers will raise money to support people with disabilities by participating in the WNY Golf Classic at Glen Oak Golf Course near Buffalo. Proceeds benefit the Heritage Christian Services Foundation.

While it's a little late to sign up for golf, you still have time to donate and to improve your golf game. To donate, visit www.heritagechristianservices.org. To learn golf tips from Buffalo business leaders, read on:

·         Mike DeBellis, partner at DeBellis Catherine Morreale Corporate Staffing

Play the ball back in your stance on green-side chips and hit down on the ball.

Make sure you make a smooth stoke on your putts, with the putter head following through to the hole…don’t jab at it!

Take the club back “low & slow." Finish your swing throwing your club down the target line with the club finishing with hands high – not around your body.

·         Todd Lee, account executive with Eaton Office Supply

Hitting Fat: The only thing this can be, ALWAYS, is your hands are too fast and out of synch with your body. Concentrate on letting your arms be pulled through instead of swinging at the ball.

Putting: Keeping your inner arms firm against your side and squeezing your chest muscles tight before putting the ball will help being too "wristy"  and eliminate the yips. It also promotes a more pendulum like swing.

·         Paul O’Leary, general manager of Parkview Health Services

Most mistakes are made before the club is swung. Be sure you concentrate on your grip, stance, aim and ball position. (Thanks Harvey Penick)

Don’t get mad when you hit a bad shot, and don’t get too excited when things are going great. Maintain concentration on the next shot.

Swing the club fast, not hard.

Welcoming all of God's children: Ministering to people with disabilities

At Heritage Christian Services we have supported hundreds of people with disabilities to become welcomed and valued members of their local faith communities.  

Along the way we have learned some valuable lessons about assisting congregations with creating welcoming and inclusive environments, including: 

· Congregations that are successful with creating welcoming environments see each unique person that comes through the door. The value of the person is seen first, not any limitations that may exist because of a disability. An example is a man we support who has difficulty seeing the small print in his church hymnal. A deacon in his church realized that the problem was the small font, not the vision. When the environment was changed, that is, when a large print hymnal was provided, the problem was solved.

· Communication is important in any healthy relationship. In families, businesses, and faith communities people need to be able to share ideas, thoughts, concerns and feelings. The need to communicate can, at first, seem to be a barrier in welcoming people who do not communicate in traditional ways, such as by speaking. The welcoming congregations have figured out how to overcome this perceived barrier. The successful relationships have a lot of question-asking at the base of their success. People with disabilities are not offended by sincere questions about how to best communicate with them.

· The faith communities that see the value in the person, both those with and those without disabilities, create welcoming environments where people can come to know about God and to know God. They see a person, not a problem. They see the possibilities, not the barriers. They see God at work in each person.

Written by Lida Merrill, who is the director of spiritual life at Heritage Christian Services and a part-time assistant pastor at Zion West Walworth United Methodist Church. She studied special education and human services administration before earning her master’s degree in theology from Northeastern Seminary at Roberts Wesleyan College. She and her husband have four daughters, one son and three grandchildren. If you’d like to learn more, follow her on Twitter @LidaMerrill.