March 2013
Riverside Community Care
Neponset River News
The Legislative Breakfast
By: Matthew N.
On the morning of Thursday February 14th, members Wayne H., Margaret C. and Matt
N. traveled with Ray P. and Tracey M. to the Statehouse. We arrived at the Great Hall which was located in the State Capital for a breakfast hosted by the Department of Mental Health. It was a time
for us as mental health survivors, family members, and members of the community to recognize each
other and government officials for all of our hard work.
The fight for our rights and to end mental health stigma has been in the works for many years.
We have made a lot of progress, but we have a long way to go. Those words were very similar to
some of the words spoken at the breakfast by speakers such as Marcia Fowler, Commissioner of the
Massachusetts Department of Mental Health, a senator, representative, and three people who have
overcome their struggles. They shared their stories and experiences in regards to their illness.
It was fascinating for me to hear what they had to say, and I felt a connection. I could surely relate to
their stories and felt that their suggestions to the audience could be applied to everyday life. Hence,
there was a common ground that I shared with them that brings me hope for a successful future.
The room was not so dry either my friends. Due to some of the heartwarming stories shared at
the podium, many tears were shed. It was quite emotional for many of us, but also comforting; for
we are not alone.
Inside this issue:
New Staff
2
Coping
4
Providence Mall
9
Van Tassell
Castle
7
“Successful” is the word that was portrayed that morning, in the Great
Hall of the State House. Not because of the successful turnout, but because of
the stories of success shared with us and the great progress made by the mental
health community. With our diligence and eagerness to recover, there will be
many more years of “success” to come!
Neponset River News
New Staff Comes on Board
By: Charlie R.
Jessica M., Intern
How big is Delaware?
Delaware is one of the smallest states in the US.
What is Delaware’s population?
Approximately 917,000.
What was the toughest course you took
at Wellesley and who was your favorite
teacher?
My favorite course at Wellesley was Organizational Psychology. It was taught by one of my
favorite professors, Professor Linda Carli. I’m
actually taking another course with her this semester about the Psychology of Law and its already a favorite of mine.
What other colleges did you apply for?
I applied to University of Delaware, Duke and
Elizabeth Town.
Tell me about your family.
I’m an only child but have a very large extended family with lots of aunts, uncles and cousins. My family
are my favorite people in the world and I love them
very much. My mom is my best friend.
My family also includes lots of pets– one
dog, Cooper, and three cats (Ricardo, Max and Polli.)
We foster and adopt animals so we always have a full
house.
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Tracey M., Staff
How did you find out about NRH?
I learned about the clubhouse several years ago, while
I worked in one of Riverside’s supported housing programs. At that time, many of the consumers I worked
with spent their day at NRH. Clubhouse services have
always appealed to me, and when the director mentioned an open position, I immediately applied. I am
so glad I did.
What classes did you take in college?
I started taking nursing courses and later switched my
focus to courses about criminal justice and sociology.
When did you start working for Riverside?
I started working at Riverside in August of 1993. It
was my first job, right out of college. Throughout my
tenure I’ve worked in several different capacities, including secretarial, direct care, human resources &
staff development, marketing and development. I have
always enjoyed the service side of my work the most.
What are some changes you would like to
see at NRH?
Clubhouses offer such a valuable service to individuals who are recovering from a mental illness. I would
like to see more funding, steady funding, to keep programs like this operating.
What is the hardest thing about your job?
The toughest thing for me to handle has been is managing my time. Spending quality time with every clubhouse member is very important to me.
March 2013
Amy W., Staff
How did you find out about NRH?
I used to work at Milton St. and needed to cut
down my hours. NRH had a position open and I
applied for the job. I was very excited when I got
it!
How many colleges did you apply to?
One for each degree, I am working towards my
Master’s degree.
What was your hardest subject and who was
your toughest teacher?
My hardest subject has always been math. In high
school, my English teacher was also hard on her
students. But it was for the best.
What made you go into this field.
I started my college career studying elementary
education. After my junior year, I decided that I
disliked teaching but loved working with children
and their families. I then decided to study Mental
Health Counseling so I could work one on one
with people.
Do you have brothers or sisters?
I have one biological brother and 3 step sisters.
Special Thanks to all those that
Donated to NRH
(Money, Clothes, Resources & Time)
Amy W., NRH Staff
Donated clothing to the NRH members in need.
Patti T.,
Donated clothing, shoes, electronics and food
for Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday party.
Peg D.,
Donated Clothing to the NRH members in need.
Cherylann S., Attorney at Law
Donated her time to the NRH community
through educating members about Estate Planning.
Valentines Party at Horizon
House
By:Sandra L.
The party started off with a bang! DFA,
Tom B, Kathy I. and I had a very nice time at Horizon House. They had a very nice spread for sale for
dinner. The menu consisted of hot dogs and chicken
parm sandwiches. In addition, there was dancing,
music, raffle prizes and door prizes. DFA won a
gift basket as a raffle prize, however, she gave it
away to a Horizon House member. The party ended
right after the raffle prizes were given away. I recommend that you go to the next party!
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Neponset River News
Coping
By: Jerry O.
With staff member Joe Higgins in rehab after suffering a stroke, several NRH members passing away and more constantly in and out of the hospital; many members are having difficulty coping.
There are various ways of dealing with these difficult situations and each person does his or her best
to cope with various situations.
For some just having someone else to talk to is the best way to deal with death and friends
being hospitalized. Talking to a therapist, a friend or staff is one of the best way to get your feelings
off your chest. For others, it’s blowing off steam either in the gym or going for a walk. Others cope
by doing some other artistic endeavor like crocheting or reading.
The secret to coping with death and hospitalization is having NRH and people who understand what we are going through in our life.
My Brother’s and Nephew’s Birthday
Celebration
By: Michelle A.
On February 16, 2013 we celebrated my brother and nephew’s birthday. It was a pre-birthday
celebration. Their original birthday was February 18, 2013. My aunt cooked cabbage and carrots.
My mom cooked my brother’s favorite which is pork shoulder with pineapples and cherries. We
also had Kentucky fried chicken, corn and mashed potatoes. The dinner was delicious. After dinner
we had cake and ice cream. My brother’s wife made the cake which was chocolate cake with chocolate frosting. My nephew Marcellus is 6 years old now. Marcellus is going to Disney world in Florida with his mom for the first time. My parents, aunt, and me gave Marcellus Disney cards for his
birthday present. My brother received gas gift cards, Dunkin Donut gift cards, Home Depot gift card,
and a Loews gift card. My brother and nephew had a wonderful pre-birthday celebration.
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March 2013
Sister Act – The Play
By: Michelle A.
On February 2, 2013 my parents and I took The Ride to the Boston Opera House to celebrate
my mom’s birthday. My aunt got tickets to see the play Sister Act as an early birthday present for my
mom. Sister Act is based on the 1980 movie starring Whoopie Goldberg. The play was fantastic. The
singing, acting, and costumes were spectacular. There was a standing ovation at the end of the show
for all the actors and actresses that participated in the play. It was a very enjoyable afternoon.
A Trip to Providence Mall
Suprena L.
On February 23rd, two van loads headed to Providence Place Mall. The trip was exciting, as most of us
had never been to this mall.
When we arrived, we were amazed as to how
large the mall was. There were tons of stores and a bunch
of people every where. We explored, we shopped, then
gathered at the food court to eat.
Despite the rain on the way down, Saturday was a
great day!!
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My Mom’s Birthday
By: Michelle A.
On February 7, 2013, we celebrated my mom’s birthday. She is now 70 years old.
My parents and I went to the Sharon Community Center for a Chinese celebration, where
there was tai chi put to Chinese music. There were two Chinese people singing Chinese
songs. There were Chinese people dancing with Chinese fans. There were Chinese people
dancing Zumba. We learned that this year is the year of the snake for the Chinese people.
We went to a pre-celebration of the Chinese new year. The Chinese new year was February
10, 2013. Lunch was served which was a variety of Chinese food from the Chinese buffet
from the Asia Treasure restaurant in Walpole. The Chinese food was delicious. There were
Chinese wall calendars given out to two people of each table. I got one Chinese wall calendar for my mom. My aunt cooked my mom’s favorite dinner which was fried salmon croquetts and vegetables.
On February 10, 2013, my brother and his wife with my nephew Marcellus drove
down from New Hampshire to celebrate my mom’s birthday. My brother’s wife made the
birthday cake which was a lemon cake with lemon frosting. We had cake and ice cream for
dessert. My mom received gift cards, flowers and tickets to see the Sister Act play. My mom
had a very enjoyable two day birthday celebration.
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March 2013
The Van Tassell Castle
An ambitious horror movie
By: Cynthia VT.
A man named Ant Timpson got an inspired to create an ambitious horror movie after looking at a children’s book about the ABCs, like A is for apple, B is for balloon, etc. A ambitious motion picture, where 26 directors each got a letter of the alphabet, five thousand dollars to work with,
and the ability to unleash their creativity in any way that pertains to that letter. The result is The
ABCs of Death, a horror movie that is as extreme as they get, but it is a once in a lifetime film.
Some examples of the letters used are A is for Apocalypse, B is for Bigfoot, etc. This is a horror
film that is not for the faint of heart but it has something for everyone, 26 directors, from all over
the world. As a horror aficionado, I rate it a 10 out of 10.
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Neponset River News
The Super Bowl
By: George D.
Super bowl parties are always fun.
Win or lose, we all have a good time at the
Clubhouse. At half time, we had a great food
spread and everybody enjoyed themselves.
The super bowl is the biggest event on the
planet. I watched and enjoyed the big game.
Honestly, I have and always will be a New
England Patriots football fan.
Snack Bar
By: Valerie N.
I have worked the Snack Bar for some
time now. I help out making pots of coffee and
selling the Clubhouse members snacks such as
beverages, cookies, chips, burgers and Hot
Pockets. I enjoy working the Snack Bar and
hanging out with my friends.
April Weight Gain
By: Sandra Crowley
It’s been 10 months since I had a cigarette. I’m still doing well as far as that goes. I’m
gaining a lot of weight, I feel like crap. Jean B.
suggested I spend a couple of minutes in the
gym when I am at the Clubhouse house. I am
going to work on losing the weight next.
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Happy St. Patrick's Day
By: Kathy S.
It is St. Patrick’s Day.
Hope all are well.
St. Patrick’s Day is a
wonderful holiday.
I like Shamrocks and
Leprechaun.
It is a nice holiday
Happy St. Patrick’s Day
March 2013
HOS-POSS
By: Paul S.
Free Lunch
Neponset River House
encourages our community to get to know
our program better.
The best way to do
this is to see things up
close and personal.
Please cut out and
bring this coupon for a
free lunch.
Lunch is served daily
at noon.
Several months ago, Neponset River House initiated
a new program called HOS-POSS - our Hospitality Posse.
Each week, we load up the van with 5 to 6 members and1 staff
to visit a member or staff who has been hospitalized or relocated
to a rehabilitation facility. In the past weeks, we have visited several
members. It is very gratifying to see our friends smile and their spirits
uplifted when we visit.
Employment Meeting
Thursday: 2:00 p.m.– 3:00p.m.
Affordable Consumer Transportation,
Inc. 617. 233.0989
ACT provides transportation for consumers to
various day treatment programs, appointment
and Clubhouse events.
Neponset River House, a service of Riverside Community Care, is a Clubhouse based on the Fountain House
Model. As a Clubhouse, we offer our members four guaranteed rights.
3.
1.
The right to a place to belong.
2.
The right to meaningful work.
The right to meaningful relationships.
4.
The right to a place to return.
The purpose of our club is to help us to learn to better cope with our mental illness and gain a sense of accomplishment and empowerment through learning valuable vocational and social skills. Members and staff work side
by side as equals to create an atmosphere of mutual respect and dignity. Our Transitional Employment Program
is unique in that it offers direct help for members at various job placements to get them started. The Supported
Employment Program offers members employment help by giving them a balance of support and independence.
We hope that by publishing our newsletter we can help educate the community about mental illnesses and reduce
the stigma and fear attached to them.
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A Publication of Neponset River House
A Service of Riverside Community Care
NON-PROFIT ORG.
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
PERMIT NO.779
NORWOOD, M.A.
Help Support Our Clubhouse
NRH is a program of Riverside Community Care, a non– profit organization that helps build healthy
communities. NRH is a rehabilitative community offering opportunities and support in employment,
education and housing. We emphasize work, participation and choice. NRH provides a range of services
to ensure member success in the work place. Individuals receive assistance in job preparation, placement, benefit management and career advancement.
Due to limited funding, both monetary and material donations are graciously accepted. If you are interested in giving to our community please contact Dannielle Ford– Allen, 781.762.7075.
Please enclose this form and monetary donations to the following address:
Neponset River House, 595 Pleasant St., Norwood, M.A. 02062
Name:
Amount:
Collaborators on the Neponset River News
Writers: Sandra C., Cynthia VT.,Val N., Katherine S., Jerry O., Matt N.,Sandra L., Jerry O.,Val
N. , Charlie R., Michelle A.
Formatting: Suprena L.
Front Page Layout: Matthew N.
Typists: Matt N., Elaine L.
Editors: Suprena L., Jean B., Jerry O., Tracey M., Matt N.
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