The Current
February 2017
February 2017
Page 1
Volume 29 Number 7
February 2017
Green River House Is:

A community support clubhouse based on the highly successful
Fountain House Program in New York City. The Clubhouse creates a
restorative environment within which individuals challenged by Mental Health
issues can have lives that are vocationally productive and socially satisfying.

Simply a place that relies upon its members’ talents, skills and dreams in order to
function. The Clubhouse community provides an environment that responds to
every adult person’s need to be involved in reciprocally, respectful and gratifying
relationships. It is also a network of mutuality and opportunity in which all of its
participants give and receive from one another.
Green River House Guarantees
•
•
•
•
The right to a place to come
The right to a place to return
The right for meaningful work
The right for meaningful relationships
GRH Clubhouse Hours
WORK-ORDERED DAY
Monday - Friday
9:00 AM - 3:00 PM
SOCIAL TIME
Monday - Friday
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM and
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Open on Saturday twice each month
GRH Advisory Board Members
Richard Nadolski
Louise Sauter
Luisa Plump
Anna Morrison
GRH Human Rights Officer
James Anderson
Greg Greuling
Frank Kanserstein
Sherry Przybyla
BECOME A GRH MEMBER
For a tour or orientation...
call us at 413-772-2181 x202
and ask for Danielle Barron, Jade Clews
or Carol Stevens.
Danielle Barron
The Current Staff
Published by: EXCEL Unit
Final Proof: Chris and Susan.
Proofreaders: Sherry, Kelly, Todd, Edythe,
Chris, Storm and Susan.
The Current is a monthly publication of
the Green River House.
We would love to hear from you!
www.csoinc.org/green_river_house
The deadline for submissions is the
20th of each month.
We are located at
37 Franklin Street
Greenfield, MA
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The next issue will be published
March 1, 2017.
Thank You - EXCEL Unit
Volume 29 Number 7
February 2017
Employment & Education Recognition
Independent Employment
Adriene Tilton - Happy Cats-Pet Sitting
Alex Stevens - Wendy’s-UMass
Alisha Boudreau - House Cleaning
Bobby Blanchard - Harmon
Charles Franklin - ServiceNet Farm
Jared Raymond - YMCA
Joe Parzych - Riff's North Restaurant
John Lund - Element Brewing
Kameron Fernet - Walmart
Linda Traceski - Cerebral Palsy of MA
Mary Burleigh-Howes - CSO
Suzanne Grimard– PCF
Mike Mitchell - Business Management
Patty Morgan - PCA
Peter Smith - Co-Facilitator Wellness Grp
Rosa Nieves - Epic Health Services
Ruth Cormier - PCA
Sarah Mouser - Recovery Learning Center
Tammy Baxter - Office Cleaning
Tim Stone - Element Brewing
Vanessa Dautruche - Footcare by Nurses
Suzanne Grimard - Wendy's
Robyn Manning - New England Health Ctr.
Sean Seaman - Advance Auto
Steve Hosier—Wendy’s
Supportive Employment
Bonny Nawotny - Club Café
David Farrar - Enclave Cleaning
Ed Goewey - Enclave Cleaning
Gary Alex - CVS
Mark Petrin - The Recorder
Mike McIntosh - Community Action
Peter Faille - Club Café
Suzanne Grimard - CSO
Tom Kane - Club Café
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Transitional Employment
Adriano Teves - Enclave Cleaning 9/2014
Ray Barszewski- CSO Cleaning 10/2016
Mike Richotte- Professional Building 09/2013
Alisha Boudreau - Enclave Cleaning 11/2016
Warren Lett - Enclave Cleaning 07/2015
Todd Sanderson - Enclave Cleaning 11/2016
Education
Chip Gregory - GCC
Vanessa Dautruche - GCC
Linda Traceski - GCC
Wyatt Fuller - GCC
Edythe McKee—GCC
Volunteer
Bill Kelly - Buckley Nursing Home
Brian Richards - Orange Schools
Elayna Haase - Salvation Army
Greg Greuling - GCTV
Heidi Streeter - FMC-MHU
John Webb - Street Musician
Kelly Richardson-Wright - Stone Soup Café
Linda Traceski - Stone Soup Café
Russ Kirk - Transportation
Storm Roberts - Interfaith Council
Susan Howell - Transportation
Warren Lett - Peace Pagoda
Suzanne Grimard - Paul Mark Internship
Volume 29 Number 7
February 2017
Wow! Where did January go? We have been doing many things in the unit. Thoughtful
handmade outreach cards have been sent out to the membership.
We had guests from CSO and DMH this month. Bill Miller from CSO’s Friends of the Homeless Program was here to talk about his program and to get a tour of GRH. Our unit hosted a
very nice employment lunch along with our visit from DMH. Members did a wonderful job of
showing up for the meeting with DMH and answering many of the questions they had about
our employment program. As you will see in the pictures below, Bob and Gary were two of
our speakers at the lunch. Olivia also held a great celebration for the six month anniversary of
the Inshape Program and members accomplishments over the last six months. Pictured below
are Olivia and Susan.
Job Club continues on every Wednesday at 11am. We welcome anyone working or looking
for employment to join our group. During the next few months, we are working on strengthening our soft skills. In addition, we will be covering the topic of CORI and employment on Feb.
8 at 11am.
At our unit planning meeting on January 26th we discussed and reorganized our task board.
There were ten members and staff at the meeting.
Jade and some GRH members have gone to Respite monthly to do presentations to explain
our program. GRH goes to Walmart every month. Check out the social calendar for dates and
times and please remember to sign up ahead of time. Edythe is going to the food bank every
Thursday at 11am so come in and sign up. Danielle and Todd will be returning to human rights
trainings in February. Planning has begun for our big trip of the year. This year we will be visiting the Bronx Zoo. Carol Stevens will have more information in February.
The clubhouse is planning our 15th Mental Health Fair that is on May 17, 2017. Come and
join the excitement and fun. Our meetings are on the third Thursday of the month at 2pm, and
is open to anyone interested. A BIG THANK YOU to all the members that work hard on our
outreach and other tasks we have in our unit. Sincerely,
Carol, Jade and Danielle
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Volume 29 Number 7
February 2017
UMMMM...February? ALREADY?
NEW MEMBERS : Don B., Steven H. WELCOME to the EXPRESSO Unit. We look forward to
getting to know you !!!
There have been some new IDEAS floating around in the Expresso unit..
We have the cash register from the café and we will be setting that up to use for both lunch
sales and the general store. This cash register is much more sophisticated than the one we
have now and will be more “real world” for training . We are talking about changing the
times we sell lunch tickets? Our daily lunch tasks have gotten an upgrade, with a specific task
list for each day and the tasks broken down to the minutest detail. This seems to be producing
the right outcome for our needs in the unit. We spoke briefly about lunch being a community
effort and will bring this back to the Program meeting this month.
We will be scheduling a PLANNING DAY for the unit and will send out invitations once the date
has been set.
PLEASE REMEMBER: We welcome all menu suggestions and guest chefs.
Our menu planning meeting will be held on February 8th, 2017 at 10:00 am!!!!
SEE YOU THERE!!!! Thank you for all you do.. Suzanne, Carol and Jane
Club Café at John W. Olver Transit Center
HOURS
Monday - Friday
8:00 AM - 1:30 PM
Featuring Pierce Brothers Coffee
Visit us for a hot, delicious cup of coffee
(Iced-Coffee also available)
Serving Breakfast, Light Lunches and Snacks
Stop By and Say ‘Hello’
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Volume 29 Number 7
February 2017
My Daughter
By Deb Hatch
I love my daughter, Candy. She’s a good mom to her two kids (my grandkids); Anthony is
four, and Ruthann is two. Candy said they might be moving to Florida but she’s not sure yet.
At Christmas time I mailed presents to my grandkids. I had to send them because they live in
New Hampshire. I haven’t seen them in four months, since they moved. I still talk to her every day on the phone. I hope I get to see them sometime soon.
Coalescing the fish
By theoshea
The warrior wants all the power, He was the power once upon a time; He is not now. The gang
doesn’t trust Him, Maybe they are right; probably not.
Life— the river flowing into the ocean — has power to nurture or destroy. It will carry me or
it will smash me. It carried me – so much silt in the current—when the warrior had the power.
The river spat me out into the ocean, the warrior; His power so dwarfed by the ocean, rode
along.
I am drawing all the parts of me into one cohesive mass; a fish; because I’m a Pisces, with sun
dappled rainbow gossamer fins and iridescent green gills.
As this fish I have the power to swim; I swim with the tide, I swim against the tide. I can if I
so choose to swim up the river to lay my clutch of gold and silver eggs.
Because I have the power and all the parts of me are here in the penthouse with me.
Change
Change is a part of life.
We can try different things and new experiences.
It makes life more interesting.
Don’t be afraid to try something new.
It can help you grow as a person.
One of the most important changes to do is to do God’s will and pray every day.
It will help you to be the best person you can be with his help.
Ray Barszewski
“I am convinced that material things can contribute a lot to making one’s life pleasant, but,
basically, if you do not have very good friends and relatives who matter to you, life will be
really empty and sad and material things cease to be important”
~ David Rockefeller
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Volume 29 Number 7
February 2017
Differences in Types of Ginseng
T.N.Sanderson
Ginseng is a very popular herbal supplement in the US, perhaps most well-known for its
use of boosting memory and energy levels. However, it has many other uses. For starters,
ginseng is considered an adaptogen, which means it helps your body to withstand mental
and physical stress.
Going further into the usefulness of Ginseng requires understanding the different types of
ginseng available. There are three major varieties, each with unique attributes; although
only two are actually ginsengs:
American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius): This tan, gnarled root contains ginsenosides,
which are thought to be responsible for many of its medicinal properties. Chinese medicine, which has used ginseng for thousands of years, considers American ginseng a "cool"
calming tonic.
Asian ginseng (Panax ginseng): Sometimes referred to as Korean ginseng, Asian ginseng
also contains ginsenosides, although in different proportions than American ginseng, and is
considered an (1)adaptogenic herb. According to Chinese medicine, Asian ginseng is a
"hot" stimulant.
Siberian ginseng (Eleutherococcus senticosus): Siberian ginseng is not a true ginseng and
does not contain ginsenosides. Its active components are called eleutherosides, which are
thought to stimulate your immune system. Like American and Asian ginseng, however, Siberian ginseng is an adaptogen.
If you're wondering which type of ginseng is right for you, consider this: if you're seeking
an herb to calm stress-related problems, American ginseng is the "cooling" or "calming"
version of the two. Asian ginseng is regarded as heating and is not generally recommended
for stress relief, that’s traditionally been used to increase energy, stimulate the immune
system, and increase longevity.
Most research to date has involved Asian ginseng, however, the studies that have been
done on the American variety suggest it may boost your immune system, function as an
antioxidant and also benefit inflammatory conditions. It may also be useful as an allaround stress tonic. American Ginseng is traditionally reputed to regularize bodily functions and relieve many ailments resulting from physiological stress. Beneficial effects are
thought to be due to a non-specific influence on production and use of regulatory hormones.
Adaptogens or adaptogenic substances, compounds, herbs or practices refer to the pharmacological concept where administering results and stabilizing of self-regulating processes in
biological systems and physiological stress to maintain stability
*REMINDER: Please always consult your Doctor before starting any Supplement or Medication
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Volume 29 Number 7
February 2017
Mental Illness part 2
By Linda Traceski
In 1982, I was pregnant with my son Christian. My husband and I were married by a justice of
the peace on December 10, 1982. Christian was born on July 29 1983. When I was pregnant,
the doctors ordered me off all my medications.
As time went on, I became manic. My husband was drinking and his personality changed. He
would hit me and mentally abuse me, although he did not hit me in the stomach. While I was
manic, I would hit back when he was being abusive.
Later, my son was born. The court took my son out of the hospital and gave custody to my
dad. When they put me back on the medication, I was better.
Mental Illness part 3
By Linda Traceski
My dad’s girlfriend and my husband did not get along at all. She made it unbearable for my
husband to see our son, Chris. I felt bad for my husband so I did not see much of my son either. He was still living with my dad.
May son’s grammar school called the Massachusetts Protection Against Cruelty to Children
Agency (MPACC) to report a bruise on my son’s head. My dad and his girlfriend said they did
not know how it got there. But later, when Chris was an adult, he told me my dad had hit him
and caused the bruise. After the school reported the bruise, my husband and I went to see
Chris at MPCCA and we played with some toys with him.
Later on, my dad’s girlfriend died of cancer. That’s when Chris began to come over to our
house and stay overnight on weekends until he turned 17. It was nice to have him with us.
Winter of 2016-2017
By Beverly
Learning
We are making up for last year’s non-snow
winter. We have had a few snow storms so
far this year (not big or bad) but some. I
think we are due for a really big one soon;
at least we had snow for Christmas. I was in
California for Christmas and it did not seem
like Christmas without any snow. Some people don’t like snow, but I love it. I like the
changes of the seasons. I have lived in New
England my whole life. I know we will get a
big snow storm before long, and then people will say “When is spring coming?” The
changes in the season are really good to
have.
Page 8
Learning new things is a joy.
It may help us in our lives.
We may discover new things about us.
We can learn from our mistakes, so we don’t
repeat them.
It may help us to be a better person.
One is never too old to learn.
Some things we learn can help others.
Learning is good for us.
Volume 29 Number 7
Ray Barszewski
February 2017
Your Passion
Do what interests and excites you.
You don’t have to make money at it.
For example you could do art or music.
You will be enriched by following your passion.
Life will have more meaning to you.
So follow your heart’s desire and do what you love.
Ray Barszewski
Neil with his first paycheck!
Interview with Neil Dyer on his new job!
T.N.Sanderson
Hey Neil, Congratulations on your new job at Liberty Tax!
Q: Can you tell us a little about it?
A: It’s so simple to do. I just wave my sign to get drivers’ attention. We get coffee/soda
breaks.
Q: How long have you been out of work before this job?
A: Three years I’ve been without work. I used to work over at the Enclave.
Q: How did you find this new position?
A: Danielle Barron runs the Job Club over at the Green River House and she found it for
me and helped me go and check it out.
Q: How many hours a day/week do you work?
A: 3 hour shifts/2 days a week.
Q: What’s the best part of the job for you?
A: Working for my boss Todd and co-workers Jeff and Brent, the exercise, people waving,
new friendships I’m making at work, and of course, mullah!
Q: Would you recommend this kind of position to other people?
A: Yes definitely! It’s a great job and great people to work for.
Thank you for your time Neil and the very best with all your endeavors.
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Volume 29 Number 7
February 2017
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Volume 29 Number 7
February 2017
26
19
28
Free
lunch
Kapusta
Thai salad
Split Pea Soup
Holiday
Meal-8-12
27
22
Seafood
+Rolls
SUSIE/CJ
Ham/Cheese
Chips
23
Turkey(surprise)
Chili
KIM
16
Baked Chicken/
Potato
Salad
Egg salad on
Greens
15
9
8
21
Spaghetti/
Meatballs
Valentine’s
CAROL
Franks/Slaw
2
Minestrone
Soup/Roll
1
Taco
Salad
Thu
Wed
20
14
13
Meatball
Subs
BEV/DAN
Beef stew
12
7
6
5
Tue
Mon
Sun
Lasagna
25
Drop in TBD
Beef Stir-fry
DAVID/SUZ
24
18
17
Baked Potato/
Broc.+Cheese
11
Drop in TBD
Chicken parm
with spaghetti
10
4
Sat
3
Fri
February Lunch---2017
The Month of February
T.N.Sanderson
Naming February: February is named after the Latin word Februum- Roman feast of
religious purification.
Middle English – Februarius- comes from the name for Februa/Februatio festival,
which occurred on the 13th to 15th days of this Roman month. A Roman god Februus
personified both the month and also purification, and is named for them.
Latin name - Februarius mensis - Month of Februa, Day of Purification
Old English - Solmonath - mud month
History of February: The old Roman calendar considered winter a monthless period,
thus it only consisted of 10 months. The month of ,February was added, along with
January around 700 BCE by the second Kin of Rome, Numa Pompilius, so that the calendar would equal a standard lunar year of 355 days. February became the second
month of the year around 450 BCE, although it was originally the last month of the
year in the old Roman calendar. February was shortened to either 23 or 24 days at
certain intervals in the Roman calendar, in which a 27- day intercalary month was inserted after February to realign the year with the seasons. During the Julian calendar
reform, the intercalary month was abolished and leap years were added every fourth
year, thus, February gained a 29th day in leap years.
Second Month: February is the second month of the year in the Gregorian calendar
and its predecessor, the Julian calendar, and consists of 28 days in common years and
29 days in leap years. It did not exist in the 10-month Roman calendar. It is considered
the seasonal equivalent of August in the Northern Hemisphere. It is the only month
that can pass without a single full moon. February starts on the same day of the week
as March and November in common years. During leap years, February starts on the
same day of the week as August. Once every six years and twice every 11 years, the
month of February will have only four, full seven-day weeks, where the first day of the
month starts on a Sunday and ends on a Saturday.
Birth Flower and Stone: February’s birth flower is the violet and the common primrose. The birthstone for February is the amethyst which symbolizes piety, humility,
spiritual wisdom and sincerity.
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Volume 29 Number 7
February 2017
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Volume 29 Number 7
February 2017
6
5
Jane L.
11-3pm
matinee
26
20
19
27
Carol Jean
8 to 12pm
Holiday b-fast.
13
12
Carol S.
Dinner 4-7pm
99 Dinner $20
Mon
Sun
28
21
14
7
Tue
22
Danielle B.
4-7pm
Art Night
15
Wal-Mart
11 to 2pm with
Jade
8
2
1
23
16
Kim B.
Drop in 4-7pm
9
Closed 2:30pm
for billing
Thu
Wed
24
17
10
3
Fri
February 2017 Social Calendar
25
Suzanne
8 to 12pm
Drop in
18
11
Jade C.
10 to 2pm
Drop in
4
Sat
February Word Search
A
H
E
A
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T
B
C
H
F
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G
U
M
N
B
V
P
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Z
M
L
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I
A
Q
W
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J
K
L
L
Z
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W
B
D
E
M
E
O
X
W
T
Y
P
A
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N
T
V
W
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Z
X
M
L
T
P
O
E
U
Y
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Q
P
I
W
E
D
D
I
N
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W
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P
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C
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A
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C
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B
K
I
S
S
N
Z
X
M
V
I
Arrow
Love
Heart
Red
Valentine
Wedding
Rose
Chocolate
Love
Puzzle CREATED by Peter “Super” Smith
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Volume 29 Number 7
February 2017