The Current
January 2017
Page 1
Volume 29 Number 6
January 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 is a response to every adult person’s need to be involved in
reciprocally respectful and gratifying relationships. It is 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: Theo, Carol, Michele
Proofreaders: Todd, Edythe, Storm, Theo,
Sherry, Michele
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
Page 2
The next issue will be published
February 1, 2017.
Thank You - EXCEL Unit
Volume 29 Number 6
January 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
Vanessa Dautruche - Synergy 321
Pat Bieri - Valley Medical Group
Steve Hosier—Wendy’s
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
Rick Herzig - Literacy Project
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
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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Volume 29 Number 6
January 2017
JOB CLUB
We would like to invite all members to participate in our weekly job club. Job club meets every Wed
from 11-12. This month the group worked on job leads and needs. We offered support with phone
calls, applications and interviews. We are proud to announce that Pat B. is now working at Valley Medical center and Neil D. will be starting work at Liberty Tax. Both of these members have been consistently applying for work and their hard work has paid off.
Starting in Jan. Job club will be focusing on soft skills. These skills are important to be successful in
your job. Over the next few months there will be group discussion, info sheets and real life examples on
the topics that follow.
Communication – oral, speaking capability, writing, presenting, listening.
Courtesy – manners, etiquette, business etiquette, gracious, says please and thank you, respectful.
Flexibility – adaptability, willing to change, lifelong learner, accepts new things, adjusts, teachable.
Integrity – honest, ethical, high morals, has personal values, does what’s right.
Interpersonal skills – nice, personable, sense of humor, friendly, nurturing, empathetic, has self-control,
patient, sociability, warmth, social skills.
Positive attitude – optimistic, enthusiastic, encouraging, happy, confident.
Professionalism – businesslike, well-dressed, appearance, poised.
Responsibility – accountable, reliable, gets the job done, resourceful, self-disciplined, wants to do well,
conscientious, common sense.
Teamwork – cooperative, gets along with others, agreeable, supportive, helpful, collaborative.
Todd with his first paycheck from his first TE
Alisha with her first paycheck from her new TE
Computer Tips for Beginners
To turn a computer on press this symbol:
which is usually on the front of
the computer or on top.
To shut down your computer click on the Windows Icon:
and click on SHUT DOWN, make sure
you have all your work saved before shutting down. ALWAYS save your important documents and
know where they are saved.
For an extra layer of protection consider buying removable media (Thumbnail Drive, CD-RW etc.) It
is important to unplug your computer in case of a thunderstorm because your computer hard drive
could be fried.
To rename a file after you have already saved it, right-click on the name of the file and click on RENAME. Type in the name of the file and then press enter. To undo the process right click on the
same file and click on undo rename. Use surge protectors when possible; sometimes you may have
more than one piece of equipment plugged in and that can cause a problem.
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Volume 29 Number 6
January 2017
The EXPRESSO unit wishes you all a Happy and HEALTHY new year!
The Holidays season was ablur for a lot of us with parties and gifts and cookies, cake, candy,
and family gatherings. Mostly its just about being together . We do that everyday here at
GRH… We have a WONDERFUL community.
The café POS system( debit\credit) has made a positive difference during the short amount of
time we have had it. It has increased sales at the café .
We would love to see a lot of people at the next menu planning meeting on Jan. 11, at 10:00
am. We are always looking for guest chef’s and new ideas. We have to plan a food bank trip
this month, the pantry is getting low. Upcoming at GRH, In Shape celebration 01/12/17 and
Employment lunch 01\17\17.
We welcome back Steven H. to the Expresso unit!!! And its always nice when Susie U. comes
to visit. The past year brought back a few familiar faces we hadn’t seen in awhile, Loretta H.,
John H., our apologies if we forgot anyone!
There is always lots going on and more to look forward to this year.. Come join us, we seem
to always have a good time working side by side.
Jane, Carol Jean and Suzanne
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 6
January 2017
A Story of Love, History of the Taj Mahal
T.N.Sanderson
From the often chaotic and fratricidal court of India's Mughal Empire sprang perhaps the world's most beautiful
and serene monument of love - the Taj Mahal. Its designer was the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan, a complex man
whose life ended in tragic circumstances. The Taj Mahal Commissioned in 1632 by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan to house the remains of his cherished wife, Mumtaz Mahal. The Taj Mahal stands on the southern bank of the
Yamuna River in Agra, India. The famed mausoleum complex, built over more than 20 years, is one of the most
outstanding examples of Mughal architecture, which combined Indian, Persian and Islamic influences. At its center
is the Taj Mahal itself, built of shimmering white marble that seems to change color depending on the sunlight or
moonlight hitting its surface. Decorated in the finest of precious gems and materials it stands as one of the finest
examples of Love between a husband and his wife. Designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1983, it remains
to be one of the world’s most celebrated structures.
The child who would become Shah Jahan was born on March 4, 1592, in Lahore, now in Pakistan. His parents
were Prince Jahangir and his wife Manmati, a Rajput princess who was called Bilquis Makani in the Mughal court.
The baby was Jahangir's third son. He was named Ala Azad Abul Muzaffar Shahab ud-Din Muhammad Khurram,
or Khurram for short. In 1607, Prince Khurram was engaged to marry Arjumand Banu Begum, the 14-year-old
daughter of a Persian nobleman. Their wedding did not take place until five years later, and Khurram would marry
two other women in the meantime, but Arjumand was his true love. She later became known as Mumtaz Mahal "The Chosen One of the Palace." Mumtaz Mahal was born in April of 1593 in Agra, India. Her father was the Persian noble Abdul Hasan Asaf Khan, the brother of Nur Jahan, the Mughal Empress wife of Jahangir.
Mumtaz at age 14 betrothed (nikah) Shah Jahan at the age of 14 in 1607, when Shah Jahan was 15. He later
married two other women. May 10, 1612, at his age of 19 the official marriage ceremony was held. Khurram dutifully sired a son by each of his other wives, and then neglected them almost entirely. He and Mumtaz Mahal had 14
children, seven of whom survived to adulthood. Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal were married for 19 years. They
had thirteen children together. Seven of the children died at birth or at a very young age. Mumtaz travelled with
Shah Jahan and his army as he carried out military campaigns. Mumtaz Mahal supported Shah Jahan and they
respected each other very much.
Mumtaz Mahal died on June 17, 1631, in Burhanpur in the Deccan (now in Madhya Pradesh). Her body was
buried in the Taj Mahal in Agra. It is also believed that Mumtaz Mahal died at age 40, while giving birth to their 14th
child, a daughter named Gauhara Begum, in Burhanpur. The cause of death was postpartum hemorrhage which
caused considerable blood-loss after a painful labor of thirty hours. Contemporary historians note that Princess Jahanara, aged 17, was so distressed by her mother's pain that she started distributing gems to the poor, hoping for
divine intervention, and Shah Jahan, himself, was noted as being "paralyzed by grief" and weeping fits. After she
died, Shah Jahan went into mourning for 2 years. When he appeared again, his hair had turned white; his back
was bent, and his face worn. Jahan's eldest daughter, Jahanara Begum, slowly brought him out of mourning and
took the place of Mumtaz at court.
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Volume 29 Number 6
January 2017
Pay it forward
Bev B.
On the day before Thanksgiving the stores were busy with shoppers getting thanksgiving
food. The cashiers were doing their best to ring up the orders quickly. Some of the customers
were so thankful that they offered to pay for someone else’s order. That happened to a staff
of the Green River House. Another customer paid it forward by paying for the rolls that were
being picked up for the Thanksgiving dinner at the Green River House. The Clubhouse puts
this meal on every year so no one is alone on the holiday.
AGING HANDS
THEOSHEA
The hand lays quiet, the page lays bare.
The writer isn’t; well not yet anyway.
The story as yet unwritten, the characters as yet hidden.
Time is passing, his Day being told.
The writer writes slowly, for He has become OLD!!
Family Support NAMI meetings
2nd Wednesday each month
5-7pm @ Quabbin House
25 West Main Street
Orange, MA
Facilitator: Jennifer Mannino
E-mail: [email protected]
Fax: 978-544-1861
Phone: 978-544-1859
Quabbin Program Manager: Rich Stemm
Purpose in Life
We should have a goal for our life.
A good goal to have is to try to make the world a better place.
We can do this by helping others.
We can listen to someone when he wants to talk to us.
We should try to help the poor since they are most in need compared to others.
We can wish someone a good day and wish them the best.
We can pray for peace and for others.
If we do these things, the world will be a better place.
Ray Barszewski
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Volume 29 Number 6
January 2017
Thanksgiving Memories
Bev B.
On Thanksgiving mornings my whole family helped each other with the jobs to prepare
the feast. Some jobs were to make the turkey, to peel the potatoes and veggies, while we
watched the Macy’s Day Parade. Sometimes before or on Thanksgiving Day we would also make pies. When the parade was over the dinner would be eaten. Afternoons we
would watch TV or play games. For supper that night we would have more turkey and
leftovers. For Friday’s breakfast we would usually have turkey sandwiches or pie.
Occasionally my brother cooked the turkey on the grill outside; it would take forever to
cook. So then we ate dinner at 9 or 10pm but no matter when we ate, it was always
good. We would freeze some of the turkey for later. My family loved to have turkey a few
times a year. I hope everyone had a happy Thanksgiving season. Now I stay home alone
since my family is gone. I still watch the parade and get a call from my sister and niece,
but they live too far away for me to go see them.
Reasons Not to Drink Alcohol
You won’t get drunk.
Your mind will be clear and not confused.
Alcohol causes you to gain weight.
You won’t be addicted to alcohol.
You will get along with people better.
Too much alcohol is bad for the body.
Alcohol with medication is harmful to you.
You will enjoy life more if you are alcohol free.
It is easier to quit alcohol with a support group like Alcoholics anonymous.
Ray Barszewski
Open Enrollment for 2017 runs from November 1, 2016 to January 31, 2017. This is the time
of year when people can enroll in a health insurance plan. If you are receiving paper work from
your insurance provider please bring your mail in to get support with responding or filling out
forms. If you are paying high deductibles or high co-pays we can direct you to a benefit specialist
at the SHINE program.
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Volume 29 Number 6
January 2017
The Rooftop Christmas Tree
By Beverly Babcock
I saw a movie on Sunday, 11/27/2016, with Tim Reed in it, titled ‘The Rooftop Christmas
Tree’.
The movie was about a man whose wife left and took their six-year old son. The man was
not able to see his son after that day. Therefore, the father decided to put his Christmas
tree on his roof, hoping his son would see it.
For some time, the town’s people did not complain about the Christmas tree on his roof.
Then, three years ago, the town’s ‘Big Wigs’ decided that the father could no longer keep
a Christmas tree on his roof. They put the father in jail and removed the tree from his
roof.
The girl who lived across the street, when she was little, came back home to work as a
lawyer. She represented the father, in court, and they won. She, and other people in the
town, put the Christmas tree back upon the roof. The man’s son came back to town, after
serving in the Army for three years, and he saw the Christmas tree on the roof. The father
and son were finally able to be together again.
This movie reminded me of when someone, living on Chapman Street, placed a Christmas
tree on the roof during Desert Storm. Even though this Christmas tree died, it remained
on the roof until the family member, serving in Desert Storm, came home.
THE SOMETIMES ROAD
TheoShea
It’s a road-sometimes yellow brick,
sometimes paved with gold.
Sometimes it’s just a muddy rut,
sometimes worn paving stones.
It’s a road- sometimes leading somewhere,
sometimes not.
Sometimes just misleading,
sometimes going here and there,
sometimes going nowhere.
Sometimes you ask why…
But it can only lie…
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Volume 29 Number 6
January 2017
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Volume 29 Number 6
January 2017
16
Holiday 10-2
Breakfast
23
Philly steak
subs
15
22
29
30
Drop-in with
Grilled ham
Carol S. 10-2pm and Cheese
9
10
Chicken burgers In Shape Celeon grill
bration
Suzanne/Steph
8
Wed
31
Leftovers
Free lunch
24
National peanut butter day
Jane
17
T.E. Lunch
Chicken Salad
25
Chefs salad
Fri
Sat
12
Mac and
Cheese
14
26
27
Chicken pot pie Tuna Melts
Henry
28
20
21
Chicken patties Drop-in with Jade
On buns
10-2pm
13
Meatloaf, rice,
veggies
5
6
7
Baked fish ,rice Taco’s Mex. rice
and veggies
Danielle drop-in
8-12pm
Thu
18
19
Three bean sal- Fish Filets
ad on greens
w/ cottage
11
Tuna Salad on
greens
3
4
Pork Roast with Chicken strips
fixings
on greens
2
Kim 10-2
New Years Day
1
Tue
Mon
Sun
January 2017 lunch calendar
Christmas Concert at GHS
On Dec 4, 2016 The Franklin County Community Chorus put on a concert of holiday music at the
Greenfield High School. Paul Calcari was the director. There was a soloist, named Staci Miner, who
started the song All I Want for Christmas, with the Jam Band. The Jam Band was 3 men playing pipes
and drums. There were about sixty singers who were so good they sounded like the Tabernacle Choir.
Danielle brought 3 of us from the club house and we saw 3 more members there. The concert was about
1 ½ hours with a 10 minute intermission. The chorus sang classic songs like Jingle Bells and Let it Snow,
and also Hanukkah songs like Hanukkah’s Child and Adat Shalom. They also sang African Noel.
There were 18 songs in all. The chorus was well blended with the Altos, Baritones and Sopranos, you
could tell the difference. Paul Calcari does a great job with teaching singing. He used to work at GHS for
a long time. There was a piano player named Timothy Rogers. Some of the songs needed a second piano, so the other piano player was Jean Aldrich-Jones.
I love to hear different groups singing together because they make beautiful music. I hope to see them
again next year. I knew about 10 of the singers.
By Beverly
January: first month in the year
T.N.Sanderson
Naming January:
January is named after the Roman god, Janus, the god of doors because this month is the door
to the year. The Roman god Janus represents all beginnings and possesses the ability to see all
things past and future.
Ancient names of January:
 Middle English - Januarie
* French - Janvier
 Latin name - Ianuarius
* Saxon - Wulf-monath - wolf month
History of January:
The month of January was added to the Roman calendar by the second King of Rome Numa
Pompilius around 700 BCE so that the calendar would equal a standard lunar year of 355 days.
January became the first month of the year around 450 BCE, although March was originally the
first month of the year in the old Roman calendar.
January originally consisted of 30 days when it was added to the 10-month Roman calendar.
However, a day was added making it 31 days long in 46 BCE by Julius Caesar.
January is the first month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendar that consists of 31
days. It did not exist in the 10-month Roman calendar. It is considered the coldest month of the
year in most of the northern hemisphere and the warmest month of the year in most of the
southern hemisphere.
January starts on the same day of the week as October and ends on the same day of the week as
February and October in common years. During leap years, January starts on the same day of
the week as April and July, and ends on the same day of the week as July.
Birth flower and stone: January’s flower is the Snowdrop. The birthstone is the garnet, which
symbolizes constancy.
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Volume 29 Number 6
January 2017
My Experiences Trying to get OFF Sugar
So October I wrote about different effects of our national addiction to sugar. So after studying a lot more than I could write
in one article, I decided to see if I could first lower my added sugar to 24 grams or less. Per day That went pretty well. So
going from one extreme to another, then I tried NO sugar.
Nope. It did NOT work. I was brain dead, just wanting to sleep all day, not even hungry. It turns out that the brain runs on
glucose; if it doesn’t get any, it doesn’t work. To quote Harvard’s The Brain Newsletter:
“Brain functions such as thinking, memory, and learning are closely linked to glucose levels and how efficiently the brain uses
this fuel source. If there isn’t enough glucose in the brain, for example, neurotransmitters, the brain’s chemical messengers, are
not produced and communication between neurons breaks down. In addition, hypoglycemia, a common complication of diabetes
caused by low glucose levels in the blood, can lead to loss of energy for brain function and is linked to poor attention and
cognitive function.”
So my conclusion is that I should follow the old adage: Moderation in All Things.
The problem for me is, if I have a little, I want a lot, like a typical addict. But there is a threshold; if I eat less than 18
grams of sugar in two hours, those cravings don’t attack. So I buy M&M’s and just eat a few at a time. This lowering of
sugar intake makes my energy level even all day. I’m going to sleep and wake at regular and reasonable times. I never get
ravenous because my hunger is not exaggerated by sugar cravings. So, I would recommend that you try reducing your intake
of all sweets and see how you feel.
- Edythe McKee
The Very Best of the Worst Bad Puns
T.N. Sanderson
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Tennis players grunt too much when they play. There is no need for all that racket.
I went to such an emotional wedding. Even the cake was in tiers.
Did you hear about the goblin who got his left arm and leg cut off this afternoon. He’s all right
now.
I have a phobia of german sausage. I fear the wurst.
I started a band called 999 megabytes; we still haven’t gotten a gig!
Which way did the programmer go? He went data way!
I went to buy some camouflage trousers the other day, but I couldn’t find any.
Ok, I got one for you. Why can’t you hear a Pterodactyl use the restroom? The pee is silent.
What’s more amazing then a talking dog? A spelling bee.
What do you call someone with no body and a nose? Nobody knows.
What did the ocean say to the boat? Nothing is just waved!
Why does Waldo always wear stripes? Because he doesn’t want to be spotted!
What’s a plumber’s favorite shoe? Clogs!
Did you hear about the fire at the circus? It was in tents!
Did you hear about the dog that gave birth on the side of the road? She was ticketed for littering!
What does a thesaurus eat for breakfast? A synonym roll!
What do you call a pig that knows karate? Pork chop!
A gingerbread man sits up on the doctor’s office table and complains his knee is sore. Doctor
asked him if he tried icing it?
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Volume 29 Number 6
January 2017
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Volume 29 Number 6
January 2017
Mon
2
Social Drop-in
10-2 with Kim
9
16
Social Drop-in
with Suzanne
8-12pm
23
30
Sun
1
8
15
22
29
Sunday dinner
with Carol s.
10-2p
31
25
18
17 Employment
lunch 12-2,Please
rsvp
24
11
4
Wed
10
Social Drop-in
with Carol J.
4-6:30
3
Tue
Fri
26
Food Bank
With Edythe
10am
19
Food Bank
With Edythe
10am
12
Food Bank
With Edythe
10am
27
20
13
5
6
Close at 2:30 for
paperwork
Walmart 10:30-2p
Thu
14
Quabbin House
Open
21
Social Drop-in
with Jade
10-2
14
Quabbin House
Open
7
Social Drop –in
with Danielle
8-12
Sat
January 2017 Social Calendar
3
3
3
3
3
6
7
6
7
6
7
6
7
6
7
6
7
6
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Volume 29 Number 6
7
6
7
7 6
January 2017