THIS MONTHS ISSUE

The View From My chair Erins childrens Fund Friends of garden center garden center Family Spotlight

01 02 03 04

THE LEAFLET
ISSUE JAN YEAR 2012

the View from My chair

a MESSagE FrOM OUr ExEcUTIVE dIrEcTOr

Im not going to say that 2012 is going to be a great year for garden center Services. What I want to say is that 2012 is going to be a great year for each individual supported by garden center Services.

the truth is, if 2012 is to be a great year for our consumers, it will take all of us making and acting on this statement together for it to become reality. In this first newsletter of the New Year, I am simply asking each person that is reading this article to make a serious commitment to support this cause through your time, energy, and financial resources. following are a few wonderful faces that should provide all the inspiration we need .

OUR MISSION Garden Center Services is committed to supporting and empowering persons with developmental disabilities through innovative and person-centered services. Our commitment to the excellence of our programs is surpassed only by our devotion to the people we serve and the communities in which they live.

I believe at times I believe at times theres a real benefit to theres a real benefit not thinking about our to not thinking about agency as a whole, but to look into the eyes and our agency as a faces of each person we whole, but to look serve. only then do you into the eyes and get a real sense of all the hopes, disappointments, faces of each person and potential that lies we serve. within every consumer that attends our programs, and how the true purpose of our agency is really knowing and assisting each person individually.

A 5 0 1 ( c ) ( 3 ) N oN pR ofI t oR gANI z AtI oN

garden center family Spotlight

Steven has been with garden center since 2007. He works with garden centers Community Crusaders, volunteering at multiple community organizations each week. Steven says he really enjoys working with the group. His favorite project is baking desserts for the families at Ronald McDonald House. When not volunteering in the community, Stevens group spends time at garden centers Wesbrook building. there, Steven says, he likes working on the computer and spending time with his friends. Steven is a huge music fan. If you are around him for very long, you may see him break into dance when the right song comes on. He also loves movies and recently saw The Muppets (2011), which he gives an enthusiastic two thumbs up.

STEVEN SILIUS

Steven is one of the most positive people we know and we are glad he is a part of our family!
Check out the December 22nd ABC7 News Report about The Food Circle on our blog to see Steven and the rest of our Community Crusaders packing groceries for needy families.

Stacey joined the garden center family in September last year. She only planned to work a few hours on nights and weekends to make a little extra income, but quickly decided she liked what she saw at garden center. Almost immediately, Stacey quit her job with another disability service provider to work at garden center full-time. Stacey heads up the Community Crusaders group. the six person group spends their time helping various community organizations including: Ronald McDonald House, the Hanson center farm, Meals on Wheels, pryme tymers Senior group, Deborahs place Womens Shelter, oak Lawn childrens Museum and the recently added K9 Rescue. Stacey says she loves her job. She already volunteers for several local charities and to now have a job that involves volunteering as well is right up her alley. Her favorite thing about garden center? The people. Not even a question. The people I work with are great. people are excited to see me and I am even more excited to see them! Stacey, we hope to keep seeing you for a long time to come!

STACEY OBRIEN

garden center opens a New Home

We are very excited to be opening our newest cILA in oak Lawn! the house is a spacious flat ranch with four bedrooms and two baths. It will likely become home to five or six women. Because there are no stairs inside, we expect this house to be very accessible for folks with mobility issues. Were wrapping up renovations on one of the bathrooms, making it fully accessible with a walk/roll-in shower and enough space to navigate the bathroom with privacy! the house has been painted throughout, and furniture is on order. the ladies who live here will be able to enjoy a huge backyard; there is plenty of space for a vegetable garden and several flower beds.
GCSs New CILA in Oak Lawn

Erins Handicapped childrens fund Makes a Difference in the Lives of people with Developmental Disabilities
What an incredible and lasting tribute to a young girl with developmental disabilities. Erin Mitchell was born with Downs Syndrome and a congenital heart defect, and she passed much too soon at the age of five in 1981. Within a year, her father Jim, organized and ran the first annual Erins Handicapped Childrens Golf Outing to help support the work of local disability providers that support children and adults with the same needs his daughter had. over the last 30 years, the Erins Handicapped Childrens Fund has donated over 3 million dollars to agencies in chicago and the surrounding suburbs. garden center Services has alone received close to $300,000! the impact these funds have had on the lives of the individuals we support is immeasurable, and has been the finest way possible to keep Erins memory alive. Jim Mitchell is also the owner and operator of Enzenberger & Mitchell, one of chicagolands most reputable and respected collision repair shops. they have been providing quality repair services since 1979, and have established a great reputation with their customers and many of the major insurance companies. E&M also sells used cars and has a very broad selection of fairly priced vehicles that have been checked out and serviced by their certified mechanics. As you or your family members require any of these services, please consider giving your business to a company that is truly a positive and contributing member of our community.
Jim Mitchell

gardEN cENTErS NEEdS LIST

Electronic Keyboards Event tickets New dishes Bookshelf flat screen tV Vacuum & attachments Laptop computers craft supplies (music)

frames for artwork Blank canvases Living room set X-Box & dance games gym dues/passes

Enzenberger and Mitchell, Inc. 7420 West 87th place Bridgeview, IL 60455

phone: 708-430-3666 Website: www.enzenbergermitchell.com

GCS BULLETIN BOARD

Gift of Give GCS the h ancial Strengt Long-Term Fin
Contact Mic learn about hele Hula to nned Giving GCS pla s Opportunitie mhula@ rg erservices.o gardencent 06 (708) 398-65

dIdNT gET a cHaNcE TO caT cH THE aBc7 STOry ON gardEN cEN TEr? Visit our homepage at www.gardencenterServices.org to watch Karen Meyers story on garden center programs now.
If you have an item to donate, please email Anne McFerron at amcferron@gardencenterservices.org

gc

fRIENDS of gARDEN cENtER

WHErE WE grOW dIgNITy aNd INdEpENdENcE
phone 708.636.0054 email info@gardencenterservices.org web www.gardencenterservices.org

SEpTEMBER-NOVEMBER 2011

$2,500-$5,000

RR DoNNELLEY foUNDAtIoN SEcoND cHANcE tHRIft SHoppE DoNALD p. AND BYRD M. KELLY foUNDAtIoN ILLINoIS StAtE coUNcIL#144 BANK of AMERIcA
DONATION FROM WILLIAM RAMSDEN

terrence ogrady

MEMORIAL FOR LORI OGRADY

Mr. & Mrs. cianain Rickard Jennifer Schindl Hannah Watts

MEMORIAL FOR DOROTHY CYGA

$1,000 - $2,499

MEMORIAL FOR CHARLES CROWE

peter & Shannon Williams Adam Weis Dolores Eder

MEMORIAL FOR CHARLES CROWE

BOard OF dIrEcTOrS
president 1st Vice president 2nd Vice president Treasurer Members: Barbara clarke Scott Hardek doug combs r. pat Ballis John J. Kunkes Frances Mientus Linda Stearns daniel Wenzler Linda Sherwood

David Johnson
ILLINoIS StAtE coUNcIL#967 claire fitz

MEMORIAL FOR CHARLES CROWE

$500 - $999

KRAft fooDS foUNDAtIoN frances Mientus

MEMORIAL FOR DOROTHY CYGA

DONATION FROM MICHAEL STAISLUNAS

DONATION FOR BROTHER M. SCHMUTTENMAER

Mr. & Mrs. David Ries Linda Sherwood Robert E. Spain

$100 - $499

MEMORIAL FOR DOROTHY CYGA MEMORIAL FOR DOROTHY CYGA MEMORIAL FOR CHARLES CROWE

Michael Staisiunas gerard Beagles & cindy Haworth McMAStER-cARR pEpSIco

DONATION FROM RICHARD LARSON

2011 MATCHING GIFT FOR ROBERT FIEDLER

Jacqueline gutherie Stanley Komperda Stacey oBrien tom oHara

tRUISt tHE cLoRoX coMpANY foUNDAtIoN

DONATION FROM SHERRY L. VANKUREN

MEMORIAL FOR DOROTHY CYGA

Mr. & Mrs. Dimitri Hoteko Bernadette Adamowski Dorothy Ballis catherine conway Barbara Eckman patricia goldrick Judith Stortz

MEMORIAL FOR LORI OGRADY

MEMORIALS FOR LILIAN KUCIA, MARK STRAOSTKA, DOROTHY CYGA

Bill & pat Russell gretchen Winter

MEMORIAL FOR CHARLES CROWE MEMORIAL FOR DOROTHY CYGA

Impo rt ant Date s!

LE T SHOPPE SUPER SA SECOND CHANCE THRIF

UNItED WAY of cENtRAL ILLINoIS Robert Devens

MEMORIAL FOR CHARLES CROWE

-4pm Januar y 8t h 12pm

MEMORIAL FOR CHARLES CROWE MEMORIAL FOR DOROTHY CYGA

Barb Kincaid Mary K. paxton

MEETING GCS MEMBERSHIP Main Building Januar y 20th 7pm at Everyone Welcome!

Brian & Elizabeth Wojak

DONATION - MILLER FAMILY

Megan Wrenn

Its not too late.... Gallery Calendars are still available

http://gardencenterservices. wordpress.com/

Up to $99

Barb Kincaid claire Marie temmerman Daniel Heenan Julie grace Mr. & Mrs. Douglas combs Sharon Duncan Mary Heerhold

MEMORIAL DONATION FOR EILEEN HODAN

http://www.youtube.com/user/ gardencenterservices http://twitter.com/gardencentersrv

MEMORIAL FOR LORI OGRADY

Mr. & Mrs. William Johnson Michael ogrady

MEMORIAL FOR LORI OGRADY

MEMORIAL FOR CHARLES CROWE

http://www.facebook.com/ gardencenterservices

Visit our Main Building or www.gardencenterservices.org to buy yours today!