Welcome to the February 2021 TCFD Newsletter!
Family, Friends, and Supporters,
It may still feel like winter here in the Catskills, but the calendar is headed in the right direction – to spring!
Snow…and even more snow, led to fun for all at The Center for Discovery for the month of February as we welcomed back our community students, spread the wealth of our knowledge around the country and of course, continued to focus on our COVID-19 vaccination program.
Here’s a look at last month’s highlights:
TCFD Updates and COVID-19
“We are in a good place,” said TCFD President and CEO, Patrick H. Dollard during a recent bi-weekly webinar with residential families of The Center, “We’ll get through another couple of months and then we will be ready to rethink and relearn a lot of things. It’s not like we will reboot and be where we were before this pandemic. I think everything has changed across the planet. And now is the time to rethink and relearn how to approach things and be ready for the future.”
Patrick covered a variety of topics including state and federal aid, continuing work on the Endowment Fund, a new initiative to develop staff housing in the Hurleyville area, and a joint private middle & high school venture linking the Homestead School in Glen Spey and SUNY Sullivan, which will allow students to receive a high school diploma and an associate’s degree upon graduation.
He also spoke at length about the new Children’s Specialty Hospital which is slated to open in September 2022. We are a unique center,” he said, “We have intellectual property – a talented, literally brilliant staff… We are constantly trying to get smarter and really advance the science to care for people. I think with the hospital it’s going to afford us a certain certification that will allow us to really advance the palliative and end-of-care/life model that I think is desperately needed in this field.”
He added, “Very few people think in terms of caring hard right to the end. The Center is embarking on doing that.”
Spreading Our Knowledge & Success Across the Nation via our Integrated Arts Professionals
Our Integrated Arts Team is educating audiences across the nation. To register for the upcoming webinars, please visit: https://bit.ly/TCFDVirtualSeminar2021.
Nearly 75 people have been attending each of our virtual training seminars. They include new professionals and college students, professionals from different programs and schools, and of course – TCFD staff and families. In February, attendees learned how to create a dramatic arts program for those with complex conditions. They experienced the breadth and depth of our recreation program and outdoor adventures and they dove deep into how to start planning one. And, they also learned how to design and build an accessible dance program.
The seminars are scheduled until April 9th, but if you cannot attend them live, you can watch them on YouTube here: https://bit.ly/IntegratedArtsSeminarSeries.
Conio Loretto, MS, LCAT, MT-BC, our Senior Director of Music Therapy, said of the series, “For our Integrated Arts team, it has been wonderful to have the opportunity to pause, reflect on our work and then share it with others through the seminars.”
Incredible work by our Psychology Team and Self-Advocacy Group!
Under the guidance of Behavior Therapists Stephanie Parsons and Lexi McGoff, the TCFD Self-Advocacy Group (SAG) is doing incredible work – and having a lot of fun!
For the holidays, they made and sent 31 masks, 17 hats, and 26 cards to homeless veterans in Washington, D.C. and held a “watch party.” In January, they successfully elected a new group of officers and then surprised each other with a “Secret Snowman” gift exchange. In February, it was a Valentine exchange, and this month, they are planning to celebrate the luck of the Irish on St. Patrick’s Day.
Quarantine or not, Stephanie, Lexi, and the SAG members keep moving forward! They have held virtual monthly meetings the first Tuesday of every month. Their interests and activities are quite diverse. In November for example, they discussed the presidential election, voter registration, and online polls. And they also helped produce the virtual “The Center’s Got Talent” show right in the middle of COVID-19.
We are so proud of all of them – and grateful to the Psychology Team! They all inspire us!
Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow!
Mother Nature had a sense of humor in February – and we laughed right along with her!
She gave us snow – LOTS of it – and we had tons of fun thanks to our incredible Recreation Therapy team, Education and Residential staff, and of course – our Ride Share buddies who got many of our staff safely to and from the campus on treacherous roads. In fact, the Ride Share program picked up approximately 407 staff and dropped 418 of them at home in February – a total savings of $11,000 for our staff!
We snowshoed, created snow art, breathed fresh, crisp air – and started tapping our maple trees.
Fabulous February!
When we weren’t outside we were busy and active indoors. We created art, made cards expressing our love on Valentine’s Day, solved puzzles, and played strategy games. We learned how to make do-it-yourself hand scrub and as always we moved – danced, stretched, and exercised!
Changes on Main Street – Hurleyville!
February was a big month for development on Main Street in Hurleyville!
After COVID-19 delays, federal inspection is finally underway at La Salumina, so look for cured meat and some new packaging very soon! You can follow the latest news at www.lasaluminany.com.
Up the block, the Hurleyville General Store added two items made at The Center: fan-favorite Thanksgiving Farm® Granola, and the very popular Fiber Barn Dayhab Dryer Balls! You can also find these items on their updated website: https://hurleyvillegeneral.com.
And, coming up this spring – the Tango Café will be completed as well as more storefronts and apartments.
Check Us Out on Air!
TCFD is coming to a television near you! Beginning on Tuesday, March 9th, be on the lookout for our new People Operations commercial spot – featuring some of our incredibly talented staff who share the best parts about working at The Center! As we like to say, #WhatHappensHereMattersEverywhere!
Join Us on Social Media in 2021
Please like and follow us on all social media platforms – Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube for great stories, updates on our Children’s Specialty Hospital, and more!
Facebook: @TheCenterForDiscoveryOfficial
Instagram: @TheCenterForDiscovery
Twitter: @TCFDiscovery
LinkedIn: @TheCenterforDiscovery
YouTube: @TheCenterforDiscovery
Hashtags: #WhatHappensHereMattersEverywhere #HealthWellnessAndWonders #FutureFullOfDiscovery