Happy New Year!

What a great week at clubhouse.

• The clubhouse officially became smoke FREE on January first. Everyone has to go out to the alley if they want to smoke these days. We are calling it 100 steps to wellness. It is about 50 steps to the alley and 50 steps back to the building. We would like to improve our wellness at the clubhouse.
• We started off the week sending 2013 off with the annual New Year’s Eve party on Monday evening. Everyone joined together to play games and dance the night away. A taco salad (we love our taco salad) was severed for dinner that evening before we put on the music and danced the night away. Of course the evening ended with a New Year’s Eve toast with sparkling cider.
• New Year’s Eve Day Curtis designed us a time capsule that we plan on opening at next year’s party. It was fun to see the items that were placed in the box. Someone placed the end of their belt in the box. He had lost enough weight that he did not need that end anymore. He wanted to make sure that he did not need it next year. Then Anna pulled up our 2013 Clubhouse goals. We took a look at 2013 and what we achieved and started a new list for 2014.
• We got a little snow and ice on Wednesday night, so clubhouse started a late on Thursday. Cindy went out and picked up a few members that lived locally. Then we spent the day taking down Christmas decorations and cleaning up the clubhouse. Anna and a couple of members spent several hours counting money and working on the cash spreadsheet, so that we could go to the bank.
• Friday came and we had a small group. I think the cold kept some people at home. It was in the single digits when I got the clubhouse, burrrr.
• Wellness was a blast this afternoon Mike headed downstairs to our new Wellness Center and worked with the dumbbells, jump ropes and did some stretching exercises
• Mike explained to everyone here today about the Mental Health Rally that well be held at the state capital in February. We are hoping to have the opportunity to talk to our legislators while we are there. Chris, a clubhouse member, has volunteered to speak at the rally. We are hoping to have a representative from NAMI come to the clubhouse later this month and teach us how to tell our stories and orchestrate a successful dialogue with elected officials.
Well I guess that is about all for now, so, until next time I hope all is well and remember that you have a friend.
Mike