Thursday, August 28, 2014

RVRC Consumer Conference Part 1

On August 17th-19th one staff and 6 members from the clubhouse attended the 7th Annual Real Voices Real Choices Consumer Conference at Tar-Tar-A resort in Osage Beach, MO. Below is an article from one of this year’s attendees.

Brent shared, “The Real Voices Real Choices Conference was good. This was my first year attending. It was a really neat experience for me. While there, I learned from one of the sessions that the role of a Crisis Intervention Officer is to prevent injuries to themselves, family members and the individuals in mental health crisis. There was a session on “Hunting, Fishing and Other Outdoor Activities.” I learned there are certain kinds of equipment designed for people in wheelchairs to ski and shoot guns and also enjoy the outdoors like people without a disability.
Brent M.

More articles to follow from other attendees

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Upcoming Events

Thursday, August 21st, 2014
A marketing group from St. Louis arrived today. They are going to assist us in seting up a new web page for clubhouse and put us on facebook also. There is going to be a new clubhouse logo for all BJC clubhouses.

We have been working on the calendar for 2015, we have several pictures turned in already. They took some pictures of the BJC Friends in Action clubhouse calendar that might be later used in a brochure for marketing purposes. The pictures on the calendars seem to be getting better every year. We have several new artists that are contributing to the calendar. We have several returning artists that have outdone themselves this year. So we hope to be able to sell more calendars this coming year than before. Because we are going to try to do better advertising for the calendar.

We are having a contest to design a poster for the holiday season. See Betty for entry forms to be filled out and attached to each picture that is entered in the contest. The size has to be 8.5” x 11” and we have card stock that is that size and its stronger than regular paper so its better for the poster. They have to be turned in by september the 10th to Betty or take them to the Farmington office to give to their case worker. If you win you get a gift certificate to a local restaurant.



Editing Done By:
Matthew Queen
Betty Wood

Wednesday, August 13, 2014

Clubhouse Update 8-8-14

We are still working on improving our word order day. Some people like it and some don’t. Jeremy C, a 34 year old consumer, likes all the new changes that have been made and approves of all new jobs he gets to do. He has been coming to clubhouse since 2008. He said that he didn’t care much for the groups and meetings we had before. He enjoys being helpful to other consumers at the clubhouse. If there is anything or anyone he can help, he is always ready to help do whatever needs to be done. He is very helpful with the older consumers who have walkers and need help getting them in and out of the vans. He often just rides along on the vans so that he will be there to help if he is needed.
He also likes having the holiday celebration on the date of the holiday instead a week ahead or before the holiday, one of his favorite jobs is putting the group into the computer that needs to be done daily. He also help keep our vans clean, empties the trash and any other job that needs to be done. He has signed up to be one of the consumers that are picked to live in one of the new apartment complex, Friendship House. We hope he will be accepted and move into one of the apartments. He is a great person and always has a smile and a helping hand. We really appreciate him and his continues support of our clubhouse.
August 7th Anna drove a van to Jefferson City to the NAMI Facilitators Training. Letitia D, Lisa P, and Tina W are the three consumers that are attending the training seminar. Since this is a ‘ Peer to Peer’ group Anna plans on getting some work done while the ladies are attending the group, and we know that she is only a phone call away. They will be returning August 10th. And hopefully will give us a good report about some of the things they have learned
The ladies will attend work sessions ever day and when they are done they will be able to hold meetings for the NAMI group. One of the reasons more facilitators are needed is at the present time there is only one group for all to attend. Two groups are needed one for only consumers and one for family and friends of the consumers, Peer to Peer groups are only able to be attended by the consumers and no staffs are allowed to attend.
The clubhouse is offering a place for the two separate groups as we have two separate areas for both meetings to be held at the same time. This would be better for our consumers and we hope the offer will be accepted.
As our clubhouse works toward a ‘work order day’ each success leads us more and more to be an accredited clubhouse. Some of our consumers miss the way it was before but a lot like Jeremy are really are happy about all the changes. Some of our new consumers who have not know the old ways of doing things are really fitting in. But some of the older people who have been here longer really miss the awesome auction, and shopping trips. So on we grow.

Betty W.