6-20-13

Hello to all of the clubhouse followers out there.  We have had a pretty good week so far.  Yesterday was busy at the clubhouse.  We had 36 members attend!! We focused on having groups yesterday.  We had three to choose from and most everyone attended at least one of them.  Today the clubhouse was closed, but it was not boring.  The clubhouse was full of case workers attending the CPR class.  We all passed, thank goodness, and are recertifed.  Hopefully no one will have to use the skills that we learned, but it is better to be prepared.  Dawn took a small group of members to Pickle Springs for a Hike and then they watched a film about the history of mental health treatment.  In the afternoon I took over for Dawn and the members and I went shopping.  We picked up some things that we will need for tomorrow and next week.  We will be wishing Tony farewell tomorrow.  He is going to be enjoying his well deserved retirement.  He has been an asset to the clubhouse.  He is appreciated by staff and members alike.  Tony faithfully drove the members to and from the clubhouse. He kept the vans going.  Most of the time anyway.  His ADA van gave us a few problems from time to time, but it was usually back on the road, with Tony behind the wheel, pretty quick.  We are going to the coffee with a doc at Bauhass Kaffee in the morning.  We will enjoy some of their good coffee and learn about strep and shingles.  After that we will go shopping so that the members can pick up any items that they need for themselves.  Then it is back to the clubhouse.  Shannon and the kitchen crew will be whipping up some chicken salad sandwiches for lunch.  Yummy..   Andrea will be teaching us some coping skills in the afternoon.  We will end the day with some leisure time.   During leisure time the members usually like to play pool or the wii.  Some may put in an exercise video.  Everyone will talk with their friends and relax for a while before the weekend starts.  I hope that everyone has a good Friday and weekend.  Lets all make that extra effort to get out for a little physical activity this weekend.  Until next week I hope all is well and remember that you have a friend. 

Mike

Tuesday 6-18

Somehow I managed to miss updating you all last week and for that I apologize.  We have been staying pretty busy around the clubhouse.  The catering event that I told you about last time went well.  Dawn has been preparing for the Real Voices Real Choices Conference in Tan Tar A this summer.  I do have some bad new though.  Recently a long time member, Jack, passed away.  He will be greatly missed.  Jack always brought a little culture to the clubhouse.  He would read poetry to us and he loved classical music.  Jack's family has identified clubhouse as a place to donate money in his memory.  We have received four donations so far.  We appreciate all those who have donated.  We have been talking about having a clubhouse yard sale later in the summer for a fundraiser.  I will provide more details as they become available.  Today we have wellness planning groups in the morning and afternoon.  Tomorrow we will have several coping skills groups to choose from, art class and leisure time.  The clubhouse will be closed on Thursday.  Most of us have to go to CPR training.  Dawn will be picking up a few member and going to pickle springs for a hike.  Friday is coffee with a Doc day at Bauhass Kaffee.  We will be learning about strep and shingles.  In the afternoon Jeff Arledge and Jennifer Crimm from the finance office are coming to visit us.  We will have a reception with coffee and cookies.  The members will have the opportunity to attend a focus group with them.  I will hope full have more updates this week.  So, until then I hope all is well and remember that you have a friend. 

It's Finally Friday

It is Friday once again.  We had a catering event yesterday for 30 people.  It was for the St. Francois County Mental Health Board.  They had a meeting to talk about the crisis intervention program with local law enforcement.  I may be a little partial, but it looked great.  The people that attended the meeting said that the food was pretty good too.  We have 26 people signed up for today.  That is a pretty big day at the clubhouse for Friday.  Hopefully we can continue that trend and people will start attending more on Fridays.   Today is everyone's favorite event at the clubhouse......Yard Sales!!!!!!!  I think that we are going to the big yard sale at the fair grounds this morning and then maybe hit a thrift store or two.  That is the plan anyway, but as we all know plans tend to change here at the ole clubhouse.  We have coping skills this afternoon with Andrea.  She is going to teach us about how to "not sweat the small stuff".  Shannon and the kitchen crew are making us soft tacos for lunch.  She said that they are going to be good and I am sure that they will be.  Shannon's lunches are always delicious.  We will have our leisure time at the end of the day.  Then it is time for the weekend.  Hopefully the weather will cooperate with us for some outdoor activities.  But until next week, I hope all is well and remember that you have a friend. 

Tuesday 6-4

Another week is upon us.  Please forgive me, as I did not have a chance to update you all on the happenings at the clubhouse for the last few days of last week.  It went pretty well though.  We had the mothers and fathers day celebration on Thursday. We had quite a few mothers and fathers join us for the party.  We played some games and had a lunch that everyone seemed to enjoy. On Friday some of us went personal shopping in the morning and arrived back at the clubhouse just in time for a giant chef salad.  I was not at the clubhouse yesterday, but as far as I know everything went well.  Donna said that they had the IL class and a coping skills class in the afternoon about coping with boredom.  I joined the members at the Potosi clubhouse today.  Dawn and Donna are holding down the fort back at Park Hills.  This morning at Potosi we played would you rather and tossed the question ball.  Everyone shared something.  We had some breakfast casserole, yogurt with strawberries and bagels for lunch.  Yum Yum.  This afternoon we had a coping skills group.  We learned about letting go of things that have happened in the past.  There was leisure time after the group.  Members talked and listened to music.  After clubhouse Tina and I went shopping for a big catering event that is happening on Thursday.  We will prep tomorrow and finish up on Thursday morning.  I will keep you updated later this week, but for now I hope all is well and remember that you have a friend. 

Mike

Tuesday May 28

I hope that everyone had a safe and fun holiday weekend.  The weather was perfect for spending time outside with friends and family.  We had a short day yesterday so that the staff could go to a meeting in the afternoon.  Mr. Rothery and Ms. Gladstone came for a visit to the clubhouse yesterday.  The members had brunch and attended a focus group and shared their stories about how the clubhouse has helped them. Tina and Carol attended the staff meeting in the afternoon and delivered the RESPECT speeches.  They did a great job.    This morning all of the members arrived and dove right into the morning meeting and the member meeting.  Most everyone volunteered for a job duty today.  The member meeting went smoothly as well.  We shared our condolences for two of our members that recently lost a family member.  We reviewed the calendar for upcoming events and discussed the work units.  Members had some suggestions for things that they would like to see sold in the snack shack.  After the meeting some of the members went shopping for personal items and for the gifts for tomorrow's mothers and fathers day celebration.  Several members volunteered to assist Miss Shannon in the kitchen today.  They made chicken alfredo that everyone seemed to enjoy.  We had a visitor from the independence center today.  He helped make lunch this morning and then talked with Donna and Anna about the clubhouse training that they are going to be attending later this summer.  He spent time talking with the members as well.  Coping skills group this afternoon was about communication skills.  Everyone enjoyed some leisure time at the end of the day.  Most members talked with one another, a few chose to play pool or scrabble.  We should have a big crowd tomorrow for the mothers and fathers day party.  I will let you all know how it goes.  I hope all is well and remember that you have a friend. 

Friday

Well we have made it it through yet another week and this is a long weekend.  Clubhouse will be closed on Monday 5-27 in observance of memorial day.  So everyone enjoy some time with loved ones.  I don't know about the rest of you but BBQ is on the top of my list of Memorial Day weekend activities.  Get out and enjoy the weather, if it doesn't rain.  Friday at the clubhouse!!  Most of the usual crew came in today.  Most of us went shopping in the morning.  Gotta get the groceries for next week and everybody had time to get some stuff for themselves.  The rest of us stayed at the clubhouse and spent this time socializing and working in the work units.  Members and staff have been busying themselves cleaning today. We are getting the clubhouse clean and decorated for our special guest on Tuesday.  Dan, BJC group president, will be coming for a visit.  We have group this afternoon.  We're going to learn about how to deal with suicidal thoughts.  Members will spend the last hour or so at the clubhouse today getting things set up for Dan's visit or having some leisure time.  Then it will be time to load back up on the vans and head to the house.  Everyone be safe out there this weekend and have a good time.  I hope all is well and remember that you have a friend. 

Potosi Day

Good old Potosi clubhouse.  Today was our once monthly Thursday at the Potosi Clubhouse.  We had six members join us today. A new member, Arlena, came in today.  The sun was shining, everyone was in a good mood and glad to see one another.  The conversation this morning was all about the annual Procovery fish fry at Lester's house last week.  It was said that a good time was had by all.  They said that the fishing was good and Lester showed off his 47 Jeep Willies.  Taylor caught the biggest fish of the day.  I hear that the food was excellent.  Maybe more of us can attend next year.  This morning Jack came by for the mental health education group.  He taught us about bi polar disorder.  Everyone soaked up all of the good info that Jack had for us and then we had time to ask questions. Everyone thanked Jack for coming today. Jack said that he would be back next month to teach us about Summer Safety.  Wanda and Judy made us a delicious lunch of cheeseburgers and tater tots with fudgesicles for dessert.  After we all ate and the mess was cleaned up Harry called bingo for a while.  Arlena, Paul, Judy and Wanda all won at least one game apiece.  As for the rest of us, we had fun anyway.  This afternoon we enjoyed the Procovery Circle.  For those that may not be familiar with Procovery it is a support group for people who have mental illness.  Rather than focusing on the past they focus on moving forward.  Barb and Karen R. joined us to lead the Procovery Circle this afternoon.  Unfortunately Ms. Miller did not get to come and see us today, but she did send her regards.   Everyone enjoyed the group and of course the snacks and social time at the end.  We wrapped up the day at the Potosi clubhouse with some leisure and social time.   I wonder if they had a good time at the Park Hills clubhouse today.  We will have to see and I will let you know if anything exciting happened.  But I guess that is all for today.  Hope all is well and remember you have a friend.