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Chapter NewsALABAMAJOHNDuring the year of 1996-1997, my chapter got involved in helping with the Special Olympics. I believe that volunteer work is a way for me to give back to my community, so of course, I signed up. For one day, everyone who signed up was excused from their home school and sent to the neighboring Child Development Center. At first, I wasn t quite sure of what to expect. When we arrived, we were assigned “partners.” The “partners” were the Special Olympics participants. I was assigned to John, a very special little boy, and his caretaker. Now, John wasn t exactly little. He was about six, yet nearly as tall as me (five feet) and he outweighed me by at least thirty pounds. John had a limited vocabulary and wasn t capable (or just didn t show that he could) understand much detail. He was very easily startled and once a comfortable pattern was achieved, any disruption was unwelcome. His strength was astonishing and we had to constantly remind him to be gentle. When I first arrived, John was screaming, crying, and pitching a general fit. My first feeling was dread. The size of that child and the magnitude of his tantrum was frightening. It took me and his teacher about fifteen minutes to calm him down. The way she calmed him down was incredible. She got very close to him and sang the alphabet song in a low tone of voice. It was loud enough to hear but only if he was quiet and was concentrating on her voice. Soon enough, he was quiet and in good spirits. I learned quickly that my first impression of John was wrong. I thought he was an ill-tempered child that was not capable of very much communication. John warmed up to me and after awhile, we became friends. He held my hand between his stubby little fingers and occasionally he would hug me tightly. Although the only words he muttered to me during my stay were, “I ll be easy, I ll be easy,” we still communicated freely and easily. No words were necessary. John was entered in a relay race. My job was to run beside him and encourage him. The race was only the length of a gym but to John it was the world. As we stood at the starting line, it was easy to see that John was excited. He was eager to participate. That was obvious in his eyes and his gestures. John was also to participate in a softball throwing contest. This was the hardest part of the day because it was near his medicine time so he was ill. The only part of the day, apart from lunch, that he and I were separated was when he left to take his medicine. He cried and it broke my heart. When he returned, it was obvious that he was glad to see me. That made my heart soar. John and I did the softball throw. We won second place. We also won first place in the relay race. But first and second place in those two events wasn t the only thing that he won that day. He also won a permanent place in my heart. This was a valuable experience for me because I learned that even children with disabilities are very much capable of communication and emotion. I will never forget that day or John. You can get involved in this program through the Child Development Center or a HOSA organization. Submitted by: INDIANAA LADY NAMED FRIEDAWith small, uneasy steps I entered the nursing home. It was just before Thanksgiving, so the walls were taped with various turkey posters and brown paper leaves. I remember thinking weird things like “It almost looks like my classroom in first grade.” It smelled faintly like bleach and green beans. I was trailing my volunteer group a little bit, still trying to piece together an opinion, when I saw a little old lady with wild white hair and cotton booties who was falling asleep in front of the television. Her head drooped and her eyes sagged. I sat down beside her and was saddened by the reality of Alzheimer s disease. Frieda seemed permanently disoriented and it frightened me. But something about her confusion (and mine) about this odd place drew us to conversation. I came to volunteer again awhile later and found myself paying more and more attention to her and looking forward to her every time I came to volunteer. One time I came to Pine Haven Nursing Home to spend time with Frieda when she started talking about make-up. With the approval of my supervisor, I gave her a make-over. I smoothed her hands with lotion, fixed her hair and applied lipstick to her puckered lips. When we finished, I handed her a mirror and she said, “Hi, Frieda!” Not long after, she began telling me about her family and things that had happened to her. I realize that what Frieda had been lacking when I first came to Pine Haven was attention. While she has trouble remembering me from week to week, she seems more alert and happy. I enjoyed this experience so much that when the opportunity for a state competition project arose, I leapt on it. Health Occupation Students of America, HOSA, is a community service group I am involved in through Signature School. I had the option of putting together a community awareness project that shed light on a community-related health problem and propose a solution. A friend and I are implementing a community service program called Friendly Folks. We have brochures “advertising” a few of our favorite residents at the nursing home. We plan to take them to service organizations around our area for “adopting.” The youth group of St. Paul s church took an interest in our idea and made a group visit to the nursing home. The event was videotaped and photographed for our display at the state conference. While enhancing public awareness of loneliness and depression in long-term care facilities and acting as a channel for school and community activity, Friendly Folks has served its most important mission: helping residents like Frieda lead happier lives. Submitted by: Jennifer Myers NORTH CAROLINAHOSA NEWS FROM NORTH MECKLENBURG HIGH SCHOOLThe presiding officers for the North Mecklenburg High School HOSA Chapter are:
Examples of projects planned for the year include:
Congratulations, North Meck HOSA! Submitted by: Erin White PLYMOUTH HIGH SCHOOL HOSA NEWSPlymouth High School s HOSA group raised money for the “Band of Angels,” which are the ten students that were killed in a tragic accident on July 30, 1997. Plymouth High School s HOSA raised money so that each victim would have a star on the Roanoke Hospice Love Lights Tree in remembrance of them. HOSA raised money by collecting pennies. Each star cost $25.00, and $256.48 was raised. HOSA also participated in the annual Roanoke Hospice Fundraiser by selling Hospice Love Tree Lights coupons. A total of $620.00 was raised. This boosted the total money raised by PHS HOSA to more than $3,500.00. Submitted by: Linda West TEXASMAKE-A-WISH BOWL-A-THONFounded just this year by students at the University of Texas, Texas HOSA Chapter 1910 is among the first collegiate level chapters in the state of Texas. This chapter is in the midst of beginning a successful second semester, with a number of fundraisers and community service projects in the works. One of the goals for the Texas HOSA Chapter 1910 is to raise money to benefit HOSA s national service project, the Make-A-Wish Foundation. The members held a Make-A-Wish Foundation Bowl-A-Thon, raising over $100 in two hours. The Bowl-A-Thon was held at the University of Texas Student Union Bowling Center from 6 PM to 8PM. Among those who attended were Texas HOSA Chapter 1910 members, officers, guests, and HOSA national President-Elect, Lowell Doringo. More activities are planned for the future, including a Make-A-Wish Foundation benefit dinner. Submitted by: Sumita Chakrabort, Reporter WISCONSINOAK CREEK HOSA NEWSThe Oak Creek HOSA Chapter would like to recommend an idea that our President, Sara Kubiak, picked up at the National HOSA Conference in Anaheim. The idea she got was putting names on stars to represent the members attending the HOSA Conference. Our HOSA chapter liked the idea, so we modified it and put our thoughts to work. With the help of HOSA members, Sara cut out 1,650 stars, hand-printed each student s name at Oak Creek High School, and hung them up in the main entrance of the school. It was a successful way to let the students of the high school know that each individual is special in their own and unique way, not just the football team and the cheerleaders, but everyone in our high school! Submitted by: Connie Klaske MAKE A WISH PENNY WARWe had a wonderful response to our penny war. After an hour of strenuous back-breaking work, lifting and loading pounds and pounds of pennies, we received an outstanding total of $911.31. Congratulations to all chapters who participated:
On behalf of WI HOSA, thank you so much for your efforts to help make a child s wish come true. We are donating all money to the Wisconsin Make-A-Wish Foundation to benefit a Wisconsin child. Submitted by: Amber Schuh |