Futures

Futures are normally associated with the New York Stock Exchange, but not in this case. The futures I am speaking of are the ones that are more important than money, more valuable than gold, and more priceless than treasure. The ability to read the written word is worth more than any of the currencies mentioned above. When I read I can travel, I can experience new vocations, or perhaps enter another person’s world and live through their words. With the understanding of words comes also the ability to understand the world around you.

As a child my understanding of the written world was blurred; I was not one of those early readers. I had a problem with reading, not just a little tiny problem, but one that kept my grades and my world traveling in a downward spiral from the first day of school. When you can’t read as well as your classmates you really feel ashamed and different. This difference sets you apart in a way that makes you want to go home before you even get to the doors of your classroom. When you are in the class you pray that you can become invisible so the teacher will not call on you to read. Thankfully my parents and teacher recognized my deficiency in reading and sent me to The Danville Reading Center.

I don’t remember the day, month, or year that I started my visits to the reading center, but I do remember how much the teacher wanted to help me; and help me she did! My world started to change as I developed a love for reading. I began to understand the world around me and started my lifelong quest for adventure and knowledge. Thanks to the caring and understanding people at The Danville Reading Center, my life was changed; it became a life with a positive future instead of one of regret and contempt. I am reminded of the proverb “If you give a man a fish you feed him for a day, but if you teach a man to fish you feed him for a lifetime”. Thank you for my future!!!

Signed

Former Student

Goals

Erin was 24 years old and an unemployed college dropout when she had her first baby. Erin immediately enrolled in Healthy Families and began receiving weekly home visits from one of our Family Support Workers. Erin enjoyed the time spent with her Family Support Worker, both for the information and encouragement. Shortly after her baby’s first birthday, Erin had another baby which served as a wake-up call for her. With neither father in sight to help her, Erin realized she had to do something. Using leads from her Family Support Worker, Erin found a job and dependable childcare for both children. The job was just the beginning for Erin. With cheering and encouragement from her Family Support Worker, Erin enrolled in college in the fall of 2003 and made definite career plans. It hasn’t been easy – her schedule combining work and school are enough to wear someone out who doesn’t have children, but Erin still manages to find time to spend with her children, put in some hours at work and study hard. Erin sets quarterly goals that are reviewed regularly with her Family Support Worker. The goal review lets Erin know how she is progressing and what services she and her family may need. Erin loves to see each goal marked off as she achieves them. Meeting the set goals has lead to advancement to Level 2 in the Healthy Families program for Erin and her children. Erin’s children are both healthy, their immunizations are up to date and both are at or beyond their developmental stages for their ages.

Erin did not see her children as a roadblock to the things she wanted; instead they made her take a detour. Erin sees this detour as something positive as it gave her time to grow up and decide what she wanted to do with her live and her Family Support Worker has been there and continues to be there – encouraging her all the way.

Understanding
We as a family are very grateful for the help we received from the Mental Health Association. Each of us has been helped in a different way. It has helped us to become a more understanding family. We better understand why we have certain feelings and emotions and know how to deal with them. This has brought our family peace of mind, happiness and we are more able to understand each other.

My husband was helped to understand that the feelings of fear that he was experiencing was due to anxiety and panic attacks and, he is taking steps to understand how to deal with them.

Our granddaughter was having panic attacks and they were diagnosed at the Mental Health Association. She was not functioning well at school or with other people due to the abuse from her mother. In the past few years, she has also developed severe depression. She has been helped greatly and is better able to identify her feelings and how to deal with them which has given her the ability to release her feelings of hurt and anger. She is now dealing much better with her feelings and functioning better at school.

I was helped to understand my husband’s and my granddaughter’s feelings as well as my own feelings of anger because of what had happened to my granddaughter. We have all benefited greatly to be able to understand and help each other more. This has contributed to a more peaceful and happy atmosphere in our family. We all function better as a family and individually. Thank you so much for your continued support and concern.

Stress Relief

A single mother with two children relocated to the Danville area because of an abusive domestic situation. As a newcomer to the area she was not eligible for assistance with medication at other local agencies. The local American Red Cross chapter was able to provide her with prescription medications, relieving some of the stress of the situation, so that she could proceed with her relocation efforts.

Peace of Mind

My three children are participants in the after school program at the Danville YMCA. If it were not for the financial support the YMCA has given my family, I would find it difficult to keep my job. The YMCA has funded our family for the past year and I thank God for them and this excellent Child Care Program. My children enjoy the activities and the staff of the YMCA. I know they have gained more self-esteem, respect and honesty from their participation in the after school program.

Like many other single, working parents, I find refuge in knowing that my children are in the hands of qualified caregivers. This is a program that I have and will continue to recommend to others that are in need of affordable, dependable childcare. We need the YMCA!

Off the Deep End!

I am writing to let you know how delighted I was at Alexander’s progress. Alexander is my 8-year old autistic, mentally retarded son who attended private swimming lessons during the summer at the YWCA. Alex’s teacher was Ann Gillispie. She was very positive and patient with him and had a very good rapport with Alex from the first day. She understood his limited attention span and his frustration as she taught him each step. Alex now goes under water, jumps in from the side of the pool and swims in the shallow end. Alex really enjoyed seeing her and worked well with her.

My other children also enjoy swimming there. My son Cory also took private swimming lessons and is now swimming with ease two times a week, even in the deep end.

My three children and I always felt welcomed and blessed to have such a facility in this area. Thank you!

Look Who’s Talking!

Nicholas was 2 years old and not talking, not even babbling. He had lots of ear infections and adenoiditis to the point ventilation tubes were placed in his ears and the adenoids removed at the age of 1 year, but still no speech by 2. His ENT doctor referred Nicholas to Danville Speech and Hearing Center whose evaluation profiled strong receptive language (he understood most of what was said to him) expressive language (what he said) limited to non-verbal means (going and getting, pointing, etc.) and possible apraxia (trouble driving the mouth for specific behaviors). Nicholas has participated in speech treatments two times a week for 10 months. Now, although only about 60% of what Nicholas says is understandable, he is talking all the time. He is more successful in pre-school (held back a year because he wasn’t talking) and approachable by everyone!

The Eye of Beholder

James Updike has been an employee of the Fred T. Hatcher sheltered workshop for 13 years. His most severe disability is sight. He is considered blind. He has completed the work adjustment training program and has since been part of the sheltered employment program for many years. He has worked in most every department that the workshop has offered. Here are just a few:

EDS: assembly of computer boards of varying circuitry, assembly of recharging units and, assembly of prongs for receptacle hook-ups.

Goodyear: sanding of wooden paddles for production use.

O’Sullivan: compilation of sub-assemblies for entertainment or desk centers.

Wabash: stripping of wiring harnesses and crimping of electronic connectors.

Sewing: sewing department creates hospital gowns, quilts, housewares.

Times Fiber: removal of traceability labels and excess thread.

His testimony was used last year on the United Way website and promotionals. He states that he cannot work for a company such as Goodyear, Dan River or other local manufacturers. Yet, he can perform the same work at the Hatcher Center, which helps these industries. Here at Hatcher he works hard for the paycheck he takes home. Out of that paycheck he pays taxes, contributes to the United Way, pays dues to the Civitan Club and has an income to help him afford some of the necessities in life. He is a former President of the Civitan Club, whose meetings are held monthly at the Hatcher Center chapel. He is a loyal member of Moffett Memorial Baptist Church and is an outstanding employee. He was just recognized in 2003 as employee of the year by DADEN (Danville Area Disabilities Employment Network). James is an inspiration for everyone. His disabilities are not a hindrance in his daily activities. He is always punctual, ready to work and always thinking of ways to help those around him. James is a success for others to follow. He does not complain and is always promoting the programs offered at the Hatcher Center. He states, “I am a citizen of this community, I pay my taxes and I am not a burden on the system because of the training received at the Fred T. Hatcher sheltered workshop”.

James is only one of the many success stories of individuals at the Hatcher Center workshop. If these programs were not offered, these individuals would probably wither their lives away doing nothing, living in an institution or possibly involved in unlawful purposes. These programs are working even though the economic stability of our community is low, employment opportunities are limited and the cost of living is rising. Hopefully, with the continued support of the community and United Way agencies, we can help more individuals like James to progress and become productive citizens of our community.

Close Call

Carrie, a 62-year-old widow could have become a cancer statistic. The one-time furniture assembler lost her health insurance when she was laid off her job. So the news early this year that growth on her right arm was malignant was doubly alarming. Fortunately, Project Access was available and referred her to a specialist, who removed the growth at the local hospital in February – free of charge. The surgery and related diagnostic tests would have cost about $4,300 according to Project Access. Without the program, “I don’t know what I would have done”, Carrie says. She continues to get periodic free checkups and, the program also helps her get blood pressure medication, for a $5 co-payment. Today Carrie is healthy and able to enjoy life because of her enrollment in Project Access and the participation of local physicians.

Entrapment

On October 6, 2003 at approximately 9:30 a.m. members of the Chatham Rescue Squad were dispatched to a report of a motor vehicle accident involving a farm implement with possible entrapment. We responded with one ALS ambulance and one crash truck One vehicle had left the roadway and struck a tractor parked on the side of the road. The tractor had a disk implement attached to its rear end when the car struck it. The driver of the tractor was onboard when the car hit it, but was uninjured during the accident. The car hit the tractor so hard it caused one disk to break loose. The car continued to travel across yards, striking two mailboxes before stopping in front of a house, several hundred feet down the road.

Upon arrival, we secured the vehicle and assessed the scene. The car had only one occupant. The patient was completely trapped inside the vehicle. The driver’s side doors were pushed inward and the roof was caved in resting on the patient’s head. The front end and driver’s side suffered the most damage. The right side doors could be opened; therefore, and EMT went into the back seat to hold C-Spine, while a Cardiac began patient care in the passenger seat.

The extrication began on the driver’s side. We first removed the windshield as the Hurst pump, hoses, and tools were being readied. We used our Hurst Cutters to cut the A and B posts then began to use our spreaders to open the doors on the passenger side. While using Hurst tools on the driver’s side, the less damaged passenger side posts were cut with a sawzall. The roof was then flapped back. It was not cut completely off due to time restraints. After the driver’s side doors were completely removed, the B post had to be totally removed and the bottom portion of the steering wheel had to be cut off to remove the patient. The patient was then airlifted to a trauma center.

The entire extrication took approximately 45 minutes to complete. There were a total of five people performing the actual extrication, while two Cardiac Techs and two EMT’s treated the patient As extrication was being completed the local fire department established a landing zone in a field across the road from the accident, in which we utilized air transport to airlift the patient.

The accident was a very unique incident, involving a motor vehicle and a piece of farm machinery. The vehicle suffered severe damage to its front, roof and driver’s side. Although the passenger side was not as heavily damaged as the driver’s, it was not possible to remove the patient from that side of the vehicle due to the way the roof had collapsed on top of the driver.