Life in the Fast Lane

Posted on By Communications Team

Life in the fast lane is exactly how you could describe the busy schedule of South Team and ILS client Leonka Kaluha. We caught up with Leonka in between activities at the YMCA to talk to her about the upcoming Scotiabank Calgary Marathon Charity Challenge, her supportive roommate Marilyn Ritchie, and everything in between.

One of Leonka’s most recent conquests was the Freezin’ for a Reason Polar Plunge. Leonka explained the plunge saying, “The firefighter cuts a hole in the ice, and you jump in. All the money raised goes towards Special Olympics.” And afterwards? “Go in the hot tub,” laughs Leonka.

Now that the Plunge has passed, Leonka is setting her sights on the three upcoming runs she has signed up for: a Mother’s Day Run & Walk, the 2014 Calgary Transplant Trot in memory of a friend she lost to a double lung transplant, and the 5K portion of the 2014 Scotiabank Calgary Marathon Charity Challenge. The 2013 Charity Challenge marked a great accomplishment for Leonka, as it was her first time running it without a running partner. “I’ve always had a running partner, but last year I didn’t.”

Although Marilyn, Leonka’s supportive roommate, won’t be joining her in this year’s 5K she will be cheering from the stands. “She’s a big cheerleader. With Special Olympics 5 pin bowling we went to Nationals in 2010 and they [Marilyn and the other supporters] were called the Rowdy Rebels cause they cheered so loud,” says Leonka.

Besides being a renowned cheerleader, Marilyn is also known for her supportive nature when it comes to Leonka’s interests. “She’s fun to be around. We do fun things; go to movies, go shopping or go to Cross Iron Mills,” Leonka said of Marilyn. One of Leonka’s favourite memories with Marilyn is their trip to Disneyworld for her birthday. “I got a birthday button so all the staff when you walk by them wish you a happy birthday. Push the Talking Trash Can sang happy birthday to me and I got to ride the teacups with the white rabbit from Alice in Wonderland!”

leonka and alex
Leonka (right) with Alex Gonzalez (left, DDRC Graphics Creator and IT Support) getting ready to run 5K in the 2013 Calgary Marathon Charity Challenge.

Meet Our Team Leaders: Selma Gearhart

Posted on By Communications Team

Last edition, we were introduced to North East Team Leader Cassandra Therens. Now’s your chance to learn more about the Central Team Leader, Selma Gearhart, and how she came to work at the DDRC!

selma
Central Team Leader
     Selma Gearhart

How long have you been with the DDRC?
Just over five years. When I first came in to the DDRC I worked as a Community Resource Worker on the relief team (a team that would support clients on a number of different teams when employees were sick). I worked in every area of the city for about 6 or 7 months. Then I joined the West Central Team, and after that I worked on the PACE team. From the PACE team, I became a Team Leader. I’ve been all over the agency!

What made you want to work here?
I worked in retail with the Hudson’s Bay Company for a long time. After 22 years I left the Bay, and took a year off. I decided I would take a different career path, and my mother in Newfoundland had a developmental disability. I looked into different agencies, and put my resume into the DDRC, as it was very intriguing to me. It was really exciting!

I love working here. The management team is great. Everyday is different and new, and I always look forward to coming in to work.

What is the best part of being a Team Leader?
Seeing the successes that the clients celebrate, working on their goals, and seeing them being successful in their employment and in their communities. Also, working with a team. We’ve worked very hard over the past two years and have been through a lot of changes; I have a really great team.

Can you share a recent client success story for the Central Team?
A client was laid off from their job, but is now successful at the Marriott hotel, making a great wage. Gibsons also employs one of our clients, and they offered to fund a new communication device for her! Every day brings a success. 

Do you have any special skills?
I love singing!  I also have a parrot named Max. Actually, we just got some DNA back from Florida and found out that we should have been calling her Maxine! We’re currently looking at purchasing a male, and then we will start breeding the parrots.

 

Meet Our Team Leaders: Cassandra Therens

Posted on By Communications Team

The DDRC’s Career and Leisure Services (CLS) program provides part-time and full-time support to adults with developmental disabilities in their home communities. Each CLS client belongs to a community team, determined the area of the city that they live in. Clients are paired up with a Community Resource Worker who assists them to reach their goals and live inclusively in a number of ways:

  • teaching them how to find and apply for the jobs they want,
  • supporting them during paid or unpaid work experiences and during paid employment when required,
  • assisting them to find and access inclusive educational courses in the community,
  • assisting with volunteer opportunities to contribute to their communities, or
  • supporting clients to attend inclusive leisure activities in their communities to build relationships with community members and neighbours, maintaining or increasing a healthy, happy lifestyle.

Currently, there are 4 community teams stationed in different parts of the city: Northwest, Northeast, Central, and South. Behind each of these teams is a Team Leader: a DDRC employee who is responsible for overseeing client safety, ensuring that client goals are met, and managing the team of front-line staff who work one-on-one with our clients.

We thought it was time that you get to know the individuals behind the teams; here’s a short Q&A with Northeast Team Leader, Cassandra Therens.

NE Team Leader Cassandra Therens
NE Team Leader Cassandra Therens

How long have you been with the DDRC?
One year and eight months.

What made you want to work here?
Well, when I decided that I was going to look for new employment, I knew I didn’t want to work just anywhere. I did my research on the agencies here in Calgary, and the DDRC’s core values are similar to my own so it seemed like a great fit, and it has been!

What is the best part of being a Team Leader?
The best part is definitely being able to watch our clients succeed and reach their goals.

Can you share a recent client success story for the Northeast Team?
We’ve recently had 2 clients obtain volunteer placements at Funny Fest!

If you won the lottery tomorrow, what’s the first thing you would do?
Buy a house in the country.

Northeast Team Leader Cassandra Therens (left) volunteering at the 2013 Vipond Charity Golf Tournament.

 

A Picture of Health

Posted on By Communications Team

February was Heart Health Month at the DDRC, with a special Heart Health Week running from the 10th to the 14th. Here are some pictures of the health-related activities offered!

 

Lunchtime Zumba in the gym:IMG_2938

IMG_2947

 An informative display in the main foyer, encouraging clients and employees to really think about what it is they are putting in to their bodies: IMG_2959

The EPPiC (Events and Party Planning Committee) Tree of Hearts. Clients and employees were encouraged to write the healthy choices that they made on a heart, and place the heart on our tree: 1 tree

Look at how it’s grown!:8treeCROPPED

 

An Emotional Well-being workshop hosted in the Learning and Leadership Centre:IMG_2963 IMG_2971

 

A hearty lunch, featuring delicious chili and a salad bar!:IMG_2950 IMG_2954 IMG_2982 IMG_2992

Here’s to Your Health!

Posted on By Communications Team

February may be the shortest month of the year, but it can also be the coldest and the iciest, which for many leads to a temptation to stay indoors by the fire with a large mug of hot chocolate. Now, there’s nothing wrong with a mug of hot chocolate every now and then, but it can be all too easy to put healthy decision making on hold during these cold winter months.

This February, the DDRC’s Events and Party Planning Committee (EPPiC) decided to shine the spotlight on healthy choices with an organization-wide Heart Health Month. On top of sharing weekly recipes that focus on the four food groups and weekly exercise tips and tricks, a large hand-crafted tree was mounted on a main wall in the office building to share healthy success stories. Each time a DDRC client or employee made a healthy choice, they were invited to write it down on a coloured heart, and attach it to a tree branch. What began as a brown, lifeless tree, has bloomed into a celebration of eating right, getting enough exercise, strong self-esteem, and good mental health.

The focus was especially strong during “Heart Health Week,” which ran from February 10th to the 14th. From a Zumba class in the DDRC gym, to a lunchtime salad bar, to a workshop on emotional well-being, almost all aspects of personal health were covered. Click here to see images from the events.

February may be the shortest month of the year, but don’t let it pass you by! We encourage you to take advantage of this coming week to focus on your health (and if you share your successes with us, we might even put a heart on our tree for you!). Happy Heart Health Month!