1 A publication of the

Friends of Austin State Supported Living Center Supplying Support, Service, and Smiles since 1956

The Austin State Supported Living Center provides 24 hour/7days a week services to over 375 individuals with

intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Winter 2010-2011

Board of Directors Officers:

Laura Mueller, President

Jack Scheider, Vice President

Barbara Vervenne, Treasurer

Board of Directors Members: Janis Beck

Daphne Corder Dana Fisher Kathy Hackett Marjorie Heaton Mary Hilliard Michelle Johnson Terry McKetta Darlene Moore Chris Ulmann Jennifer Windler

Around the Center

The Austin State Supported Living Center (AuSSLC) campus will smell like roses this spring – literally! Board member Daphne Corder and landscape architect David Wilson have paired up to create beauty at the campus entrance, where red knock-out roses and gold lantana will abound this spring. This lovely entrance for our residents was made possible, in part, by contributions to the Friends. Thank you! The maintenance crew has been working extra-hard this past fall. Some of their projects have included widening home doors and hallways and updating locks. These men and women have barely slowed down since September. They deserve a big pat on the back! The Chapel is looking lovelier than ever. It has received new carpet, a new sound system and a new fire alarm system, plus the lovely Christmas holiday decorations the Riverbend Church Grace Lab Class purchased and installed. The residents are proud of the renovated Chapel. The Living Center is grateful to have such giving individuals who help improve the quality of life of our individuals. Thank you again for your kindness and generosity!

Save the Date

Friends meeting, May 16, 6:30 p.m. NEOS

Garage Sale, May 6. Call 374-6160 to donate or for more informa-tion.

Splash for Cash 2011! July 16 See article in this newsletter for more information.

Fall volunteers – helping in so many different ways!

They say there are as many ways to help as there are people. This past fall, volunteer groups proved this adage to be true! In addition to all the people who helped with the Tree of Lights, groups from College Forward and the LCRA participated in craft projects with individuals in the Castner unit. Residents also enjoyed the Fall Carnival, an annual event put on by the University of Texas School of Law. A group from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints sang for residents who live at 727C. The University of Texas “Project Reach Out Day” resulted in student volunteers helping paint campus hand rails. And we could not have had our Fall Garage Sale without the Junior League of Austin “Done in a Day” volunteers. Several groups who helped in the fall continue to do so: five chapel interns and volunteers from the University Catholic Center bring people to the Chapel for the Catholic worship service at 10:30. These groups made a difference in the quality of life for the people who live here. You can too! If you or your group is interested in volunteering, please contact Amanda Boeing, Assistant Community Relations Director, at

amanda.boenig@dads.state.tx.us, 512-374-6160.

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Do you golf or have friends who golf?

The Living Center needs golf carts to transport residents around the nearly 100-acre cam-pus. The golf carts provide a convenient, safe way for residents to enjoy campus events and attractions, as well as a way for them to enjoy the outdoors. If you, your friends or

your club have a gently used golf cart to donate, please contact Laura Murphy, Community Relations Director, at Laura.Murphy@dads.state.tx.us, 512-374-6070. All donations are tax deductible. And thank you!

New Year, New Board With the arrival of 2011, the Friends board has new members and new officers. First, many thanks for great service to members leaving the board: Jennifer Martinec, Brandy Mueller, Beverly Haywood and Olivia Donelson. You will be missed! Welcome to new board members: Mary Hilliard, Chris Ulmann and Janis Beck. We are excited to have you join us!

In other changes: Laura Mueller, our previous vice-president and active volunteer since 2004, is now presiding as our board president. Our outgoing president, Kathy Hackett, and our outgoing secretary, Terry McKetta, will remain on the board. We appreciate their leadership these past three years. Jack Scheider is the current vice president. Jack has volunteered at the center with the Knights of Colum-bus for more than 10 years. Barbara Vervenne, who has done a terrific job as treasurer, will remain in that role. We look forward to our work in 2011.

If you want more information about the Friends organization or would like to join us in this important

work, please e-mail us at friends@ausslcfriends.org or call the Community Relations department at 512-374-6048.

A Visit to the Senior Retirement Center

by Jack Scheider, Vice President, Friends (In January, Jack Scheider toured the two retirement centers here at the Living Center. This is his “trip report”.)

A senior citizen at the Austin State Supported Living Center (AuSSLC) has a great option if he or she is at least 55 years young and chooses to retire from work: they can start spending their days at one of the two activity centers for seniors here at AuSSLC. The purpose of my visit was to understand and relate some of the activities that these folks enjoy. First, it is my pleasure to introduce you to two very special and talented people. The first is Debra Thomas, who is the Senior Activities Center coordinator and has been at the AuSSLC for 27 years. The second is William Gregory-Wilder, the Lifetime Skills Center coordinator, who has 10 years

of service. I saw very impressive wood carvings and paintings done by residents, a resident winning at dominos against his staff, another enjoying music and another engaged in an art project. The facilities are very impressive and offer about any hobby or pastime for seniors to enjoy. There

are active games as well, such as kickball and indoor soccer with a balloon. There are Red Hat and Romeos groups for people who prefer to join with others for their activities. There is on-campus en-tertainment such as movies, visiting bands and orchestras, and senior dancing ladies. There are off-site activities such as cruises on the Lone Star Riverboat and trips to movie theaters, restaurants and to go fishing. So much for the mind and the body, but the soul is also cared for with the Chaplain’s weekly visit with his presentation and discussion. Both Debra and William say they are trying to be more creative in 2011 and increase the outside activities for residents. With these two fine leaders, I am sure that they will accomplish any task they set out to do!

3 Happy Holidays at the Living Center

4 Happy Holidays at the Living Center! “Oohs” and “ahhs” abounded as more than 400 people watched Judge Elisabeth Earle and the two young-est residents of the Austin State Supported Living Center switch on the Tree of Lights at the Friends - sponsored celebration on November 30. The Tree of Lights event was just one of many holiday activities that made the season bright for the people who live here at Austin SSLC. We had music and volunteers and lights at the Tree of Lights! Music was performed by Sara Hickman, the Brass Trio from the Chamber Music Center and the Austin SSLC Community Choir. LCRA once again loaned us generators, and wonderful individual and group volunteers came to support the event, including those from the Anderson High School National Honor Soci-ety and the Texas Wrangler Darlins. We had home parties! Every home had a party this year – and several had two! Party givers and gift donors include: Anderson High School National Honor Society Junior League of Austin Bannockburn Baptist Church Knights of Columbus Carvajal Group Realtors McCallum High School Student Council Catholic Daughters of the Americas Messiah Lutheran Church Central Texas Ear, Nose and Throat National Instruments Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Office of the Inspector General High Point Baptist Fellowship Onion Creek Bible Study group Judge Guy Herman and family Holly's Belles (from the Department of Aging and Disability Services’ Volunteer and

Community Engagement office) Crestview United Methodist Church, Pilgrim Class, Barbara Gillett

Tarrytown United Methodist Church Faith Class Texas Property and Casualty Insurance

University Catholic Center’s University Graduates and Professionals group Westminster Presbyterian

Westwood High School Outreach Club parties by the Friends of AuSSLC and friends of Friends

We had carolers! The Anderson High School National Honor Society, state employees from the Winter’s building and Casis Girl Scouts went from home to home making spirits bright. We had special chapel activities! The Dell Tones, a senior choir sponsored by Jewish Family Services, performed on December 7. Members of Riverbend Church's Sunday Community Group Class Grace Lab held an apple cider social on December 5, and they also donated decorations and beautifully decorated the Chapel for Christmas. We had gifts! Your donations to the Friends, along with gifts from individuals and groups, ensured that each resident received a gift the morning of December 25. Special gift givers include Joe Silberstein, Crdentia employees, state employees who work in the Winter's building and at the Department of State Health Services, Dana Fisher and family and individuals and groups from the University Catholic Center.

Thank you all for making the season bright!

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Your donations bring smiles and tears … Laura Murphy, Community Relations Director

I wanted to share a little holiday story with you. The Friends recently purchased a new 42” flat-screen television for the gentlemen who live in Castner at 779R. Since most of these gentlemen are in wheelchairs most of the time, the Friends decided to purchase a larger television than the staff had requested.

When I was at Castner recently, the social worker ran to greet me and told me that everyone in this home was just so excited about their new “state-of-the-art TV.” I went in and saw at least five of the gentlemen (all wheeled up to the television) simply in awe of their newest home addition. You could tell that they absolutely loved it! The sight brought tears to my eyes. The staff profusely thanked me, but I said it wasn’t me. It was the Friends who made it happen.

L.C. Sonntag’s help lives on

Every Monday and Thursday afternoon, Mr. L.C. Sonntag appeared in the Community Relations office and took care of the bookkeeping for the Friends. His help was invaluable. This amazing man, at age 92, continued to volunteer both at the Living Center and at several other organizations. Last fall, L.C. was volunteering at another of his charities when he passed away.

Mr. Sonntag still helps the people at the Living Center, however. He left the Friends a legacy donation through a life insurance policy and his will. He restricted more than half of the funds to our endow-ment account so that it will continue to help us for years to come. L.C. is no longer with us, but his spirit lives on.

Revising your will? Put the “Friends of Austin State Supported Living Center” in your

will and you will make a lasting contribution to benefit the people who live here.

You can have fun AND make a difference in someone’s life!

Do you enjoy going for a walk or playing games? How about styling hair and doing nails? We need:

"Campus Buddies" to go for walks and play games – just be a buddy to someone.

“Senior Buddies” to play games during the day with our retired residents.

“Beauty Buddies” – women to help with nails and hair.

Do you like to read to others? Do you have basic math skills? We need:

Volunteer readers for people at resident homes.

Help for one gentleman with basic math.

Do you enjoy gardening or wood work?

We need:

Gardeners to plant our sensory garden.

Someone to design or build more fun things for our miniature golf course.

To volunteer or for more information, please contact Amanda Boeing, Assistant Community Relations Director, at amanda.boenig@dads.state.tx.us or 512-374-6160.

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2203 West 35th Street, #502

Austin, Texas 78703-1203

Contact information Friends of Austin SSLC Phone: 512-374-6048 Web Site: www.ausslcfriends.org Email: friends@ausslcfriends.org

Donate-Swim-Volunteer Your support for the July 2010 Splash for Cash! made a lot of people at the Austin State Supported Living Center smile! Your donations and efforts will continue to improve the hearing of our senior citizens through the new hearing aid analyzer. People who use wheelchairs are having a great time attending activities at the pool deck via the new wheelchair ramp. And these are just two of several projects funded by Splash-for-Cash swimmers and generous donors. Your donations have made a difference in the lives of the people who live here!

Coming up: Mark your calendar for Saturday, July16. Swimmers, counters, refreshment hosts and award party helpers are all needed to create even more smiles at Splash for Cash 2011. Give us a call, y’all! For more information, please e-mail us at friends@ausslcfriends.org, check our website: www.ausslcfriends.org, or call the Community Relations department at 512-374-6048.

King Florists When you order flowers or plants from King Florist on Burnet Road, please mention “Austin State Supported Living Center Friends.” The florist will donate 5% of the order to the Friends. Call King Florist at 512-453-6633.

Randall’s Good Neighbor Number 3083