A NEWSLETTER FOR FRIENDS OF EVANSVILLE STATE HOSPITAL

VOLUME 7, ISSUE 4 JULY/AUGUST 2015

COMMUNITY CONNECTION

Local Author Visits with WRAP Participants

Outdoor Fun 2

Upcoming Events 3

Hospital Needs 4

Inside this issue:

Michelle Krack, Peace Zone representative, visited the

hospital on July 6 as a guest speaker for the afternoon

Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP) group meeting.

Michelle shared her story of living with bipolar disorder and

has written a personal memoir, Michelle May Crack, which

was published last year. The book title is a whimsical play

on her name. Michelle is a Peer Recovery Advocate at the

peer-run recovery center and is involved in presenting at

NAMI’s Family-to-Family Classes in the community.

During her presentation, she emphasized the importance of

the Wellness Recovery Action Plan in her own personal

journey, with managing medication, receiving health care,

and building a good support system. The mother of four was

diagnosed at age 31 after a series of stressful life events that

triggered her illness. “I knew something was wrong and

was relieved to find that there was a name for it.” Her story is one of hope and inspiration to

many dealing with mental health issues.

Michelle encouraged those in attendance to take advantage of the downtown center, and was

happy to hear that our patients have made numerous trips there already and have found it to

be inviting and enjoyable. The weekly offerings focus on several of the key concepts of

WRAP and include sessions of artistic expression, physical fitness, and community service.

The center is a nice hang-out for support and fellowship. What a great resource we have in

Evansville!

Author Michelle Krack poses with her

published memoir.

LifeSavers Walk

A one mile walk to promote suicide awareness,

education, and prevention will be held on

Saturday, August 29 at the Evansville State

Hospital grounds. The walk starts at 9;15 a.m.

and is sponsored by The Southwestern Indiana

Suicide Prevention Coalition, Deaconess Cross

Pointe, Deaconess Hospital, St. Mary's,

Southwestern Healthcare, Inc., and Brentwood Meadows. All

proceeds from the walk are used in the tri-state community to

provide funding for the suicide prevention activities

sponsored by The Southwestern Indiana Suicide Prevention

Coalition. Call 812-471-4521 for registration information.

Page 2

COMMUNITY CONNECTION

Several patients took a trip to the Azalea Path Arboretum &

Botanical Gardens in Gibson County in May. The azaleas were in full

bloom and picturesque. A guided tour through the acreage of

ornamental trees, plants, and flowers was a nice treat. Patients were

enamored with the intricate carved statues and wooden benches.

In June, members of the Word Warriors Chapter #597 of the Christian

Motorcyclists Association came out to help put on a motorcycle display

in the Activity Therapy Courtyard for patients.

Several volunteers, retirees, and staff with bikes

joined them. The afternoon

rain held off for the activities

that included tattoos, hula

hoops, corn-hole, music, and

crafts. Everyone received

bike week bracelets

commemorating the event in

memory of four soldiers who

served in Mosul, Iraq 2008

under Alpha Company 163rd

Field Artillery (Sgt Ron Zeller,

Sgt Justin Williams, Spc Chris

Waller, and Sgt April James).

June was a busy month with patients attending an Otters baseball

game, and several participating in the SWIRCA Senior Games. Four

patients received medals in fishing, ball toss, bean bag toss and

washer toss. Others competed in the ring toss and wheelchair races.

And lastly, the Rock n Roll King himself, Elvis, paid a visit to the

hospital and had everyone on their feet dancing and singing some

classic Elvis songs as well as some popular 60’s and 70’s tunes.

Patients participated in a dance train and many did the Jitterbug and

Macarena. The day was filled with karaoke, hula dancing, and

making surfboards, leis, and

grass skirts. The women

received make-overs and some

watched the 1961 Blue Hawaii

film featuring a young Elvis.

Everyone had a great time!

Outdoor Fun

Volunteer Carl Millard shows

off his 2011 Harley Davidson

Electra Glide FLHTCUI

Pictured above are Word Warriors Tim Vire and Harry

Hottel with their Harley bikes.

Elvis impersonator Bruce Borders dances

with several in the hospital gymnasium.

Participating in the Blue Hawaii event were

Rehabilitation Therapy staff Sheila Higgins, Britteny

Adams, Tonya Smith, Diana Matlock, and Amanda

Gray.

COMMUNITY CONNECTION

Page 3

Kathy Griffith, Environmental Services: Granddaughter Dana Cain graduated from Crawford

County High School in English Indiana. She will study nursing at Ivy Tech.

Rene Murillo, Medical Staff: Son Michael graduated from Kansas City University of Medicine

and BioSciences on May 8. He received a Doctor of Osteopathy degree and will begin Internal

Medicine Residency MD program in July. He wants to be a hospitalist.

Sherry Walker, Environmental Services: Granddaughter Kelsey Stone graduated

from Frederick Fraise High School and plans to major in Lower Elementary

Education at Western Kentucky University.

2015 Graduates

Upcoming Events

July 25 - Courtyard Social (1:00 pm)

August 1 - Team Builders (Solarium Courtyard

1:00 pm)

August 15 - F Unit Summer Fun (10:15 am)

August 22 - Friendship Crafts (10:00 am)

September 5 - Are you Smarter than a Fifth

Grader? (Game room 9:30 am)

September 7 - Courtyard Palooza (Activity

Therapy Courtyard 1:00 pm)

September 11 - Recovery Month Activities

(1:00 pm)

Patients are enjoying an adult version of

Vacation Bible School this summer. The 10

week session began on June 15th and is held

every Monday evening from 6-8:00 p.m. It’s

a video driven series entitled “Alpha” and

developed by Nicky Gumbel, a British

Anglican Priest. Group discussion is led by

hospital chaplain Dennis Hilderbrand.

Helping with bible school is volunteer Peyton

Smith and Rehabilitation Therapy staff Bambi

Barlett and Kelly Kissel.

St. Mary’s Mobile Unit is used on a quarterly basis to screen

our patients for breast cancer. Since the first of the year, 23

patients received a mammogram.

Family to

Family

Classes A 12-week series of information on mental

illness begins on September 14 sponsored

by Evansville NAMI. These free Monday

evening classes are designed for persons

who want to better understand and help

another who lives with a serious mental

illness. For more information or to register,

call Diane at 812-423-4333.

COMMUNITY CONNECTION

Editor: Theresa Arvin

Evansville State Hospital

3400 Lincoln Avenue

Evansville, IN 47714

812-469-6800, ext. 4208

Theresa.Arvin@fssa.in.gov

COMMUNITY CONNECTION is published

every other month for friends of Evansville

State Hospital. News items are welcome

and should be submitted to the Community

Services Office.

Newsletter Contributors: Mark Majors,

Jennifer Sontz, Pam Yancey, Melissa Ficklin,

Donna Mesker, Jolene Hines, Vicki Sprengel

WE’RE ON THE WEB!

WWW.IN.GOV

New Employees

Goodbye

HOSPITAL NEEDS

Pre-paid phone cards

Small hand held radios

Ear buds

Friend to Friend Volunteer Sponsors

Christmas Gift Lift Sponsors

Chapel Organist

Jane Bachan-Anderson, Quality Mgmt Secretary

Jaci Greenwell, Fiscal Management

Roy Burris, Jr., Environmental Services

Jill Trainer, Environmental Services

Charice Boyd, Nursing Service

Tara Doom, Nursing Service

Micah Doss, Nursing Service

Totiyonia Holman, Nursing Service

Andrea Kissel, Nursing Service

Jacqueline Main, Nursing Service

Donna Morgan, Nursing Service

Alica Abney, Nursing Service

Tiffany Hayden, Nursing Service

Kaisha Killion, Nursing Service

Kelly Maday, Nursing Service

Holly McCauley, Nursing Service

Welcome Volunteers! Kacie Dahmer

Kyungok Kang

Kayla Keller

Peyton Smith

Rachel Spangler

Mike Williams

UE Sigma Alpha Iota

These summer treats were a hit at the July Friend

to Friend party. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 container of whipped topping thawed

2 eggs

1 lemon cake mix (or other flavor)

1/3 cup confectioner’s sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease

baking sheets.

2. Beat together the whipped topping and eggs

together. Add cake mix and continue to mix.

Dough will be thick.

3. Drop by teaspoonfuls into a bowl of

confectioner’s sugar and roll to coat. Place

cookies on the prepared baking sheets.

4. Bake for 8 minutes at 350 degrees.

Cool Whip Cookies