1. SHARING HOPE, PROVIDING HELP, TRANSFORMING LIVES. SPRING 2015 | VOL. 30 | NO. 1
T R A N S F O R M I N G
Families
T R A N S F O R M I N G L I V E S O N E C H I L D A T A T I M E
3. The IMPACT 3
T
his May, 2015 issue of The Impact, situated neatly
between Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, is dedicated
to the theme of family. If you grew up like I did,
your concept of family would include many of the
following elements: a place of safety, a place of learning, a
place where food and shelter were expected, where fairness
and predictability were assumed, a place of trust, a place
to give and receive.
Some of our clients at Wedgwood come from wonderful,
loving families but a large number do not, nor did their
parents. They have no concept of family values or positive
role modeling. Consider these
words of a 15 year-old boy in
residential care:
“They tell me that I look just like
my father. Thanks a lot! You
mean the one I have not heard
from in years, the one in and
out of prison, the one who killed
my dog, who locked me in the
basement all day, who beat my
mother. The one whose identity
I cannot shake, whose image I
hate to see in the mirror because
it makes me wonder if I will turn
out that way?”
“You ask me what my dad
taught me. He taught me never
to cry. He told me never to hit a
girl (the way he hit my mom). He taught me to fight, and
that revenge was how you won respect. He taught me
I should never trust, never apologize, never admit being
wrong. Take what you can get because life is not fair. He
did not really teach me with words very often, but he taught
me just the same.”
Did you know that many of our residents do not go home for
holidays because they have no one to call family? Did you
know that some of them have disrupted multiple foster home
placements, adoptive placements, and even residential
placements because they feel so disconnected and hopeless
Miraculous Changes
BY RANDY ZYLSTRA, PRESIDENT/CEO
RZYLSTRA@WEDGWOOD.ORG
and self-destructive? We try hard to rebuild family relationships
wherever even a fraction of a family exists, but there are times
when nothing exists to build on.
The techniques for recalibrating traumatized, neglected, and
abused children are NOT the same as those our parents used
successfully on most of us. It takes a far more sophisticated
approach and we have a narrow window of opportunity. Our
staff had to learn how to redefine the meaning of family for
many of our residents. We have learned how to create safety,
security, predictability and trust. We learned how to build hope
before expecting motivation, honesty, and “good” behavior. We
have had to learn tremendous patience
as that hope and trust are repeatedly
tested. We have had to learn how to
reinterpret anger as something deeper,
something that may be the best response
a traumatized and hopeless child can
produce. We have had to learn how
NOT to accept failure as failure.
We are extremely proud of our
staff! This is very difficult work, and
they participate in multiple years of
training in order to meet the highest
standards of therapeutic excellence.
But there is one secret tool that is
deeply entrenched within Wedgwood
culture. It is far more effective than
any other. Miraculous changes occur
when a child comes to realize that
they have unique and unlimited value
in the eyes of their Creator. Our staff grasp that, and seek to
become a redefined family for those who have none. They know
that change does not come from an intellectual discussion on
ethics or behavior or the meaning of life. Nor does it come
from threats or lectures. That realization must be experienced,
repeatedly, through patience, compassion, forgiveness. It
is not intellectualized so much as observed and absorbed.
We do our best to verbalize the truths of God, but talk is
cheap to someone who cannot trust. St. Francis of Assisi said
it well: “Preach the gospel at every opportunity… If necessary,
use words.” n
Preach the
gospel at every
opportunity…
If necessary,
use words.
– St. Francis of Assisi
4. 4 wedgwood.org
ADVANCEMENT DEPARTMENT
“I can’t imagine a more worthy cause!”
An interview with Mike & Jennifer McGraw
How did you discover
Wedgwood?
We discovered Wedgwood through
my father, Mick McGraw, who served
on the Wedgwood Board of Directors.
What is it aboutWedgwood
that keeps you coming back?
I believe fully in the mission. I love
the kids that I’ve met and I believe
they deserve as much help as we can
provide to them. They’re “just kids”
and the more time I spend with them,
the more I see how much they’re like
my own kids. They need to know that
there is love for them and that they
can do great things! Bottom line is
that our family supports Wedgwood
because we love the kids.
How do you as a family
supportWedgwood?
We’re involved in many ways: I serve
on the NextGen Board. We attend
lunches with the children, and donate
goods or presents around birthdays or
holidays. We support Wedgwood financially, and we open
up our family ranch (Cross Canyon Ranch in Avon, MT) to a
group of kids from Wedgwood each summer.
What’s your favorite
Wedgwood moment?
There are two. First, one
of the boys really opened
up to Jen and I during
a lunch with boys from
the Boelkins Home. He
shared that his mother
had passed away and got out his photo album to show us
pictures of his mom and family. It was so sweet, how open
and comfortable he was with us. You could tell that he had
unconditional love for his Mom; that was awesome and sad at
the same time. He is a loving boy and just wants to be loved,
not unlike any other kid.
The second favorite moment: Jen and I loved seeing the joy
on the boys faces when they opened their new Lego sets at
Christmas. To most kids, a simple Lego set isn’t a big deal.
For these boys, having their OWN Lego set was exciting and
special. It reminds you just how blessed you are, and how
easily you can become a blessing to others.
What has become clear to you through this
partnership?
The kids Wedgwood serves are good kids at heart. I think
many people have a perspective that these kids are “different”
in some way from their own kids. In reality, they are not. The
kids’ behavioral shortcomings, I believe, are the result of their
environments. It has become crystal clear to us that these kids
just need positive role models and figures of authority in their
lives. The Wedgwood staff is incredibly capable at filling this
role, and I also think volunteer involvement with these kids, on
a consistent basis, can have a positive impact as they begin
5. The IMPACT 5
to realize they are loved and capable of great things. It is clear
that instilling confidence and self-worth in these kids is one of
the key functions of Wedgwood.
What do you say to prospectiveWedgwood donors
and volunteers?
These young people have had their lives turned upside down.
Wedgwood gives individuals and families a way to show
them that they have value, that their lives matter. We do that
for our own children, but these children don’t have those same
influences from families, so having the ability and desire to
share some of that love, to remind them of their value...that is
priceless. It doesn’t take much to make a big change in their
lives: just show up, be consistent, and care. That is what makes
Wedgwood such an important institution in our community.
They’re an extension of the unconditional love of Christ.
What does family mean to you?
Family is everything. Family shapes who you are and how you
will impact society. Family doesn’t always have to be based
on blood ties; it is a group of people who care, who see your
value and help you reach your potential. They sing your praises,
build you up and proudly recognize your biggest successes.
Family supports you during your failures, shortcomings,
and struggles. Family is the group of people who loves you
unconditionally and is there for you when you need them and
even when you don’t quite recognize that you need them.
How hasWedgwood transformed your family?
I think it is a great reminder of our need to continue to help
others, to reach out to those less fortunate, especially children.
It reminds us to teach our own children to appreciate what they
have and be generous in sharing those gifts, thereby showing
our children that it can be just as rewarding to give as to get
(and maybe more so). It’s a great way to show our children that
everyone has value, but some need to be shown their value
due to the circumstances they have been born into. We can be
the ones to help these kids realize that they are amazing, and
full of potential!
How do you describeWedgwood to others?
I describe Wedgwood as a very well-run organization full of
great people who seek to serve kids (and adults) by showing
them the unconditional love of Jesus Christ. I always tell people
that these kids are good kids! It has become obvious to me,
through my involvement, that they just need some positive role
models and to know that they are loved. I can’t imagine a more
worthy cause!
How has this experience impacted your faith?
I would say that it has been very positive. I am inspired by the
way I have seen the great people at Wedgwood serve the
kids. The love, guidance, patience and care that they show for
each child is clearly a demonstration of God’s love at work.
How many and how old are your kids?
Jen and I are the parents of three boys; Noah age 9,
Brenden age 7, and Kai age 4
ADVANCEMENT DEPARTMENT
BY VIVIAN TERMAAT
SENIOR ADVANCEMENT OFFICER
VTERMAAT@WEDGWOOD.ORG
I am inspired by the way I
have seen the great people
at Wedgwood serve the
kids. The love, guidance,
patience and care that
they show for each child is
clearly a demonstration of
God’s love at work.
Thanks so much to Mike, Jen and their three boys for their
faithful support of Wedgwood Christian Services. Thanks
also to the McGraw Family for making the time to get to
know some of the kids who live here at Wedgwood. Their
time together is establishing the groundwork for healthy
and positive relationships in the lives of these kids who
may one day have families of their own. It is a priceless
investment in the future of a young life.
6. 6 wedgwood.org
PLANNED GIVING
A
s we read of new and expanded life expectancies due
to medical advances and increased attention to personal
wellness, the importance of planning for the needs of our
families becomes clear. Life expectancy for males is 76 years.
Females can expect to reach the age of 81 and these ages are
increasing for both genders as we go forward.
What do you value most? How would you answer this
question? Your answer would most likely include your loved
ones as one of your most valuable assets. Preparing the next
generation to follow in your footsteps creates a legacy. One
important dimension of that preparation is drafting a will or trust
that is current and transfers your estate to your family in
an efficient manner.
Just as important is that your legacy includes the values that the
Lord has instilled in you over a lifetime. Pastor John Ortberg
said it this way: “The biggest lesson life has to teach us is the
absolute necessity of arranging our life around what matters in
light of our mortality and eternity. The object of life, according
to Jesus, is to be rich toward God.”
I have always admired the Barnabas Foundation brochure
entitled “A Child Named Charity.” The emphasis is to include
your favorite Christian charities as part of one’s family. For
example, if you have three children to receive the assets from
your estate, adding a fourth child named “charity” can be a
wonderful legacy and a generous blessing to one or more
ministries. The brochure lists two general reasons people have
given for doing this: “A belief that all we have is a gift from
God, a gift which we in thankfulness should return, at least
in part.” Second,“ a powerful final testimony and reminder
to children and grandchildren not to forget to follow in the
example we have set for Christian stewardship.”
As members of the Barnabas Foundation, we highly recommend
use of their estate planning services. Their services are free to
you and confidential. Their Grand Rapids office is located at
600 3 Mile Road, NW; telephone (616) 956-1232. Staffed
with the expertise of two attorneys, they can assist you to
prepare a plan uniquely for your family.
Charitable Gift Annuities are another way to honor your family.
A gift annuity is a contract between you and Wedgwood
which exchanges a gift to Wedgwood for an annuity providing
guaranteed lifelong income. n
If you would like to learn more about benefitting
Wedgwood Christian Services through a gift from
your will or trust or through a charitable gift annuity,
please call Gary Raterink at (616) 831-5623 or
email graterink@wedgwood.org.
Be Rich Toward God
BY GARY RATERINK, CPA
PLANNED GIVING OFFICER
GRATERINK@WEDGWOOD.ORG
Home is the bottom
line of life, the anvil
upon which attitudes
and convictions are
hammered out – the
single most influential
force in our earthly
existence. No price
tag can adequately
reflect its value.
—Charles R. Swindoll
7. The IMPACT 7
On Thursday October 15th, 2015 at
7:00 p.m., at the Amway Grand Plaza
Hotel, Darryl Strawberry, a four-time Major
League Baseball World Series Champion,
National League Rookie of the Year and
8-time All Star, will be sharing his powerful
story of transformation as the keynote
speaker at Wedgwood Christian Services
55th Anniversary Celebration Dinner. For
years, Darryl’s life was surrounded by
controversy, both on and off the baseball
field, but these days he’s a changed man.
“God was calling me and I was either going
to answer his call or I was going to die,”
said Mr. Strawberry.
Please plan to attend and hear how one
man went from a remarkable athlete to the
remarkable man who founded the Darryl
Strawberry Foundation, which is dedicated
to children and adults with autism and the
Darryl Strawberry Recovery Center that
offers a Christian recovery program led
by Christ-centered therapists and staff who
provide inspirational Biblical counseling.
This year’s Annual Dinner promises to be a
memorable and uplifting event.
TRANSFORMING SERVICES
T
he NextGen members are young professionals who
have a heart for the Wedgwood Mission of Extending
God’s love to youth and families through professional
counseling and educational services. They make time in
their busy schedules, not just for board meetings but also to
spend time directly with the kids for a family-style meal, once
a month. Residents of the Boelkins Home are 7-12 year old
boys, most of whom have been removed from their respective
homes due to severe abuse and neglect. Typically, a nine year
old child arriving at Boelkins has already been through ten
foster homes.
BY VIVIAN TERMAAT
SENIOR ADVANCEMENT OFFICER
VTERMAAT@WEDGWOOD.ORG
Lunch Buddies
BY VIVIAN TERMAAT
In September 2014, members of the NextGen@Wedgwood Board began monthly
visits to the Boelkins Home for a family style meal.
Over the past 15 years researchers have confirmed the
importance of sharing a family meal. It is good for the spirit,
the brain and the health of all involved. Recent studies link
regular family dinners with: lower rates of substance abuse,
teen pregnancy and depression, as well as higher grade-
point averages and self-esteem. Studies also indicate that
dinner conversation is a more potent vocabulary-booster
than reading, and the stories told around the table help our
children build resilience. Regular family meals also lower
the rates of obesity and eating disorders in children and
adolescents.*
The Lunch Buddies Program provides the kids with an
opportunity to experience a positive and healthy family-
style mealtime while meeting and getting to know solid role
models. Over fish sticks and burgers, relationships are being
established that can begin the road to rebuilding trust for
these boys while at the same time deepening the hearts of
our NextGen members. n
*Data source: TheFamilyDinnerProject.org
Darryl Strawberry
55th Anniversary Dinner Speaker
8. 8 wedgwood.org
RESIDENTIAL
F
amily can be defined in a number of ways: a group
consisting of parents and children living together in
a household, a group that is grounded by the same
roots and shared values, people that are continuously
present in our lives who offer us safety and security.
Many of the children that
come through Wedgwood
have suffered from
trauma due to abuse and
neglect. More often than
not, the hurt that these
kids carry around was
inflicted by the ones they
refer to as their family. To
them, the word “family”
takes on a whole different
meaning. The trauma
they experienced creates difficulty in building trust,
trouble with maintaining relationships, and often severe
reactive behaviors.
The Wedgwood staff play a vital role in helping children
work through their trauma, and supporting appropriate
development. When a new kid comes into a residential
placement facility, they often look at staff as authoritarian
figures, people who are only there to boss them around
and make their lives even more miserable. It is up to us to
erase that perspective and replace it with one that allows
the child to feel safe, cared for, and loved.
Our staff work hard to be consistent and positive role
models for the children of Wedgwood. As a parent, our
ultimate role is to help our kids discover who they truly
are and help them to find peace in their place in the
world. As a residential treatment provider, we do that by
offering grace and understanding, allowing kids to heal
emotionally and instilling hope for what their future
holds. In that sense, we create that sense of family in our
homes, “family” as the people in their lives who offer support
and make them feel important: the people who always treat
each other with dignity and respect and love. n
ANDRE BENJAMIN
RIEBEL ASSISTANT SUPERVISOR
ABENJAMIN@WEDGWOOD.ORG
We warmly invite you to join us as our special
guest for breakfast or lunch and a brief tour of
Wedgwood’s campus so that you can see first-
hand how the services you help make possible,
transform lives, one child at a time. These visits
are held on Mondays, Tuesdays or Wednesdays at
Wedgwood Christian Services, 3300 36th Street SE,
Grand Rapids, from May through October, weather
permitting. If you would like to reserve a spot for
yourself or for a group from your organization, please
contact Alison at advancement@wedgwood.org
or (616) 942-2392.
FILLING
IN FOR
FAMILY
BY ANDRE BENJAMIN
T O U R S AT W E D G W O O D
And whoever
welcomes one
such child
in my name
welcomes me.
— Matthew 18:5
As a parent, our
ultimate role is to help
our kids discover who
they truly are and help
them to find peace
in their place in the
world.
9. The IMPACT 9
COMMUNITY
Building Self-Confidence
JACKIE BREWSTER
PROGRAM MANAGER
EMPLOYMENT TRAINING SUPERVISOR
JBREWSTER@WEDGWOOD.ORG
O
ne of Wedgwood’s essential transforming services
is the Employment Training Program (ETP). We are
happy to report that the construction we began in early
August on the ETP building was completed in the fall of 2014.
Additional space was built to help support the program’s
growth. Each year, the ETP program continues its success
with serving
at-risk youth
from residential
and community
settings by
providing job
training and first
job experiences.
With the growing
lawn care
requests, car
detailing requests, and wood shop orders, the program serves
more clients and better prepares them for future employment
opportunities. The program not only gives these kids work
experience, but also a reference and a self-confidence that they
never had before. With this, they acquire knowledge on how
to continue on the right path, which ultimately will help build
stronger families in the future.
We partner with the staff, clinicians, teachers, and case
workers to provide a holistic care plan for our residents
and community kids. ETP’s role is to provide a realistic job
experience so the kids are better prepared to re-enter society.
Programs like this are rare among similar residential facilities
in our state, yet Wedgwood has been blessed to offer these
services to clients and community at-risk students. Job skills play
a vital role in their respective success beyond their Wedgwood
experience. ETP is able to provide these skills to an average of
80-100 clients a year, with a regular working roster of 25-36
kids year round.
Our employees learn to fill out applications, proper etiquette
for job interviews, and acquire work ethic and skills in various
fields (lawn care, upholstery, vehicle detailing, and woodshop.)
For information about our services, please call (616) 831-5575.
MANASSEH PROJECT
Stop This Traffic
BY NIKEIDRA DEBARGE
Learn more at www.manassehproject.org #StopThisTraffic
ENDING SEXUAL EXPLOITATION OF CHILDREN
W
edgwood’s Manasseh Project continues to raise
awareness and advocacy levels since its inception
three years ago. The Manasseh Project’s mission
is: Ending the sexual exploitation of young women and men
in Michigan. Through community education and collaboration
and Wedgwood’s Manasseh Project Trauma Recovery Center
this ministry provides support and specialized residential
treatment services for victims of sex trafficking and empowers
the people of west Michigan to end modern day slavery.
R I S K F A C T O R S
• Poverty — Poor communities are targeted by traffickers
who offer kids cash, clothing and jewelry in an attempt
to sell their lies
• Homelessness – 1 in 3 runaway/throwaway kids will
be approached by a trafficker within 48 hours of being
homeless
• Substance Abuse – Victims are controlled by traffickers
through drugs and alcohol
A C T I O N S T E P S
• Learn – Ask a WMP expert to
speak to your group/organization
• Mentor – Contact WMP to see
if you would be a good fit for
mentorship
• Advocate – Contact your local
legislator to encourage support of
bills that increase penalties for traffickers and perpetrators
• Donate – Your gift to Wedgwood’s Manasseh Project is a
step towards ending modern day slavery
NIKEIDRA DEBARGE
MANASSEH PROJECT
PROGRAM COORDINATOR
NDEBARGE@WEDGWOOD.ORG
10. 10 wedgwood.org
VOLUNTEER
T
o many of these kids, our volunteers end up living out
“family” with them through committing to them as
either a mentor or tutor.
It is often in these relationships that one of our youths-in-
residence has a firsthand encounter with the idea that she
or he has value — that someone would willingly spend time
with them without any expectation of being repaid. Is this not
exactly the life and death that Jesus modeled?
Wedgwood is blessed to have one of the most vibrant and
diverse volunteer groups of any organization, and our
volunteers consistently demonstrate compassion, commitment
and grace when they serve for an hour every week.You’ve
undoubtedly heard the stories of some of these kids, but you
haven’t heard their story until you can enter into it.
My prayer is that after reading this, you would give some
serious consideration to volunteering here. It’s not always
easy, but I would have you count the cost before promising
to do this anyway. Please, contact our Human Resources
Department with any inquiries. n
Living out
“family”
BY BRENTON DALGLIESH
BY BRENTON DALGLIESH
HUMAN RESOURCE SPECIALIST
MENTOR
• Mentor a child, age 8-17, living in a
residential treatment home
• Requires listening skills and positive
leadership
• Minimum of 1-2 hours/week interaction
• Length of service commitment of
6-9 months
CLERICAL ASSISTANCE
• Provide support to a variety of
departments (i.e. filing, copying,
collating, etc.)
• Regular assistance needed for 2-3 hours
per week or
• project assistance during peak periods
ACTIVITY ASSISTANCE
• Teach a personal skill to clients (i.e. arts
and crafts, music, etc.)
• Length of service commitment depends
on area of interest
TRANSPORTER
• Be available on an on-call or regular
basis to transport clients to and/or
from school, to their home and also to
medical appointments
CHAPLAIN’S ASSISTANT
• Work under the direction of the
Chaplaincy Department to lead 1 to 1
or small group bible studies
• Participate in on-campus worship services
• Spend a minimum of 1-2 hours per
week on a bi-weekly basis
• Opportunities available to serve in
GEMS or Cadets programs
FACILITIES ASSISTANT
• Perform general maintenance duties
as needed in and around the facilities
(i.e. indoor and outdoor painting, auto
maintenance, furniture repair, landscape
work, etc.)
• Assist in transporting vehicles for routine
maintenance appointments
TUTOR
• Assist clients in completing homework
assignments
• Work with clients in a small group or
on an individual basis as needed
• Meet with clients one time per week
for a minimum of 1 hour
CHURCH FAMILY
• Adopt a specific home and take clients from
that home to church services or activities
• A minimum of two times per month
• Suggested length of commitment of
6-9 months
MANASSEH HOME
• Mentor or help facilitate activities in
the Manasseh home
• Specific trauma focused trainings
required
• Minimum of 1-2 hours a week
interaction
• Length of service commitment of
6-9 months
YOUTH ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM
• Assist clients in a group setting using
skill-based teaching to reach at risk
youth in home based care
• Service commitment of 1 semester from
3:00 - 7:00 p.m. or 4:00 - 6:30 p.m.
one night a week
GROUP MENTORING
• Small group of individuals assist in
program activities and groups for
residential clients
• Collaboration with residential staff
members
• Commitment depends on group
development
YOUNG LIFE VOLUNTEERS
• Assist Young Life Leaders in organizing
activities for clients
• Facilitates active participation during
activities
• Service commitment of 6-9 months
I’ve had many opportunities to witness firsthand the indelible role that volunteers
play in the lives of the many kids we serve who don’t have invested families.
VOLUNTEERING AT WEDGWOOD
A P P L I C AT I O N I N F O R M AT I O N
All volunteers must be at least 18 years of age and meet Wedgwood’s screening requirements. To apply, please visit www.wedgwood.org
and fill out our online application. For questions, contact: Marla Cole, mcole@wedgwood.org or call (616) 831-5584 Wedgwood is
located at 3300 36th St. SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49512
11. The IMPACT 11
CHAPLAINCY
A
s a chaplain, I have been amazed at the incredible
resilience of children. Their emotional, psychological
and spiritual restorative powers allow them to “roll with
the [devastating] punches” of life. If they mourn well, they can
grow into persons of greater depth. As Khalil Gibran writes in
his poetic meditation, “On Joy and Sorrow,” “The deeper that
sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain....
[I]s not the lute that soothes your spirit, the very wood that was
hollowed with knives?”
If the child does not mourn well, their healing will be
dysfunctional. If a broken bone is not set, but heals in its own
way, the limb will become pained or paralyzed. Resetting the
bone requires a willingness to endure terrible pain all over again.
No one is strong enough to make this journey alone.
Compassionate and wise companions are needed. At its best,
this is what Wedgwood is all about. We are an awkward
surrogate family of people who care enough to journey with
kids through their darkness and to do so with an experienced
and kind hand, mind and heart.
Yet love and wisdom are not enough. The world is a dark,
broken and cruel place and it is too much for us. But there is
One who once said, “Take heart, I have overcome the world”
(John 16.33). For one of our meetings, I had printed out the
verse from Revelation 21.4 which says that some day Jesus
“will wipe every tear from [our] eyes. There will be no more
death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things
has passed away.” God never wanted brokenness and death
in the world, and somehow, someday, through the power of
Christ’s resurrection, the whole world would be made right.
Upon arriving at the chapel, one of the young men handed me
a picture of two angelic figures (representing the boy’s mother
and grandmother who had passed away) before the throne of
Jesus in heaven, and beneath the picture, a staff person had
helped him write this very same verse, Revelation 21.4.
Alongside our compassionate wisdom, we must take our cues
from Christ’s Spirit. We journey through a beautiful, broken
world as broken, beautiful people, but we do so together and
with Christ, the Healer who draws us forward to a renewed
world where the only tears will be those of deepest joy. n
Journey Through Grief
BY: KRIS WALHOF
KRISTOPHER WALHOF
PASTOR
KWALHOF@WEDGWOOD.ORG
A few weeks ago, I began a “grief group” for three boys whose mothers had recently
passed away. One of the boys brought a piece of artwork which touched my heart.
12. 12 wedgwood.org
TRANSFORMING SERVICES
MAKING SUMMER MEMORIES
BY JAHAN WEBB
The sun is shining, the temperature is
rising and the days are getting longer.
The nicer weather is a sure sign that
summer will be here shortly.
T
he Recreation Therapy Department at
Wedgwood Christian Services is gearing
up to prepare staff and kids for our summer
programming. We participate in many different
summertime activities but one of the biggest things
that we do is take clients camping in rustic
campgrounds throughout the state of Michigan and
beyond. We’ve been camping everywhere from
East Jordan and Ludington to Sandusky, Ohio.
For the majority of our clients, who range in age from
7-18, this is their first opportunity to participate in such
an outdoor adventure. We fish, team build, hike and
prepare meals over the fire. Each of these activities is
a new experience that provides an opportunity to learn
and grow and perhaps discover a hidden talent. Camping
creates an environment where we can build lasting memories
and deeper relationships with the kids that we serve. As a
group we have to trust each other and learn to function without
the comforts of home. Clients learn to overcome fears and
become more open in a safe, less structured environment.
We start with the goal of expanding our client’s worldview
and exposing them to new challenges that help them grow.
Camping provides that experience and so much more and is a
favorite trip according to our kids.
At the end of a long day on our camping trip we prepare a
fire and engage in an informal group called, “How is Your
Day Going?” Each child is given the chance to share insights
about their day, discuss new things that they have experienced
and learn from one another. This often leads to deeper
conversations about life and God that we all have at some
point in our lives. These kids have big questions at a much
earlier age than most of us due to their difficult circumstances.
It takes courage to articulate these questions and great
compassion to try to answer them. The starry night sky provides
the serene backdrop that allows these kids to be vulnerable
enough to open their hearts to the staff who feel called to work
in Wellness at Wedgwood Christian Services. A beautiful
constellation created by God’s grace. n
JAHAN WEBB
RECREATION THERAPY COORDINATOR
JWEBB@WEDGWOOD.ORG
13. The IMPACT 13
COMMUNITY
F
amily dynamics, or family interactions, are the
foundational “dance pattern” of every family. These
dance steps are created within the structure of the roles
and rules a family has in place. Family dynamics play out
across generations, across situations and are ever present.
Individuals interact with others within their family a certain
way; they develop patterns of interaction that settle into
routines over time. This is often the problem we face when
bringing families into counseling: mindsets like “we always
argue” or “they’ll never change.” No matter what the topic
is, the argument remains the same because the pattern of
interaction, or dance steps, hasn’t changed. True change
does not occur on the surface level of words people say to
one another, but at the deeper processing level of changing
this pattern of interaction.
These dance steps have been used and practiced throughout
the family usually for years, often for generations. The
steps are created by the roles individuals take on within
their family. Individuals may be the “peacekeeper,” the
“troublemaker,” the “leader,” or the “enforcer.” Each role has
a specific function for the family to survive, both together and
with the outside world. These roles become predictable and
even comforting because this is what is considered normal
within the family.
Along with roles, the dance steps are created and reinforced
by the rules a family creates over time as well. Rules that are
not just spoken, such as bedtime or curfew, but the unspoken
rules, such as who is in charge, how do we interact with
non-family and how or why we do things as a family. These
roles and rules create the structure and framework of the
dance pattern created over time.
In counseling, families can identify their dance steps and
then begin to pick apart small areas to make changes that
can have a huge effect on their relationships. Individuals
who have danced a certain way with one another now
have to learn new steps to a new dance. They can discuss
the roles and rules that created these patterns and whether
they are healthy to continue or not. As stated earlier, for true
change to occur within family dynamics, individuals have to
be willing to learn new steps to new dances; often awkward
at first but with practice, dedication and determination,
families can create beautiful and healthy new patterns
together. n
Learning a
New Dance
BY ERIN ROWLSON
What type of dance do you and your family do?
Who dances with whom, and why?
ERIN ROWLSON
CLINICAL SUPERVISOR
IN COMMUNITY PROGRAMS
EROWLSON@WEDGWOOD.ORG
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR PROFESSIONAL COUNSELING SERVICES OR TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT,
CONTACT OUR BOUMA COUNSELING CENTER TODAY AT (616) 942-7294.
14. 14 wedgwood.org
COMMUNITY
P
arenting is full of many peaks and valleys but when
a child suffers intense emotional and personal pain
to the extent of requiring placement in a psychiatric
hospital, it can be one of the most difficult trials a parent
will ever experience. It can also be a traumatic period
for the entire family involving many new challenges.
Providing emotional and spiritual support for the
individual child is crucial for the long-term emotional
well-being of both the child and the family. In this context,
Wedgwood Christian Services has partnered with Priority
Health to provide an Intensive Aftercare Program. This
program is designed to provide vital support to child and
family once that child returns home as this is typically a
difficult transition for everyone.
Over the last eight months, Wedgwood Christian
Services has worked with over 60 families to support,
New Intensive Aftercare Program
BY ANTHONY MULLER
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR PROFESSIONAL COUNSELING SERVICES OR TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT,
CONTACT OUR BOUMA COUNSELING CENTER TODAY AT (616) 942-7294.
ANTHONY MULLER
DIRECTOR OF CLINICAL AND
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
AMULLER@WEDGWOOD.ORG
encourage and stabilize children and their families after
an emotional emergency. Over 55 of these children have
been stabilized at home and have not needed to return
to the hospital which is a great blessing to families who
are eager to move forward in this transitional phase of
treatment. Elements of treatment that are utilized are:
Intensive Individual and Family Counseling, Psychiatric
Evaluations and Medication Reviews, Case Management
and Referrals as needed.
Parents give rave reviews for this service. One parent
states, “We tried everything, but nothing had worked
until this program.” Another parent told us, “My child
never talked to the therapist we brought him to until
we started working with Wedgwood Christian Services.”
Once the child begins to whole-heartedly engage in their
own treatment, the whole family often times begins to
experience a sense of peace that comes with moving
forward with the process.
Priority Health agrees that this new Intensive Aftercare
Program has been highly successful, and is currently
developing plans with Wedgwood Christian Services to
expand this service beyond Kent County to include Ottawa
and Muskegon Counties as well. “Giving our members
support services is fundamental to improving our goal
of improving the health and lives of our members,” said
Angela Smith-Hietikko, director of behavioral health
for Priority Health. “The Intensive Aftercare Program
offered by Wedgewood Christian Services gives families
the support and encouragement necessary to return to a
stable home environment.” n
ESTIMATES OF U.S. CHILDREN
WITH MENTAL DISORDERS
2.2 million
Behavioral or
conduct problems
1.8 million
Anxiety
4.2 million
Attention-deficit/
hyperactivity disorder
1.3 million
1.2 million 1.0 millionDepression
Illicit drug
use disorder
Alcohol use
disorder
678,000
99,000
691,000
Cigarette
Dependence
Autism Spectrum
Disorder
Tourette
Syndrome
15. The IMPACT 15
EDUCATION
W
e decided that gift cards just wouldn’t do. These
gifts needed to be personalized and special
for each student, and a surprise! So we put the
teachers to work developing a strategy for their classroom to
get a Christmas wish list from each child without them knowing
what was going on. Most teachers gave the students an
assignment such as “What can you buy for $20?” or “What
would you ask Santa to bring for Christmas?” and other similar
questions. The students responded, the lists were compiled into
a master list and the shopping began!
Black Friday was a busy day for our Hope Academy of
West Michigan Elf, as well as the next few weeks. The lists
were cross-checked, double-checked and re-checked to insure
that each student received something from their individual wish
list. As the shopping continued, volunteer elves flooded in to
help wrap and tag each gift. Then the big day arrived. With
help from Lacks Enterprises employees, Santa, Mrs. Claus and
Santa’s Elves arrived with smiles on their faces and a glimmer
in their eyes on the morning of December 18. Santa’s group
started off the morning by visiting each of the elementary
classrooms, Pre-School through 4th grade, calling each child’s
name to come up and receive their Christmas gift. The students
could hardly contain themselves, they were so overjoyed that
Santa had remembered them this year.
Adding to all the excitement was the presence of local
media personality Maranda. She was on hand in one of the
classrooms to capture the spirit of giving on her “Maranda:
Where You Live” program, so her viewers could sit in on
the fun.
As the day progressed into the afternoon, the Middle School
students were assembled in the gym and each student was
called up by name to greet Santa and receive their Christmas
gift. They were followed by the High School students. The
students were amazed that anyone would go to such extreme
measures to insure that this holiday season was a special one
for them. The message the staff conveyed to each and every
student was, “You’re worth it.” n
The holidays can be a
stressful time in everyone’s
life. This is especially true
for those families who
struggle to make ends
meet throughout the year.
We at Hope Academy
of West Michigan felt
extremely blessed to learn
that employees of Lacks
Enterprises wanted to
donate enough money to
insure that all of our 350
students received something
special for Christmas.
KACIE WESTMAAS
IES EXECUTIVE ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT
KWESTMAAS@INTEGRITYEDSERVICES.ORG
Santa Surprises at Hope Academy
BY KACIE WESTMAAS
16. 3300 36th Street SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49512-2810
NON-PROFIT ORG.
US POSTAGE
P A I D
GRAND RAPIDS, MI
PERMIT NO. 564
GIFTS IN MEMORY
Cyndi Bloem
George and Jeanne Bloem
R. Charles Boelkins
Dave and Margaret Boelkins
Jim and Barb Boelkins
Grace Bowman
Paula Siegele
Terry Chamberlain
Robert Bowman
Ray Chamberlain
Bud and Ella Decker
Kendal and Jane Lovell
Lucille Doorn
Jim and Marian De Vries
Susan Miller
Bill and Pat Waanders
Joan Dykhouse
Mr. and Mrs. Rodney Alderink
Robert and Linda Beukema
Henry and Louise Boersma
Gary and Kathryn Bronsink
Daryl and Ruth Dykhouse
Nettie Dykhouse
Mr. and Mrs. Larry Kerstetter
Mr. and Mrs. Randy Knoll
Bernice Mohr
Harold and Bonnie Nagelkirk
Dennis and Janice Oeverman
Bill and Sara Ryskamp
Bruce and Jerri Ryskamp
Doug and Ruth Ryskamp
Jim and Laurie Schepers
Mr. and Mrs. Christian Siebers
Mark and Becky Waalkes
Mark and Linda Witte
Richard Fuller
Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Owens
Gary Garehan
Jean Garehan
David Grant
Marilyn Grant
Elaine Ike
Suzanne Grant
Marilyn Grant
Elaine Ike
Gertrude Helder
Judy Brouwer
Brent and Nancy Jo Bunce
Fred and Sue Colligan
Karen Helder
Marvin and Donna Helder
Cindy Holtrop
Michael and Yvonne Prowant
Mr. and Mrs. Henry Ritsema
Dr. Barbara Top Regency
Jacob and Ann Scheeres
Leah Kos
Lois Williams
Jim Morris
West Side Christian School
Marian Mulder
George and Rozanne Bruins
Kenneth and Judith Fletcher
Bruce Mulder
Gladys Wierenga
Ruth Wierenga
Orie Oppenhuizen
Terry and Jan Brummel
Neda Raterink
David and Lorraine Becksvoort
Gladys Root
Roger and Joan Cremer
Charlotte Geelhoed
Jerry and Esther Heyboer
Peg Knoll
Mr. and Mrs. Edward Meeuwsen
Hudson Nyenhuis
Evelyn Osterbrock
Esther Richards
Kimberly Root
Larry and Sandy Rose
Anna Mae Rotman
Jean Stuckey
John and Margaret Wiersma
Bob Smit
Leonard and Leonora Smit
Marc Snyder
Dale and Louise Snyder
Al Wilson
Mr. and Mrs. Larry Bruining
To receive a digital copy of this and future issues of the IMPACT please send
an email to advancement@wedgwood.org with Go Digital as the subject line.
