THIS MONTH’S ISSUE

THE LEAFLET

The View From My Chair

GCS Family Spotlight

Help GCS Earn $250,000!

Around GCS

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ISSUE SEPTEMBER YEAR 2012

A 501(c)(3) NoNPRofIT oRgANIzATIoN

Welcome to our September Newsletter. My comments for this article are narrowly focused on some current and upcoming fundraising activities that are important to the financial health of the agency.

You hopefully have noticed the thermometer in our last few newsletters and on our website that has been measuring the progress towards our goal of $22,500 in donations to help cover the costs of moving from the vandalized Wesbrook center to the new Kedzie location. The thermometer in last months’ Leaflet showed that we were $700 short of that mark. The day the newsletter was distributed, I received a call from a wonderful woman whose son we support in one of our community-based homes. She wanted to drop by with a check for $700 so that we would reach the top of the thermometer! How cool is that?!

This means we can now move on to Phase 2 of the goal we had established at the time of the unfortunate incident at the Wesbrook day program site. The target of the new thermometer you will find in the months’ newsletter is for $21,500. This money will be used to cover the cost we incurred in replacing the destroyed or stolen equipment, furniture, and program supplies. It will also enable us to fund the set up of data and communication systems, as well as fund the cost of the move itself and the storage for the items we were able to salvage from the Wesbrook building. Any donations you can make towards this aim are greatly appreciated.

You will also find an article on page 3 about the chase community giving Program which allows garden center to compete with charities nationwide for grants ranging from $10,000 to $250,000. All you have to do to support us in this effort is to vote for us on Facebook and the Chase website! So it doesn’t cost you anything, it’s quick & easy, and it could get us some much needed cash! But we need your

help in getting the word out through your social network of family, friends, and co-workers. We are confident of our success if this is a real gcS family effort!.

Lastly, I want to mention the “Celebrate Me Home” event that is being held this Saturday, Sept. 8th, at 115 Bourbon Street Restaurant located at 3359 W. 159th St. in Merrionette Park. Monies from this affair are going to be donated to garden center Services to assist us with the purchase and rehab of a house that will become the new home for some women that are choosing to take advantage of the Ligas consent decree. This decree, which has become law in Illinois, states that individuals residing in congregate Intermediate care facilities for the Developmentally Disabled must be given the opportunity to move into smaller community based living arrangements if they so choose. A couple of the ladies we serve at our Berwyn Icf/DD have decided to take advantage of this opportunity, and the family of one of these individuals is the driving force behind this fundraiser.

I’m sure this is going to be a terrific event! The work and effort that has been put forward by this family and their circle of friends has been tremendous. Here is a sneak preview of their INCREDIBLE Silent Auction Items!! Items include cooking classes, sports tickets (Cubs, Sox, Bears, Packers), signed Blackhawks memorabilia, a week’s stay in Ireland, Disney Park Hopper passes and more! These 33 auction items are in addition to the 80 basket raffle items that will be presented on the day of the event! Please join us for this celebration of helping people with disabilities have the most connected and independent lives possible. Thank You.

A MESSAGE frOM OUr ExECUTIvE dIrECTOr

A 501(c)(3) NoNPRofIT oRgANIzATIoN

The View from My chair

OUR MISSION

Garden Center Services is committed to supporting and empowering persons

with developmental disabilities through

innovative and person-centered services.

Our commitment to the excellence of our programs

is surpassed only by our devotion to the people we serve and the communities

in which they live.

Check out Gerry's Blog at www.GardenCenterServices.org

GCS Business CornerGarden Center currently has six support businesses. Revenue from those businesses go back to programs for the people we serve. Over the next several issues we will highlight each of our businesses and what they can do for you.

This past May, garden center started brewing our newest business venture, gc Roast coffee company. gc Roast offers three distinct coffees; gc original, Masterpiece Blend, and Empowerment Brew.

gc Roast coffees may be purchased at garden Gallery & Studio, the Burbank and Kedzie day program buildings and on the Garden Gallery & Studio website, www.gardengalleryandStudio.com.

garden center family SpotlightRebecca “Becca” Burrow started with Garden Center in March of 2006. She began with piece work assembling buttons and later working on jobs for groups including Burger King and Chicago Metalics. Later, Becca assisted a Garden Center group as an aide, reading to the group, counting and tracking the work that was completed. This past May, when garden center opened the Kedzie building, Becca interviewed for and won the receptionist position. At Kedzie, Becca mans the front desk, answers the phone, buzzes people in, handles the mail, makes copies and even sells GCS’s new coffee. Becca says what she loves most about her job is helping people.

In her spare time, Becca enjoys painting. Three of her works hang in local Starbucks and she has sold two other paintings through Garden Gallery & Studio. Currently, Becca is working on a piece inspired by the olympic opening ceremony for garden Gallery. And as if that wasn’t enough, Becca is also an author. Becca has written two books on her life. The first, Becca’s Challenge, was given as gifts. Becca’s second book has sold over 350 copies to date. Becca is currently working on the third book in the series. When asked about all the things she does, Becca says matter-of-factly, “I’m an author, a scholar, and everything in between.”

REBECCABURROW

GC Original - A fantastic, rich, aromatic, full-bodied, smooth, low-acidic medium dark roast. Fair Trade. Organic. Also in decaf.

Masterpiece Blend - A hearty breakfast blend roasted medium with a refreshing hint of sweet fruit and brightness to start your day! Eco-Sustainable. Organic. Kosher.

Empowerment Brew - An earthy, deep, complex, full-bodied dark roast that exhibits low-acidity smoothness. It is creamy and sweet with touches of butterscotch and spice. Fair Trade. Organic.

GET YOURS TODAY!

$1,050

Thanks to your generous donations, Garden Center has reached our first goal of $22,500 to address the costs of our relocation to the Kedzie building following the break-in, theft, and vandalism at our previous program site. This initial money is being used to cover the costs of preparations required for our program to move into the space.

GCS reaches first fundraising Goal for relocation following Break-In Program Relocationto Kedzie Goals 2-4

Street View Front Foyer Group Area

We are now working to raise the remaining $21,500 to cover the final three expense areas:

• Replacement of destroyed and stolen equipment, furniture, and program supplies.

• communication and data systems set-up.

• cost of move into the new space and storage costs for items salvaged from the building.

$21,500

garden center is competing with charities nationwide for grants ranging from $10,000 to $250,000 from the chase community giving program. You can help ensure our success by voting for garden center through the chase community giving program on facebook.

The chase community giving program has already directed more than $20 million dollars through this program putting the power to bring positive change into the hands of those who need it most.

The fall 2012 round of the chase community giving program is designed to benefit smaller charities like garden center. The top eligible charity will receive $250,000 and the remaining 195 top charities will earn $10,000 through $100,000 awards, for a total of $5 million dollars in grants.

With your support and the support of our volunteers, fans and local residents, we have the opportunity to get much needed resources to implement big changes!

How You Can Help You can help garden center receive up to $250,000 by simply visiting facebook.com/chasecommunitygiving and casting your vote for us!

Chase customers can get two extra votes by logging into www.Chase.com/ChaseGiving with your customer login information and voting there too.

vOTING OPENS SEPTEMBEr 6th

Help GCS Earn $250,000!GArdEN

CENTEr’S NEEdS LIST

computers Sofa/chairs for our reading areaUmbrellasBar-type stoolsfree-standing shelf unitsPrinterPhoneoffice deskMicrowaveLarge coffee makerBooksElectronic keyboards (music)Event ticketscraft suppliesframes for artworkBlank canvasesX-Box and Wii games

If you have an item to donate, please email Anne McFerron at amcferron@gardencenterservices.org

GCS BULLETIN BOARD

SAVE THE DATE!

GCS 56th Annual Fashion Show

Sunday, November 4thDoubleTree Hotel

5000 W . 127th St.Alsip, IL

Knights of Columbus Tootsie Roll Drive

date: friday Sept. 21 and Saturday Sept. 22 Time: 6am-6pmdetails: We need as many volunteers as possible to help collect donations at various checkpoints in the Burbank area- we receive our share of donations based on how many volunteers we have so tell you family, friends, neighbors to come out for a couple hours!

Contact Michele Hula to volunteer at:(773) 941-4151 ext. 212 or mhula@gardencenterservices.org.

Abide in Me’s Celebrate Me Home Benefit will raise money to purchase, adapt and maintain a home in a local neighborhood

for a group of women with disabilities from Garden Center Services.

ThankYou!

ABIDE IN ME’s Celebrate Me Home Benefit

September 8th3-8pm

115 Bourbon Street Restaurant

3359 W. 115th St.Merrionette Park, IL

Silent Auction & RafflesAdults $30

Children $15Dinner, dessert, beer, wine

and Entertainment.

www.CelebrateMeHomeBenefit.com

ABIDE IN ME BENEFITSaturday, September 8th115 Bourbon Street 3-8pm

KOC TOOTSIE ROLL DRIVE

Friday, September 21st & Saturday

September 22nd

ANNUAL FASHION SHOW

Sunday, November 4th DoubleTree in Alsip at noon

Don’t Forget!

WHErE WE GrOW dIGNITY ANd INdEPENdENCE

phone 708.636.0054

email info@gardencenterservices.org

web www.gardencenterservices.org

BOArd Of dIrECTOrS

http://www.facebook.com/gardencenterservices

http://twitter.com/gardencentersrv

http://www.youtube.com/user/gardencenterservices

http://gardencenterservices.wordpress.com/

ARoUND gcS

Knights of Columbus #14553 present GCS with a check from their July YB Hungry fundraiserJonathan shows off his pizza making skills

President daniel Wenzler

1st vice President Scott Hardek

2nd vice President doug Combs

Treasurer r. Pat Ballis

Secretary Annmarie Caulfield

Members: John J. Kunkes

Linda Stearns

Linda Sherwood

Sharon duncan

Jenny Wojcik

Shop GCS Businesses another way you can help us make a difference...

Kathy takes a break at Five GuysCarla and Katy get creative at a ceramics shop

COFFEE Co.COFFEE Co..Tastes Good. Does Good. Feels Good

For more information, visit www.GardenCenterServices.org/our-businesses.html

GCS Ink Cartridge and Small Electronics Recycling44 Stephen Street, Lemont

17459 S. Oak Park Ave. Tinley Park

SECOND CHANCE THRIFT SHOPPE

SUPER SALE

SECOND CHANCE THRIFT SHOPPE

September 30th 12pm-4pm

HALF OFF EVERYTHING IN THE STORE!

44 Stephen Street Lemont, IL

For sale online, at day sites, & at Garden Gallery Gift Shop

GCS bowlers, Stacey and David, pose with the rest of the Buddy League. Ricky (also in pic) was on-hand to cheer our team on