BCI Board of Directors Welcomes Two New Members

Brandywine Counseling welcomed two new members to our Board of Directors March 16, 2010.

Lauren Pearce of Milton is a Constituent Relations Liaison for Governor Jack Markell. She has been an active volunteer with BCI's Lighthouse Program for the past year, participating in many special activities with the women and children. Currently, she is doing a clothing/toiletry drive in the Governor’s office for residents. “I love working with the Lighthouse and wish I could do more with them,” says Lauren. “I've been working with [counselor] Kelly Enfield, who is wonderful, and I'm attempting to paint their Recovery Room in the Pentecostal church across the street. In May, we planted flowers with the women and children, and I hope to do that again this coming spring.” Lauren joined our board to become more involved with the organization, utilize her public relations experience, and continue pursuing her passion for helping those affected by addiction and HIV/AIDS.

Dr. Harold Rosen, MD, of Wayne, Pennsylvania is Chair of the Department of Psychiatry for Christiana Care Health System. Dr. Rosen has been a valued partner and resource to BCI in recent years as we have expanded our co-occurring disorders services. He has enabled us to strengthen our collaboration with Delaware’s major hospital to benefit the population we mutually serve. In addition, he brings his ideas on a wide range of topics, ranging from board development and vision, to demonstrating the outcomes and cost-effectiveness of BCI’s work, to working toward improvements in the overall health systems in our state.

The BCI Board is comprised of volunteers who support the mission of Brandywine Counseling by serving as our “eyes and ears” in the community, and sharing their time, advice, and expertise. We are glad to welcome our two new additions. Please join us in giving them a warm welcome to BCI!

2010-11 Officers Elected

The Brandywine Counseling Board of Directors elected officers for 2010-2011 on January 19, 2010:

Carole Franzoni, President
Lisa Sherwood, Vice President
Karla Fleshman, Secretary
Jean Meussner, Treasurer

The Board of Directors is comprised of volunteers who support the mission of Brandywine Counseling by serving as our “eyes and ears” in the community, and sharing their time, advice, and expertise. Brandywine Counseling congratulates our new officers. We thank you for your service and look forward to working with you to serve people with addiction, mental health, and HIV-related challenges.

Interns, Interns Everywhere!

Brandywine Counseling's internship program has grown by leaps and bounds over the past year. We currently have over 90 students involved in a project around our agency! This is a big help to our staff while providing real-world experience for the interns.

The Alpha program has been working with interns for close to two years. Site Director Mark Lanyon has partnered with several local schools to get the word out about our program and make it a sought-after destination for many students. Our internship program really started at Alpha, and now our other locations are jumping on board.

The Outreach department and Lancaster Avenue site have started a "service learning" partnership with Del Tech. It began because a Human Services professor thought some field work would be valuable to her intro students, rather than waiting until all of their coursework was completed. It's mutally beneficial; we can depend on a group of students each semester to complete tasks, while we teach the next group of people coming to us after they graduate for full time jobs. The work they will do for us will prepare them for the "real world" of human services. There are 68 students working with us through this project.

In addition, Outreach is working with nursing students from the University of Delaware. These interns are assisting with the Needle Exchange to do rapid HIV testing, educate about safe injection and overdose prevention, and have discussions with users about their sexual health. This opportunity gives the interns a wonderful opportunity to practice working with real individuals. 16 nursing students are currently with us.

We'd like to thank all the professors and administrators who have helped our internship program grow to this level: Karen Stevenson and Terry Fisher at Del Tech, Elaine Greggo at the University of Delaware, Sandra Brisiel at Del Tech, John Corrozi of Wilmington University, Norma Gaines-Hanks of UD, Vanessa Johnson of West Chester University, Carla Strassle of York College of Pennsylvania, and John Smith of Seton Hall University.

If you'd like to intern at BCI, here's how to apply. Yes, believe it or not, there are still some of us staff without one! You can have a clinical background, but also communications or technology.

Volunteer Spotlight: Gwen Cichocki, Outreach Support

Gwen Cichocki is a longtime volunteer with us in our Outreach Center. For several years, she's come in once a week to work in the clothes closet, restock supplies, and do many other small but necessary jobs to help out the outreach team. In this video by Will Leitz, Gwen talks about the work she does, and why it's personal for her. We couldn't do what we do without the help of people like Gwen!

"Give An Hour" Offers Free Counseling for Veterans

One of my co-workers told me about a great program today that I wanted to pass along. Give An Hour offers free therapy sessions to veterans and their families. The sessions are donated by licensed mental health professionals, one hour a week, free of charge, to anyone who is or has been affected by the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.

One of our staff at BCI Alpha is taking part in this program through his private practice with a client who's served multiple tours in Afghanistan. This is a wonderful idea and there is sure to be great demand. If you would like to find a participating provider or become a volunteer, visit giveanhour.org.

BCI Welcomes 3 New Board Members

Brandywine Counseling welcomed three new members to our Board of Directors September 15, 2009.

Stacey Clark of Middletown is a School Counselor with Campus Community High School in Dover. She brings not only her counseling background, but personal experience in addiction recovery. Stacey joined us because she believes the community as a whole benefits when its residents are healthy and well. She looks forward to finding resources, ideas, and community members to help Brandywine help our clients and their families. “I want to see more people remain in recovery and lessen relapses if possible,” she told us. “If I am able to help by being a Board member, I would love to be given the opportunity.”

Jean Meussner of Lincoln University, Pennsylvania is Director of Human Resources for Jenner’s Pond in West Grove. Jean came to us looking for an opportunity to make a difference in the community. She explained that while she has been fortunate to not be touched by addiction in her own family, she has seen its effects on the family of a close friend. “It simply tears my heart out to see what this problem has done to the child and all of the family members,” she says. “The only thing I have been able to do is be a shoulder to cry on and the sounding board for [the family].” As a Human Resources professional, Jean also brings her enjoyment of working with people, and helping and watching others develop and grow.

Joseph Paesani of Newark is an Adjunct Professor with Wilmington University. He is recently retired from the Delaware Department of Correction, where he worked for several decades, most recently as Deputy Bureau Chief. He also remains actively involved with the Delaware Criminal Justice Council. Joe is a longtime friend of BCI who is well acquainted with us through his work with DOC, and has been a trusted advisor to us on numerous topics. He brings valuable expertise on Delaware’s criminal justice system, and working with offenders and law enforcement. Joe looks forward to continuing his support of BCI's cause in his new role as a member of our Board.

The BCI Board is comprised of volunteers who support the mission of Brandywine Counseling by serving as our “eyes and ears” in the community, and sharing their time, advice, and expertise. We are thrilled to have these wonderful people as part of the organization. Please join us in giving them a warm welcome to BCI!

"Veggie Volunteer" Wanted to Start a Community Garden

Do you love to garden? Do you grow prize-winning produce? Want to teach people in recovery for drug addiction to “grow their own?”

Brandywine Counseling seeks a volunteer to help start a community garden. Our clients can tend to it with your instruction and monitoring, and take home the produce for their consumption. Gardening can be therapeutic for someone who is new to recovery. It can help them rediscover a normal lifestyle while doing an activity they can enjoy and feel proud of.

Fun project for someone who can give a few hours during the week to start up the garden, and ongoing assistance as needed. Crunchy hippies welcome.

Desired skills: Gardening experience, and enjoy working with people. Apply here!

Volunteer Project: Marketing Genius

Do you design eye-catching brochures? Can you take pre-written content and come up with a polished publication appropriate for the target audience? Are you passionate about addiction and mental health treatment, recovery, and HIV/AIDS prevention?

Brandywine Counseling seeks a volunteer to update our organizational brochure describing all our programs. Work closely with our staff to formulate a concept, design with the target audience in mind, and come up with a final product that inspires and informs. Great project for someone who can give a few hours during the week on a one-time or ongoing basis. “Virtual” volunteers who want to correspond by email/phone accepted.

Desired skills: Marketing/communications knowledge, specifically in creating print brochures.

Apply for this project

Volunteer Spotlight: Josh Ellow, Alpha Program Intern

Hello! My name is Josh Ellow and I have been volunteering at the Alpha Program since January.
Back in 2005 I crossed paths with Mark Lanyon, the Site Director of the Alpha Program. In talking with Mark, I learned about BCI and its goal to aid those in recovery. Four years later I decided to expand on this brief introduction, as I needed to find an internship site. Accordingly, I hopped on BCI’s website. Needless to say I was impressed with what I found because I have been dedicated to BCI ever since.

As mentioned above, I chose to volunteer so that I could gain hands-on experience to compliment my schooling. Presently I am a graduate student at Chestnut Hill College in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. While my degree is in Clinical and Counseling Psychology, I chose to concentrate on addiction studies. Because of this specialization, BCI was a great choice as it offers individual, group, psychiatric, and family counseling.

After beginning my internship in January, I have had the opportunity to gain practical experience in countless areas. My favorite task would have to be group counseling. The Alpha program offers various groups including Addiction Education, Relapse Prevention, and Life Skills. Also, a Recovery Bound Group is offered on Saturdays, which allows clients who work during the week to acquire their needed group time. I have been assisting with this specific group since I first started. Over time, I have helped clients through education, counsel, and conversation while developing a solid therapeutic relationship with many. Because of the varying themes, each group tends to evolve in a different manner. Consequently, my ability to facilitate these sessions has grown immensely.

Additionally, BCI has taught me the importance of interdependence among staff. In other words, I have learned that some things are difficult to do alone; and sometimes one must look to others for assistance. Within the Alpha building there are over a dozen professionals, all with different specializations, working together for the good of the client. This has been a novel and welcomed approach from the previous individual counseling I have done.

Looking back on all that I have done and all the people I have worked with, I am extremely thankful for my experience at BCI. Because of my dedication to the weekend Recovery Bound groups, I have been hired to take over two of these groups per month. As a part-time employee at Alpha, and a dedicated behaviorist to adolescents, I know I am gaining skills to aid my career as a counselor specializing in addictions.

5 Questions for Matt Friedman, Executive Assistant

5 Questions is our ongoing feature where we introduce you to the people who make Brandywine Counseling run, spotlighting a different staff member with each installment. After interviewing about three dozen staff members over the last two years, I figured it was time to turn the spotlight on myself.

Name: Matt Friedman
Job: Assistant to the Executive Director
Time with BCI: 8 years


1. Tell us what you do at BCI.
My title is Executive Assistant, but I like to tell people I’m the fundraising and communications guy. So that means I write the grants, as well as our newsletter, and content for our Web site, and of course this blog. I’m also responsible for donor relations, and I do a lot of our volunteer recruitment. Then I also do some data collection to monitor how we’re doing at getting people in the door and keeping them engaged once they’re here. And, I do some behind the scenes stuff in meetings with our management team, work with our Board of Directors, and do some internal communications for the rest of our staff. So, I really wear a lot of hats. I like the variety and there’s always something to keep me busy!

2. Why did you decide to work in addiction treatment?
A lot of the staff I’ve interviewed for this series have said it wasn’t something they planned, and that’s true for me too. It was a big change from my original field of engineering. I had kind of stumbled into grant writing, just out of school and working for a research and development company. I found I didn’t make such a great engineer, but I made a pretty good grant writer. And at the same time, I was doing some volunteer work mentoring kids, which I really enjoyed. So eventually I put two and two together and decided I should go work for a nonprofit.

I wanted to work for a kids’ organization at first, but I expanded my search, because it’s hard to break into the non-profit field, especially in a role like this, which is so specialized. So when the opportunity came up with BCI, I had to consider it in spite of being new to addiction. I’m a lifelong Delawarean, and I knew nothing about the extent of the problem and the need for the services BCI provides. I talked a little in a recent post about the biases I came in with, and what a leap of faith it was to be able to see myself doing this kind of work. But luckily, I did make that leap, and that was nearly 8 years ago. I think it’s been what I was looking for, in terms of being able to put many different skills to use, and also have that sense of satisfaction, knowing you’re helping change lives right here in your own community.

As someone who’s made the transition from the for-profit to the non-profit arena, I can tell you while it’s not easy to get your foot in the door, if it’s what you really want to do, you should go for it. If you’re coming from a different field like I did, you have to show that your skills are transferable. Things like writing, organizational skills, creativity. Along with that, just show you have a real desire to work for a service organization. Definitely volunteer, or intern if you can, to get a feel for the day to day flow and decide if it’s right for you. So, be persistent, sell your strengths, and know what you want to get out of it.

3. What would people be surprised to know about your job?
That I’m probably the least knowledgeable about addiction of anyone here, even with all I’ve learned over the years. I don’t have a clinical background, so I rely a lot on my coworkers to explain the nuts and bolts of things to me. And I have picked up a lot, but I’ll still give people a blank look when they start talking about IOP’s, and UTO’s, and CRF’s. I know enough to do my job. But every grant we write is really a team effort.

Sometimes having an “outsider” perspective works to my advantage. When I’m explaining a concept in a grant, I’m making sure I can understand it myself. And when I’m writing an article, too, I can approach it as someone outside the organization would. That’s become a little harder over time as I’ve become more of an insider, but in general it still surprises me to hear the realities of daily life for our clients, and their experience going through the channels to get help.

4. Tell us your favorite client success story.
I don’t think I could pick a favorite story. Every time I get to interview a client and tell their story, it’s very rewarding for me. I think I enjoy that part of my job the most. It’s a responsibility I take seriously. It takes courage whenever someone decides to share their story, so I want to honor the realness of what they tell me, but also package it in a way that will resonate with the reader. I really consider it a privilege to be a messenger of life-affirming stories. There are so many here at BCI, and the more we tell, the more I think the public will relate to what we do and see its value.

The story I just did, A Life Saved by Inches, was incredible, mainly because of how close the person was to being dead, and because he survived, he got the chance to get help, and ultimately a new lease on life. But what was also great about that story was, I didn’t even know before I did the interview, that he came to us through our brand-new hospital outreach program. I had set out to highlight the co-occurring disorders therapy at our outpatient program, how this had helped the client work through mental illness, and the work his counselor did with him. But it was an added bonus to be able to mention the Christiana Care project, and the work of the outreach worker, and show that was a success. So it ended up being a wonderful human story, but also a real-life example of a continuum of care. We had someone go from the emergency room to our door, and to successful completion of the program.

5. You can tell a lot about a person from their office. Tell us what you have in your office.
My office is neat and uncluttered. I’m very organized and try to keep only what I absolutely need. Sometimes people give me things to store, which kind of throws a wrench into that approach. I have two tripods, for instance. Anyone need a tripod?

I’m not that good of a decorator, so I have a lot of room on the walls I don’t know what to do with. I have two of Dr. Glick’s travel photos that I won at one of our silent auctions a few years ago. I have plants, because I have two windows and they do well here. I have my rug to add a splash of color. I have some song lyrics on my wall dealing with addiction. One is Neil Young’s “The Needle and the Damage Done,” and the other is “My Old Addiction,” which was written by David Wilcox and covered by k.d. lang. I put those up when I first started here, because I was new to addiction and the best way to understand it was through music. Knowing what I know now, I’ve found those two songs are still a pretty accurate picture of reality.

And then on my bookcase, I have some trays from the post office for next time we do a mailing, some books on fundraising, lots of binders from trainings I’ve been to, and some souvenirs from all our NIATx work – baseball cap, coffee mug, Swiss cheese pencil topper. That’s from Wisconsin!

BCI Welcomes Jennifer Karpe to Board of Directors

Brandywine Counseling is pleased to welcome Jennifer Karpe of Philadelphia as a new member of our Board of Directors. Jennifer is an Associate with Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher, & Flom, LLP in Wilmington. In addition to her legal background, she was trained as a clinical psychologist for three years prior to law school. As she explained to us, it was through her work in this area that the cause of addictions services became particularly near and dear to her.

“I provided counseling in a rural area of Alabama where addiction runs rampant and is often compounded by the poverty, lack of education, and lack of support individuals there face. My eyes were opened to the array of problems that often accompany addiction (and are aggravated by it), and the need those folks and their families have for assistance across the board. Although I ultimately decided to pursue a different career path, I think my previous life as a counselor largely shaped my world view.”

The BCI Board is comprised of volunteers who support the mission of Brandywine Counseling by serving as our “eyes and ears” in the community, and sharing their time, advice, and expertise. We are excited Jennifer has joined us and we know she will be a wonderful addition to the organization. Please join us in giving her a warm welcome to BCI!

Lancaster's New Reception Area

What do you think of our new reception area at Lancaster? We've added some walls and a sliding glass partition for Ms. Joyce's area. The big countertop is gone, the lighting is improved, and the space looks a lot more professional and welcoming.

We'd like to thank Lori Henry for volunteering as our space planner for this project. She was a terrific help, particularly in the area of cost savings. The sliding glass window was actually taken from another area of the building where it wasn’t being used. Lori also connected us with Village Builders, the contractor that did the work and gave us a discounted rate. These days, funding is scarce for us to do renovations like this, so we’re grateful to find people who want to give back to the community. Please check out Lori’s Web site, Transformations By Lori.

As we put the finishing touches on the reception area, we also have more projects in the works that Lori is helping us with, so keep your eyes open. And as always, if you want to volunteer your construction, decorating, or any other skills, drop us an email!

Volunteer Spotlight: Ashley Bobey, Alpha Program

Hi, my name is Ashley Bobey, and I was an intern with the Alpha Program.

I heard about BCI through Jenna Theibault Dean, counselor at the Newark site. Jenna and I met at West Chester University's Masters program in Clinical Psychology, and subsequently became great friends. When Jenna learned that I was looking for an internship for school, she suggested I contact BCI. Prior to beginning my internship, I did not know much about BCI. I was surprised to learn how many different programs there are.

During my internship, I ran the addiction education group on a weekly basis, as well as other groups as needed by the counselors. I completed treatment plans, discharge summaries, and occasional counseling sessions, as well as other odds and ends as needed.

Prior to my internship experience, the bulk of my work experience was with children with developmental disorders (i.e. Autism), and I was looking to expand my horizons. Working in the drug and alcohol field proved to be a valuable experience. BCI was a fantastic place to complete my internship. Everyone was very helpful, and I was able to take on projects at my own pace. I would recommend interning at BCI to anyone who is motivated to learn a lot during the experience.

Since the completion of my internship, I have gotten a full time job at BCI at the Lancaster site as an Intake Counselor. While I have not been in the position long, I am thoroughly enjoying it thus far. I feel very lucky to be part of the BCI team.

BCI Seeks New Board Members

Do you want to help people affected by drug addiction or HIV/AIDS achieve meaningful, long term recovery? Brandywine Counseling seeks enthusiastic, dependable, and creative people to serve on our Board of Directors. Be our ears and our voice in the community. Invest your time and expertise in support of addiction recovery. Watch us as we save lives, and share our stories with others. Quarterly meetings, and the chance to be involved however you choose.

Any of the following experience is helpful, but not required:
-- Development and/or public relations;
-- Personal experience in recovery (yourself or your family);
-- Computers and technology.

Please send a copy of your resume, and anything you would like to tell us about your interests and what you hope to bring to the Board.

Apply to contactbci[at]brandywinecounseling[dot]org, or fax to 302-472-0392, attention Matt Friedman.

Remembering Iris Berman, Dedicated BCI Board Member

We were saddened to receive the news that former BCI Board member Iris Berman has passed away.

The time and energy Iris brought to her BCI board service was far and above the norm. She was nearly singlehandedly responsible for starting our annual fundraising events, with the Hubcaps oldies band and then the Comedy Showcase. In this 2005 picture, Iris (right) collects tickets at the door with some help from her mom.

I had the opportunity to work with Iris on our fundraisers for several years, having committee meetings, making flyers, collecting donations for the auction. She was a longtime board Treasurer who was here before I came, and was active in many other areas until leaving in 2006. It was a pleasure to work with her as a board member, and to get to know her as a person.

Volunteer Needed: Nurse to Administer Hep A and B Vaccines

Brandywine Counseling is looking for a volunteer registered and licensed Nurse to perform vaccines to a very important and under-served population at least one day a week for a 2 hour shift.

The service will be provided on a Mobile Health Outreach Van which parks in troubled areas of the city of Wilmington during scheduled hours. We have 8 scheduled sites and locations and are flexible about which one will offer the vaccine. We are most interested in finding a committed nurse who will choose a day that works for him or her. (Our schedule can be found on our Web site.)

We offer FREE HIV Testing, sterile syringe exchange, safer sex materials and supplies, referrals to other social services, drug treatment etc. We have a wonderful relationship with the community and want to take advantage of the free vaccines we have been given to disseminate.

Please feel free to contact Basha Silverman with questions at 302-655-9880 ext 23, or apply here.

Delaware Does More, Did More, and Will Do More!

This morning I attended the Delaware Does More Victory Event in Newark. Back in November, the goal was set to raise 300,000 pounds of food and $250,000 for emergency shelter and utility assistance.

It was announced today that we raised 343,000 pounds of food and over $300,000 for shelter and utilities. Wow! That is awesome!

Here are some highlights from the celebration:

Government leaders Lt. Gov. Denn, Sen. Carper, and Rep. Castle were on hand to thank everyone for their efforts. “It takes a whole lot of people,” said Rep. Castle, “and you have made a huge difference.”

J.B. Braun of the News Journal spoke about “the power and the speed of how quickly this thing went.” He noted that the food barrel became a symbol for the drive, with 750 participating organizations listed (see picture). He then said the initiative was here to stay. “Delaware Does More is not over; it’s now a brand.”

Tyrone Jones of AstraZeneca followed up on this theme: “We’re not going to stop here, because the need is still there.”

Gary Stockbridge of Delmarva Power summed up why the effort was so successful. “We took advantage of existing relationships in the community; we didn’t reinvent anything.”

Bernadette Winston of Kingswood Community Center shared some of the stories of people who benefited. One individual came for help after losing her job at the same time her husband went into the hospital. $400 in assistance kept her from getting her power disconnected and saved her from going into crisis mode.

Catherine Ciesielski of the Rose Hill Community Center said that her organization alone was able to keep 4064 people from going hungry over the last 4 months.

In their closing remarks, Patricia Beebe of the Food Bank and Michelle Taylor of United Way thanked all the volunteers, businesses, organizations, and staff who took part. In particular, they recognized four children from Newark who went out with two wagons on a 20 degree day, and collected 1000 pounds of food, enough to feed 32 families for 4 days. Go kids!

Delaware Does More will start a new phase to be announced in the coming months. They could not tell us much today, but said it would involve produce and gardening. Stay tuned and we’ll let you know when we hear what it is!

Brandywine Counseling is proud to have been a part of this drive. If you haven’t checked out our photos yet, please do – they’re hilarious. Thank you once again, Delaware. You did more!!!

Volunteers Visit Lighthouse for International Women's Day

Sunday, March 8th, a group of volunteers came to the Lighthouse Program to recognize the women in the program on International Women's Day.

They were led by Lauren Pearce, the Constituent Relations Liaison for Delaware Governor Jack Markell, who collaborated with Sarah Wyshock-Wolfe, the Program Coordinator of Community Services for the YWCA, and a veteran volunteer to the Lighthouse Program. All together, there were about 8 volunteers who participated.

They brought books and coloring activities for play time with the children. The volunteers and the women of the Lighthouse worked together on reading and creating with the children. The volunteers were also kind enough to bring snacks for all of the women and children.

The women of the Lighthouse enjoyed the outside volunteers. They provided time to enjoy being a mother and develop a further bond with their children. The Lighthouse staff and clients are grateful to the women for generously giving their time to provide positive support in the lives of all of the women in the house that day.

Kelly Enfield

Counselor/Case Manager

Volunteer Spotlight: Nathan West, Tech Support

Nathan West is a student at Wilmington Friends School who volunteered with Brandywine Counseling last summer doing tech support. He was a great help in fixing many troublesome computer issues that we lacked either the know-how or the time to address.

How did you hear about this project?
I heard about the project through a volunteering website designed to give people who are looking for volunteer opportunities the ability to easily find the ones they want, near where they live.

What made you want to volunteer?
I decided to volunteer because I had to do community service for a school project, but more because I really wanted to put my skills with computers and technology to good use.

What did you think of BCI?
I wasn't really sure what BCI would be like, having never experienced a drug counseling institution before. However, I found it to be a very pleasant experience. The people were all very friendly, and I felt very welcome even just a few days into it.

What did you work on?
I mainly worked with the older computers, running through them and making sure they were still in working order. I also helped out people with their computers directly, when the need arose, throughout the building.

What will you take away from your experience?
The biggest thing I gained from volunteering at BCI was using my skills to work with people who needed them. Before this, I had only used them personally (i.e., for my own personal computer work), and this gave me an excellent opportunity to work with other people.

How does it feel to help people in need?
I was thrilled to have an opportunity to use my much-needed skills with computers and technology to help people who needed them. Even though I wasn't making any money, it felt really good to be able to provide the service. Plus, I was able to work with computers for many hours a day, which is never a fault in my book.

Volunteer Project: Interior Design Expert

First impressions matter in drug and alcohol treatment!

Do you have an eye for interior design? Are you someone who can look at a space and suggest low-cost improvements to enhance the aesthetic appeal?

Brandywine Counseling seeks a volunteer to walk through the Alpha outpatient program and give us your advice to create a more attractive treatment environment. If you like, you can help us make the improvements, or just give us some ideas we can run with!

Apply here

Delawareans Generously Give Time, Money to Help Others

Here's some video from last weekend's Better Delaware Weekend of Caring, the volunteer event organized by Gov. Markell in lieu of a traditional inaugural ball.

Hundreds of people throughout the state took part in more than 30 projects, which you can read about here. It was also announced Saturday that United Way of Delaware made their 2008 campaign goal of $22 million. What great news! Even in these challenging economic times, Delawareans are generously giving their time and their money to charitable causes. Thank you everyone, we and our clients really appreciate it.

Sussex County's Soup Lady

Every Tuesday Dale Dunning stops by Brandywine Counseling Georgetown to deliver soup to our clients, many of whom are homeless. Dale runs Jusst Sooup Ministry, which is a soup kitchen on wheels, but much more. She distributes basic necessities to the most needy in Sussex County. The Cape Gazette has a nice article about how she got started with just an idea and the desire to help.

Dale is always punctual and happy to feed our clients. Some of them who have a community service requirement have done volunteer work with her organization. Besides soup, she’s brought us bagels, hot pretzels, sandwiches, and whatever she can get her hands on at the time. At Christmas she brought a big pot of cocktail wienies that were a big hit.

Oh, and just in case you were wondering, the soup is wonderful! Gloria, the supervisor at Georgetown, says her favorite is the potato, broccoli, and cheese. She also likes the wedding soup and chili.

Thanks Dale for all you do!

Photo c/o Ron Macarthur, Cape Gazette

Making the Connection

This morning, Daniel Norvell, a counselor at Alpha, pulled me aside and said he had someone who wanted to volunteer with Brandywine. Daniel was excited because he'd seen one of the postings on our Web site, and found just the type of person we’re looking for. He asked whether she should get in touch with me, and I said, of course! It’s always great to get word of mouth referrals of volunteers. I wish we would get more!

This got me thinking how a word of mouth referral happens. It sounds so simple, yet so few of us actually do it. In Daniel’s case, an ordinary conversation with his friend turned to the economy, how so many people were hurting and in need of help. His friend said she wished she could do something to help. So Daniel said, well, Brandywine can use your help.

Ding Ding Ding! Connection made!

It really was that simple. How many of us are having that same conversation about the economy with our friends? We all want to help. Perhaps we would do something if we just knew where and how. If we knew there was someplace that could use our own particular skills to do some good.

Just think, if all of Brandywine Counseling’s supporters seized that opportunity and put in a plug for what we need, how many connections would we make? Connections with people with computer skills, people with clothes to donate, people from the corporate world who can teach us things, you name it. People you know, who are ready and willing to help.

Could you do what Daniel did? Think about it. Where can you make the connection?

Tech-Savvy Volunteers Wanted!

BCI is seeking people who are technology-inclined and are looking to give back to the community. We have two volunteer projects available:

NEW MEDIA ASSISTANT
2814 West 2nd Street, Wilmington

Are you knowledgeable about “new media” and excited about its power to deliver a message? Are you passionate about addiction treatment and recovery, or HIV/AIDS prevention?

Brandywine Counseling seeks a volunteer to help us tell our success stories and raise awareness of our work using new media, including video, social networking sites, and user-generated content. Work closely with our staff and clients to collect stories and ideas and use them in creative ways to inspire and inform. Fun project for someone who can give a few hours, 1 or 2 days during the week on an ongoing basis.

Knowledge of new media required, including popular sites such as YouTube and Facebook. Experience filming video and preparing for online publication very helpful. Creativity, and enjoy working with people.

Apply for this project


TECH SUPPORT
2814 West 2nd Street, Wilmington

Are you the person everyone turns to to fix their computer issues? Do you want to make a difference for people affected by drug and alcohol addiction? Brandywine Counseling seeks a volunteer to troubleshoot and fix IT issues for the staff at our treatment center. There are everyday problems that come up related to hardware, software, browsers, email, etc. We have limited IT staff to help with this, and the rest of us are more technically challenged! So we need your help to get these problems solved more quickly so we can focus our time on client services!

Great project for someone who is available weekdays, between 9 and 4, and can give a few hours a week on an ongoing basis.

Apply for this project

Volunteer Spotlight: Bridget Cady, Outreach Support

Bridget Cady is a recent graduate of University of Wales, Lampeter in the UK and will be serving in the Peace Corps starting in May 2009. She spends several hours a week volunteering with Brandywine Counseling's Outreach Department. Recently she sat down for a chat about what brought her here and what she’s been doing.

What made you want to volunteer?
I’m joining the Peace Corps, and I really wanted to get as much volunteer experience as possible. I know a bit about drug rehabilitation and addicts, and stuff like that, but it was really important for me to get experience in HIV/AIDS, the outreach part of it.

Why did you choose BCI?
I live in this neighborhood, so it was really important to me to volunteer close to home. I wanted to help out in my community, so I’m volunteering at two places, and both of them are within my zip code.

What have you worked on here?
I’ve done all sorts of things. I’ve looked up research, I’ve written little pieces for proposals. I’ve worked the week before Thanksgiving giving away turkeys to people. That was probably my favorite thing. I have lots of different things to do. No day’s ever the same when I come in here, and I really like that.

What will you take away from your experience?
A greater appreciation for members of my community and some of the hardships that they’re going through, and also for the wonderful people who are trying to help them.

How does it feel to help people in need?
It feels great! I mean, of course it feels good to be able to say, “I have the time to do this, so, I’m going to.” It’s a heartening feeling.

Volunteer, and Create "A Better Delaware"

Delaware's Governor-elect, Jack Markell, is calling on Delawareans to create "A Better Delaware" through thousands of hours of volunteer service. The initiative began November 24 and runs through a statewide Weekend of Service on January 24-25. The project is taking the place of the traditional inaugural ball. At the Web site BetterDelaware.org, volunteers can find opportunities throughout the state and record their hours of service.

"So many Delawareans are already contributing so much, but our nonprofits need more help," Markell said. "Nonprofit organizations and the clients they serve are especially hard hit by the current economy. It's time for Delawareans to come together and help those less fortunate by donating, time, treasure or talent. It won't be easy, but if we all work together, we can and will make a positive difference during these challenging times."

Just like Delaware Does More, this is another example of bringing about real change through the actions of many ordinary people. It's a great thing to see and hopefully it will continue well past inauguration day.

Brandywine has lots of worthwhile and fun projects and we would love to have you or your group volunteer with us. Do you want to help out Outreach like Felecia, or do some painting like Jennifer? Maybe you have a special skill to teach our clients, like Eul? Visit BetterDelaware.org to see our list of projects, or contact us if you have an idea you don’t see listed.

Volunteer Spotlight: Sara Bergamo, Alpha Program

Sara Bergamo is a University of Delaware student spending 400 hours interning with BCI Alpha. In the following Volunteer Spotlight, she talks about her experience in her own words:

I first heard about Brandywine Counseling from a friend I went to school with, who said that BCI was always looking for help from volunteers. I decided to do my internship at Brandywine because I would like to work in the substance abuse field in the future. I liked the clinical aspect of this work and the ability to form therapeutic relationships with clients. I thought volunteering at Brandywine would be eye-opening and a great experience.

Before starting at BCI, I had no idea what to expect. I was nervous because of the stigma that is sometimes attached to this type of work. After starting here, I learned what a great environment BCI is. Everyone who works here is nice, helpful, and very appreciative of the hard work that everyone does. The clients are honest, understanding, and receptive. Brandywine is a very caring work environment. You can really tell that the employees love the work they do and care about both their clients and one another.

While at BCI, I worked in the Alpha building with the outpatient treatment program. I helped counselors write treatment plans, discharge summaries, and progress reports. I also briefly met with clients when their primary counselors were not available, and helped run group sessions. My experience at BCI has been a great one. I’ve learned so much about how to help and reach out to clients. It has opened my eyes to the world of addiction and how difficult recovery is. Talking to people and learning about their experiences, hardships, and triumphs has proven to be incredibly rewarding.

I will take a great deal from my experience at BCI. While this started as an internship to learn about a career in drug and alcohol rehab, it became so much more. Everyone who works here has been patient with me, and has helped me learn a lot. The thing I will most take away from my time here, though, are the bonds that you form with people. Learning about clients on an individual basis has been great, and being able to ask things like, “How are the kids?” or “Did you move into your new house yet?” gives a feeling of connectedness that can’t be matched.

Getting involved has given me a sense of accomplishment and happiness. It feels great to know that I have been able to use my time to benefit both myself and others. Brandywine has truly been a great learning and growing experience, and I’m glad that I’ve gotten to work with the staff and clients here.

Volunteer Spotlight: James Kennedy, Alpha Program

Hi, this is James Kennedy and I'm an intern with Brandywine Counseling Alpha. I first heard about BCI through a friend who is also in recovery. She recommended that I check into working here for my internship for Delaware Tech. I later heard more about it through my advisor at school, who recommended it to me to consider for my internship for my drug/alcohol counseling degree.

I decided to do my internship here for several reasons. I like the diverse and eclectic staff that offer such a wide range of skills and life experiences, from mental health to art groups, to provide a progressive approach to addiction treatment. I also like the tight knit family atmosphere among the staff. From the day of my interview and on, I felt welcomed and part of the team, and I feel it’s this attitude that makes the program so effective and beneficial to our clients.

Honestly, I didn’t know much about BCI’s program before I came in, except that it was an outpatient treatment program, but when I met with Mark Lanyon, I soon learned that it is more than just a simple outpatient program; it’s instead a resource for the clients to treat every aspect of their addiction, including their mental health problems, family problems, and even compulsive gambling issues.

In the time I’ve been here, I have been working on a wide array of projects, such as intakes and assessments, brief face to face sessions with clients, assisting with treatment plan writing and revising, discharge summaries, as well as facilitating several groups here, and at the North Wilmington site, the Plummer Correctional Facility, and the Webb Correctional Center.

I will take away from this experience a greater knowledge of how to treat addiction, how to connect with clients in a friendly yet professional manner, and a beginning knowledge of working with clients in the criminal justice system and those with mental health issues. But I will also be taking with me a better knowledge of myself and how my strengths can fit in with a team. It really is a terrific feeling to get involved and help people in need. It’s a greater high than any drug can offer.

Volunteer Spotlight: Felecia Doyle, Outreach Support

My name is Felecia Doyle. I am doing my internship at BCI HIV/AIDS Outreach Program. I first learned about the program from seeing the sign on Lancaster Avenue. I started researching what programs they offered and was interested in how much the staff helps the community. Being a Delaware Tech student in the Drug and Alcohol Degree program we are required to complete 200 hours of unpaid internship. Not only am I learning from my experience here, I am helping the staff achieve their goals by offering my support.

Before I started at BCI, I figured the staff had to have a heart in working with the community that is at risk for HIV. Once I started, the staff welcomed me with open arms. Since the facility is under renovations, the staff is working out of one room. Even though the space is tight, they all work together like one family.

I am currently working on data entry for the NEP, Needle Exchange Program. This program manages the clients who are new to NEP and who have utilized NEP as repeat clients. These clients are given numbers to use as their identification. Another program I am helping with is the CSAT GPRA, Center for Substance Abuse Treatment Government Performance and Results Act. This is through SAMHSA, which funds grants to provide substance abuse and mental health services to states and communities. This program monitors clients for a year.

I have learned a lot with the needle exchange program. I believe that this is a great program to help the community. The outreach workers go out into the community to promote the program, give out safe sex kits, bleach kits and let clients know about the rapid free HIV testing.

What I would take away with me from the experience is to have had the pleasure of meeting such great people who work at the HIV Outreach. All of the staff have hearts of gold and give so much to the community. I like to help people and bring smiles to their faces. If more people would open up their hearts it would make such a big difference.

Volunteer Spotlight: Jennifer Fletcher, Alpha Center

Jennifer Fletcher volunteered with Brandywine Counseling Alpha for several Fridays to do a project we called "Creating a Welcoming Entrance."

We know that first impressions matter when someone walks into our program for treatment, so we decided we wanted to make the atmosphere a little more attractive. Jennifer saw our ad posted online, and based on her skills in working with people and being creative, she was confident that she could do a good job at this. She was excited about the opportunity to help BCI succeed. We gave her lots of creative freedom, and she did not disappoint us!

First, she decided to spruce up our outside entrance by painting our front door and railing the Brandywine colors, dark blue and burgundy. This was a great idea, as we can now give people directions by telling them, “Follow the blue railing!” But Jennifer wasn’t done yet. She also added a splash of color to our reception area. Our staff picked out a color called “Tranquil Retreat.” It really does have a calming effect when you walk in! I think our clients would agree that it does feel more welcoming around here.

We enjoyed having Jennifer here and we thank her for the time she put in to do this work!

Volunteer Spotlight: Eul Lee, Lighthouse Program

Eul Lee does a weekly "Creative Expression" group with the moms at The Lighthouse Program on Wednesday afternoons. They do everything from crocheting, to painting, to making jewelry. She also teaches computer skills. In our latest volunteer spotlight, Eul tells us about her experience in her own words:

I had been looking for ways to help women in trouble, particularly female prisoners who have kids whom they could not tuck in every night. My idea was to teach them to make tuck-in blankets for their kids as a way to connect with their kids while making them and for the kids to feel their moms around them especially at night. I had no idea what [The Lighthouse Program] would be like. Then, I found the problems these women are in are much bigger than I had ever imagined.

I had initially tried to teach them how to crochet. Some already knew how to crochet and some didn't. Even very novice ones picked up crochet very quickly, generally much quicker than others I had taught before. I found they are very creative and resourceful. They enjoy small projects they can finish in an hour or two and show off, such as painting a picture frame, making earrings, etc.

I also tried to work with them on computer skills. They all enjoyed Mavis Beacon program (a very good software to help improve typing skills) very much. Most of the women seem to have some knowledge in MS Word and some other MS software, but not in depth.

I saw the real improvements in most women as weeks go by. I see smiles on most women there. Sometimes I hear them sing. Some would encourage others and try to get the newly joined ones involved in activities. Some decided to leave the program, which is a very heart breaking experience for me. I wish I could see them again somewhere some time.

While they have to live with the consequences of their choices - losing kids and family, sometimes their freedom, and precious years of their lives - it is good that there are programs such as BCI if they are willing to get help.

I am not sure whether I can take much credit for helping them, but I do hope they acquire the skills they need to cope with the lifetime recovery and learn the importance of their soberness in their kids' lives.

Volunteers Needed to Help with Recovery Picnic

RECOVERY MONTH PICNIC HELP

When: Thursday, September 18, 11 AM - 3 PM
Where: Alpha North Wilmington Center, at the Edgemoor Community Center, 500 Duncan Road, Wilmington

Recovery Month 2008 is just around the corner, and Brandywine Counseling is celebrating with a Picnic and Open House at our new North Wilmington Center. We are planning a fun celebration including a kids’ moon bounce, senior citizens’ bake off contest, fishing tank, face painting, mascots, raffle, and crafts table. We need your help the day of the event to set up, supervise activities, and clean up.

Recovery Month is an annual observance that takes place during the month of September to highlight the societal benefits of treatment, celebrate treatment providers, and promote the message that recovery from substance abuse in all its forms is possible. This year's theme is Real People, Real Recovery.

To apply for this project, click here.

Volunteer Spotlight: Loretta Legg, Alpha North Wilmington

Lorretta Legg has been volunteering with Brandywine Counseling for several months. She has been a valuable addition to our North Wilmington Center. In our latest volunteer spotlight, Loretta tells us about her experience in her own words:

I was a client, so I already knew about BCI and what it had to offer. I talked to Monalee about volunteering. I asked her if she needed help, and she said, "Yes."

Currently, I'm working on helping with putting together the BCI Recovery Picnic and Grand Re-Opening of the North Wilmington Office. I then helped with updating the North Wilmington Safety Emergency Policies and Procedures Manual. Our next project is to develop a proposal for two working Community Gardens inside the Edgemoor Community Center and around the North Wilmington Office.

I'm getting to understand a lot more than what just my addiction was like, and learning how to handle the different addictions by helping others. When you do a Meet & Greet with a client, it is easier to answer questions about BCI for clients when you have already been through the process. We had a client come in who asked, "Do we have to talk in group?" I remember when I was nervous about having to come and share in group, so I understood exactly how he felt and I was able to assure him about participating in groups.

I think Monalee and I have the same demeanor. I like working with her. We get along well. I've worked in an office before, so what I am asked to do I feel comfortable with doing because of my prior work experience.

It's a good feeling. I don't mind helping out anybody, because if I help they will give it back in the end. I think I get that from my dad.

Volunteer Spotlight: Walter Frazier, Outreach Support

Walter Frazier came to Brandywine Counseling as a volunteer with the Outreach Department in July 2008, and quickly became someone we could depend on to help out. In the first of a series of volunteer spotlights, Walter tells us about his experience in his own words:

I relocated to Wilmington a few months ago and decided that while I am seeking full-time employment I would volunteer at a non-profit agency. I learned about BCI by word of mouth and called to see if my skills might be needed.

In the past 10 years I have served on Boards and committees and even worked for the American Red Cross for 3 years as a program director in Bloomington, Indiana. These experiences have given me the opportunity to learn how important the work of non-profits is to a community.

Just based on the name, I assumed this organization most likely provided substance abuse counseling. Although this counseling is part of Brandywine’s activities, I had no clue there was an outreach department that provides free HIV testing and treatment if necessary, nor did I know of the methadone program for heroin users.

I have spent my time raising funds for the annual HIV Testing Event, which is held this year on August 9. I have found this project to be very fulfilling and relevant to me since I have lost 3 close friends to this wretched disease.

I have been surprised by how BCI approaches its endeavors. BCI provides its professional services without prejudice and blame. I have seen how quickly BCI drops everything when a client walks through the door for help. It has been inspiring.

What I have done while volunteering is very small compared to the activities of the whole organization. I feel gratified thinking one person might be tested for HIV, receive early intervention and live a longer life as a result of my efforts.

BCI Welcomes New Board Member

BCI welcomes Reverend Karla Fleshman of Wilmington as a new member of our Board of Directors. Karla is Founding Pastor of Imago Dei Metropolitan Church, as well as a Church Plant Consultant with Metropolitan Community Churches. She has a background in social work, HIV/AIDS, and spirituality.

The BCI Board supports our treatment services through fundraising activities and promotion of our mission to the community. We know Karla will be a wonderful addition to the organization. Please join us in giving her a warm welcome to BCI!

2nd Annual Old Skool Outreach

Hi, this is Brandy Rodgers from the Outreach department.

It was a warm and bright afternoon on June 3, 2008 when Brandywine Counseling's Outreach team celebrated its 2nd Annual Old Skool Outreach event. It was a great time of fellowship and outreach as the NEP team and other staff at Brandywine such as our site supervisor James Harrison, and Chris Zebley and Joyce Bunkley who are nurse practitioners that work with HIV positive clients, joined us for the occasion. Last year’s event was such a success that we had to do it again, but this time Bigger and Better.

The NEP team, along with some of the staff at Brandywine Counseling’s HIV prevention programs, walked throughout Wilmington neighborhoods accompanied by some friends and family spreading knowledge about HIV prevention, rapid HIV testing, and ways to join the needle exchange program. We had a nice turn out at the event as the crowd enjoyed music while eating some wonderful BBQ done by Demitrius Bullock of the NEP team before going out into the neighborhood. The normal outreach team, which includes eight, grew to about seventeen people.

We had a great time spreading knowledge and interacting with the community. We would like to thank everyone who came out and showed their support for the event and we hope to see more next year!

More photos from the event

Community Shows Their Generosity to The Lighthouse Program

We at BCI continue to see a wonderful response from people in the community who want to help out the Lighthouse Program by donating time or items. Thank you to all of you!

Several volunteers are teaching classes for the women, including crocheting, card making, and computers by Eul Lee, sewing and ceramics by Ann Morrow, and Life Skills and early recovery by Nancy Bloom. Their help has been incredible and the women LOVE the classes - thanks ladies!

We want to thank everyone who has donated toys, clothing, a huge train set, five sewing machines for the sewing class, and handmade quilts for babies. We also received a care package from Bear Hugs for Babies, a local charity that specializes in providing baby supplies to families in Lower Delaware affected by extreme poverty, homelessness, and/or disease. This is a great organization - please check out their website to learn more.

What do we still need for our 8 women and 9 children? Pampers. Lots of Pampers! I believe there's still a need for strollers, bicycles, tricycles, and wagons. If you have items or services to donate, please call 302-484-8080 or send us an email. All donations are tax-deductible. Thank you, donors and volunteers, for being such an important part of our women's and children's recovery.

Volunteer Project: Creating a Welcoming Entrance

CREATING A WELCOMING ENTRANCE
Alpha Program, 2814 West 2nd Street, Wilmington

First impressions matter in drug and alcohol treatment! Do you want to help us create a more attractive treatment environment? Brandywine Counseling seeks volunteers to do some odd jobs around the Alpha Center. Interior and exterior painting, and decoration of the outside entrance. Cynthia would love to have her office painted! Also, Evelyn would love to have the old ratty carpet in her reception area torn out and replaced with a new tile floor. Great for a group of 3-5 who want to give back to the community.

Flexible weekday hours. We will provide materials, but would also welcome donations toward the new flooring.

Apply for this project

Join Us May 31 for "Old Skool" Outreach

Volunteer your time to save lives! It's our 2nd Annual "Old Skool" Outreach Blitz!

Please join BCI Saturday, May 31, 2008 from 11 am - 3 pm for a Mega Outreach Blitz in the City of Wilmington to promote the Needle Exchange Program. We need former outreach workers and people who have never done it before but want to give back. Walk through the city spreading a message of hope, recovery, health, and safety. Encourage drug users to enter treatment, enroll in the needle exchange program and most importantly get tested for HIV.

Refreshments will be provided.

Last year's event was a big success and we can't wait to do it again.

If interested please sign up with Rochelle Booker at 757-3821 or apply online.

Dispensing Mural: Climb to the Top and Soar in Your Recovery

The Lancaster dispensing area has been livened up with a brightly colored mural, thanks to a group of volunteers from Chase. The team of a dozen people from the nearby Wilmington office took time out of their workday yesterday to give back to the community. In doing so, they’ve made the daily routine of coming in for medication more welcoming for nearly 700 methadone patients.

One wall depicts how we can turn stumbling blocks into stepping stones to climb toward recovery, using faith, help, health, and hope. The opposite wall is all about reaching the top of that climb and being ready to fly, because the sky is the limit when you’ve overcome your addiction. We think this is just the right mix of inspiration and fun to greet our patients every morning. And this is only phase 1 of the project, because now, our patients will get to add personal messages in the blocks to those who have helped them in their climb toward recovery.

We thank Rachel Aponte and her group of artists from Chase for this gift they’ve given us. For an afternoon’s work, they became part of the recovery process for today's patients and many more to come.

Lancaster Dispensing Mural Sketch

A group of volunteers from Chase will be painting a mural this week in the Lancaster dispensing area. The theme will be "Steps to Recovery," based on an idea by Edna Maldonado of NSAFE. I thought this idea was great as soon as I heard it, because it reminded me of Pat's testimonial from the needle exchange celebration, about extending hands two ways on the ladder of life. We are also giving clients a chance to get involved by adding their own personal messages to those who helped them in their recovery journey.

Here is a sketch.

Volunteer Project: Videographer to Film "Virtual Tour" for Clients

VIDEOGRAPHER TO FILM "VIRTUAL TOUR" FOR PATIENTS
Alpha Program, 2814 West 2nd Street, Wilmington

Do you have experience with a video camera? Are you looking for a fun project that will make a difference for people in need? Use your skills to help us connect people with treatment in a whole new way. Brandywine Counseling seeks someone to help us produce a “virtual tour” of our facility, showing people what to expect when they come in to get help for their addiction. Work with our staff to produce a welcoming and informative video that is accessible through our web site.

Experience is desired filming professional quality videos and editing to produce a ready-to-view product. Also, knowledge of how to incorporate the finished video into a web site.

This project is available weekdays during daytime hours.

We have a video camera available.

Apply here for this project

What Should BCI's Next Mural Be?

Good news, mural fans - if you enjoyed following the Alpha project here on our blog, there is more where that came from!

We have a group planning to brighten up the walls of the Lancaster dispensing area (pictured) in the coming weeks. Not only that, we have someone on board to do Newark's waiting area. And don't forget The Lighthouse Program - no takers yet for this Sussex County project, but it's only a matter of time.

So we need some ideas for the artists! What would you like to see on our walls? Post your ideas and discuss here.

Alpha Mural Welcomes All with Message of Hope

It's with great pleasure that I present to you the completed BCI Alpha mural: "Out of the Ashes of Our Hopelessness Comes the Fire of Our Hope."

When a talented artist gets together with our BCI staff and clients, great things happen. Caelen Bird volunteered to do this for us in his spare time. Although he didn’t have a lot of knowledge of addiction treatment, he sat down with some of the staff and listened to our ideas for the project, and somehow came up with just what we wanted. Later, when we discussed having the clients choose the title, he immediately agreed to the idea. The Alpha staff and I very much enjoyed working with Caelen, and we thank him for sharing his time and his talent with us.

Please visit http://www.caelenbird.com/ to see more of his work.

Alpha Mural - The Winning Title

The winner of our contest has been chosen!

The title of the Alpha mural will be:
Out of the Ashes of Our Hopelessness Comes the Fire of Our Hope.

We received lots of entries, but we think this one is the best at offering inspiration while incorporating the symbolism of the phoenix. It was submitted by an anonymous commenter to this blog.

Here are some others we also liked:

Recovery – The Rebirth of Life

Out of the Fiery Ashes, I Was Reborn

Rise From the Ashes - Fly Phoenix
..............................................................Departure Time
Non Stop to Recovery............................. Now
Non Stop to Serenity ...............................Now
Non Stop to Happiness ............................Now
Now Boarding @ the Brandywine Counseling Gate #10

Alpha Mural - Day 10

Almost done...

BCI Welcomes New Board Members

The Brandywine Counseling Board of Directors announces the election of two new members on January 15, 2008.

Krista Dowling of Wilmington works for Nemours Health and Prevention Services as Special Assistant to the Senior Vice President/Intermediate Program and Policy Analyst. She received her Ph.D. in Drug Dependence Epidemiology from Johns Hopkins University in 2007, and her Bachelor’s in Foundations of Behavior from George Washington University in 2001. Krista looks forward to applying her extensive experience in substance abuse and infectious disease to support such a wonderful and important organization.

Sanjay Kotha of Middletown is a Product Development Engineer with Rohm and Haas. He received a Master’s degree in Polymer Science from Clemson University in 2001, and a Bachelor’s degree in Petrochemical Engineering from Pune University in 1999. Sanjay is excited to be a part of our board and looks forward to using his background in engineering and business development to help make a difference in our society.

The BCI Board supports our treatment services through fundraising activities and promotion of our mission to the community. We know that both of these new members will add much to the organization. Please join us in giving them a warm welcome to BCI!

Alpha Mural - Day 8

Now comes some more detail, and our phoenix is beginning to come to life...

Click to view full size.

Alpha Mural - Day 7

Caelen came by yesterday with a box of paints and did this...

Click to view full size.

Client Contest: Name Our Mural!

BCI Alpha is having a mural painted in our waiting area, and we're asking our clients to help choose a title for it.

Wilmington artist Caelen Bird is volunteering his time to create this mural. Check out his website here. Paint was generously donated for this project by several local vendors, including Mammele’s, Dulux Paints, MAB Paints, and Lowes.

The concept we decided on was the phoenix rising from the ashes. Below you can see a preliminary sketch and a “Before” photo of the waiting area.

























The Phoenix bird is often used as a symbol of recovery. This mythical bird is synonymous with rebirth, healing, and peace. According to legend, a beautiful, one of a kind bird lives for 500 years. At the end of its life it builds itself a funeral pyre on top of the highest mountain. Then at sunrise, the morning sun causes it to burst into flames and be consumed. As the ashes cool, a stirring in the coals is seen, and a newborn phoenix rises reborn from the ashes of the old one.

As a symbol of being reborn from the ashes of our addiction, several analogies can be seen in this story: Fire represents treatment and early recovery. Pain represents introspection, the process of taking a look at the kind of person we have become due to our addiction. The newborn phoenix represents the recovering addict building a new life out of the ashes of their former addict lifestyle.

BCI Alpha clients can submit their ideas for a title through February 1. The winning entry will be incorporated into the mural. The winner will also receive a prize.

We are excited to finally add some color to our white cinder block walls! Keep watching this space to see the work in progress!

Winter Coat Drive

The Outreach Department is holding a winter coat drive from December 3-21. Please donate your new or used winter coats to help BCI clients in need. Coats may be dropped off at 2814 Lancaster Avenue.

For more information, contact Rochelle Booker-Stewart at 655-9880, ext. 23. Thank you.

Join BCI's Board of Directors

Do you want to make a difference in the lives of addicted persons and persons with HIV/AIDS? Do you want to work alongside BCI's leadership to support our mission of helping people achieve meaningful, long-term recovery?

Brandywine Counseling seeks talented and dependable individuals to serve on our Board of Directors. Put your talents to use in a place where your voice will be heard. We ask that members attend regular quarterly meetings in addition to active involvement in one of our committees.

Our most important area of need is development/fundraising. Desired skills include:

• Experience with non-profit fundraising activities, including: campaigns, strategic planning, donor relations.
• Ability to work as a member of a team.
• Ability to build consensus and garner support of other members for board initiatives.

Please send a copy of your resume, and anything you would like to tell us about your interests and what you hope to bring to the Board, to:

Matt Friedman, Executive Assistant
Email: contactbci[at]brandywinecounseling[dot]org
Fax: (302) 472-0392
Or apply online

Volunteer Truck Driver Needed to Help With Picnic

BCI is looking for someone with a truck to help with our client picnic Wednesday September 19.

We need to transport tables and chairs between locations in Wilmington a few miles apart. There are 8-10 tables 6-8 feet long, and 80-100 folding chairs. We need to bring them to the Mack Park (6th Street and North Cleveland Avenue) between 9:30-10:30 in the morning, and return them in the afternoon between 3:00-4:00.

Volunteers are welcome to stay and enjoy the picnic to celebrate recovery with food, fellowship, speakers, and open mike.

If interested, please respond to contact[at]brandywinecounseling[dot]org. Thank you!

Mosaic Mural Is Finished!

Now when you walk in the door to Brandywine Counseling, you’ll literally see addiction growing into recovery.

A tree made up of tiles and glass with treatment-related words and phrases written on them covers the wall in the entrance hall of the Lancaster Center. The mosaic mural is an attractive and inspirational addition, one that our staff, clients, and visitors will appreciate for years to come. We’d like to send a big thanks out to the artist, Emma Glencross, who volunteered her time to do this mural for us.

Emma truly went above and beyond our expectations for this project. She spent several hours a day over two weeks to single-handedly create this original artwork. This is in addition to meeting with staff to plan the concept, collecting all the materials she used, and firing the tiles in her pottery kiln. It was a pleasure to work with Emma. She not only has great artistic talent, but great dedication to serving others.

Our volunteers really do make a difference here at Brandywine. They have lots of fun too. We’ve got lots more projects available, so if you’re looking to give back to your community, check out our list here.

Click the photos to view full size.

Mosaic Mural - Day 3

Click to view full size.