PALM BEACH COUNTY #61 - WEST PALM BEACH, FL
 

Chapter President

Marleen Schnitzer
(561) 683-1208

Palm Beach #61 was founded in West Palm Beach, Florida in 1974. This chapter is very active and is very involved with sending children with cancer to camp and working very closed with St. Mary's Hospital. The members are active in supporting hospice and was awarded a grant from Port of Palm Beach for their personal service to cancer patients.

Ann Stern has been our fund raiser for many years. Through Ann's efforts, thousands of dollars have been raised for our Cancer Kids. She will be sorely missed but promises to help in an advisory position. Barbara Gold, who has been assisting Ann will take over fund raising. Sadly, Myrna Harris, who handled many jobs for us, will be moving up north. We will miss her smiling face serving us coffee and cake at every meeting and greeting us at donor. Bobbi Sanders will take over Myrna's Mah Jongg Card job. Ella Morowitz is leaving her candle lighting duty to Selma. Florence Braunstein is giving up Sunshine and Tribute Cards but Terry and Sally Campanella will be stepping in for Florence. I personally will miss these ladies as they have been a great help to me in my first year as President. I know that not only I, but the entire membership wishes them the best. Looking towards the future, I know all our new officers and chair persons are enthusiastic about the coming year with many new and exciting ideas.

We are still looking for a volunteer to help with our bulletin. If someone would come forward to assist us we would be most grateful.

Since this is the last bulletin of the season, I wish our snowbirds a safe trip home and look forward to seeing them in the fall. To all our members, I wish you all a happy and healthy summer. AGAIN PLEASE READ AND KEEP YOUR MESSENGER (BULLETIN) FOR REFERENCES.

Marleen Schnitzer, President

Where do you fit in????
Some keep their organizations strong, while others join just to belong.
Some volunteer and do their share, while others rest and never care.
On meeting days, some always show, while some there are that never go.
Some always pay their dues ahead, some get behind the months instead.'
Some do their best, some build, some make, some never do....just sit and take.
Some lag behind, just let things go and never help their group to grow.
Some drag, some pull, some don't, some do.

WHICH OF THESE ARE YOU????????

Happenings in our Chapter!!!!
On February 5th,, a tea was given to the volunteers that helped at the Christmas Party. Child Life Institute CFO Jim Sugarman hosted and explained the function of the Child Life Institute.

Our February meeting saw everyone clapping and tapping. Dr. Peterson and Tony helped us do a lot of healthy moves to keep us agile.

Hard Rock was a fun day at the slot machines. Not too many winners, abut a nice day out. Thanks Ann and Barbara.

Our Donor Luncheon was a big success as usual. Bernice and Myrna showed us what a beautiful day we can enjoy after our hard work all year. Our thanks to Maria Marrero for the beautiful centerpieces.

The Classic luncheon was a pleasant afternoon of lunch and games. Thanks Ann. Job well done! All proceeds go to UOTS

Our March 13th Chinese Auction was a huge success. Barbara Pfister and her committee worked like beavers to show off over 100 gifts at the meeting. The money collected will help send a child to camp.

Barbara and Dee Dee would like to thank Shirley and Jerry Kerner, Harriet Gosman, Beverly Mogul, Bobbi Sanders, Barbara Spodak and Ann Kelly.


CALENDAR OF EVENTS

ALL EVENTS ARE OPEN TO MEMBERS AND NON-MEMBERS AT NO EXTRA CHARGE

Our latest project and also Boca Raton's: CHILD LIFE INSTITUTE offering HELP for Children with Cancer and Serious Life Threatening Illnesses and Families and for those Children Facing Trauma and their Families and Childhood Injury Awareness Education.

The CHILD LIFE INSTITUTE is a 501 (c) (3) non profit organization , provides free, supportive educational programs and supportive services to assist children facing serious illnesses and their families, and to prevent childhood injuries in Palm Beach, Martin, Indian River, Okeechobee, St Lucie and Hendry Counties. At present, our key programs are POST (Pediatric Oncology Support Team ) Child Life Specialists- Bear Program, CARE (Children's Advocacy Research and Education) and Palm Beach County Safe Kids Coalition.

POST, one of the most unique pediatric oncology support programs in the country, is a group of professionals including a psychotherapist, social worker, licensed mental health counselor, research nurse educator, teacher, child life specialist and team manager. These highly skilled individuals work together to assess, review and address the financial, educational and psychosocial well-being of all pediatric oncology patients and their families. Families residing within the 6 county service area are eligible for services regardless of where they receive or received diagnosis or treatment. The team members meet with children with cancer and their families in hospitals, in their homes, at their physicians' offices or at the POST offices in the Ranes Building on the St. Mary's Medical Center campus and at Palms West Hospital. Some of the services POST staff provide include bereavement support, comprehensive case management, education, proving wishes, school re-entry, sibling intervention, individual and family counseling, neurological testing, funeral support and arrangements and medical play or diversion therapy.

Child Life Specialist Program - BEAR (bring Education, Arts and Resources) ensures that children within the Children's Hospital at St. Mary's Medical Center have the benefit of Child Life Specialist staff to help reduce the stress and anxiety they may experience while hospitalized. Our goals are to assist children, and when possible their families, by minimizing psychosocial trauma through play and diversion therapy to prepare children for medical tests and procedures and to support all family members while their children and/or siblings are in the hospital.

CARE (Children's Advocacy Research and Education) is a behavioral medicine program providing psychosocial support and advocacy, primarily at the Children's Hospital at St. Mary's Medical Center for children with chronic diseases including sickle cell, cystic fibrosis  and diabetes as well as most critically ill children in both the NICU, the neonatal intensive care unit, and the PICU pediatric intensive care units. licensed mental health counselors provide these services and also coordinate support groups for family members and siblings, and serve as members of multidisciplinary teams for cystic fibrosis and cleft palette clinics.
Palm Beach County Safe Kids Coalition, is committed to decreasing childhood accidental injuries, and promoting advocacy for, educational and public awareness a bout childhood injury prevention programs. The Coalition implements activities which focus on the major accident injury areas including, fire, child passenger safety, drowning prevention, pedestrian safety, and choking/suffocation. The Coalition has over 30 active community partners including representatives from local municipalities, law enforcement agencies, hospitals, health departments, school district, fire departments, injury prevention groups and businesses. At Coalition meetings it is determined which safety events and initiatives will be supported and plans are made to implement safety activities such as mobile child passenger safety fitting stations , drowning prevention camp, pedestrian walk to school events, safe kids week programs, and national child passenger safety week events. Recommendations made by Safe Kids Worldwide are employed and and materials are provided by Safe Kids Worldwide. The Coalition hosts public appreciation activities for safety measures taken to protect children. The services are coordinated by a Program Director who works closely with all of the Coalition community partners. At present they are exploring the development of a Children's Safety Village in Palm Beach County.

Funding and the Future: The Child Life Institute has been supported through the generosity of the Nicklaus Children's Health Care Foundation, Dana Farber Cancer Foundation, Stop!, Children's Cancer Foundation, Quantum Foundation, Palm Health Care Foundation, and other foundations, individuals and businesses who care about the well being of children facing serious illnesses and trauma, and their families, and about childhood injury prevention education. At this time, there are other programs being considered, developed and or pending funding - all of which address the health and well being of children.