Recent Newspaper Articles
August 03, 2004Neighborhoods bonding together
June 15, 2004 Funds for Sprinkler System Approved
February 15, 2004 Floyd-Gilman Wedding Announcement
January 31, 2004 Residents get ready for big game Super Bowl Panthers
August 7, 2003 Happy Campers Panthers Training Camp
July 18, 2003 Nursing home violations below average in Spartanburg
February 18, 2003 Upstate nursing home fills physical, spiritual needs
December 12, 2002 Grateful at SCSDB
December 6, 2002 Power loss forges unlikely bond between SCSDB students, elderly
October 6,2002 Memory Walk raises Alzheimer's awareness
Posted on October 06,
2002
Memory Walk raises Alzheimer's awareness
Friends and loved ones gathered Saturday to
walk in memory of those who are suffering and who have died from
Alzheimer's disease.
Approximately 150 people participated in the Upstate South
Carolina Chapter of the National Alzheimer's Association's annual
fund-raiser, the Memory Walk. The event was held at the
Mountainview Nursing Home in Spartanburg.
"We're here to raise funds and awareness," said Ralph
Winn, from the board of directors for the chapter. This year's
three-mile walk was Winn's fourth. He participated in honor of
his wife, who lost her 12-year battle with the disease this past
January.
"There are more than 4,000 cases in Spartanburg County alone
and 4 million nationwide," Winn said. "With enough
research and awareness we can beat this thing, just like polio
was conquered."
Alzheimer's disease is a brain disorder that affects a person's
ability to carry out daily activities. It involves parts of the
brain that control thought, memory and language. Every day
scientists learn more, but right now the causes of the disease
are still unknown, and there is no cure. The disease usually
begins after age 60, and the risk goes up with age.
Many of the memory walkers joined the effort in support of a
loved one.
"I'm here for my mother," said Karen Harris, a
Spartanburg resident. "It's devastating to see the suffering
that comes with this disease."
Harris's efforts were supported by fellow teammates from
Morningside Baptist Church.
The Upstate chapter set a goal of $40,000 for this year's walk.
"We didn't quite make last year's goal of $50,000,"
said Janice Finkle, chapter coordinator. "The economy was so
upset this time last year. We're hoping this year will be
better."
One way these funds help is by letting local families of
Alzheimer's victims hire day sitters to assist in the homes.
"All funds raised during the Memory Walk stay local,"
Finkle said. "By local, I mean within the 17 counties
covered by our chapter."
The Spartanburg High Tippers was one of this year's largest
fund-raisers, bringing in more than $3,000. These 54 high school
students raised money by going door-to-door and speaking with
community members about Alzheimer's disease. The Tippers also
provided a carnival after the event to entertain children who
participated in the walk.
"We've got something for everyone during the day," said
Sue Kemp of Mountainview Nursing Home.
The nursing home donated its grounds for the walk. Afterward, it
provided walkers with a free barbeque lunch.
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Posted on December 06,
2002
Power loss forges unlikely bond between SCSDB students, elderly
By BENNY LEE SMITH
Staff Writer
Love is ageless. Visit us.
Those words are on a sign that hangs above the entrance of
Mountainview Nursing Home on Cedar Springs Road.
The winter storm forced more than 200 S.C. School for the Deaf
and the Blind teachers and students to ride buses across the
street and take the nursing home residents up on that offer
Thursday. The group made the visit because of a power outage at
the school.
"This is the first time we have ever had to evacuate since I
have been here for more than 25 years," said Craig Jacobs,
principal of SCSDB's Multihandicapped School.
Students ranging from elementary to middle school ages interacted
throughout the day with elderly residents as they waited for
power to be restored. The school's nearly 90 older teens and
their teachers spent Thursday at Croft Fire Department.
The school lost power about 3:30 a.m., and administrators went
into action.
"We knew what to do; we just don't want to have to do it
again, ever," said SCSDB President Sheila Breitweiser.
They first called nursing home administrators and Croft
firefighters to let them know they would be putting their winter
storm plan into action. The school does not have generators.
"I heard a knock on my door and then they said we had to get
up, get dressed because the power was out," said 13-year-old
Jennifer Paul.
Paul and about 250 other students from around the state stay at
the school as residential students during the week. They go home
on the weekends.
Once students got to the nursing home and fire department, they
were split into groups with their teachers. They spent the rest
of the day playing games, watching television and taking short
walks outside.
Students made the best of their situation by interacting with
residents at the nursing home.
Cleveland Hallman, 10, of Columbia played with a large yellow
ball, regularly used as a therapy tool. He bounced the ball in
the hall of the nursing home back and forth for about 20 minutes
with a nursing home resident.
Fourteen-year-old twins Latiesha and Lakeieshia Baskin of
Anderson used their time to practice cheerleading moves. As they
moved their arms and jumped up and down, nursing home residents
rolled their wheelchairs in to get a look.
Administrator Wilson Dillard said it was the first time the
nursing home has had the opportunity to accommodate the students,
who are directly across the street from the nursing home.
"We have a good relationship and past understanding that if
this ever happened we would be there for them," Wilson said.
Power was restored at SCSDB late Thursday, but the students spent
Thursday night at the fire department and nursing home while the
school heated back up.
Benny Lee Smith can be reached at 582-4511, Ext. 7216, or [email protected]
Posted on December 10,
2002
Grateful at SCSDB
By Sheila S. Breitweiser
President,
I want to thank the wonderful Spartanburg community for coming to
our aid at the S.C. School for the Deaf and the Blind during the
recent winter storm.
When we lost power in Thursday's pre-dawn hours, 270 of our
students needed a warm place to stay. Both the Croft Fire
Department and the Mountainview Nursing Home had emergency
generators and opened their warm facilities to us for a full 24
hours.
Their staff members (and, at Mountainview, their residents as
well) basically treated all members of our SCSDB group just as if
we were family members.
In fact, a highlight of the experience was to see so many of the
Mountainview residents engaged in wonderful activities with our
special kids -- playing ball, working puzzles, singing Christmas
carols and much more.
When the campus telephones went out, the local mass media helped
us notify the community of an emergency cell phone number. And
when we discovered that 50 of the students did not have suitable
coats for the extremely cold weather, a community donor covered
the full bill for 50 new coats -- and then provided pizza for our
staff!
I want to extend heartfelt appreciation, on behalf of everyone at
SCSDB, to all of our wonderful neighbors for the warm reception
and great care extended to our children.
I also want to thank our wonderful staff members who traveled, at
times in dangerous conditions, to care for our special kids, even
though many of these staff members did not have power at their
own homes. The evacuation was carried out quickly and smoothly
thanks to the generosity of our neighbors and our staff's careful
planning.
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