Friday, June 3, saw the Grand Re-Opening of Daily Companions, Inc. There was a great turn out for our event. Tina Combs, President & CEO of the Martinsburg Chamber of Commerce, brought the red ribbon and gold scissors for the ribbon cutting ceremony. On hand to cut the ribbon were Ms. Cloughfeather, CEO, Shannon Ball, CFO, Kat Hagedorn, Waiver Manager, Holly Barry, Placement Specialist, and Cathy Irizarry-Barron, Employment Program Specialist. Teresa Hayes, mother of a DCI Member, was on hand to give a brief speech about how much DCI’s program has meant to her daughter. It was a touching moment for all of us.

After the ribbon cutting, everyone toured DCI facilities and enjoyed refreshments. Many positive comments were made about our new layout, with round tables and comfortable seating areas for learning and relaxing. Framed photographs of Friday Field Trips adorn the walls. Andrew Nelson, M.Ed., ISA-CI, Program Coordinator with WV Autism Training Center at Marshall University was on hand to speak with families. Autism Speaks will now have office space at DCI and Andrew or his staff will be able to answer questions from the general public on Autism.  Background music was provided by DCI Volunteer Emily Stotler. DCI Members are very enthusiastic about their music sessions with Emily on Tuesday afternoons.

Mike Collier, a former Pittsburgh Steeler’s player, was on hand to give autographs to his fans. Everyone was excited to meet him and hear stories about his days playing football. Many of DCI’s members were eager to get an autograph to take home. One DCI Member, Chris, was unable to meet Mike due to his work schedule. Mike, on hearing that Chris, (who is one of the biggest Steeler fans ever) was missing this event, made plans to surprise Chris at Cracker Barrel later that evening. A quick call was put in to Cracker Barrel Manager Kevin Kobarcik and operation “Surprise Chris” was on. And boy was Chris surprised!

Asked about the visit Chris grinned and said “ I was very surprised! It was great to meet Mike. He shook my hand and gave me an autographed copy of his picture. Some of the other employees were peeking out and excited to see him too. I won’t ever forget!“

Daily Companions, Inc. would like to thank all those who attended our Grand re-Opening and made it such a great success.   We also want to thank The Journal News for sending their reporter, and Jon Howard for taking such great shots of our employees.

DCI was able to visit Claymont Court on our Friday Field Trip. Amy Silver, one of the curators, gave us a very informative tour. We learned that Claymont court was built in 1840 by Bushrod Corbin Washington, grand-nephew of George Washington, to replace a house that was originally built in 1820, but burned in 1838. Bushrod finished building Claymont for $30,000, a massive sum at the time; it was the largest house in the area, containing 59 rooms and 25 fireplaces.

We all tried to imagine what the amount of work would have been like had we been servants; in the words of one DCI Member “that would have been very very hard!” Amen to that!

DCI Members stood in the lovely ballroom, imaging themselves decked out in fancy dress, listening to the violins, and smelling the bunches of flowers. What intrigues, flirtations, and clandestine meetings must have taken place! Oh, if those walls could Talk!

Next we stood in the dining room, picturing sumptuous feasts, family meals, parties, and probably dinners with “persons of great importance” over the years. Then out to the rear patio, to imagine ourselves sitting and rocking, enjoying the sunset with a cup of tea or, in hot weather, perhaps something a little stronger!

Ms. Silver informed us that the movie “Gods and Generals” was filmed in part at Claymont Court. Tents were set up in the rear of the home and some scenes were filmed there also.

Over the years there have been several owners that have made changes to suite their life styles. Today The Claymont Society for Continuous Education functions as a non-profit, hosting retreat groups, with modern facilities and a conference room.

Ms. Cloughfeather, CEO for DCI, has purchased new seating for the DCI Day Center. Her vision is for all DCI Members to have an area where they are free to engage in quiet conversation with each other or with staff; read a magazine, or enjoy group conversations on differing topics. Have you ever had a problem and wanted to share it or ask advice? Or have you ever been so happy about an event and wanted to share that happiness? Sometimes, if something or someone has made you sad or mad, it helps to talk those situations over too. Well, DCI’s “Seating for Success” is the place to talk it out!

Ms. C has also provided an area where DCI Members can relax and watch educational documentaries or just an entertaining movie. There is a white board for educational training purposes that will take place in this area too.

New round tables that seat six have been provided for group activities such as games, goals, tasks, supported employment, and vocational training. Anywhere you look in the Day Center, you can be “Seated for Success”!

Daily Companions, Inc. will hold a grand re-opening on Friday, June 3, 2016 from 3 pm to 6 pm.  This is free to the public and we encourage all graduating seniors with intellectual development disabilities to attend.  A tour of our facility and programs that we offer will be available, should you like to learn more.

Have questions about Daily Companions, Inc.? Come out and join us and we will answer all questions that you may have.

To commemorate this occasion, Daily Companions, Inc. will host a special Re-Grand Opening celebration with a free special appearance from The Pittsburgh Steelers Running Back Mike Colier (Super Bowls 1975 and 1976).  Also in attendance will be Tina Combs, President and CEO, Martinsburg-Berkeley County Chamber of Commerce.

Local media outlets will also be on site and free refreshments will be served.

We hope you can join us!

On Wednesday, March 30th, an improve class was held at DCI, led by Andrew Nelson from Marshall University, and Emily Stotler. During this class, participants took part in a variety of games and exercises encouraging teamwork and diverse ways of thinking through movement and expression.

The first game consumers took part in was called “Bang Bang.” “Bang Bang” was a name game in which everybody stood in a circle. This was simply a warm-up to help everyone loosen up, and get to know one another. One person in the middle of the circle would point at another person and say their name. If a person’s name was called, they would have to duck quickly, and the two people on either side of them would have to point at one another saying “Bang Bang.” Whoever said “Bang Bang” last would jump in the middle and say the next person’s name.

The next exercise was called “Statues,” in which one person would be the “sculptor” and the other the “statue.” The sculptor would “mold” the statue, by moving parts of his or her body to reflect a certain situation. Then everybody else in the group would guess what the situation was. This game helped consumers build different types of characters through communication and trust.

“Liar Liar” was the next game, in which two people would take turns asking one another what they were doing. Player 1 would ask Player 2 “What are you doing?” and Player 2 would answer with a lie. Player 1 would then have to act out whatever Player 2 said. Player 2 would then ask Player 1, and vice-versa. During this game, consumers had a lot of fun simply being creative and spontaneous. Consumers then took part in a storytelling exercise. One person would stand with their arms behind their back and tell a story. A second person would stand behind them using their arms to help convey what the other person was saying.

Consumers then took part in a storytelling exercise. One person would stand with their arms behind their back and tell a story. A second person would stand behind them using their arms to help convey what the other person was saying.

The last game was called “The Machine.” This game required everybody in the group. The first person would do any type of movement their heart desired. The
next person would then add their own movement, and so on and so on until everybody in the group was contributing to “The Machine.” This game encouraged the importance of teamwork and reminded consumers that everyone’s role was important to make “The Machine” work.

The class ended with Emily playing her guitar and singing a couple of songs. A few clients took turns playing the guitar afterwards. All participants seemed to enjoy themselves as evidenced by the thunderous laughter during the activities.

When participants in Daily Companions Inc.’s adult programs look into a special mirror in the Daily Companions center in Martinsburg, they can smile knowing they helped create something unique and meaningful.

Daily Companions Inc. is a center that provides assistance for members of the West Virginia Title XIX I/DD Waiver program. DCI offers a residential living program, a supported employment program and a rehabilitative program geared toward adults with mental or developmental disabilities.

Part of DCI’s mission is to help program participants live and work as independently as possible. Daily Companions founder Lee Cloughfeather shaped the center’s mission to follow something her brother, Arty Smith, said related to being an adult with special needs:

“Don’t tell me what I can’t do. Let me show you what I can do.”

Janice Anderson, executive administrative assistant at DCI, helps organize weekly field trips for the clients on Fridays.

Recently, Anderson arranged for the clients to attend CraftWorks at Cool Spring, an art and nature center in Jefferson County.

Anderson said she asked the clients what they wanted to do, and they said they wanted to learn how to cook and how to make art.

“I sent a number of letters to artists, but the only studio that responded was CraftWorks,” Anderson said. “We had taken (the clients) out to Michael’s (craft store) in the past, but they would be bored and want to leave in five minutes. They liked going to CraftWorks and experiencing what it’s like to make a piece of art and have that physical and mental challenge.”

According to Linda Case, executive director of CraftWorks, the DCI participants learned how to make polymer clay tiles and decorate them. Many of the clients pressed leaves or beads or carved their names into their tiles, which were then arranged as a border around a mirror.

In addition to making the clay tiles, those who participated in the field trip to CraftWorks learned how to make quesadillas, salad and brownies, which they had for lunch that day.

“Daily Companions staff said their clients had been given too many childish projects in the past, and they wanted something more challenging. They also wanted to be able to walk away with something they could take home at the end of the day,” Case said. “They (DCI) have a strong philosophy of not dumbing things down and instead, really engaging people.”

Anderson said field trips and projects like the visit to CraftWorks help build clients’ self-esteem, hand-eye coordination and their appreciation for the world around them.

“I think the trip to CraftWorks helped them think creatively. Now, when they look at a picture or a painting, it has more meaning and they can understand how it came to be. Art is just something that happens until they experience it, and it’s stimulating,” she said.

Case said CraftWorks specializes in connecting people with art and nature, which are subjects that span all ages and skill levels.

“Art and nature touch our hearts. They’re subjects that span the spectrum of age and ability, and it’s a combination of an emotional response and an intellectual one,” she said.

Anderson said the Daily Companions group is tentatively planning another visit to CraftWorks in the spring, where they will do some painting and walk on the trails on the CraftWorks property.

“These trips and activities are good for (the clients’) self-esteem and self-respect,” Anderson said. “They are adults, and they deserve to be dignified and respected as adults.”

-Published in The Journal, written by Staff Writer Mary Stortstrom