We all know our Mountain Shadows employees are very special. They work long hours, performing unglamorous, physically and mentally demanding tasks to ensure our residents receive only the highest level of care. The decisions they make often affect quality of life issues, sometimes life and death issues. For the most part, they receive little recognition for all they do. Often, to be honest, they could choose other less challenging, less stressful, and higher paying careers. Yet, they choose Mountain Shadows. Why? Time and again, our staff tells us it is because of their commitment to, and love for, our residents.

As a non-profit organization, our funding is limited, so it is often difficult to find the resources to recognize our staff for their dedication. This is where Dr. Schindler enters the picture. Mark has been a consulting psychologist at Mountain Shadows for more than 12 years. He and his dog, Thumper, are well-known members of the extended Mountain Shadows family. “I enjoy working with the residents and staff,” says Mark. “Working with the residents is very rewarding. Many of them are not able to communicate their needs verbally. In a way, I get to act as Sherlock Holmes. We have to figure out, through the client’s behavior, what they are asking for. All behavior is meaningful.” Also meaningful to clients and staff is Thumper, who has been joining Mark on his rounds at Mountain Shadows for the past nine years. “Thumper is a joy for the clients,” adds Mark.

Mark shared a passion for Mountain Shadows with his friend and colleague, Ken Herzog. Ken was also a long-time consulting psychologist for our residents and staff. “Ken was a very important part of Mountain Shadows,” says Mark. “Everybody liked him.”

When Ken died of lung cancer, Mark wanted to honor his memory. He offered to match up to $3,000 in contributions to create a special memorial for Ken that would also honor the Community that had come to mean so much to him. The concept of building an employee break area was brain-stormed.

“Dr. Schindler’s idea is to create a place where employees can go and relax during a stressful day,” says Arlene Galvan, QMRP of Willow, Spruce and Pine Houses. “He sees it as a calm and peaceful retreat where staff can go to eat lunch or just unwind. It will be located in a beautiful, grassy area by Pine House. There are plans for a water fountain, possibly a gazebo area with a bridge leading to it, and tables shaded by large umbrellas.” Ahhhhhhhhh … a working person’s Shangri-La! And, also in memory of Ken’s fight with lung cancer, the area will be completely smoke-free.

“We are in the fundraising phase right now,” adds Arlene. “Dr. Schindler will match all contributions up to $3,000. We recently held a successful fundraiser at Rubio’s and plans for another fundraiser at Soup Plantation are in the works.”

“We are also currently selling some really cool travel mugs with the Mountain Shadows logo,” adds Jen Wilson, QMRP of Plum, Apple and Oak Houses. “They cost only $10 each! Drop by the main office or give us a call to buy one—or more!”

Arlene continues, “We will be holding a Community- wide rummage sale, tentatively scheduled for Saturday, March 22nd, starting at 7:00 a.m. Please drop off your tax deductible donations at the main office between March 4th and March 14th, or call me at (760) 743-3714, ext. 361, to make arrangements. We need clothing, household items, books, CDs, etc. All donations should be in good, working condition.”

“It is important to us to honor Ken’s memory,” says Jen. “He was a huge part of the Mountain Shadows family for a long time. He was very involved in the resident’s lives. He was such an amazing resource! He helped residents and staff members so much. He was an invaluable member of our team. The proposed employee break area will reflect his personality, which, even during times of crisis, was calming. All staff will be welcome. It will be a place to go and revitalize, to get in a good mind-set in order to be able to better serve our residents. I truly believe Ken would have wanted this.”

“Those people who worked with Ken were very lucky,” adds Mark. “I always believed Ken had forgotten more than I would ever know. I admired him for his patience in working with clients and for his natural curiosity.”

Haven’t you ever dreamed of a place where there was peace, where living was not a struggle, but a lasting delight? Of course you have. So has every man since time began. Sometimes he calls it Utopia, sometimes merely “that little chicken farm.” Here we call it Shangri-La. Here’s my hope that we will all find our Shangri-La. Lost Horizon by James Hilton

To help us build our very own small piece of Shangri-La for our dedicated staff, please contact the main office at (760) 743-3714, or Arlene, at ext. 361.

“Danavan is so dedicated to Mountain Shadows and those he serves. He worked hard to get where he is and has really proved himself. He never stops working, working, working—and he never complains. It is a pleasure working with him. Can I have more Danavan’s please?!”

“I’ve always been interested in working with the disabled,” says Danavan. “I have several cousins who are disabled: one is developmentally disabled and three are deaf. As a child growing up with them, I saw how they were treated and were often discriminated against. It was very upsetting to me.

“My cousins are very good people who never let their disabilities stop them from doing what they want to do.The oldest, Nancy, is now a successful runway model. Jesse is a Job Coach, Adrienne is attending college, and Monica is in high school. When I was young, I learned sign language in order to communicate with them. I learned so much from them! They affected me a great deal and, over the years, I came to realize that as humans, we are all the same. And as I grew older, I decided I wanted to help others like them. When I saw the opening for DCS at Mountain Shadows, I knew it was what I wanted to do!

“My favorite part of being a member of the Mountain Shadows Community is working with the residents. When I recently came back from a week’s vacation and saw the love from all of the residents, saw how much they missed me—well, that’s the best part!”

“Danavan is very involved in the resident’s lives,” adds Stacy. “If a resident is hospitalized, Danavan is there—it doesn’t matter if it’s 3:00 a.m. or 4:00 a.m.! He supports the residents in every way possible. He works weekends, even when he’s not scheduled. He drives resident Henry to be with his mother every week—in his own car! He doesn’t hesitate to take the extra step.” Danavan was born in Fallbrook. His father, mother, two brothers and sister all live in the North County area. “Our family is very close,” says Danavan. “My mother, Marcelina, is one of my very best friends. I can talk to her about things I wouldn’t tell anyone else. She taught me to respect all women.”

In addition to his work at Mountain Shadows, Danavan enjoy sports, hiking, and bike riding on his quad. He also loves traveling and wants to go to Mexico and South America to explore his roots. “I want to learn about my culture—all cultures are beautiful.” Danavan has a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology from California State University, Long Beach. He plans to obtain a Master’s Degree in Special Education in the future. Says Danavan, “One of my college professors once told me, ‘You either stand for something, or you stand for nothing.’ I don’t want to stand for nothing. What do I want to stand for? Goodness. I want to stand for goodness.

“We have a very, very good team here at Mountain Shadows. We all work together to resolve issues for the benefit of the residents. I spend more time here than with my family. It’s a great place!” When he was just a young man of 13, Ricardo Mireles, made a choice to create a better future for his family by coming to America. Today, his son, Danavan, follows in his footsteps by helping to create a better life, filled with new opportunities, for Mountain Shadows residents.

Thanks to Disney’s Community Involvement Program, which allows people with disabilities to enter the park for a greatly reduced fee, over 100 Mountain Shadows residents visited Disneyland during February and March. “We made more than 20 trips to Disneyland during those two months,” said Donna Ponomarenko, Mountain Shadows Activities Director. “We’ve been taking residents to Disneyland for many, many years.”

Many Disneyland attractions offer access for guests with wheelchairs or mobility disabilities. During their visit, Mountain Shadows residents enjoyed attractions including It’s a Small World, Alice in Wonderland, the Indiana Jones Adventure, the Pirates of the Caribbean, Space Mountain, Buzz Lightyear’s Astro Blasters, Splash Mountain and many more.They were also treated to Walt Disney’s Parade of Dreams, Snow White’s Enchanting Musical, and a tour of Mickey’s House, where they had the opportunity to meet the world’s most beloved mouse.

“All of the residents had a blast!” says Donna. “We took two vans each trip.There was one staff member for each resident. I went with Karen Trogdon, Willow House resident. We went on 15 different rides!”

Says Karen, “I’ve been to Disneyland a lot of times, but this year was very special to me. I loved The Mad Hatter ride, but my favorite part was seeing Mary Poppins. I had always wanted to see her. I had my picture taken with her and she gave me her autograph! It was a dream come true. And being there with Donna made the whole day even more special to me.”

Walt Disney’s dream was to make Disneyland the “Happiest Place on Earth.” Our dream here at Mountain Shadows is to help our residents have the courage to pursue theirs. “All dreams can come true—if we have the courage to pursue them.”
—Walt Disney

After nineteen months of negotiations, planning, and configuring, Mountain Shadows consummated the merger of thirteen homes (nine in Riverside and four in Moreno Valley) from two companies with similar corporate cultures and missions.

Reset the clock to October of 2002. After eleven years of struggle, Mountain Shadows Support Group accomplished what had previously seemed impossible when they pur chased the land, buildings and operations of all eighteen (18) Mountain Shadows Community Homes. Using municipal tax-free bond financing, MSSG purchased the operations and the homes from Mountain Shadows, Inc., a for-profit corporation headed and owned by Doug Cook and several families and friends of the residents of Mountain Shadows.This seminal event established the security and guaranteed the homes for the 117 residents for the foreseeable future.

“To the further benefit of our MSCH residents is the broadened horizon of care we now provide.”—Wade Wilde

Fast forward now to 2004 when two highly respected providers and industry leaders (Jim Danielsen & Cora Smith) are in search of an exit strategy from their respective businesses providing care and services primarily to pediatric and adolescent children. When Wade first met with Cora and Jim, he was struck by the similarities in the three organizations. “We all had very similar corporate cultures and clearly each provided quality care for our residents” he said. “As our discussions continued, we realized a merger of our organizations just made sense.” The financing model utilized and the human resource team assembled for the MSCH purchase was the catalyst for action and the secret to success in this regard. The essence of this effort is the truly beneficial win/win/win for the three corporations and respec tive residents and employees of each entity.The future bodes better for all segments of this merger.

Continue reading the full story in the Winter 2006 Newsletter.

Everybody can be great because anybody can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace and a soul generated by love.
Martin Luther King, Jr.

Mountain Shadows launched its 3rd Annual Direct Care Staff Appreciation Week on October 24th. The week was designed to recognize and honor the DCS members who serve our residents day in and day out. Through large and small acts of caring, they serve our community by providing the day-to-day care that enhances the quality of life of our residents. It was a great week, says Stacy Kendall, MSCH Director of Residential Services. Our goal was to show our appreciation to the staff for everything that they do everyday. We started the week with a pancake and sausage breakfast on Monday. Later in the day we delivered cakes and popcorn to all the houses. On Tuesday, we gave everyone coffee and donuts for breakfast and tacos in the afternoon. Bagels and coffee were provided on Wednesday morning and the staff was given Subway sandwiches in the afternoon.

Thursday was packed full of food, games, and gifts. Coffee, muffins and gift baskets were given to all houses, says Stacy. Then in the afternoon, we held the DCS Olympic Games. We played musical chairs, had a water balloon toss, and drew RC/QMRP faces on pumpkins. Everyone had a lot of fun! A celebration was held on Friday to commemorate 20 years of service for Jan Spain and Wayne Walthers, adds Stacy. We also had a BBQ in the afternoon and everyone dressed up in costumes to celebrate Halloween. Goodie Bags were delivered to all houses on Saturday and Sunday. A raffle was held each day and gifts and prizes were given to the winners. The DCS Appreciation Week is a hit every year, says Stacy. It is our way of showing our appreciation to the Direct Care Staff for all that they do everyday. Thanks to all Direct Care Staff members who, with hearts full of grace, and souls generated by love, work selflessly to serve our residents each and every day of the year!