Update

Our blog has recently had some technical issues making it harder for us to update. 
We apologize for the decrease in posts.  
However, now we have them fixed! 
Thanks for staying with us and keep checking back often for new posts!!!

-KADEP Staff 

Ginny's Fairwell

Last week KADEP honored, celebrated, and thanked Ginny Wagner for her 14 years of dedication to our program. 

 Ginny started in 2000 as a contract employee to work with Justin.

 Thanks Peter and his band for playing!

Ginny retired in order to help take care of her mother who has MS.
From all clients and staff, thank you for everything you gave to us and....

WE ARE FAMILY EVER!

Welcome Robin

Robin is our new Maintenance Coordinator.

Robin introduced himself by saying:

 

I have been at KADEP 2 months

I was born near Stratford-Upon-Avon, England

My interest/hobbies are..cars, my dog, travel, keeping a veggie garden, food, friends, exercise, photography.

I like KADEP because there is laughter in the building and people care for each other genuinely.

Farewell Shin

Today KADEP said farewell to a great friend by eating donuts and recalling old times. We will all miss Shin.

Shin is famous for dressing up as a women for proms or Halloween

Shin in 2003

Shin's farewell

 

Shin is an Exercise Specialist and shared valuable health and wellness knowledge. Shin started in 2000 as a volunteer then became a full time employee in 2003.

Thanks for all the great memories Shin! 

TR Month

February is National Therapeutic Recreation Month

Governor Hickenlooper signed a Proclamation recognizing TR month in  Colorado

Thank you to KADEP's Therapeutic Recreation Specialists:
Claire
Michelle
Ginny
Kelsey
Makena
John
Kyle
Donna
and 5 TR interns

Staff Recognition

Recently on the Today Show they talked about the Top Ten College Majors for having a Lucrative Career.

Therapeutic Recreation was listed as #4! Congrats to the all the CTRSs on staff: Claire, John, Kyle, Michelle, Kelsey, Donna, Makena, and Ginny. Also the four current TR Interns!

Nursing was listed as #2!! Congrats to our nursing staff: Michaela, Wendy, Mylinda, Carole, and Maria.

KADEP would not run without our qualified and caring staff. Thank you everyone on the team!

To see the complete video check out: http://www.today.com/video/today/48893538#48893538

Gary's Fairwell

Today we celebrated Gary's retirement and said thank you for all you have done for us!
Gary was Rocky Mountain MS Center's full time Building Manager for 3 years and an additional 4 years as a contract employee prior to that. Gary helped us get our new building remolded, built the new shade structure, was a general Mr. Fix-It, and patched countless holes in the walls.
Gary is now trying to settle into retirement life.

Thank you for everything you have done for the Rocky Mountain MS Center. The building and all the people will miss you.

Enjoy retirement and remember to relax! 

Meet the newest staff member

Claire! Claire was an intern last semester and now has joined the team full team as a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist.

Sharon is Retiring!

KADEP clients and staff said farewell to our great receptionist of five years. Sharon was always the first to greet people with a smile and KADEP will miss her contagious laugh.

Sharon is retiring and plans to enjoy more free time and do some volunteer work .... at KADEP!!!!
So this is not a good-bye just see you later and thank you for all you have done for us.

Meet the New Staff Member Kelsey

Kelsey was an intern is this past semester and then got hired on.

Here is some more information about her...

I am from Syracuse, NY and went to a state school for college, studying therapeutic recreation. I enjoy being outdoors and doing activities like hiking, biking, climbing and walking. I absolutely love animals. I like to try new things and challenge myself. I have always loved working with people, which is why I chose my major of therapeutic recreation. I am so happy to be a staff member here at KADEP and to be able to stay out here in Colorado!

KADEP welcomes Kelsey!

Beth and Debra Farewell



KADEP said farewell and congrats to two staff members. Beth took a Therapeutic Recreation Specialist position at Aurora Medical Center in the behavioral psych unit. Debra took a Social Work position at Mental Health Center of Denver's Recovery Center.

 





Beth was at KADEP for 3 and a half years. During that time she was the hydro coordinator, volunteer coordinator, and RTD coordinator. Beth also was the all-knowledgeable, go-to, art specialist!  Her talents will be missed but we know she will pass along her skills to others.

Debra was at KADEP for a year. She was the intake and social services coordinator. Debra was always around to lend support and comfort through tough times to clients and staff. She will take her warm and loving heart to her new position.

Thank you both for everything!

Welcome, Kyle!

Kyle McIntosh is KADEP's newest CTRS! He is a Colorado native and spends lots of his free time climbing and having adventures--before he joined the team, he went to Ecuador for a three week climbing trip. He has worked as a rafting guide in the past, and is excited to be here at KADEP!

Say hi to Kyle when you see him around!

Welcome, Adrianna!

The KADEP front desk has a new smiling face in the morning! Adrianna is helping out managing the morning rush.
Make sure to say hello and introduce yourself--welcome to the team!

March is Social Work Month

Nationwide, social workers are celebrating their profession this month, and Debra, KADEP's Licensed Social Worker, is celebrating along with them!

This year's theme for social work month is "Weaving the Threads of Resilience and Advocacy." 

A Nation’s Fabric Our national fabric is comprised of many diverse lives. It is vibrant and strong because it has been woven from the stories of people from every continent into a compelling narrative of struggle, renewal, and success.  Each thread helps make a brilliant tapestry that continues to be the envy of the world.

Stronger Safety Nets Resilience and determination alone cannot overcome all crises, but weaving those strengths with targeted advocacy often can. The Social Work profession has a distinguished history of not only providing social safety nets to the most vulnerable, but also challenging systems that impede social mobility.

Positive Futures Stories of hope in the face of tragedy share a common theme: better times are ahead.  Illness, loss, abuse, and poverty shape our lives in profound ways, but how we learn to deal with each circumstance can determine how much those experiences define our limitations—or our opportunities.   

Join Debra and  the 650,000 social workers across the country in celebrating the positive futures and stories of hope that fuel our communities. Click here if you want to learn more about what social workers do!

Therapeutic Recreation Month

Governor John Hickenlooper has declared that February is Therapeutic Recreation Month in Colorado!

KADEP staff's Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialists (CTRSs) are Ginny, Michelle, Donna, Beth, John, and Makena.

From the Colorado Therapeutic Recreation Society:

“Therapeutic Recreation professionals around the state are an integral part of the services provided to residents of Colorado living with a disability” said Dan Schwieder, current board member of CTRS. “Therapeutic Recreation helps to empower our community members with a disability to be more independent and to make decisions that will impact their overall health and wellness.” 

Thanks for all you do, TRs! 

Thank You, Laura!

Laura Hartman, our social services coordinator, boxing instructor, and all-around good person, is leaving KADEP and moving to New York to pursue some exciting opportunities.

The KADEP family had a farewell celebration for Laura, and we gave her gifts she can remember us by. We wrote special messages in a journal for her to take with her and clients created individual works of art that were then put together into a special, reversible frame.

Laura has had an amazing impact on KADEP during her seven and a half years of service, and she will take our hearts out to New York with her.

Thank you, Laura, for enriching each and every one of us. We will miss you!

Thank you Amanda

KADEP also said farewell to staff member, Amanda on Wed. Nov. 21st. We are thankful that Amanda will always be part of our KADEP Family.  Amanda was the camping coordinator, RTD coordinator, and is an outstanding recreation therapist.  She will be missed and we wish her the best in her newest adventures in the Colorado Mountains.   Thank you for all your work and for sharing your inspiring energy at KADEP!

Welcome KADEP Staff Member, Makena

"I grew up in Lafayette, CO. I attended Colorado State University for four years and graduated with a degree in Health and Exercise Science.  Then I attended Metro State University of Denver to study Therapeutic Recreation.  I completed my internship summer of 2012 at KADEP and luckily for me the internship turned into a job!  I am so happy I found a job that I look forward to coming to everyday. It is really the clients that make this an enjoyable place to be.  Outside of work I enjoy bike riding, swimming, and hiking." 

Welcome Makena!

Staff Members hike Mt. Sherman

Rocky Mountain MS Center Administration and KADEP Staff hiked Mt. Sherman on a windy and chilly Saturday, August 11th. 

Congrats to all who summited for MS4MS!

Photos by: Nathan Federico

Farewell and Good Luck, TC

KADEP says Goodbye to Exercise Specialist, TC Doyle.  TC worked at KADEP for four years.  Some of the participants gifted TC with cereal, peanut butter, and jelly.  He will be missed. TC will be working at Craig Hospital as an exercise specialist. We hope to see you around soon!