Congratulations to our 4rd Quarter Champions for Excellence
These individuals were nominated by their peers, and selected by the MHM Board of Directors for their demonstration of the MHM core values, and for being pillars of excellence in all they do on behalf of MHM.
Please join us in celebrating their achievement!
These winners will receive a desktop award and a certificate signed by MHM’s President & CEO and the Board’s Personnel Committee Chair; winners will also be featured on the organization’s website and social media networks.
All winners will also receive a certificate for leave of one-half day (4 hours) to be used at the choosing of the award winner, approved by the supervisor or manager. Finally, all Excellence Achiever of the Quarter winners will be eligible to win the annual MHM ‘Spirit of Excellence’ award to be presented at the December team member Christmas party.
It came as a complete surprise when the Rotary Club of D’Hanis/Hondo presented Theresa Standage, RN, Wesley Nurse at Hondo United Methodist Church, with the ‘You Make a Difference’ Award at their October 11th meeting. “The recognition itself was greatly appreciated, however when I discovered the Rotarian motto is ‘commitment to service above self’ this recognition captured a special place in my heart,” explains Theresa.
Community members are nominated for their practice of ethical standards in their profession, and for conducting meaningful community service projects. Additionally, to receive this recognition you must pass the Rotary’s Four-Way Test established as a moral code for personal and business relationships:
Is it the truth?
Is it fair to all concerned?
Will it build goodwill and better friendships?
Will it be beneficial to all concerned?
Theresa continues, “It was a huge honor to receive the award, especially since it was given to me by the community I serve. I tell everyone that this is not just my award. I share it with MHM for creating this position, I share it with all Wesley Nurses because their service to their respective communities continues to inspire me, and with my congregation and community who support me as a Wesley Nurse. I will always thank God for putting me where I can best serve.”
submitted by: Kathy Frels, RN
Wesley Nurse, First United Methodist Church, Victoria, Texas
Recently, I had a first time client come to me as a referral from the new Victoria Community Clinic for prescription assistance. While I was performing intake for the Prescription Assistance Program I asked where she resided in order to complete the physical address requirement of the paperwork. It was then I discovered she and her daughter had been living in the parking lot of a local Wal-Mart store for over 16 months. I was shaken to discover this could be happening in our small, seemly quiet community.
She was very kind and considerate as she shared with me all that she had been through. She had been laid off in 2011 due to diabetes complications with neuropathy. In fact, her health had deteriorated to the point of being unable to wear shoes as they caused severe swelling. She also described the difficulty she encountered when applying for public assistance. Due to the overly complicated system she was forced to navigate, and lacking a basic understanding of assistance programs, she and her daughter found themselves homeless and often going days without food.
Having provided similar assistance to a number of clients through my service as a Wesley Nurse with the Wesley Nurse Health Ministries program, I quickly jumped at the chance of connecting this individual with the appropriate support services.
The first order of business was to use the partnerships and resources within our community I have used in the past to help clients in similar situations to advocate for mother and daughter.
The message that greeted me the next morning was the reward we as Wesley Nurses are so blessed to witness through our ministries: “Mrs. Frels, I love you! I want to thank you for your support and compassion yesterday. I received Food Stamps to help my daughter and me…” she exclaimed. I immediately returned her phone call to share in her joy of finally having a door open for her and her daughter.
As I was speaking with her, I couldn’t help to think of the word she repeated throughout the course of our conversation: – compassion. I began to reflect on ‘compassion’ more deeply. As a Wesley Nurse, and employee at Methodist Healthcare Ministries compassion is among the core values I and my colleagues strive to demonstrate, but how it this illustrated? How do you describe compassion in action?
Just as this client felt she was guided to First United Methodist Church in Victoria for a reason that stretched further than prescription assistance, I believe I was placed as a Wesley Nurse in Victoria for a purpose larger than myself. This experience reminded me of my oath to act compassionately in service to MHM’s mission.
I remember the words I shared with this particular client when first learning of her despair, “the Lord will intervene and provide.”
Today she is filled with comfort knowing the Lord provides. Likewise, I am overfilled with joy knowing I am a witness to this. Though the Wesley Nurse Health Ministries program I am able to play a part in administering to the health of those in need. Let us not forget why we are called to this job as Wesley Nurses, and as agents of our mission of, “Serving Humanity to Honor God.” We can rejoice knowing we are working for the Lord through all that we do each day.
“He who is kind to the poor lends to the LORD,
and he will reward him for what he has done.” Proverbs 19:17
Guest Blogger: K. Irene Stone
Executive Director, Arthur Nagel Community Clinic
The man turned to our staff and volunteers as the EMS technicians loaded his injured wife onto the stretcher, and said, “You’re the clinic who cares.” He had come into our small medical facility in a panic, fearful for his wife who was suffering head trauma from an accident at home. They weren’t patients, they were just visiting their vacation home in the area, and this was the only place he knew to go. We got his wife into an exam room, started first aid treatment, and called EMS.
“The clinic who cares.” Perhaps not grammatical, but the words were heartfelt and crystal-clear. Those words still echo down the clinic hallway, the same hallway where I braved claustrophobia two years ago to walk down as the new Executive Director of the Arthur Nagel Community Clinic. I came because I believed this was the clinic that cared. I had no office, at least not one I could call my own, and as I walked through the narrow hallways, it became very clear that in order to keep caring we (1.) needed more room, and (2.) needed it now. That was then when we were only averaging 13 patients a day. We average 21 patients a day now, and that number continues to grow. There are 7,000 people in Bandera County who qualify for our services. They have no health insurance and little or no income. They may work, but they cannot get ahead or they are part of the recent unemployed because of the recession. We currently see a fraction of those who qualify, but if only a third of them suddenly descend on our little clinic, what will we do? Where will we put them? Who will treat them?
Last year we provided medical services to the Bandera community valued at $1.14 million. Over $500,000 of that was a free medication from our Prescription Assistance Program. With more patients come more supplies, prescriptions, paperwork, medical waste, and more healthcare professionals. The list grows as the numbers increase. But where do we put everything and everybody? We need more storage space, more offices, and more exam rooms. And we need safer work areas and better privacy for our patients. We have healthcare professionals who are willing to donate their services or write grants to cover their costs, but where can we put them? I have people eager to donate medical equipment and supplies, but I have no room to store their in-kind donations. I cannot fit all the volunteers who want to help in the current building so I made a waiting list. Foundation officers come for a visit, and we have to meet in the kitchen where we interrupt the staff’s normal routine. The list goes on and on.
I’ve adjusted to the tight space, and I converted an exam room for temporary office space, so I don’t feel claustrophobic anymore, but the underlying need to expand keeps intensifying. If we are to continue as “the clinic who cares,” we must complete the funding for the clinic’s expansion as soon as possible. To date we have received $237,000 toward the expansion and remodeling of the clinic, and are working hard to secure the remainder of funds needed to support this project.
In the long run, the clinic’s expansion will benefit your friends, neighbors, church members, and maybe even loved ones. To learn more about the Arthur Nagel Community Clinic in Bandera, Texas, visit www.nagelclinic.org.
Since inception, MHM has provided nearly $500 million in healthcare services through our clinics and programs, as well as through our partnerships. MHM is proud to partner with organizations that share our mission and organizational objective of delivering healthcare and social services to the least served in the South Texas region. By strengthening other organizations’ capacity to provide services, we achieve our overarching goal of increasing access to care.
The Arthur Nagel Community Clinic joined MHM’s family of funded partners in 2009. The Clinic provides free primary, preventive, mental, and dental healthcare services to the underserved residents of Bandera County. To date, MHM has provided over $266,000 in in funding to support the Arthur Nagel Community Clinic.
Submitted by Juan Martinez, Health Education Program Manager
As Health Education Program Manager, I oversee health-related educational offerings and healthy eating initiatives at MHM. MHM's health education program ranges from information on how to handle diseases like diabetes, issues like weight management, to asthma and heart health. An especially critical focus of health education at MHM is addressing concerns related to diabetes. In fact, MHM's Diabetes Self-Management Education was recently named an accredited diabetes education program by the American Association of Diabetes Educators.
With this knowledge base, I know all too well the impact diabetes has on the individual, their loved ones and the community at large. That is why when MHM agreed to become a Team Red Sponsor for the American Diabetes Association's (ADA) Step Out Walk to Stop Diabetes in San Antonio I was estactic! Naturally, I have a strong connection with the cause. I quickly envisioned the power of people. If we could formulate a team of like-minded walkers and supporters to champion the Stop Diabetes cause, our limits would be boundless. As an added motivation, MHM graciously offered to match all team contributions.
And so, the journey began. In July, I was officially named team captain for the MHM Challengers. The game plan was easy:
Join. With MHM's support, the MHM Challengers officially joined the 2012 Step Out: Walk to Stop Diabetes both as an official Team Red Sponsor and as a corporate team.
Register. Through various onsite events and special promotions we were able to recruit and register over 110 team members making the MHM Challengers one of the largest San Antonio Step Out teams.
Fundraise. With much help from representatives with local ADA representatives, David Whitt and Jose A. Macias, we were able to offer fundraising tips and training to the MHM Challengers team. Their online tools and helpful ideas really guided team members in achieving their personal fundraising goals. In fact, within three short months we had raised over $900 in donations.
Stop Diabetes. On Saturday, November 3rd, the MHM Challengers stepped out with confidence knowing that every dollar raised by the team provided funds for critical diabetes education and research. And although a cure has not yet been determined, we know we are that much closer to stopping diabetes.
To date, the team has raised over $2,200 in support of the ADA Step Out Walk to Stop Diabetes.
The MHM Challengers are still accepting donations. To donate, visit: http://main.diabetes.org/goto/mhmchallengers. The deadline to submit your contribution to the team is Monday, December 3, 2012.
The CRFE credential demonstrates an individual’s mastery of the standards set for core knowledge and skills required of fundraising executives after five years of experience.
The CFRE designation is held by only about 10% of all AFP members worldwide. To earn the CFRE, one must document extensive experience and achievement, and must pass an intense, comprehensive examination on all aspects of fundraising including ethical standards. The CFRE is considered as significant a professional achievement for a fundraiser as a CPA is for an accountant.
“This affirms Covita’s commitment to the fundraising profession. With her years of experience and the qualities she brings to her work, we knew she had the skills, but it’s nice to see it recognized,” exclaims Covita’s director, Anne Connor.
There was music, merriment and the patter of many feet as El Buen Pastor United Methodist Church’s line dancing group celebrated Happy Feet Line Dancing Group Day on October 4, 2012 in San Marcos, Texas.
One year ago, Mayor Daniel Guerrero of San Marcos proclaimed this date as a day of recognition for Happy Feet’s successes and contributions to the community.
In 2009, the congregation of El Buen Pastor UMC asked their Wesley Nurse, Cindy Ybarra, to start a line dancing class. Cindy, who had never line danced in her life, learned just enough from YouTube to get the class started. Today, the class is still alive and kicking thanks to YouTube and to recruits from other line dancing groups who generously shared their dancing expertise.
Happy Feet, as the group is now called, meets twice weekly and averages 10 participants at each session. Happy Feet specializes in out-of-the-ordinary line dances from many musical and cultural backgrounds. Included in their repertoire are the familiar country/western line dances, but the group especially enjoys dances with Latin, Cajun, Rock n’ Roll and ballroom influences. Sometimes they even throw in a little Scottish and Irish traditional for a change.
Happy Feet is notable for its success as a holistic ministry. It is without a doubt a wholesome, healthy form of exercise, but it is also mentally challenging and socially rewarding.
A typical Happy Feet participant memorizes no less than 25 different dances, and the troupe certainly knows how to have fun! One participant noted that most of the group’s time together is spent in laughter and celebration. “We celebrate our dancing successes, our life events such as birthdays, retirements, comings and goings, and our time together as a group of very diverse but very compatible friends,” explains Cindy Ybarra.
The line dancing classes are free, open to the public.
Congratulations to our 3rd Quarter Champions for Excellence
These individuals were nominated by their peers, and selected by the MHM Board of Directors for their demonstration of the MHM core values, and for being pillars of excellence in all they do on behalf of MHM.
Please join us in celebrating their achievement!
These winners will receive a desktop award and a certificate signed by MHM’s President & CEO and the Board’s Personnel Committee Chair; winners will also be featured on the organization’s website and social media networks.
All winners will also receive a certificate for leave of one-half day (4 hours) to be used at the choosing of the award winner, approved by the supervisor or manager. Finally, all Excellence Achiever of the Quarter winners will be eligible to win the annual MHM ‘Spirit of Excellence’ award to be presented at the December team member Christmas party.
Last month the Lutie Watkins Memorial United Methodist Church opened its doors for Michael Nye’s ‘Children of Children: Portraits and Stories of Teenage Parents’ exhibit. This free, multimedia exhibit is a collection of stunning black and white portraits accompanied by audio stories, as told by the individuals featured in the portraits, about how teen pregnancy affected their lives.
Vicki Krcha, Wesley Nurse at the Lutie Watkins Memorial UMC, applied for a transportation scholarship to arrange for the exhibit to be brought to Llano. “Teen pregnancy has a deep-rooted impact on not only the mother and child, but is felt community-wide,” explains Krcha.
To facilitate the showing, Vicki recruited volunteers to assist, placed advertisements in local newspapers and church periodicals, and met with school officials to promote.
An estimated 100 attendees visited the exhibit during the course of its weeklong showing. Among its visitors was Deidre Henderson’s Child Development Class from Llano High School. As a class exercise, Vicki made poster paper available for youth to share their thoughts and feelings after the viewing. These posters were later taken to the classroom to encourage further discussion.
“Visitors to the exhibit were struck by the beautiful photographs and touched by the sentiments shared through the audio recordings. Many people expressed their gratitude for having such an exhibit come to Llano,” exclaims Krcha.
The exhibit was also used as a kick-off for a new Parents Helping Parents (PHP) support group which meets on Wednesdays from 5:30p.m. to 7:00p.m. at the Lutie Watkins Memorial UMC. For more information about the PHP support group, contact Vicki at (325) 247-4009.
For more information about the ‘Children of Children’ exhibit, call (877) 790-0192 or email info@mhm.org.
Since inception, MHM has provided nearly $500 million in healthcare services through our clinics and programs, as well as through our partnerships. MHM is proud to partner with organizations that share our mission and organizational objective of delivering healthcare and social services to the least served in the South Texas region. By strengthening other organizations’ capacity to provide services, we achieve our overarching goal of increasing access to care.
An MHM funded partner since 1997, the Hispanic Religious Partnership for Community Health, Inc. (HRPCH) works to make a difference in Bexar County by engaging in the lives of the disadvantaged, underserved, and those requesting assistance to meet their basic needs.
Founded in 1997 by ten local Hispanic United Methodist Churches in San Antonio, Texas, the HRPCH has a deep-rooted connection with addressing the health and human service needs of families in the community. The founding churches, located in some of the city’s most underserved communities, witnessed firsthand the despair that is brought about from poverty. Lacking the resources to be able to provide the much-needed help as individual congregations, these churches came together to form a partnership to more adequately address this need.
Today, HRPCH operates four distinct programs:
Diaper Bank. Started in 2011, the Diaper Bank assists low-income families by providing access to a reserve of diapers, baby wipes, baby food and formula. This Bank also serves as a distribution center for products that supplement MHM’s Wesley Nurse Health Ministries™ My Healthy Child health education program and the HRPCH Baby Boutiques located St. John’s UMC and Bethel UMC.
Help Program. The Help Program provides emergency food and household utilities assistance, vision enrollment, federal benefits referrals, and job placement assistance along with other vital services. This program is designed to function as safety net for families in need.
Hunger Relief. The Hunger Relief program organizes various food pantries and special outreach events year round. Its goal is to provide nourishment to hungry families throughout Bexar County.
Senior Wellness. The Senior Wellness program is focused on providing healthy alternatives to ensure low-income seniors stay healthy both mentally and physical by participating in an assortment of exercise and nutrition opportunities.
At its core, HRPCH believes individuals and families must have their basic needs satisfied before they can work towards setting and achieving long-term economic and educational goals. HRPCH programs are designed to meet these needs.
In 2011, HRPCH served 7,422 families. This year to date, 9,562 families have been served through HRPCH programs.
To date, MHM has provided over $2.1 million in funding to support HRPCH.
Linda was nominated for this important recognition by her team, and selected by the Chapter in appreciation for the strong support she has shown the administrative staff at MHM, and the administrative profession.
The Executive of the Year Award is given each year in recognition of an executive’s interest and support of administrative professionals and who raises awareness of the critical role administrative assistants play in every organization. The International Association of Administrative Professionals (IAAP®) is the world’s largest association for administrative support staff, with nearly 600 chapters and 40,000 members and affiliates worldwide.
Linda is a champion for her team, always striving to raise awareness for the important role each of the administrative professionals at MHM plays in support of the mission. The entire MHM team applauds Linda for this important recognition, and thanks her for her many years of exemplary service and outstanding commitment to MHM’s mission.
Each year MHM's Team Member Appreciation Committee (TMAC) organizes various social and recreational events designed to promote goodwill and enhance team morale. Ultimately, these events serve to honor and appreciate the hard work and dedication of team members throughout the year on behalf of the MHM mission.
Our annual Team Member Appreciation Picnic is one such instance. The theme this year? Awesome 80s!
On Friday, October 5, the entire MHM team convened at Pedrotti's North Wind Ranch for a day of games, team building and entertainment.
Awards were presented to the best dressed 80s Icons with Beetlejuice (Ruth Schmidtka) and Miami Vice's Sonny Crockett (Victor Reyes) making an appearance and Biggest Hair (Donnelle Storrs).
Our 'Gag me with a Spoon' bake off awarded prizes for the Best Tasting (Karmel, Karmel, Karmel Chameleon Apple Cake; Jae Kight) and Most Heathy (Fruit Danish; Sara Campbell). While Madai Chandler's Pac Man Cake took home the title for Best Presentation.
Our 'Totally Tubular Volleyball' tournament helped us work off the Bake Off treats with Revenge of the Nerds (Samantha Andrus, Maureen Lares, Monica Orozco, Nicole Perez, Perry Spindler, Jessica Weaver, Ken Webster, Liz Valerio) taking home the championship trophy.
Thank you to the MHM team for your commitment to 'Serving Humanity to Honor God' through your daily work. A special recognition goes to TMAC for planning and organizing our Awesome 80s celebration!
Jaime Wesolowski is the President and Chief Executive Officer at Methodist Healthcare Ministries. A healthcare executive with three decades of leadership experience, Jaime is responsible for the overall governance and direction of Methodist Healthcare Ministries. Jaime earned his Master’s Degree in Healthcare Administration from Xavier University, and his Bachelor’s of Science from Indiana University in Healthcare Administration. As a cancer survivor, Jaime is a staunch supporter of the American Cancer Society. He serves as Chair of the American Cancer Society’s South Texas Area board of directors and he was appointed as Chair to the recently created South Region Advisory Cabinet, covering eight states from Arizona through Alabama. Jaime believes his personal experience as a cancer survivor has given him more defined insight and compassion to the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of patients and their families.
Congratulations to our 4rd Quarter Champions for Excellence
It came as a complete surprise when the Rotary Club of D’Hanis/Hondo presented Theresa Standage, RN, Wesley Nurse at Hondo United Methodist Church, with the ‘You Make a Difference’ Award at their October 11th meeting. “The recognition itself was greatly appreciated, however when I discovered the Rotarian motto is ‘commitment to service above self’ this recognition captured a special place in my heart,” explains Theresa. 
Congratulations to our 3rd Quarter Champions for Excellence
An estimated 100 attendees visited the exhibit during the course of its weeklong showing. Among its visitors was Deidre Henderson’s Child Development Class from Llano High School. As a class exercise, Vicki made poster paper available for youth to share their thoughts and feelings after the viewing. These posters were later taken to the classroom to encourage further discussion.
Linda L. Lopez, Administrative Manager and Assistant to the President & CEO at Methodist Healthcare Ministries (MHM), was recently presented the 
