Jan. 2008 
Heather Wyman, a creative arts therapist is our January 2008 Hero-of-the-Month. She graduated with a B.S. in Psychology from Caldwell College in New Jersey. Heather also has an art therapy certificate. Heather provides services for adolescents with behavioral and emotional difficulties at St. Clare’s hospital in New Jersey. Heather became an art therapist because she had always loved creating art and knew that art could be used to express feelings that there are no words for. Heather said: “Just the act of creating art can be therapeutic." Heather loves being an art therapist because she gets paid to do what she loves and she helps kids develop a side of themselves they may not know they had, which can be such a valuable coping mechanism for them. She likes to help kids recognize their self-worth. Heather said: “art is so much more positive than self mutilating or substance abuse.” Heather is also the creative operator of the 6 Degrees to Make a Difference Page on myspace. She created this network because many kids who come to the hospital develop a “victim mentality.” Heather teaches the kids that they do have control. She introduces her kids to other people in the world through 6 Degrees to Make a Difference. It includes children with cancer, those who have lost parents to war and many others. People can network with others across the world with similar situations and experiences. This can also help the kids who Heather works for to learn better coping strategies and to take a healthy control over their own lives. Check out Heather’s Six Degrees to Make a Difference Web Site: myspace.com/6degreesnj | Feb. 2008 
Mae Randle, a Recreation Therapist is our February Hero-of-the-Month. She graduated in May 2006 with a B.S. in Therapeutic Recreation from the University of Wisconsin, La Crosse. She passed her certification exam in October 2006. Mae has been accepted to grad school and she is pursing a Masters degree in Recreation Management. She has a vast amount of work experience. She started working full-time as the Assistant Director of Activities at a Nursing Home in Hastings, Minnesota. After six-months, she went part-time at this job because she had the opportunity to work full-time at a group home for people with mental illness and brain injury. Mae returned to her hometown of La Crosse to pursue her Master’s degree and now she is working at the Morrow Memorial Home in Sparta, Wisconsin as the Assistant Director of Recreation Therapy. She serves 100 residents at this nursing home. Mae loves working with the residents and hearing their stories. She especially loves to hear their stories during the time of World War II and living through the depression. Mae didn’t think she would enjoy working at a nursing home for fear that it would be boring and depression. It helps her to be more grateful in life. She especially loves working with residents who have dementia. She says their smiles tell the story for them. | March 2008 
Suzanne "Jersey Girl" DeMauro has been a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS) for ten years. She earned a BS in Recreation and Leisure Services Management from East Stroudsburg University (ESU), East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania (1997). Suzanne has been the Assistant Director of Therapeutic Recreation at Preakness Healthcare Center in Wayne, NJ for four years. It is located 20 minutes from NYC. This is a long term care facility in Passaic County. Suzanne works with residents from age 38 to 98. The facility has 406 beds. She had worked several other settings before finding this one, which she calls home. She provides services people with a variety of needs, including: Mental Health, Behavior Health, Alzheimer’s/Dementia, Multiple Sclerosis, Short term/rehab and traditional long term care. Suzanne always knew she wanted to work with people. She came from a family of teachers and decided to head down that same road. She started as a Special Education Major in the summer of 1993 at ESU. She was introduced to Therapeutic Recreation by the Resident Advisor of her dorm. The field of therapeutic recreation intrigued her. She decided to follow her heart and feels like she had found her calling. She is actively involved in The North Jersey/ Eastern Pennsylvania Therapeutic Recreation Association (NJ/ EPA TRA) She served as the Volunteer Coordinator for the two day fall conference (for the past three years). This has allowed her the opportunity to meet many recreational therapists and guide them as they enter our exciting profession. She also won the 2007 Professional Scholarship for the NJ/EPA TRA Fall Conference. Suzanne says that she is very committed to the residents she serves. She has worked in 50 hours of unpaid overtime to be the coordinator for the facility Fashion Show/ Tricky Tray. The purpose of this event is to raise monies to offer special trips, events and holiday gifts for our residents. They sponsor a trip to the Jersey Shore, Luncheon Cruises on The Spirit of New Jersey, Matinee Musicals at the Papermill Playhouse, and trips to see Minor League Baseball with The New Jersey Jackals. Special events include a visit from a local zoo for a pet therapy program and special dance productions that take place within the facility. Last year her facility raised over $11,000, which was a result of her unpaid overtime. Suzanne loves the work she does and truly feels pleased to touch the lives of so many residents. She said: They have made as much of an impact on her life as she had made on theirs. |
April 2008 
Erin has a degree in philosophy/ psychology from Wagner College, New York City. Erin lives in New Jersey and she works at a nursing home/ rehabilitation center. She provides sub-acute and long-term care. Erin has volunteered at this nursing home since she was 11-years-old. Erin had moved back home (Westfield, New Jersey) after college. She was commuting into Manhattan and was exhausted. One day Erin was walking through the nursing home and the director of recreation asked if she would be interested in a job. Erin said “yes” and has been there ever since. Erin has a video under the “about me” section of her myspace. It features residents at the nursing home singing and dancing. This video is expected to be featured on Ellen Degeneres, but still hasn’t played it on her show. The residents are so proud of this video. Unfortunately, some of the residents are getting sick. Watch the video at Erin DeLand’s myspace page to get an idea of what she is really about: Visit Erin DeLand’s Myspace Site to watch video! | May 2008 
Wilson Wong is our May 2008 Hero-of-the-Month! Wilson has a B.S. in Recreation with certificate in Therapeutic Recreation from California State University of Long Beach. He is the first person in his family to have a college degree. Wilson works for a Residential Retirement Facility, Motion Picture Television Fund in Woodland Hills, California. He serves a unique and interesting people who are retired and aging seniors and/ or spouses of the motion picture television industry. Wilson brings a fresh new, out of the box, approach to recreation programs and activities as the recreation coordinator. He is the newest staff out of four in the residential recreation department. Wilson leads the improve acting class, has introduced the Nintendo Wii gaming console, follows the stock market with residents and is in charge of dealing Texas Hold ‘em Poker. He is the youngest staff member in the weekly current events group, brining up view and opinions from his younger generation, which many of the residents want to relate to. Wilson says: “All the activities and programs focus on the value of recreation with a holistic approach in improving the quality of life. When staff and residents have questions with computers and audio visual equipment setup, I'm the one they go to. I have compassion for residents that aren't physically able to participate and visit some of them one on one for recreation. I have a genuine interest in the residents and their experiences in the industry and they love to share their stories and advice for aging! My goals are to continue bringing non-active residents to our programs and introduce other new inventive ways to get residents to live a life of play.” Wilson is also an Introduction Leader at Landmark Education leading hour and a half long seminars and Introductions to the Landmark Forum. Wilson is also collaborating with a partner to start "Step One" a nonprofit after-school program for youth that introduces the loving, peacefu, productive self-expressive side of Hip Hop through music, dance, and the arts. Wilson says: “It was breakdancing and DJing as a teenager that kept me in shape and away from nearby negative influences growing up in Los Angeles, CA.” | June 2008 
Meet our June 2008 hero-of-the-month: Jessica. She is a graduate from Southern University A & M of Baton Rouge, Louisiana in Therapeutic Recreation and Leisure Studies. Jessica has worked for the Veteran Affairs Administration for 5 years. Here she works in the mental health setting providing therapeutic activities to the veterans from all conflicts. Jessica has a vast experience having also worked with Geriatrics and Hospice care residents. She decided to major in therapeutic recreation because the field is broad and there were many settings to work. Jessica is very motivated to learn more about the field of therapeutic recreation and the many opportunities. She was chosen to be our hero-of-the-month because she is a kind-hearted person who loves her job. In her words, she says that she provides “Blue Ribbon service to the vets and many others.” She loves learning and enjoys finding new opportunities in recreational therapy that she can provide. Jessica claims: “my job is very rewarding. I love it and hope to be one of the next big whigs someday.” I think she will be. Jessica has three children who she loves. She is married to a wonderful man and she enjoys a variety of recreation activities including: traveling with her family, doing family activities, exercising, dancing, and listening to music. |
