Dave McAllister named Director of Substitute Care Program

 Dave McAllister has been hired as Director of Laraway Youth & Family Services’ Substitute Care Program which oversees therapeutic foster care and micro-residential programming.   He brings extensive experience, having served Laraway in numerous capacities since 1999.

McAllister joined Laraway at age nineteen as an overnight staff member in a residential program.  His roles expanded over time, encompassing crisis support, case management, staff supervision and new program development.  He serves as Treasurer of the Vermont Coalition of Residential Providers.  Active community involvement, coupled with graduate studies in Organizational Leadership, position this Lamoille County native well to lead the program.  

“I am really excited to serve kids and families requiring a high level of care,” McAllister said.  “I love having the opportunity to create and innovate while exploring new strategies to become even better at what we do.”

“Dave is a strong and compassionate leader,” said Greg Stefanski, Laraway’s Executive Director.  “Substitute Care is considered a leader in providing foster care as well are residential, crises and early intervention services and supports.  I look forward to Dave building on these successes and finding new ways to support our kids, their families and the staff and foster respite families who work with them.”

     Laraway Youth & Family Services is a non-profit organization dedicated to identifying and building on the strengths of children and youth with emotional, behavioral and mental health challenges, through alternative education, therapeutic foster care and public school based behavioral intervention supports.  For more information, visit Laraway.org or email KatherineS@Laraway.org. 

Laraway Youth Appear on WLVB Radio with Roland Lajoie to tout Upcoming Photography Opening Reception on October 19th

     Four teenagers in Laraway's therapeutic foster care program appeared on WLVB Radio with DJ Roland Lajoie to talk about a Photo Voice project they've been working on since last summer. They've created art, music and photographs to be featured in a show at Laraway's Gallery Space on our Johnson Campus.
     The Photo Voice project, called B.E.A.T.S., captures images depicting healthy alternatives to alcohol and substance abuse.  Youth took photos depicting spending time in nature, creating art and making music, among other activities.  The project is a Laraway collaboration with Healthy Lamoille Valley.
     The public is invited to attend the Opening Reception on Wednesday, October 19th, 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at Laraway Youth & Family Services, 275 VT Route 15W, Johnson.  For more information, or to RSVP, contact Katherine Stamper at Kstamper@Laraway.org or 802-635-2805 x 106 or Jessica Bickford at Jessica@healthylamoillevalley.org.

   

Laralympics Returns to Laraway School

   
     You didn't make the trip to Rio for the 2016 Olympics?  No worries.  Laraway is hosting a 3-day, Olympic-inspired extravaganza appropriately called "Laralympics." To prepare for the event, students have been studying the geography and history of the specific continents---as opposed to countries--- their educational teams are representing in the games.
     "This is the second time we are hosting Laralympics," said event organizer Jess McCoy.  "Laralympics builds a really great sense of community; it brings everyone together across classrooms and teams.  Plus, creating opportunities for healthy competition while keeping our students moving and growing is important."
     The continents represented include Africa, Asia, Europe, Australia, North America and South America.  As part of their studies, students have created flags and T-shirts for their designated continents.
     The event opened with a torch-lighting ceremony.  Athletic events include biking and canoeing plus traditional field and track events with a relay race.
     Laraway's cafeteria joined in on the fun by preparing themed meals to coincide with the continents studied.  Africa was represented by a tasty peanut soup and chicken couscous.  Egg rolls, sesame green beans and teriyaki chicken offered flavors of Asia.  Brazilian black bean stew and Peruvian Lomo Saltado satisfied South American appetites.
     "The food piece is really cool," McCoy said.  "Everyone is encouraged to step out of their comfort zone"...in a culinary sense!
     
   

Trailblazers: Fr. Rick Swanson and Tim Heath-Swanson hike to create a scholarship for Laraway youth & recent alumni

     Trailblazers. Two hikers. Three weeks. Two-hundred-seventy-three miles. Rick Swanson, rector of St. John’s in the Mountains, and Tim Heath-Swanson are on a quest to create a scholarship fund for at-risk youth, and recent alumni, from Laraway Youth & Family Services pursuing post-secondary education.

     “Laraway is a valuable local organization,” Swanson said. “They help the  children they educate and the families they serve become rooted in their own strength. Tim and I are proud to support furthering the educational opportunities for Laraway youth.”

     The hikers will host a trail-themed Photo Reception to support the Trailblazer Scholarship at Laraway Youth & Family Services on Wednesday, September 14, 2016 from 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., 275 Vermont Route 15 West, Johnson, Vermont. Please RSVP by September 12^th to Katherine at 802-635-2805 x 106 or Kstamper@Laraway.org. For more information, please visit www.Laraway.org.

Unexpected Gifts

     "I made this for you."
     The youth held out a piece of art. He transformed a well-worn skateboard, one he'd spent many hours riding, into a unique artwork. The piece was emblazoned with a "thank you" in artistic script emulating a skilled tagger. Urban art is art, too.
     He was expressing gratitude for a grant received to replace his old---and cracking apart---skateboard for a new one. The money came from a unique fund set up by St. John's in the Mountains Episcopal Church which provides grants of up to $75 for youths' basic and recreational needs. The fund has paid for snow boots and kitchen items for young adults starting out on their own. It's also paid for skateboards---a plethora of skateboards---for youth who find the athletic activity a great way to focus and, sometimes, just let off steam. Skateboards are serving a genuine therapeutic purpose at Laraway, promoting physical and emotional well-being while fostering positive social skills. Teaching is happening on our playground as older youth teach younger youth how to ride---supported by Laraway staff.
     One doesn't work at a place like Laraway anticipating "presents" from the youth we serve. It's actually the "presence" of the youth in our lives that is the "gift" of working in human services. We see their struggles. We also see their strides. We are there to help them dust themselves off and move forward when they take a tumble or life sends them a curve ball.
     I was delighted to share this piece of art on a recent visit to St. John's in the Mountains to thank congregants for their support of our work with at-risk children and youth. I was humbled by the expression of generosity from a Lararway youth who is juggling so much on his plate, and yet, he recognizes the importance of a simple---yet beautiful---thank you.

The Duck Whisperers

     

     Ricky* is twelve years old. He enjoys four-wheeling and fishing for bass and catfish. He prefers catfish, “because they taste better.” He likes to mow the lawn. He’s partial to baseball caps. He enjoys being outdoors; it shows in his deep tan, freckles and sun-bleached, blond hair.

     Ricky is enrolled in therapeutic foster care, known as Substitute Care. He’s also an awfully kind kid. It was on an after school outing with staffer Wade Anderson that Trevor helped save the life of an injured mallard duck.

     “I picked Ricky up from school and we drove to Berlin Pond to go fishing,” Wade recounted. “We got out and Ricky said, ‘Hey, look over there.’”

     “There” was a muddy area across the parking lot. Ricky noticed a distressed duck. Its body was folded over, its head partially submerged. Every once in a while it stirred, a little. It was too weak to quack.

     “What should we do?” Ricky asked.

      The answer was clear: they needed to help the injured fowl. As they walked to the bird, a woman was removing a raft from her car.

     “Ricky took the initiative to tell her about the duck,” Wade said.

     She explained she was trying to rescue the duck to bring it to the Vermont

Institute of Natural Science’s (VINS) avian wildlife rehabilitation facility in Quechee.

     “We can help you,” Ricky said.

     Ricky and Wade helped the woman maneuver her raft; Ricky held it steady as she rescued the injured duck. Wade watched from the shore. The female mallard was entwined in fishing line, trapped, like a fly, in a web.  Line wrapped around her head, wings, feet and torso.  She was afraid. She was exhausted. She trusted her helpers.

     Fishing line was gently cut away; the duck was wrapped in a soft towel and secured for safe transport. Contact information was exchanged between rescuers. About a week later, Wade was contacted by the woman to say the duck was healed and ready for release at the pond. She asked if Ricky wanted to perform the release.

     “It (the duck) was heavy in the box,” Ricky said. “I could feel it moving around and quacking.  Once I opened the box, it just took off.”

     Ricky received a certificate from VINS, thanking him for his role in saving a duck...in the wilds of beautiful Vermont.

*NAME CHANGED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY