Community Programs Edition  
 
July 2013
DATES & DEADLINES

 

 

CGP, RWC, & TLC: As of July 1, 2013, we are only accepting applications online.

 

YRP: All applications are due by September 1, 2013.

 

ASP: Applications are due by the first day of class.

 

Art Contest: Entries must be submitted by September 13, 2013.

 

SRP: All new move-ins must be registered by October 31, 2013.

PROGRAM NEWS

 

 

CAHEC Conference: 

During the CAHEC Conference in May, we gave out two Community Programs awards:

 

CP Partner of the Year: Gail Slate from Orchard Creek in Winston-Salem, NC

 

CP Participant of the Year: Micah Harshbarger from Twin Cedars in Hickory, NC

 

Congratulations for a job well done!

  

Online Applications: Our site-based program applications are all online now! Katherine is in the process of assigning user IDs to all eligible sites. To apply, go to the appropriate page on our website and follow the "Apply Now" link.  

 

Writing Workshops: We have scheduled writing workshops at nine sites across North Carolina. Please contact BJ if you are a NC site and would like to be considered for next year's schedule.

 

Art Contest: Our 2013 Art Contest is underway! Please post our flyer for your residents and encourage them to participate. The winner's artwork will be used on CAHEC's holiday card. Additionally, the winner will receive 50 blank cards to share with family and friends.

 

Other: Because we are going paperless, CAHEC no longer has a general fax number. Please send all faxes to the appropriate fax number for each individual listed below.

CONTACT

 

 

Katherine Occhipinti

CP Manager

[email protected]

direct: 919.532.1792

fax: 919.532.1825

 

BJ Aungst

CP Specialist

[email protected]

direct: 919.788.1805

fax: 919.532.1805

 

Stefanie Harris

CP Specialist

[email protected]

direct: 919.645.9825

fax: 919.645.9826 

Adult Scholarship Making a Difference
Micah Harshbarger (right) accepts the Community Programs Participant of the Year Award from CAHEC President Dana Boole.

 

This year, Community Programs named Micah Harshbarger as the Community Programs Participant of the Year. Micah is a resident of Twin Cedars Apartments in Hickory, NC, and has excelled in his studies since moving in. After earning his GED, Micah enrolled in Catawba Valley Community College (CVCC) to pursue a career in photography. While living in a CAHEC-financed site, Micah also learned about the David T. Peet Adult Scholarship Program. During his years at CVCC, Micah received nearly $4,000 in scholarship funding from CAHEC.

 

One requirement of the David T. Peet Adult Scholarship Program is to maintain a grade point average of 2.75 or above, and Micah was able to maintain a perfect 4.0 GPA while in pursuit of his degree in photographic technology. Staying on the high honors list every semester was important to him, and because he did so well, CVCC presented him with the Excellence in Photographic Technology Award.

 

Micah had a variety of his artwork and writing published in the Art and Literary Journal at CVCC. His work was also chosen for the school's holiday card and Portfolio Show invitations. While building his own portfolio, Micah discovered an additional passion in videography, which led him to many more successes. He was able to showcase his work through local businesses, and he also produced a commercial that played at the Hickory Carmike Theater through the holidays.

 

Micah's artwork, like the photo shown above, has earned him numerous awards and distinctions.

 

On May 22, 2013, Micah and his dad attended the CAHEC Conference Awards Ceremony where he would receive the Community Programs Participant of the Year Award. As Micah approached the podium to give his acceptance speech, the audience supported him with thunderous applause. He began by saying that not two weeks before moving into Twin Cedars, he was close to being homeless. Without finding a home at Twin Cedars and having the David T. Peet Adult Scholarship to finish his education, there is no doubt that he would not be in the same place as he is today. Micah has since graduated with a degree in photographic technology and has a pending job offer to work with a local videography company.

 

We're proud of you, Micah. Keep up the great work!

  
2012-2013 SRP Program A Success

This year, Community Programs launched the first set of three group trips for Senior Recognition Program participants. With 388 residents participating, we--Katherine, Stefanie, and I--needed more help, so we recruited additional CAHEC staff. Carole Marcusse, Tia Willis, Irish Holmes, Tanya Shaw-Long, and Jim Rieker were eager to join us on our trips to Williamsburg, VA; Myrtle Beach, SC; and the Bahamas. We had a blast spending time with the residents who had completed the 2012-2013 program. 

Residents pose with street performers in Williamsburg, VA.

The first group toured Colonial Williamsburg. There, we enjoyed an 18th-century dinner at Shield's Tavern and saw reenactment sword fights, horseback riders, the local militia, and townsfolk sharing their views from that time. We were even able to watch children in costume demonstrating the art of hoop rolling. This trip was full of history, and it was great to see all the residents mingling and interacting with each other.

   

Residents of Enfield School Apartments had a wonderful time soaking up the sun at the beach.

Our next adventure took us to Myrtle Beach, SC, where residents soaked up the sun and took in the fresh ocean air. On the first night, we enjoyed a fun dinner show at the Pirates Voyage. Residents also enjoyed relaxing at the pool, and some had the experience of walking on the beach for the first time.

 

A highlight of the trip was going to see Legends in Concert, the "World's Greatest Live Tribute Show," and getting to meet the performers after the show. Elvis, Johnny Cash, and Tina Turner were a few of the residents' favorites, but Justin Timberlake was the icing on the cake for Katherine, Stefanie, and me. We really enjoyed watching the residents' excitement as they had their pictures taken with a variety of the performers.

 

The final stop for our whirlwind series of trips took us out of the United States and on a cruise to the Bahamas! Our cruise ship, The Enchantment of the Seas, had a plethora of activities, but the residents' favorite had to be karaoke. The nights were full of dancing, laughing, and reminiscing about classic favorites from The Supremes, N Sync, The Temptations, and Styx. During our Appreciation Reception, we enjoyed cocktails and hors d'oeuvres. The captain of the ship, Gus Andersson, also made a special appearance. 

 

Residents loved spending their nights doing karaoke on the cruise to the Bahamas.

 

We would like to extend a huge thank you to all of the coordinators and site managers for their help, and an even bigger thank you to the participants for completing the program. We are working hard on details for the 2013-2014 SRP award trips. We encourage site managers to keep their residents excelling in the Senior Recognition Program and help us make next year's program an even bigger success!

 

 - BJ Aungst