( Baltimore , MD ) The League for People With Disabilities' annual awards & advocacy dinner, newly re-named, “Toast To The League”, will honor long-time volunteer/donors, Marni & Phil Wetzler and Amerigroup Community Care, on Saturday, June 14, 2008 at a multi-faceted event at their headquarters, located at 1111 E. Cold Spring Lane in Baltimore .
Featuring wine tasting, food & wine pairings, a jazz trio and a live and silent auction -offering a fabulous stay in France and a romantic weekend get-away to the Ritz Carlton complete with a brand new Saab Convertible - attendees will also get an opportunity to be entertained by funny man, Lonnie Shorr, whom many might remember from his gigs on The Tonight Show and the Merv Griffin Show, among others. Shorr, a former City College grad attended school with honoree Phil Wetzler and is flying in just to regale Wetzler's awards event attendees.
The Wetzlers have a long history with The League, particularly Phil Wetzler, who as a youngster, accompanied his mother and grandmother to the facility when they served as volunteers. A former marine, Phil is The League's volunteer aquatics therapy coach, utilizing the League's unique, warm therapeutic pool to coach and train League participants, neighboring residents and Baltimore 's Special Olympics swimming team.
AMERIGROUP Community Care, a healthcare company that works with federal and state governments to promote proactive, preventive care and good-health awareness for its members will receive an award for sponsorship of The League's accredited Lunch & Learn Series. The luncheons offer updates on health and human services on a variety of topics while offering an opportunity to earn continuing education credits.
According to League CEO, David Greenberg, “It is an exceptional honor to have volunteer/donors like Marni & Phil Wetzler, whose tireless dedication and energy bring so much to The League. We are also very excited to have the support of partners like AMERIGROUP Community Care that help us extend our reach through the community. We are proud to recognize these wonderful League Advocate awardees.”
For more information about The League For People With Disabilities or “The Toast to The League,” visit www.leagueforpeople.org or call 410-323-0500.
( Baltimore , MD ) The League for People with Disabilities will pay tribute to the organization's most outstanding advocates at their annual advocacy and awards dinner, June 14, 2008, naming AMERIGROUP Community Care one of three 2008 awardees. The healthcare company supports The League's accredited Lunch & Learn series, which updates and informs individuals in health and human services on a variety of topics while offering an opportunity to earn continuing education credits.
Based in Virginia Beach , Va. , AMERIGROUP Corporation and its subsidiaries – including AMERIGROUP Community Care in Maryland – serve approximately 1.7 million members in 11 states. The company works with federal and state governments to promote proactive, preventive care and good-health awareness for its members, which include the financially vulnerable, seniors and people with disabilities.
According to League CEO David Greenberg , “We are so honored to have the support of partners like AMERIGROUP Community Care that help us extend our reach throughout the community with programs like our luncheon seminars. Not only are they helping us educate a sector of the health and human services community, they're helping us bring people to The League who might otherwise never have the opportunity to learn about our various programs. They provide a very valuable service. We are proud to recognize them as a League Advocate awardee.”
The dinner which will be held at the organization's renovated facility and garden, will also salute longtime donor/volunteers Marni and Phil Wetzler for their tireless support.
AMERIGROUP Community Care COO Vince Ancona feels privileged to be honored alongside the Wetzlers. “The League's supporters and volunteers are well-known for their dedication to the community of people with disabilities,” Ancona said. “This community represents an integral element of our membership, and we appreciate the opportunity to join others in making a difference in the lives of those we serve. We at AMERIGROUP Community Care salute the Wetzlers and The League for People with Disabilities for their efforts to enhance the lives of people with disabilities in Baltimore and the surrounding counties.”
In addition to the awards portion of the event, the evening – aptly titled, “The Toast to The League” – will feature wine tastings, wine and food pairings, an opportunity to bid on a week's stay in Paris, a live jazz trio and the comedic wit of the beloved, Baltimore-bred Lonnie Shorr.
Founded in 1927, The League for People with Disabilities offers individuals the opportunity to gain independence, increase self-sufficiency and improve their quality of life through a variety of services and programs including: day habilitation and medical adult day care programs, vocational training and employment, camping and therapeutic recreation, autism services, and fitness and wellness programs.
 |
| Click on image to view invitation details |
( Baltimore , MD ) Wine tastings, wine pairings, music, comedy, fine art, great food, a trip to Paris and much more heralds the re-naming of The League's upcoming annual advocacy awards dinner. The new name, Toast to The League not only immediately calls to mind the fact that this annual fund raiser is a salute to our top notch volunteers, donors and sponsors, but it also gives a nod to the fact that, for many, The League for People with Disabilities is a lively, sparkling gem of a find. From clients, to volunteers, to staff members, daily life at the League is full of enthusiasm, energy and the promise and thrill of celebrating countless breakthroughs and milestones.
On Saturday, June 14, 2008 The League is proud to honor volunteer/donors extraordinaire, Marni and Phil Wetzler and The League's Lunch & Learn series sponsor, AMERIGROUP Community Care. An extra special thank you goes out to Constellation Energy and Johns Hopkins Medicine for signing on as early bird sponsors and we can't say enough about our special guest, Lonnie Shorr, whom many will remember from his TV appearances on The Tonight Show, the CBS Morning Show and the Merv Griffin Show, among others. Did you know that Lonnie and Phil went to school together? Small world!
In addition to enjoying a night of comedy, great food and new and established wines from vintners near and far, participants will also have an opportunity to bid on silent and live auction items including: fabulous accommodations at a lovely house in Paris, France, a beautiful Persian Rug from Alex Cooper, private and group Ballroom Dancing Lessons, your own Casino Night Party personal event planner, and much more. It's a night not to be missed!
Come out and celebrate 81 years of success at the Toast to The League . We look forward to seeing you there. Call Sara Plescia at 410-353-0500 ext. 311 for more information
Click here to read about our corporate honoree: AMERIGROUP Community Care
( Baltimore , MD ) The League for People with Disabilities, a leading provider of rehabilitative services for the Baltimore community, has received one of the largest gifts in its 80-year history, a one million dollar contribution from an anonymous donor.
The gift will fund a new endowment designed to ensure the continued health and well-being of The League, a non-profit organization. “The contribution is a vote of confidence,” notes The League's President and Chief Executive Officer David A. Greenberg. “We are excited to receive this endorsement of the quality and effectiveness of our programs for Baltimore area residents. A donation of this size reaffirms that The League's work is recognized as important by the community at large.”
The donor made the gift through a donor-advised fund at the Baltimore Community Foundation. “By providing income in perpetuity, endowments sustain non profits over the long term,” explains BCF CEO Tom Wilcox. “This gift will help The League to continue its important work for people with disabilities now and in the future.”
 |
The League's New Director of Medical Day & Transportation: Chuck L. Griffith |
Mr. Griffith comes to The League with over 15 years of experience working in Healthcare and Adult Day Services. Most recently, Mr. Griffith worked as Center Director for Active Day Medical Day Care and Rehabilitation in Westminster . While there, he was responsible for profitability and quality of services delivered to all Active Day participants. He also independently managed and led internal sales, addressed new business opportunities and managed a staff of over 30 employees while maintaining established policies, goals and objectives.
Currently working on his Master's Degree, Griffith is studying Healthcare Administration at the College of Notre Dame of Maryland . He is expected to finish in December, 2009. Griffith also earned his Bachelor's Degree in Recreation and Leisure Services from Shepherd College in Shepherdstown, West Virginia .
The League is proud to introduce Mr. Griffith to the community as he leads the Medical Day program to a successful year. For more information on this program, please contact Mr. Griffith at (410) 323-0500 ext. 329
 |
(Baltimore, MD ) The League for People with Disabilities is excited to announce the appointment of its new Chief Executive Officer, David A. Greenberg. Mr. Greenberg's unique experience in the healthcare and nursing system will provide a fresh approach to The League as it celebrates 80 years of putting ability first.
David A. Greenberg comes to The League with almost 30 years of experience in nursing and administration from highly regarded hospitals in the Baltimore Washington metropolitan region. Most recently, Mr. Greenberg served as Vice President of Mt. Washington Pediatric Hospital. Greenberg also worked as an administrator for The Hospital for Sick Children in Washington, where he expanded and renovated a 130-bed pediatric rehabilitation and transitional care hospital.
Mr. Greenberg is also an active member of respected healthcare organizations including the American College of Health Care Executives (ACHE) and the Maryland Association of Healthcare Executives. Greenberg has also served on the Board of Trustees of several agencies including the Group Health Association and the Consumer Health Foundation. He has distinguished himself both academically and professionally, winning the award for Excellence in Graduate Education from George Washington University and The ACHE Regent's Award for Excellence in the DC region.
Educated locally, Mr. Greenberg holds a Bachelors of Science in Nursing from American University and a Masters in Business Administration from Loyola College. He is also a licensed, registered nurse in the state of Maryland and District of Columbia. He resides in Baltimore County with his wife and two children.
 |
| All images provided by Valentini Professiona lPhotography. Click here to see photos from this event. |
“Jackpot!” along with the sound of laughter filled the The League on June 2, 2007 as guests arrived to celebrate The League's 80th Anniversary with a Casino Night fundraiser. This exciting Vegas-style night came complete with a red carpet, table games, raffles and a silent auction.
Guests walked into The League amazed to find a lighted archway, candlelit terrace, live music, and over 14 gambling tables including an impressive 14 ft. craps table. 140 attendees received the VIP treatment with gourmet buffets, faux paparazzi and gift bags.
Thanks to generous contributions from committee and board members, several lucky individuals left with some spectacular silent auction prizes including a hot-air balloon ride, the complete James Bond DVD collection, a NASCAR prize package and a trip to see a taping of the Colbert Report.
The League would like to thank all 80th Anniversary sponsors. With their support we look forward to celebrating another 80 years of Putting Ability First.
A special thanks to all our committee members for their help and contributions to this event. We would also like to thank Valentini Professional Photography for making this night so memorable.
Camp Milldale, the Jewish day camp in Reisterstown, has offered quality programming to Baltimore area children for over 40 years. This year, their services to campers with disabilities have expanded to include therapeutic aquatic exercise with professionally trained instructors from The League for People with Disabilities' Wellness Center.
Since the beginning of the camping season, instructors Gail Williams-Glasser and Linda Tisdale have been working with 15 teenagers with disabilities every Monday and Friday. These sessions provide a fun exercise opportunity for these children with qualified instructors that are trained in aquatic instruction, as well as working with special populations.
“They (Gail and Linda) have been fantastic; seeing the kids experience this is just thrilling.” states Camp Milldale Director, Jodi Fishman. And according to Oram Fields, the Assistant Director of the Wellness Center at The League, the kids really love the music, and the instructors make it so much fun that anyone who can sneak some time away gathers around the pool to watch the session.
This program is supported by an inclusion grant received by Camp Milldale to better serve campers with disabilities.
(Baltimore, MD) The League for People with Disabilities is pleased to announce that the following individuals were newly elected to its volunteer Board of Directors in June:
Bruce Brooks is President - Construction Tools in the Industrial Products Group of The Black & Decker Corporation's Power Tools and Accessories business. Bruce earned a B.S. degree in marketing from The University of Virginia and is a 2002 graduate of the Greater Baltimore Committee's Leadership Program.
Melissa Kelly is the Senior Vice President, Finance Division and Director, Investor Relations for Provident Bank. Melissa earned a B.A. in political science from the University of South Carolina and M.B.A. from Loyola College in Maryland.
Arnie Wallenstein is the President and Owner of Wallenstein Construction Inc., which specializes in high end residential remodeling and additions. Arnie earned a B.A. in psychology from the University of Rochester and Masters in Urban Education from Towson University. He also is a member of the House Committee at Chizuk Amuno Congregation which oversees all maintenance and construction for the entire facility.
A late spring downpour, an air conditioner on the fritz, the looming three-day holiday weekend—nothing could dampen the delight of the special guests, staff and capacity crowd who celebrated the re-opening of The Harry & Jeanette Weinberg Campus of the League for People with Disabilities on May 26, 2006.
An exultant Janice Frey-Angel, Chief Executive Officer of The League, danced to the podium and pumped her fists in the air like the head coach of a Superbowl-winning football team as she kicked off the morning ceremony. Honored guests included Maryland Governor Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. and Donn Weinberg of the Weinberg Foundation.
The re-opening marks the completion of a $5.8 million renovation of The League's headquarters on Cold Spring Lane, originally built in 1964. The building has been transformed into a model of accessibility, safety and hospitality for participants, staff and community. The new therapeutic garden provides opportunities for people in the neighborhood to interact with our participants, while the Silberman occupational therapy kitchen offers activities of daily living experiences to our Adult Day participants. The revamped Meyerhoff multi-purpose room will host a brand-new after school program for children with autism beginning in September 2006.
“The new League is good,” said Ricky Gnibus, a participant in the Medical Day program for six years. “I like the colors,” he said of the citrusy hues used in the renovation. “It's a lot brighter and happier in here.”
Attendee Nan Waranch also praised The League's sunny, light-filled spaces and sense of airiness coupled with increased accessibility. “It says volumes that so many people are here the day before Memorial Day weekend,” she noted. “When I first drove to The League, I missed it by three blocks. Now it is the focal point of the community.”
“This building is so much more than the light, the flow, the access,” enthused Frey-Angel in her opening remarks. “This building represents putting people first. Everything is possible here—work, wellness, rehabilitation, sailing, trips, and most important, independence. Without adding any new space, the renovation means we can serve 30 percent more people annually, which translates into nearly 400 clients.”
A relaxed Governor Ehrlich gave a keynote speech, after being lauded by Frey-Angel as “a champion for people with disabilities.” “The smiles we see here today complete this picture,” he noted. “There is so much good news at The League to celebrate today. This renovation was needed and the dollars were well spent. This renovation will empower people—and that is what it is all about. The easiest thing to do in government is create an agency—big deal. We are about empowering people.”
Governor Ehrlich went on to commend how The League and his administration have been working together to get more people with disabilities into the workplace. “We now use technology to train people who might have been discarded in the past—and The League is in the forefront of this,” he said. “I wanted to come here today to convey my excitement, my sense of pride, and my advocacy on behalf of people with disabilities. This is near and dear to my heart.”
Donn Weinberg, of the Weinberg Foundation, was equally enthusiastic, saying “it is not easy to give away money wisely, but this was a no-brainer. We saw the old League and it was a pretty good place. But now—wow!—it is a completely renovated, revitalized place.”
Perhaps participant Vera Waters gave the most rousing speech, with her heart-warming, funny and personal comments about The League. Waters, who suffered a stroke while in Disneyland in 1993 and was given three days to live, came to The League for aqua therapy and is now out of a wheelchair and driving, and only using a cane for assistance. “I urge everyone to look beyond the canes, the walkers and the wheelchairs and see the people,” she said. “We have angels here and miracles happen on a daily basis.”
Want to know more about The League's renovations and its various programs? Contact Emily Mann, Director of Development and Marketing, at (410)323-0500, ext. 304 or ehmann@leagueforpeople.org.
The League for People with Disabilities is “on the grow” more than ever with the unveiling of
the new therapeutic sensory garden. The ribbon-cutting ceremony was held in September, introducing to its participants and the community a resource designed to promote independence and accessibility in a life-giving garden setting.
The sensory garden has transformed a neglected, woebegone corner in Baltimore City to an urban oasis that features a relaxing rain curtain fountain, wide, gentle graded wheelchair accessible paths and entrances, raised beds and containers, sensory-stimulating areas chosen for fragrance, texture, and color, and adaptive tools to make this garden one that empowers people of all abilities to work, learn, and relax together.
“The garden is an extension of The League's mission of providing opportunities for both the disabled and non-disabled communities to interact in natural settings,” says Janice Frey-Angel, CEO at The League. “We worked so hard to include people from the neighborhood in the planning process, so that they will have ownership of the garden and use it.”
Input from the neighborhood and particpants was instrumental in the design of the therapeutic, sensory garden. “Everyone was so helpful in educating us about what would be welcoming, but would also give the users of the garden a sense of security and comfort,” says Frey-Angel. “That is why the gates and fences are closed, but provide a visually hospitable perspective from the outside.”
Clients like Joe Marchiano also gave insights and suggestions. “We talked about all sorts of ideas and came up with a great plan, like planting beds at different heights so that everyone can use them,” he says. “I never thought that I would be involved with something this cool.”
The garden is one aspect of the $5.4 million renovation currently underway at The League. Upon completion in the spring of 2006, The League will increase its capacity to serve by nearly 30 percent while making its facility a model of accessibility.
“Horticultural therapy is a new discipline, which enhances the lives and rehabilitation for people with disabilities,” says Frey-Angel. “This garden is the next step in allowing us to use these innovative approaches with our clients, as well as serving the community at large.”
back to topOn July 13 th at 10:30 A.M., The League will celebrate the Grand Re-Opening of this newly renovated program with a ribbon cutting ceremony. The remodeled space features a re-designed check in area, locker rooms that are a model of accessibility, a new aerobics room and more natural lighting. The Honorable Anne Marie Doory, as well as two stars of the NCAA championship Hopkins Lacrosse team, Kyle Harrison and Benson Erwin, will join us to celebrate the re-opening of this vital community resource.
The Wellness Center at The League has been serving the Baltimore community for over 40 years. First built in 1968, the gymnasium has provided recreational opportunities for the disability community, as well as the community at-large. The League continues to meet its mission by offering these services to all community members, resulting in the natural integration of people with disabilities into the community at-large.
In addition to state-of-the-art Cybex strength training equipment, cardio machines and specialized equipment for wheelchair users, The League offers a therapeutically heated pool and whirlpool spa that is perfect for those who want to continue physical therapy after an injury or simply take an aqua aerobics class to get into shape.
The League is committed to being an invaluable resource not only to the disability community, but also to our entire surrounding community. The League has invested $800,000 into this project, which is the first major renovation to the Wellness Center since its construction in 1968. The Wellness Center serves nearly 800 individuals and families by providing affordable and accessible services to people with disabilities, as well as the community at-large.
The League is pleased to announce the election of five new members to it's volunteer board, Miles Harrison, Jr., Nataraj Iyer, Judy Levy, Rosemary Meyer and Nanno Sierra. We look forward to the fresh ideas and insight they will bring as The League launches it's 78th year of service to the Maryland disability community. We also would like to thank our retiring members, Susan Palmer, Audrey Leviton and Andy Levy, for their outstanding service and commitment over the past several years. We are so grateful for our volunteers that provide guidance, direction and energy to every aspect of our organization.
“There’s no place like the League in the world,” raves Barbara Young, an 82-year-old psychiatrist, author and photographer who swims in the League’s therapy pool six days a week. “There’s a warmth and spirit here that I’ve never encountered anywhere else.”
Young has put her praise into print. Her new book, “Tales of Courage: Recovering Life After Catastrophe” was published by Bay Media, Inc. in September. The book is a valentine to the League, filled with Barbara’s compelling color photographs and 24 vivid first-person stories about the people here who push through pain and adversity to make better lives for themselves.
Barbara is no stranger to adversity herself. She started coming to the League in the late 1990s, when bursitis in her hip inhibited her daily walking regimen. “What brought me to the League every day was not just the healing waters and the swimming—it was the people,” she said. “Everything is done here with such grace and love.”
In January of 2003, Barbara had emergency hip replacement surgery and the resulting pain, depression and sense of disorientation rocked her world. “Now I too fully understand the shock of having my life cut away from under my feet without a moment’s warning,” she writes in the book’s introduction. “I too understand the fear, the pain, the sense that my mind was disintegrating; followed by a period of incapacity in which I struggled to regain a sense of meaning to my life.”
She is well on the road to recovery, which has allowed her to work on the book this spring and summer. “I think of the book as our book—it is about the people who work here and are served here, and the support we’ve received. All the stories are different, but they are similar in that they are all about courage.”
Shortly after graduating from Johns Hopkins medical school in the mid-1940s, Young decided to concentrate on psychiatry and psychoanalysis. She has been in private practice since 1952, and still sees patients in her home office, which is outfitted with the requisite psychiatrist’s couch. “I’m obviously very interested in people with mental disabilities and it was a natural outgrowth for me to gravitate toward those with physical disabilities,” she says.
She first became interested in photography in 1957, during a trip to Harbour Island in the Bahamas. Using a Brownie camera her brother gave her for Christmas, Barbara took 72 pictures of the local villagers and children. “When I sent them to my brother, who worked for Eastman-Kodak, to be enlarged, he said ‘Barbara, you have the eye.’ And he got me a better camera.”
Her work is in the collections of the Museum of Modern Art, the Baltimore Museum of Art, the Yale University Art Gallery and many private collections. “I paint with a camera. My work has been likened to the stillness of Zen. I like that,” she says.
Young sees “Tales of Courage” as a celebration of the League. “Tragedy can happen to anyone at anytime,” she says. “I hope the stories in this book will give others the courage to hang onto life again. The people in the book may have despaired at one time or another, but they never gave up hope.”
“Tales of Courage” is available for purchase at the League. The book costs $25, plus tax. Call Sara Patterson at 410-323-0500, ext. 311 for more information.