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Service & Legacy

In honor of Hammer’s 100th anniversary and NER’s 50th anniversary, we have published Legacies, a special anniversary magazine, celebrating our history, the people we have supported, and those who have made our mission possible all these years. Here is one of the featured stories: Barb Tuckner (on...

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And the Band Played On

Vern Steffel has always loved to make people smile. As the band leader of the Whoopie John Band Orchestra, he played venues across the upper Midwest and as far away as Bavaria. With a focus on old-time music, primarily polka, the band played to standing-room only audiences until 2004 when it came...

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What Makes Your Life Worth Living?

54 years ago, my baby Murray was born. He was a big boy, my bundle of joy. Murray looked like a typical kid but for some reason he was slow in meeting milestones. Why wasn’t he talking? Why wasn’t he doing the things that all the other boys could do? The doctors didn’t know why – though one...

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Frank & Kim

In honor of Hammer’s 100th anniversary and NER’s 50th anniversary, we have published Legacies, a special anniversary magazine, celebrating our history, the people we have supported, and those who have made our mission possible all these years. Here is one of the featured stories: Two of our...

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A Place to Call Home

By Sue Walker, Chief Program Officer James came to Hammer in 1948 when he was 11 years old. He had been living in an institution in Rockford, Illinois where he had a few relatives. They stayed in contact with him throughout the years by sending letters, and gifts on holidays and for his birthday....

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Meet the Author and Artist—Nicole Schumacher

New interpretive novel encourages subconscious “play” We have a new author among us! Nicole Schumacher, who provides direct care support at one of our east metro homes, has created an interpretive novel, “Mind the Blackhole.” Now, you may ask, what is an interpretive novel? “It’s a wordless novel...

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