After meeting with Parker’s Lake personnel regarding the start of a weekly adaptive softball team, we began a multi-community-based group that met on the field across from the lake and below the picnic area. Parents brought their kids for what became an institution on that field for a number of years. The players ranged from elementary to junior high school students with very diverse challenges.

Everyone Who Showed Up Got to Play
As the “coach and starting pitcher,” I either gently lobbed the wiffle ball we used to the awaiting batter or set it upon the t-ball stand as needed. Whether in braces or wheelchairs (motorized or manually operated), visually impaired or sighted, understanding how to navigate the bases or not, everyone who showed up got to play ball, at whatever level was appropriate for them. Each one sported the hats and T-shirts the Woodys were able to supply them thanks to the sponsorships provided by various local businesses.

Parents and older siblings (including my wife, Laurie, and occasionally our daughter, Corly) served as base coaches helping students make it to first-base (a major achievement for many), or on to successive bases. Once in a great while, someone managed to make it all the way to home plate! Whether a base hit, a double, a triple, or that elusive home-run, the enthusiastic onlookers in the bleachers all clapped and cheered the players on, irrespective of whose kid was up or how far they managed to make it. There were no losers only winners in that weekly game which, in retrospect, was these kids’ very own “Field of Dreams”.

Connections
Our son, Travis, was one of the active members of this group of enthusiastic athletes, along with Leslie Fish and Nathan Schofield, who are all now together again, in a manner of speaking, as the people who are served by Hammer. The accomplishments they were able to achieve on that “softball” team decades ago have continued to grow. The game of baseball connected them during their youth. Today these young adults have another connection, bringing them together full circle, successfully navigating a different set of bases as adult members on a much larger team.

They work on a hobby farm in called eQuality – Pathways to Potential.  On the farm, a thriving Community Supported Agriculture operation, these young adults help supply many of our Hammer homes with fresh produce during the growing season.

Written by Kevan Nitzberg, Parent and Hammer Board Member, Public Advocacy Committee Member. Spotlight story from Winter 2015 Discoveries. Read more stories from Discoveries here: https://issuu.com/hammerresidence/docs/2015winterdiscoveries

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I’ve only been at Hammer a little over 4 months. But, I’ve already had the opportunity to support the ladies of Sumac through many changes including: a move to a brand new house, welcoming a new housemate, and the introductions of new staff. One of the ladies of Sumac, Cathy, decided to make another particularly big change in her life. She wanted to lose some weight and learn how to create a healthier lifestyle.

After hearing about her cousin’s success with Medifast, Cathy decided to give it a try herself. She gave up some of her favorite foods, especially pizza. Instead Cathy started eating 5 Medifast meals a day along with what they call a “lean and green meal.” She now has some new favorite foods like tomato basil soup, Dutch chocolate shakes, and Peanut Butter Crunch Bars. Sounds pretty good, right?

We have made sure that Sumac family dinners were altered to accommodate Cathy’s lean & green meals. Whether that meant keeping grains like pasta separate, or making sure there was always a salad with lots of veggies, the team helped her make it work. With support from staff and strong personal will power, Cathy was able to avoid many temptations she encountered and stay on track.

Weekly weigh-ins have been an extra motivation as Cathy has watched the pounds disappear and the inches come off. Since she started in June, Cathy is proud to have lost almost 30 pounds! Shopping for new clothes has left Cathy awestruck that she is down four sizes. She is not only looking amazing but she said she’s feeling “much healthier.” Beyond her incredibly successful weight loss, Cathy’s increased health has also decreased her high blood pressure enough to reduce certain medications.

Cathy has now entered an important transition period where she will work to maintain her current weight through portion control and healthy eating. She can now replace her Medifast meals with foods that previously were cut out. If the past 4 months have been any indication, I know Cathy will continue to do well. Her commitment and dedication have been wonderful, and I am sure others could learn from her example. I’m glad to have been able to accompany and support her on this journey. I look forward to seeing her continued success!

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Last fall Brandon Eddy, RN and I were brainstorming creative ways for people to exercise and have fun at the same time. We came up with the idea of encouraging the individuals we serve to challenge themselves and participate in a 5K. As we searched the internet, Brandon found Randy’s Run. This race looked perfect…It was right in Eden Prairie and was even a way for our group to help out a local cause. The big trick though was trying to generate motivation, especially when the individuals at Lake Place had probably never even thought of participating in a 5K.

I needed help from all angles! So, I sent out an email to all the parents explaining the idea Brandon and I had. We asked if they would be interested in participating in a 5K as well as meeting weekly for a walking group to prepare for this race. I had tremendous feedback. Parents jumped right on board and we met every Saturday to walk for at least an hour. As the months went on, we increased our distance. The progress was pretty miraculous to see. In the beginning, individuals at Lake Place would say: “How long are we walking for? When can we stop?” Towards the end we were walking for more than an hour with less and less second guessing. The best part about the walking groups was that everyone came together and had a great time with healthy living (our underlying, driving force).

On Monday May 26th, Memorial Day, Lake Place came strong with 29 people ready to start walking for Randy’s Run! There was a lot of energy and excitement. People ran more than I have ever seen them run. This race was not about time but about finishing and pushing through when it felt tough. We all finished at staggered times, but everyone stuck around to cheer the others across that finish line. Many were tired/exhausted as they finished; however, no one had a frown on their face. Everyone was so proud of what they had accomplished. As one lady from Lake Place crossed the line and was having some water, she lied down on the grass reciting to herself “I did it, I actually did it!”

After such a fantastic race we replenished our bodies with a well deserved BBQ. This experience was one of the most memorable days I have had at Lake Place, and I think it is true for others. That night after the BBQ, I received an email from a parent stating: “Randy’s Run was the perfect way to start the day. The picnic was fabulous. We really can’t remember when we have had a better time connecting with the residents and their families.”

This was such a success that there is talk of doing it again next year!

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My name is Katie Jo Houtman, and I was born with Prader-Willi syndrome. This condition affects the area of the brain responsible for appetite control. It also causes poor muscle tone, a very high percentage of body fat and lack of energy. Because of Prader-Willi syndrome, my whole life is based around food. This disability is very challenging because it easy for me to gain weight but very hard to lose weight. I think about food all the time, more than anyone else I know.

For many years, I lived on my own in a yellow house in Orono, near Lake Minnetonka. My house was close to my parents so if I needed any help, they were able to come over and provide support. I tried to lose weight and handle my disability on my own. As the years went on, I seemed to gain weight every day. No matter how hard I tried to lose weight or change my ways, it did not work. I was gaining too much weight and my health was getting worse, little by little, until I was in a very bad spot. I could only handle my disability for so long on my own. I really did not like where my weight and overall health were at. My parents and I agreed that if I could not turn my health around, I would move in to a group home.

I had a hard time taking in that I might have to move out of my own house. I didn’t like thinking about it. I didn’t want to move out of my house because it felt so much like my home; it’s where I felt the most comfortable. I liked living on my own and having my freedom. So, at the end of 2012, I had to think very hard to figure out what would be best for me in the long-term. This would be a big change in my life from being on my own to living with others. It was a difficult decision to move into a group home, and I really did not like having to make this choice. I didn’t want to do it, but I had to do something to get healthier. I realized that my disability was just too hard for me to handle on my own. I needed to get more help for my own health and to save my life. In February of 2013, I chose to move in to a Hammer apartment program to get better support to manage the symptoms of Prader-Willi syndrome.

To me, healthy living means: exercising, eating healthy, drinking lots of water, having good personal hygiene, taking care of my skin, having a good heart, having a good mind and brain, taking care of my bodily organs, going to doctors’ appointments, taking my medicine, making sure my apartment is clean, being a good advocate for my needs, having a dog, having a cat, being an aunt to my niece Charlie (she is my inspiration), teaching Sunday School at my church, going to plays, going to movies, going to sporting events, having fun, smiling, laughing, learning how to be less stressed, being safe, being smart, having friends, socializing, getting out in the community, being/staying active, being responsible, working hard on the goals I have set for myself, being organized, feeling loved, being flexible to change, enjoying the big and small things in life, getting enough sleep on a nightly basis, being/staying positive, having a good sense of humor, keeping myself motivated, making good choices (physically, mentally and spiritually), and staying busy.

Since moving to my Hammer apartment, I have been able to lose a large amount of weight. With the support I receive, I now feel I can live a healthy lifestyle and do many things I wasn’t able to do before. I would like to say thank you to Hammer for helping me build and live a healthier life!

Katie Jo and her dad at this year’s Annual Meeting … Katie Jo was the guest speaker and did an amazing job!

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