Volunteer Spotlight: Lisa Sherwood, Board of Directors

BCCS wishes to express our thanks to outstanding volunteer and Board Vice President Lisa Sherwood, who is retiring from Board service after four and a half years.

Lisa joined our Board in 2006. “My interest was piqued when, driving to work in Wilmington, I kept noticing the long line of people waiting in front of the building,” she recalls. Her observation, shared by many, inspired us to write a newsletter article exploring stigma and misunderstandings about people in treatment.

“As I learned more about BCCS,” she says, “I was blown away by the lives touched by the organization. And the lives saved. I wish other people had an opportunity to see the faces of recovery... people from all walks of life, all sizes, all ethnicities.. all struggling and ultimately succeeding in their recovery. This is thanks to their own courage and the team of caring professionals at BCCS.”

Lisa became an enthusiastic and dependable Board member, who always found time for BCCS despite her demanding work schedule as Director of Provider Development for Genesis HealthCare Corporation. Before becoming Vice President in 2010, she served as Board Treasurer and chair of the fundraising committee.

She also assisted with Board recruitment. Recruiting volunteers, she believes, is one of the most challenging parts of BCCS’ work. “From volunteering to be an active Board member, to volunteering to paint a mural to brighten a dreary treatment room, to running a job interview skills workshop, volunteers greatly enhance the BCCS programs. And we can never have too many!”

“Lisa’s faithful service to BCCS is without question, greatly appreciated,” said Board President Rev. Karla Fleshman. “Her tenure spanned a time of great transition in the organization; and no doubt her faithfulness to healthy communication; and her dependable commitment to the organization is coming to an end at a time when she is confident of those who remain on the Board of Directors. Her consistent presence and insightful guidance helped direct this fine organization to new leadership with an expanded mission of service. We thank you Lisa!”

Board member Lauren Pearce added, “Lisa was an incredible burst of energy who kept our Board focused and dedicated. Her enthusiasm and passion for Brandywine was demonstrated in all that she took on, including recruiting new Board members and embarking on new ideas.”

Lisa has high hopes for BCCS in the next five years. “I'd like to see BCCS in more satellite locations, growth of the needle exchange program to serve other communities in Delaware, and a second (or even third!) Lighthouse program, to serve recovering mothers and their babies. And most of all, I'd like to see BCCS triple the number of clients served. That's a tall order. But there IS a need and BCCS is positioned to rise to the occasion!”

When asked what she most enjoyed about her involvement, Lisa says, “The chance to work with some wonderfully caring and passionate people. I will miss them!”

We will miss you as well, Lisa. Thank you for your years of service, and all that you brought to the Board and the organization!

The 2nd Annual BCCS Giving Tree

BCCS hosted our 2nd Annual Giving Tree Monday December 20, 2010, bringing gifts and holiday cheer to families in need. All BCCS clients with children were invited to the Outreach Center to choose a gift for their child and wrap it. Holiday music, food, and an impromptu sing-along led by Brandywine’s own Rochelle Booker made for a very festive atmosphere!

Parents and grandparents lined up starting at 9 AM for a chance to choose from a roomful of toys for all ages. Many were in the process of starting a new life, free of drug addiction or mental illness. One guest expressed his gratitude to simply enjoy the holiday with his son, stay home, and “just do the best I can.”

The Giving Tree would not have been possible without our generous donors. We especially wish to thank our partners, Widener University School of Law, and Bryn Mawr College, who held toy drives on campus. Students took tags from the Giving Tree and bought toys matching the age and gender of the child. In addition to collecting toys, Widener Law held a raffle under the leadership of student Sara Alsaleh, which raised an amazing $662!

We are so grateful to all of you for your generosity and support of our clients at the holidays. You made it a wonderful day of gift-giving. At BCCS, we work to give Delawareans the best chance at meaningful, long-term recovery. Your support helps them to overcome mental illness and substance abuse, to restore themselves, and to give back to a society that gave to them.

You can see all the holiday magic of the Giving Tree in our photo album and in the video below.

In the words of a grandmother of two, “I wish everybody in the universe a blessed and safe holiday!” Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from BCCS!

Widener Law Students Give BCCS A Reason to Be Thankful

“BCCS has been making a significant impact on our community for over 25 years - we wanted to help their outreach this Holiday Season”

WILMINGTON, DE - Sara Alsaleh, a Widener Law student, and her classmates, members of her newly-formed Food and Drug Law Association, wanted to give back to the Wilmington community. “We wanted to make a difference, we wanted to do something for the neighborhood,” said Sara. The third year, part-time student saw a perfect opportunity through a personal contact: Sara and her classmates decided to help Brandywine Counseling & Community Services, Inc., a community organization providing holistic care to persons affected by substance abuse, mental health and HIV-related challenges.

“BCCS reaches so many people,” said Sara. “We thought it was best to support their efforts. They really make an impact.” As a service to its clients, Brandywine Counseling will give out over 200 Thanksgiving baskets to those in need on Monday, November 22. For their part, Sara and the members of the FDLA organized a raffle, open to the Widener Law community, and solicited donations from local businesses such as the Olive Garden and T.G.I. Friday’s. They were able to raise over $600. On the day the Thanksgiving baskets are handed out, the Widener Law students will assist BCCS staff in the distribution of the charitable gifts.

However, the volunteer efforts of Sara and her classmates don’t end at the pre-Thanksgiving event. Widener Law School is one of many partners in BCCS’s Giving Tree. In its second year, the Christmastime charity receives gifts from partner organization patrons and makes it available to BCCS clients who are unable to provide gifts for their children. Sara Alsaleh, in her service to Brandywine Counseling, will collect all of the donated gifts from Widener Law and bring them to BCCS in mid-December. The gifts, intended for boys and girls of different ages, will be available to BCCS clients, already in the process of recovering from an illness and starting a new life, a few days before Christmas.

For more information, please contact: Basha Silverman, Prevention Director, at 302-655-9880 x123, or Sara Alsaleh at 570-262-7156.

Volunteers Raise Funds and Enthusiasm for AIDS Walk

BCCS is off to a running start in raising money for this year’s AIDS Walk, thanks to some wonderful volunteers who are serving as team captains! They have set up a table at the Lancaster Center on Tuesdays and Fridays, promoting the activity, giving away flyers, and asking for donations.

Already, we have raised a total of $200! Our goal is at least $500, and you can help us reach it! Visit our fundraising page, contact Edna Maldonado or Christine Czajkowski at 656-2348, or stop by the display table.

“I’m really excited about the whole thing,” says team captain Betsy, who is HIV positive and a recovered drug user. “I came here through the hospital, and when I got here, I got involved. If you are infected with the virus, you can keep on living and still help other people. Brandywine has helped me do that, and that’s why I’ll do anything for this program.”

Volunteers Kaitlyn and Gloria were recruited by Betsy, seeing how passionate she was. “She came in and talked to our IOP group, asking us to either sign up to be on the team or to donate,” says Kaitlyn, who has family and friends with HIV/AIDS. “Watching them go through what they have to go through and not being able to do anything, sucks! So why not help the people that you can, so they don’t have to be alone. If you donate the money, it goes to helping them with their medicine, food, whatever they need, so they’re not by themselves.”

Betsy recognizes how different things are today than a few years ago. “I’m very healthy and outgoing and spontaneous! There’s a lot of new drug therapies today we didn’t have back then. Maybe I wouldn’t be sitting here right now, maybe somebody would have been walking for me today. So I’ve got to give back! If I support everything I can about this disease, maybe God will bless me, and I can bless somebody else, because a lot of people have come around when they listen to my story.”

The 24th Annual AIDS Walk Delaware will be held Sunday, September 26, 2010 at Rockford Park in New Castle County, Sunday, October 3, 2010 at Silver Lake Rec. Area in Kent County, and Sunday October 3, 2010 at Grove Park in Sussex County.

BCI Board of Directors Welcomes Two New Members

Brandywine Counseling welcomed two new members to our Board of Directors March 16, 2010.

Lauren Pearce of Milton is a Constituent Relations Liaison for Governor Jack Markell. She has been an active volunteer with BCI's Lighthouse Program for the past year, participating in many special activities with the women and children. Currently, she is doing a clothing/toiletry drive in the Governor’s office for residents. “I love working with the Lighthouse and wish I could do more with them,” says Lauren. “I've been working with [counselor] Kelly Enfield, who is wonderful, and I'm attempting to paint their Recovery Room in the Pentecostal church across the street. In May, we planted flowers with the women and children, and I hope to do that again this coming spring.” Lauren joined our board to become more involved with the organization, utilize her public relations experience, and continue pursuing her passion for helping those affected by addiction and HIV/AIDS.

Dr. Harold Rosen, MD, of Wayne, Pennsylvania is Chair of the Department of Psychiatry for Christiana Care Health System. Dr. Rosen has been a valued partner and resource to BCI in recent years as we have expanded our co-occurring disorders services. He has enabled us to strengthen our collaboration with Delaware’s major hospital to benefit the population we mutually serve. In addition, he brings his ideas on a wide range of topics, ranging from board development and vision, to demonstrating the outcomes and cost-effectiveness of BCI’s work, to working toward improvements in the overall health systems in our state.

The BCI Board is comprised of volunteers who support the mission of Brandywine Counseling by serving as our “eyes and ears” in the community, and sharing their time, advice, and expertise. We are glad to welcome our two new additions. Please join us in giving them a warm welcome to BCI!

2010-11 Officers Elected

The Brandywine Counseling Board of Directors elected officers for 2010-2011 on January 19, 2010:

Carole Franzoni, President
Lisa Sherwood, Vice President
Karla Fleshman, Secretary
Jean Meussner, Treasurer

The Board of Directors is comprised of volunteers who support the mission of Brandywine Counseling by serving as our “eyes and ears” in the community, and sharing their time, advice, and expertise. Brandywine Counseling congratulates our new officers. We thank you for your service and look forward to working with you to serve people with addiction, mental health, and HIV-related challenges.

Interns, Interns Everywhere!

Brandywine Counseling's internship program has grown by leaps and bounds over the past year. We currently have over 90 students involved in a project around our agency! This is a big help to our staff while providing real-world experience for the interns.

The Alpha program has been working with interns for close to two years. Site Director Mark Lanyon has partnered with several local schools to get the word out about our program and make it a sought-after destination for many students. Our internship program really started at Alpha, and now our other locations are jumping on board.

The Outreach department and Lancaster Avenue site have started a "service learning" partnership with Del Tech. It began because a Human Services professor thought some field work would be valuable to her intro students, rather than waiting until all of their coursework was completed. It's mutally beneficial; we can depend on a group of students each semester to complete tasks, while we teach the next group of people coming to us after they graduate for full time jobs. The work they will do for us will prepare them for the "real world" of human services. There are 68 students working with us through this project.

In addition, Outreach is working with nursing students from the University of Delaware. These interns are assisting with the Needle Exchange to do rapid HIV testing, educate about safe injection and overdose prevention, and have discussions with users about their sexual health. This opportunity gives the interns a wonderful opportunity to practice working with real individuals. 16 nursing students are currently with us.

We'd like to thank all the professors and administrators who have helped our internship program grow to this level: Karen Stevenson and Terry Fisher at Del Tech, Elaine Greggo at the University of Delaware, Sandra Brisiel at Del Tech, John Corrozi of Wilmington University, Norma Gaines-Hanks of UD, Vanessa Johnson of West Chester University, Carla Strassle of York College of Pennsylvania, and John Smith of Seton Hall University.

If you'd like to intern at BCI, here's how to apply. Yes, believe it or not, there are still some of us staff without one! You can have a clinical background, but also communications or technology.

Volunteer Spotlight: Gwen Cichocki, Outreach Support

Gwen Cichocki is a longtime volunteer with us in our Outreach Center. For several years, she's come in once a week to work in the clothes closet, restock supplies, and do many other small but necessary jobs to help out the outreach team. In this video by Will Leitz, Gwen talks about the work she does, and why it's personal for her. We couldn't do what we do without the help of people like Gwen!

"Give An Hour" Offers Free Counseling for Veterans

One of my co-workers told me about a great program today that I wanted to pass along. Give An Hour offers free therapy sessions to veterans and their families. The sessions are donated by licensed mental health professionals, one hour a week, free of charge, to anyone who is or has been affected by the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.

One of our staff at BCI Alpha is taking part in this program through his private practice with a client who's served multiple tours in Afghanistan. This is a wonderful idea and there is sure to be great demand. If you would like to find a participating provider or become a volunteer, visit giveanhour.org.

BCI Welcomes 3 New Board Members

Brandywine Counseling welcomed three new members to our Board of Directors September 15, 2009.

Stacey Clark of Middletown is a School Counselor with Campus Community High School in Dover. She brings not only her counseling background, but personal experience in addiction recovery. Stacey joined us because she believes the community as a whole benefits when its residents are healthy and well. She looks forward to finding resources, ideas, and community members to help Brandywine help our clients and their families. “I want to see more people remain in recovery and lessen relapses if possible,” she told us. “If I am able to help by being a Board member, I would love to be given the opportunity.”

Jean Meussner of Lincoln University, Pennsylvania is Director of Human Resources for Jenner’s Pond in West Grove. Jean came to us looking for an opportunity to make a difference in the community. She explained that while she has been fortunate to not be touched by addiction in her own family, she has seen its effects on the family of a close friend. “It simply tears my heart out to see what this problem has done to the child and all of the family members,” she says. “The only thing I have been able to do is be a shoulder to cry on and the sounding board for [the family].” As a Human Resources professional, Jean also brings her enjoyment of working with people, and helping and watching others develop and grow.

Joseph Paesani of Newark is an Adjunct Professor with Wilmington University. He is recently retired from the Delaware Department of Correction, where he worked for several decades, most recently as Deputy Bureau Chief. He also remains actively involved with the Delaware Criminal Justice Council. Joe is a longtime friend of BCI who is well acquainted with us through his work with DOC, and has been a trusted advisor to us on numerous topics. He brings valuable expertise on Delaware’s criminal justice system, and working with offenders and law enforcement. Joe looks forward to continuing his support of BCI's cause in his new role as a member of our Board.

The BCI Board is comprised of volunteers who support the mission of Brandywine Counseling by serving as our “eyes and ears” in the community, and sharing their time, advice, and expertise. We are thrilled to have these wonderful people as part of the organization. Please join us in giving them a warm welcome to BCI!

"Veggie Volunteer" Wanted to Start a Community Garden

Do you love to garden? Do you grow prize-winning produce? Want to teach people in recovery for drug addiction to “grow their own?”

Brandywine Counseling seeks a volunteer to help start a community garden. Our clients can tend to it with your instruction and monitoring, and take home the produce for their consumption. Gardening can be therapeutic for someone who is new to recovery. It can help them rediscover a normal lifestyle while doing an activity they can enjoy and feel proud of.

Fun project for someone who can give a few hours during the week to start up the garden, and ongoing assistance as needed. Crunchy hippies welcome.

Desired skills: Gardening experience, and enjoy working with people. Apply here!

Volunteer Project: Marketing Genius

Do you design eye-catching brochures? Can you take pre-written content and come up with a polished publication appropriate for the target audience? Are you passionate about addiction and mental health treatment, recovery, and HIV/AIDS prevention?

Brandywine Counseling seeks a volunteer to update our organizational brochure describing all our programs. Work closely with our staff to formulate a concept, design with the target audience in mind, and come up with a final product that inspires and informs. Great project for someone who can give a few hours during the week on a one-time or ongoing basis. “Virtual” volunteers who want to correspond by email/phone accepted.

Desired skills: Marketing/communications knowledge, specifically in creating print brochures.

Apply for this project

Volunteer Spotlight: Josh Ellow, Alpha Program Intern

Hello! My name is Josh Ellow and I have been volunteering at the Alpha Program since January.
Back in 2005 I crossed paths with Mark Lanyon, the Site Director of the Alpha Program. In talking with Mark, I learned about BCI and its goal to aid those in recovery. Four years later I decided to expand on this brief introduction, as I needed to find an internship site. Accordingly, I hopped on BCI’s website. Needless to say I was impressed with what I found because I have been dedicated to BCI ever since.

As mentioned above, I chose to volunteer so that I could gain hands-on experience to compliment my schooling. Presently I am a graduate student at Chestnut Hill College in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. While my degree is in Clinical and Counseling Psychology, I chose to concentrate on addiction studies. Because of this specialization, BCI was a great choice as it offers individual, group, psychiatric, and family counseling.

After beginning my internship in January, I have had the opportunity to gain practical experience in countless areas. My favorite task would have to be group counseling. The Alpha program offers various groups including Addiction Education, Relapse Prevention, and Life Skills. Also, a Recovery Bound Group is offered on Saturdays, which allows clients who work during the week to acquire their needed group time. I have been assisting with this specific group since I first started. Over time, I have helped clients through education, counsel, and conversation while developing a solid therapeutic relationship with many. Because of the varying themes, each group tends to evolve in a different manner. Consequently, my ability to facilitate these sessions has grown immensely.

Additionally, BCI has taught me the importance of interdependence among staff. In other words, I have learned that some things are difficult to do alone; and sometimes one must look to others for assistance. Within the Alpha building there are over a dozen professionals, all with different specializations, working together for the good of the client. This has been a novel and welcomed approach from the previous individual counseling I have done.

Looking back on all that I have done and all the people I have worked with, I am extremely thankful for my experience at BCI. Because of my dedication to the weekend Recovery Bound groups, I have been hired to take over two of these groups per month. As a part-time employee at Alpha, and a dedicated behaviorist to adolescents, I know I am gaining skills to aid my career as a counselor specializing in addictions.

5 Questions for Matt Friedman, Executive Assistant

5 Questions is our ongoing feature where we introduce you to the people who make Brandywine Counseling run, spotlighting a different staff member with each installment. After interviewing about three dozen staff members over the last two years, I figured it was time to turn the spotlight on myself.

Name: Matt Friedman
Job: Assistant to the Executive Director
Time with BCI: 8 years


1. Tell us what you do at BCI.
My title is Executive Assistant, but I like to tell people I’m the fundraising and communications guy. So that means I write the grants, as well as our newsletter, and content for our Web site, and of course this blog. I’m also responsible for donor relations, and I do a lot of our volunteer recruitment. Then I also do some data collection to monitor how we’re doing at getting people in the door and keeping them engaged once they’re here. And, I do some behind the scenes stuff in meetings with our management team, work with our Board of Directors, and do some internal communications for the rest of our staff. So, I really wear a lot of hats. I like the variety and there’s always something to keep me busy!

2. Why did you decide to work in addiction treatment?
A lot of the staff I’ve interviewed for this series have said it wasn’t something they planned, and that’s true for me too. It was a big change from my original field of engineering. I had kind of stumbled into grant writing, just out of school and working for a research and development company. I found I didn’t make such a great engineer, but I made a pretty good grant writer. And at the same time, I was doing some volunteer work mentoring kids, which I really enjoyed. So eventually I put two and two together and decided I should go work for a nonprofit.

I wanted to work for a kids’ organization at first, but I expanded my search, because it’s hard to break into the non-profit field, especially in a role like this, which is so specialized. So when the opportunity came up with BCI, I had to consider it in spite of being new to addiction. I’m a lifelong Delawarean, and I knew nothing about the extent of the problem and the need for the services BCI provides. I talked a little in a recent post about the biases I came in with, and what a leap of faith it was to be able to see myself doing this kind of work. But luckily, I did make that leap, and that was nearly 8 years ago. I think it’s been what I was looking for, in terms of being able to put many different skills to use, and also have that sense of satisfaction, knowing you’re helping change lives right here in your own community.

As someone who’s made the transition from the for-profit to the non-profit arena, I can tell you while it’s not easy to get your foot in the door, if it’s what you really want to do, you should go for it. If you’re coming from a different field like I did, you have to show that your skills are transferable. Things like writing, organizational skills, creativity. Along with that, just show you have a real desire to work for a service organization. Definitely volunteer, or intern if you can, to get a feel for the day to day flow and decide if it’s right for you. So, be persistent, sell your strengths, and know what you want to get out of it.

3. What would people be surprised to know about your job?
That I’m probably the least knowledgeable about addiction of anyone here, even with all I’ve learned over the years. I don’t have a clinical background, so I rely a lot on my coworkers to explain the nuts and bolts of things to me. And I have picked up a lot, but I’ll still give people a blank look when they start talking about IOP’s, and UTO’s, and CRF’s. I know enough to do my job. But every grant we write is really a team effort.

Sometimes having an “outsider” perspective works to my advantage. When I’m explaining a concept in a grant, I’m making sure I can understand it myself. And when I’m writing an article, too, I can approach it as someone outside the organization would. That’s become a little harder over time as I’ve become more of an insider, but in general it still surprises me to hear the realities of daily life for our clients, and their experience going through the channels to get help.

4. Tell us your favorite client success story.
I don’t think I could pick a favorite story. Every time I get to interview a client and tell their story, it’s very rewarding for me. I think I enjoy that part of my job the most. It’s a responsibility I take seriously. It takes courage whenever someone decides to share their story, so I want to honor the realness of what they tell me, but also package it in a way that will resonate with the reader. I really consider it a privilege to be a messenger of life-affirming stories. There are so many here at BCI, and the more we tell, the more I think the public will relate to what we do and see its value.

The story I just did, A Life Saved by Inches, was incredible, mainly because of how close the person was to being dead, and because he survived, he got the chance to get help, and ultimately a new lease on life. But what was also great about that story was, I didn’t even know before I did the interview, that he came to us through our brand-new hospital outreach program. I had set out to highlight the co-occurring disorders therapy at our outpatient program, how this had helped the client work through mental illness, and the work his counselor did with him. But it was an added bonus to be able to mention the Christiana Care project, and the work of the outreach worker, and show that was a success. So it ended up being a wonderful human story, but also a real-life example of a continuum of care. We had someone go from the emergency room to our door, and to successful completion of the program.

5. You can tell a lot about a person from their office. Tell us what you have in your office.
My office is neat and uncluttered. I’m very organized and try to keep only what I absolutely need. Sometimes people give me things to store, which kind of throws a wrench into that approach. I have two tripods, for instance. Anyone need a tripod?

I’m not that good of a decorator, so I have a lot of room on the walls I don’t know what to do with. I have two of Dr. Glick’s travel photos that I won at one of our silent auctions a few years ago. I have plants, because I have two windows and they do well here. I have my rug to add a splash of color. I have some song lyrics on my wall dealing with addiction. One is Neil Young’s “The Needle and the Damage Done,” and the other is “My Old Addiction,” which was written by David Wilcox and covered by k.d. lang. I put those up when I first started here, because I was new to addiction and the best way to understand it was through music. Knowing what I know now, I’ve found those two songs are still a pretty accurate picture of reality.

And then on my bookcase, I have some trays from the post office for next time we do a mailing, some books on fundraising, lots of binders from trainings I’ve been to, and some souvenirs from all our NIATx work – baseball cap, coffee mug, Swiss cheese pencil topper. That’s from Wisconsin!

BCI Welcomes Jennifer Karpe to Board of Directors

Brandywine Counseling is pleased to welcome Jennifer Karpe of Philadelphia as a new member of our Board of Directors. Jennifer is an Associate with Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher, & Flom, LLP in Wilmington. In addition to her legal background, she was trained as a clinical psychologist for three years prior to law school. As she explained to us, it was through her work in this area that the cause of addictions services became particularly near and dear to her.

“I provided counseling in a rural area of Alabama where addiction runs rampant and is often compounded by the poverty, lack of education, and lack of support individuals there face. My eyes were opened to the array of problems that often accompany addiction (and are aggravated by it), and the need those folks and their families have for assistance across the board. Although I ultimately decided to pursue a different career path, I think my previous life as a counselor largely shaped my world view.”

The BCI Board is comprised of volunteers who support the mission of Brandywine Counseling by serving as our “eyes and ears” in the community, and sharing their time, advice, and expertise. We are excited Jennifer has joined us and we know she will be a wonderful addition to the organization. Please join us in giving her a warm welcome to BCI!

Lancaster's New Reception Area

What do you think of our new reception area at Lancaster? We've added some walls and a sliding glass partition for Ms. Joyce's area. The big countertop is gone, the lighting is improved, and the space looks a lot more professional and welcoming.

We'd like to thank Lori Henry for volunteering as our space planner for this project. She was a terrific help, particularly in the area of cost savings. The sliding glass window was actually taken from another area of the building where it wasn’t being used. Lori also connected us with Village Builders, the contractor that did the work and gave us a discounted rate. These days, funding is scarce for us to do renovations like this, so we’re grateful to find people who want to give back to the community. Please check out Lori’s Web site, Transformations By Lori.

As we put the finishing touches on the reception area, we also have more projects in the works that Lori is helping us with, so keep your eyes open. And as always, if you want to volunteer your construction, decorating, or any other skills, drop us an email!

Volunteer Spotlight: Ashley Bobey, Alpha Program

Hi, my name is Ashley Bobey, and I was an intern with the Alpha Program.

I heard about BCI through Jenna Theibault Dean, counselor at the Newark site. Jenna and I met at West Chester University's Masters program in Clinical Psychology, and subsequently became great friends. When Jenna learned that I was looking for an internship for school, she suggested I contact BCI. Prior to beginning my internship, I did not know much about BCI. I was surprised to learn how many different programs there are.

During my internship, I ran the addiction education group on a weekly basis, as well as other groups as needed by the counselors. I completed treatment plans, discharge summaries, and occasional counseling sessions, as well as other odds and ends as needed.

Prior to my internship experience, the bulk of my work experience was with children with developmental disorders (i.e. Autism), and I was looking to expand my horizons. Working in the drug and alcohol field proved to be a valuable experience. BCI was a fantastic place to complete my internship. Everyone was very helpful, and I was able to take on projects at my own pace. I would recommend interning at BCI to anyone who is motivated to learn a lot during the experience.

Since the completion of my internship, I have gotten a full time job at BCI at the Lancaster site as an Intake Counselor. While I have not been in the position long, I am thoroughly enjoying it thus far. I feel very lucky to be part of the BCI team.

BCI Seeks New Board Members

Do you want to help people affected by drug addiction or HIV/AIDS achieve meaningful, long term recovery? Brandywine Counseling seeks enthusiastic, dependable, and creative people to serve on our Board of Directors. Be our ears and our voice in the community. Invest your time and expertise in support of addiction recovery. Watch us as we save lives, and share our stories with others. Quarterly meetings, and the chance to be involved however you choose.

Any of the following experience is helpful, but not required:
-- Development and/or public relations;
-- Personal experience in recovery (yourself or your family);
-- Computers and technology.

Please send a copy of your resume, and anything you would like to tell us about your interests and what you hope to bring to the Board.

Apply to contactbci[at]brandywinecounseling[dot]org, or fax to 302-472-0392, attention Matt Friedman.

Remembering Iris Berman, Dedicated BCI Board Member

We were saddened to receive the news that former BCI Board member Iris Berman has passed away.

The time and energy Iris brought to her BCI board service was far and above the norm. She was nearly singlehandedly responsible for starting our annual fundraising events, with the Hubcaps oldies band and then the Comedy Showcase. In this 2005 picture, Iris (right) collects tickets at the door with some help from her mom.

I had the opportunity to work with Iris on our fundraisers for several years, having committee meetings, making flyers, collecting donations for the auction. She was a longtime board Treasurer who was here before I came, and was active in many other areas until leaving in 2006. It was a pleasure to work with her as a board member, and to get to know her as a person.

Volunteer Needed: Nurse to Administer Hep A and B Vaccines

Brandywine Counseling is looking for a volunteer registered and licensed Nurse to perform vaccines to a very important and under-served population at least one day a week for a 2 hour shift.

The service will be provided on a Mobile Health Outreach Van which parks in troubled areas of the city of Wilmington during scheduled hours. We have 8 scheduled sites and locations and are flexible about which one will offer the vaccine. We are most interested in finding a committed nurse who will choose a day that works for him or her. (Our schedule can be found on our Web site.)

We offer FREE HIV Testing, sterile syringe exchange, safer sex materials and supplies, referrals to other social services, drug treatment etc. We have a wonderful relationship with the community and want to take advantage of the free vaccines we have been given to disseminate.

Please feel free to contact Basha Silverman with questions at 302-655-9880 ext 23, or apply here.