The environments we provide for our clients and our staff can either increase the effectiveness of our work, or make it more difficult to create the kinds of impacts we want for our kids and families.
Photos © 2012 Joel Weisbrod & jwArtWorks Photography
More than fifty years have passed since I was a boy residing at Astor Home. The tools I learned and that have been with me throughout my journey since I left Astor have provided me with support, resource and a moral code to live by.
These tools included: patience, practice and a love for learning. The same tools it takes to master many subject areas and to become master in a profession (i.e., Astronaut, Doctor, Engineer, etc.). I became confident, open to learning, open to new things and respectful of wisdom.
As the weather cleared, bringing forth glorious sunshine, the pros were back, lining up for the tee off at Trump National Golf Club. It was Astor Services for Children & Families 14th Annual Stenberg Cup Golf Tournament… and everyone was eager to spring into golf.
Now is the time to think about your technique, to be ready for the 15th Annual Stenberg Cup Tournament next year!
My penchant for wanderlust forced me to make new friends all over the world, which is easy for me. All accepted me like family, so over the years I always treated my friends as family, sometimes it’s not the best relationship but it’s always more than just friends.
I am not talking being a rich family, or a famous family. I am not even talking about being a trouble-free family. I am talking about being the kind of family that endures during hard times and rolls with the punches, stays connected to one another, and raises kids that go on to have the same connected, strong kind of family when they grow up. Scientists have studied families for many years, and they have found that there are some ways to make families stronger.
At the moment I alighted from my car in the parking lot of the Alumnae House at Vassar College on Saturday, they were there! The pros had arrived with treasures!
Astor Services for Children & Families held their annual Hudson Valley Reception this year to honor Jan Weido, a beloved member of the Astor staff, with the monies raised to fulfill his dream of building a bicycle path for the children at our Rhinebeck residence.
For those guests who came to the Antique Event just to peek into the past, there was a terrific silent auction with prices more in line with today – something for everyone. Dr. David Crenshaw, Astor Board co-chair had a skip in his step as he left the Alumnae House with a ceramic bowl made by Jan Weido, his win in the silent auction.
As the 14th Annual Stenberg Cup Golf Tournament gets underway at the Trump National Golf Course let’s turn our attention to Astor Services For Children & Families whose tagline “because every child deserves a childhood” will be celebrated when you tee up on Monday June 11.
While at Astor, I learned a lot of lessons and skills that have served me well over the past several decades since I was a student in the residential program. One lesson that I thought appropriate to write about today, especially in light of the infamous shooting death of a young Black man in Florida, has to do with reactions and how we should control them as individuals and as a group.
Somewhere between your grandmother’s curio cabinet and your family artifacts, Astor’s Antique Appraisal Event on Saturday, May 5th, invites you to cart in up to three items for a professional appraisal.
Get on board and bring it on! Or bring it over to The Vassar Alumnae House from 1-4pm, and participate as owners recount tales of family heirlooms, yard sale bargains, and long-neglected items salvaged from attics and basements, while experts reveal the fascinating truths about these finds.
At 1 pm. Saturday on a perfect spring afternoon, friends of Astor Services for Children & Families poured into the Convent of the Sacred Heart where over 170 people were gathering around a silent auction, munching hors d’oeuvres, sipping cocktails and waiting for the doors to open for the 2nd Annual Come to the Cabaret to benefit the Lawrence F. Hickey Center for Child Development.
Astor Services has been helping families and kids thrive for a long time now. In my job at Astor I try to help staff bring the best practices to our families and kids; I find those practices by reading about what scientists who study families have discovered about helping families and kids heal.
But a few years ago, something changed in my life. I became a Mom. When I had my twins, my questions changed from, “How can Astor help families and kids who are struggling with mental health and behavioral issues?,” to “What does the science say about helping all families stay more connected, feel healthy and happy, and help their kids grow and thrive?” Most importantly, “Can science provide families and kids who are struggling with mental health issues a road map to recovery?”
For the second year in a row Magee Hickey, along with her newscaster colleagues will be singing, dancing, and generally trying to trip the light fantastic for a good cause – The Lawrence F. Hickey Center for Child Development.
At our 1st annual Come to the Cabaret we filled the auditorium to capacity, standing room only. As each newscaster mounted the stage, we were regaled with their extraordinary virtuosity that had little resemblance to their on camera appearance. This year two dozen newscasters will once again perform their very own brand of entertainment. We thank them for becoming “Astor Angels” for a day!
Dr. Mark Katz spoke at our Annual Public Policy Breakfast on Thursday, March 15. Dr. James McGuirk, our Executive Director and CEO, introduced me to Dr. Katz’s work more than 20 years ago and his book, Playing a Poor Hand Well, has informed my work and many others in this region. Anyone who has been trained or worked in the Astor organization has been well-schooled in the resilience mindset and strength-based approach to working with children and families.
I recently had the honor of being a featured speaker at the Alliance for Children and Families’ annual Leadership Conference held in New Orleans this February. Astor was highlighted in my presentation, “Authentic Care for Staff in Times of Chaos: A Resiliency Approach”.
What was it about the 9th Annual Astor Public Policy Breakfast that kept people thoroughly engaged during Dr. Mark Katz’s (all too brief) presentation, Children Who Fail at School But Succeed at Life?
The secret sauce for this great event – an affinity for Dr. Katz; a real life story that engaged the audience; a touch of humor and a positive spin on a subject we all can relate to. And we wanted more! That is why people are still talking about the 2012 Astor Public Policy breakfast.
On Thursday, March 15th Dr. Mark Katz, a clinical and consulting psychologist in San Diego, CA and author of On Playing a Poor Hand Well will be the keynote speaker at the Public Policy Breakfast at the Poughkeepsie Grand Hotel. Co-sponsored with the Dutchess County Regional Chamber of Commerce, this yearly event distinguishes itself by bringing together our community – from every sector – listening, learning and participating in the discussion about issues that impact someone in the circle of our lives.
The Public Policy breakfast is an opportunity for us to learn about the resources being made available to our children, now and for their future. Please join us on Thursday, March 15 to support Astor Services and the work they do, dedicated to the philosophy that every child deserves a childhood!
We are excited to be launching the new Astor Blog. In this short video, I’d like to introduce you to the blog and some of our bloggers, and give you an idea of what you can expect in the coming months.
This 5 min. video also contains a short introduction to Astor Services For Children & Families and the services we provide.
