Your Rich VR Heritage Brief #10 : Work and Play--All in a VR Day

We all made it to Friday!   For this edition—we will begin with something very real in our VR past, present, and future— we rehabbers are passionate about our work and our play – it is the perfect balance of giving something and receiving something that sustains us over a long course of time.  I trust many of you like me can’t wait for the next opportunity for some fun VR times—hope to at least catch you at the NCRA conference and make our own history and fun times.
 
To begin with, to ”earn” our fun during this brief, we will focus on some of the serious sides of our rehab past—success stories and interesting changes and muses of the era.
 
We always focus first on “The Client”  who is why we exist as a committed body of unique people who value serving those who need our assistance more than self-serving.   As published in the March-April REACH Issue of 1955:

One of the CLIENTS who through skillful counseling and intervention became successful (from the July-August 1955 REACH):

I later discovered what I believe to be “the rest of the story” which may be the same individual based on description and vocation: 

NOW FOR THE FUN:   Several of you may remember Forrest Teague—long time Eastern Regional Director—he is featured in the following article where CLIENTS from what is now Work Source East voted on “Miss VR” and had the pleasure of crowning.   I believe I remember working with a Phyllis McLeod—do any of you?   Which of you fine VR ladies would clients vote for today based on the criteria within the article? 

More Recent Photos of Staff Enjoying Time Together “it’s good it’s good it’s good”(Clark Giswald and Cousin Eddie/ Mac Britt)  

 The Duck Dynasty Clan from Boone at one of our past NCRA Costume Events: 

Tie Cutting Ceremonies for SECC Fundraising in recent years (Kenny Gibbs, John Marens, and Director Elizabeth Bishop)   2014 

CLIENTS NEED FUN TOO: 

Note the cover and article from the January-February 1972 REACH featuring a new concept:  Wheelchair Basketball!  The sport is very much thriving today and NCRA has worked with a few of these programs in recent years to help them raise funds for equipment.  See Bridge II Sports http://www.bridge2sports.org/ for the latest update and testimonial how sports enhance the lives of individuals with disabilities.  There are many sports such as waterskiing, skydiving, snow boarding/skiing as well as biking, swimming and all other varieties 

FINALLY—OUR “DO YOU REMEMBER?” SECTION for THOSE WHO JUST MIGHT REMEMBER THESE FORMER REHABERS: 

Hal Collins (1972) :  From the Fayetteville Area.  Retired about 10 years ago and served as S.Central Assistant Regional Director under Jim Wade: 

Joan Cockrell  (1972):  Worked Many Years with Freya Brannon and some with Melinda Remaley as part of the Training and Staff Development in the Central Office

Dennis Crumpler (Rehab Eng Technician) (1972)   I worked side by side with Dennis for about 5 or more years until his retirement.  I credit him for giving me a great welcome to North Carolina and filling me in on intricate details of fine NC Barbeque and NASCAR.  He literally grew up in one of the houses here on Dorothea Dix campus and also grew up with NASCAR when it was pretty much all dirt track.  

I hope you have enjoyed this week’s nod to us as a hard working fun-loving group of people we pride ourselves to be.   

Warm Regards,

Phil Protz