Valentine's Day Story by Brad Johnson

This story is one of my many favorite little moments from working here at EPIC. I think it was Valentine’s Day two years ago.Bob M.(if you don't know him, he is a very polite, well dressed, kind older gentleman who lives with a Host Family and works in our Work Skills area). 

He comes in to my office and says, "Good morning Sir, Do you know if Donna is here today?" I said, "Which Donna?" Bob said, "Donna S."  I said, "I'm not sure, lets go see."  (Donna, if you don't know her is a very clever, funny, sometimes ornery lady in our Older Adults area who likes to talk in rhymes.)

So we find Donna and Bob says, "I made you a Valentine, Donna..." and hands her an envelope and says, "Do you wanna read it?" Donna opens the envelope and I'm not sure if she reads, but she does know her letters and she starts going "H...A...P...P...Y...V...A..." through every letter of all the words on the card. 

Then Bob says "There's a picture too..."  I assumed maybe Bob had found some old picture of him and Donna together that he put in with the card or something and was thinking Awww that's cute..., but Donna pulls it out and its a picture of Bob with the Little Caesars Pizza mascot and he says, "Its me with Cheeser Cheeser..." Donna smiled and said, "I love you too, I do...funny little honey bunny...." Then Bob said "Happy Valentines Donna" and headed off to his area to go to work.

.. 

I just thought that was one of the most adorable little Valentine’s Day scenes that I have ever witnessed and I just  wanted to share that story and maybe give people a smile. Sometimes the daily grind of work can get stressful and it can be easy to get caught up in that from time to time, but also its good to take time to enjoy all the little magical moments like this which only occur at unique places like EPIC. 

We are lucky to get to spend some time in our lives with some one-of-a-kind, loveable individuals that can bring a lot of joy to our lives, as we hopefully do for them as well... Anyways, Hope everyone has a great Valentine’s Day! :) ~ Brad

Do Something! By Drew Burton: Marketing and PR Intern

In life, staying active can be one of the most difficult challenges we may face. We are all faced with obstacles and it's up to us to overcome them. The trick to being happy is to always be doing something. I've been sitting in this chair my whole life, and if there's one thing I've learned from all of it, it's that your brain can either be your best friend or your worst enemy.
 Sometimes, your mind can make you think that the world is out to get you, or you're not capable of doing what makes you happy. That's when you need to get up and go do something, anything. Whether it be riding a bike, skydiving or even something simple like building a birdhouse or two,
 it's important to always keep your mind active. Take this story for example. Marcus, an EP!C Harvest manager, has been going the extra mile to help keep others' mind active, which ultimately results in happiness. He's been helping individuals from work skills and the senior program build birdhouses. 
Clearly, Marcus enjoys making others happy. It's obvious that Marcus is doing his part to put a genuine smile on these peoples' faces. The moral of the story is, do something. Do what makes YOU happy.
 There is no substitute for legitimate happiness. You can do anything you set your mind to. So it's up to you, you can sit back and dream about what you want to do, or you can go out and make it happen.

Service Dogs: by Drew Burton

Service dog: a type of assistance dog specifically trained to help people who have disabilities including visual difficulties, hearing impairments, mental illness, seizures, diabetes, autism, and more. That's the technical definition of a service dog.They're dogs that help someone with whatever they may need. They can pick up something for its owner, sense when the owner is in distress, help the owner get up when they've fallen, but most of all, they will always be your best friend.

The dogs don't just learn these skills overnight. It takes patience from both the owner and the dog. It's not easy. Typically, the trainer will begin training the dog when it is about a month old. Usually, they'll start out with basic obedience skills such as "sit" and "stay." As the dog gets older, it will be trained to perform tasks like pick up a video game controller or turn lights on and off. The final stage of training is being matched with a permanent owner and being trained for his or her specific needs.

The dog will begin to travel with the new owner to get used to the day-to-day surroundings. Sometimes that can be difficult to do. A lot of people don't see the need for a service dog. I've had restaurant owners come up to me and tell me to leave because there are no pets allowed.

The truth is, a service dog is much more than a pet. They're a personal assistant, a companion, and a friend. Another important type of service dog is called a therapy dog. Basically, they help cheer people up and keep the owner happy. They commonly visits hospitals, nursing homes, basically any place where emotional support could be useful. It's a therapy dogs job to always be right there for the owner to provide affection and comfort. A great example of a therapy dog is a dog named Gizmo. He visits EPIC on a regular basis to provide emotional support for anyone around. The world needs more dogs like this. As for EPIC, service dogs of any kind are more than welcome.

Plain and simple, dogs are man's best friend. They live to please their owners in any way they can. A certified service dog can literally go anywhere its owner can go. Although I don't recommend the zoo, the lions get mad! So what is a service dog? They're certainly not just your average house pet. They are a personal assistant and a best friend. They're the most selfless animals on the planet that will help you with whatever they can. Whether you need physical or mental assistance, the dog will always be there, whenever PAWsible.

"Self-Advocacy" by Drew Burton, Marketing and PR Intern

"Getting a new wheelchair is much easier said than done," said John when asked about how difficult it was to receive his new wheelchair. 

Every seven years, a wheelchair is due to be replaced by the state. When John's seventh year in the same wheelchair arrived, he requested a new chair. However, he was denied three times by the state and was forced to take matters into his own hands. 

While speaking with John, it didn't take me long to realize that he is the epitome of a go-getter. He wanted a new wheelchair, and he wasn't taking no for an answer.

 Once he was told he wasn't getting one, he did something most people wouldn't. He contacted Illinois congressman, Aaron Schock. He explained the situation, and within a month, Schock responded with a phone call. Aaron Schock told him that it would be possible for him to receive the new chair he deserved. 

Within a few months, John was cruising in style with his brand new, grabber blue wheelchair. 

There is a lot to be learned from this story. More than anything, the moral of the story is to never give up on anything you want. Life will put obstacles in front of you. You can either give in or fight for what you want. The choice is yours.

"Third annual Walk & Roll" by Drew Burton, Marketing and PR Intern

The third annual Walk and Roll took place on October 11th and was a success as usual. EP!C covers an entire mile of land, and for the past three years, that land has been put to good use. The participants walk around the entire building as many times as they can. But they're not just walking for exercise. Walk and Roll is an event to raise money and awareness for breast cancer and it is improving every year. "It's getting better and better every year," said Rhoda, one of the founders of the event. As far as attendance goes, this year was the biggest turn out yet. It started out as just an idea, some way to raise awareness and money for breast cancer, similar to Race For the Cure. But more and more people have shown interest in participating in the event, making it a bigger turn out every year so far.

One thing that separates Walk and Roll from some other fund raisers is the fact that anyone can participate. No matter what physical or mental disability an individual has, he or she can still make an impact. In other words, it's an event where we are all the same. We can all make a difference. That's a big part of what makes this event special. There are no unfair advantages or disadvantages, just people uniting for one common goal which is to help end breast cancer. Rhoda intends on hosting Walk and Roll for many years to come, as it shows no signs of slowing down. It's an event that literally anyone can participate in. "We can all walk around this building and contribute and make a difference," said Rhoda when asked about this year's turn out. The world needs more people like Rhoda to help win the battle against breast cancer. One thing is for sure, everyone involved with this event refuses to lose the fight against breast cancer.

EP!C Harvest - Green Onions!

What came first, the onion or the green onion? 

Fortunately the answer to this is not as complicated as the answer to whether the chicken came first or the egg. Green onions, also known as scallions, are young shoots of bulb onions that have an undeveloped white bulb with a long green stalk.In other words, they are the result of onions that were harvested early. These vegetables may be small but they are packed with flavor that can be used in a variety of dishes.

Green onions can be eaten raw after proper washing, grilled, or saute. They are packed with nutrients such as vitamin K, A, and C. Vitamin K assists with bone health, vitamin A assists with eye health, and vitamin C assists with immune health. When purchasing green onions, check to make sure they have bright green stalks, crisp in texture, and a firm white base.

If you haven't already come try the EP!C Harvest green onions?The EP!C Harvest market is on Fridays in the cafeteria from 9:30 am to 12:30 pm. Fill your body with the necessary nutrients it needs to keep you going!

EP!C Harvest unique veggies

If a vegetable could awaken Sleeping Beauty, which vegetable would it be?

There are a variety of radishes which come in different sizes and colors. Table radishes are no larger than ping pong balls and can be red, purple, red-and-white, and pink. Red meat radishes are a type of Daikons, which are large and can reach a foot in size. Red meat radishes have a white or light green exterior color and a hot pink interior color. Unfortunately, radishes are not nutritional powerhouses, but they contain nutrients such as vitamin C, folate and potassium. Radishes can be eaten raw, after proper washing, fried, steamed, cooked or baked. Some consumers add salt or pepper to radishes to give them more taste. When purchasing radishes, ensure minimal blemishes are present and absolutely no mushy spots. Also, Red meat radishes are best preserved when refrigerated. They are also known as Watermelon radishes and more poetically beauty heart radishes which originated from Western Asia and Europe but now can be found in various parts of the world including Peoria, IL. Stop by EPIC Harvest and snag the beautiful vegetable which Sleeping Beauty might have utilized instead of a kiss from the Prince.