Local Organizations Team Up to Bring Training to First Responders And Community
Turtle Wing Foundation, The Red Door Fund for Mental Health, and Bluebonnet Trails have teamed up to bring a training on “Strategies for Helping Persons with Intellectual Disabilities and Autism” presented by Carl Crowther, lead crisis intervention specialist for Bluebonnet Trails. This training is aimed at our frontline workers and first responders (Police, Sheriff’s Department, EMS, Firefighters, nursing staff, etc), but anyone in the community is welcome to join. Some things that will be covered: How to interact more effectively with individuals who have a disability, approaches for working with personas with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, co-existing Mental Health Conditions, and challenging behaviors, and programs within Bluebonnet Trails Community Services. Frontline Workers, First Responders, and community members outside of Bluebonnet Trails service area are still encouraged to attend, as the information shared will be applicable no matter your location. The training will occur at Blinn College in Schulenburg on Tuesday, Oct. 25, from 6-8 p.m. Pizza will be provided, the training is free. Please RSVP to Destiny at destiny@ turtlewingfoundation.org. If you have any questions, please reach out to Destiny with Turtle Wing Foundation, or to Cheryl Pekar with The Red Door Fund ( cheryl@stanzelmuseum.org).
POW/MIA Day Recognized By VFW Auxiliary
Friday, Sept. 16 was POW/ MIA Day, a day of recognition for all American soldiers who are prisoners of war or missing in action. The Weimar Memorial VFW Post 5875 Auxiliary continued the tradition of setting a table in honor of our missing men and women. This tradition has been in place since the end of the Vietnam War. The manner in which this table is decorated is full of symbols. The table is round to show our everlasting concern. The cloth is white to show the purity of their motives when answering the call to serve. The black napkin stands for the emptiness these warriors have left in the hearts of their families and friends. The single red rose reminds us of the lives of these Americans and their loved ones and friends who keep the faith, while seeking answers. The yellow candle and its ribbon symbolize our continuing uncertainty, the hope of their return and our determination to account for them. A slice of lemon reminds us of their fate, captured and missing in a foreign land. A pinch of salt symbolizes the tears of their families who long for answers after decades of uncertainty. The Bible represents the strength gained through faith, to sustain us and those lost from our country, founded as one Nation under God. The glass is inverted symbolizing their inability to share a toast. The chair is empty – they are missing.
