DECEMBER 2008
COMPEEREVIEW
A PUBLICATION OF COMPEER INC.
Mental health recovery through the healing power of friendship
www.compeer.org
Study Finds Compeer Helps Individuals in Treatment
People being treated for serious mental illness achieve a
significant increase in social support and personal wellbeing as a result of being matched in a Compeer mentoring relationship, according to a study published in the
Community Mental Health Journal.
The study, conducted by Brian H. McCorkle, E. Sally
Rogers, Erin C. Dunn, Asya Lyass and Yu Mui Wan, found
the Compeer adult clients reported significant improvements in social support and a trend toward improved
well-being.
Increased social support was reported after six months
and again after one year. Compeer clients also showed
significant gains in subjective well-being and reductions
in psychiatric symptoms.
At the time of data collection, Dr. McCorkle, Dunn, and
Dr. Wan were at the Boston University Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation.
To read the published study, visit the Compeer Web site
at www.compeer.org and click on News.
Affiliate Paper Accepted for Publication
Sold! Compeer Buffalo Introduces On-Line Auctions
A paper on the impact of Compeer services written and presented by an affiliate from Australia at TheMHS Conference in
Auckland, New Zealand has been
accepted for publication in
“TheMHS Book of Proceedings.”
BETSY GEMEREK, Director of Development
Compeer Greater Buffalo Inc.
Tricia Meers’ paper, “Compeer:
What a Difference a Friend
Makes in Growing Consumers
Social Confidence & Community
Acceptance,” is one of 40 papers
selected from 225 presented.
Meers is program coordinator for
the Lewisham, Blacktown, and
Chatswood programs in the state
of New South Wales. She is also a
regional representative.
“The published Book of Proceedings is widely purchased and
used as a resource and reference
material in the field,” said Meers.
TheMHS Conference is the largest mental health conference in
Australia and New Zealand.
There were about 900 attendees
at the 2008 conference, held in
September. For more about the
Mental Health Services Conference, visit www.themhs.org.
Looking for a new way to promote Compeer
while raising money? Why not try an online auction! This year Compeer of Greater
Buffalo introduced an on-line auction to
complement the live auction at their annual
fundraiser in October.
Tricia Meers’ paper on Compeer services, presented at an international conference in New Zealand, has been accepted for publication.
“I am very pleased and honored,” Meers said of her paper’s
acceptance. “My thanks to State
Council for supporting my participation at the conference.”
The paper is accessible from the
Compeer Inc. Web site at
www.compeer.org.
Click on
Staff Spotlight under News.
The Miracle of Friendship on-line auction
was a successful marketing tool for the
agency. With an email list of over 1,500
addresses, they were able to promote the
event while giving guests and potential bidders across cyberspace a sneak peak at the
auction items. There was even a bidder
from Texas! Creating an on-line auction is
an easy, inexpensive way to generate buzz
about an event to new audiences!
You can view Compeer’s current auction at
www.compeerbuffalo.org. Click on “The
Perfect Buffalo Gift Auction” under Compeer Connections. The auction will be open
for bids until December 18!
Inside This Issue
Viewpoint
Page 2
Kansas Mentors
Page 2
Regional Reps
Page 3
Art Show
Back
COMPEEREVIEW
Page 2
Viewpoint: Purposeful Activity
Dear Compeer Friends,
First of all, I want to thank those of you who have communicated with the Compeer Inc. staff and myself over the past few
months. Your support through our transition has been wonderful, and the staff at Compeer Inc. is still very dedicated to
supporting our affiliates. I want to give special kudos to Johanna who worked so hard to reorganize the offices. I am enjoying working with her and Mary Ellen.
Of course, the economy has thrown all of us a curve ball in the last few months. Even though as non-profit leaders we are
used to doing more with less, these are uncertain times with unprecedented events that are difficult to plan for. Now is the
time to react quickly. Try to work out several contingency plans. Renegotiate your big expenses, like rent, if possible. Protect your core services that deliver your mission. You just might have to put on hold some of the new initiatives you want to
start.
We should keep our goals in sight, but we should focus our energies on things we can control. We should definitely acknowledge the stress of staff, volunteers and consumers, but we should also concentrate on purposeful activity. First of all,
encourage healthy habits: social activity, exercise, diet, rest and relaxation. A good sense of humor is also healthy. Recognize the good performance of staff and the accomplishments of your matches.
It is time to be creative with ways to support your staff, volunteers, and Compeer friends. Find groups with similar missions and collaborate: share costs on events and trainings. Provide volunteers with lists of free activities to do with their
Compeer friends. Identify the strengths of your staff and don’t be afraid to change their job descriptions so that they are
using their talents for best performance.
We regret having to cancel our April Conference, but we will replace it with some great Web conferences. Our first one is
being planned for the end of March. There is also opportunity to have more conference calls. Please contact us if you have
an issue that you would like discussed. We are beginning an update to our Web site to make it more interactive. If you
have any suggestions, please contact us. We will do our best, and in the process fulfill the mission of Compeer Inc.: to
initiate, develop, strengthen, unite, and support the efforts of Compeer programs and affiliates in communities throughout
the U.S. and other countries.
Best wishes for a happy and healthy New Year.
Sincerely,
Dana Frame
Interim President
Kansas Compeer Youth Programs On Winning Team
Four of the eight Compeer programs
in Kansas have youth programs —
Emporia, Ottawa, Topeka and Wichita
— and each of those is a Gold Star
program through Kansas Mentors.
“Kansas Mentors is committed to providing every young Kansan access to
a caring and quality mentor,” said
Gov. Kathleen Sibelius, who formed
the program.
The Gold Star program, launched this
year, recognizes mentoring partners
across the state who have committed
to maintaining a basic set of standards that ensure a quality mentoring
experience.
In June, a coach from Kansas
and one from Nebraska issued
a friendly challenge to see
which state could sign up the
most new mentors over a five
month period. Kansas won!
Photo: Coach Tom Osborne,
co-founder
of
Nebraska's
TeamMates Mentoring Program, watches as Amy Link,
former director of Kansas Mentors, presents Coach Bill Snyder, chair of Kansas Mentors,
with the winning trophy. Link
was also recognized during the ceremony for her work as the inaugural
director. Ella Todd, far right, is the
current director. Photo courtesy of
K-State Athletic Department.
COMPEEREVIEW
Page 3
Regional Representatives Provide Affiliate Support
MARY ELLEN BUDNY, Vice President
Compeer Inc.
As the number of Compeer programs increased across
the U.S., Australia and Canada in the 1990s, it was important to provide affiliates with regional support to address
cultural, financial and political diversity among different
communities, states and countries. The position of Regional Representative was created to provide technical
assistance and guidance to affiliate programs within their
region and serve as a liaison between affiliate programs
and the Compeer Inc. office. Regional representative
conference calls have been sponsored by businesses in
Rochester, N.Y.: Eastman Kodak Company, ACC, Johnson
& Johnson Inc. and Janssen Pharmaceutica.
It was important that regional representatives possessed
leadership skills, proven Compeer program management
skills, and the program they represented met Compeer
Best Practices. A job description was developed and regions were designated. Compeer staff within each region
voted for the person they wanted to represent them that
met these qualifications.
Regional representatives provide a wealth of experience
and commitment to the program. They provide training,
visit sites, organize regional meetings and/or conferences and are authorized to conduct toll free conference
calls within their region. They also attend monthly regional representative meetings with Compeer Inc. to provide advice and assistance in planning international campaigns and the international conference, on the follow-up
of annual surveys, and share program information with
affiliates. Qualifications for regional representative eligibility are: responsibility for the overall management of a
Compeer program for at least 2 years; attendance at the
Compeer international conference, and program adherence to best practices.
REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVES
Australia
Tricia Meers
Kansas
Patty Gnefkow, Patricia Phillips
(co-representatives)
New York
Johanna Ambrose
Joe Cruice, program director for the Compeer program in
Eagleville, Pa., shares regional rep responsibilities with
Elaine Callihan, coordinator from the Butler program.
When the first regional representatives were elected and
approved by Compeer Inc. they assisted their respective
regions in their “spare time” with dedication and an enduring desire to make affiliate programs stronger. In
2005, with the further affiliate program expansion and
regional conference meetings made available, Compeer
Inc. decided that regional representatives’ programs
should receive some benefits for the additional responsibilities they perform on behalf of affiliates and Compeer,
Inc. The benefits established in 2005 are: waived membership dues for one regional representative per region
and one free conference registration.
Regional representatives are provided to assist affiliates
on a local level. They are provided decision making opportunities that impact Compeer affiliate programs locally and internationally. Affiliate programs are well supported by a network of Compeer professionals to communicate with, share experiences with, and assist in the valuable services that each Compeer professional provides.
Mileage Deduction for Volunteers
Won't Change in 2009
From The Chronicle of Philanthropy, Dec. 1, 2008
http://philanthropy.com/news/government
People who drive their own vehicles as part of their volunteer work for charities will not be getting any extra tax incentives for their efforts in 2009.
Pennsylvania
Elaine Callihan, Joe Cruice
(co-representatives)
The Internal Revenue Service, in its newly released list of
2009 standard mileage rates, said volunteers could take a
deduction of 14 cents a mile on their federal taxes. The
rate is fixed by law.
West
Shannon Jaccard
According to the I.R.S., taxpayers are eligible to deduct 55
cents per mile for business miles driven and 24 cents per
mile driven for medical or moving purposes.
West Virginia Program Hosts Art Exhibit
Michelle Wakely not only coordinates a Compeer program, she can
also coordinate a successful art
event. In September, Wakely put
together the 4th annual “Different
Voices and Common Experiences”
exhibit at the Monongalia Arts Center in Morgantown, West Va.
Compeer, Inc.
2008 Board
Mark R. Aesch
Philip A. Fain
Pam Giambrone
Ted H. Kordela
Michael Paddock
Originated in 2005 as a small show
with a few paintings, this year’s exhibit included the work of 18 gallery
artists as well as writers and performing artists.
Patrick Solomon, Esq.
The show strives to break down the
stigma of mental illness and celebrate mental health. It gives people
who have experienced mental illness, either personally or through
family and friends, an opportunity to
display their talents.
CompeeReview is a publication of
Compeer, Inc.
Over 100 people attended the opening night reception, and more than
300 people visited the exhibition.
V.P., Customer Relations
Mary Ellen Budny
The 2009 exhibit is already scheduled for Sept. 11 through Oct.3. For
more program information, visit the
Compeer of Monongalia Web site at
www.moncompeer.com
J. Theodore Smith
Martin L. Stern, Esq.
Interim President
Dana Frame
CompeeReview contact information:
1.800.836.0475 toll free
Editor: Johanna Ambrose
jambrose@compeer.org
www.compeer.org
CompeeReview
A PUBLICATION OF COMPEER INC.
CompeeReview
259 Monroe Avenue
Rochester, NY 14607
(800) 836-0475
www.compeer.org
Making friends. Changing lives.
RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED
Compeer is a Connect America Partner and a member of America’s Promise.
This newsletter is donated in part through the generosity of Janssen Pharmaceutica.