Shannon Mitchem - Imagine! Excellence in Customer Service Award Recipient

Congratulations Shannon Mitchem, recently honored with the Imagine! Excellence in Customer Service Award.

A colleague of Shannon’s shared the following praise:

“As a new employee who has spent decades in the professional realm of public education, I entered Imagine! as a blank slate, knowing I would have a LOT to learn and experience. All I could hope for is to have someone training me who is patient, kind, efficient, and, well, patient (yes, a repeat!). I got that person. Shannon Mitchem has been the BEST trainer I have had, ever. She has methodically walked me through the process of learning this position with care and respect. She gives me just the RIGHT amount of work to do each day, follows up to see if I have questions, and guides me onto the right track anytime I stray...and, believe me, in this position, it is all about accuracy in record-keeping...so straying is rough! Shannon truly comes from a position of reflection and focusing on success. She is a kind spirit, a mastermind of knowledge, and doesn't even FLINCH when I ask another question about how to do something---again!”

Imagine! Partners with Naropa University

Imagine! has a longstanding relationship with Naropa University and their Community Art Studio (NCAS), a space for Imagine! participants to create various forms of art with Naropa art therapy students. Once a week, Imagine!’s adult day program ventures to Naropa’s Nalanda campus in East Boulder to explore the world of visual and contextual art. Clay work, knitting, mixed media, 3-D sculpture work, and group canvas paintings are just a few ways this group gets their hands dirty and grow as artists.

 First year art therapy students at Naropa use the NCAS to complete a fifty-hour practicum and gain experience working with various groups from the local community. Imagine! is one of four community partners that come in weekly and engage with the art therapy students. “This is not an art class run by a teacher, rather a group run by all participants together,” said Kate Schettler, Lead Mentor of the NCAS. “Everyone has input regarding the direction of their work, everyone takes responsibility for the care of the studio space, and everyone is viewed as an integral member.”

“The general goal of Imagine! art classes is to encourage self-expression in a safe and accepting
environment,” said Imagine! Art Instructor. “One participant in particular has come a long way with feeling more comfortable during participation and showing others what he makes at the studio.

Naropa students offer knowledge, skill, and expertise with art processes, techniques, tools, and materials to the Imagine! participants. “And the group participants offer the same to the student mentors,” said Schettler.

Naropa wanted to practice a form of communal inclusion based on humanistic values such as cultivating a sense of unity within a diverse society. They also were aiming to provide equal access to those who would likely not be able to afford entrance into a fully stocked art studio, and have consistently attempted to work from this inclusive point of view.

The space is welcoming and creative. The Naropa students have the entire semester or year to build rapport with the Imagine! participants, creating a friendly environment with endless possibilities of creative expression.

 We thank Naropa University for including Imagine! in their mission of engaging the community in mindful art creation and social gathering!

**Information and perspective taken from: Unity in Diversity: Community Pluralism in the Art Studio and the Classroom: Written by Michael Franklin, Merryl E Rothaus, and Kendra Schpok.

Imagine!'s Dayspring Bulletin - Summer 2019

Imagine!’s latest Dayspring Bulletin is available online.

Imagine!'s Family Support Bulletin May/June 2019

Imagine!’s latest Family Support Bulletin is available online.

Thank You, Imagine! Innovations Volunteers

Imagine!’s Innovations department would like to recognize and thank two of their volunteers - Merribeth “Beth” Price and Christina Marshall. Beth and Christina have been volunteering with the Innovations administrative team for three years and have been extremely helpful with clerical projects and live class preparation. Christina always finds a way to make others smile with her cheerful presence, and Beth makes it her mission to say hello to every person in the office while bringing much needed levity. Their continued efforts are much appreciated by all Innovations staff members and we look forward to many more years of their support and positivity.

Sylvia Cardozo-McGee - Imagine! Early Intervention Rockstar

Congratulations are in order for Sylvia Cardozo-McGee, recently selected as an Imagine! Early Intervention Rockstar.

Sylvia joined EI a year ago. She has been consistent with her work over the year and always puts families first. She makes sure to get her work done effectively, ensuring services start on time for our kiddos. She is always willing to lend a helping hand by taking more referrals and always offering her assistance as needed. Sylvia has a positive attitude around the office, which is infectious. We are lucky to have Sylvia on our team!

Happy Feet Car Wash Supports Imagine! Athletes

Support individuals with intellectual disabilities to achieve their fitness goals, and get a clean car to boot! Imagine!’s Out & About Happy Feet Program is holding a car wash on May 15. Donations will go toward registration for a 5K Race the Happy Feet participants have been training for over the past few months.

Karen Collins - Imagine! Excellence in Customer Service Award Recipient

Congratulations are in order for Karen Collins, recently honored as an Imagine! Excellence in Customer Service Award recipient.

Karen leads with respect, kindness and support in all of her interactions. She provides a strong foundation to all services and puts forth valiant effort to understand what services need in order to support employees’ overall experience at Imagine!. Without her strong attention and support for services we would not be able to run effective programs. On numerous occasions, she has asked questions about programing and has loved hearing the success stories of staff and people we serve. Karen is a pillar for employees, helping to hold up the quality and standards of Imagine!’s services.

Renata Moore - Imagine! Case Management Unsung Hero

Congratulations are in order for Renata Moore, recently selected as an Imagine! Case Management Unsung Hero.

Recently we received these comments from a family who has a loved one in Imagine! services, regarding Renata’s amazing work: “Renata made a very anxious experience for us pleasant and painless. As soon as Renata walked in the front door I immediately felt like this was someone who I could talk to. She immediately set us at ease and made the conversation comfortable, even when asking some very uncomfortable questions. She was compassionate, empathetic, and understanding of how we felt and how the overall situation impacted us. Renata has amazing customer service and she is a great fit for Imagine!.”

Melanie Kline - Imagine! Case Management Unsung Hero

Congratulations are in order for Melanie Kline, recently selected as an Imagine! Case Management Unsung Hero.

Melanie joined our Case Management team almost three years ago and has consistently performed like a rock star. She keeps a positive attitude and is always willing to help her team mates and Case Managers problem solve and improve processes. She has an eye for detail and does not balk at tough tasks. Melanie, we are so glad to have you on our team and appreciate who you are and all that you do and juggle to assist Case Managers and the people we serve!