VANDERHEYDEN Newsletter
 In the News....
May 2016 

Vanderheyden's Royal Gala 2016

 
Hollywood's Red Carpet was rolled out in style for Vanderheyden's Royal Gala on Friday, May 13th, at the Poestenkill Fire Company. This premier occasion was the first ever formal dance event to be held in Vanderheyden's 183-year history.
Over 200 individuals from our main campus in Wynantskill, and throughout our community, walked the Red Carpet into the Royal Gala, which had all the glitz and glamour associated with a Hollywood A-list affair. After posing in the limousine for a photo, our royal guests entered the banquet room that was elegantly decorated in black, red and gold, fit for a king and a queen!
This experience of a lifetime was made possible in part by Outback Steakhouse on Wolf Road in Colonie, which provided first-class steak and chicken dinners. UniFirst of Albany that furnished the Hollywood Red Carpet, and the Albany Chapter of the Women Presidents' Organization who prepared and passed hors d'oeuvres.

Karen Carpenter Palumbo, President and CEO of Vanderheyden says "I am extremely thrilled and appreciative that the community and businesses have been so generous with donations for this formal dance. Our youth and adults will feel very special and proud to have a night to shine."
Several generous monetary donations from members of our Capital Region community covered costs associated with this event to make this spectacular night a reality. Many community members and organizations also donated dazzling gowns, exquisite accessories, treasured jewelry and tailored men's suits for our first-class occasion. Area salon stylists and makeup artists donated their services to make our individuals look fabulous.
Fundraisers were also held at Capital Region businesses such as Uncle Sam Lanes, Talbots, Burger 21 and Flight Trampoline Park to help pay for this special night.
 
 
RPI Science Ambassadors Make a Visit
The RPI Science Ambassadors brought their passion for science to the students at Vanderheyden, on Tuesday, April 19th.
Fifteen RPI undergraduate students traveled from the Jonsson-Rowland Science Center in Troy to our Wynantskill campus to meet with our students and staff. They participated in numerous hands-on science activities throughout the school day.
A popular activity was the exploration of the science of crime solving, and contrasting this knowledge with the portrayal of detectives and crime in the media. Chemistry and biology basic facts were discussed, before the students started their own investigations into solving a "fake" crime, which was created by the Science Ambassadors.
Vanderheyden's President and CEO, Karen Carpenter Palumbo stated, " We are grateful and thrilled that the entire school community had the opportunity for a Science Day. RPI Ambassadors are such special mentors and to be able to collaborate with them in STEM education is incredible."
The goal of the RPI Ambassador program is to inspire students to explore the role of science in society. The student's positive reactions to the presentations and exercises were most definitely noted by their enthusiasm and eagerness to explore and participate in them.
Meet Our Job Coach, Matt Bentley....
 
Matt Bentley has worn many "hats" in his extensive work history in education, but was drawn to Vanderheyden after he observed teamwork and comradery in action.
The Vermont native has been a part of Vanderheyden since October of 2015, whereas Job Coach, he counsels and guides our students into a career path that will last a lifetime. 


 
Bentley says he "wants to help our individuals with the skills they need to succeed in life, not just give them busy work." He is currently working on building a workplace learning program,where our individuals can work off-campus in paid positions, or opt for a volunteer experience. Bentley says "it's a way to prepare our individuals for the real world." 

 
 
He says his goals are to establish more of a relationship with the Capital District business community, in order for businesses to hire our individuals as valued employees. Bentley w
ould also like to see Vanderheyden's reputation grow as a quality establishment where a business can find excellent, hard-working employees. 
 
**A Quick Note**
Vanderheyden is now working on finding a Corporate Sponsor/Partner for our Career Center. Obtaining a sponsor/grant would allow Vanderheyden to develop and grow this program to involve more individuals with internships, job counseling, job shadowing and technology.
 
 Our Special Olympics Athletes   
Thank you to Fleet Feet Albany and Malta for again providing new sneakers for our Special Olympics track team! We will keep you updated on our team's progress!


Mohawk Honda Donates Twill Blankets and Totes



Thank you to Mohawk Honda and Twill for your visit to our facility to donate beautiful blankets for those we serve.

We are so grateful for all that you do for the community, and are especially honored to be a recipient of your give-back to the community. Our sincere appreciation to you for supporting Vanderheyden in changing lives to save lives.


     
 

Save The Date!
*** 
Oktoberfest 2016 

Brown's Brewing Company 
River Street 
Troy

October 27th, 2016 
6:00 - 8:00 p.m. 
  

  
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                     Find us on:  www.vanderheyden.org