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“2 Painting Duel” Coming in July!

Those wanting to either spruce up their favorite room and/or invest in art should participate in the Machala Watercolor Studio’s “2 Painting Duel” happening throughout July on Facebook.

Last year, Owner Hollis Machala said she began this original sale to help more art lovers to be able to pick artwork that they liked best.

“The ‘2 Painting Duel’ is a fun way to duel to see which painting customers love the best,” she said. “You won’t know exactly what you get until the paintings are revealed on the dates they are purchased. However, customers may choose their favorite one based on a reference photo that is posted on my website, https://www.machalarts.com/2-painting-duel.”

This year, only has five dates are available to grab in July for $300. Those dates are the 14th, 16th, 21st, 23rd and 28th.

Clients have the option to give her a reference photo they would like as a painting. She then paints one painting of their photo and one that they purchase off the website. Then, the client selects which one they want to take home! A second option is purchasing the other painting for an additional $50.

While “The Duel” is already in motion, Machala said there are a few spots still available for the chance to find artwork that speaks more to a favorite memory and/or subject that Hollis herself paints.

As she put it, “I want to help more people find accessible art that speaks to them, because it is so important to enjoy your surroundings. This is also a great way to start to become a collector of art!”

 

The Duel is being broadcast on her FB Art Group called Watercolor Studio Insiders – Art by Hollis Machala. People can visit her website at: www.facebook.com/groups/machalarts

Additional details may also be found on her website referenced above or contacting Hollis at (508) 944-4410 or machalarts@gmail.com.

Devereux MA/RI clinician shares remote learning tips during Department of Revenue presentation

Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health Massachusetts and Rhode Island Therapeutic Day School Clinician Jessica Kemp, Ph.D., NCSP, recently offered tips to help parents engage children in remote instruction during a virtual panel discussion hosted by the Massachusetts Department of Revenue’s Diversity Council.

Kemp was asked to participate in the presentation as a result of her experience helping students, families and caregivers embrace online learning during COVID-19.

“I want to thank the Department of Revenue for the opportunity to participate in this panel discussion,” said Kemp. “I have been hearing from many students and families that they are ‘running on empty.’ I hope this presentation provided validation that they are not in this alone, and offered some go-to tips they can use to ‘reboot’ and more effectively manage some of the stressors associated with learning and working from home.”

Staying focused, motivated

During the presentation, Kemp shared the following strategies to help students stay focused and motivated to complete their schoolwork:

  • Adjust expectations: Recognize that during the traditional, in-person school day, students are not working 100 percent of the time – this also applies to remote learning.
  • Use “first-then” statements: Motivate children to complete tasks by using statements such as, “First, finish your math class, and then, we can make snacks together and play a game.” Or, “First, finish your reading assignment, and then you can use your tablet.”
  • Identify roadblocks: Determine what is preventing a student from completing a task. Are they having trouble understanding a new skill? Are they bored? Do they need to move around?
  • Encourage fidgeting: Provide children with putty, playdough or a squishy ball to help them relieve stress or anxiety.
  • Set timers: Let students see how much time they have left in class or to complete work.
  • Take breaks: Take at least three “brain breaks” per day (e.g., go for a walk; draw/color; play a game) with your child, and encourage him or her to ask for a break, if needed.
  • Create a fun, relaxed atmosphere: Help students update their at-home classroom space with items such as aromatherapy diffusers, fun pens, colorful sticky notes or a poster to make the area more inviting.

Facilitating student success

Kemp also discussed ways to promote socialization, while social distancing; cope with changes in school schedules; set boundaries; manage stress; support youth with special needs; and help students adapt to appearing on camera.

“I have always been passionate about capacity building. As a school psychologist, I am often focused on how I can best support families and caregivers, as they are the ones with the children a majority of the time,” Kemp explained. “My goal is to not only build skills with individual students, but to help families establish routines and systems that they can integrate into their daily lives to facilitate their students’ success.”

Learn more about Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health.

Photo caption 1: Devereux Massachusetts and Rhode Island Therapeutic Day School Clinician Jessica Kemp, Ph.D., NCSP, recently offered tips to help parents engage children in remote instruction during a virtual panel discussion hosted by the Massachusetts Department of Revenue’s Diversity Council.

Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch…

Karen Dalton overcame obstacles to help military Veterans at her facility.

The pandemic has brought on many challenges on professional and personal levels. Business is conducted much differently than it was at this time last year. Not being able to see loved ones or attend large social gatherings such as either sporting events or concerts has made fundraising for non-profits more of a challenge.

Now, what if on top of that, you served your country and have little or no support system in place to control those demons? There are active and retired military personnel who fall under those sad categories that don’t know where to turn or who to ask for help. However, there is a place these heroes can go to get back on their feet and have a new lease on life.

The Dare To Dream Ranch, located on 12 Snagwood Road in Foster, is a 501 © (3) nonprofit organization on a 11-acre facility that offers alternative therapy programs to service members, Veterans and their families. Founder and Executive Vice President Karen Dalton said the purpose of the Ranch is providing outlets to build up their ability to become productive. The end game is empowering their clients to live productive, meaningful lives.

“These Veterans suffer from post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, depression and other challenges from their time serving,” she said. “They had mission, purpose, structure, and comradery in their lives in what they were doing. Now that they are back to civilian life, many can’t make the smooth transition from one life to another. Being on the Ranch gives them a sense of purpose while giving them a second chance to make a difference.

“I know what it’s like to be in this situation, so I understand what these Veterans are going through.

She grew up as the daughter to a Marine dad who suffered from anger management issues. Her first husband also dealt with anger management issues that affected Dalton’s emotional and physical health. Her goal is to break the cycle by utilizing alternative therapy programs that helped her, and programs that have helped others.

Now, Dalton has the Ranch to help others going through tough times. The facility has many programs to help with mission, purpose, structure and comradery. For those who may not have a place to stay, the Ranch will start to offer an opportunity to work there in exchange for a place a stay as availability allows. This enables them to save money to purchase their own home, she said.

Among the activities provided at The Ranch include equine-facilitated coaching, woodworking, fly fishing, beekeeping and gardening, among others. Dalton herself utilized gardening, working with horses, time in nature and surrounding herself with positive like minded individuals to help overcome her emotional and physical health challenges and now wants to use these to help others.

“Nobody has to go through this ordeal alone. That is a major reason why this Ranch is critical to the health and wellbeing of those who kept the rest of us safe. They don’t want a hand out; just some way of contributing and feeling better about themselves and being a part of something more,” she said.

One of the best things coming out of the last 12 months is the incoming contributions to support the Ranch. Dalton said did not have as many volunteers but were able to raise their largest amount ever. However, they want to raise $5 million to purchase more land, build a gift store, and make other renovations to help more people.

One of the ways they hope to reach their goal is the 401Gives Challenge. Happening on April 1st and sponsored by The United Way of Rhode Island, the organization that raises $50,000 first will receive a matching $50K from the Rhode Island Foundation. It’s a one-day, 24 hour event to raise money for various organizations and charities. Dalton said that money would do a lot of good.

Starting at 6:00 AM on April 1, anyone may donate at: www.401Gives.org/organizations/dare-to-dream-ranch-inc.

“Without question, we are all facing a different kind of world,” she said. “What these Veterans have seen and done should never be forgotten. We should make a concerted effort to ensure that every Veteran and their family receives the care and help they need. Our Ranch works to accomplish those goals.”

For anyone interested in helping out in terms of contributing or volunteering, please call Karen at (401) 919-2059 or email her at Dare2DreamRanchRI@gmail.com.

More details about the Ranch may be found by visiting their website at www.daretodreamranch.com.

Berg’s Eye Communications

Leading by Example

Mary T. O’Sullivan’s new book examines the thread between how executives implement their corporate mission and the state of employee morale.

Anyone working at a job or having a career has dealt with management. Some people who lead do so primarily with the company’s interest in mind. Others put themselves first over everything else. The way people in charge perform impacts company morale and employee productivity. When executive behavior matches company and employee values, we achieve positive results for all parties.

In many cases, stories about horrible bosses far exceed those who are giving and inspirational. After all, there was a movie made called “Horrible Bosses” (two of them, actually) that depict some of bad or inappropriate behavior and tactics used to keep employees down or “in line.” Also, can we ever forget the 1980 movie classic “Nine to Five,” starring Dolly Parton, Jane
Fonda and Lily Tomlin? They tied their horrible boss up in a chair and left him there!

Mary T. O’Sullivan, an executive business coach based in North Kingstown, decided to do something about that: namely, chronicle examples of bad bosses and toxic workplaces in print. Her new book, “The Leader You Don’t Want to Be,” talks about those instances of poor judgment and bad decisions that seriously jeopardized the careers of the hard-working people in large organizations. With several decades of dealing with some heavy hitters throughout corporate America, O’Sullivan demonstrates the differences between an effective leader and one who fails are profound.

“Most people have been around bosses who play favorites, give preferred projects to ‘their’ co-workers, or dump undesired work on others. Those are all easy examples of being ineffective,” Sullivan said. “Management styles vary from industry to industry, business to business, and person to person. The way one deals with those around them has profound consequences—good and bad. It becomes evident when someone in authority doesn’t have the knowledge of the job and begins sinking.”

Her book details the good, bad and ugly stories of bosses in ideal and less than ideal circumstances. Some leaders dealt with the problems head on and with grace and dignity leading to a successful conclusion. Often times, the situation went the other way and led to feelings hurt, egos bruised and ultimately, personnel changes.

The book details some of the well-known cases of bosses doing the wrong thing. One such case was the Boston Archdiocese Child Abuse scandal. The Church sought to silence those coming forward accusing priests of inappropriate behavior and not addressing the problem. Instead, they
kept quiet and, in some cases, moved the accused priests to other parishes. The Church leaders reasoned that this would solve the problem and the issue would go away…

…or so Church Leaders thought.

Instead of the scandal being “swept under the rug,” more people spoke out against the Church and their blind eye to what happened. Confidence in the Catholic Church and their leaders took a massive hit. It ended with the Church having to pay out millions of dollars to abuse victims and the head of the Boston Archdiocese, Bernard Cardinal Law, to resign. The Church has still not recovered from their missteps in the form of fewer parishioners, donations and mistrustful feelings about the Archdiocese.

O’Sullivan said those leadership lessons need to be learned for future generations on what not to do in handling such a delicate and life-shattering issue.

“One thing that we learned from this example was to not hide information because it will eventually come out,” she said. “The Boston Archdiocese made a critical mistake in keeping everything internal and not addressing the problems when they came to light. When they did, they did little to nothing to do the right thing. The results of their decisions were swift and drastic in the eyes of the public.”

“Leaders who choose to skirt the truth staring them in the face are going to meet severe repercussions in the process,” O’Sullivan added.

Mary is the owner of Encore Executive Coaching in North Kingstown. Her work involves helping individuals and firms determine the right road in gaining traction toward workable solutions. Her years in corporate America, at Fortune 100 companies, have given her the backstories involving the internal workings of management machinations. Mary has seen and experienced first-hand what works and what doesn’t. She can support the career professional who is stuck in their job or the company that wants to encourage teams in growth and achieve an improved bottom line.

She has spoken extensively at numerous conferences and workshops about today’s workplace and its many complex issues. Some of her favorite topics include gender equality, the “glass ceiling” and uniting women together, rather than undermining each other. She has also written many articles on these and other workplace-related topics.

For more details about Mary and her services, please contact her directly at
mary@encoreexecutivecoaching.com or call her at 401-742-1965.
You may purchase O’Sullivan’s book on www.Amazon.com.

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