Schreiber marks Women’s History Month
March 31, 2021
March was Women’s History Month, and we have been noting throughout the month on social media the enormous contributions that women have made throughout Schreiber’s 85 years. In fact, Schreiber’s story starts with a woman, Edna Schreiber. We trace our roots back to the organization she started here in Lancaster County in 1936. So we thought it was fitting to begin our celebration with a note about Edna on March 8, which was International Women’s Day.
Since then, we have been highlighting several women at Schreiber today, therapists, educators and others who are continuing the work that Edna started all those years ago, work that remains critical to families here in Lancaster and across all of central Pennsylvania.
In Edna’s spirit: Service
Service at Schreiber: 41 years
Department: Speech-Language Pathology
Best part of your job today: Being a part of such a professional dedicated and friendly staff serving special children and families in the community.
One accomplishment you take extra pride in: Serving many families through Early Intervention over the many years.
In Edna’s spirit: Growth
Service at Schreiber: 33 years
Department: Occupational Therapy
Best part of your job today: Working as the OT in the STARS Preschool as part of the team that provides education and therapy services for the children in those classes.
One accomplishment you take extra pride in: One past preschooler that I provided OT services to is now a young adult. She uses her creativity and love for her community to create painted artwork and crafts to sell during the pandemic. She gives 50 percent of her sales to local charities, with Schreiber being the first organization she contributed to. That’s what it’s all about. It comes full circle when the children you invest in, use their skills that they worked on in therapy to become productive members of the community and turn around and invest in others.
In Edna’s spirit: Dedication
Service at Schreiber: 28 years
Department: Occupational Therapy
Best part of your job today: Seeing the kids put their hand prints up on the wall, because it shows their progress.
One accomplishment you take extra pride in: That the families and kids put their trust in me and allow me to become a part of their lives and see these kids achieve their goals.
In Edna’s spirit: Commitment
Service at Schreiber: 27 years
Department: Physical Therapy
Best part of your job today: Working with children to help them achieve their best physical potential.
One accomplishment you take extra pride in: Helping a teen develop her goals and work towards them. Watching this same teen overcome so many obstacles to walk across the stage at her college graduation. Seeing this same young women as a wife, mother and businesswoman in our community.
In Edna’s spirit: Connection
Service at Schreiber: 27 years
Department: S.T.A.R.S. Preschool
Best part of your job today: Working with Jay (Graver) and seeing smiling faces! And continuing to see them long after they graduate from preschool!
One accomplishment you take extra pride in: Introducing my daughter-in-law to my son all because of Club 625! Lisa Gilbert and I started Teen Scene many years ago, and it later developed into Club 625 as our teens grew older! I never would have guessed when Teen Scene started that I would end up with a “daughter” out of that awesome program!
In Edna’s spirit: Discovery
Service at Schreiber: 24 years
Department: Physical therapy
Best part of your job today: The kids and their families and helping them grow.
One accomplishment you take extra pride in: I have so many happy memories it is is hard to pick one. One memory is of a little girl I saw who had a prosthetic leg who wanted to dance but was told she could not. I was a dance teacher but was not teaching at the time, so I got her hooked up with a friend of mine and former board member, Marilyn Beitel. Cystal was then going to perform for a luncheon, but Marilyn couldn’t help her rehearse, so I ran her rehearsals and got to see her perform. Amazing!
Another memory is of a kid who had no independent mobility but loved splashing in the pool. He was getting an above-ground pool from Make-a-Wish, and the family needed to find a floatation device so that mom didn’t have to hold him up the whole time. I took him in our pool and found not only a good floatation device, but discovered that this kiddo with no mobility could safely swim by himself with the right floatation.
The best memories are in the quiet moments when a child discovers something new they can do!
In Edna’s spirit: Passion
Service at Schreiber: 15 years
Department: Preschool
Best part of your job today: Having the opportunity to help the families of young children
One accomplishment you take extra pride in: Recently, in a tele-intervention session, a young mom was explaining to me why the strategies we had talked about didn’t work with her son. We spent some time talking about the challenges of 2 year olds, and especially of trying to raise a 2 year old while living in a hotel room. We spent some time talking about what she was doing right. We brainstormed solutions to some of her other concerns and I gave her educational ideas that she could do within her routines and with what she had. At the end of the session, she came up with her own excellent idea to make the strategy that she had started the session discouraged about, work for her and her son. She was excited to give it a try, but I think I was even more excited for her.
In Edna’s spirit: Advocacy
Service at Schreiber: 13 years
Department: Social services/Family Support
Best part of your job today: Interacting with the kids and their families and seeing their progress
One accomplishment you take extra pride in: I actually have two. Starting our Respite Program and advocating for the addition of the behavioral health department.