VRA News - Summer 08

Dear Friends,

It’s been a great spring/summer for us; weather not withstanding.  We have had plenty of opportunities to work together, putting our mission statement into action.  We have added a couple of new events to our outreach calendar this year.  We have also had a Reiki share or two to participate in.  There is nothing better than working and playing with other practitioners to strengthen your own practice!    

Outreach Events

April

We began the season with a new event suggested to us by Simone Blaise-Glaunsinger.  Healing Fire at UVM is an event that raises awareness of sexual abuse.  In attendance were Kay Seymour, Denise McKenna, Lynn McNichol, Jane Dobrowolski and Kelly McDermott-Burns.  The staff at the Women’s Center was wonderful to work with and they have invited us to come back next year.

May

Stowe Weekend of Hope  

Sukhada Repass did a great job organizing everyone for this event! Along with Sukhada, Chris Hanna, Ann Lindner, Susan Fortier, Tanya Cimonetti, April Goodrich, Laurie Morrill, Roz Grossman, Lisa Sommer, Jacqueline Cole, Donna Thomas, Jean Potter, Diane Kane Erwin, Kathy Gruber and Lisa Marie Donohue gave more than 100 (!) sessions.  Way to go!!

Cancer Survivor’s Day at Norris Cotton Cancer Center

This was our second year at this event.  Sue Lansil and Kelly McDermott-Burns were available for Reiki sessions before the keynote speaker.  Holly Hall gave Reiki in her capacity as a volunteer for the Haelen Program at Norris Cotton Cancer Center.

June

Camp Knock Knock

CKK is a wonderful event held at Camp Abenaki in North Hero.  The camp is for children and their families who have lost a loved one.  Trudi Denison, Doris Ann Ross, Bonny Willett, Lisa Sommer, Ann Lindner, Kay Seymour, Kathy Gruber, Sue Lansil and Kelly McDermott-Burns gave over 65 sessions to campers and counselors. 

Hospice and Palliative Care Council Of Vermont Conference

This was our first time at this event.  The conference was held at beautiful Lake Morey in Fairlee.  Kay Seymour, Laurie Morrill, Sue Lansil, Holly Hall and Kelly McDermott-Burns gave over 60 Reiki sessions.  Many nurses and hospice workers expressed interest in learning more about Reiki for their clients.  This was a great opportunity for the VRA to educate them about the value of Reiki for palliative and end of life care.  We were invited to come back next year!

Relay For Life

There were Relay For Life events all around the state in June and many of our members turned out to donate Reiki sessions.  Denise McKenna was at the Essex Junction Relay.  Arlene Zivitz was in Rutland.  Holly Hall was in Lebanon and Sue Lansil and Kelly McDermott-Burns were in Woodstock.  Thanks to all who turned out.  We would love to see more participation next year for this wonderful event.

July

The Prouty

The Prouty is a bike and walking event to raise money for cancer research.  It is held in Hanover, NH and is attended by thousands.  Sue Lansil was there to give Reiki and Holly Hall was also there giving massage.

Ongoing Outreach Opportunities

The Hematology/Oncology department at Fletcher Allen Hospital is allowing practitioners to give Reiki while people are receiving chemo.  Donna Thomas has stressed the need for additional volunteers.  This is for 2-3 hours at a time and requires a volunteer orientation.  Please contact Donna if you are interested in donating your time.  

Donna can be reached at dcthomas1216@yahoo.com or (802) 860-2323.

Volunteer opportunities are available in the Norris Cotton Cancer Center’s Haelen Program.  Please contact Deb Steele to volunteer.  Deb’s email is deborah.j.steele@hitchcock.org.

A free community Reiki clinic is being held at Central Vermont Medical Center in Berlin.  The clinic is on the second Thursday of the month from 5:00pm to 7:00pm.

Please contact Sylvia Gaboriault if you wish to volunteer.  Sylvia can be contacted at sylvia.gaboriault@hitchcock.org

Jean Potter, Norm Sevigny, Jana Mason, Laurie Morrill and Ann Lindner have been volunteering at Respite House in Williston, a home for people in their last weeks of life. Jean coordinates scheduling Reiki sessions for the staff, volunteers, and residents.  This work is so rewarding.  If you would like to participate please contact Jean at jeangenevap@adelphia.net or (802) 338-2748.

If you are doing outreach in your community please let us know so we can include you in our newsletter.  It inspires us all to read about these events and hopefully will get more of us out there doing this important work!

Mark Your Calendar

Saturday, September 6

Reiki Share/Potluck at Trudi Denison’s in Randolph Center.  Join us at 11a.m. for Reiki and good food!  What a great way to spend the day!  Please RSVP to Trudi at trudi4light@innevi.com or (802) 728-5244.

Saturday, October 25

VRA Annual meeting at Gifford Medical Center on Main St. in Randolph.  The meeting will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.  This will be a potluck. (What can we say?  We love to eat.)  We will be talking about the work being done by our members in hospital settings.  Information on how to set up a volunteer program will be available.

Friday, October 31

The Breast Cancer Conference is again being held on Friday at the Sheraton Burlington Hotel and Conference Center at RT2 and I-89 in Burlington. Set up is from 7-8a.m.  The conference goes until 4 p.m.   Please let us know in advance if you plan to attend, as we will be given name tags.  There will be a box lunch available for $10 or a sit down lunch for $15.  For more info and to register go to http://www.vtbreastcancerconference.org/

Website

Our membership form is now available for download.

Just a reminder…we would love to have any articles about Reiki written by our members for our website.  Please submit articles to info@vermontreikiassociation.org

If you are listed on our website please check periodically to ensure that all of your information is up to date.

VRA Positions Available

Secretary—

Our secretary is responsible for the meeting minutes from both the business meetings and the annual meeting.

Newsletter Coordinator—

In an attempt to meet our VRA goals and provide current information and communication throughout the state of Vermont, we need a member to coordinate Reiki articles, Member News and the President’s Report for the quarterly web news. This person will collect the information and send it to our webmaster four times a year.

If you are interested in either of these positions please contact us at: info@vermontreikiassociation.org.  

Please know that your membership is important and helps us to educate the public about Reiki and support Reiki practitioners in their work. We want to thank all of our members including those who have contributed to our planning sessions and the day-to-day functioning of the organization.  Please let us know if we have forgotten to list your name as participating in an event.

If you have comments or questions please email us at: info@vermontreikiassociation.org.

Namaste,

Kelly McDermott-Burns

President

Here is a series of pictures from the
VRA 2007 Annual Meeting 

Rev. Trudi Denison, Keynote Speaker for 2nd Annual VRA Meeting

Kelly McDermott-Burns our 2nd president at the VRA Meeting

Chris Hanna, outgoing president at 2nd Annual VRA Meeting

VRA members giving Reiki at public clinics.