Arlene Galvan: Helping to Rewrite the Stars |
“What if it’s already in the stars? You can’t change fate.” “Then we’ll rewrite the stars.“
~The Greatest Showman P.T. Barnum, Barnum & Bailey Circus |
Arlene Galvan, Director of Operations, Mountain Shadows Support Group |
Arlene Galvan: Helping to Rewrite the Stars By Sheryl Wilde
“It was the last Circus Day they had at Mountain Shadows,” says Arlene Galvan, new Director of Operations, Mountain Shadows Support Group. “I was so lucky to be a part of it. It was one of those moments where I was like, ‘Wow. This place is different.’ It was just a huge orchestrated event. All the staff, all the families came together. There was a parade with dragons. It was a big deal. C
ircus Day was a huge thing. It was really meaningful to see staff and residents alike really enjoying themselves together.
“When I came to Mountain Shadows 17 years ago, I thought, ‘I’m a caregiver. I’ll come in, care, and leave. That’s it.’ But Circus Day made me see Mountain Shadows is different. It’s different in a really good way.” |
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“I can now tell you why I really love Mountain Shadows,” continues Arlene. “I just realized it. My husband, my partner, he now gets all the Mountain Shadows newsletters. And, through the newsletter, he just knows and loves so much about Mountain Shadows.
“It’s funny. He got onto the Constant Contact Newsletter list, so he started getting all the stories. When the stories come out, he’s like, “Did you read about Nick today? Oh my God, what a great story!” He loves the stories. He loves reading them and feeling connected to something. I’m sure a lot of people feel that way when they read the stories. They feel connected to Mountain Shadows even when they don’t work here. And now they are supporters of Mountain Shadows.
“And one of my best friends, Dr. Shannon Nolan-Arañez, from high school, she works at Cal State San Marcos. We reconnected awhile back, and we were like, “How do we partner?” She was like, “I know a good artist.” And I’m like, “We have a day program, Mountain Shadows Outreach Services!” So, we now connect through the Mountain Shadows M:POWR Art Program. “And from that connection, my friend got so invested in Mountain Shadows. She loves Mountain Shadows. She knows Kenny from Birch. Every time I go outside, Kenny from Birch, he’s like, “Arlene!” And I’m like, “Kenny!” And he says, “Tell Shannon to call me.” She calls him all the time. She visited him throughout COVID. “My husband, and my best friend, they are my family. I’m lucky in that they understand, through these things, what I do and who we provide services to. Mountain Shadows is part of the core of who I am. It’s kind of neat having a job where my family is connected to that as well.” |
“Things always come full circle in life,” adds Arlene. “As a 4th grade elementary school student in Escondido, I volunteered to be a special needs buddy to special needs kids. I helped them with meal time, swam one-on-one with them. It was peer-to-peer. I would sit with my peer, and I would help hand-over-hand feed them. Or I would push swings, or just be with them. It was about inclusion. “It was always meaningful to me as a child to help others. It was always in my nature to help others, to be of service to others. It always felt right. I love volunteering in general, and being helpful.
“I’d never been a caregiver before I came to Mountain Shadows, but then I got to know Gary Whitehair, a resident. He lived in Ash house, and he was just so funny! He’s passed on now, but there are certain residents you hold in your heart. They are just good people, and funny, and positive all the time. I started to get to know the residents and everyone’s story. I got to know them. And then it was just like they became family. “I thought I’d be at Mountain Shadows for six months. It’s been 17 Years now. When you find something that resonates with your spirit, you just stay. “I’ve been lucky to find a career in something that just resonates with me and is positive. A lot of people can’t say that. I’m very grateful for that. Mountain Shadows provides the direct human connection. The direct human connection that we all seek.” |
“I enjoy working with our residents, and the participants at our day program,” says Arlene. “They are pretty special, very kind. Sometimes it’s difficult to meet people in the world that just have an automatic kindness, or that think positively, rather than negatively.
“The residents’ positive outlook is infectious. We can change the lens of how we see things that happen to us. A lot of the residents I’ve interacted with, their lens is always so positive. They see the positive in the little things. They see things from a beginner’s eyes.
“When you see things new – there’s a joy you get when you first see something – that’s the response I see from the residents.
“Seeing things with a beginner’s eyes is a good practice to have in our lives. When you set your lens to look at something through a beginner’s eyes, you’re more positive, more grateful. It’s a reminder to look at things, situations, with a positive lens. The residents appreciate whatever the moment is, and they sit in that feeling.
“I think when you work in human services, social services, it can be very taxing. There can be compassion fatigue. It can be very, very rough on people. Then there’s that breath of fresh air. You talk to someone here – maybe Carlos. Whoever it is, they are just really looking forward to going out to the restaurant that day. Do we really look forward to going out to a restaurant? Or do we just take it for granted? It kind of stops me in my tracks to think about it.”
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“The people that work at Mountain Shadows, they love helping people,” adds Arlene. “They have that core foundation where they love helping people. When you gather that many people who love helping people together, you have a pretty nice, positive environment.
“When I talk to staff, and ask, ‘Why do you like working here?’ I hear, ‘I love helping people. I love making a difference.’ That is a good thing for the world.
“When we are kind, when we understand others, when we are positive, when we have empathy and compassion, it just makes the world a better place. Working at Mountain Shadows is just very satisfying. Sometimes there are frustrations, annoyances, barriers, but at the end of the day, it’s always a good day.
“The people at Mountain Shadows, they’re good people. It’s a very positive environment to work in. I’m grateful for the opportunity to assist in the way that I do. It’s a great feeling to be a part of a team, part of the process. I’m grateful for the team.
“That’s a strong characteristic of Mountain Shadows. It’s very, very team-oriented. You have all these people with same foundational desire, or innate wanting, to help others, to care about others, and to do good. When you’re teamed up with people who have the same core values, it’s just a good place to work. “In my new position as Director of Operations, first and foremost, I always want to be in a supportive role for people. To be able to help, to listen, to take action on things that need change, or things that can be better.”
Adds Stacy Sullivan, Executive Director, Mountain Shadows Support Group, “I’ve been lucky to watch Arlene grow for all these years. I was able to see her grow from Direct Care Staff to now being one of our leaders. That’s exceptionally rare. It’s one in a million to find a person who can do that. “Arlene is important to our organization. I’m so excited. She’s earned this promotion. She’s worked hard for it.
“I know Arlene is the right person for this position. Her heart is about the people. She is so committed to them – the residents and participants, the 384 individuals we serve.”
“I’m very communal and I can’t do anything without other people,” says Arlene. “I’m proud of a lot of things we’ve worked on together as a community here at Mountain Shadows. It literally takes a village to be able to create this environment for the staff and residents.
“It’s been beautiful to see our mission grow over these past 17 years. There are people who have been here longer than I have. It has been very humbling and very awesome to see. I hope our mission continues to expand and grow.” |
In The Greatest Showman, when P.T. Barnum tried to build his dream -the circus – he and the circus performers were criticized and judged, because they were different – Lettie, the bearded lady; General Tom Thumb, a dwarf; the “Dog Boy”. But, in the end, these performers embraced and celebrated who they were, and became family: “Hide away, they say
We don’t want your broken parts “But I know there’s a place for us For we are glorious! “I am brave I am who I am meant to be This is me!” ~The Greatest Showman
While the last Mountain Shadows Circus Day has come and gone, our Mountain Shadows Family will always remain.
And, together, as a family, with the support and leadership of Arlene Galvan, and many, many others, we will continue to challenge fate – and rewrite the stars, for the betterment of our residents. We congratulate Arlene on her new position as Director of Operations, MSSG! |
The Mountain Shadows Foundation – Because We CARE |
Thanks to YOUR SUPPORT, the Mountain Shadows CARE program provides recreational and social experiences to residents and participants adding meaning and richness to their lives.
It’s easy for you to help us continue to provide activities like this – activities that improve the quality of our residents’ lives in fulfillment of their dreams. Here are some ways you can help ensure these crucial activities can continue for years to come: -
Make a one-time donation today by clicking on the donate button below.
- Make a monthly or annual contribution.
- Leave a Legacy Gift.
To learn more about the Mountain Shadows Foundation Legacy Society, to include us in your estate plan, or to let us know if you have already designated Mountain Shadows to receive a legacy gift, please contact Mandy Huiras, Director of Development at: mhuiras@mtnshadows.org, or visit our website by clicking here:
Learn More About the Mountain Shadows Foundation Legacy Society Please share this story with your family, friends and co-workers to help grow our Mountain Shadows Family! |
Mandy Huiras Mountain Shadows Foundation Director of Development Contact Mandy today to learn more about the Mountain Shadows Foundation and how you can continue to make a difference in the lives of our residents:
mhuiras@mtnshadows.org |
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