AMTA-NYCommunity Service Massage

Team

The Community Service Massage Team (CSMT) was born from a desire to create a deeper relationship between the AMTA-NY Chapter and the members. AMTA-NY was looking for a way to engage members, promote massage therapy, and give back to our communities.

The Community Service Massage Team offers our members a venue where they can network with each other, meet the people in their local communities and ‘lend a hand’ to those in need.

We are always looking for additional “helping hands”….

Roscoe Harvest Festival

The Roscoe Harvest Festival was the site of the first Community Service Massage Team (CSMT) event on September 29, 2007. It was a beautiful, but windy day, which made for a smaller fair than the organizers expected. Massage therapists Laura Warf Bauer, Susan Tarvin, Donna Hickey, Ma VeetTamaso, Myrna Silva and Team Leader Samantha Paige-Graeber arrived bright and early to raise funds for local flood victims.

The team did 34 massages throughout the day and raised $671. The entire event, which included an auction at the end of the day, raised $6,000!

Roscoe Harvest Festival

Myrna Silva, Samantha Paige-Graeber, Laura Warf Baurer, Donna Hickey, Susan Tarvin, Ma Veet Tamaso & Lisa

Chesney – Festival Coordinator

Roscoe Harvest Festival

Susan Tarvin with Little Boy

Laura Warf Bauer, Donna Hickey & Susan Tarvin

Myrna Silva

4th Annual Turkey TrotOur second event was Thanksgiving morning (November 26, 2007) in New Paltz, New York at the 4th Annual Turkey Trot.

All proceeds from this event were donated to Family of New Paltz. The Family of New Paltz is a crisis intervention center located in the heart of New Paltz since 1975.

The Family of New Paltz provides a myriad of needed services, including a 24-hour hotline, counseling, support groups, shelters and a food pantry which served more than 1,000 families last year.

Samantha Paige-Graeber, Nancy Greenman, Dale Grust, Rahad Daughtrey& Susan Eisenstein-Kim

4th Annual Turkey Trot

Dale GrustMassages Runner Laura Warf-Bauer Massages Runner

Nancy Greenman Massages Runner

Friends of Andrew

Andrew was born with disabilities and was diagnosed with Symptomatic Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome which is Generalized Epilepsy and Cerebral Palsy. He has seizures on a regular basis and needs constant supervision. His condition makes his muscles very stiff and this makes walking difficult. He can walk short distances with assistance, however he relies on a wheelchair for most of his mobility. Andrew requires a modified van due to his size and physical needs.

Friends of Andrew

Macaroni the Clown Receiving a Massage

Samantha Paige-Graeber, Dan Ludwig & Dale Grust

June 7th, 2008 was a hot day in New York, however, the Community Service Massage Team (CSMT) was having a great time helping the participants at the SLE Lupus Foundation’s “Living Healthy with Lupus: Feeling Good and Looking Good” at the Hospital for SpecialSurgery. There were some 55 participants with friends and family. We were able to attend 33 of them plus 5 staff members. We received word that everyone who was there were very grateful and very appreciative of the AMTA-NY’s Community Service Massage Team!

2009 was the second year CSMT has been a part of this wellness event. This is how Sarah Kleinstein, a student from the Swedish Institute, described the experience: “Volunteering at “Living Healthy with Lupus ” through the New York chapter of the AMTA, was not so different from the clinical off-sites I completed in massage school — as soon as the doors opened, there was a mad rush to the ‘complimentary massage sign-up table.’ Unlike school, we were limited to only three therapists trying their best to accommodate the dozens of requests. I had my first experience in an administrative function, at first booking appointments, and later consoling those who didn’t get in line fast enough to secure a free massage. The day was long but very satisfying. The big smiles and appreciation we received from the Lupus patients and the organizers of the Hospital for Special Surgery event was all the payment we needed. It was an exciting and sometimes overwhelming experience; yet, I found it to be an informative and gratifying introduction into the altruistic side of the massage therapy profession”.

Living Healthy with Lupus Event

Living Healthy with Lupus Event

Paula Moreland, Susan Anderson, Samantha Graeber, Satu Ferentz

& David DeLucia (2008)

Sarah Kleinstein, David DeLucia& Satu Ferentz (2009)

David DeLucia, Satu Ferentz, Samantha Graeber & Sarah

Kleinstein (2009)

Dances with HorsesJune 7, 2009 - Dances with Horses was a very small venue. In the 1 1⁄2 hours we were there, $80 was raised for the Guiding Eyes for the Blind

Eve Bucca, Samantha Paige-Graeber &Karen Sue Rositzke

Get Your Guts in Gear

June 12 & 13, 2009 - Get Your Guts in Gear was a three day event in which 56 bikers rode 210 miles to raise money for Crohn’s and Colitis research group.

The NY ride raised $180,000. Over the two days, 36+ bikers received massages.

Participants in Beacon (June 12): Samantha Paige-Graeber and Dale GrustParticipants in Earlton (June 13): Dan Ludwig

Get Your Guts in Gear Information

Get Your Guts in Gear, Inc. is an organization that raises awareness of Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis through multi-day cycling events that take place in the Pacific Northwest, theMidwest and the East Coast. These events directly benefit the IBD patient community and other IBD charities. These 3-day events provide a unique venue for participants to feel empowered, accomplished, and part of a greater community. The New York ride is from Manhattan to Saratoga Springs, NY – 210 miles over the course of three days. The dates for the 2009 New York ride are June 12-14th

The bicyclers not only ride 210 miles for Crohn’s and Colitis, they have worked equally hard to fundraise and raise awareness long before they get to ride. Each rider has to meet a fundraising minimum of $1900, and many of them well exceed that. For more information go to their website: www.ibdride.org.

CentaurJune 27, 2009 was a magnificent day for a run and a festival! Two teams were needed; one for runners and one for festival goers. There were 370 runners of which the team was able to take care of 34. The team was still able to raise $269 for the maintenance of the trails for the Rockefeller State Park Preserve.

Jonathan Thaler had this to say about the Centaur Event: “I don’t think there could have been a more perfect day nor a more idyllic place to give massages to a most grateful group of runners. The hill we were perched upon overlooking the majestic Hudson River, the cool fragrant breeze coming down from that gorgeous and gigantic Norway Maple tree over our heads, and the beautiful sunshine warming the air as the morning racers crossed the finish line and lined up to receive their “just desserts” of a complimentary 15 minute massage from what were in my opinion some of the most down to earth, in touch and mellow professional massage therapists that I’ve met in a long time made for one of the most pleasant and rewarding experiences I have had in a long time”.

The Centaur Event was the largest CSMT event to date.

Centaur

Francesca Berrouet

Lauren Fischman, Ally Marks & John Lia Mark Schiffman

Daughter Kissing Mom –A Child’s Love is the Perfect RX for Stress

Reduction!

Relief to County Medical Examiners Office for Flight 3407

On Sunday afternoon, February 22, 2009, we received a phone call from the Erie County Health Operations Office. They were requesting LMTs to volunteer for the rescue workers and staff at the Erie County Health Operations Office. Within a matter of 24 hours we had LMT volunteers ready to help.

On Tuesday February 24th five volunteers had the opportunity to represent the AMTA-NY Chapter and show their appreciation for the rescue workers of Flight 3407. Many of the staff and rescue workers had not had much sleep and were exhibiting signs of stress. As one staff member stated, “I just don’t want to have to think anymore.”

The CSMT volunteered from 8 AM to 6 PM and was able to serve approximately 40 people with table and chair massage. The rescue workers and staff were very appreciative of our efforts and thanked us.

Relief to County Medical Examiners Office for Flight 3407

Colleen Ney, Deborah Hastings (standing in the back), Adrienne Ruzic & Bethany Tennant.

Tour de Pink

Written by Eugene Wood

On Sunday, October 4, 2009, the AMTA-NY CSMT team traveled to New York City to perform massage on bicyclists who rode in the Tour De Pink. This event was sponsored by The Hershey Company. 175 riders rode from Chocolate World in Hershey, PA, on Friday, October 2 and ended up in New York City on Sunday, October 4th.

Hershey’s Tour de Pink benefits Young Survival Coalition (YSC), the premier international organization dedicated to the critical issues unique to young women and breast cancer. YSC works with survivors, caregivers and the medical, research, advocacy and legislative communities to increase the quality and quantity of life for women ages 40 and under who have been diagnosed with breast cancer. Each rider raised at least $2,500 each for the YSC.

Tour de Pink

Eugene Wood, Donna Webb, Ellen Feinberg & Betsy Hafkin

Combined Federal Campaign Charity Fair

Written by David DeLucia

The Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) Charity Fair was a great success. Approximately 100 people from our building attended the event, which included 3 massage therapists from the AMTA-NY CSMT.

We worked on about 36 attendees of the charity fair for about 10 – 15 minutes each. The CFC Charity fair included speakers from charities such as Services for the Underserved, EarthShare of New York and the New York Restoration Project. The woman from EarthShare and our representative actually received a session.

All volunteers received a certificate of appreciation from the U.S. FDA-New York District as well as a NYC Marathon Shirt and a lunch break, which didn’t last too long due to the high demand for services!

Combined Federal Campaign Charity Fair

David DeLucia, Jose Rosario, Jr. & Nancy Fasano

Jose Rosario, Jr. & Nancy Fasano

Have a Heart for Haiti

Written by Linda Toomey

February 13, 2010, Binghamton, NY - The enthusiasm among the Broome Community College (BCC) students for the fellow Haitian students was contagious! As soon as one walked into the BCC Student Center, the Haitian theme was energizing. The national flag, colors, music, and dance along with personally meeting the Haitian students made this a unique cultural event.

The Southern Tier Unit had the opportunity to participate in this event by offering on-site chair massage, with all proceeds going to the benefit. With the LMTs working together as a team, there was an awareness that we can truly make a difference in the community. It was special to have the opportunity to reach out personally to these Haitian students to express our thoughts, love, and concern, as most of them have lost family and homes back in Haiti. They expressed gratitude and appreciation for our being there to help with the event.

Have a Heart for Haiti

Marilyn Kaschak, Vickie Bullock, Linda Toomey & Mike Teeter

Marilyn Kaschak, Vickie Bullock, Linda Toomey, Mike Teeter & Haitian Student

Beneficiaries of the Fundraiser

Kombit Nan BrooklynSea~Elle Therapy, Dwa Fanm & AMTA Welcome You

Receive Free Healing Therapy Through:Massage Counseling Sharing Laughing

Eating Praying LovingIt’s a Family Affair. ALL are welcomed.

Location: Third Root Community Health Center380 Marlborough Rd, BK, NY 11226

Directions: Q or B train to Cortelyou RoadContact: Sherley Accimé, LMT 718.440.7267

Date: Saturday Feb 20, 2010 Time: 12:30-6pm

Kombit Nan Brooklyn Healing a Community

Written by Sherley Accime

On Saturday February 20, 2010 an event inspired and created for the Haitian Community in response to the tragedy that struck Haiti in the prior month transformed into a Healing Day for the community of Healers as they geared up to mobilize in their respective fields for service.

The event was primarily to honor the Haitian Culture by celebrating the departed, commune with one another by way of Body Mind Spirit. Traditionally, a Kombit is a gathering that occurs when a community is in need.

Casa Atabex Ache provided a spiritual element that all Healers, from LMTs,independent social workers to volunteers found most Enlightening. As weshared in the celebration, the LMTs offered their expertise to the 17 members in attendance with hands on work.

Kombit Nan Brooklyn: Healing a Community

Jessica Taylor & son, Page Jeffrey Jenkins At Work

Casa Atabex AcheSherley Accime, Event

Coordinator

Heal Haiti

Written by Peter Arebalo

March 6-7, 2010 - How much of a challenge can giving be? I had asked myself. I had learned that giving can be more of a challenge than I could certainly imagine. And I had also learned that even a little giving can build in tremendous amounts.

The process of fundraising for this event lifted the veil of my self-centered days and helped me to be a bigger part of the world. ‘The Heal Haiti Project’ had opened me up in a way that I had never expected. I have come to appreciate life on a deeper level.

Therefore, I am grateful for all of my little mishaps, my “downs” throughout the planning and launching of this event. They helped to create an experience that could not be calculated or replicated. And, they created some amazing “ups”.

All of the funds that were raised through The Heal Haiti Project were given to the LambiFund; a group that has been working in Haiti since 1994. www.lambifund.org. $3,300 was raised in total. $1,000 of that was raised by Peter who did chair massage.

Heal Haiti

Heal Haiti Raffles Peter Arebalo

March 15, 2010

Samantha Paige-Graeber, Chair, CSMTAmerican Massage Therapy Association500 Davis Street, Suite 900Evanston, IL 60201-4695

I would like to take this opportunity to express our deepest gratitude to yourself and the American Massage Therapy Association on behalf of FuntoSalud, FuntoSalud International and Casa Atabex Ache – The House of Womyn’s Power.

Your generosity enabled us to provide massage therapy to over one hundred guests during our, I heal: For the Love Ayiti. Healing the Healers day at the Brecht Forum on Friday, March 12, 2010. This event was an absolute success. Approximately thirty nurses, doctors, and relief aid workers from Haiti, as well as, people of Haitian descent to enjoyed a day of respite and healing in community.

We would also like to express our appreciation to you for sponsoring our event and for your support in the outreach efforts for I heal: For the Love Ayiti. As you know this day was also a fundraising event to fund our 2010 Border Health Delegation to Haiti and the Dominican Republic from April 17 to April 30, 2010 where we will be providing free medical care, as well as, alternative healing and herbal medicine, and empowering reproductive health and prevention workshops. Because of your support we were able to raise $1,200.00 toward our fundraising goal of $30, 000.00 which would make our mission possible with twenty delegates for fourteen days in Ayiti.

In addition, I heal: For the Love Ayiti was such a great achievement that our guests requested that we create a repeat of our event. We are happy to announce that on Friday, March 26, 2010 at the Brecht Forum, we will be having I heal: For the Love Ayiti, II. Healing the Healers. We would love your continued support in making this event happen as well. We would love to offer massage to the Haitian community and their allies once again, from exceptional professional massage therapists.

Judy Gonzalez, a nurse who just returned from Haiti with Partners in Health wanted me to share her gratitude with you. Ms. Gonzalez received her first ever, massage from massage therapist Sherley Accime and loved it! She also received Reiki and acupuncture for the first time as well. This reflects my intention of creating this event, a place where the healers would be healed.

Thank you again, from the bottom of my heart for your dedication and generosity in supporting the relief efforts of my beloved Haiti. Your generosity has made the realization of our dream possible.

Cordially,Sally HyppoliteNew York Co-coordinator of FuntoSalud International

I Heal: For the Love of Ayiti

Josie Sandoval, Sherley Accime, Frances Montalvo, Johanna Yagerman and David

DeLucia

Johanna Yagerman

Frances Montalvo

I Heal: For the Love of Ayiti

Traveling Mural will go to Haiti and return to the Funtosalud clinic in New York

Show of Haiti SupportOpening Ceremony:A Prayerful Moment

I Heal: For the Love of Ayiti

VOIX ET TAMBOURS-Haitian Choir Group

Haitian Musician

I hope this presentation has given you a flavor for what the CSMT is all about. Whether we are raising funds or supporting beneficiaries of the

fundraising, we have fun doing it. It is rewarding to give to others and to network with fellow AMTA members.

If you have a heart for service….

Please Consider Joining!

Samantha Paige-Graeberstar44@frontiernet.net or by phone 845-355-8015