Flash Gordon
Even if you live in the small town of Richmond, Ind., if you don’t travel down Wernle Road on the southeast side of town, you’ve probably never heard of the Wernle Youth & Family Treatment center.
How does a family treatment center on the southeast side of quaint little Richmond, Ind. catch the national spotlight?
Wernle, Richmond’s well hidden family haven, was one of three national finalists in 2014 for an award recognizing facilities for young offenders. It was selected, along with the Bennington School-Boys in Bennington, Vt., and Ruth Meiers Adolescent Treatment Center in Grand Forks, N.D., for the community-based residential programs category.
A total of nine organizations were honored in three categories. Nearly 40 organizations applied for the honor from the Performance-based Standards Learning Institute. PbS says applications came from high-quality programs that achieved positive outcomes for youths, staff and families by measuring and monitoring daily practices and services using PbS’ data-driven improvement model.
According to PbS, all of the organizations who were finalists addressed significant challenges to operating youth facilities. These challenges included such factors as: changing culture to be more youth-focused and less punitive, engaging families and social supports, introducing trauma-informed approaches to increase youths’ safety and innovative approaches to turn around young lives.
Now back to my original question … how did the Wernle Youth & Family Treatment Center get this national recognition? A little help from a former Notre Dame great never hurts!
Wernle President/CEO Darrell Gordon has managed to push the center into the national spotlight with the assistance of his Notre Dame connections. Gordon was one of Notre Dame’s standout football players.
Several famous names have come to the treatment center in recent years to receive the Catalyst 4 Change award and share their stories with Wernle donors.
Some of those celebrities include sports commentator Dick Vitale, author Nicholas Sparks, TV personality Regis Philbin, former Notre Dame football coaches Lou Holtz and Charlie Weis, “The Passion of the Christ” movie star Jim Caviezel, Notre Dame president the Rev. John I. Jenkins, “Survivor” TV show participant Rupert Boneham and former Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jerome Bettis.
Who is Darrell “Flash” Gordon?
“Of all the people I’ve coached, Flash, there’s nobody I take greater pride in, and success, than you. You certainly make a difference in other peoples’ lives.” Coach Lou Holtz, October 22, 2008
Darrell is the TV host for the talk show ‘Joy In Our Town’ where social issues and problems are discussed. His work with youth to help in their development and education, as well as his ability to address the issues that are the root of many of their problems gives him a unique understanding and provides the ability to know how to help them.
Flash has been the recipient of many awards and acknowledgements for his accomplishments throughout life. He has been a guest at the White House of former Presidents Reagan and Bush Sr. In 2003 Darrell was awarded the William D Reynolds Award from the University of Notre Dame, an award given to alumni for doing exceptional work helping youth. He received the Exceptional Service Award from Chase College of Law in 2005. In 2006 Darrell received the honor of becoming one of Notre Dames Top 20 Black Alumni. In 2008 he received the St. Ives Award from the Notre Dame Law Association. (via GordonMotivation.com)
Through the eyes of a resident, here is a first hand account of the good works that Flash and the family treatment center are doing on a daily basis in Richmond, Ind. (Wernle shared this essay in a recent newsletter.)
“I came to Wernle in October because I was having problems at home with my mother, brother and sisters. I started on the Private Secure Unit, and on Nov. 20, I moved to the Staff Secure Unit. I am currently in the Independent Living Program, where I have been since December.
“When I started with Wernle, I started the Seasons of Healing program on the winter season. I am now on the spring season. While on the spring season, I am working on knowing how my thoughts, emotions and actions affect each other. I am also learning new coping skills such as positive self-talk, deep breathing, relaxation techniques, pleasant imagery and being assertive without being passive aggressive.
“Since I have not been on spring season long, winter is fresh in my mind. During the winter season, I learned the unit rules for the Independent Living Program. I also became familiar with my treatment team and what medications I was on and how to take them properly.
“Soon, I will be on the summer season. During summer, I will learn how to put my independent living skills into practice, use my coping skills and to be successfully integrated into public schools.
“Wernle has helped me to develop a wide variety of ‘real life’ skills. I have learned to not fall into peer pressure, developed appropriate social skills and I will soon be enrolled in school again.”
Want to lend the Wernle Youth & Family Treatment Center a helping hand? Here is Wernle’s wish list:
•Art supplies: Beads, strings, paint brushes, colored foam sheets, stick and liquid glue, Modge Podge, small empty coffee cans/containers-or formula cans, colored yarn, latch hook projects/kits, bake-able clay, colored sand, construction paper, small plastic containers with lids, colored markers, pencil sharpeners, plastic containers for organizing, hand towels, square hot pads, fuzzy sticks, creative stencils, baskets without lids, “How To” books for projects listed above, scrapbook/patterned paper, cotton balls, colored tissue paper, pasty eyeballs, small paper plates (without coating), modeling clay, model building kits, parachute cord
•Hygiene products: Bath soap, shampoo, toothpaste, toothbrushes, tooth-brush and soap holders, deodorant, hair grease for men, brushes, combs, maxi pads and tampons
•Cleaning supplies: Vinyl gloves, window cleaner, trash bags (all sizes), disinfectant, toilet bowl cleaner, tissues, brooms, laundry soap, fabric softener, air fresheners, bagless sweeper, toilet paper
•Ladies: Jeans (sizes 0-22), briefs, bras and sports bras (all sizes), dress shoes (flats in sizes 5-9)
•Men: Dress pants (all sizes), jeans (32/24, 34/36, 36/36), button-up dress shirts, colored and white T-shirts (small, large, XL), sweat pants (sizes small to 3X), dress shoes (all sizes), sneakers (sizes 9-13.5), boxers (all sizes), socks, pajama pants and hoodies
•Miscellaneous: Bath towels and wash cloths, luggage, pillows, blankets and sheet sets (twin), plastic pillow and mattress protectors, shoe strings (54”-72”). Items may be gently used or new.
How to give:
Donations of items for Wernle Youth & Family Treatment Center may be brought to the Palladium-Item office at 1175 N. A St., Richmond, between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. weekdays through Friday, May 1.
Upcoming fundraiser events:
Wernle’s Coaches for Kids Golf Classic, May 28. Co-hosts are Tim Brown, former Oakland Raiders wide receiver, NFL Hall of Fame member and Heisman Trophy winner; and Allen Pinkett, former Houston Oilers running back. Individual reservations are $125 each.
•Whitewater Valley Motorcycle Club event, July 17-19 at Wayne County Fairgrounds
•Catalyst 4 Change program, Sept. 24
Call (765) 966-2506 or (877) 336-8333 or go to www.wernle.org for more information.
Cheers & GO IRISH!
Her Loyal ... Daughter
Lisa Kelly is a multidimensional marketing professional. She has over two decades of marketing experience and earned a bachelor of business administration and marketing from the University of Notre Dame (Class of 1993 ... Siegfried Hall!). She is a Digital Publishing Manager by day and by night is writing her third book, a continuation of "Echoes From the End Zone: The Men We Became" and its sequel "The Men We Became: MORE Echoes From the End Zone." In 2012, Lisa was crowned the "Biggest Fan of the Big East" in a blogging and social media contest, representing Notre Dame.
Read all posts by Lisa
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- A Football Player’s Lucky Charm? - February 22, 2018
- Part II: From Football to Coffee Beans? - January 31, 2018
Champion
Copies of this article should be given to each potential recruit.
I’m back.
There’s a real good piece on Jim Mutscheller, who recently died, in the current issue of Catholic World Report, written by George Weigel who, like me, remembers those glory days of the late 1950s in Ballamer.
Who is Jim Mutscheller? He played tight end for Notre Dame in 1949 and then went into the Marines for a few years and then decided he wanted to play pro football.
ND as tight end U? It goes all the way back to Leon Hart, the last lineman to win the Heisman – more than 65 years ago. I remember him too.
You young whippersnappers must remember that we old geezers have our place in the whole scheme of things.
Lisa – Keep up the good work!
Thank you, Terry!! Go Irish!!