(1886 - 2006)
Saturday, August 26, 2006.
This was an all day event, free of charge
for all former residents and staff of GA, that included:
Rededication of the GA Home, Tours, Games,
Wall of Fame Dedication in the GA Learning Center
a Luncheon on the LSS Campus, Dinner at the ball park
Live Band performances by "Doug and the Desciples"
Sunday, August 27, 2006.
Services with Pastor Dan Rumfelt
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GA Day with the Jammers at the Stadium
Ball Game: Jammers vs. Williamsport Crosscutters
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We are currently attempting to find both staff and residents
who have either worked or lived
at the GA Home at any time during its history.
If anyone is interested in helping us find former residents/staff,
or you were a resident of the home,
please contact Liz Lobb at (716)665-2116
or email:
liz@lutheran-jamestown.org
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The GA Home as it looks today.
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The GA Home in the 1900's.
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In preparation for the 120th celebration,
the GA Home held two very special events:
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| In 2005 we hosted a LSS/GA Home Celebration with the Jamestown Jammers Baseball Team. The game was on August 14, 2005 at 4:00pm. Free grandstand reserved seating tickets were available for former residents and their families and former staff and their families along with our current staff and residents.
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On January 16, 2006, the GA Home was the benefactor of the Jammers Hot Stove Dinner held at the Lakewood Rod & Gun Club. The dinner included both a live and silent auction as well as a prominent keynote speaker.
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| 2006 marks the 120th Anniversary of the Gustavus Adolphus Home
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The Gustavus Adolphus Child and Family Services Program begins its celebration of 120 years of service with a Jammers Game on Sunday, August 14th. Mike Hopkins, Executive Director of the GACFS, stated, “We are giving away tickets to previous residents and staff in order to begin building excitement for the 120th Celebration during 2006. The Jammers organization has been extremely supportive of our program. They have given several of our youth an opportunity to volunteer at games. Giving back to the community is very important to our young people and being involved with a quality family program like the Jammers exposes our youth to a wide range of experiences.”
All previous residents and staff members of GACFS and their families are eligible for the free tickets. Call Liz at GAFCS at 1-888-422-3711 or 665-2116 or e mail liz@lutheran-jamestown.org.
The Gustavus Adolphus Child and Family Services is one of four programs currently offered through Lutheran Social Services. Lutheran Social Services is a social ministry organization that serves nearly 1,500 people every year. LSS operates fives divisions: the Lutheran Retirement Home, a 254-bed skilled nursing facility; Lutheran Senior Housing, 319 apartments for the well elderly, both market-rate and HUD-subsidized; Gustavus Adolphus Child and Family Services, a residential treatment facility and school for about 72 at-risk youth; Grace Residential Services, residences for 32 developmentally disabled adults; and the LSS Foundation. In 2006, the addition of assisted living services will be realized with the expected opening of Hultquist Place.
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Jammers Hot Stove Dinner scheduled for January 16
to benefit GA Family Services
By Mike Hopkins, Director GA Family Services
On 1/16/06, the annual Jammers Hot Stove Dinner will be held at the Lakewood Rod & Gun Club. The event will begin at 5:00 PM with a cocktail hour (cash bar) and opportunity to review all the auction items and talk with Jammers players and officials. The program will begin at 6:00.
Last year’s event raised over $3,000 to benefit the new pool at the Boy’s and Girls Club. This year’s proceeds will be used to support the recreational activities of the youth at the GA Home. We are excited about this partnership with the Jammers and the benefits realized by our GA kids.
I invite all of you to join us at the event. We have secured many outstanding items for both the live and silent auctions, some of which include:
• Autographed footballs from Jim Kelly, Ron Jaworski & Sean Taylor (Redskins)
• Autographed Nolan Ryan card
• Autographed and matted Gerry McNamara jersey (Syracuse University)
• Hot air balloon ride for two
• Many autographed balls, cards and bats from future major league stars
• Willis McGahee autographed card
• Several NASCAR and Hockey items
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• Autographed helmet from Mark Brunnell of the Washington Redskins
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A complete list totaling more than 70 auction items will be published in the Post Journal on 1/8.
Keynote speakers for the event will include Chris Volstad & Gabby Sanchez. Both gentleman had outstanding years for the Jammers in ’05 and promise to be playing in the majors soon. The new Jammers manager will also be introduced to the public at this event. Tickets may be purchased by calling the Jammers at 664-0915 or the GA Home at 665-2116.
The cost is $25 per ticket and includes a sit-down dinner. A cash bar will be available. With the live and silent auctions, 50/50 drawing, and great dinner and worthy cause, it promises to be a wonderful evening. I hope you will be able to attend this years Hot Stove Dinner in support of the Jammers and the GA Home. If you have any questions, please call Mike at 665-2116 ext. 212.
Hope to see you on the 16th,
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Jamestown Post-Journal (7-14-05)
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GA Day at Diethrick Park
The G.A. Home is looking
for ALL past residents.
Call the G.A. Home at (716)665-2116
View Cable 8 News Broadcast
(RealMedia Format)
Need RealPlayer?
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GA Children’s Home Celebrates 120 Years
Home Draws Strength from the Past but Plans for the Future
GAFCS Senior Leadership Team
From l. to r., GA Executive Director, Mike Hopkins, Director of Quality Services and Program Improvement, Lew Meckley, Director of Programs, Tim Ryan and Director of Educational Services, Pam Ruschak, confer at least weekly to plan for the future, make program adjustments, and offer support and training for clinical and education staff. A painting of the original Children’s Home hangs on the wall behind the team. The address of the Home was 1381 East Second Street. Falconer Street had not yet been built. The original name of the GA Home was The Gustavus Adolphus Orphan’s Home of the New York Conference of the Scandinavian Lutheran Augustana Synod. The first referrals to the GA Home were Fritz Gustaf Harald Johnsoen and his sister, Rosa Carolina born in Goteborg, Sweden.
The staff of the GA Home and the GA Learning Center places an emphasis on individual student’s interests and abilities. The proceeds from the recent hot stove dinner sponsored by the Jamestown Jammers will be used for the recreation program for the youth.
The GA Children’s Home located on the Lutheran Social Services campus at 715 Falconer Street has been changing and evolving for 120 years, from the times at the beginning when the home was set up to care for Swedish orphaned children to facing the challenges of today’s young people.
“We are very much in a changing environment.” stated Executive Director, Mike Hopkins. “A perfect example is about a year ago, we sold 2 of our Agency Boarding Homes. There just wasn’t enough need for that level of care. We took the cash from the sale and invested it in starting a Therapeutic Foster Care program in the West Seneca area. We just placed our 10th child and the program is growing every day. It was tough to close the homes but when the demand isn’t there, we can’t just sit on our hands and hope for the best. The Foster Care program is also offering a wrap-around service which further extends our continuum of care and our ability to meet the individual needs of our youth and families”.
“We will continue to be faced with tough challenges and difficult decisions. GA is fortunate to have a great Board of Directors and strong leadership team that will continue to guide our success for many years to come”.
Looking Back
Strengthened by our Past
August 31, 1883 - G.A. Home Articles of Incorporation filed in the Chautauqua County Clerk’s Office.
September 2, 1883 – Incorporation date of the Board of Directors of the GA Home
September 30, 1883 – 88 acres of land purchased for the building of the G. A. Home. The land’s price was $11,704.50.
June 14, 1884 – The laying of the cornerstone of the GA Home. Governor Reuben E. Fenton participated in the ceremonies.
1885 -1889 – Reverend & Mrs. T.O. Lindell called to be the first Superintendent and Matron of the GA Home.
January 27, 1886 – Official Opening Day of the GA Children’s Home – Construction Cost $13,706.00
1889 – 1895 - Pastor & Mrs. M.J. Englund called to be Superintendent and Matron of the G. A. Home
September 27, 1895 – The enrollment of the G.A. Home reached 80.
1895 – 1897 - Pastor and Mrs. J. Rodell become Superintendent & Matron of the G.A. Home.
December 17, 1889 – J. Oscar Peterson was accepted as a resident of the GA Home. He later became Superintendent of the Home in 1927.
1897 – 1927 – Mr. & Mrs. John S. Swensson installed as Superintendent and Matron of GA Home.
February 1, 1918 - The first auxiliary of the G.A. Home was founded. It was called the Orphanage Aid Society.
December 1, 1927 – 1947 - Mr. and Mrs. J. Oscar Peterson became Superintendent and Matron of the G.A. Home. Both were former residents of the Home.
July 28, 1930 – The dedication of two new wings of the Children’s Home
December 15, 1947 - Mr. and Mrs. Herbert E. Malm become Superintendent and Matron of the G. A. Home.
1954 – 1960 - Martin Gilbertson installed as Administrator of G. A. Children’s Home.
1961 – 1971 George T. Stevens installed as Administrator of Children’s Home.
September 15, 1968 – New G.A. Children’s Home building dedicated.
1971 – 1974 - Charles R. Bretz is Administrator of G.A. Home.
September 5, 1973 – GA Learning Center opened.
June 10, 1979 - Gustavus Adolphus Learning Center building dedicated – serving grades 5 through 12.
Quotes (about GA)
“I came here because I am good at what we do. Every child can learn. It’s up to us as the special educators that we are to find the different learning style of each student. The Differentiated Instruction that we employ at the GA Learning Center adapts teaching methods to each student’s unique learning style.”
Pam Ruschak, Director of Education Services, GA Learning Center
“What a great place to work. I have a real appreciation for how youth survive and persevere through some amazing things that have happened in their young lives.”
Sylvia Trusso Sylvia has been with Gustavus Adolphus Family and Child Services for 25 years. She is currently a Social Worker, but she has also been a Child Care Counselor and Treatment Coordinator during her tenure at GA.
“The key to being around for almost 29 years has been the people I have been privileged to work with. Our clients can present lots of challenges during a day, but our team approach helps to overcome the day to day stressors.”
Lew Meckley, Director of Quality Services & Program Improvement
“We have many challenges ahead of us. We need to continue to respond to opportunities that are presented. At the same time, we need to reconnect with our past and celebrate the many successes that started at GA. We have heard some wonderful stories from people that came through the Orphanage and Home. Its both heart warming and at the same time validating to hear from the former residents. GA has positively impacted thousands of lives over the years. It’s worth celebrating”.
Mike Hopkins, Executive Director, GA Children’s Home
From David T. a previous resident of the GA Home…
“I lived at GACH from 1954 until 1963.
Today I live in the Denver Colorado area and enjoy life in the outdoors. We have a house in Northglenn, a ski-in ski-out condo in Breckenridge and a cabin on 10 acres in Fairplay. I have reached a level of contentment that, I believe, would have been unattainable had it not been for the efforts of the people at GACH who were there when we needed them most. Who provided an environment rich in challenge and diversity.
I was back in 2005 to visit and was privileged to a tour of the present facility. You come a long ways in the intervening years GACH. I was impressed by what I saw and can only hope that the efforts you all put out continue. I’ll try to find ways to support those things I think worthwhile in the future. “
Regards,
David T
From Cliff…
“I was a resident of the "old" GACH from Sept 1964-June 1966,
my Junior and Senior years at Jamestown HS.............
We were in the original building at 705 Flaconer St (sic)....the site is
now occupied by another building.............I have photos of the
demolition in 1968 or thereabouts.......Where your present building
sits I believe that is where the old barn was....
after HS I was in the Air Force for
4 yrs, worked for the government for awhile, managed rock bands locally
for 6 years, moved to Los Angeles for 4 yrs or so, came back to Ohio
and opened a travel agency for 12 years, then sold it and am now
doing corporate travel and enjoying life with my partner of 25 yrs......... I was just back in Jamestown a yr and half ago and drove out to GA....
Didn't stop in though...........keep in touch.............
Congrats on 120 years !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
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