Carole Martin, M.A. CCC–A/SLP
Scottish Rite Clinic for Childhood Language Disorders
1820 Capitol Avenue, Cheyenne, Wyoming 82001

In June 2000, the Scottish Rite Clinic for Childhood Language Disorders in Cheyenne celebrated its tenth birthday. Over the past decade, the Clinic has seen well over 500 children from Wyoming, Colorado, and Nebraska. Also, nearly 60 graduate students from the Universities of Wyoming and Northern Colorado completed at least one semester at the clinic. In addition, over 1,500 children have been screened for speech and hearing problems, and a dozen workshops have provided information for parents and professionals. The number of children seen each week in Cheyenne has consistently been over 50 since September 1999. Unfortunately, for the first time, the Clinic also has a growing waiting list. Occupational therapy has been available for children with fine and gross motor disorders, visual perception difficulties, and handwriting problems since summer of 1998. And a second clinic in Sheridan, Wyoming, is now helping meet the needs of local children.

Carole Martin, Director of the Cheyenne, Wyoming, Scottish Rite Clinic for Childhood Language Disorders, presents a Certificate of Appreciation on behalf of the Scottish Rite Foundation of Wyoming to Cybele Houston and Stephen R. Elliott for their donation of a computer and computer services to the Clinic. Also (right above), Carole Martin presents to Dr. Mary Ellen Sternitzke a similar Certificate of Appreciation for her donation of professional testing services to the Cheyenne, Wyoming, Clinic.

There is an old Shaker song, "Tis a Gift To Be Simple," that says, "And when you arrive in the place just right, you'll be in the land of love and delight." The Scottish Rite Clinic has arrived in the "place just right" with the help of many friends. Most of these friends do things quietly, and very few people are aware of their gifts. It is time to recognize some of these friends.

Dr. Mary Ellen Sternitzke is a busy psychologist in private practice in Cheyenne. She recognized that the children the Clinic serves without charge often are in need of a variety of services. She offered to donate some of her time to the program to provide additional testing. She has been an answer to a chronic clinic dilemma, the need for further diagnostic information on some of the children. Dr. Sternitzke explains, "I do a lot of volunteer work, mostly fund-raising. It is a pleasure to help the Clinic by doing something I enjoy, working with children and in my professional field." It is a pleasure to have Dr. Sternitzke as one of our friends.

Steve Elliott and Cybele Houston happened in to the Clinic on a day the computer wasn't working. After hearing a couple of parents sharing some of the tales of the computer's difficulties, they decided to help the Clinic. Steve Elliott Associates, a local architectural and design firm, donated a new computer, monitor, and the services of a specialist to fix the old computer and network the computers and printers. The Clinic now has a computer lab. It is a pleasure to have Steve and Cybele as our "Computer Angels." The gifts of our many friends enabled the Clinic to become a place, as the old Shaker song says, of "love and delight" where children can grow and we can change tomorrow for the better by changing children's lives today. "Tis a gift."