December 2020 – nolimitseasternshore

Christmas Party Blog 2020

Our Christmas lunch was a bit different this year compared to years past, but we still had a great day! We sure missed seeing many of our friends in person at the lunch, but we were fortunate that we were able to reach most of those who were unable to make it by other means (either virtually or approved, socially-distant home visits made by staff of No Limits).

We would also like to say “thank you” to Sage Diner in Onley for preparing individual meals for members and staff to enjoy. The food was delicious!

Check out some pictures of our Christmas lunch and Secret Santa Gift Exchange below:

C L dressed as a Christmas Elf. Complete with jingly shoes!

Joe had the best seat in the house, right by the virtual crackling fire!

Name that Christmas Tune was a fun activity for a party day!

Time to open presents from Secret Santas!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from all of us here at No Limits Eastern Shore!

The Honorable Robert S. Bloxom

Rachel and Brandon pose for a photo with Bob at the No Limits Open House in March 2017

We are deeply saddened to hear the news that the Honorable Robert S. Bloxom has passed away: https://shoredailynews.com/…/robert-s-bloxom-passes-away/

As the Eastern Shore’s longtime Delegate and Virginia’s first Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture, Bob Bloxom was an incredible public servant and an irreplaceable asset to our community. There will be many very well-deserved tributes to his remarkable service.

They may not mention that to the brain injury survivor community of the Eastern Shore, the Honorable Robert S. Bloxom is a hero and a legend. When the brain injury survivors and caregivers of the Shore said, at a brain injury town hall meeting over 20 years ago, that they needed day support services, then-Delegate Bloxom made it happen. He made it look easy, although of course it wasn’t.

Twelve years later, when brain injury services in our region were in a tight spot and we needed community support to convince Virginia to award the state contract for our region to a local provider (No Limits Eastern Shore), the late founding No Limits member Maggie Byrd carried that request to him at his family business, Bloxom Auto.

Bob was retired by then. When he heard that No Limits and the local brain injury survivor community needed his help, he smiled and said, “Not again!”. He no longer had a secretary, so he went home that night and hand wrote a letter of support. No Limits Eastern Shore was awarded the contract.

The Honorable Robert S. Bloxom continued to support survivors of brain injury even in his retirement in his role on the Eastern Shore of Virginia Community Foundation and we were honored when he came out to our Open House in March 2017 to see the results of a Productivity and Outreach grant they awarded to us, funding our hot dog cart, a chicken coop, and accessible walking trails brochures.

We called him Bob because that’s what he wanted us to call him. Bob called us by our names, because once he met you he remembered you. He did all kinds of great things for the Eastern Shore that he will be long remembered for and we are deeply grateful that he also did great things for the local brain injury community.

Friday Blogging

The first snow of the season happened this week at No Limits!

Zel says he thinks the snow will only hydrate our plants because they are cold hardy. We sure hope so!

Brandon braved the snow to rescue and eat a passionfruit from our Native Purple Passionflower vine. Brandon says it was “delicious!”

During Virtual No Limits this week we enjoyed United Way Exercise with Betsy. Zel says “Betsy was not trying to rob us she had us reaching for the sky!” Haha!

Our friend Samantha came by to deliver Christmas gifts to members of No Limits today and she brought her new baby goat! (Pictured walking with Zel)

The goat just loved Angela and Angela says she loved the goat too!

Samantha teaching Brandon how to feed the goat from a bottle.

Brandon feeding a baby goat for the first time ever! So cool! Thank you again Samantha for bringing your “kid” by to visit!

After the baby was fed he fell asleep right in Angela’s arms. Angela says “isn’t he precious!”

Cat Shelter Project

Over the past few weeks at No Limits members have been working hard to hand-make feral cat shelters to be donated to a local nonprofit cat rescue known as Northern Accomack Community Cats. These shelters provide a safe and warm hide away for feral cats during the winter months and inclement weather.

Check out the Northern Accomack Community Cats website or Facebook page to learn more about this awesome rescue. They do great work in our community and we are proud to have been able to assist in making cat shelters for the kitties they help! Check out pictures of members working on the shelters below!

Northern Accomack Community Cats Facebook page = https://www.facebook.com/accomackcats

Northern Accomack Community Cats Website = https://www.accomackcats.org/

Styrofoam boxes are used to make the shelters. Thank you to No Limits’ Executive Director Rachel Evans for donating these to be made into cat shelters!

This was a picture of the template members used to complete the shelters.

Maryann, Brandon, and David building the shelters. Great work!

Zel delivering finished shelters to Becca of Northern Accomack Community Cats last week.

Xmas 2020 Decorating Blog

Zel says “It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas!”

The tree is up but there is much more to decorate!

David found the missing mini tree! Good job David.

Zel was a great help in making sure that any missing ornaments made it on to the tree!

Santa and his reindeer have officially arrived at No Limits!

Reindeer escape. Brandon caught him though! Silly reindeer, Santa and your brothers and sisters are out front waiting for you.

The escaping reindeer joined his buddies thanks to Brandon, Zel, and Adrian. (A huge thank you to No Limits’ Operations Coordinator Maryann and her husband Donnie for donating these cool decorations!)

The Virginia Brain Injury Council is Seeking New Members

Have you heard of the Virginia Brain Injury Council? Would you like to join a statewide advisory council to assist in making decisions that benefit survivors of brain injury in the state of Virginia?

The Virginia Brain Injury Council is comprised of consumers (i.e., survivors of brain injury and family members, caretakers, and representatives of survivors); licensed, registered, and certified healthcare professionals; service providers; individuals not affiliated with any brain injury program, state agency representatives; and other ad hoc advisory members.

The mission of the Council is to promote accessible, affordable, and appropriate services for Virginians with brain injury and their families by advising the lead state agency for brain injury, the Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services.

The Virginia Brain Injury Council is looking to fill 3 open positions. Interested applicants who meet one of the following requirements are encouraged to apply using this form: Nomination/Application Form VBIC

Someone who is not an employee or current Board member of an organization or program that receives state general funds
A survivor (person with lived experience of brain injury)
A survivor, family member or caregiver of a person living with a traumatic brain injury

You can also learn more about the Virginia Brain Injury Council on the Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services’ website here: https://www.vadars.org/vbic.htm#gsc.tab=0