June 26, 2018 by Angela

Cocktails for a Cause at Perry’s, July 12

Stop by Perry’s Larkspur for a cocktail and support our very own guest bartender… Catherine Way!

Thursday, July 12, 2018
5:00 pm to 7:00 pm
Perry’s
234 Magnolia Avenue, Larkspur (map)

Schurig Center Board member Catherine Way warmly invites you to join her for an evening of fun and laughter as she pours your favorite cocktails at Perry’s.

Catherine is generously donating all of her tips to Schurig Center!

So, stop by and cheer Catherine on as she ‘shakes’ up some fun in support of compassionate care for our neighbors in Marin living with the effects of a brain injury, stroke, or concussion.

Very BIG thanks to Perry Butler and the awesome staff at Perry’s Larkspur for hosting our community of friends for this special event.

Not able to join us for the fun?
You can still tip the bartender…
Donate online today in honor of Catherine!

June 5, 2018 by Angela

The Most Killer Tomato Plant Sale Ever

In case you missed it, “the most killer tomato plant sale ever” was held at Schurig Center over three days in May.

Michelle, Karen, Midge and Lise
get ready for the sale

More than 400 healthy tomato plants made their way to new homes throughout Marin. The plants were grown from seed by clients who participate in the center’s weekly “Green Thumb Club” with volunteer Master Gardener Karen Halvorsen.

According to Karen, “The clients really put amazing heart and energy into these plants and this sale. With their help—including sneaking a few more seeds into those pots than I expected – we grew a record number of plants this year! I honestly wasn’t sure how we were going to sell them all. But clients really stepped up. I’m grateful to them and to our new and repeat customers. Now we’ve got more room for our next project!”

The tomato sale project was part of Schurig Center’s Thursday STAR Academy Class, which supports clients with opportunities to practice life skills and feel successful while engaging with their community. The word “STAR” stands for “Survivors Together Achieving Results.”

Each member of the team contributed to making the sale a success. Leading up to the event, participants worked together to make signs and took part in a mini marketing class.

Alyssa preps to help shoppers select a plant

On the day of the sale, self-proclaimed ‘tomato selling fiend’ Lisé and teammate TK shared their enthusiasm on the street to entice passersby to stop in. While others, like Alyssa, helped shoppers select from an array of colorful heirloom tomatoes varieties, like Green Zebra and Berkeley Tie-Die, using display cards that explained each tomato’s qualities.

The sale was well-attended and even had a few VIP’s stop by…

“One of our customers said he is even on the City Council, how cool is that? But seriously, this was really great because my dream before my brain injury was always to have my own dress shop, so today I got to practice what it’s like being a sales person. It was a blast!” beamed tomato salesperson extraordinaire Michelle.

TK inviting passersby to stop in

Program Coordinator Sara Chambers shared, “It was great to see how our sale and the learning and preparation that led up to it really helped clients experience the full cycle of their own skills and industriousness. From growing and nurturing the plants, to conceiving and creating marketing materials, planning the sale, and interacting with customers and community members, they were able to participate at every level of the process and know that they really made this happen! And all while raising funds to make projects like this and all the other great things we do at the center possible!”

As much as possible, therapists and educators at Schurig Center strive to ensure that the recovery work clients do is generalizable to clients’ lives in the community and at home.

“Understanding that sticks with a person often happens better when there’s a full-cycle experience to tie it to,” added Sara. “This project gave us that full-cycle aspect with built-in steps that as a group we could take together toward a tangible goal.”

Thank you to all who stopped by to take home a plant!

We hope the plants will bring joy to your home every time you enjoy a fresh tomato wedge in your salad or a delicious bowl of pasta smothered in fresh tomato sauce.

Very Special Thanks to Master Gardener Karen Halvorsen
Karen’s dedication, amazing green thumb, and countless hours of volunteered time help bring enjoyment and peace to all who visit the garden at Schurig Center.

We hope to see you at next year’s sale!

May 9, 2018 by Angela

Ingredients for Increased Independence and Fun

Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme
…and a dash of YOU!

Guy Fieri, local chef and restaurateur, believes “Food is about the people.”
Here at Schurig Center, we couldn’t agree more!

Group Cooking is a popular class offered monthly at Schurig Center. The class brings together staff, volunteers, and clients for a morning of good food, good fun, and great people. Many survivors are working towards the goal of living more independently after their brain injury. Relearning and improving the skills needed for daily living, such as cooking, are essential to achieving this goal.

Chefs in this class have the chance to practice basic adaptive kitchen and food preparation, planning, focus and concentration, following multi-stepped tasks, fine motor skills, and working as a team. It’s a safe place to relearn how to mix, chop, measure, pour, and bake. A place where spills or adding too much flour aren’t “mistakes” they are just part of the learning process.

Every chef’s improvement in ability, no matter how small, is celebrated as a group. Every completed recipe is so much more than just a tasty meal to these chefs. It’s one more step in their journey to recovery and re-engaging in life as they are now.

The chefs recently tackled a recipe for Scarborough Fair Quiche. The final product turned out delicious and even received rave reviews from the toughest food critics of all…their families! Give the recipe (below) a try for your next Sunday brunch.

Michelle, who survived a car accident and lives with the effects of traumatic brain injury, commented in cooking class this week: “This is so great, I love this! I can’t wait to take it home and share it with my family.”

You Make This Healing Possible

Individual donors make life-changing services, like Group Cooking, possible. In fact, 85% of Schurig Center’s revenue comes from foundations and donors. So, without YOU, this class truly wouldn’t exist. Only you can help survivors in Marin and the Bay Area rebuild their lives after a brain injury.

Join them on their journey…Donate online today!

Scarborough Fair Quiche

Ingredients
3 large eggs lightly beaten
1 cup heavy cream
½ cup milk
1/8 teaspoon salt
Pinch freshly ground black pepper
½ cup (2 oz) shredded cheddar cheese
½ cup (2 oz) shredded jack cheese
½ cup (2 oz) shredded parmesan cheese
¼ teaspoon dried parsley
¼ teaspoon dried sage
¼ teaspoon dried thyme
1/8 teaspoon dried rosemary
9-inch pie crust

(When substituting fresh herbs, always triple the amount of dried herbs called for.)

Adjust oven rack to the middle position. Preheat oven to 350°. In a bowl whisk together the eggs, cream, milk, salt and fresh black pepper. Sprinkle ½ of the cheese on the bottom of the pie crust. Sprinkle the herbs over the cheese, and then top with the remaining cheese.

Gently pour in egg mixture. Place quiche on a foil lined baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes. Rotate the quiche for even browning. Continue baking for another 20-25 minutes, or until the mixture is set and lightly browned. Test by inserting a knife in the center. When the custard has set the knife will come out clean. Set the quiche on a wire rack to cool before cutting.