Blog
Volunteer Spotlight: Edie Crews
I am a recently retired MSW and have worked with adults and youth in a service center modality! After my June retirement, I wanted to be a volunteer for Mahala’s hope because I believe in their mission. When I volunteer, I help with various things and really enjoy getting to know [...]
Meet Our Staff: Kellie Diels, Counselor
I entered my journey of recovery in June of 2014. A few years into recovery, I realized that my passion was helping women navigate their own journey through sobriety. I decided to go back to school to pursue that dream while raising my oldest child and working. I recently graduated with [...]
Artist Corner Fall/Winter 2023: Togetherness Totem
The saying "it takes a village..." certainly was appropriate for Mahala's newest garden totem. Some of the residents worked steadily on their clay pieces and were able to take them through the entire construction and finishing process as they worked on their recovery. Others worked on their pieces, graduated, and incoming [...]
Stable Thoughts: Fall/Winter 2023
This summer, Mahala’s Hope welcomed Molly DePerkel for a two day workshop for our equine volunteers, staff, and counselor focusing on continuing our education of Equine Facilitated Learning. Molly is a psychologist in private practice at the Midwest Center for Trauma and Emotional Healing as well as an EPONA Equestrian Services [...]
Thoughts From The Board President: Fall/Winter 2023
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, And sorry I could not travel both And be one traveler, long I stood And looked down one as far as I could To where it bent in the undergrowth; Then took the other, as just as fair, And having perhaps the better claim, [...]
A Word From Our Director: Fall/Winter 2023
Fall is truly one of my favorite times of year. The brilliant colors, the sound and scent of the leaves as I walk upon them. Being so present in the moment with all the beauty around me. Then the process of letting go as the leaves begin to fall. I hope [...]
Volunteer Spotlight: Sonia Fuestel
I grew up in Sheboygan, a tomboy, just shy of five feet. I felt I had a lot to prove and alcohol was my friend. On my 38th birthday in 2002, I took my last drink. My experiences, coupled with the background of my daughter’s birthmother (trauma, drugs, addiction,) and now [...]
Meet Our Staff: Galina Sorvacheva
Galina is our counselor aide who has been with us for almost five years. She moved to the US from Russia 16 years ago and decided to pursue a social work education. She received her BSW at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay. She is very passionate about helping vulnerable populations. She [...]
Client Quotes: Words From Carol
"My name is Carol. I went into my first treatment center when I was 24 years old. I am now 66 years old. I can’t even begin to count how many treatment centers I have gone to in the last 40 years. None of those programs were ever successful for me. [...]
Stable Thoughts
We have certainly been through a transition in our equine program. As some of you know, Alexa Strehlow joined our team in September as the new Equine Specialist. She comes with a wealth of knowledge and passion for horses as you can see in her bio on our website. Our herd [...]
Pearls of Wisdom
Wisdom from the granddaughter of a past resident. The other day, I was spending some time with my 11-year-old great granddaughter, Pearl, when she asked me a question. She said, “what do you want to do with your life?” It took me several seconds to think of how to answer that, [...]
Artist Corner: Window Bling
The residents added some colorful twinkle to their windows recently by transforming stained glass, wire, and beads into festive hangings. Each creation was a delight and elegantly unique. Special thanks to artist Beth Campshure for her generous donation of the glass.