Aly's Monkey Movement Founder Presented Annual Dr. Alexander Nesbitt Commitment to Caring Award
The 11th annual Dr. Alexander Nesbitt Commitment to Caring Award was presented to Aly Creasy, a freshman from Hughesville Jr/Sr High School, who started a local nonprofit called Aly’s Monkey Movement when she was only 10 years old! The award ceremony occurred during an in-person Healthcare Decisions Day event on hospice and end-of-life care.
Aly Creasy is just like any other freshman girl in high school. She likes to play basketball, soccer and be outdoors. But what truly sets Aly apart from the rest of her peers is her astonishing ability to care for others. In 2019, Aly decided that for her 10th birthday, she wanted to do something different. She sacrificed a birthday party and gifts in exchange for donations to purchase as many monkeys as she could to hand out to boys and girls going through scary or difficult situations. Aly decided on monkeys because that's what she said she received from her Nana when she was in the hospital, and the cuddly, soft, stuffed monkey named Jack made her feel better.
Her initial goal was to give out 30 monkeys. She shattered that goal by giving out 154 monkeys! As of today, Aly’s Monkey Movement has distributed more than 8,500 monkeys worldwide! From Fairfield to Finland to Fiji, sweet and fuzzy smiles have been stretching around the globe to children and adults in need. They are distributed to emergency rooms, fire departments, same-day surgery centers, and even veterinary offices. Whether the person has experienced the loss of a loved one, or a diagnosis that leaves them hospitalized, or is a mom or dad anxiously gazing at their newborn through tubes and machines, the intention of the monkey is to provide the recipient with comfort and joy amidst their fear.
Attorney Julie Steinbacher Named to 2024 PA Business Central Top 100 People List
Attorney Julie Steinbacher, CELA®, LLM, has been named to the 2024 Pennsylvania Business Central Top 100 People list. This annual list is published each January, and it recognizes 100 people representing various organizations from throughout Pennsylvania Business Central's 23-county footprint, which includes Blair, Centre and Lycoming Counties, where three of Steinbacher, Goodall & Yurchak's six offices are located. The list highlights the vibrant economic and social life of central Pennsylvania by honoring the people who make it happen.
This year marks Julie's seventh time on the Top 100 People list, and her fifth straight. In addition to 2020-24, she was also named to the list in both 2016 and 2018. The founding shareholder of Steinbacher, Goodall & Yurchak, Julie is Certified as an Elder Law Attorney (CELA) by the National Elder Law Foundation - one of just 66 in Pennsylvania - and has a "superb" AVVO rating for attorneys and has been named a Super Lawyer® for the last four consecutive years in Thomson Reuters' annual listing of the same name. Julie has lectured extensively for several organizations including the Elder Law Institute, Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants and many more, and is also the president of Estate & Long Term Care Planning, Inc. She has also authored several books in a Protect Your Family series that informs people about planning for the second half of life. Julie, along with Attorney Jenna Franks, recently co-published the 2024 Supplement to the Pennsylvania Trust Guide, 5th edition, which was published by the George T. Bisel Company, Inc. Julie is also a fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC), one of only 100 in Pennsylvania, and one of only four from the entire northern half of Pennsylvania. Julie also holds an LLM degree in elder law and estate planning. An LLM is Master of Law degree, and a graduate qualification in the field of law. It was created for attorneys to further expand their knowledge or study a specialized area of law. See Julie's Top 100 People profile.
Pennsylvania Business Central is the premier business-to-business publication in central Pennsylvania and is distributed over a 23-county area to over 40,000 readers. Each year, the publication receives a long list of nominations for the Top 100 people list from its readers, business executives, chambers of commerce, community leaders and others in order to identify the most dynamic and consequential nominees. See the entire Top 100 People of 2024 list.
Nine From Firm Attend Dementia Focused Practice Conference
A total of nine representatives from the elder law firm of Steinbacher, Goodall, and Yurchak recently attended the Dementia Focused Practice (DFP) Conference held in Tempe, Ariz. The conference took place over the course of three days and consisted of workshops, seminars, and opportunities to work with professionals who specialize in all aspects of dementia care. Attending the event from SGY were Attorneys Julie Steinbacher, Jenna Franks and Landon Hodges; Long-Term Care Planners Kristin Daugherty, Alexis Wetzler and Sydney Telesky; Elder Care Navigators Briella Schall and Samantha Tompkins; as well as business financial planner and analyst Cortney Steinbacher.
At the conference, Julie presented a session in which she talked about SGY's Dementia Focused Law Firm, and also led a mastermind session with representatives from other leading DFP Law Firms throughout the country. Jenna and Kristin conducted a Virtual Dementia Tour (VDT) with attendees. This training uses sensory and physical obstacles to simulate symptoms that are commonly experienced by people diagnosed with dementia. During the training, the participants are made to wear vision impairing eyeglasses and headphones that simulate auditory impairments common with dementia. After the training concluded, the participants took a survey on how they felt during the training.
The Keynote speaker of the conference, Kerri Kasem, moved the room with her story and advocacy for dementia research. Kerri is the daughter of broadcast host Casey Kasem, a former radio host of the nationally syndicated show The American Top 40. Prior to Casey passing away from Lewy Body Dementia at the age of 82, Kerri and her siblings were blocked from visiting their father by his wife. Kerri advocated for his rights and now it is her mission to educate and spread awareness about cognition and patients’ rights.
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