First Quarter 2015 Newsletter
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News from The Arc of Tippecanoe County, January 2015 www.arcoftippecanoe.org Achieve with us ! First Quarter 2015 A Warm Thank You to Jennifer Meadows! As we begin our new year, we would like to first make a formal thank you to our outgoing Executive Director, Jennifer Meadows. She resigned from The Arc of Tippecanoe County November 2014. We will miss her energy, her thoughtfulness, her knowledge of community resources, and her love for The Arc! We have been blessed to have both Dave and Jennifer Meadows involved with The Arc of Tippecanoe County for several years and we wish them the best in health, family, and career. As we move forward, the Board of Directors is currently preparing a job description for an Executive Director position and hope to have it posted within the next few weeks. In the meantime, we are working entirely from volunteers and can use some more hands, hearts, and brains as we move into 2015. The time has come to make sure we will be able to do well what we are able to do. If we cannot adequately meet the needs of a program or any particular event, we will need to adjust the program or event. We are also looking toward our community partners for collaboration. If you are interested becoming involved, please contact [email protected]. A final note while we are in this period of transition. The Arc phone, 765-476-3277 is currently being managed by a volunteer. Please leave a message on the phone and she will return your call as soon as possible. She has a full schedule during the day and will be checking for messages every evening. Your message will be returned. Thank you! Welcome New Arc of Tippecanoe Board Members!!! Sydney Kisseberth – Sydney is a stay-at-home mother of two children, one of whom has special needs. Prior to leaving the paid workforce, she worked for 13 years in biological and medical research. Welcome Sydney! Erin Moon-Walker – Erin has a daughter with special needs, a degree in psychology from Purdue University, and serves on the Education Committee at The Arc. She enjoys volunteering to help solve special education issues for parents, schools, and students. Welcome Erin! Barb Osborn – Barb is the parent of an Adult Recreation consumer. She also runs Spirit Theater, which is a theatrical group for adults 18 and older. Welcome Barb! 1 The Arc Needs You! There are many opportunities to volunteer with The Arc! Many of the activities can be done in your own home in your free time. Below are just a few of the areas in which The Arc needs volunteers: Serve on a Committee There are openings on all committees: Direct Services, Education, Fundraising, Finance, and Membership Please consider serving on one of the above committees. It takes the hands of many people to help create meaningful opportunities for those with developmental disabilities. Volunteer to help with office work such as; coordinate adult recreation event RSVPS. update our membership and emergency contact forms organize our event and outcome data enter data into the computer coordinate membership information and applications copy needed documents create flyers, brochures, news blasts, newsletters and news articles Volunteer to assist with events: Assist with Aktion Club as a presenter or organizer Help staff fun Adult Recreation events. Sponsor or help supervise a SuperStar Social Club event for children with special needs. Help staff our Parents Night Out program. Create this newsletter, or a better version! Create news “blasts”, PSAs or updates to our consumers or membership Manage The Arc of Tippecanoe County webpage and/or Facebook page Assist with fundraising Assist with marketing events and trainings Let us know how you’d like to help: 765-476-3277 or [email protected]. 2 Arc of Tippecanoe Program Descriptions Aktion Club is a chapter of the national Kiwanis Club for individuals with developmental disabilities. This club was started in 2004 with significant support by State Representative Sheila Klinker who continues to be active today. Local Kiwanians work with The Arc to plan and facilitate the monthly meetings. Individuals who participate in the Aktion Club begin learning the process of how meetings are run, how to introduce themselves, how to vote on agenda items, and how behave in socially appropriate ways. Each meeting also has a topical educational component. Adult Recreation is our largest program serving over 120 adults with developmental disabilities. This program offers community activities in which adults can practice the independent living skills needed for work, supported employment, or at home. Here are a few photos from our 2015 Holiday Dinner and Dance, which served around 200 consumers, staff, and family. Best Buddies is our chapter of the national program started by Anthony Kennedy Shriver that pairs college students with adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) to create opportunities for one-to-one friendships and leadership development. This program continues to increase in size each and every year. Super Star Social Club Junior and Senior is a social club for elementary (Jr.) and teenagers (Sr.) with developmental disabilities. This club is similar to the Adult Recreation program in which the main goal is to give teenagers an opportunity for community inclusion in positive and supportive settings. Members practice appropriate behavior, learn money skills and work to increase communication and social skills as well. Members also are making new friendships and learning more about the Lafayette community. Often, the SSSC Sr. and Jr. groups will combine activities. One such event is the annual “Haunted Woods” in October. Below are a few pictures from this event this year: 3 Camp S.P.A.R.K.S. (Special Play And Recreation for Kids with Special needs) has been providing a summer day camp for children with developmental disabilities and their siblings for over 40 years. Camp S.P.A.R.K.S. is the only one of its kind in our area providing a safe and caring environment for children to learn and practice a variety of new skills and to continue to practice skills that are under development. The camp serves children 5-17 years of age. Here are a few pictures from Camp SPARKS 2014: Kids First was established in 1994. The Kids First program provides puppet shows for students in local schools, daycares and preschools. The puppet characters share their story about their disability or about being teased to kids of all ages who then ask questions directly to the puppet. Kids First came to visit Camp SPARKS this summer: For information on any of our programs please email [email protected] or call 765-476-3277. 4 Upcoming Events for The Arc of Tippecanoe County: Adult Recreation: Cupid has shot his arrow and decided that the Adult Recreation Valentine Dance shall be Saturday, February 7th from 6-8 pm at Bauer Community Center, 330 Fountain Street. Admission price will be $5 per person. Superstar Social Club Jr. and Sr.: February Valentine Dance. Friday, February 13th from 6-7:30 pm at the Point West Clubhouse. The Senior SSSC group should RSVP to Julie Griffin at [email protected] and the Junior SSSC group should RSVP to Camille Rocroi at [email protected] . Best Buddies: Special Olympics Polar Plunge is coming up Saturday, February 7th. Registration is 8:30-10:00 am in Lambert Fieldhouse (Purdue University). The Plunge takes place at 10:30 am Mackey Arena. The After Splash Bash is in Lambert Fieldhouse. For more information, visit: http://soindiana.org/special-events/2015-polar-plunge/2015- west-lafayette-plunge/ The Best Buddies Indianapolis Friendship Walk is coming Sunday, April 26 at White River State Park and NCAA Hall of Champions. You can sponsor a buddy in the Purdue University, West Lafayette High School, or Lafayette Jefferson High School Chapters. For more information, visit: http://www.bestbuddiesindiana.org/ 2015 Arc in the Park Fundraiser: Tentative date is Saturday, May 9th. More details to come! Special Thank You’s: Pi Kappa Phi for hosting The “Arctober Fest” Halloween Dance at their fraternity at Purdue University. Many members also came to volunteer at 2014 Adult Recreation Holiday Dinner and Dance. Advanced Power Technologies for the contribution of $2,500 toward Camp SPARKS. Caterpillar, Inc. for the contribution of $500 toward Camp SPARKS. Tempest Homes for their donation of $1,000 toward Camp SPARKS and an additional $1,000 sponsorship of the 2014 Arc in the Park. Valero Energy Foundation for the $2,500 contribution toward Camp SPARKS. The following organizations, companies, and individuals for providing Camp SPARKS scholarship donations for children to attend camp in 2014: o Lafayette Noon Optimists - $600 o Karen Taylor - $560 o Dan & Cari Carpenter - $280 o Down Syndrome Indiana - $300 o Consolidated Property Management - $280 o Dave & Jennifer Meadows - $560 5 Without the support of these and other individuals who have donated their time, talents, and funds, we could not have accomplished our objectives for 2014. Thank you all!!! Pictures on Facebook Have you visited our Facebook page lately? Lots of great pictures from recent events and other information posted regularly. Please “like” us if you like us! Reminder!!! Arc of Tippecanoe County memberships are now free and entitle members to email news blasts, Arc of Indiana newsletters, news on upcoming trainings, events and more! For more information, check The Arc of Tippecanoe website at www.arcoftippecanoe.org for the online membership form or