No. 11 November 2019 Downriver The Arc Downriver invites YOU to attend… “A Holiday Concert” performance “The Downriver Community Band” Date: Friday, December 6, 2019 Time: 7:00 p.m. Location: Christ The King Lutheran Church This is a free concert for Arc Downriver members and guests. Please come and enjoy this wonderful performance by “The Downriver Community Band.” See page 9 for more information. The Arc Downriver BAZAAR at The Arc Downriver office. Sat., November 9th from 10:00 am - 2:00 pm We invite you to come and purchase items made by students with disabilities. Members can also attend our Craft Class that will be going on from 12:00 - 2:00 pm led by one of our wonderful Members. Please RSVP for the Arts and Craft Class. Proceeds support The Arc Downriver Advocacy program! 1028 Oak Street, Wyandotte, MI http://downriverarc.org THE PYRAMID is the official newsletter of The Arc Downriver. Mission Statement To advocate for individuals who are developmentally challenged, have cognitive impairments and their families by promoting choices, creating opportunities, and providing support needed to fully participate in the community. The Arc Downriver Proudly serving children and adults with 1028 Oak Street developmental disabilities Wyandotte, MI 48192 since 1954. Office: Beth Klocek Affiliated with The Arc of the U.S. and The Arc of Michigan. Phone: 734-283-0710 Fax: 734-283-9018 A member agency of Email: [email protected] If your name is missing from the Website: www.downriverarc.org birthday list, it may be because you may not have given us the information. If you wish to be on the list, contact the office Facebook: www.facebook.com/ at 734-283-0710. TheArcDownriverOFFICIAL Office Hours: Monday — Friday 9:00 am - 2:00 pm November Please call before coming to the office to Birthday’s make sure that someone is at the office to assist you, thank you!! Jessica Bailey The Arc Downriver Board of Directors Advocates: Rebecca Belcher Robin Brunke OFFICERS Working to fulfill President: Dennis Glinski the mission in ac- Pamela Dibble cordance with the Vice President: Jerry Swindle Arc of the United Carese Goodloe Treasurer: Kevin Martin States, advocating Tommy Herbst Secretary: Carla March for individuals who are developmental- Kimberly McKeen-Grimm ly challenged and/ Lisa McQuade or cognitively im- DIRECTORS 2019-2021 Sarah Rosiak Mike Herbst/ Terey DeLisle / paired and their Beverly Witchelhouse / families by promot- Tricia Sabat ing choices, creat- Linda Junod / Gerald Morello ing opportunities Adam Schaufler and providing sup- Frank Webb DIRECTORS 2018-2020 port needed to fully Rozi Keller / Tom Moody participate in the Kaven Williams community. Joshua Wood EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Kevin McGuckin Vickie Yates Serving eighteen communities in the Downriver area for 65 years: Allen Park, Brownstown Township, Ecorse, Flat Rock, Gibraltar, Grosse Ile, Lincoln Park, Melvindale, New Boston, River Rouge, Riverview, Rockwood, Romulus, Southgate, Taylor, Trenton, Woodhaven and Wyandotte. 2 President’s Report By Dennis Glinski, President Board of Directors One of the main functions the Arc Downriver Board of Directors manages is our fundraising efforts. While there are several smaller activities throughout the year, the Board focuses on four main events. The Annual Golf Outing occurs every August, with 2019 being our most suc- cessful to date. Thanks again to Deb and Greg Brown for leading this event the last two years! This year we raised over $16,000, which represents ~10% of our annual operating budget. In September, SOMI held their first ever Car Raffle. While no one locally won the main prize, our Area 23 sold the most tickets of any Area in the state, and Arc Downriver sold the most tickets in Area 23! The Arc Downriver will be able to send 22 athletes to the 2020 SOMI Summer Games from our ticket sales pro- ceeds! This past April, we held our first Spaghetti Dinner Fundraiser at the Knights of Columbus in Wyandotte. The dinner/raffle/silent auction raised over $4,000 for the Arc Downriver – a great start to what will be an annual event. Lastly, the Special Olympic Polar Plunge will be held on Saturday, February 8,, 2020 at the Belleville Yacht Club. Each year this event raises ~$9,000 to send our Arc Downriver athletes to the SOMI Summer Games held at Central Michigan University in Mt. Pleasant. Please support the upcoming Polar Plunge, and all of our great fundrais- ing events throughout the year! November Semi– Annual Membership Meeting Mark your calendars: Tuesday, November 12th at 6:00 pm will be our semi-annual membership meeting. The Board will meet at 5:30 pm. Then your board will present the state of the organization to you. Your attendance is highly encouraged. 3 A Friendly Reminder: It’s Time to Renew! Please help the Arc Downriver continue it’s mission—WE NEED YOU! Please renew your membership and send (or bring in) your dues as soon as possible! Thank you! Expired Organizations: Buchanan Manor 10/31/2019 Clippert Home 1/31/19 Concord Home 3/31/19 Jay Hetter 10/31/2019 Devonshire Home 10/31/2019 Sheri Holt 11/30/2019 Green Village 1 10/31/2019 Your JJC Home 10/31/2019 Georjean Jeter 10/31/2019 Member- K.S. Home 10/31/2019 Glen Justice 10/31/2019 ship is Lakespur 1/31/2019 Joseph Keller 5/31/2019 required Northline II 3/21/2019 Brendon Kowatch 4/30/2019 Royal Circle Home 10/31/2019 and must Russell LaForet 11/30/2019 Truman Home 9/30/2019 be up to Tracey LaPointe 11/30/2019 date to be If you see your name— Frank Liberati 8/31/2019 PLEASE RENEW allowed to Ethan Ligenza 3/31/2019 participate Robert Litwinski 10/31/2019 in: Jackie Abler 10/31/2019 Vito Manzari 11/30/2019 Adventure John Addison 10/31/2019 Dave McFarlane 6/30/2019 Timothy Affholter 11/30/2018 Edna McKeen-Grimm 7/31/2019 Club, Renee Anderson 7/31/2019 Mary Meyers/Schaufler 5/18/2019 Dances, Timothy Barclay 12/31/2018 Patricia Montgomery 5/31/2019 Sports, Debbie Bardoni 11/30/2019 Sharlene Myers-Krupnak 11/30/2018 The Arc Andrew Baron 10/31/2019 Angie Orr 5/31/2019 Downriver Rebecca Benavides 11/30/2019 Judith Page 11/30/2019 events, Art W. Raymond Bice 9/30/2019 Joseph Piasecki 11/30/2019 at The Arc, Gregory Brown 11/30/2019 Jousseline Rakes 1/31/2019 etc... Patricia Ciullo 11/30/2019 William Ray 11/30/2019 William Cloutier 5/31/2019 Ernest Reed 10/31/2019 Nancy Cochren 11/30/2019 Noemia Reid 2/28/2019 WE REALLY Pedro Cortes, Jr. 6/30/2019 Yvonne Rendles 1/31/2019 NEED Dennis Cullinan 11/30/2019 Naomi Robertson 10/31/2019 YOUR Michael Curren 11/30/2019 Tessann Rondeau 10/31/2019 SUPPORT! Ashley Dangerfield 10/31/2019 Dominic Rosati 11/30/2019 Please renew Robin Davis 11/30/2019 Nanette Rosbury 5/31/2019 your Amy Douglas 1/31/2019 Dante Rosinski 11/30/2019 membership Harold Foley 11/30/2019 Kelly Sass 11/30/2019 and send (or Cameron Galindo 11/30/2019 Colin Straub 3/31/2019 bring in) your Karen Gibbs 5/31/2019 Brenda Szubeczak 2/28/2019 dues as soon Carese Goodloe 4/30/2019 Bryan Taylor 5/31/2019 as possible! Cindy Gourlay 11/30/2019 Sally Taylor 6/30/2019 Douglas Gourlay 11/30/2019 The Arc Frank Webb 11/30/2019 Downriver Christopher Gregory 8/31/2019 Justin Wicker 10/31/2019 1028 Oak St. Chester Helstowski 10/31/2019 Lisa Wojnar 11/30/2019 Wyandotte, David Hernandez 4/30/2019 MI 48192 4 The advocates at the Arc Downriver would really like to offer presentations and trainings to self-advocates, fami- ly members, education staff, agency staff and commu- nity members, but we simply do not have the funds to do so. The trainings/presentations would be on topics that relate to education (IEPs, suspensions, behavior inter- ventions, etc.), independent living (how to obtain hous- ing, recreation, access community supports, etc.), health issues (CPR Training, seizure training, etc.) and more! Lori and Linda would love to be able to share some of their knowledge, answer your questions and provide support. Please consider donating! If you would like to sup- Please! port this endeavor through a donation, please write for ADVOCACY Trainings in the memo line of your check and mail it to: The Arc Downriver, 1028 Oak Street, Wy- andotte, MI 48192. Thank You! Thank you to all who have been so generous with your donations, time given and support of everything that is offered through The Arc Downriver! Memorial Donations may be made in memory of loved ones who have died; a memorial card will be sent by The Arc Downriver in your name to the family of the deceased. Donations may also be made to honor someone special, and near and dear to you, for a particular occasion, or just because… Send donations to The Arc Downriver office. Thank you for continuing to support all of our advocacy and support efforts. 5 The Arc Downriver Skills Basketball Starts: Monday, December 2, 2019 Where: Paragon gym (old Madison School) 2101 Grove Street Wyandotte, MI Time: 6:00 to 7:00 pm Skills practice dates are: December 2, 9,16 January 6,13, 27 February 3,10, 27 Athletes will focus on three skills: dribbling, shooting, and passing. ATHLETES: Due to NEW POLICIES, All Athletes MUST sign up with the Arc Downriver office or will not be able to participate . Must be a current Arc Member. Must have a signed Special Olympics Athlete Release Form and a current Special Olympics Athlete Medical Form (physical) on file in The Arc Downriver Office.