Jared LePage of St. Lawrence NYSARC enjoys using the new grant-funded exercise bicycle.

St. Lawrence NYSARC (www.slnysarc.org), the St. Lawrence County Chapter of NYSARC, Inc., received a $5,000 grant to increase recreational options.  The Trustees of the NYSARC Trusts awarded this grant for 10 children to take a trip to Rochester and for the purchase of recreational equipment that will benefit more than 50 people for years to come.

The NYSARC Trust Grant provided funds that made it possible for the young people involved in St. Lawrence NYSARC’s Saturday Club program to take a trip to the National Museum of Play in Rochester.  An overnight trip was a first for this group and the children enjoyed staying at the hotel, especially since it had an indoor swimming pool.  Saturday Club also went to a laser light show at Strasenburg Planetarium.

St. Lawrence NYSARC’s Seaway Industries utilized a portion of the NYSARC Trust Grant to purchase a variety of recreational equipment for multiple facilities.  The generous grant allowed the program to purchase: barbecue grills for three facilities including accessories and covers for those grills; fishing poles, tackle boxes and tackle; a digital camera; hand weights and an exercise bicycle; a Wii console including the games and accessories; and television.

People at the Agency’s Hermon site used the fishing poles all summer and are thrilled to use their Wii as a fun way to exercise during the cold months.  Individuals at the Massena location are excited to fully utilize their new exercise bicycle as part of an active fitness program.  The new hand weights are a great option for individuals with limited mobility to exercise.  The people who attend services in Ogdensburg love their new grill and are happily learning healthier options for cooking.

NYSARC Trust Services administer supplemental needs trusts that enable persons with disabilities to remain in their home and community and retain their Medicaid eligible services.  The Trustees utilize remainder funds to benefit other people with disabilities including unfunded Chapter guardianships.  During the last 12 months, the Trusts have provided $750,000 to support Chapter Guardianship and over $50,000 in direct grants to individuals in need at the Chapter. Information on how you may benefit from a NYSARC Trust is available by calling 518-439-8323 or 800-735-8924 or at www.nysarctrustservices.org.

Fifty people, ages 10 to 68, enjoyed sports activities, which included: basketball, tennis, horseback riding, fishing and golf. The grant was received from the NYSARC Trusts Remainder Fund for the exclusive purpose of funding new recreational activities.

Lorri Ingersoll, Herkimer ARC Community Supports supervisor, explained that the goal of the camp was to teach sports and skills that individuals could enjoy for a “lifetime.” Individuals were sent surveys as to what activity they would choose to participate in at summer camp. Five sports were then offered. “I cannot think of a person that did not thoroughly enjoy camp,” said Ingersoll. “Many individuals learned a new sport and could not wait to continue playing after camp ended. In fact, several individuals selected sports that we thought were not necessarily the right fit, but we respected their choices. Ironically, many of those people were probably the most excited to have learned the new sport and were excited to come back each day,” Ingersoll said.

The Summer Camp Committee would like to give special thanks to NYSARC, Inc. for making the camp possible, and also to Root Farms in Verona, NY, Mohawk Valley Country Club in Herkimer, NY, and to Herkimer ARC staff who gave their talents to coach: Aaron Postiglione (basketball), and Tony Vennera and Tom Leonis (fishing).

The Herkimer ARC enables people with disabilities and others in the community to achieve full potential and to live enriched lives. For more information regarding plans for a camp next year, please contact Lorri Ingersoll at (315) 574-7848.

Ice Breaker Session

“Ha Ha and Soul”

Ok, these really ARE challenging, uncertain, and stressful times. Many of us feel the pressure in the work we do and in our personal lives. Some of us are fearful. So, the question is— “How do we live through these times with some sense of hope and joy?” In this activity, we’ll have some fun, sing some songs, move around a bit, and talk together about what our purpose is, and what we can do to bring more hope and joy into our lives and our work. We’ll also look at some Hopi wisdom that says, “When it comes to transforming our experience…We are the ones we’ve been waiting for!”

Presented by: Stephen Holmes, Administrative Director

Self‐Advocacy Association of New York State

So what are you waiting for??? Register today!

Artwork courtesy of Joshua Brooks, Lexington Center

Voice! 8, the eighth annual juried art exhibition of work by artists with intellectual and other developmental disabilities from across New York State, will open with a free, public reception on Friday, August 17 from 5:00 – 7:00 pm at the Martin-Mullen Art Gallery, Fine Arts Building, SUNY Oneonta.  During the reception, which includes refreshments, art for sale and music by John Zovath, $1,300 in prize money will be awarded and visitors will have the opportunity to cast a vote for the winner of the People’s Choice Award.

Presented by The Arc Otsego, Voice demonstrates the power of art to transcend disability and stereotypes to reveal common ground and celebrate unique abilities.  This year’s exhibit features over seventy works by sixty-five artists representing nineteen counties in New York State. The eclectic exhibition addresses a variety of subjects expressed through drawing, painting, sculpture, fabric arts, photography, collage and mixed media.  New to Voice this year are three, exhibition-only, collaborative works.

The 2012 exhibit poster cover piece, Slice of Watermelon, was painted by Joshua Brooks.  Brooks, who studies art at Lexington Center in Fulton County, loves to paint and is a Special Olympian.  According to Lynne Sessions, Director of Community Relations for The Arc Otsego, Brooks’ work was chosen as the 2012 cover art for Voice! because “his work captures the joy of summer and the exuberant spirit of Voice.”

Jurors are James Mullen and Thomas Sakoulas. Mullen is Professor of Art and Dean of Humanities and Fine Arts, Emeritus, at SUNY Oneonta.  He taught courses in drawing, design, printmaking and art history and served as director of the Fine Arts Gallery which now bears his name.  Mullen’s work is in a number of public and SUNY collections as a result of Purchase Awards.  His latest watercolor is part of a traveling exhibition with Leading Age NY, a juried exhibition of art by residents of New York State Retirement Units.  Mullen is an elected member of The Residents’ Council at Good Shepherd Village in Endwell the Broome County Arts Council.

Sakoulas is an Associate Professor of Sculpture and Computer Art at SUNY Oneonta.  He works in a variety of media ranging from stone carving and metal fabrication, to digital media, 3D Modeling, Video and Web Design.  His work has been exhibited nationally and is featured in collections in Florida, Maryland and New York.  Sakoulas received a MFA from the Maryland Institute College of Art, Rinehart School of Sculpture and a BFA from Florida International University.

Voice! 8 is made possible with the generous support of Gilroy Kernan and Gilroy Insurance, Gordon B. Roberts Agency, Inc., KeyBank and NYSID, Inc.; grants from Excellus BCBS and Corning Incorporated Foundation; and with the assistance of SUNY Oneonta and Timothy Sheesley, Director of the Martin-Mullen Art Gallery.  Gallery hours are Tuesday – Saturday, 11-3 pm.   The exhibit runs through August 25th.

The idea originated from Director of Clinical Services Sarah Louer along with Assistant Director Amanda Bechtold and was submitted to the New York State’s Family Support Council out of Sunmount DDSO. An interview followed at Sunmount Developmental Center in Tupper Lake with its Family Support Panel and the proposal was approved.

The result is that fifteen young people are positively affected by a program which structures out-of-school time with 80% of the program being spent in community integrated settings.

And so how does the camp function? Six staff are involved in the program including four HBSS Direct Support Professionals and two members of the Early Intervention team. Additionally, student volunteers and agency interns have also become involved in this project with nice results. These staff provide a one-to-three ratio, which is both personalized and workable. Age-appropriate activities are offered to the children including basketball, kickball, crafts and films. These activities supplement the many community adventures the kids go on each day to places like the Fun Spot in Lake George, swimming at the Comfort Inn in Plattsburgh and All About Critters in Ticonderoga.

The funding also provides both educational opportunities and respite for the parents.  Before each Camp session begins, there is an in-service for parents to meet with agency personnel and discuss relevant topics like nutrition and positive behavioral supports. For Social Worker Deann Bronson, these get–togethers “provide families with time to increase their knowledge of various factors we promote, improve their quality of life, and strengthen our rapports. This develops a greater sense of trust and understanding.”  Amanda Bechtold agrees and adds, “We are also seeing the families networking with each other now, finding resources among their group and becoming their own natural supports.” Another wonderful aspect to this grant is that it covers all financial costs for the campers, be it food, admissions, or transport, thus being a huge resource for the parents.

At the end of each Camp session, the staff are both happy and exhausted from the marvelously hectic pace of their program, and feel as though they have opened up new worlds of experience for their campers, while helping the families back home recharge and reaffirm their relationships with their loved ones. Definitely a win-win situation!

A $5,000 NYSARC, Inc. Trusts grant allowed the Herkimer ARC to expand recreational activities, including hosting Visiting Artist Megan Crimmins, left, to work with individuals with disabilities to create unique artwork. Artist Chris Sutton, right, shares his pottery that he made on a potter’s wheel. He was one of 25 artists who showed their pottery and art creations at a show at the Herkimer ARC’s Recreation Center.

Herkimer – Thanks to a $5,000 grant from the trustees of NYSARC Trust Services, children, teens, and adults enjoyed life enriching activities while participating in Herkimer ARC’s Recreation programs.

NYSARC Trust Services awarded the 2011 grant for the purpose of creating new or expanded recreation programs for people with intellectual or other developmental disabilities.

“With federal and state funding cuts, the NYSARC Trust Services recreation grant becomes even more vital to us to help provide additional fun and meaningful events for the individuals we support,” said Susan Streeter, Herkimer ARC VP Day & Community Supports. “The money allowed us to offer pottery classes with a visiting artist complete with art show, Tai Chi classes, and other art activities. Individuals, including those who normally would not get a opportunity to see Off-Broadway shows, went to see Grease, Beauty and the Beast, and The Lion King. Thanks to NYSARC, Inc., one of our most popular activities seemed to be ‘theme nights’ with snacks or a meals based upon the group’s chosen theme. Giving $5,000 to also allow staff to see faces light up with joy when individuals spin their first pieces on a potter’s wheel or to hear the laughter that goes along with theme nights—the money in the end is a truly a gift to all of us.”

Falon & Michelle at Sirius/XM Studios in Rockefeller Center, NYC

Michelle King & Falon McBride represented Flame on “The Janette Show” on Sirius/XM Satellite Radio.  Flame, a rock band made up of people with developmental and physical disabilities, started in 2005 as a Lexington Center (the Fulton County Chapter of NYSARC, Inc.) recreation program and is now an innovative supported employment program.

“The Janette Show” episode aired the last week of November.  The show, hosted by comedienne, writer and TV producer Janette Barber, is recorded at the Sirius/XM studios at Rockefeller Center in Manhattan, NY.

Michelle and Falon enjoyed the star treatment they received at Sirius/XM, including signing the Wall of Fame in their lobby.  Janette talked to the band and Flame management about Lexington and Flame and ended the 10 minute interview with an acoustic performance by Michelle and Falon of Van Morrison’s “Brown Eyed Girl”.  “The Janette Show” is heard nationwide weekly on Sirius/XM station Starz 107.

The Herkimer ARC employs 209 Direct Support Professionals (DSPs), who work within the agency’s Day Program, Family and Community Support, Sheltered Workshop, Residential Services, and Transportation. Recognition activities included presentations of gift certificates to local businesses and a cake at each work site.

“We have some of the most dedicated direct care workers, who provide tremendous services to the people we support each day,” said Kevin Crosley, Herkimer ARC’s president/CEO. “I continually hear  stories of how our employees make a difference in the lives of the individuals we support. As the New York State Fair came to an end this year, it reminded me of two of our DSPs, Missy Douglas and Cindy Dodson, who worked after school with a young man to help him learn to respond to potential medical emergencies. Kyle was at the state fair with his family, when his father became ill due to heat issues. Our DSPs worked with Kyle to teach him how to keep calm in an emergency and to seek out help or call 911. Kyle did just that and his quick response helped his father to get immediate, live-saving care. Today, Dad and son are together, and Kyle is both proud and confident in responding to his Dad’s needs. We are proud too,” Crosley added.

Crosley continued, “Individuals who need vital and meaningful support are more likely to live enriched lives if they have well-trained, experienced, and motivated professionals at their side. Our DSPs help our folks to stay connected to friends, family, community, and work. They are the life blood of our organization and it would be impossible to carry out our mission without them.”

Don’t miss this opportunity to share in this learning and networking experience with other professionals who understand the importance of recreation in the lives of people who have developmental disabilities.

Recreation: Bringing it all Together!
September 14-16, 2011
Ft. William Henry Hotel & Conference Center
Lake George, NY

Register today!

Highlights

THE MUSEUM OF DISABILITY HISTORY
The Museum of disABILITY History is the only “brick and mortar” Museum dedicated to preserving disability history and advancing the understanding, acceptance, and independence of individuals with disabilities. Come learn about this unique Museum, its exhibits, and educational programs and see “In the Game: Sports and disABILITY” – one of the Museum’s most popular traveling exhibits.
Presented by: Tess Fraser, Director

STRIDE ADAPTIVE SPORTS
In their 26th year, STRIDE Adaptive Sports is a volunteer non-profit organization providing over 7,000 free adaptive sport and recreation lessons annually to children & individuals with special needs. With focus on education in individual life-time sports, STRIDE is recognized as one of the leading adaptive sport programs in the Northeastern United States. This presentation will focus on an overview of providing extra-curricular programs for students with disabilities; and a relate valuable information on how to achieve success, including strategies for children with Autism Spectrum Disorders and developmental disabilities.
Presented by: Mary Ellen Whitney, CEO & Founder

Stipends for overnight accommodations are still available through the generous support of the Trustees of the NYSARC Trusts.

Add the event to your calendar via the NYSARC Online Calendar