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Pictured: Betty Brudege receiving her Blesher award at the December Residential Staff meeting
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Betty
Brundege, Residential Habilitation Professional and Kim Shaw, Director of
Support Services were nominated for a Blesher Award by Beverly Hodges. In the nomination Beverly described how they
supported a parent in understanding and coping with her daughter’s transition
from high school to college. Using life experiences with their own children, Kim
and Betty kept in close contact with each other as they helped this parent
successfully navigate the emotional and financial challenges of a college bound
child. They eased the stress and helped this parent understand the complex
paperwork and responsibilities involved with college financing. They both get
an "A+" for a successful transition process.
Congratulations
Betty and Kim!
When The Arc of Delaware County (Delarc) learned that they
would be receiving a $5,000 grant to provide new recreational opportunities to
people they support from The Trustees of the NYSARC Trusts, staff brainstormed
ideas and looked over ‘wish lists’ of people they support to determine how best
to use this grant money. They soon
discovered they were able to fulfill dreams for 5 people who have long desired
such things as a vacation away from home, to sleep overnight in a hotel, a go
to Washington DC, and to attend The Arc’s National Convention and meet self
advocates from across the country and the world. Planning began for a vacation to Washington,
D.C. during the week of The Arc’s National Convention (also in D.C.) at the end
of October.
Brenda Scott, Kelly Piskacek, Kevin Allen, Matt Wilson, Tina
Cawley, and their support staff couldn’t have been more excited as they loaded
their suitcases in the mini-vans and set out on their journey. The drive from Delaware County to D.C. took a
full day, but everyone was so thrilled this day had finally arrived (after
months of careful planning) that time passed in the blink of an eye. The next few days were packed with many new
experiences – riding the Metro, touring our Nation’s Capital, seeing the White
House, visiting the Capitol Building, Lincoln Memorial, the National Zoo, and Natural
History and Air and Space Museums, dining in various restaurants, meeting
interesting people, and much, much more.
There was never a dull moment.
There couldn’t have been a more perfect wrap up for the trip
than spending the last couple days at The Arc’s National Convention and
International Forum. Some of the
highlights were sessions lead by self advocates and leaders from across world, walking
the red carpet at the Gala Film Festival, and learning about what life was like
for people outside of Delaware County, New York. Everyone returned home exhausted, exhilarated,
and grateful for the opportunity the NYSARC Trusts grant provided them.
The NYSARC Trusts
administer supplemental needs trusts that enable people with disabilities to
remain in their home and community and retain their Medicaid eligible services.
The Trustees utilize remainder funds to benefit other persons with disabilities
including unfunded Chapter guardianship as provided by statute. During the last 12 months the Trusts have
provided $750,000 to support Chapter Guardianship and over $50,000 in direct
grants to needy individuals supported by Chapters. Information on how you may
benefit from a NYSARC Trust is available by calling 518-439-8323 or
1-800-735-8924 or at www.nysarctrustservices.org. To learn more about The Arc of Delaware
County, visit www.delarc.org; to view
pictures of the trip, click the Flickr link.
Dawn Davis, Program Assistant in the Business Office was
nominated by Heidi Friedman, Jessica Baldi, and David Niermeyer for going “above
and beyond” in organizing the trip to The Arc’s National convention in
Washington D.C. They each wrote how they felt that Dawn exemplified the
Unifying Principals of The Arc of Delaware County.
Those We Serve Come
First- “Dawn sought out the desires of those involved (in the trip) and
pursed their interests to make them a reality.”
Commit To Excellence-“She
ensured that directions to and from locations were exact! We were given
materials in plenty of time to review and prepare.”
Be Dedicated- “Dawn
went above and beyond when it came to organizing the Washington trip. Life
Coach’s just needed to open their information packets and the answers were
there. You made our trip a total success. Travel to hotel and to activities was
sooooo wonderful!
Employee
Satisfaction-“Dawn worked hard on putting the Washington trip together so
that it would be a success for both participants and staff.”
Communicate
Effectively- “Amazing communication on all levels- from information to
money to follow up. Awesome!”
Be Innovative-“Dawn
went outside the average duties to pursue trying to get us into the White
House. We appreciate the effort!”
Congratulations Dawn!
Robin Williams, Life Coach 10 at CLS-Arkville
nominated Heidi Friedman for a Blesher Award. She wrote a compelling nomination:
"Heidi invested so much personal time and energy into the
preparation and support of one of our individuals, Kelly, who recently attended
the National ARC convention in Washington, DC.
While I recognize that
preparation for community inclusion is part of her job description as a Life Coach
VII, she really went above and beyond her job description. Heidi recognized
that Kelly was deserving of this opportunity, but would need a great deal of
support to make it happen.
Many of the ways Heidi supported Kelly were in areas that
Kelly would have not have been able to receive support, due to her current home
situation.
Those We Serve Come
First-
1.
In an effort to help the Kelly be prepared for
social gatherings, Heidi brought Kelly home for a dinner with her family, where
she guided Kelly in making appropriate conversation as well as basic table
manners.
2.
Heidi arranged for Kelly to have a haircut with
her own hair stylist outside of work hours.
Commit to Excellence-
1.
Due to Kelly’s current home situation, she was
not prepared with supplies for a lengthy trip, especially one which included
some ‘fancy’ stops. These supplies
included appropriate clothes, footwear and personal care items. Heidi created a wardrobe for Kelly to choose
from, using her relationship with the local Thrift Store. Kelly was able to choose outfits from an
array of quality clothing which were diligently sought out by Heidi to be the
right fit and ‘style’ to Kelly’s liking.
2.
Beyond helping Kelly choose clothes, Heidi then
took it upon herself to mend & hem any items which did not fit Kelly. Kelly has a unique body shape, which meant
that most pants and many jackets needed to be hemmed; all of which Heidi did on
her personal time with her own supplies.
Be Innovative-
1.
To allow for Kelly to have the most independence
while in DC, Heidi came up with a creative way to provide Kelly with guidance
when getting dressed daily. Heidi
supported Kelly to pair up clothing and create outfits, and then took pictures
of Kelly in these outfits. Kelly very much enjoyed these ‘fashion shows.’ Heidi helped Kelly pack these photos in
Kelly’s suitcase for the trip, and while in DC, Kelly was able to choose from
the photos what she wanted to wear, and then match the clothing items, so she
could dress independently.
2.
Kelly has a unique set of goal which Heidi was
able to address in some very creative ways, including addressing her computer
goal, by teaching Kelly to use the Metro Card machine, an activity that
otherwise might have been quickly done by staff, became a learning experience
for Kelly.
Communicate
Effectively-
1.
Heidi has developed a strong relationship and
level of trust with Kelly’s mother, this being one of the main reason’s Kelly
was able to go on this week long trip so far away from home. An opportunity she may have never had if Heidi
had not developed this trusting relationship.
Heidi communicated with Kelly’s mother frequently to keep her up to date
on the plans.
3.
Upon their return, Heidi assembled the many
photos from the trip, again on her personal time and quickly created a display
for Kelly to share with peers and staff.
Kelly outwardly glowed while sharing her trip photos with Heidi’s
guidance.
4.
At the staff meeting following Heidi &
Kelly’s return, Heidi became emotional while sharing with us the details of the
trip and Kelly’s reactions to different scenarios. She quoted the following statements, which I
think helped fellow staff get a wonderful feeling for how invested Heidi was,
but also how important this entire experience was for Kelly.
“There
was not moment where I thought, this might not be the best idea” (before the
trip, Heidi was a bit nervous about the
amount of activities Kelly would need to be ready to participate in, and also
the new challenges she might face.)
“You could see Kelly getting uneasy about something,
…..especially the metro…..but then she would just buck up, put her chin up, and
do it, you could see her working things out.”
“You could see Kelly absorbing everything
around her; this really meant something to her.”
Staff who work with Kelly have also noticed
a difference since her return, “Kelly is a totally different person, she
is shining with confidence and holding her head up higher.”
Overall I know this was one of the most
time-consuming trips to prepare for, but Heidi did it all with so much energy
and commitment, but also calmness in preparing Kelly for something she had
never done before on such a large scale.
She has displayed every Unifying Principle, and the above examples are
only a handful of actions I witnessed that deserve recognition in the form of
this award."
Congratulations Heidi!
On November 28th, Jim Hoyt, Operations Manager at RFI
received a Blesher award. He was
nominated for this award by Ailisa Boyer who cited Jim’s creativity and hard
work in developing a tool that was used at a transition services event held at
Sidney High School. Several service
organizations including The Arc of Delaware County (Delarc), had information
booths at this event. Ailisa wanted something to bring to the event that would
highlight the fact that at Delarc, transition services is all about the
personal approach to helping people achieve their individual goals. She said, “Jim’s
construction helped give Delarc an edge when presenting to the community in an
interesting way. Jim worked on this on his own free time at home. “
It was apparent that the “Wheel of Future” created by Jim
had much thought put into its design.
“The wheel construction was effective, creative, and easy to work with”
Ailisa wrote in her nomination. Jim also created a template that could be used
by other departments within the agency.
Jim’s dedicated efforts at creating the “Wheel of Future”
exemplify the 6 unifying principles of The Arc of Delaware County:
- Those We Serve Come First
- Commit To Excellence
- Be Dedicated
- Employee Satisfaction
- Communicate Effectively
- Be Innovative
Congratulations Jim!
Marisa Romano is a poised young lady who knows her mind. She
considers herself a “self advocate” and pursues her interests with purpose and
drive. Marisa shared, “I really like to work with kids and I do a good job with
them.” She said that she knew these things about herself from the enjoyment she
experienced caring and playing with her young cousins. So, through connections
made through a program Marisa participates in, Resources For Industry, arrangements
were made for her to volunteer at the Hancock Community Children’s Center
Preschool Program. Marisa resides in Cadosia and helping at the center enables
her be an integral part of her local community. She has volunteered at the
program for over 3 years and has formed strong bonds with the other volunteers
as well as the children she works with
The Hancock Community Foundation provides “Birth to College”
support for children in Hancock. And the Hancock Community Children’s Center is
an important part of the network of supports offered through this
foundation. The center provides care for
children in 2 programs: birth through age 3 and the preschool program serving
children ages 3-5. Currently the Preschool program has 22 children
enrolled. Linda O’Brien, Executive
Director shared some impressive statistics that measure the success of these
programs. As this is the 12th year of the program, the seeds that were sown at
the start have now produced an increase in graduation rate from 36% to 79%. The
teachers at the Hancock Elementary School can readily identify those children
that had participated in the Children’s Center by their readiness, knowledge,
and skills acquired prior to attending Elementary school.
Marisa begins her day at the preschool program at 8:30am.
She is in charge of teaching the children their numbers and days of the week
during a daily review of a large wall calendar. She also enjoys selecting and
reading a story to them during story time and assisting them with their arts
and crafts activities. She gently corrects and provides praise while
encouraging questions and interaction.
Barbara Leonard one of the center’s Directors said, “Marisa has a
beautiful singing voice and when there are songs, sometimes the children would
stop singing just to listen to Marisa’s voice”.
Marisa shared the thing that surprised her most about her
child care experience is how different the children are year to year. She loves
meeting each new child and knows the feeling is mutual. At the end of her day,
“the children don’t want me to leave.”
This was proved true when she left after our interview. Several children
ran and hugged her and all said “goodbye Marisa” in unison as she left. Heather
McAdams, Life Coach at Resources for Industry who supports Marisa observed,
“Marisa is awesome with the kids! I just step back and watch her work with
them.”
In addition to her volunteer work at the center, Marisa is
very proud of being a self advocate and helping others become self advocates;
she “speaks up for people’s rights.” She also enjoys spending time with friends
and playing Bingo.
To view more photos of Marisa at the Hancock Community Children's Center visit our Flickr site at:http://www.flickr.com/photos/organize/
George Suess, CEO of The Arc of
Delaware County said, “It takes time and reciprocity.” The Arc of Delaware
County has long advocated for ways in which people with disabilities can not
only become part of the community and accepted , but also develop true
friendships in which people delight in sharing each other’s company.
Warren Stelter became friends
with David Bailey, owner/operator of Hamden Auto about 7 years ago through Janet
Stoop a Life Coach at THRIVE. Janet had previously introduced Warren to
snowmobile racing and explained, “Warren likes anything that runs and is loud
so snowmobile racing was right up his alley.” She knew that her friend Dave
also loved snowmobiling so she introduced them to each other at a snowmobile event.
Dave relates how he immediately liked Warren because of “his phenomenal sense
of humor.” He related that Warren shares his love of practical jokes. At the garage, Warren and Dave demonstrated a
favorite prop used for one of their pranks- an old air horn from a truck. Both
Warren and Dave love to surprise people with the blast that happens when they
hook it to the air compressor. Warren
enjoys developing ideas for pranks and jokes that keeps the garage team
laughing and on their toes.
The sharing of mutual interests
and supporting each other is a large part of friendship. Warren always has his
friends at the garage in mind and brings items he thinks would be useful when
he visits. A stray cat adopted the
garage and Warren brought a jar in to collect donations for its care. “Garage
Kitty” has been a fixture at the garage for a long time.
When Warren participated in the
Lawn Tractor Pull at the Delaware County Fair this year, the entire Hamden Auto
Service business closed so that all of the employees could see him compete.
Dave related, “We were excited and proud of Warren. We are competitive
individuals and Warren was competing, and so we all wanted to see him at the
Tractor Pull.” They also had chipped in to buy Warren his own toolbox for his
tools he uses when helping with the many projects at the garage. Currently
Warren and Dave are working on restoring a ’69 Chevy truck. Dave said, “Warren
enjoys doing anything that needs doing around the shop.” This includes sanding,
painting, and helping with mechanical repairs.
Outside the shop they share time
together going to snowmobile races. And each year Dave takes Warren out for his
birthday.
Friendships are reciprocal and
enrich each other’s lives. “A friend is a gift you give yourself.”~ Rovert Louis Stevenson
If you would like to take the next step and
make a personal connection contact The Arc of Delaware County via email:
delarc@delarc.org or call our Community Relations department at (607) 865-7126.
View more about “Making Community Connections” on our YouTube site: http://youtu.be/WDx-hFGo9uo
In July, the National Conference of Executives (NEC) of the Arc held its 2012 Summer Leadership Institute in Indianapolis, IN. George Suess, CEO of The Arc of Delaware County (NY) led a Pre-Conference seminar where he shared what he learned about hiring and retaining the best staff members. He was also interviewed by Michelle Fischer, host of The Arc of Indiana's podcast, "A View from My Window" about how to build systems where abuse is NOT inevitable. George spoke about building these systems around the right set of core values that inevitably create the right culture where people with disabilities can thrive and not be subject to abuse. He shared that when you find employees that share the same values and train and support them, great things happen!
Listen to the full podcast here: "Is Abuse Inevitable?"
Follow Michelle Fischers "A View from My Window" podcast by liking her Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/AViewfromMyWindow
In
the wake of renewed efforts to improve the treatment of individuals with severe
developmental disabilities in the state of New York, The Arc of Delaware County
(Delarc) is experiencing a surge of interest in its training initiatives from
both government officials and industry professionals. The focus is primarily on
Delarc’s Vantage Point training
program, a unique exercise that puts able-bodied individuals into situations
where they experience first-hand what it’s like to go through life with a disability.
By
the end of the third quarter, more than 70 individuals will have gone through
the Vantage Point program, a 44%
increase over 2011, with the organization on track to reach close to 100
participants for this year alone.
“The
increased interest in Vantage Point
is testament to the commitment of those in our field who constantly seek ways
to improve care for those with developmental disabilities,” said George Suess,
CEO of Delarc. “After more than 30 years implementing a philosophy of positive reinforcement
without physical intervention, we are eager to have others experience our
approach in action and gain insights into how those with disabilities should be
served.”
As
part of the Vantage Point program,
participants are put through a series of exercises that simulate real-life
disabilities. Participants are required to negotiate the physical obstacles
encountered from a wheelchair; identify individuals and locations while
blindfolded to replicate visual impairments; and engage in a variety of mental
exercises that challenge memory and other cognitive functions. At the same
time, participants interact with Delarc staff who demonstrate their hands-on
approach to care and service, which blends proactive support, constant encouragement
and positive reinforcement to achieve desired behaviors, without ever resorting
to physical intervention or restraints.
Among those
participating most recently in Vantage
Point is a group of senior staff from the New York State’s Office for
People With Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD). Leading the way was
Commissioner Courtney Burke who went through Vantage Point in early August as part of her ongoing commitment to
learning about different ways to improve and enhance the quality of service
provided to disabled citizens in the state.
“During my experience I observed both constant positive
reinforcement and constant check-ins to see how people were doing,” said
Commissioner Burke. “I was particularly impressed by the respect and genuine
affection shown by Delarc staff to everyone.”
In addition to
OPWDD officials, professionals from across New York and other parts of the
country have visited this summer to learn from Delarc. Among them was a team of four staff from The
Arc of Fresno, California, two from the Arc of Westchester County, and three
from rehabilitation agencies in Connecticut.
“As the only organization in New York State with a Board of
Director’s policy prohibiting any physical intervention, mechanical or
pharmacologist restraints, we are very proud of the successes we’ve witnessed
among those in our care as a result of our positive approach,” said Suess. “We
are delighted to have an opportunity to work with state officials and other
professionals in our field to share our philosophy and training programs with
the ultimate goal of eliminating all instances of abuse among those caring for
people with developmental disabilities and improving their quality of service.”
For
more information about The Arc of Delaware County and its Vantage Point program, please visit www.delarc.org.
The first
annual “Art and Soul of the Catskills Film Festival" was held this past Friday
and Saturday. Submissions to the film festival were accepted from all levels of
filmmakers who were either residents of Delaware, Otsego, Ulster, Green,
Chenango, and Schoharie counties or whose films were produced in or made the
subject of these Counties. Over 42 films were entered and judged in 5
categories. The Arc of Delaware County’s
video, “Making the Shift to Community Connections” won first place in the short
documentary category.
This film
tells the story of Delarc and the connections being made by people with disabilities
in the communities in which they live. Sheri Hull, THRIVE Program Director shared “We
felt like we needed to do it in a meaningful way (make connections). Doing
things that were meaningful for them and that really had to do with their life
choices and goals.” This film consists
of a series of vignettes of people with disabilities engaged in their communities
with activities such as working at a local auto repair shop and vegetable crop
farm, taking classes at SUNY Delhi, taking horseback riding lessons, learning
skills and assisting at a day care center. And the ultimate outcome of community
connections in which real relationships and friendships are formed is
powerfully demonstrated by this video.
George Suess,
CEO of The Arc of Delaware County shared “ At the actual showing of the video,
Saturday afternoon, the audience was very small but their response when the
video ended was over the top. Loud and sustained applause with big smiles all
the way around.” You can view
this award winning video on our YouTube site or by clicking here: Making the Shift to Community Connections
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George Suess, CEO listens as The Arc of Delaware County's video
"Making the Shift To Community Connections"
wins a first prize at the 1st Annual Art and Soul of the Catskills Film Festival |
The ASCFF welcomes submissions from all levels of
filmmakers providing they are residents of Delaware, Otsego, Ulster, Green
Jessica and Janet were nominated for a Blesher Award by
Steve Finkel, Community Program Life Coach. In his nomination he stated,” They
both worked as a team to make the recently completed “Camp Work Program” a
success for our folks, despite staff shortages and some very hot weather!
They’re
the best!” Jessica and Janet supported people from Delarc as they assisted in readying
Camp Shankitunk for the summer season and also helped maintain the facilities while
the 4 H Camp and Day Camp programs were in session.
In order to qualify for a Blesher award, those nominated
must have exemplified the Unifying Principles of The Arc of Delaware County. In
using their, talents and abilities, these ladies have gone above and beyond job
expectations to provide a wonderful opportunity for those they support.
Steve wrote that Janet and Jessica exemplified the 6
Unifying Principles in the following ways:
Those We Serve Come First-“Regardless
of staffing issues, they were there to make this program happen.
Commit To Excellence-
“Great Outcomes, great feedback from camp staff.”
Be Dedicated- “They
really know how to overcome almost any obstacle or problem.”
Employee Satisfaction-
“You can see it in their (Janet and Jessica’s) faces. They are proud to support
those we serve to see rewarding outcomes.”
Communicate
Effectively-“Despite very busy schedules, you always knew “what’s up” and “what’s
happening”.
Be Innovative- “Overcoming
schedule changes and other obstacles never were barriers to their achieving
success!”
Congratulations Janet and Jessica!
The Arc of Delaware County (Delarc) held its Staff Retreat
on July 20th at Scott’s Family Resort located on beautiful Oquaga Lake in
Deposit, NY. The Staff Retreat is eagerly looked forward to each year by Delarc’s
employees as a chance to interact together as well as have fun, relax, and take
part in a variety of learning activities.
The morning program included a presentation by guest
speakers, Polly and Dylan Emmons who gave their personal story about living
with Asperger’s Syndrome, a form of Autism. This mother and son team spoke
about how they discovered Dylan had Autism and how they navigated the obstacles
and solutions presented to them as Dylan grew up to the amazing young man he is
today. Dylan graduated from Ithaca College this Spring and will continue pursuing
his interest in writing while working on his Master’s Degree at Sarah Lawrence
College this Fall.
After their presentation, a variety of interactive activities
were centered around the 6 Unifying Principles of The Arc of Delaware County.
Employees were broken into teams as they took up the challenge of each activity
that represented a Unifying Principle –Those We Serve Come First, Commit to
Excellence, Be Dedicated, Employee Satisfaction, Communicate Effectively, and Be
Innovative.
After a delicious luncheon Delarc staff had an opportunity
to get to know each other better while participating in a variety of afternoon
activities including golf, boat rides, yoga, massage, horseshoes, volleyball,
and classes in art (Zentangles), mind exploration,volleyball, fly casting,
bicycling, and just plain relaxing around Scott’s Resort.
Several Departments had created gift baskets around the
Unifying Principle theme and these were raffled off at the end of the day.
What a great place to work! To find out more about how you
can become part of the Delarc Team visit our Career Page at www.delarc.org.
The Arc of
Delaware County (Delarc) is one of the country’s most progressive and unique
organizations serving children and adults with developmental disabilities. Each year, Delarc awards
scholarships to high school students that will be attending college to further
their studies in the field of Human Services.
The recipients selected by their schools should not only have
demonstrated scholastic ability but also been active providing service to their
communities and/or school. The scholarships were sent to each school for presentation at commencement
or awards ceremonies.
The 2012
recipients of The Arc Delaware County Scholarship are:
- Jasmine Jester of Charlotte Valley Central School,
attending the College of St. Rose majoring in Clinical Psychology
- Katherine Bracci of Delaware Academy, attending
Mohawk Valley Community College, majoring in Health
- Jennifer Newman of Deposit Central School,
attending Elmira College, majoring in Nursing.
- Harley Rae Frey of Downsville Central School, attending
SUNY Cobleskill, majoring in Early Childhood Education.
- Sarah Gladding of Franklin Central School, SUNY
Delhi, majoring in Nursing.
- Tabitha Althiser of Hancock Central School,
attending Onondaga Community College, majoring in Human Services/Special
Education
- Daphne Ancona of Margaretville Central School,
attending Kutztown University, majoring in Psychology
- Sydney Peters of Roxbury Central School, majoring
in Human Social Services.
- Alaina Wagner of Sidney Central School, attending
SUNY Oneonta, majoring in Psychology
- Rebecca Johnson-Quigley of South Kortright Central
School, attending SUNY Delhi, majoring in Nursing
- Nicole Burgher of Stamford Central School,
attending SUNY Oneonta, majoring in Early Childhood Education.
- Elizabeth Patterson of Walton Central School, attending
St. Rose, majoring in Speech Pathology.
In a thank
you letter to the agency, scholarship recipient Tabitha Althiser wrote, “It
means everything that you gave me this scholarship. This scholarship is helping
me out paying for college. It has also been a pleasure working for the summer
at the Walton location (Delarc’s Community Living Skills- Walton facility)”.
Tabitha indicated that she applied for a summer job at CLS-W to obtain insight
and experience in the field of Human Services.
For more
information about The Arc of Delaware County, including career opportunities, visit
www.delarc.org or call (607) 865-7126.
Marian Ewain, a Life Coach at Community Living Skills-Walton
was nominated by Heather McAdams for a Blesher award. Marian is well known for her willingness to
jump in and help whenever and wherever she can. Heather shared that Marian found a way to
support not only the people at CLS-W but also those at RFI who thoroughly enjoy
attending “Creating Art Together” (CAT) classes. Congratulations to Marian who received
her Blesher award June 28th!
Heather wrote the following examples demonstrating how Marian
exemplifies the 6 Unifying Principles of The Arc of Delaware County:
- Those We Serve Come
First
“Marian was very flexible and was able to help support three folks
from RFI, so they could attend classes.”
- Commit To Excellence
“Marian is willing to jump in whenever she is asked.”
3. Be
Dedicated
“When Marian was approached to help RFI she jumped on it and gave me an
answer the next day.”
4. Employee
Satisfaction
“Marian has an awesome “can do” attitude.”
5. Communicate
Effectively
“Marian kept me updated on how the folks at RFI were doing at CAT class.”
6. Be
Innovative
“Marian found a way to support her folks at CLS-Walton and the folks at RFI
at the same times.”
Danny Vollmer and David Greenwood have been working together
to help beautify the Village of Margaretville. Both men have had a personal
interest in gardening and were pleased when Heidi Friedman, a community
inclusion specialist, found an opportunity for them to put their passion to
work by tending the flower boxes that line the parking lot of the Village of
Margaretville parking lot. David has been volunteering for 3 years and Danny
has been a part of the project for 1 year.
The flower box project got started when Heidi contacted
Karen McMurray, Village Clerk, who along with Mayor Bill Stanton
enthusiastically supported the project. Karen made a connection with local
resident Joe Kiss who is very active in the community. Joe worked alongside
David and Danny imparting his knowledge of plants and gardening to them.
David expresses joy every time he tends to the flowers by
socializing with other community members. Danny sums up his feelings by
stating: “I love watering the flowers, they are so pretty.” David and Danny
take pride in their community and enjoy the opportunity to develop new
connections.
The Arc of Delaware County strives to include people with
disabilities in their communities by supporting them in exploring their
individual hobbies, talents, and interests.
The Arc of Delaware County‘s Annual Membership Meeting and
Achievement Awards Ceremony was held at the Holiday Inn, Oneonta, June 8th. Members, staff, special guests, Officers and
Directors gathered together to elect new Officers and Board Members for the
upcoming term and to celebrate the outstanding achievements of people they
support, community members, and partner organizations.
After serving a maximum of six consecutive one year terms as
Board President, Robert Rothenberg has turned over the reins of leadership.
Officers for the 2012-2013 term are: President, Robin Evanitsky; Vice
President, Ira McIntosh; Secretary, Sandra Bullis; Treasurer, Tim Crain. Directors for the 2012-2014 term are: Sandra Bullis, Lori Cetta, Tim Crain, Robin
Evanitsky, Lee Marigliano, Ira McIntosh, Gerda van Leeuwen, Ruth Vitale, Alan
Zimmerman; they join Margie Aitken, Thomas Banks, Mary Jane Giarrusso-Wilkin,
and Robert Rothenberg whose two year director terms expire in 2013.
Officers and Directors were sworn in to office by Wayne
Marshfield, Hamden Town Supervisor, long time Member and supporter of The Arc
of Delaware County, and Dale Anderson, representing people who receive services
from The Arc.
Six Outstanding Achievement awards were presented to
individuals that have inspired others in each of The Arc of Delaware County’s
programs. Award winners were bestowed
with Oscar-like trophies and plaques, honored with Certificates of Recognition
from Assemblyman Peter Lopez and Senator John Bonacic, and surprised by a
letter of congratulations from Governor Andrew Cuomo. Assemblyman Lopez also personally
congratulated and thanked the staff and volunteers for making all the successes
possible.
Carousel Children’s Services selected Jonathan Roy as
Outstanding Achievement Award winner.
Jonathan was selected by his teachers for his exceptional progress this
past year.
The Outstanding
Achievement award winners of the adult programs were chosen by a group of their
peers. Selection committees for each
program were formed to discuss qualities award winners should possess, and
accomplishments of nominees were reviewed and considered. Lisa Nichols, Life
Coach of the THRIVE program shared, “The individuals (on the nomination
committee) really are observant and they pick up on different things than we do
as staff… they really pick up on the key
pieces that are important to this process.”
The Outstanding Achievement Award winners in the adult
programs include: Community Living
Skills, Arkville- Gerry Sparks;
Community Living Skills, Walton- Russell Beadle; Residential Services-
Corinne Jones; Resources For Industry- Mark Fenner; THRIVE- Brenda McCall.
Other awards included the Dr. Gerald Burday Professional Excellence Award which recognizes a
professional or team of professionals who demonstrates a commitment to
excellence so that each individual they touch reaches his or her true
potential. The winner of this year’s award is Family Resource Network of
Oneonta, NY for providing outstanding support and programs to the Parent Support
Group facilitated by the Arc of Delaware County.
The Father Eugene
Willis Good Neighbor Award celebrates people who embody the spirit of being
kind and neighborly. The recipient of
this year’s award was Nat Thomas of Margaretville, NY. Nat has become a teacher, mentor, fellow
artist, and friend; Nat recognized and nurtured the artistic talents of James
Mould. He helped James establish his first gallery showing at Longyear Gallery
in Margaretville, NY which further led to an additional gallery showing in
Mainview Gallery, Oneonta.
The Partner of the
Year Award was presented to the community partner that has done the most to
enhance opportunities for individuals with disabilities in Delaware County.
This year’s winner was Walton Nursery School. Through the support of the Board
of Directors, Walton Nursery School has always been supportive of a program
that integrates children with and without disabilities. This collaboration
gives all children, regardless of ability level, the opportunity to learn and
play together. Speaking of interactions
with children from the Walton Nursery School, Joan Stone, Classroom Aide
shared, “Instead of fear or animosity toward their peers with special needs,
they develop compassion, understanding, and love.”
To learn how you can become a part of The Arc of Delaware
County as a volunteer or employee, visit our website at: www.delarc.org. To view photos of the “2012 Membership
Meeting and Awards Dinner”, click on the Flickr button located on the homepage
of the website.
Blesher Lil Heart, the mascot of The Arc of Delaware County,
met Mike Terry as he was completing a bus run at CLS-Arkville on May 30th . Mike was nominated by Heidi Friedman who shared, “Mike comes to work with a great
positive attitude and shares it with everybody.”
Mike’s attitude demonstrates
the 6 unifying principles of the Arc of Delaware County everyday:
1.) Those We Serve Come First
Mike asks questions so that he can better work with our
individuals.
2.) Commit To
Excellence
Mike takes pride in his driving and maintaining the safety
of those we serve.
3.) Be Dedicated
Mike has changed his personal schedule to accommodate the
needs of Delarc.
4.) Employee
Satisfaction
Mike pitches in and helps wherever needed.
5.) Communicate Effectively
He has the ability to communicate but also to listen to
others.
6.) Be Innovative
He saw a need and built a “lunch box holder” on the bus.
This was a help to people riding his bus place their lunch pails in a safe and accessible
spot.
Hancock Elementary School and Walton Central School students experienced the Arc of Delaware County’s “Share, Learn, Grow” program in May. This was a special treat for the students who were recently were County Wide and School Wide winners of the Arc of Delaware County’s “Everybody Can” contest.
The “Share, Learn, Grow” program is designed to foster understanding and respect for people with disabilities. It is also a program that challenges students to see past differences and focus on the person inside and will have lifelong impacts on their relationships with others. Catherine Tweedie, Director of Community Relations explained, “There are no members of our community more important to changing attitudes about people with disabilities than our children. Through increased education and understanding they can become the ambassadors of change.”
The students arrived in the morning and were introduced and paired with a person who receives supports from Delarc who served as their mentor and guide throughout the day. The children enjoyed a variety of activities including budgeting classes, art projects, and making pizza. They also had the experience of a simulated disability while perform various tasks such as assembling boxes with a kitchen mitt on one hand and reading and following directions that were written backwards. Students and mentors shared their thoughts and feelings about what they had learned. Blesher Lil’ Heart, the mascot of the Arc of Delaware County, joined the students for a special activity to help encourage positive interactions.
Comments from thank you letters received from the students reflected the success of the program. Kaylee Gill wrote: “I really did learn that people with any disability can do every day things even more than before (my visit). Thank you for an awesome day.” William Gross shared, “I really had a wonderful time at Delarc. My mentor, Tina and I had a lot of fun. I hope someday we can come back!”
To learn more about the Share, Learn, Grow program visit our website at www.delarc.org and select the” Share, Learn, Grow Mentorship Program” video on YouTube. Or view the Hancock Central School and Walton Central School photo sets on Flickr at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/delarc/ All Delaware County schools, grades 5-8 can participate in this program. Contact the Community Relations Department at 607-865-7126 for more information or to schedule a visit.
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