July 2012

Volume 23, Number 7

Disclosure - p. 11

www.accesspress.org July 10, 2012

Children enjoy the Miracle Fields that have gone up in the Twin Cities. These childrenwere at the Minnetonka field.

Photo courtesy of Miracle League of MinnesotaMiracle Field - p. 15

“A life spent makingmistakes is not only morehonorable, but moreuseful than a life spentdoing nothing.” — George

Bernard Shaw

NEWS DIGEST

INSIDE

Disability and disclosure:

Dilemma or opportunity for a new job?

Nonprofit OrNonprofit OrNonprofit OrNonprofit OrNonprofit Org.g.g.g.g.U.S. PostageU.S. PostageU.S. PostageU.S. PostageU.S. Postage

PPPPPAIDAIDAIDAIDAIDTTTTTwin Cities. MNwin Cities. MNwin Cities. MNwin Cities. MNwin Cities. MNPermit No. 4766Permit No. 4766Permit No. 4766Permit No. 4766Permit No. 4766

Address Service Requested

Voter ID awaitslegal decisions

St. Paul park eyed as new Miracle Field site

Accessible Fun, pg 11

Events, pg 12

People & Places,pg 13-14

Radio Talking Book, pg 13

Regional News, pg 6

Voter ID - p. 4

Jeff Bangsberg opens the forum on June 27.Photo by Judy Parker, DEED

Dads on wheels: 4

It has been a long, steamy summerIt has been a long, steamy summerIt has been a long, steamy summerIt has been a long, steamy summerIt has been a long, steamy summerand more heat and humidity may be on the way! People withand more heat and humidity may be on the way! People withand more heat and humidity may be on the way! People withand more heat and humidity may be on the way! People withand more heat and humidity may be on the way! People withdisabilities face extra challenges in these conditions.disabilities face extra challenges in these conditions.disabilities face extra challenges in these conditions.disabilities face extra challenges in these conditions.disabilities face extra challenges in these conditions.Access PressAccess PressAccess PressAccess PressAccess Press has tips to help you beat the heat has tips to help you beat the heat has tips to help you beat the heat has tips to help you beat the heat has tips to help you beat the heat

Read more about it on page 5.

by Kevin Driscoll

An effort is underway to build a new ballpark in St. Paul. However, this one is not a $545 million shrine to the national pastime likeTarget Field in Minneapolis or the $54 million facility the St. Paul Saints have proposed in Lowertown. This one is called Miracle

Field, a $250,000 diamond that would make it pos-sible for children with disabilities to play baseballon a team in an organized league. Lucas Hagen, 11, has been playing baseball forthe past five years in the West Metro MiracleLeague in Minnetonka. “We have a beautiful fieldat Bennett Family Park,” said Hagen, who hasDown syndrome, and started with T-ball initially.“But I’ve gotten much better,” he said, “and now Ihit a pitch from the coach. We have buddies whohelp us, and I love my buddies. They’ve helped mebecome a better athlete.” Hagen said he also enjoyssinging the national anthem at the beginning of thegame “and ‘Take Me Out to the Ball Game’ in thefinal stretch. And we get treat tickets after eachgame. That’s also one of my favorite things.” Now, a corner of Dunning Park is being eyedfor the new facility. It would be the 13th MiracleField built under the guidance and support of thenonprofit Miracle League of Minnesota (MLMN),but the first in either St. Paul or Minneapolis. The

Make plans to attend theADA Celebration.Page 3

We still need yournominations for theCharlie Smith Award.They’re due Aug. 10.Page 12

UCP-MN has closed itsdoors. Read about it inRegional News inReview.Page 6

Check out our newestDirectory ofOrganizations.Pages 7-10

by Access Press staff

As the Nov. 6 electionnears, the fate of a proposedballot question on photo IDis still unclear. So is a de-mand that state election offi-cials do more to make surethat persons ineligible to voteare turned away from thepolls. Both pending court ac-tions could have a significantimpact on people with dis-abilities and their rights tovote.

The Minnesota SupremeCourt will hear oral argu-ments on the ballot amend-ment on July 17 as it weighsa challenge to the languageof the proposed photo IDconstitutional amendment.Supporters contend that theamendment, if adopted bythe voters, would reducecases of voter fraud. Oppo-nents say it isn’t needed andwould create barriers forsome voters, including voterswith disabilities.

State lawmakers approvedthe ballot amendment in Maybefore the 2012 MinnesotaLegislature adjourned. The pro-posed ballot question states,“Shall the Minnesota Constitu-tion be amended to require allvoters to present valid photoidentification to vote and torequire the state to providefree identification to eligiblevoters, effective July 1, 2013?”

The League of Women

by Access Press staff

To disclose or not to disclose?That is the dilemma facing manypeople with disabilities as they seekemployment. Not surprisingly theJune 27 forum on Disability Disclo-sure for Employment and Commu-nity Integration drew more than 100people to a Roseville Public Librarymeeting room. Many state agencies,nonprofit service providers, employ-ers and people with disabilitiesfilled the room to learn more andshare stories.

Jeff Bangsberg, one of the orga-nizers of the forum, said there’s aneed to hear from the communityat large. He recalled the days when it was diffi-cult for policy makers to get people to evenattend such a forum. The turnout wasn’t sur-prising given the strong community interest inthis topic, he and others noted.

The forum was co-sponsored by the State Re-habilitation Council—General; Vocational Re-habilitation Services; State RehabilitationCounci—Blind and Statewide Independent Liv-ing Council. Kim Peck, director of vocationalrehabilitation services, noted that “significantbarriers” to employment still remain. One ofthose is whether people with disabilities shoulddisclose information when seeking a job.

“We have an opportunity as well as a respon-sibility to move the system forward,” Peck said.She said state officials and members of the four

councils needed to hear from community mem-bers, so that they could get a better sense of thechallenges and how to address them.

Keynote speaker Cindy Held Tarshish ofAmericans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Min-nesota. “You are the people I am all about,”was Tarshish’s opening statement.

She outlined resources for those seeking in-formation about disclosure, and reviewed dis-closure issues as they relate to the ADA, affir-mative action and federal Equal EmploymentOpportunity Commission (EEOC) regulations.Tarshish also gave examples of policies andwhat does and doesn’t constitute a disability.Disabilities and disclosure are covered underTitle I of the ADA. Its general rule is that “No

Pg 2 July 10, 2012 Volume 23, Number 6

HISTORY NOTE

Forgotten lives can now be found

History - p. 5

EDITOR’S DESKTim Benjamin

Editorial submissions and news releases on topics of interest to persons withdisabilities, or persons serving those with disabilities, are welcomed. Wereserve the right to edit all submissions. Editorial material does not necessarilyreflect the view of the editor/publisher of Access Press.

Paid advertising is available at rates ranging from $12 to $28 per column inch,depending on size and frequency of run. Classified ads are $14, plus 65 centsper word over 12 words. Advertising and editorial deadlines are the last dayof the month preceding publication, except for employment ads, which aredue by the 25th.

Access Press is a monthly tabloid newspaper published for persons withdisabilities by Access Press, Ltd. Circulation is 11,000, distributed the 10th ofeach month through more than 200 locations statewide. Approximately 450copies are mailed directly to individuals, including political, business,institutional and civic leaders. Subscriptions are available for $30/yr. Low-income, student and bulk subscriptions are available at discounted rates.

Application to mail at Periodicals Postage Prices is Pending at theSt. Paul, MN 55121 facility. POSTMASTER: Send address changes toAccess Press at 161 St. Anthony Ave, Suite 901, St. Paul, MN 55103.

Inquiries and address changes should be directed to:Access Press care of The Kelly Inn Offices; 161 St. Anthony Ave; #910;

St. Paul, MN 55103; 651-644-2133 Fax: 651-644-2136email: [email protected] www.accesspress.org

Co-Founder/PublisherWm. A. Smith, Jr. (1990-1996)

Co-Founder/Publisher/Editor-in-ChiefCharles F. Smith (1990-2001)

Board of DirectorsBrigid AlsethSteve AndersonKristin JorenbyElin OhlssonHalery O'FalveyCarrie SalbergKay Willshire

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Advertising Sales651-644-2133

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Volume 23, Number 6 • Periodicals Imprint: Pending ISSN

by Luther Granquist

More than 2,500 patients lie buried in three St. Pe-ter State Hospital cemeteries. In the earliest cemetery,established shortly after the institution opened in1866, small wooden crosses with identification tagsmarked the graves of about 550 patients until a prairiefire destroyed the crosses and tags in 1895. From

1896 to 1913 more than 400 patients were buried withnumbered markers in a second part of this originalcemetery. After 1913, more than 1,600 patients wereburied with numbered markers in a different cemeteryon the state hospital grounds. Remembering WithDignity, a program of ACT (Advocating Change To-gether), has placed markers with names and dates onthe graves in the latter cemetery as well as a few inthe earlier cemetery.

Until recently, however, the names of the men,women, boys and girls buried in these cemeterieshave not been readily available without a visit to St.Peter. Two volunteers changed that by adding memo-rial pages on Find A Grave for each of them and thuscreating a record of their names for everyone to visitand to possibly find a family member.

Nita Aasen, prompted by the death of her sons Erikand David in a car accident, decided to add memorialpages on Find A Grave for them and for all other per-sons buried in Resurrection Cemetery in St. Peter af-ter she retired as Nicollet County Public Health Direc-tor. She expanded her work to include adding memo-rial pages for the state hospital patients buried in the

St. Peter State Hospital Original Cemetery, which liesadjacent to Resurrection Cemetery.

The first memorial page Steve Carlson added to FindA Grave was for his father. Because Carlson, an insur-ance agent from Brooklyn Park, felt that no one shouldbe forgotten, he began to add memorial pages for otherpersons buried in the cemetery where his father wasburied. He has since added 16,000 memorial pages,most of them for persons buried in cemeteries inSibley, Ramsey and Nicollet counties. With the coop-eration of Aasen and the Nicollet County HistoricalSociety, he added 1,600 memorial pages for patientsburied at the later St. Peter State Hospital Cemetery.

Carlson is also copying the death certificates of asmany of these persons as he can find in order to addinformation about them to their memorial page. Heand Aasen hope that family members will see theonline memorials, recognize these persons as part of

their family, and link themwith other relatives. Byusing the edit tab on a me-morial page, interestedrelatives or friends maysubmit corrections or ad-ditional information aboutthat person to Aasen andCarlson, who can then addchanges to the page. The markers withnames provided by Re-membering With Dignityand the memorial pagescreated by Aasen andCarlson help to preventthese state hospital pa-tients from becoming, asCarlson puts it, a forgottengroup of people. They re-

Graves in the St.Peter cemeteryare documentedon the Find aGrave website.

Photo bySteve Carlson

I hope everyone managed to stay cool and have asafe Fourth of July. Those of us with spinal cord inju-ries are here to spread the news on the results of care-lessness during so many of our summer activities.Have fun, but be careful, and stay safe.

The recent Supreme Court decision on the Afford-able Health Care Act (AHCA) is being seen as a criti-cal milestone for the law and one of the most signifi-cant Supreme Court decisions in decades. The deci-sion allows almost all of the AHCA to continue to un-roll its far-reaching changes to healthcare in the US.The law was challenged because many states consid-ered the mandate requiring everyone to purchasehealth insurance to be unconstitutional. They broughtsuit under a commerce clause, saying that Congresscould not mandate people to buy health insurance oranything for that matter, and then impose a penaltyupon those who don’t comply. The real upset, forthose opposed to AHCA, is that Chief Justice JohnRoberts, one of the more conservative justices, ruledthat it is constitutional for the government to impose atax under the commerce clause and that the so-calledpenalty was nothing more than a tax.

The Obama administration’s defense lawyersclaimed the mandate is necessary to allow otherprovisions of the health care law to function. Theadministration also presented an argument thatchildless households, while they don’t have to paya penalty for not having children do pay a highertax rate. In other words, those that don’t have chil-dren pay a higher income tax rate and those thatdon’t have insurance will essentially pay a highertax rate for the healthcare the government provides.AHCA will also overhaul how insurance is sold,using new insurance exchanges and preventing any-one from being denied or charged extra for pre-ex-isting conditions.

Only one element of the AHCA was struck downby the court, and that was in their ruling that the fed-eral government could not penalize individual statesfor not participating in the Medicaid expansion. Eachstate will still receive the same Medicaid subsidiesthey are receiving today. The states that expand theirMedicaid programs to include low-income andmiddle-class insurance programs would be reim-bursed 100 percent for those programs in the first twoyears and no less than 90 percent thereafter. Eachstate, then, has a fair and free choice to participate ornot to participate in the expansion of the Medicaidprogram.

For the majority of employed people, healthcareinsurance won’t change dramatically, at least in thenear term. But it’s important to remember how it is

still the minority of people with disabilities who areemployed full-time and receiving insurance benefitsat work. That’s something that must change.

I spent a day at the Ramsey County Library June27 attending the employment disclosure forum. Ireally hope that the organizers will continue thisconversation as a series and make it available tomore people with disabilities. It was extremely en-lightening and generated questions for which lotsof individuals there could provide answers. Theonly way that we will increase the employment ofpeople with disabilities is through these kinds offorums that educate us on choices and our rights inthe workplace. It’s just so important for all of us tofeel like we have something to contribute and away to participate in the same work as those with-out a disability. We deserve not only to contribute,but to earn a living and become part of mainstreamAmerica.

Plans are in process for the Charlie Smith awardbanquet and we are accepting nominations now. Wehave a new process where nominations go directly tothe Access Press board of directors’ mailbox (and theboard members are the only ones who can verify thata nomination has been received.) There are a numberof great people in this community who deserve yournominations. Please feel free, too, to nominate an in-dividual that you have previously nominated. You canget the nomination form on our website atwww.accesspress.org or call the office and we willmail one out to you. ■

July 10, 2012 Volume 23, Number 6 Pg 3

Wages prompt call for boycott of Goodwill

ADA celebration features Paralympian Zimmerman

A Twin Cities native who competed in two Para-lympics will be a featured speaker at Minnesota’s cel-ebration of the 22nd anniversary of the Americans withDisabilities Act (ADA). Dana Zimmerman nowteaches physical education and adapted physical edu-cation in the River Falls, WI school system. He is alsoa motivational speaker who draws on his own experi-ences to inspire others.

The event is 1-3:30 p.m. on Thursday, July 26 atthe University of Minnesota Urban Research and Out-reach-Engagement Center, 2001 Plymouth Ave. N.,Minneapolis. The event is free and all are welcome.

Zimmerman competed in the Summer ParalympicsGames in 1996 and 2000. One highlight of his run-ning career was winning a silver medal in the 1,500meter race in Sydney, Australia in 2000.

Zimmerman has cerebral palsy. He also has a learn-ing disability and was in special education classes. Hewas bullied as a child, not just by other youngsters,but once by a teacher.

His determination to succeed and to motivate oth-ers has taken him far. Zimmerman went on to not onlygraduate high school, but earn his bachelor’s degreeat University of Wisconsin-Platteville and his

by Jane McClure

Goodwill Industries International and the NationalFederation of the Blind (NFB) are involved in a battleover wages for workers with disabilities. The disputehas the NFB calling for a boycott of Goodwill’s storesand programs. The boycott was announced June 7.

The dispute centers on a federal labor provisionthat dates from the 1930s. At the center of the debateis whether workers with disabilities should be paidless than the minimum wage and under what circum-stances is such pay justified.

It’s a debate that pits two old and historic disabilityservice organizations, the NFB and Goodwill, againsteach other. State affiliates of the NFB, including Min-nesota, are meeting with their local Goodwill organi-zations to discuss the issue and to see what changescan be made.

According to Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)requests filed by the NFB at the national level, Good-will was found to be paying some employees as littleas $1.44 per hour. That’s far below the minimumwage of $7.25 per hour. But it is legal under federallanguage that dates from 1938.

“Our goal is to get people with disabilities to be paida fair minimum wage,” said Jennifer Dunnam, presi-dent of the NFB Minnesota affiliate. While two-thirdsof Goodwill operations don’t use the federal wage ex-emption, those that do are being targeted for change.

Dunnam said discussions with the MinnesotaGoodwill officials are just getting started.

NFB, along with many other organizations, sup-ports the Fair Wages for Workers with DisabilitiesAct which would phase out and then repeal the nearly75-year-old provision of the Fair Labor Standards Act(FLSA) that permits special certificate holders to paysubminimum wages to workers with disabilities.

“Things were very different in 1938 when this ex-emption (Section 14 c) was adopted. It’s time to getrid of it,” Dunnam said.

What happens with this issue hinges on what Con-

gress does. In October 2011, Congressmen CliffStearns (R-FL) and Tim Bishop (D-NY) introducedthe Fair Wages for Workers with Disabilities Act of2011. The bill would phase out Section 14 c of theFLSA. Three members of Minnesota’s Congressionaldelegation, Keith Ellison, Collin Peterson and BettyMcCollum, are co-sponsors.

The FLSA allows entities holding special minimumwage certificates to pay workers with disabilities lessthan the federal minimum wage. These entities are usu-ally segregated workplaces, such as sheltered workshopsthat employ workers with a wide range of disabilities.

Federal law requires that certain goods and servicesprocured by the federal government be purchasedfrom these entities in order to provide workers withdisabilities employment. But the NFB argues that be-cause the workers don’t all get the federal minimumwage, they lack protections other workers have.

The NFB also points out that recently some shel-tered workshops have begun to pay disabled workersthe minimum wage or higher. The NFB contends thatbecause many places that use the wage certificates getthe federal contracts, these places should have noproblem paying employees a minimum wage.

But some of the entities using the special wage cer-tificates counter that they would have to lay off work-ers if they had to pay more and that the ability to payless allows people with disabilities to have jobs theywouldn’t otherwise have.

In a response posted on its website, Goodwill Inter-national stated:“Goodwill believes in the power ofwork for all individuals. Since 1902, Goodwill hastrained millions of people for jobs and is the leadingnonprofit provider of job training, employment place-ment programs and community-based services forpeople who face challenges to finding employment...Goodwill funds its mission by selling donated cloth-ing, household goods and other items in more than2,700 stores and online”

Goodwill International indicated that it supports

changes in the FLSA so long as the right of peoplewith disabilities to maintain employment of theirchoice is preserved. According to Goodwill, 79% ofAmericans with disabilities are unemployed.

“The special minimum wage certificate is an im-portant resource to employ individuals with signifi-cant disabilities,” Goodwill International stated. “Thecertificate enables Goodwill and thousands of otheremployers to provide opportunities for people withsevere disabilities who otherwise might not be part ofthe workforce.” The statement goes on to note thatthey also allow “employers to pay a commensuratewage that could result in less than minimum wage toemployees whose disability significantly impairs theirability to do their job.

Goodwill estimates that more than 420,000 peoplewith significant disabilities are paid with the certifi-cates, through the FLSA. In Goodwill’s own networkof 165 local, autonomous, community-based organiza-tions in the United States and Canada, there are about105,000 people employed. Of those about 30,000 arepeople with disabilities. Goodwill’s records indicate ithas 64 organizations that employ approximately 7,300people with significant disabilities under the SpecialMinimum Wage Certificate. The average hourly wageis $7.47. ■

master’s degree at University of Wisconsin-Lacrosse.His advanced degree is in physical education, with aconcentration in adapted physical education. Hisgrade-point average in the master’s program was 3.7.

“He used his disability as strength—as a way tobreak down barriers so he could interact well withother people whether faculty members, fellow studentsor the kids that he taught,” said Manny Felix, UW-Lassistant professor of adapted physical education.

Other featured speakers are U.S. Department ofJustice attorneys who will give updates on 2010 regu-lations and current implementation. Bahram Samieand Ana Voss will present information that will bevaluable to the community.

The event will also feature entertainment by artistsand performers with disabilities. The opening perfor-mance will be by MarkErickson, a blind Anishinaa-be drummer and storyteller.

There will also be a perfor-mance by the Ole OlsonOnstage Ensemble and En-tourage. The group, fromVSA Minnesota, will per-form “See Me Hear Me—An Attitude toward Acces-sible Arts.” Performers withand without disabilities in-clude Sam Jasmine, JulietteSilvers, Kaitlyn Mielke, JonSkaalen and others. It will beASL-interpreted, audio de-scribed and captioned.

The closing performancewill be by Mielke. She willperform “Defying Gravity”from the musical WICKED,in ASL. Mielke served asMiss Deaf Minnesota from

Hennepin County Commissioner Peter McLaughlin was afeatured speaker at a past ADA celebration

File photo

People with disabilities want to work, but sometimes arepaid less than minimum wage.

File photo

2009-2011 and is a summer intern at VSA Minnesotaas part of her course work for a master’s program at theUniversity of Minnesota.

Accommodations of sign language interpreters,CART, assistive listening devices and audio descrip-tion will be provided. Other disability-related accom-modations requests were due July 9. Anyone needingadditional accommodations or with questions shouldcontact Cindy Tarshish, ADA Minnesota, at 651-603-2015 or [email protected]

Event sponsors are the University of MinnesotaDisability Services, ADA Minnesota, VSA Minne-sota, Access Press, Deaf and Hard of HearingServices, State Services for the Blind, the MinnesotaState Council on Disability and the Metropolitan Cen-ter for Independent Living. ■


Voice recognition features provide help, but know pitfalls

Voters (LWV) is challenging the ballotquestion language, calling it misleading.Attorneys for the Minnesota Legislaturedisagree and argue that lawmakers have“very broad and exclusive discretion” toprepare ballot amendments. A court rul-ing in the LWV’s favor could eitherchange the proposed ballot language oreven drop it from the November ballot.Minnesota Secretary of State MarkRitchie told Chief Justice Lorie Gildeathat state election officials need a finaldecision by Aug. 27, if not by Aug.21.The Aug. 27 date is key because thatis when Minnesota counties take the pri-mary election results and incorporatethem into the November ballots.

In a second case that could impactvoter ID, U.S. District Court JudgeDonovan Frank heard arguments June22 from the Minnesota Voters Allianceand others who want steps taken to de-termine who is eligible to vote. Thisgroup is targeting felons and peopledeemed ineligible to vote by the state.

The issue the plaintiffs are arguing“vote dilution” from the counting ofballots from persons who are ineligibleto vote, and how those voters affectoutcome of very close elections.Ritchie and elections officials fromRamsey, Chisago and Crow Wingcounties are defendants in the suit. TheMinnesota Voters Alliance contendsthat election officials aren’t doingenough to check voter eligibility; de-fendants contend that it would placemore burdens on election judges,

In the hearing Frank asked severalquestions about state law and disabilityissues including guardianship, whethera person is too incapacitated or notcompetent to vote and various Constitu-tional issues. What has alarmed many

VVVVVoter ID oter ID oter ID oter ID oter ID - from p. 1 disability rights advocates is that affida-vits filed in the case include objectionsto group home residents and people withdisabilities voting. The affidavits de-scribe incidents dating back to 2006.

One parent filed an objection to herson voting with staff from his grouphome, even though he has not had hisright to vote legally taken away. Otheraffidavits were filed by election offi-cials and candidates for office. Thosefiling affidavits said they believe voterswith disabilities were being unfairlyinfluenced as to whom to vote for. Theaffidavits describe “large and disorga-nized” groups and people talking tovoters in a “child-like manner.”

Under state election law, voters canbring a helper to the polls. Helpers canassist but they cannot influence thevoter. Or a voter can ask for help fromelection judges, two from different par-ties.

In her affidavit, Harris election judgeAlissa Rossini stated: “I was furiousabout this because I knew that thesepeople were being used to cancel outmy vote and the vote of other LEGITI-MATE voters. It really angered me thatthe person who was elected to protectthe integrity of the election processdidn’t seem at all concerned about thefraud that I was reporting, leaving mecompletely unable to do anything tostop it. If this wasn’t blatant enough tostop, what would be? I took an oath thatday to do my part in ensuring integrityin the process, and I was trying myhardest to do so, but my biggest ob-stacle was that there was no REALmethod for preventing it.”

Frank has yet to issue his ruling inthe case. He has indicated he will rulewithin the next two months. ■

by Jennifer Mundl, MS, ATP

iPhones featuring Suri’s built-in voice recognitionhave received much attention, but the Apple iPhonebrand isn’t the only phone, tablet or device with voiceactivation features.

Speech recognition software has helped users foryears. Now that technology has come to the iPad.Whether sending an e-mail, filling out a web form, orwriting a proposal for work, knowing how to usespeech recognition on the iPad saves users time.

Dragon Naturally Speaking: Windows versus iPadDragon Naturally Speaking: Windows versus iPadDragon Naturally Speaking: Windows versus iPadDragon Naturally Speaking: Windows versus iPadDragon Naturally Speaking: Windows versus iPadMany use Dragon Naturally Speaking on a

Microsoft Windows-based machine. Others havedownloaded the application (app) through Nuancefor the iPad. The iPad operating system is differentfrom the PC version. The Dragon app needs a wire-less Internet connection, works only with e-mailand not with many programs.

The Dragon app needs a good WiFi or Internet con-nection to work. Translation is done remotely. A mes-

sage is dictated, it’s sent to a remote server and thensent back to the hand-held device. The user’s wordsdon’t remain his exclusive property. Why? Mosthandheld devices don’t have the processing capabili-ties and Nuance uses the data to improve and refineaccuracy of its other speech-recognition software.

Users can only dictate about 20 to 30 seconds ofmaterial at once. Another downside is that it lacks anautosave feature and work is lost if it isn’t saved tothe clipboard when a call comes in.

Dragon Mobile Apps also provides the app forBlackBerry, iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch users withfast, accurate and easy-to-use, voice-enabled solutionsfor e-mailing, texting, surfing the mobile web andmore.

Different AppsDifferent AppsDifferent AppsDifferent AppsDifferent AppsDragon Search is the way to search online content

on an iPhone and iPod Touch using voice. TheDragon Search carousel allows users to access resultsfrom multiple sources.

Dragon Dictation is a voice-recognition applicationpowered by Dragon NaturallySpeaking that allowsusers to speak and see text content for everythingfrom e-mail messages to blog posts on an iPad,iPhone or iPod Touch.

Dragon Search is a fast, easy and smart way tosearch online content on an iPhone using voice. It isimportant to speak clearly for this feature to work re-liably and accurately.

It is important to understand the difference betweena voice-recognition app and a built-in voice control.Voice-control has a limited vocabulary of commandswhich controls a few instructions by using the voice.The iPad can be set up with Jailbreak for voice con-trol (Siri). Many good demonstrations of setup can befound on YouTube.

For (almost) hands-free calls in the car, iOS’s built-in Voice Control is the best bet. Press and hold theHome button (or the equivalent on the headset). Afterthe beep, speak a command such as “call” or “dial”followed by the name or number. Or users can initiatea FaceTime connection by saying “Face-Time” andthen a name and location.

There are many other voice input apps availablethrough iTunes and Google Play.

By far the closest comparison to Siri is Vlingo, afree app which has its own voice-recognition engine,a powerful cloud-based back end, and almost all ofSiri’s functionality, including booking restaurants.But it can’t set reminders, although a new releasemight fix that. And unlike its Android brother theredoesn’t seem to be a voice-activated hands-free, in-car mode. There’s also a Vlingo app for just aboutevery platform, including BlackBerry and Nokiaphones, and Windows, but not Mac.

Dragon Go is a free voice interface to a wide vari-ety of web services, including Wolfram Alpha,Google, Yelp and Google Maps. It interfaces withPandora, Spotify and Netflix. There’s also DragonDiction, which is all about dictating messages orlonger notes. You can then send your voice-recog-nized musing via e-mail, Twitter, Facebook or SMS.

Voice recognition isn’t a straightforward method ofaccess for the iPad compared to options available onthe Macintosh and PC operating systems. It takestechnical know-how to set up and use many optionsfor the iPad, especially for more complex use. Usersmay want to investigate simple solutions for voice tobecome the main access method or use another pro-gram geared toward users with disabilities. ■

Jennifer Mundl, MS, ATP is the lead assistive tech-nology specialist at Courage Center


At work or play, be ready to stay cool, beat the heatIt has already been a hot summer in the Midwest. People

with disabilities and the elderly need to be especially mind-ful of high heat and humidity, and how it makes them feel.

While everyone is susceptible to illnesses due toextreme heat, certain populations may be especiallyvulnerable to health effects including people with pre-existing medical conditions, people with disabilities,the very young (less than 5 years old) and the elderly(older than 65). People who are overweight may alsobe more vulnerable to heat-related illness. Other fac-tors that can increase the risk from extreme heatevents include living alone (especially the elderly),having prolonged exposure to the sun (constructionworkers), consuming alcohol, living in an urban area(heat island effect), not having access to air condition-ing and living in a top floor apartment.

Data indicates that Minnesota is getting hotter andmore humid, which may increase the number of ex-treme heat events. Trends assessed by the State Cli-matology Office suggest that Minnesota’s averagetemperature is increasing and the number of days witha dew point temperature greater than or equal to 70°Fmay be increasing. People accustomed to Midwesternclimates often begin to feel uncomfortable when thedew point temperature reaches between 65 and 69°Fand most consider dew points above 75°F extremelyuncomfortable or oppressive.

On July 19, 2011, the dew point temperaturereached 82° in the Twin Cities. On that same day, thestate record dew point temperature was reached inMoorhead with a dew point temperature of 88°F. Theonly other spot in the Western Hemisphere with adew point temperature in the 80s that day was in theAmazon Jungle in South America.

Extreme heat events can cause a range of healthproblems from relatively minor health issues, such asa heat rash, to life-threatening conditions, such as heatstroke and ultimately death. Heat exhaustion is themost common heat-related illness. Signs and symp-

toms of heat exhaustion include dizziness, thirst, fa-tigue, headache, nausea, visual disturbances, weak-ness, anxiety, confusion and vomiting. Untreated heatexhaustion can progress to heatstroke, which can befatal. Symptoms of heat stroke include an extremelyhigh body temperature (above 103°F); red, hot, anddry skin; rapid breathing; racing heart rate; headache;nausea; confusion and unconsciousness.

Despite the fact that most heat-related deaths andillnesses are preventable, a significant number ofpeople die and suffer from extreme heat events everyyear in the U.S., according to health officials. In an-ticipation of the hot weather, the Minnesota Depart-ment of Health (MDH) makes available its MinnesotaExtreme Heat Toolkit to help local public healthagencies better prepare for extreme heat events and tohelp inform the public about steps they can take toavoid heat-related illnesses.

From 1979 to 2003, more people in the U.S. diedfrom extreme heat than from hurricanes, lightning,tornadoes, floods and earthquakes combined. “Ex-treme heat events do not typically make the newsheadlines compared to other extreme weather eventsand they do not leave a lasting trail of infrastructuredamage that continuously reminds people of their im-pact,” said Kristin Raab, MDH climate change coor-dinator. “That is why extreme heat events have beencalled the silent killers.”

“Yet, almost all of the negative health outcomesfrom extreme heat can be prevented by ensuring thatthe public stays cool and hydrated during an extremeheat event,” Raab added.

The Extreme Heat Toolkit contains background in-formation on Minnesota climate trends, public healthconcerns related to extreme heat and recommendedsteps to help prepare for and respond to extreme heat.For additional information, see the MDH ClimateChange website at www.health.state.mn.us/divs/climatechange/extremeheat.html or the MDH Office

of Emergency Preparedness website at www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/emergency/natural/index.html

While weather affects everyone, people who workoutdoors are particularly at risk when the heat indexsoars. The Federal Occupational Safety and HealthAdministration (OSHA) launched its Summer SafetyCampaign for workers, “Water. Rest. Shade,” on June20, the first day of summer. OSHA has released a freeapplication for mobile devices that enables workersand supervisors to monitor the heat index at theirwork sites. The app displays a risk level for workersbased on the heat index, as well as reminders aboutprotective measures that should be taken at that risklevel. Available for Android-based platforms and theiPhone, the app can be downloaded in both Englishand Spanish by visiting http://s.dol.gov/RI.

OSHA also has a web page and printed materialson heat-related illnesses and how to prevent them, andwhat to do in case of emergency, at www.osha.gov/SLTC/heatillness/index.html

Information for this article is from OSHA and theMinnesota Department of Health ■

Creating a simpler, more sustainable Medical Assis-tance system is the goal of a proposed redesign. NowMinnesotans affected are being asked to weigh in.

The Department of Human Services’ plan to reformsignificant portions of Medical Assistance or MA,Minnesota’s Medicaid program, is in the midst of a30-day comment period. The period ends July 17 andMinnesotans who would be affected by the proposedreform plan are urged to contribute their thoughts.

The plan and comment links are available at http://mn.gov/dhs/about-dhs/public-participation.jsp DHSregularly invites client, stakeholder and citizen involve-ment in its initiatives and proposed program changes.

The plan encompasses three broad reform efforts.First, it broadens supports to serve people in theirhomes and communities, increasing independence andavoiding reliance on more intensive, expensive ser-vices. Second, it engages consumers in their care byproviding more choice and opportunities for self-di-rection. Third, it furthers DHS’s health reform agendathrough integration of primary and behavioral healthand direct contracting with providers for better healthoutcomes.

The plan is a result of bipartisan legislation andpart of the 2011 budget agreement. It is designed to bebudget neutral in the short term and to produce sav-ings in the long term.

“This plan will give people more choice, get themservices earlier and in less costly settings and help se-

Medicaid Reform 2020: Pathways to Independencecure the stability of our programs for years to come,”said Commissioner Lucinda Jesson. “We thank themany stakeholders included in the development andwill need their continued involvement in finalizingthe plan for submission.”

A major portion of the plan seeks to revampMinnesota’s home and community-based services forseniors and people with disabilities. Currently, manyparticipants with complex conditions are on a waitinglist or are not eligible for certain services. Makingmore flexible community supports accessible to abroader group of people are a key part of this reformpackage. Individual assessments will result in per-sonal budgets that fit the individual person, ratherthan a set list of predetermined services. Enrolleeswill then be able to participate in directing those bud-geted dollars, enabling more choice of services andcaregivers. Other services in the proposal include em-ployment supports and housing assistance to keeppeople connected to workand community.

“Minnesota is justifi-ably proud of our No. 1national ranking for qual-ity, access andaffordability in our currenthome and community-based Medicaid services,”said Jesson. “But given the

demographics of our state, we need to begin the nextwave of change to be ready for 2020.”

Many of the proposals in the plan require new fed-eral approval, including a provision that would allowthe state to contract directly with providers to care forpeople on publicly-funded health care programs. DHSis providing opportunities for public comment on theplan before mid-July, with the request for approval forcertain policies from the federal Centers for Medicareand Medicaid Services (CMS) to be officially submit-ted July 31. It is expected that negotiations with CMSon the terms and conditions of this request would becompleted in December and be reflected in Gov. MarkDayton’s 2013 budget proposal to the Legislature.

A copy of the reform proposal and information onsubmitting comments is available on the DHS website.

In addition, two public hearings were held to pro-vide stakeholders and other interested parties the op-portunity to comment on the waiver request. ■

File photo

mind us that the persons buried in statehospital cemeteries were not inmates orcases or even residents or consumersbut men and women whose lives shouldbe remembered and who deserved anddeserve our respect.

The easiest way to find these memo-rial pages is to Google “St. Peter State

History History History History History - from p. 2 Hospital Original Cemetery” or “St. Pe-ter State Hospital Cemetery.”

Find A Grave is atwww.findagrave.com

The History Note is a monthly columnsponsored by the Minnesota Governor’sCouncil on Developmental Disabilities,,,,,www.mncdd.org and www.partnersinpolicymaking.com ■


REGIONAL NEWS

Assisted living home death prompts changesWhen paramedics determined a choking victim

needed CPR, staff at a Brooklyn Park assisted livingfacility read from a document instructing them not toresuscitate. But they had consulted information for adifferent resident, they later learned. That promptedaction by the state and changes by facility operated byDungarvin. Details of the incident were released inJune the Minnesota Department of Health’s Office ofHealth Facilities Complaints. State officials foundthat neglect had occurred.

Facility staff overheard the client coughing andgave him a glass of water. They called 911 when thatdidn’t help. “Emergency personnel arrived and once

UCPMN winds down operationsUnited Cerebral Palsy of Minnesota (UCP-MN) has

made the decision to shut down. The organization of-ficially filed its Notice of Intent to Dissolve with theState of Minnesota in late May and closed its officeon June 22. The formal dissolution will be filed inearly September. It’s a sad end for the longtime dis-ability service and advocacy organization, which hasstruggled with funding in recent years.

Anyone needing specific information on theMATLN Program should wait for details. The pro-gram has been housed at UCP-MN for more than adecade. The program is currently in limbo, but moreinformation on its future will be available soon.

After June 22nd, anyone needing the other servicesoffered by UCP-MN can contact UCP of Central Minnesota in St. Cloud, at 320-253-0765 or 888-616-3726 (toll free). The website is www.ucpcentralmnAnother point of contact is UCP National in Washing-ton, D.C. D.C. at 800-872-5827 (toll free). Thewebsite is www.ucp.org

Questions for the UCP-MN board can be sent [email protected] Anyone with legal questions orcreditor claims can contact attorney Jeremy Prose, [email protected][Source: UCP-MN]

Nursing home was neglectful in deathRed Wing Health Care Center neglected a resident

in September when the man was placed in the wrongwheelchair, took a tumble and died from complica-tions from the fall, according to an Office of HealthFacilities Complaints report made public in June. Theresident had dementia and had a history of trying toget out of his wheelchair. The man’s own wheelchairwas fitted with a self-release seat belt and an alarmthat sounded when the man stood up.

But after a worker put the man in his roommate’swheelchair, workers heard him fall and found him ly-ing beneath it. The man sustained fatal injuries anddied at a hospital. The home now places initials onwheelchairs and has told staff to read care plans.[Source: Star Tribune]

Charter school enrollment eyedAs more charter schools open around the country,

children with disabilities are enrolling at a lower ratethan the rest of the population. Only 8 percent of stu-dents at charter schools had disabilities in the 2009-2010 school year, compared with 11 percent at tradi-tional public schools, according to a Government Ac-countability Office report released in June. The differ-ence could be due to several reasons, including fewerparents of special education students choosing to en-roll their children, charter schools discouraging dis-abled students from attending, and constraints on re-sources making it difficult for charter schools to meettheir needs, the report found.

Charter schools, which are funded by taxpayers butoperate independently of many of the laws and regu-lations that govern traditional public schools, haveseen enormous growth over the last decade. Morethan 2 million students now attend charters, and theObama administration has encouraged their expansionthrough initiatives like Race to the Top, the $4 billiongrant competition. Many states lifted caps on thenumber of charter schools permitted in order to in-crease their chances of winning.

Advocates have praised charters for being an inno-vative alternative to the traditional neighborhoodschool, but there have been persistent concerns overaccountability, access and quality.

The GAO report found significant disparitiesamong states, when students with disabilities werescrutinized. Overall, however, there were lower ratesof special education enrollment at charters in all buteight states: Iowa, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico,Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Wyoming.

Researchers also found there were a higher percent-age of charter schools with 20 percent or more dis-abled students, possibly due to an increase in thenumber of charters that focus solely on students withdisabilities. That trend is something that has manyspecial education advocates concerned. They worry itwill lead to increased segregation.[Source: Pioneer Press]

New career paths describedThe just-released Impact: Feature Issue on Support-

ing New Career Paths for People with Intellectual andDevelopmental Disabilities, from the Institute on Com-munity Integration, is now online at http://ici.umn.edu/products/impact/251/251.pdf and in a text-only versionat http://ici.umn.edu/products/impact/251. This reportties directly into the national conversation about jobs,the discussion of employment for people with intellec-tual and developmental disabilities, and their changingrole in the American workforce. This impact issue ex-plores some of the innovative thinking and resourcesthat are providing expanded employment options forpeople with disabilities today, and offers success sto-ries of some of the individuals taking new career paths.

In addition to the online publication, print copies ofthis Impact are available by contacting the Publica-tions Office at 612-624-4512 or [email protected] first print copy is free. To order additional copiesat $4 each, please complete and mail the order form athttp://ici.umn.edu/products/order.html[Source: Institute on Community Integration]

Regional News. - p. 15


Albright Townhomes Minneapolis (612) 824-6665 1 BRBuffalo Court Apartments Buffalo (763) 684-1907 2 BRElliot Park Apartments Minneapolis (612) 338-3106 2 BREvergreen Apartments Hutchinson 1-800-661-2501 1 BRFranklin Lane Apartments Anoka (763) 427-7650 1 & 2 BRHanover Townhomes St. Paul (651) 292-8497 1 BRLincoln Place Apartments Mahtomedi (651) 653-0640 2 BROlson Towne Homes Minneapolis (612) 377-9015 1 BRPrairie Meadows Eden Prairie (952) 941-5544 2 & 3 BRTalmage Green Minneapolis (612) 623-0247 2 BRTrinity Apartments Minneapolis (612) 721-2252 1 BR (sr)Unity Place Brooklyn Center (763) 560-7563 2 BRVadnais Highlands Vadnais Heights (651) 653-0640 3 BRWillow Apartments Little Falls (320) 632-0980 1 & 2 BRWoodland Court Apartments Park Rapids 1-888-332-9312 1 BR

We are accepting applications for ourlarge number of mobility impaired accessible units.

Please call us for more information.

BDC Management Co. is now accepting applicationsfor our waiting lists at the following affordable communities

CONTINUED

ADVOCACYAdvocating Change Together (ACT) V-651-641-0297 TF-800-641-0059 www.selfadvocacy.org

Amputee Coalition V-888-267-5669 F-865-525-7917 www.amputee-coalition.org

Arc Greater Twin Cities V-952-920-0855 F-952-920-1480 www.arcgreatertwincities.org

Arc of Minnesota V-651-523-0823x115 TF-800-582-5256 www.thearcofminnesota.org

Association of Residential Resources in MN V-651-291-1086 TTY-800-551-2211 www.arrm.org

Courage Center V-763-520-0725 TTY-763-520-0245 www.CourageCenter.org

Hearing Loss Assoc. of America (HLAATC) V-763-537-7558 www.hlaatc.org

MN Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities V-651-523-0823x112 F-651-523-0829 www.mnccd.org

MN Developmental Achievement-Center Assoc V-651-647-9200 F-651-647-9353 www.mndaca.org

PACER Center, Inc. V-952-838-9000 TTY-952-838-0190 www.pacer.org

ASSISTED-LIVING PROGRAMSAccessible Space, Inc. (ASI) V-651-645-7271 TTY-800-466-7722 www.accessiblespace.org

Dungarvin Minnesota, LLC V-651-699-6050 TTY-651-695-5802 www.dungarvin.com

Mary T. Inc. Catered Living V-763-754-2505 TF-888-255-6400 www.marytinc.com

BRAIN INJURYBrain Injury Association of Minnesota V-612-378-2742 TTY-800-669-6442 www.braininjurymn.org


Mary T. Inc. Human Service Programs V-763-754-2505 TF-888-255-6400 www.marytinc.com

Tandem Residential V-651-641-0491x315 F-651-645-2780 www.tandemresidential.com

TBI Metro Services - Richfield & W. St. Paul V-612-869-3995 V-651-457-4756 www.opportunitypartners.org

CHEMICAL HEALTHVinland National Center V/TTY-763-479-3555 F-763-479-2605 www.vinlandcenter.org

COMMUNITY LIVINGCCP - The Cooperating Community Programs (CCP) V-651-503-8618 F-651-917-8322 www.theccpinc.com

DeafBlind Services Minnesota (DBSM) V-612-362-8454 TTY-612-362-8422 www.dbsm.llc.org

Dungarvin Minnesota, LLC V-651-699-6050 TTY-651-695-5802 www.dungarvin.co

Howry Residential Services V-651-917-9111 F-651-917-1018 www.howryinc.com

Mary T. Inc. Human Service Programs V-763-754-2505 TF-888-255-6400 www.marytinc.com

Metro Work Center, Inc V/TTY-612-729-7381 F-612-729-7382 www.metroworkcenter.org

Opportunity Partners V-952-938-5511 TTY-952-930-4293 www.opportunitypartners.org

Reach for Resources V-952-988-4177 F-952-988-6728 www.reachforresources.org

REM Minnesota V-952-945-4952 F-952-922-6885 www.remminnesota.org

S. MN Independent Living Enterprises & Services V/TTY-507-345-7139 TF-888-676-6498 www.smilescil.org


CONTINUED

CONSUMER-DIRECTED COMMUNITY SUPPORTSCommunity Involvement Programs (CIP) V-612-362-4437 www.cipmn.org

Lifeworks Services, Inc. TF-866-454-2732 TTY-651-365-3736 www.lifeworks.org

EDUCATIONCommunity Education Network on Disabilities V-651-748-7436 V-507-494-0950 V-320-529-6500 x6271

Institute on Community Integration V-612-624-6300 F-612-624-8279 www.ici.umn.edu

MRC - Minnesota Resource Center V-612-752-8100 TTY-612-752-8019 www.mrc-mn.org

Upstream Arts V-612-331-4584 F-612-353-6638 www.upstreamarts.org

EMPLOYMENT/VOCATIONAssistive Technology of MN - DBA Equip A Life V-763-479-8239 TF-866-535-8239 www.equipalife.org

CCP Works! - Cooperating Community Programs V-651-379-9744 www.theccpinc.com/employment_support.aspx

Chrestomathy, Inc. V-952-974-0339 F-952-974-0307 www.chrestomathyinc.org

Community Connections Partnership (CCP) V-763-540-6833x302 www.communityconnectionspartnership.org

Community Involvement Programs (CIP) V-612-353-4595x101 V-612-353-4595x102 www.cipmn.org

Cooperating Community Programs (CCP) V-651-503-8618 F-651-641-8623 www.theccpinc.com


East Suburban Resources, Inc. V-651-351-0190 www.esrworks.org

Goodwill/Easter Seals Minnesota V-651-379-5800 F-651-379-5803 www.goodwilleasterseals.org

Kaposia Inc. V/TTY-651-224-6974 F-651-224-7249 www.kaposia.com

Lifetrack Resources - Minneapolis V-612-788-8855 F-612-788-8577 www.lifetrackresources.org

Lifetrack Resources - St. Paul V-651-227-8471 TTY-651-227-3779 www.lifetrackresources.org

Lifeworks Services, Inc. TF-866-454-2732 TTY-651-365-3736 www.lifeworks.org

Merrick, Inc. V-651-789-6231 F-651-789-9960 www.merrickinc.org

Metro Work Center, Inc. V/TTY-612-729-7381 F-612-729-7382 www.metroworkcenter.org

Midway Training Services V-651-641-0709 F-651-641-0976 www.midwaytraining.org

Midwest Special Services, Inc. V-651-778-1000 F-651-772-4352 www.mwsservices.org

Minnesota Diversified Industries (MDI) V-651-999-8200 F-651-999-8242 www.mdi.org

MRC - Minnesota Resource Center V-612-752-8100 TTY-612-752-8019 www.mrc-mn.org


Partnership Resources, Inc. V-952-925-1404 F-952-925-6055 www.partnershipresources.org

Partnership Resources, Inc. - Minneapolis V-612-331-2075 F-612-331-2887 www.partnershipresources.org

Partnership Resources, Inc. - Older Adults Program V-952-746-6206 F-952-746-6209 www.partnershipresources.org

ProAct Inc. V-651-686-0405 F-651-686-0312 www.proactinc.org

Rise, Inc. V/TTY-763-786-8334 F-763-786-0008 www.rise.org

TBI Metro Services - Richfield & W. St. Paul V-612-869-3995 V-651-457-4756 www.opportunitypartners.org

TSE, Inc. V-651-489-2595 F-651-489-0410 www.tse-inc.org

University of Minnesota Disability Services V-612-626-1333 F-612-625-5572 http://ds.umn.edu

Work Incentives Connection V-651-632-5113 TF-800-976-6728 www.mnworkincentives.com

GOVERNMENTMinnesota State Council on Disability V/TTY-651-361-7800 TTY-800-945-8913 www.disability.state.mn.us

MN Gov. Council on Developmental Disabilities V-651-296-4018 TF-800-627-3529 www.mncdd.org

HEALTH CARE COORDINATIONAXIS Healthcare V-651-556-0887 F-651-556-0880 www.axishealth.com

HEALTH CARE PLANSCornerstone Solutions TF-866-601-8962 TTY-800-627-3529 www.cornerstone-solutions.org

Medica V-800-266-2157 TTY-800-855-2880 www.medica.com

UCare V-800-707-1711 TTY-800-688-2534 www.ucare.org

HOME HEALTH CARE SERVICESBreak-Thru Home Care, Inc. V-763-502-1505 F-763-502-6777 www.breakthrucare.com

Edelweiss Home Health Care V-763-315-1050 F-763-315-1090 www.edelhomecare.com

In Home Personal Care V-763-546-1000 F-763-546-1018 www.inhomepersonalcare.com

Mary T. Inc. Home Health Care V-763-754-2505 TF-888-255-6400 www.marytinc.com

HOUSING-CONSTRUCTION/REMODELINGAccessAbility Options, Inc. V-763-571-6789 F-800-632-0798 www.accessoptionsmn.com

Accessibility Design V-952-925-0301 F-952-926-7712 www.accessibilitydesign.com

Accessible Homes, LLC. V-612-978-1054 F-651-554-3085 www.accessiblehomesllc.net

Equal Access Homes, Inc. V-651-249-7751 F-651-450-1330 www.EqualAccessHomes.com

McCarthy Builders & Remodelers, Inc. V-612-250-0816 www.McCarthyBuildersandRemodelers.com

SRR Construction, LLC V-612-419-5787 www.SRRConstruction.com

HOUSING-RENTALAccessible Space, Inc. (ASI) V-651-645-7271 TTY-800-466-7722 www.accessiblespace.org

Ebenezer Park Apartments V-612-879-2233 F-612-879-8889 www.fairviewebenezer.org/minneapolis

HousingLink V-612-522-2500 F-612-521-1577 www.housinglink.org

National Handicap Housing Institute, Inc V-651-639-9799 F-651-639-9699 www.nhhiaccessiblehousing.com

Villas and Townhomes by Mary T. Inc. V-763-754-2505 TF-888-255-6400 www.marytinc.com

We’re here 24/7 onFacebook, Twitter

andwww.accesspress.org


CONTINUED

INFORMATION AND REFERRAL RESOURCESArc Greater Twin Cities V-952-920-0855 F-952-920-1480 www.arcgreatertwincities.org

Assistive Technology of Minnesota V-763-479-8239 TF-866-535-8239 www.atmn.org

Fair Table Counseling Services, LLC V-952-881-3650 www.FairTableCounselling.com

Minnesota State Council on Disability V/TTY-651-361-7800 TTY-800-945-8913 www.disability.state.mn.us

The Natl Multiple Sclerosis Society - MN Chapter V-612-335-7900 TF-800-582-5296 www.mssociety.org


INSURANCELee F. Murphy Insurance Group V-651-294-0710 TF-800-886-7201 F-651-644-9137

LEGALFair Table Counseling Services, LLC V-952-881-3650 www.FairTableCounselling.com

MN Disability Law Center V-612-334-5970 TF-800-292-4150 www.mndlc.org

MEDICAL SUPPLIES/EQUIPMENTHandi Medical Supply V-651-644-9770 F-651-644-0602 www.handimedical.com

HME Medical Shop V-800-258-6313 F-800-258-6313 www.hmemedicalshop.com

Key Medical Supply V-651-792-3860 F—651-792-3867 www.keymedicalsupply.com

Liberty Oxygen & Medical Equipment V-952-920-0460 F-952-920-0480 www.libertyoxygen.com

Phoenix Medical Services Inc. V-651-636-0848 F-651-636-5746 www.PhoenixMedical.org

Tamarack Habilitation Technologies, Inc. V-763-795-0057 TF-866-795-0057 www.tamarackhti.com

MENTAL HEALTHCommunity Involvement Programs (CIP) V-612-362-4434 V-612-362-4452 www.cipmn.org


Fraser V-612-861-1688 F-612-861-6050 www.fraser.org



National Alliance on Mental Illness of MN V-651-645-2948 TF-888-NAMI-Helps www.namihelps.org

People Incorporated Mental Health Services V-651-774-0011 TTY-651-774-6535 www.PeopleIncorporated.org

Vinland National Center V/TTY-763-479-3555 F-763-479-2605 www.vinlandcenter.org

PHYSICIANSCourage Center V-763-520-0453 TTY-763-520-0245 www.CourageCenter.org

Wound Healing Center V-715-268-0175 TTY-715-268-0177 www.AmeryMedicalCenter.org

RECREATION-ADAPTIVE HOBBY/EXERCISE/SPORTS/ARTSCapable Partners Inc. V-763-439-1038 www.capablepartners.org


Mind Body Solutions V-952-473-3700 www.mindbodysolutions.org

Upstream Arts V-612-331-4584 F-612-353-6638 www.upstreamarts.org

RECREATION-TRAVEL/CAMPINGCamp Winnebago V-507-724-2351 F-507-724-3786 www.campwinnebago.org

Friendship Ventures V-952-852-0101 TF-800-450-8376 www.friendshipventures.org

Hammer Travel V-952-277-2458 TF-877-345-8599 www.HammerTravel.org

Margaret’s Missions V-651-583-4471 www.margaretmission.com

Ventures Travel, LLC V-952-852-0107 TF-866-692-7400 www.venturestravel.org

Wilderness Inquiry V-612-676-9400 TF-800-728-0719 www.wildernessinquiry.org

Please consider joining as an Issue Sponsor.Call: 651-644-2133

We would like to acknowledge and thank UCareand The Arc™ Minnesota for their generous

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Kent Fordyce612-889-2959 • [email protected]

Fax: 952-472-1458

6371 Bartlett Blvd, Mound, MN 55364

Kent’Kent’Kent’Kent’Kent’s s s s s AccountingAccountingAccountingAccountingAccounting SerSerSerSerService, LLCvice, LLCvice, LLCvice, LLCvice, LLC

REHABILITATION (PHYSICAL, OCCUPATIONAL, SPEECH, AUDIOLOGY THERAPISTS)Courage Center V-763-588-0811 TTY-763-520-0245 www.CourageCenter.org

Courage Center - Burnsville V-952-898-5700 F-952-898-5757 www.CourageCenter.org

Courage Center - Forest Lake V-651-464-5235 F-651-464-3547 www.CourageCenter.org

Courage Ceter - St. Croix V-651-439-8283 F-651-439-0576 www.CourageCenter.org

DeafBlind Services Minnesota (DBSM) V-612-362-8454 TTY-612-362-8422 www.dbsm.org


Gillette Children’s Specialty Healthcare V-651-291-2848 TF-800-719-4040 www.gillettechildrens.org

In Home Personal Care V-763-546-1000 F-763-546-1018 www.inhomepersonalcare.com


RESIDENTIAL/GROUP HOME PROGRAMSCapstone Services, LLC V-651-641-0042 x211 F-651-645-2780 www.capstoneservices.net

CCP-The Cooperating Community Programs - Residential Services V-651-503-8618 www.theccpinc.com

Community Involvement Programs (CIP) V-612-362-4403 V-612-362-4417 www.cipmn.org

Dungarvin Minnesota, LLC V-651-699-6050 TTY-651-695-5802 www.dungarvin.com



Mary T. Inc. Human Services Programs V-763-754-2505 TF-888-255-6400 www.marytinc.com

Mt. Olivet Rolling Acres V-952-474-5974 F-952-474-3652 www.mtolivetrollingacres.org


Phoenix Residence V-651-227-7655 F-651-227-6847 www.phoenixresidence.org

Restart, Inc. V-763-588-7633 F-763-588-7613 www.restartincmn.org

SERVICE ANIMALSCan Do Canines V-763-331-3000 F-763-331-3009 www.can-do-canines.org

Helping Paws, Inc. V-952-988-9359 F-952-988-9296 www.helpingpaws.org

Pawsitive Perspectives Assistance Dogs (PawPADs) V-952-226-2063 www.PawPADS.org

SKILLED NURSING FACILITIESEbenezer Care Center V-612-879-2262 www.fairviewebenezer.org/minneapolis

SOCIAL SERVICESMetro Meals On Wheels V-612-623-3363 F-612-331-9401 www.meals-on-wheels.com

Restart, Inc. V-763-588-7633 F-763-588-7613 www.restartincmn.org

TECHNOLOGYAssistive Technology of MN - DBA Equip A Life V-763-479-8239 TF-866-535-8239 www.equipalife.org

Gillette Children’s Specialty Healthcare V-651-291-2848 TF-800-719-4040 www.gillettechildrens.org

Marbesoft - Simtech V-763-755-1402 TF-888-755-1402 www.marblesoft.com


STAR Program V-651-201-2640 TF-888-234-1267 www.starprogram.state.mn.us

Tamarack Habilitation Technologies, Inc. V-763-795-0057 TF-866-795-0057 www.tamarackhti.com

RANSPORTATION RENTAL/SALES/MODIFICATIONIMED Mobility V-651-635-0655 TF-800-788-7479 www.imedmobility.com

VISION IMPAIRMENTAmerican Council for the Blind of Minnesota V-651-428-5059 V-612-486-5180 www.acb.org/Minnesota

Vision Loss Resources V-612-871-2222 F-612-872-0189 www.visionlossresources.org

Volunteer Braille Services V-763-544-2880 F-763-544-3612 www.vbsmn.org

WAIVER CASE MANAGEMENTAXIS Healthcare V-651-556-0887 F-651-556-0880 www.axishealth.com


ACCESSIBLE FUN

employer shall discriminate against anyqualified individual [with a disability]in regard to any aspect of employ-ment.” That includes all aspects of em-ployment, from recruitment for a job todischarge.

Some of the biggest challenges indisclosure are hidden disabilities,which make up the largest group ofdisabilities, said Tarshish. These in-clude major health conditions, psychi-atric conditions and learning disabili-ties. Disclosure should be on a need toknow basis, said Tarshish. An em-ployee may provide details of a dis-ability, as it applies to work-relatedaccommodations. This disclosure isonly made to the individual who is inthe position to facilitate the accommo-dation request. What an employee maydisclosure is general information abouta disability, why it is being disclosed,how the disability affects ability toperform key work tasks, types of ac-commodations that have worked in thepast and what accommodations areneeded in the future.

Accommodations can have side ben-efits, Tarshish noted. She told one storyof a person whose disability requiredair conditioning in that person’s office.Productivity in that office climbed

Disclosure Disclosure Disclosure Disclosure Disclosure - from p. 1 overall after all of the employees couldwork in comfort.

Disclosure of a disability is a way toask for accommodations at a job, and toreceive assistance and civil libertiesspecific to an employee’s needs. Dis-closure can also explain an unusual cir-cumstance or phenomenon tied to aspecific disability. The positives can bein receiving accommodations and ingaining protection from on-the-job ha-rassment or discrimination. Anotherpossible benefit is that there are manyworkplaces where a percentage ofpeople with disabilities must be em-ployed there, to comply with govern-ment contracts. Disclosure of a hiddendisability in that situation can help theemployee and employer.

Also, disclosure can give a more ac-curate picture of the true number ofpeople with disabilities in the work-place.

Not everyone should discloses dis-ability. For some, an accommodationmay not be needed. In many cases,there are concerns that someone may bemisunderstood or discriminated against.There are often reservations of viola-tion of confidentiality. There are alsofears that disclosure could lead to a lossin work hours, loss of wages or demo-tion. ■

Welcome to the Access Press Accessible Fun listings.Readers looking for additional opportunities to enjoy thearts have these options:

For information on galleries and theater performancesaround the state, join the Access to Performing Artsemail list at [email protected] or call VSA Minnesota,612-332-3888 or statewide 800-801-3883 (voice/TTY).To hear a weekly listing of accessible performances, call612-332-3888 or 800-801-3883. On the web accessibleperformance listings are found at www.vsamn.org/calendar.html, www.mrid.org,www.accesspress.org, orhttp://c2net.org (c2: caption coalition, inc.), which doesmost of the captioned shows in Minnesota and acrossthe country.

Connect with performances on Facebook. Sign up toconnect with Audio Description Across Minnesota onFacebook (www.facebook.com/pages/Audio-Description-Across-Minnesota/202035772468). Sign up to connectwith ASL Interpreted and Captioned PerformancesAcross Minnesota on Facebook (www.facebook.com/pages/ASL-Interpreted-and-Captioned-Performances-Across-Minnesota/257263087700814.

It’s the Can Do WoofarooCan Do Canines’ Heel and Wheel event is now theWoofaroo. This year’s event starts at 11 a.m. Sun, Aug.5th at the Can Do Canines facility, 9440 Science CenterDrive, New Hope. Kick off International Assistance DogWeek while helping raise money for those who are inneed. The day includes facility tours, dog demonstra-tions, vendor booths, and a one-mile walk starting at1 pm. Proceeds go toward providing assistance dogs tothose who need them. FFI: 763-331-3000, www.can-do-canines.org

Golf tournamentThe 17th Annual Paul Adelman Children with DisabilitiesGolf Classic & Paul’s Party are Mon, July 23 at OakRidge Country Club, Minnetonka. Events start at 11a.m., including golf, hors d’oeuvres, silent and live auc-tions, a wine wall raffle, and lots of fun. WCCO’s AristeaBrady is emcee. Proceeds help children with disabilitiesat several Twin Cities locations. FFI: Sheila Johnson,612-708-0591, [email protected] to register for golf and/or Paul’s Party; FloydAdelman for sponsorship opportunities at 952.935.5801or floyd@pauladelman endowmentfund.com.

Movies in the ParkVisit the North Shore and enjoy free captioned movies atLeif Erikson Park, 12th Ave. E. & London Road, Duluth.Bring blankets, folding chairs, umbrellas for comfort.Events may be cancelled due to high winds or lightning,not rain. Films are at dusk Fridays through August, nofilm Labor Day weekend. FFI: 715-392-3480,www.twinportsoutdoormovies.com/mitp.htm

CabaretThe musical set in 1930s Berlin will be performed by LyricArts Company at the Main Street Stage, 420 E. Main St.,Anoka. This show contains adult language and maturethemes, and is recommended for patrons age 13 andolder. ASL performance is 2 p.m. Sun, July 15. Seats forASL patrons are held in reserve until two weeks prior tothe show, then released to the general public. When or-dering tickets, please indicate your need for seating in thissection; if there are no reservations, the interpretation willbe canceled. Tickets are reduced to $13-16 each forguests requiring ASL interpretation and a companion. FFI:763-422-1838; [email protected], www.lyricarts.org

Fiddler on the RoofRosetown Playhouse presents the popular musical witha lot of “tradition” at Como Lakeside Pavilion, 1360 Lex-ington Parkway N., St Paul. ASL performance is 7 p.m.Thu, July 19. Tickets are $10; ages 6-12 $8; age 5 andunder, $5. Advance purchase recommended. FFI:651-792-7414, [email protected],www.rosetownplayhouse.org

The Vampire!University of Minnesota Showboat Players present ahaunting thriller, with musical interludes, on the showboatat Harriet Island, St. Paul. AD performance is 2:30 p.m.Sat, July 21. ASL is 2:30 p.n. Sat, Aug 11. Tickets are$18-25. FFI: https://theatre.umn.edu/showboat/ticketing.

SeussicalDr. Seuss’ stories come to life in this presentation byStages Theatre Company, at Hopkins Center for the ArtsMainstage, 1111 Mainstreet, Hopkins. ASL performanceis 1 p.m. Sat, July 21. AD performance is 7 p.m. Fri,Aug. 3. Tickets are $11, $9 child or senior, group $8.50,school group $5.50; plus $1.50 per ticket handling fee forsingle tickets. FFI: 952-979-1111, www.stagestheatre.org

Into the WoodsThe Stephen Sondheimmusical twist on old fairytales will be performed byParadise Community The-ater and Northfield ArtsGuild Theater, at ParadiseCenter for the Arts, 321Central Ave. N., Faribault.

AD performance is 2 p.m. Sun, July 22. ASL perfor-mance is 7:30 p.m. Thu, July 26. Tickets are $15, $10children 12 & under; group of 10+, $1 off per ticket. FFI:Phone: 507-332-7372, www.paradisecenterforthearts.org/

The Sunshine Boys Guthrie Theater presents the Neil Simon classic on theGuthrie Theater Wurtele Thrust Stage, 818 2nd St. S.,Mpls. AD performance is 1 p.m. Sat., July 28; sensorytour at 10:30 a.m. There is also an AD performance at7:30 p.m. Fri, Aug 3. ASL performances are 7:30 p.m.Fri, Aug 10 and Thu, Aug. 16. Captioning is 1 p.m. Wed,Aug. 15 and 7:30 p.m. Fri., Aug. 17. Tickets are reducedto $20 for AD/ASL, $25 for Captioning (regular $29-73).FFI: 612-377-2224, TTY 612-377-6626,www.guthrietheater.org

Minnesota Fringe FestivalThe 19th annual Minnesota Fringe Festival, August 2-12,features 165 companies presenting 840 performances oftheater, dance, performance art, storytelling and othertheatrical entertainment at 15 venues in Minneapolis andSt. Paul, all accessible to people with mobility impair-ments. Shows last 60 minutes or less, with a new showstarting every 90 minutes. Performing groups come fromMinnesota as well as from across the country.The 2012Fringe Festival schedule with show descriptions will besearchable at www.fringefestival.org after July 1 or avail-able for download in PDF format. For a daily recording ofshows presented with AD or ASL, call VSA Minnesota at612-332-3888. Want to see a show interpreted or de-scribed? Email [email protected] and Fringe willattempt to find an ASL interpreter or audio describer. Fortickets, a $4 Fringe button is required of all attendees.Attend one show for $12, get a five-show punch pass for$50, a ten-show punch pass for $100, or an Ultra Passfor unlimited shows for $225. Punch cards are transfer-able and may be used by multiple people to attend oneperformance (as long as everyone has a button). Fringebox offices accept cash, checks and credit cards andopen 30 minutes before each show time. Advance reser-vations ($2 fee) guarantee your seat. This reservationfee is waived for people using access services, with thecode “access” over the phone or online. Starting onJuly 1, tickets can be purchased online at www.fringefestival. org or by calling OvationTix at 866-811-4111.The website www.fringefestival.org after July 1 forschedule, ticket buying info and a venue map. Use sortfunctions to find shows you’ll like, write audience re-views, or create your own Fringe schedule. ■

July 2012


UPCOMING EVENTSWorkshops, conferences

Minnesota symposium on disability studiesThe Minnesota Symposium on Disability Studies is July27-28 at the University of Minnesota’s Minneapolis cam-pus, with the Interdisciplinary Graduate Group in Disabil-ity Studies, the School of Music, Disability Services andthe Office for Equity. Rooms at the University Days Innwill be reserved for symposium participants at the veryreasonable conference rate of $75 but participants willhave to cover the full cost of lodging. The hotel providesbreakfast and has a free local shuttle service. FFI: http://blog.lib.umn.edu/gara0030/iggds/2012/05/minnesota-symposium-on-disability-studies-third-annual-conference.html

Sign up for symposiumPACER Center’s Mann Foundation Symposium is 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Mon, Aug. 6 at DoubleTree Hotel, 7800 Norman-dale Blvd, Mpls. This is a learning opportunity for generaleducation teachers, administrators and parents interestedin mental health and learning disabilities in children andyoung adults. Understand the key warning signs of early-onset mental illness in children and adolescents. $20fee; space limited. FFI: www.pacer.org/help/symposium/

Voter education offeredMinnesota’s primary election is Aug. 14. The Secretaryof State Voter Education and Outreach staff and Disabil-ity Law Center are eager to connect with groups with dis-abilities that are interested in free voter education work-shops and training—which can be catered specifically tothe groups request. Information is also available atwww.mnvotes.org. FFI: Pamela Hoopes, Minnesota Dis-ability Law Center, 612-746-3711, [email protected]; Claire Wilson, Minnesota Office of the Secretaryof State, 651-201-1339, [email protected]

Partners in PolicymakingPartners in Policymaking is accepting applications for itsfree eight month leadership training program. Individualswith disabilities and parents of young children with devel-opmental disabilities will be trained at no cost in monthlysessions, starting this fall. Applications are due by July,20th. Sponsored by the Minnesota Governor’s Councilon Developmental Disabilities, Partners is celebrating its25th anniversary. FFI: Carol Schoeneck, GTS Educa-tional Events, 651-222-7409, ext. 205 (metro) or 1-800-569-6878, ext. 205 (non-metro), [email protected], www.mngts.org/partnersinpolicymaking

Adult classesIndependent living classes offeredThe Metropolitan Center for Independent Living (MCIL)offers free and accessible classes on living indepen-dently for people with disabilities. Most classes are heldat 1600 University Ave., #16, the green tile building atUniversity and Snelling, St. Paul, unless specified.Discuss self-esteem and how to improve it 10 a.m.-noonTue, July 10. Peer mentor training is 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Tue,July 17.Minneapolis farmers’ market trip and lunch is 11a.n.-1 p.m. Thu, July 19 and Aug. 9 Meet at the officeand take the bus over. Get the Dirt on hygiene 1-3 p.m.Wed, July 25. Grill and socialize 1-5 p.m. Tue, July 31.Learn simple techniques, patterns and designs of knit-ting. Adaptive knitting equipment available; for all levels

of knitters. Other crafts are welcome, 10 a.m.-noon Tue,July 24; 10 a.m-noon Mon, Aug 6 and 1-3 p.m. Mon,Aug. 20. Other August events include Como Park andNormandale Park outings, conflict resolution and busrider training. Weekenders outings are for those who aretired of sitting home all weekend. Meet other people whoshare similar interests and want to meet new people.Guests are welcome and encouraged. Play bocce ball inComo Park Sat, July 21. Please bring your spendingmoney for events. Events are free (with the exception ofWeekenders outings), accessible and mostly scent-free.Please RSVP and give two weeks’ notice of needed ac-commodations. FFI: Corbett Laubignat, 651-603-2028,[email protected], Cindy, 651-603-2037,[email protected], 651-603-2037

Youth and familiesYouth Building Legacies ConferenceSpace is limited for this conference, presented by theYouth Legacy Foundation. Youth with chronic Illnesses/disabilities will learn to build their legacies, 11 a.m. - 6 p.m.,Sat, July 28 at Courage Center; 3915 Golden ValleyRoad; Golden Valley. Preregistration required. FFI: BridgetSiljander, 612-272-0281, [email protected], www.surveymonkey.com/s/YLF-RSVP-2012-07-28

Support groups, meetingsUCare meetingsUCare hosts informational meetings about its UCare forSeniors Medicare Advantage plan. Meetings are held allover the region. UCare for Seniors has more than75,000 members across Minnesota and western Wis-consin. UCare serves Medicare-eligible individuals andfamilies enrolled in income-based Minnesota HealthCare Programs, such as MinnesotaCare and PrepaidMedical Assistance Program; adults with disabilities andMedicare beneficiaries with chronic health conditionsand Minnesotans dually eligible for Medical Assistanceand Medicare FFI: 1-877-523-1518 (toll free), www.ucare.org

Mental Illness support groupsThe National Alliance on Mental Illness of Minnesota(NAMI-MN) reminds everyone that July is MinorityMental Health Awareness Month. NAMI-MN sponsorsfree support groups for families who have a relativewith a mental illness. NAMI has about two dozen fam-ily support groups, over 20 support groups for peopleliving with a mental illness, anxiety support groups,groups for veterans and other groups. Led by trainedfacilitators, the various groups provide help and sup-port. FFI: 651-645-2948Open Door Anxiety and Panic support, meets at 6:30p.m. the first and third Thu at Woodland Hills Church,1740 Van Dyke St., St. Paul. It meets at 6:30 p.m., on

the first and third Thu. FFI: NAMI at 651-645-2948,www.namihelps.org Partners and Spouses supportgroup meets 6:45 p.m. the first Tue of each month atFalcon Heights United Church of Christ, 1795 Holton St.FFI: Lois, 651-788-1920, or Donna, 651-645-2948 ext.101. NAMI Connection peer support group for adults areled by trained facilitators who are also in recovery leadNAMI Connection groups. One group meets at 6:30 p.m.on the fourth Tue, at Lutheran Church of the Redeemer,285 Dale St. N., St. Paul. FFI: Shelley, 651-228-1645.GLBTQ communities support group meets 1-2:30 p.m.Sat at Minnehaha Spirit of the Lakes Church, 4001 38thAve. S., Mpls. This support group will be a safe place toconfront the challenges that many members of theGLBTQ communities face including low self-esteem, so-cial isolation, stigma, discrimination, anxiety and depres-sion. FFI: Kim 763-267-5881, Gabi 314-800-4134.

Volunteer, DonateTeach English or be a classroom tutorHelp adult refugees and immigrants learn the reading,writing and speaking skills needed to thrive in the U.S.Morning, afternoon or evening classes are availablethroughout the Twin Cities through the Minnesota Lit-eracy Council. The council has many opportunities thatare accessible to volunteers with disabilities, and makesaccommodations whenever possible. The literacy coun-cil provides training and support. FFI: Allison, 651-251-9110, [email protected], mnliteracy.org/volun-teers/opportunities/adults

Give away that carAutos for Arc can take old vehicles off your hands, giveyou a tax deduction and say “Thank you” for helpingchange the lives of people with disabilities. Autos for Arcaccepts cars and trucks of any model and condition andother vehicles including boats with trailers, RVs, ATVs,golf carts, personal watercraft, motorcycles and snow-mobiles. Within the seven-county metro area, Autos forArc can arrange to have a vehicle towed free of charge.Call the toll-free Autos for Arc hotline, 1-877-778-7709,to arrange a pickup. Or drop off vehicles at a Value Vil-lage location. FFI: 1-877-778-7709, www.autosforarc.org

Volunteer with RSVPVolunteers age 55 and older are eligible to receive freesupplemental insurance, mileage reimbursement andother benefits through the Retired and Senior VolunteerProgram (RSVP) sponsored by Volunteers of America ofMinnesota. RSVP/Volunteers of America of Minnesotaand AARP Foundation need volunteers with good bud-geting and organizational skills to help manage financesof older or disabled low-income individuals. Have a fewhours a month to volunteer? Money Management Pro-gram staff will train and match you with someone in thecommunity. FFI: 612-617-7821. ■

Nominations for the 2012 Charlie Smith Award arebeing taken by Access Press, Minnesota’s disabilitycommunity newspaper. The newspaper’s Board of Di-rectors announced that the nomination period is un-derway. Nominations close Aug. 10.

The award is given to an individual or group, inrecognition of outstanding service to Minnesota’s dis-ability community. The nominee and finalists are hon-ored in the September issue of Access Press. The win-ner is feted at the annual award banquet, which is Fri-day, Nov. 2 at the Minneapolis Airport Marriot 2020

E. American Blvd.,Bloomington. That eventincludes a delicious meal,a silent auction and raffle,speeches and social time.The Marriott is fully ac-cessible. Interpretation isoffered for guests. The nomination form ison the Access Presswebsite, at www.accesspress.org and can be down-loaded in .pdf and .docxformats. Anyone whoneeds accommodations tofill out the form, or needsthe form in another format,can call the newspaper of-fice at 651-644-2133. Nominees can be from

anywhere in Minnesota. Past nominees can be nomi-nated again. Nominations and questions about thenominations can be sent via email to [email protected], via fax to 651-644-2136, or mailto Access Press, c/o Charlie Award Committee, 161St. Anthony Ave #910; St. Paul, MN 55103. If pos-sible, send the newspaper office either a jpeg photo oran actual picture of the nominee, or be prepared to tellthe editors where a picture can be obtained.

Pictures of nominees will be published in the Septem-ber issue of the newspaper and displayed at the banquet.

The Charlie Smith Award is named in honor of thelate Charlie Smith, founding editor of Access Press.He was a well-known Minnesota disability rights ad-vocate. With the support of his family, Smith foundedthe newspaper in 1990. He died in 2001.

Reservations can now be made for the Nov. 2 ban-quet, which starts at 5:30 p.m. with the dinner and cer-emony at 7 p.m. Cost is $45 per person if you registerearly, $50 per person at the door or $325 for an eight-person table. The table rate represents a savings of $35.

Registration can be made online, at www.accesspress.org. Look for the Charlie Awards tab at the topleft corner of the home page.

Checks with the name and number of guests can bemailed to Access Press, Attn: Dawn, 161 St. AnthonyAve Ste 910, St. Paul, MN 55103. Please makechecks payable to Access Press and note banquet inthe notation line. Credit card transactions can be madeover the phone by calling the office at 651-644-2133and speaking with Dawn. ■

Charlie Award nominations needed


Accessible Homes LLCAccessible SpaceAccessibility DesignAccessibility Options, Inc.Advocating Change TogetherAgStarAllegiance Ability AssistanceAmerican Council for the BlindAmery Regional Med. CenterAmerican RampARC Greater Twin CitiesARC MinnesotaAssoc. of Residential ResourcesAxis HealthcareBDC ManagementBlue Cross/Blue ShieldBrain Injury Assoc. of MNBreak –Thru Home CareBrain Injury of MinnesotaBreak-Thru Home CareCalvary Center ApartmentsCamp WinnebagoCapable PartnersCapstone Services LLCCare Planners Inc.Celia Wirth & AssociatesComm. Educ. Netwk on

DisabilitiesComm. Involvement ProgramsCooperating Comm. ProgramsCornerstone SolutionsCourage CenterDeafBlind Services

Diamond Hill TownhomesDungarvin Minnesota, LLCEdina RealtyEast Suburban ResourcesEbenezer Care CenterEbenezer Park ApartmentsEdelweiss Home Health CareEqual Access HomesEquipALifeFair Table Counseling Services,

LLCFraserFriendship AdventuresGillette Children’s

Spec.HealthcareGoodwill/Easter Seals MNGuthrie TheaterHammer TravelHandi Medical SupplyHearing Loss Assoc. of AmericaHelping Paws, Inc.Hennepin Cty Human ResourcesHME Medical Supplies, Inc.Holmes-Greenway ApartmentsIMED MobilityIn Home Personal CareInst. on Community ResourcesKaposia Inc.Key Medical SupplyLee F. Murphy Insurance GroupLewis Park ApartmentsLiberty Oxygen & Med. SuppliesLifetrack Resources

Did you know that Access Press is a nonprofit organization? One of the reasons we’re able tocontinue to bring disability related news to our readers is thanks to our advertisers.We ask that you take the time to support them with your dollars—and to take the time inthanking them for their support!

Lifeworks Services, Inc.Margaret’s MissionsMary T Inc.McCarthy Builders &

RemodelersMetropolitan Ctr. for Indep. LivingMetro Meals on WheelsMedicaMerrick, Inc.Metro Work Center, Inc.Midway Training ServicesMidwest Special Services, Inc.Mind Body SolutionsMixed Blood TheatreMN-CCDMN-DACAMN Disability Law CenterMN Diversified IndustriesMN-DOTMN Governor’s Council on

Development DisabilitiesMN Resource Center (MRC)MN State Council on DisabilityMN Sports EntertainmentMN Work Incentives ConnectionMixed Blood TheatreMt. Olivet Rolling AcresNAMI-MNNatl. Handicap Housing InstituteNatl. Multiple Sclerosis SocietyOak Park VillageOpportunity PartnersPACER CenterPartnership Resources

PAWsensitive PerspectivesAssistance Dogs

Phoenix ResidencePro-Act, Inc.Reach for ResourcesReliable Medical Supply, IncREM MinnesotaRestart, Inc.Rise, Inc.Rural Living EnvironmentsSEMCILServeMinnesotaSouthern MN Independent

Living Enterprises & ServicesSRR Construction, LLCSTAR ProgramTamarack Habilitation Tech. Inc.Tandem ResidentialTBI Metro ServicesTee Jay North Inc.Ten Thousand Things Theatre Co.TSE Inc.UCareUnited Cerebral Palsy – MNUniv. of MN Disability ServicesUpstream ArtsVan Horn CompanyVision Loss ResourcesVinland National CenterVolunteer Braille ServicesWilderness InquiryWork IncentivesWound Healing Center

Radio Talking BookJuly sampling

Adapted sports competitions wrap up

The Minnesota State High School League’s springadapted sports tournaments wrapped up June 8-9 withthe track and field competition at Hamline University.

Adapted soccer takes place in the fall, adapted floorhockey in the winter and adapted softball, bowlingand track in the spring. Two divisions are offered inall but track and field, with the CI division for athleteswith cognitive impairments and PI for athletes withphysical or health impairments. Each sport has itsown set of specific rules, covering everything fromuniforms to equipment.

Athletes from the northeastern Twin Cities suburbsvied for titles in 2A boys’ track and field competition.Mark Braun of Irondale High School and JacksonLarson of Cambridge-Isanti High School went one-two in the 800 and 1,000 meters wheelchair races, andin the wheelchair shot put and discus throws. Thecrowd went wild as the two competed.

Braun won the 800 wheelchair in a time of 1:55.85;Larson was second in 2:28.7. Braun won the 1,600 wheel-chair in a time of 4:02.4, with Larson clocking 5:03.86.

Braun won the wheelchair shot put with a throw of20’0”.75, with Larson second with a throw of 15’6.5”.Braun also won the wheelchair discus with a throw of58’8”; Larson threw the discus 33’8”. Braun is a seniorso there will be new champions in the events in 2013.

In Class 1A girls’ competition, Kathryn Lubahn ofPine Island High School won the wheelchair shot putand the discus throws. Her shot put throw of 14’6.25”is an all-time state record. She won the discus with athrow of 35’1”.

Standout athlete Rose Hollerman of Waterville-Elysian-Morristown didn’t compete as she was tryingout for the Paralympics basketball team this spring.Her recent settlement with the Minnesota State HighSchool League made many changes in track and fieldevents for young athletes with disabilities.

Other titles decided this spring were in adapted soft-ball and bowling. In softball, Robbinsdale/Hopkins/Mound-Westonka made it four in a row as the Robins

PEOPLE & PLACESsnagged the PI Division adapted softball state cham-pion trophy, downing Mounds View/Irondale/Roseville9-2 in the championship game. The Robins are a forceto be reckoned with as they have won 11 of the past 12titles in PI softball, soccer and floor hockey.

Robins junior Charlie Wittmer’s three RBI led theteam in the title match. The team outscored its tourna-ment opponents 31-5 in three games.

Anoka-Hennepin defeated Wayzata/Minnetonka toclaim third place. Dakota United’s PI won the conso-lation bracket with a victory over South Suburban.

In the CI Division, another adapted sports power-house won the title. Anoka-Hennepin Mustangs wonits third consecutive CI title with a 7-2 victory overthe Dakota United Hawks. This marked the Mus-tangs’ eighth consecutive championship, including

titles won in adapted soccer and adapted floor hockey.Dakota United is a cooperative that includes Apple

Valley, Eagan, Eastview and Rosemount highschools. The team was undefeated this season untilreaching the state finals. But the Hawks had a power-ful foe. No Anoka-Hennepin CI team has lost a matchsince November 2009.

Burnsville/Farmington/Lakeville wound up takingthird, defeating South Washington County 14-11.Mounds View/Irondale/Roseville defeated Osseo inthe consolation championship, 16-15.

Softball teams are co-ed and followed adaptedsports rules.

The state bowling tournament was held atBrunswick Zone in Eden Prairie, with new teamAdapted sports - p. 15

Books available through FaribaultBooks broadcast on the Minnesota Radio Talking BookNetwork are available through the Minnesota Braille andTalking Book Library in Faribault. Phone is 1-800-722-0550 and hours are 7:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday throughFriday. The catalog is online and can be accessed bygoing to the main website, http://education.state.mn.us,and then clicking on the link. Persons living outside ofMinnesota may obtain copies of books by contactingtheir home state’s Network Library for the National Li-brary Service.

Listen to the Minnesota Radio Talking Book, either liveor archived programs from the last week, on the Internetat www.mnssb.org/rtb. Call the staff for your password tothe site. See more information about events on theFacebook site for the Minnesota Radio Talking BookNetwork. Facebook is a fee social networking web site.Register at www.facebook.com

Access Press is one of the publications featured at 9p.m. Sundays on the program It Makes a Difference.

Weekend Program BooksYour Personal World (Saturday at 1 p.m.) is airing 10Mindful Minutes by Goldie Hawn; For the Younger Set(Sunday at 11 a.m.) is airing Ghost Knight by CorneliaFunke and How to Rock Braces and Glasses by MegHaston; Poetic Reflections (Sunday at noon) is airingChronic by D.A. Powell, and The Foot of the Rainbow byThomas R. Smith; The U.S. and Us (Sunday at 4 p.m.) isairing North Country by Mary Lethert Wingerd, andKeeping Watch by Kathryn A. Sletto.

Chautauqua • Tuesday – Saturday 4 a.m.Thinking, Fast and Slow, Nonfiction by Daniel Kahneman,2011. There are two concurrent systems that drive theway we think. System 1 is fast, intuitive, and emotional;System 2 is slower, more deliberative, and more logical.The two systems shape our judgments and decisions.Read by Leila Poullada. 19 broadcasts. Begins July 11.

Past is Prologue • Monday – Friday 9 a.m.Midnight Rising, Nonfiction by Tony Horwitz, 2011. Plottedin secret and launched in the dark, John Brown’s raid onHarpers Ferry ruptured the union between North andSouth. Yet few Americans know the true story of the mili-tant idealists who invaded Virginia before the Civil War.Read by Marylyn Burridge. 13 broadcasts. Begins July 25.

Bookworm • Monday – Friday 11 a.m.The Age of Miracles, Fiction by Karen Thompson Walker,2012. Julia and her family discover that the rotation of theearth has begun to slow. Days and nights grow longer,gravity is affected, and the environment is upset. L - Readby Connie Jamison. 9 broadcasts. Begins July 17.

The Writer’s Voice • Monday – Friday 2 p.m.The Memory Palace, Nonfiction by Mira Bartok, 2011.Mira’s mother, Norma, was schizophrenic with difficultbehavior. After one encounter, they had no choice but tochange their names and sever contact with Norma. L -Read by Esmé Evans. 12 broadcasts. Begins July 23.

Choice Reading • Monday – Friday 4 p.m.Tell the Wolves I’m Home, by Carol Rifka Brunt, 2012.When June’s Uncle Finn dies, she loses the one personwho understands her. But his death brings an unexpectedfriendship, someone who will help her heal and questionall she thinks she knows. She’s not the only one who missesFinn. Read by Mary Hall. 12 broadcasts. Begins July 19.

PM Report • Monday – Friday 8 p.m.Muzzled, Nonfiction by Juan Williams, 2011. In today’spartisan world, each side, liberal and conservative,

preaches to a choir that revels in expressions of anger,ideology, conspiracies, and demonized opponents. Theresult is an absence of truth-telling and honest debate.Read by John Demma. 10 broadcasts. Begins July 30.

Night Journey • Monday – Friday 9 p.m.The Chalk Girl, Fiction by Carol O’Connell, 2011. The girlappeared in Central Park, dirty-faced but smiling widely.She looked perfect except for the blood on her shoulders.She was looking for her Uncle Red who had turned into atree – and then they found the body in the tree. V,L -Read by Pat Kovel-Jarboe. 14 broadcasts. Begins July 12.

Off the Shelf • Monday – Friday 10 p.m.Field Gray, Fiction by Philip Kerr, 2011. Bernie is a tough-talking cop who spent eleven years as a homicide detec-tive in Berlin. He became a private detective in 1933, thenwas forced into the SS in 1940. But after the war, he be-came a marked man because he knew too much. L -Read by John Schmidt. 15 broadcasts. Begins July 23.

Potpourri • Monday – Friday 11 p.m.Orange Is the New Black, Nonfiction by Piper Kerman, 2011.Piper Kerman was sentenced to a federal correctional facilityfor delivering a suitcase of drug money. She went from beinga well-heeled Smith College alumna to being inmate #11187-424. L - Read by Ann Reed. 12 broadcasts. Begins July 24.

Good Night Owl • Monday – Friday midnightZero Day, Fiction by David Baldacci, 2011. Military in-vestigator John Puller is called to a brutal crime scene inWest Virginia coal country. But nothing in this smalltown, and no one in it, is what it seems. L - Read by NeilBright. 16 broadcasts. Begins July 16.

After Midnight • Tuesday – Saturday 1 a.m.Webs of Fate, Fiction by Darlene Quinn, 2011. Danielleis guilty of betrayal. As her mentor tries to uncover thetruth, every step draws Danielle closer to a deadly trapset for her by her fiancé’s son. S - Read by LyndaKayser. 17 broadcasts. Begins July 24.

Abbreviations: V - violence, L – offensive language, S - sexual situations.


PEOPLE & PLACES

Dad on Wheels winner Steve Laux shows off his three chil-dren.

Photo courtesy of Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation

Dad on Wheels gets around

Steve Laux, 35, of Minneapolis is the Christopherand Dana Reeve Foundation’s 2012 Best Dad onWheels. Being a dad is “the best job ever!” accordingto Laux, who netted almost 4,500 online votes. Lauxlives with a C5, C6 level spinal cord injury from adiving accident at Lake Superior in 1998.

Father to his three daughters, McKenzie, 3, andtwins Devon and Dakota, 11 months, Laux said, “I’veonly been at it three years, so I’ve obviously learnedmore from them than any other job I’ve had. It’s anoutstanding role to look into these eyes.”

Along with being a father and husband, Laux is amarket development consultant at Medtronic, Inc. “Ienjoy working for a company whose mission isaligned with my aspirations in life,” he said.

Laux also serves on nonprofit organization boardsand volunteers at the Courage Center, where he is in-volved with the ABLE program, which is part of theReeve Foundation’s Community Fitness and WellnessFacility.

“I couldn’t be happier to have been a part of thiscontest,” he said. Laux noted that the Best Dad onWheels contest comes at an opportune time as the be-ginning of summer marks an increase in recreationalaccidents resulting in spinal cord injuries. “It is trulygreat that Christopher Reeve’s foundation is continu-ing his remarkable legacy of being an outstanding per-son and dad, while bringing awareness to another as-pect of life with a spinal cord injury.”

“We are pretty easy going. They can’t really under-

stand the broken neck thing,” Steve said when askedabout how his girls get along with dad in a chair. “SoI just say my legs don’t work. McKenzie’s growingup with it, she doesn’t see it as anything different, butI’m sure she’ll start asking questions in the next sev-eral years, I’m anxiously awaiting it.”

Some of his favorite moments with his 11-month-old daughters are spending quality time cuddling,rocking, singing songs and reading books. “It is abso-lutely hectic. My wife, Chau, will have one or twoand I’ll have one!”

PACER video wins award

A PACER Center video about uncovering the tal-ents and skills of children with disabilities throughappropriate services and education has won a TellyAward. “Hidden Treasure,” which debuted at PACERCenter’s 30th Annual Benefit in May, was a BronzeWinner in the 33rd Annual Telly Awards, Charitable/Not-for-Profit category. This widely known andhighly respected international competition receivesmore than 12,000 entries annually from all around theworld.

“The Telly Awards has a mission to honor the verybest in film and video,” said Linda Day, ExecutiveDirector of the Telly Awards. “PACER Center’s ac-complishment illustrates their creativity, skill, anddedication to their craft and serves as a testament togreat film and video production.”

“The goal of our video is to show that children withdisabilities have great possibilities,” said PaulaGoldberg, PACER’s executive director. “PACER’smission is to expand opportunities and enhance thequality of life of children and young adults with dis-abilities and their families, and we are so pleased thatthis video starring a wonderful five-year-old boy hasreceived such a great honor.”

“Hidden Treasure” was written and produced byJulie Holmquist, Senior Writer/Editor at PACER Cen-ter, and directed and edited by Evan Johnson of EllidaProductions in Marine on St. Croix. Five-year-oldJames Gladen, who has cerebral palsy and is the sonof Jim and Allison Gladen of Victoria starred in thevideo. A portion of the video was filmed at ComoPark Conservatory in St. Paul.

Hospital celebrates six years of operation

Minnesota’s first Community Behavioral HealthHospital (CBHH), located in Alexandria, is markingsix years of providing mental health services to arearesidents. CBHH-Alexandria was established as partof a redesign of mental health services in Minnesotaintended to replace inpatient mental health treatmentprovided on large regional treatment center campuseswith smaller, 16-bed psychiatric hospitals and an ar-ray of other community mental health supports.

Like the community behavioral health hospitals thatopened after it, the Alexandria hospital has provided in-

dividualized, person-centeredtreatment close to the patient’shome and community. In itssix years, the facility hasserved more than 1,000 pa-tients. As the hospital marksthis milestone, administratorJohn Cosco, who opened thefacility in February 2006, ispreparing to retire Aug. 1. “I’ve been a senior-levelhealth care executive for thepast 40 years and the com-mitment, dedication and pas-sion that I have seen dis-played by our staff in Alex-andria is unparalleled,” saidCosco. “Here, people aretreated as people, not asnumbers.” The average length of stayat the Alexandria hospital is20-22 days, compared to 45-50 days at regional treatmentcenter campuses.

Friends of the Elderly presents Awards

The Minneapolis/St. Paul Chapter of Little Broth-ers—Friends of the Elderly honored eight communitypartners as recipients of the 2012 Ambassador Awardat its Annual Meeting on June 21 in Minneapolis. Theawards recognize individuals and organizations forthe significant contributions they’ve made in advanc-ing the agency’s mission of providing companionshipto isolated elders in the Twin Cities area.

“We’re pleased to present the Ambassador Awardto these partners who have worked tirelessly to con-nect isolated elders with the community throughevents, sponsorships, grants, professional services andone-on-one efforts,” said Greg Voss, Executive Direc-tor of Friends of the Elderly.

Several businesses and institutions were honoredfor providing professional services, sponsorships,event help and resources. They are Blake School,UCare, McGough Construction, Prom Center, OurSaviour’s Lutheran Church and Franke+FiorellaBrand Identity Design.

Individuals honored for volunteer service areClaudia Brumm and Michael Dietrich. Photos of theevent can be viewed on Friends of the Elderly’sFacebook page, facebook.com/LittleBrothersMN.

ARRM elects new board

The Association of Residential Resources in Min-nesota (ARRM), a statewide association of privatecommunity-based providers that support people withdisabilities, is pleased to announce its 2012-2015board of directors.

“We are especially excited about the potential con-tributions of our new directors,” said ARRM’s CEOBruce Nelson. “As disability services in Minnesotaundergo a dramatic transformation, this board will beinstrumental in advancing ARRM’s reform plan, aswell as sustaining and building ARRM’s member-ship.”

ARRM’s board is comprised of disability industryleaders empowered by their organizations to make de-cisions affecting services for thousands of Minneso-tans with disabilities. During the nomination process,ARRM sought experts from the disability providercommunity who will make significant contributions toARRM and the larger disability industry the comingyears. Each director can serve up to three 3-year termson ARRM’s board.

The incoming members of ARRM’s 2012-15 boardof directors are David Doth, REM Minnesota; JohnEstrem, Hammer; John Everett, Community Involve-ment Programs; Brenda Fagan, Range Center, Inc.;Brenda Goral, Opportunity Partners, Inc.; SandyHenry, Sengistix, LLC; Barb Hoheisel, Mains’l Ser-vices, Inc.; Rhonda Peterson, Integrity Living Op-tions, Inc., Karin Stockwell, Dungarvin Minnesotaand Lisa Zaspel, Fraser.

Holland is new president

Stuart Holland, manager of Minnesota’s RadioTalking Book, has been named president of the Inter-national Association of Audio Information Services(IAAIS). He was named to the post this spring at anIAAIS gathering in Houston, TX.

The organization encourages and supports the es-tablishment and maintenance of audio informationservices that provide access to printed information forindividuals who cannot read conventional print be-cause of blindness or any other visual, physical orlearning disability. It is a volunteer-driven member-ship organization of services that turn text into speechfor people who cannot see, hold or comprehend theprinted word and who may be unable to access infor-mation due to a disability or health condition.

Since its formation in 1977, IAAIS (formerly theAssociation of Radio Reading Services) has assisted,represented and set standards of good practice for au-dio information services worldwide. IAAIS currentlyrepresents 140-some services and developing ser-vices. Member services can be found throughout theUnited States and in Canada, the United Kingdom,People Places - p. 15


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Miracle Field Miracle Field Miracle Field Miracle Field Miracle Field - from p. 1

synthetic-turf field would becushioned to prevent injuries.Its bases would all be flush tothe ground to accommodatewheelchairs and other mobilitydevices and its dugouts wouldbe handicapped-accessible.

“For children facing physi-cal and mental challenges, theMiracle League offers an op-portunity to get out in the sun-shine and enjoy playing base-ball,” said Kevin Thoresen,founder and executive directorof MLMN. Thoresen ap-proached the St. Paul Depart-ment of Parks and Recreationearlier this year and inquiredabout the “unprogrammed”space in Dunning Park alongSyndicate Street, between thefenced-in Jim Kelly and BrianPeterson fields. MLMN doesnot purchase the land for itsMiracle Fields. “We work incooperation with city parksand recreation offices to begiven the land,” Thoresen said.“We privately raise all themoney to build the field andthen provide a turn-key assetfor the city. We also help indeveloping the leagues withcities or other baseball organi-zations. “Community buy-in iscritical for us,” Thoresen said,“not only for building thefields and their ongoing opera-tions but for participation aswell.” The disabled membersof a Miracle League team areassigned “buddies” who assistthem in fielding and in hittingthe ball and running the bases,he said. Buddies can beschoolmates, parents, collegestudents or “anyone whowishes to volunteer theirtime,” Thoresen said.

Thoresen discussed his pro-posal for Dunning on May 24with the Union Park District

Department, neighbors,Thoresen and other local orga-nizations those address thoseconcerns. Thoresen has alsomet with the Dunning BoosterClub, which runs a variety ofbaseball programs at Dunning,and with representatives of theHighland Little League andHighland-Groveland Recre-ation Association. “Everybodyagreed that a Miracle Fieldwould be a great fit for Dun-ning Park because of our exist-ing programs, its central loca-tion and parking,” said JimKelley, a member of the Dun-ning Booster Club. “The High-land folks said they wouldsend some buddies over to theMiracle Field at least once aweek.”

If Thoresen succeeds in gar-nering neighborhood supportfor his plan, the city will take acloser look at it, according toParks and Recreation Depart-ment spokesman Brad Meyer.“Even though (Thoresen) willbe raising the money to con-struct the Miracle Field, he’llstill have to work with our de-sign and construction divisionto work up the plans and signsome agreements about who’sresponsible for what after thefield is up and running,”Meyer said. The City Councilwill also have to sign off onthe plan.

More information on theMiracle League is available atwww.miracleleaguemn.com ■

Council’s Parks and Recre-ation Committee. Committeemembers “agreed to work withMr. Thoresen to get the com-munity feedback that he needsand we think is necessary be-fore he makes a formal pro-posal and we make any recom-mendations,” said committeechair Barb Deming. Althoughthe space in question at Dun-ning is “unprogrammed,”Deming said, meaning thereare no regularly scheduled ac-tivities there, it is “the lastsuch space in Dunning Parkand it’s used a lot by neighbor-hood residents for pickupgames of soccer and the like.Do residents want to give thatup, even for such a worthycause? We’ll find out.”Thoresen also met on May 29with the Lexington-HamlineCommunity Council. “We’reexcited about this potential re-source for the city,” said KarenRandall, who chairs the boardof that neighborhood associa-tion. “We have some concernsabout providing alternativespace for Lex-Ham residentscurrently using that area ofDunning Park for a variety ofactivities.” However, Randalladded, the Lexington-HamlineCouncil will work with thecity’s Parks and Recreation

The Minnetonka Miracle Field turf reduces injuries.Photo Courtesy of the Miracle League of Minnesota

Regional News Regional News Regional News Regional News Regional News - from p. 6

they determined that client re-quired CPR, the emergencypersonnel requested (his) re-suscitation status,” the reportstated. “Facility staff obtainedand provided to the emergencypersonnel in error, anotherclient’s resuscitation guide-lines document from the binderwhere the clients’ signed formswere kept.”

The resident who died didhave orders to resuscitate onfile. He died while the ambu-lance was still in the facility’sparking lot. A supervisorraised questions after the deathwas reported. Staff thenchecked the resuscitation

guideline document they gavethe emergency personnel andanother client’s name was onthe document.”

Dungarvin Minnesota oper-ates the facility and has had itscorrection plan accepted by thestate. The facility operatorssaid they taken the incidentvery seriously and madechanges including having sepa-rate binders on hand with eachclient’s information, and not ashared binder. Staff has beeneducated regarding DNR or-ders and giving accurate infor-mation to emergency respond-ers. ■[Source: Star Tribune]

Australia, New Zealand, Japanand South Africa. Many IAAISmembers in the United Statesare associated with public ra-dio stations, colleges, universi-ties or libraries.

The first president of the or-

ganization was C. Stanley Pot-ter, who was the Director ofthe State Services for the Blindin Minnesota when the RadioTalking Book began. Hollandis the only other Minnesotan tohold that post. ■

People and places People and places People and places People and places People and places - from p. 14

Adapted sporAdapted sporAdapted sporAdapted sporAdapted sports ts ts ts ts - from p. 13champions crowned. Twenty-seven schools had teams in thecompetition.

In the PI divisions, St. PaulHumboldt captured both theteam and boys’ singles titles.Humboldt junior TonyCampanaro dominated thefield, rolling a two-game seriesof 513, to win the PI Divisionboys’ singles championship.Campanaro entered the tourna-ment with the lowest handicap(45) in the field, and contrib-uted solid scores to help theHawks win the team crown.

Austin High School’sRachel Cook won the PI girls’singles championship withscores of 224 and 251 for a475 series. MinneapolisSouth’s duo of Tyler Sprattand Hassan Upsher won thedoubles title with a combinedscore of 871.

In the CI Division, a strongbowler led her team to the title

and won the girls’ singles titleas well. North St. Paul/Tartanwon the team championshipwith a one-pin victory over Al-bany, 1,627 to 1,626. AshleighMiller of North/Tartan won thegirls’ singles crown rolling a228 in her second game andseries score of 475.

Mankato East’s ColbyTolzmann won the boys’singles title with a 450 series,Minneapolis North’s JerickSands and Ronnie Kennedytook first place in doubles witha score of 889 pins.

Boys’ or girls’ singles,doubles and team competitionsare offered for athletes in eachof the two divisions. Doublespairs and teams may be co-ed.There is no limit on the num-ber of bowlers who can com-pete in the various categoriesof competition. However, oneindividual athlete cannot par-ticipate in all three categories.■


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