Thousands of books donated to ECE · “Their generos-ity will continue to nurture the curiosity...
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Published by the Franklin County Board of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities “Helping people to live, learn and work in the community” March 2009 Over 4,000 children’s books have been donated to FCBMRDD’s Early Childhood Department thanks to the efforts of the Barnes and Noble book- store at Easton. The books were purchased by cus- tomers of the store as part of a book donation campaign that ran from Octo- ber through December. Store staff encouraged customers to support FCBMRDD by donating books. The idea for the campaign arose last summer in a brief conversation between parent Meg Kuta and home- based teacher Kathy Fisher. “Can your program use books?” asked Meg, who is employed as a book- seller at the store. “Yes!” answered Kathy. According to Meg, the donation campaign provided a “positive focus for Thousands of books donated to ECE our store.” The num- ber of books donated far exceeded expec- tations. Meg and her hus- band Dave Kuta are the proud parents of Rachel, an enrollee in the infant program. Early Childhood Director Rebecca Love thanked the Barnes and Noble staff, as well as all the donors. “Their generos- ity will continue to nurture the curiosity and interests of hun- dreds of young children in our care,” she said. FCBMRDD staff have launched their annual anti-hunger campaign, Operation Feed. Collection efforts are underway at all FCBMRDD facilities. Last year $16,875 and 5,296 pounds of food were collected. Administration staff member Mike Davis is leading the drive this year. He is spreading the word about the need for food and cash dona- tions. “Food requests are up 14 percent at Mid- Ohio Foodbank’s pantries since last year. And a huge number of the requests are for children,” he said. Donating money is an especially effective way to support the effort. For every $1 received from donors, $8 worth of groceries is distributed. Operation Feed is a community-wide food drive co-sponsored by Mid-Ohio Foodbank and the United Way of Central Ohio. Let’s support Operation Feed The following staff have been appointed to coordinate the agency’s 2009 Operation Feed program: Debbie Schafer, Trish Potenza, Kurt Schmitter and Bob McCarthy, ARC Industries Central Office; Sarah Gillilan, ECE; Denise Henkel, ECLC; Mike Doran, ARC East; Sha- ron Evrard and Marianne Patronite, ARC North; Carolyn Dailey and Terri Cramer, ARC West; Marsha Lowe, ARC South; Becky Shan- non and Jackie Suver, Bixby; Carrie Vamos and Mary Jo Allen, Hague; Debbie Osborn, West Central; Robyn Wright, Northeast; Carmen Salas, Service Coordination; Amy Magginis, Cindy Mas- senelli, and Mike Davis, Administration. Amy Kulow, Doris Thomas, Toni Paris, Ronnia Parsley and Stephanie McManus, East Com- pound; Priscilla George, Mary Fairchild, West Compound; Dorcas Sharp, Beth Espinoza, Connie Hamm, Lou Rostorfer and Kathy Krzeczowski, South Compound. FCBMRDD OPERATION FEED 2009
Transcript of Thousands of books donated to ECE · “Their generos-ity will continue to nurture the curiosity...
Published by the Franklin County Board of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities“Helping people to live, learn and work in the community”
March 2009
Over4,000children’sbookshavebeen donated to FCBMRDD’s EarlyChildhood Department thanks to theeffortsof theBarnesandNoblebook-storeatEaston. Thebookswerepurchasedbycus-tomersof thestoreaspartofabookdonationcampaignthatranfromOcto-ber through December. Store staffencouraged customers to supportFCBMRDDbydonatingbooks. The idea for the campaign aroselast summer in a brief conversationbetween parent Meg Kuta and home-basedteacherKathyFisher. “Can your program use books?”askedMeg,whoisemployedasabook-seller at the store. “Yes!” answeredKathy. According to Meg, the donationcampaignprovideda“positivefocusfor
Thousands of books donated to ECEourstore.”Thenum-berofbooksdonatedfar exceeded expec-tations. Megandherhus-bandDaveKutaaretheproudparentsofRachel, an enrolleeintheinfantprogram. Early ChildhoodDirector RebeccaLove thanked theBarnes and Noblestaff, as well as allthedonors. “Their generos-ity will continue tonurture the curiosityand interests of hun-dreds of young children in our care,”shesaid.
FCBMRDDstaffhavelaunchedtheirannualanti-hungercampaign,OperationFeed. Collection efforts are underway at allFCBMRDD facilities. Last year $16,875 and5,296poundsoffoodwerecollected. Administration staff member Mike Davis isleadingthedrivethisyear.Heisspreadingtheword about the need for food and cash dona-tions. “Food requests are up 14 percent at Mid-OhioFoodbank’spantriessince lastyear. Andahugenumberoftherequestsareforchildren,”hesaid. Donating money is an especially effectivewaytosupporttheeffort.Forevery$1receivedfromdonors,$8worthofgroceriesisdistributed. Operation Feed is a community-wide fooddriveco-sponsoredbyMid-OhioFoodbankandtheUnitedWayofCentralOhio.
Let’s support Operation Feed
The following staff have been appointed to coordinate the agency’s2009OperationFeedprogram:Debbie Schafer, Trish Potenza, Kurt SchmitterandBob McCarthy, ARC Industries Central Office; Sarah Gillilan, ECE; Denise Henkel, ECLC; Mike Doran, ARC East; Sha-ron EvrardandMarianne Patronite, ARC North; Carolyn Dailey and Terri Cramer, ARC West; Marsha Lowe, ARC South; Becky Shan-non and Jackie Suver, Bixby; Carrie Vamos and Mary Jo Allen,Hague; Debbie Osborn, West Central; Robyn Wright, Northeast; Carmen Salas, Service Coordination; Amy Magginis, Cindy Mas-senelli,andMike Davis,Administration.Amy Kulow, Doris Thomas, Toni Paris, Ronnia Parsley and Stephanie McManus, East Com-pound; Priscilla George, Mary Fairchild, West Compound; Dorcas Sharp, Beth Espinoza, Connie Hamm, Lou Rostorfer and Kathy Krzeczowski,SouthCompound.
FCBMRDD OPERATION FEED 2009
“Justlikeyou,”isthethemeofthisyear’sMRDDAwarenessMonth.Thekickoffeventwillbeheldat theState-houseAtriumonThursday,March5th,from10a.m.to12noon. Thepurposeoftheannualcelebra-tionistopromotepositiveperceptionsofpeoplewithmental retardationanddevelopmentaldisabilities. Reflecting on the campaign theme, SuperintendentJedMorisonsaid: “We recognize that people withdisabilitieshave thesamehopesanddreamsastherestofus.Theywanttobeapartofthecommunity,andmakeacontribution.” InrecognitionofMRDDAwarenessMonth,FCBMRDDfacilitieswilldisplaypostersandotherartwork. Manypar-
March is MRDD Awareness Monthticipants will visit local librarieswhichcelebratethemonth. The Early Childhood andFamilyCenterwillhostitsannualResourceFaironMarch11th. Northeast School will holdits traditional Spaghetti Dinneron March 14th. West CentralSchool will hold an InformationFaironMarch16th. More information regard-ingawarenessactivitiesmaybefound at www.publicimagesnet-work.org.
Seek change? Try advocacy Legislative Advocacy Day, spon-sored by Arc of Ohio, the OhioDevelopmentalDisabilitiesCouncil, theOhio Autism Society and other disabil-ityorganizations,willbeheldonMarch31standApril1st. TrainingsonMarch31stwillbeheldfrom 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the Hyatt onCapitalSquare. Legislative visits will take place onApril1st from9a.m. to12noonat theStatehouse. Thepurposeoftheeventistoallowparentsofchildrenwithdisabilities,indi-viduals with disabilities, self-advocates,professionals,andother interestedpar-ties, to attend trainings and meet withtheirlegislatorstoimpactpublicpolicy. Registration materials can beobtainedatwww.thearcofohio.org Please contactCarmen Shelton,AdvocacyCoordinator,at740/505-8337forfurtherdetails.
ARC Indus-tries SouthstaffersRhondaFout and Bar-baraMillshaveretired. Theyhad combinedservice toFCBMRDD ofover50years. Rhondajoined theagencyDecember 19,1983, and Bar-bara February6, 1984. TheyworkedtogetheratSouthsince1994. Theduoinstructedahabilitationgroupof16individuals,focusingonhealth, fitness, current events, communication, nutrition and living skills. Theirroom,number5.09,wasapopularstopforcolleaguesandvisitors. AccordingtoARCSouthDirectorKurtSmith,“RhondaandBarbarawereresponsibleforavaried,well-structuredcurriculumthatwasamodelforothers.Somethinginterestingwasalwayshappening.” BestwishestobothfromtheentireFCBMRDDcommunity!
Long-time ARC South staff retire
At left is Rhonda Fout with Barbara Mills.
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Karen Owen, Behavior Support-Specialist at West Central School,retired at the end of December after32 years of service. At a retirementcelebration with co-workers, Karencommentedonhercareer: “Ireallybelievethatmycareerwasagift. I’msurethatI’vegainedmuchmorethanI’vegiven.” Karen began with FCBMRDD in1976 as a teaching assistant at oldSoutheast School. After a year, sheearned a teaching certificate and then served as a lead teacher there for 8years. Having developed a particularinterest in social and behavioral con-cerns, Karen became the BehaviorSupport Specialist at Southeast in1985.In1996,afterSoutheastclosed,sheswitchedtoWestCentralSchool. Karen was a founding memberof the Agency’s Behavior Support
Committee. “I loved the whole teamconcept”entailed in thegroup’swork,sheexplained. According to West Central Princi-palBarbaraMichael-Jones,Karenwasakeystaffmember: “Karen’s knowledge, her years ofexperience, her willingness to sharewith co-workers, and her unwaveringcommitmenttoourstudents,madeherastrongcontributortoourschoolandtheagencyasawhole.” Karen looks forward to spendingmore time with her children, Lindsay,Lauren and Mitch, and two grand-daughters. At some point, she mayexploreothercareeroptions. The entire FCBMRDD commu-nitywishesKarentheverybestinherretirement!
Her 32 years “a gift,” Karen Owen says
The inauguration of PresidentBarack Obama on January 20th wasthe inspiration for a variety of educa-tional and patriotic activities at theEarly Childhood Education and Fam-ilyCenteronJohnstownRoad,andthe
Inauguration Day at Early ChildhoodEarly Childhood Learning CommunityonRudyRoad. Children,staffandfamilieswatchedthe day’s events on TV. In addition,children designed flags and gave their owninauguraladdresses.
“It was a moment in historyshared in several places andspaces,”saidRebeccaLove,Direc-torofFCBMRDD’sEarlyChildhoodDepartment.
Karen is to the right of her friend and cowork-er, Patty Aellig.
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DSACO offers scholarships TheDownSyndromeAssociationofCentralOhio(DSACO)isofferingcollege scholarships to individualswith Down syndrome and/ or theirfamily members who are pursuingcareers that will impact the lives ofthosewithdisabilities. Ifyouwouldliketoapply,pleasegotowww.dsaco.netfortheapplicationandguidelines.The deadline for applying is March31st.
Siebold applications due April 1 IfyouareinterestedinapplyingforascholarshipfromtheJohnJ.SieboldMemorial Scholarship Program, youmust complete and submit your appli-cation to ARC Industries by Monday,April1st. To be eligible, an applicant mustbeemployedbyFCBMRDDforamini-mumofoneyear,haveahighschooldegree or equivalent, be pursuing acollege degree (any level) in a field of studyrelatedtoMRDD,andbeeitheraU.S.citizenorpermanentresident. John J. Siebold was a 27-yearemployee of FCBMRDD who wasmuch admired for his commitment tohelpingpeople.Hediedunexpectedlyin June, 2003, at which time he wasARC Industries’ Operations Director.In his memory,ARC’s Board of Trust-eescreatedthescholarshipprogram. Scholarships are awarded in theamount of $1,500 annually at the dis-cretion of the scholarship committee.Since 2004, thirty-two scholarshipshave been awarded for a total of$43,000. Toobtainmoreinformation,includ-inganapplication,pleasecall475-7007.SelectionofscholarshipwinnerswillbemadebyApril27th.
Families to focus on quality care At theirnextmeeting,membersof Families United will hear DarlaMinamyer, Director of MinamyerResidentialServices,Inc.,speakonthe topic, “MaintainingQualityCareDuringTimesofBudgetConstraints.” The meeting will be held onThursday,March12that7p.m.ThelocationwillbeOverbrookPresbyte-rianChurch,4131N.HighStreet. Thepublicisinvited.
Info Fair set at West CentralSchool WestCentralSchool’sannualInformation Fair will be held attheschoolMonday,March16thfrom6:30to8:30p.m. Sponsored by the parentsgroup, the event is designedto provide families informationregarding programs and ser-vicesavailablefortheirchildren. A free chili dinner will beprovided,courtesyofRally’s. Acaricatureartistwillbeonhandtodrawchildren’sportraits. West Central School islocatedat1480W.TownStreet.
PAR offers benefits training “Benefits and Employment, Medicaid, Medicare, Social Security and SSI -- Learn How toMaximizeBenefits for Those You Serve” is the title of training being offered by the Professional Association forRetardation(PAR)onApril30thattheHolidayInninWorthington. Five hours of MRDD certification credit have beenapproved. To register or obtain additional information,pleasevisitPAR’swebsitewww.par-ohio.org,orcon-tactErickBerquistat342-5398.
Recycling program begins FCBMRDD Controller Jennifer Schueneman hasannounced the start of a paper recycling program at theagency’sAdministration,Transportation,andEarlyChildhooddepartments locatedat2879JohnstownRoad,aswellasatARC Industries’ offices at 2300 Marilyn Lane. Large,browncontainers,called“totes,”havebeenplacedthroughoutthefacilities.Staffarerequestedtoplaceallpaperitems,includingcardboard,inthecontainers.Onlypaperitemsareincludedintheprogramatpresent. QuestionsmaybedirectedtoJenniferat342-5980.
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Good For YouNotable Achievements in the FCBMRDD Community Career Milestones
The soldiers of Task Force 44 MED,CampVictory, Iraq,sentanoteto ARC Industries East employeesthankingthemforacarepackagesentinDecember.Lt.ShermanBakercom-mented that the gift “had a positiveimpacton themoraleofoursoldiers.”Staff coordinating theeffortwereBar-bara SchreinerandJanet Serios. *************** Creative Housing’s ApartmentsatStoneridgehavereceivedthe“BestNew Housing” award from the Cityof Gahanna’s Department of Devel-opment. The apartments, which arelocatedneartheintersectionofMorseandHamiltonRoads,openedlastyear.
*************** Franklin County Probate JudgeEric BrownhasnamedformerMunici-pal Court Judge Mark Froehlich asChief Magistrate. He succeeds Wil-liam Reddington, who retired inJanuary,asdidformerProbateJudgeLawrence Belskis.
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25 years
Lisa HippleJames Swank
20 years
Marianne Male
15 years
Elana AskewWanda Kenty
Shirley MaynardClyde Moss
Ronald Rucker
10 years
Rachel Thomas
5 year
Leonard FearsSuzanne Flowers
William FoellerIvory Havener
Carrie McDonaldKim Treece
SeveralparticipantsfromARC Indus-tries North paid a visit to NationwideChildren’s Hospital on December 15th.Theybroughtalonghandmade,knithatswhichtheydonatedtopatientsthere.Thehatswereknittedbytheparticipantsusingcircularhoops.
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FCBMRDD Board member Dean FadelhasbeenelectedVicePresidentofthe Board of Trustees of the OhioAsso-ciationofCountyBoardsofMRDD.
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Congratulations to all the trophy win-nersatthe“FortheFunofIt”bowlingevent on January 31st: Individuals -Jeff Rayburn, Lora Rinehart (seenatright),Teams -James Bay, Jeff Ray-burn, Brian Parks, Rick Armentrout, (seen below); and Nancy Mills, Erin Vandemark, Melissa Wren, Carla Wills (seenatlowerright).
InformationaboutFCBMRDDisalwaysavailableontheinternetat:
www.fcbmrdd.org
The Franklin County Board of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities
Jerry SaundersHelen NinosDean Fadel
Galen StoverLito RamirezRenee Stein
Jean Williams
Superintendent Jed W. Morison
FCBMRDD does not discriminate in employment or services on the basis of race, color, creed, sex, national origin, or handicap.
ThefollowingFCBMRDDstaffcontributetothemonthlypublicationanddistributionofDateline.JedW.Morison CarlScott MaryLindenMichaelDavis AmyMagginis MartinKerscherJenniferCunningham
Dateline
Newsreleases,storyideas,andsuggestionsshouldbesenttoMartinKerscherat: 2879JohnstownRoad Columbus,Ohio43219 (614)475-6440FAX342-5001
Calendar
“Quotable quotes”
March, 2009
“Ifyoujudgepeople,you havenotimetolovethem.”
-- Mother Teresa
5 MRDDAwarenessMonthKickoffEvent,StatehouseAtrium,10a.m.-12noon.
8 DaylightSavingsTimebegins. 10 FranklinCountyResidentialServicesBoardof
Trusteesmeeting,1021CheckreinAve.,11a.m. 11 ECEFourthAnnualResourceFair,EarlyChildhood
EducationandFamilyCenter, 2879JohnstownRd.,11a.m.-1:15p.m. 12 FamiliesUnitedmeeting,4131N.HighSt.,7p.m. 14 NortheastSchool’sAnnualSpaghettiDinner,500N.
HamiltonRd.,Gahanna,4-8p.m. 16 WestCentralSchool’sAnnualInformationFair,
1480W.TownSt.,6:30-8:30p.m. 17 Happy St. Patrick’s Day! 18 ParentLeaguemeeting,2879JohnstownRd., 9:30a.m. 20 Springbegins. 23 ARCIndustriesBoardofTrusteesmeeting,Holiday
InnOn-the-Lane,11:30a.m. 26 FCBMRDDHumanResourcesandFinanceCom-
mitteemeeting,2879JohnstownRd.,4p.m. 26 FCBMRDDBoardmeeting,2879JohnstownRd., 5p.m.
The year-round delivery of home-baked cookies andgreetingcardsmayseemlikeasimplegesture,butseniorciti-zenswithmentalretardationanddevelopmentaldisabilitiesatGoodwillColumbusareeffectivelyreachingouttohelpotherpeople--hundredsofhospicepatients--throughoutcentralOhioeachmonthviaOdysseyHealthCare. “Allofourpatientsappreciatethegifts,butsomeofourpatientsdonothavefamily,andforthemthesespecialgiftsareagreatcomfort,”saidMichelleBarnhart,ManagerofVol-unteerServicesforOdysseyHealthCare,basedinGahanna. Goodwill’svolunteerserviceprogramfor thepatientsatOdyssey HealthCare started two years ago by a few par-ticipants inSageSeniorServices. Today, theSageSeniorServicesstaffhaveenlistedmorethan80individualswithdis-abilitiestohelpbake,andmakegreetingcards,activitysheetsand puzzles, as well as decorations for hospice patients’rooms.Thisisdoneonamonthlybasis. AccordingtoConnieButler,aLeadHabilitationManagerforSage,“Ourseniorcitizens,manywithavarietyofdisabili-ties, benefit from their volunteer service to Odyssey. They are learning to socialize and work together while showingcompassionforotherswithuncompromising illnesses,”saidButler. “Having always been the ones to receive help, ourSageparticipantsdelightinbeingabletogivebacktoothersinthecommunity.”
Giving help instead of receiving
Olderadults,age45andup, joinSageSeniorSer-vicesatGoodwilluponreferralbyFCBMRDD. Anyone wanting to volunteer at Odyssey Health-CareorGoodwillColumbusshouldcontactthefollowingindividuals:LoisMiller,VolunteerCoordinator,GoodwillColumbus, at 583-0242; or Michelle Barnhart, Manager VolunteerServices,OdysseyHealthCare,at414-0500.
