September 2017 Edition - Access Press

TAKE A BIKE RIDE, Page 5

Volume 28, Number 9

September 10, 2017

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Durable goods access changes concerns go on

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TWIN CITIES, MN PERMIT NO. 4766

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EQUIPMENT To Page 15

"You don't have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great."

SUBMITTED PHOTO

– Zig Ziglar

Mentorship is one of Mark Braun's outstanding qualities.

2017 Charlie Smith Award winner tirelessly makes a difference

by Jane McClure Athlete and advocate Mark Braun works to make a difference, one person at a time. His own difficult start in life has resulted in a giving spirit and a desire to help others.

As a teen, Braun set the pace for Minnesota high school wheelchair athletes. He is an advocate for people with disabilities, with a focus on helping children succeed in life. He is a tireless promoter of physical fitness and wheelchair sports. His outgoing and magnetic personality draws in people

of all ages and gets them involved in whatever he is doing.

This remarkable young man is the 2017 Access Press Charlie Smith Award winner. He’ll be honored at the newspaper’s annual banquet November 3 in Bloomington.

“Getting the award means a lot to me,” said Braun, 23, of Mounds View. “It is a validation of the work I am doing and hope to continue to do.”

Braun has many athletic titles to his credit and is now eyeing the 2020 Summer Paralympics in Tokyo and the

NEWS DIGEST Metro Mobility, other rates increase Page 3 The gift of walkability Page 4 Longtime camp is closing Page 6 Meet the award runners-up Page 7 Social Security makes changes Page 11

HONOREE To Page 8

Retirement awaits

New chapter for Radio Talking Book’s Holland

by Jan Willms When Stuart Holland stepped down as manager of Minnesota Radio Talking Book Network September 5, he didn’t call it a retirement. “I think more of it as a transition rather than a retirement,” Holland said. He was a state employee since 1975, and with Radio Talking Book since 1986.

“That’s a long time,” he said, “and there are too many things to do that I don’t have time for while I am in this job.”

Holland’s colleagues said he and his countless contributions to Radio Talking Book will be missed. He was saluted for his dedication to make sure everyone has access to printed material. Holland has been a pioneer in providing news and pleasure reading to countless people and has been recognized nationally and internationally for his work.

How it began

Radio Talking Book predates Holland’s work for the state. The service is available to anyone who cannot read due to disability.

The first program of its kind in the world, it started in 1969 as a reading service for the blind. Volunteers and a few paid staff read newspapers, magazines, and books over the radio.

Stuart Holland “Bill Kling had graduated from St. John’s University in 1965, went to grad school and returned. St. John’s wanted him to start a radio station, which he did. The station was originally Minnesota Educational Radio and then became Minnesota Public Radio,” said Holland.

“Kling could not sell advertising for public radio, but he thought that maybe Minnesota State Services for the Blind would like a radio station. C. Stanley Potter, the

JAN WILLMS

Access to needed medical equipment and supplies continues to cause problems for many people with disabilities. The latest fight in Minnesota is to repeal a law which affects incontinence supplies. The law takes effect July 1, 2018.

The Midwest Association of Medical Equipment Suppliers (MAMES), its members and other advocates are asking to overturn a law requiring Minnesota to bid out incontinence products. The law was tucked into the 2017 health and human service omnibus bill in the final hours of the legislative session.

Bill Amberg, who is MAMES’ lobbyist, said member medical supply dealers are frustrated that the bill addition came without debate or discussing. “There wasn’t even a conversation with stakeholders.”

MAMES and its allies are working to overturn the bid requirement before it takes effect next year. That could happen during the 2018 legislative session.

Amberg said that if the change goes into effect next year, it would be yet another blow to Minnesota’s medical supply and durable medical equipment providers. More than half a dozen companies have closed during the past year including longtime Twin Cities firm Key Medical Supply. Key had waged a long and ultimately unsuccessful legal battle over the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ (CMS) competitive bidding program as it related to enteral nutrition supplies or feeding tubes.

It will also inconvenience many people who need the incontinence supplies for daily living. “It just gets tougher for people with disabilities and senior citizens,” Amberg said.

“They can’t find caregivers, they can’t have reliable supplies and medical equipment for their daily lives. It’s hard to talk about people staying in their home communities on one hand and forcing them out on the other.”

The trend at the state and federal level is to move more and more equipment and supplies to competitive bidding. Competitive bidding is promoted as providing savings for government as well as ease in working with fewer vendors, as well as helping suppliers deal with price reductions.

The Iowa-based advocacy group People for Quality Care has been tracking the issues around competitive bidding. Over the summer the group posted a survey for people who use home medical equipment. The survey asks clients about their satisfaction with delivery of home medical equipment and supplies, what they use, and how changes have affected their lives.

The survey is at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/AAH-BE Competitive bidding has been rolled out around the nation since 2011, area by area and item by item. Successful bidders won exclusive contracts to provide home medical equipment and supplies. The auction program has been criticized for ending longtime relationships between suppliers and their clients, and forcing people to work with out-of-state suppliers for

director of that organization and a longtime ham radio operator, had been thinking of how to get such a station. It was a perfect meeting of the minds.”

1968 was spent doing research. The service went on the air in 1969. “Initially, it was on the air in St. Cloud and the Twin Cities and was a little paternalistic,” he said. The station organizers thought they had to “take care of those poor blind people.”

It was soon realized that the blind had the same interests as everyone else.

None of the books or articles read are edited in any way. “It is almost impossible to find books without any sex or violence in them today,” he said, “and the visually impaired have the same right of access as everyone else.”

The station opened its doors in a building in downtown St. Paul on Wabasha Street, where the State Services for the Blind was located. It then moved to what had originally been a factory.

“That was not a perfect location,” Holland recalled. “There were eight recording booths and a set of steps to get into the building. If we had a volunteer in a wheelchair, tough luck. They would have to record at home.”

In 1992 Radio Talking Book moved to its current location on University AveHOLLAND To Page 15

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September 10, 2017 Volume 28, Number 9

EDITOR’S DESK

Tim Benjamin In early September, many of the advocacy organizations are putting together their 2018 legislative agendas, prioritizing and discussing what issues are most relevant to their constituents.

At noon on February 20, 2018, the 90th Minnesota Legislature will reconvene its regular session, but over the next few months, committee meetings and discussions of a wide variety of issues will be held. As the advocates and lobbyists are getting prepared. you can stay informed by using the newspapers and social media like Twitter and Facebook. Once the committee meetings begin, there will be live television from the capitol. You can find the sessions on TV on the Minnesota Channel, and many are streamed live on the legislature’s website. Also, after conference committees get going, and bills are being introduced and given “file numbers,” you can follow them by signing up for "mybills." You can sign up at: https://www.leg.state.mn.us/mybills/.

With a little searching on this website you can also find out who your legislators in the House and Senate are and stay in close contact with them.

Plan to make visits, email, send snail mail and make plenty of phone calls.

Get to know them, and get to know their assistants. Often, it’s easier to

make contact with the assistant to relay a message to your legislator than it is to get hold of a legislator directly. Also, the legislative assistant may have more background information on how your legislator is thinking about any specific bill. Sound familiar? Think about it; don’t your assistants and caregivers sometimes know how you are thinking and feeling about a specific topic?

Remember, you have to be a teacher, and inform the legislator and assistant with as many specifics as possible about any particular bill that you’re interested in. Tell them plainly how it affects you, your friends and family. Explain the impact of your issue and offer a solution that would be positive for a majority of Minnesotans.

As an example, my priority is how to streamline the PCA program so that it will be sustainable, fair and equitable for most Minnesotans. Without quality PCAs we will lose our independence, and our government needs to recognize this clearly. They need to see how losing their independence will affect senior citizens and people with every kind of disability in communities throughout Minnesota. The downside of the great, low unemployment rate is it’s hard to find people that need jobs, and to compete with businesses paying higher wages for

Tell them plainly how it affects you, your friends and family. Explain the impact of your issue and offer a solution that would be positive for a majority of Minnesotans. lower-skilled, trainable workers.

All of us who are using the PCA program must get involved. As most of you know, it’s a real crisis situation.

The PCA union (SEIU) had negotiated last session with the Minnesota Legislature on wages and other benefits but the legislature DID NOT raise the reimbursement rate high enough to cover those wages and benefits. Many of our agencies could be going out of business if we don’t advocate for them.

Tell your legislators and everyone that will listen to you about your story and encourage your agency leaders to come in and tell their stories as well. There’s a saying that legislators don’t see the light until they feel the heat, and we have to put the heat on to make sure they understand and see the light of this unresolved crisis in home care.

Another topic that you might want to heat up for your legislators is durable goods. One of the Twin Cities’ durable goods companies has gone out of business because of the competitive bidding options that have gone into effect recently. At the 11th hour of the last legislative session, language restricting availability of incontinence products was slipped into statute without much community input. If we don’t get this legislation removed we could be losing

more medical supply companies. Because of the restricted bidding options, we will certainly be getting a much lower quality product than we are used to. Most of us in the disability community use some sort of incontinence products so it will be affecting most every one of us. We have an article on the front page about this topic, and Access Press will keep you informed on what our durable good agencies are doing and how we can help them.

On a much more exciting note, the Access Press Board of Directors has chosen Mark Braun for the 2017 Charlie Smith award. Mark is a pretty incredible young man. Besides being a great athlete he has the charisma that draws people to him, a champion much like Charlie.

I hope everyone will attend the award banquet to give kudos to this young Team USA Paralympic athlete and a strong up and coming advocate. Many of us in the “old guard” are looking for younger folks with disabilities to get involved, and this young guy will be among the next-generation leaders in our community.

Hope you made it out to the State Fair and enjoyed this summer of good weather. Keep the folks in Texas in your thoughts. ■

HISTORY NOTE

Foundation for special education was laid in 1975 Crayons, pencils, a ruler and a backpack are necessities at back-to-school time. Learning the ABCs for students with disabilities requires another set of three letters – the IEP or Individualized Education Program. 2017 marks 40 years since IEPs began to be widely used. Key changes to IEPs were made 20 years ago.

For many years students with disabilities had few options to learn, with many even denied access to public education.

Children who were homeschooled were among the most fortunate. Many others spent their lives in institutions. Many weren’t educated at all. Programs varied widely between states, and within states.

Changes started to occur in the 1950s and 1960s. But it was slow going. According to the U.S. Department of Education, in 1970 U.S. schools educated only one in five children with disabilities. Many states had laws excluding certain students, including children who were deaf,

blind, developmentally disabled or living with mental illness.

The foundation of today’s special education law was passed in 1975 and enacted in 1977. Public Law 94-142, The Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975 (EHA), provided free public education for children ages three to 21 years.

It protected the rights of children with disabilities and their parents including due process rights. Education was to take place in the least restrictive environment.

Federal funding was allocated to help educate children with disabilities. A key part of the act was to provide for IEPs, to make sure that students with disabilities got the help and support they needed.

In 1986, EHA was amended to address the need for early intervention and mandated services from birth. The amendments required the development of a comprehensive system of early intervention for infants.

Volume 28, Number 9 Periodicals Imprint: Pending ISSN

Co-Founder/Publisher............................................................................................................Wm. A. Smith, Jr. (1990-96) Co-Founder/Publisher/ Editor-in-Chief.............................................................................. Charles F. Smith (1990-2001) Board of Directors................................................. Mohamed Alfash, Stephen Anderson, John Clark, Kristin Jorenby, ..............................................................................................................Jane Larson, Julius Williams, Kay Willshire, Mark Zangara Advertising Sales......... Michelle Hegarty, 612-807-1078 Cartoonist......................................................Scott Adams Executive Director.....................................Tim Benjamin Production........................................................ In-Fin Tuan Managing Editor........................................ Jane McClure Distribution............................................ S. C. Distribution Business Manager/Webmaster......... Dawn Frederick EDITORIAL: Editorial submissions and news releases on topics of interest to persons with disabilities, or persons serving those with disabilities, are welcomed. We reserve the right to edit all submissions. Editorial material and advertising do not necessarily reflect the view of the editor/publisher of Access Press.

The provisions of EHA were broadened, and the act itself got a new name in 1990. The act’s new name became the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act or IDEA. This law expanded the eligibility categories to include autism and traumatic brain injuries. It also provided for assistive technology devices and services.

In 1997, IDEA was amended and reauthorized. One key focus 20 years ago was to spell out an initiative for transition services. It required a transition plan to be a part of every IEP no later than the student’s 16th birthday.

Other changes made 20 years ago state that every IEP must include present levels of performance, measurable goals, statement of services, and statement of accommodations or modifications. Another key change is that a regular education teacher must be involved in the IEP. The door was opened to allow students with IEPs

to participate in state assessment tests.

Discipline rules were updated to align with rent court decisions and to reflect those rulings.

Another important change in 1997 was that federal law addressed eligibility for Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) under the “other health impairments” section.

IDEA has had many more changes over the years. It’s important to recognize that before EHA and IDEA, too many children were shut out of learning opportunities. From infants to young adults, the approach is much different. Children routinely can attend their neighborhood schools, and high school graduation and higher education aren’t out of reach. ■ The History Note is a monthly column sponsored by the Minnesota Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities, www.mnddc.org or www. mncdd.org and www.partnersinpolicymaking.com.

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September 10, 2017 Volume 28, Number 9

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On October 1, passengers using Metro Mobility, buses and trains in the Twin Cities region will pay more for their rides. The Metropolitan Council in July unanimously passed a 25-cent fare increase for local and express buses, light rail and commuter rail, as well as a 50-cent hike for Metro Mobility.

Metro Mobility is the region’s paratransit service.

The increase is the first since 2008 and is needed to cope with a $110 million budget deficit expected by fiscal 2020-2021. An anticipated decline in motor vehicle sales tax revenue, inflationary pressures and growing demand for Metro Mobility, which is mandated by the federal government, are driving the increase.

The increase comes at a time when there is more study of Metro Mobility.

In August, a task force began meeting to discuss the paratransit service. The task force is charged with preparing a report by February 2018. The task force will look at options including identifying options for reducing program costs and improving efficiency; identifying at least three potential service level approaches that involve partnering with and incorporating transportation network companies, taxi service providers, or both, and providing recommendations for program and legislative changes.

The council in July also voted to make permanent the Transit Assistance Program (TAP) that provides a discounted fare of $1 per ride at all times to qualifying low-income riders. Many other adjustments were also approved.

In 2016, ridership was 96.3 million rides. On an average weekday, ridership is more than 250,000 rides. Research shows 80 percent of riders are going to work or school.

“This was not an easy vote, but one that was necessary to strengthen the future of transit in our region,” said Metropolitan Council Chair Adam Duininck. “Transit connects hundreds of thousands Minnesotans with jobs, school, and with their communities.

This is the first fare adjustment we have made in nearly a decade. I do recognize that some low-income individuals who are dependent on transit may not be able to afford an increase at all. Therefore, I’m pleased that the council was able to mitigate the impact of a fare

FILE PHOTO

Metro Mobility, other fare increase take effect October 1

Metro Mobility provides needed rides for many Twin Cities residents with disabilities. increase on low-come income people, by making permanent the Transit Assistance Program.”

The 2017 Minnesota Legislature funded operations with an infusion of one-time money of $75 million, and zero dollars for FY 2020-2021, which will result in the region facing a transit deficit projected at $110 million.

“The reality is that transit services are getting more expensive, and the legislature isn’t doing its part to provide a long-term, stable funding source,” said Duininck. “Our riders depend on this service, and our business leaders clearly recognize transit services play a critical role in our regional economy. Despite overwhelming public support for transit, leaders in the House and Senate chose a short-term fix and ignored transit’s on-going needs. Raising fares is the responsible thing to do and preferable to cutting services – but I want to be clear, we can’t solve our budget problem with fare increases alone. The legislature must act to create sustainable, dedicated transit funding.”

Disability Hub MN makes its debut The Disability Linkage Line is now Disability Hub MN. The name change and an expanded scope of services were unveiled in August. The website and call-in resource will provide Minnesotans with disabilities assistance on a wide array of topics including health care, housing, work and other resources.

Disability Hub MN is a free statewide resource network that helps people with disabilities solve problems, navigate the system and plan for the future. Since launching in 2006, the service has evolved to offer more tools and services to make it easier for people with disabilities to live their best life, their way — a true “hub” of support.

"Disability Hub MN is intended to be a true hub of support for people with disabilities to make it easier for them to live their best life, their way," said DHS Assistant Commissioner Claire Wilson.

More than 30,000 people used the service in 2016.

The name isn’t the only change. Users of the service will discover a stronger focus on person-centered principles. It will be easier to find resources, options and tools. Disability Hub MN also offers more opportunities for communication and engagement.

The website has an introductory video users can watch online, to learn more about resources and the revamped service itself. The website is accessible.

The name has changed but the phone number has not. Disability Hub MN can be reached by calling 1-866-333-2466

during regular business hours of 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays. Or go to www.disabilityhubmn.org, find an email address and send a question in. Email questions will be answered Monday through Friday.

For people who prefer looking for resources over the Internet, the Disability Hub MN is a partner in the statewide resource database found at Minnesotahelp.info Disability Hub MN providers are the Southeastern Minnesota Center for Independent Living (SEMCIL) and the Metropolitan Center for Independent Living (MCIL). The centers work in collaboration with Senior LinkAge Line, a specialty information and assistance service for seniors and the Veteran Linkage Line which assists military veterans and their families. The partners also work with other local information and referral agencies to enhance effective and consistent delivery of disability-related information and assistance services.

To chat with options counselors, connect to planning tools such as the helpful DB101 and to find other helpful information and resources, visit disabilityhubmn.org. ■

The Council action will result in an estimated $6.8 million in additional revenue per year.

The Council’s action affects all regional transit services, including those operated by Metro Transit, Metro Mobility, the Metropolitan Council (Transit Link and suburban service), and suburban transit providers (Maple Grove Transit, Minnesota Valley Transit Authority, Plymouth MetroLink, and SouthWest Transit). Transit fares, under state law and regional policy, must be set on a regional basis and be consistent across providers.

Duininck, leading his final meeting of the regional planning body, called the vote a tough decision. He and other council members expressed unhappiness that state lawmakers didn’t address

sustainable transit funding in 2017. But they also said that a higher increase was considered but set aside.

The council held several meetings and conducted other outreach to discuss the rate hike. Many at the meetings about how an increase would tap already strained budgets.

Metro Mobility users will soon pay $3.50 to $4.50 per ride, as well as an additional 75-cent surcharge for trips of more than 15 miles. Transit Link DialA-Ride fares will increase on average by $1.60. These trips will also include a 75-cent distance surcharge.

Under the new system, local fares for off-peak hours will increase from $1.75 to $2; while rides will go from $2.25 to $2.50 for peak hours. ■

September 10, 2017 Volume 28, Number 9

FROM OUR COMMUNITY

Ready for the banquet?

A gift of shoes restores her faith in humanity Many a day I’ve wondered, “How are we going to get through this?” “This,” meaning, the power of callous people to change the world in the wrong way.

Then I wake up to a new day and new possibilities. This is what happened recently, which opened my heart, again, to the potential of human caring: I woke up one day knowing I was going to “try on” some shoes at a store. I wanted New Balance, which are systemically made for people with foot problems. I did not know I would walk out with a gift of two pairs of shoes.

Most of you who know me know I am poor. And poor for many of us means doing without for a long time. Sigh. I’m not feeling sorry here. We are a resilient bunch. For many of us, though it gets hard.

My county, through its public assistance program, has not seen fit to help me get a new pair of walking shoes as a medical issue. That is despite my partially crippled feet and back injuries. So I wait and wait and wait until I get renters’ rebate money here in Minnesota, sometimes two to three years, until I can

use that money for shoes. And my feet DO hurt.

So a miracle happened, as it does when people help each other. I was desperately waiting for my check from the state. I called my neighborhood store, explained my predicament, the need for the medically useful New Balance shoes, and the physical problems and financial challenges. And she said, come in anyway, and we will find some way to help you before August.

What? I was not sure I had heard her correctly, but I did not ask questions, and arranged a ride to the store. She was not there due to a family emergency but urged me to work with another co-worker. And I did.

After an hour, we found the version of shoe that was the same as what I bought three years ago. They were old stock, but the exact shoes I needed with the best and support for my feet, back and hips.

It’s complicated with multiple disabilities getting what we really need.

They were also cheaper, on a massive sale. But how could I do this, without money until August? In addition, I

needed two pairs in case I could not find the same pair after these wore out. Sigh.

Asking for what we need. I said to this lovely man, “You know, wouldn’t it be great if you had a second identical pair so I would have another pair of shoes in two years when these wore out? He did. I offered to spend some months paying them off.

We sat there and talked, and then I went to the bathroom wondering how this would work. I returned, to see him walking toward me with a bag … with two boxes of brand new shoes. This had never happened to me before. Two brand new pair of New Balance shoes. I would have shoes now for four years.

I could not hold it in. I just stood there and burst into tears. For several minutes I just cried, while the staff watched and I explained how long I always had to wait for a new pair of shoes, and how much pain it cost me to walk outside in broken-down shoes.

I made many friends that Friday.

L.A. Reed Minneapolis

∏∏f∏∏

In Memoriam

His

Timber saw everyone's potential Described as an “angel on earth” and a champion for people with disabilities, Colleen Timbers was a mainstay at Merrick Inc. for many years. Timbers, 63, died August 14 after a battle with cancer.

Timbers was a native of Wisconsin. She earned degrees from University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point in political science, history, and education. She taught for a time and then moved to St. Paul in 1984.

Timbers found her niche at Merrick Inc., which provides services to adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. In 1988, she became the program director. She was considered the soul of Merrick by many people, and juggled many roles there including teacher, change agent, regulatory expert and self-advocacy champion. Her greatest passion and joy in life was her work.

Right up to her last day, Timbers' focus was to make sure the programs she had poured her heart and soul into were continuing with her mission, vision, and passion. Each of the clients she worked

with held a unique and special place in her heart. Helping them reach their goals and aspirations were at the forefront of everything she did.

She started the Merrick North St. Paul Adult Day Services Program for people with Alzheimer's and other memory impairments. She worked with many self-advocates and helped groups organize and get involved in the legislative process. Two of the groups she worked with, Believers in Self-Advocacy and Self-Advocates United have pledged to continue their work since her death.

Timbers also initiated the Ambassadors of Respect: Anti-Bullying program, which involved Twin Cities schools. Additionally, she assisted in creating several videos produced by Twin Cities Public Television.

Timbers also served on numerous boards and committees, and presented at various conferences advocating for those with Alzheimer's, developmental disabilities and civil rights causes.

One unique interest of hers was with weather, joining the Emergency Skywarn Team, becoming a certified storm chaser. She enjoyed spending time with her family.

Timbers is survived by her parents, Robert and Arla "Katie" Timbers; a brother and three sisters and their families.

Timbers credited her parents with instilling in her the philosophy that life's experiences of adversity and hardship prepares us all for a fulfilled life journey, and that we need to lead with solutions, not be bystanders in civil and human rights.

As Access Press went to press, service information wasn’t available. Her family plans to establish a memorial to benefit the Merrick North St. Paul Adult Day Services Program and to continue her legacy by advocating for those with developmental disabilities. Memorials can be made to the Colleen Timbers Memorial Trust Fund, Wells Fargo Bank, 11966 Business Park Blvd. No. Champlin, MN 55316.

∏∏∏∏∏

Larson was children’s advocate A talented singer and artist, Shirley Glynn Lockwood Larson was also a longtime advocate for children with disabilities. Larson, 91, died of cancer at her Bloomington home in August.

Larson began singing as a child. She attended Washburn University and the Kansas City Conservatory of Music, but left during World War II to work for the Manhattan Project.

She married John B. Larson, and the couple had three children. One son became disabled at a young age. The Larsons later founded the Sioux Falls chapter of the Association for Retarded Children,

and Shirley was its first president.

Larson’s daughter Valerie Larson Haynes said. “She had some huge challenges but she surmounted them, having a handicapped son back at a time when people were not understanding and the community didn't have much in the way of supports.”

Laron taught music to children with disabilities and led one of the nation's first Girl Scout troops for girls with intellectual disabilities.

Larson was a lifelong soloist of opera and oratorio, and taught voice for more than 20 years. She directed several cho-

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ruses, as her family moved around the country.

Her first husband died in 1996. She later married former WCCO weatherman, Bud Kraehling, who shared her love of singing. Kraehling died in 2015.

Shirley is survived by her son Mark Larson of Richfield; her daughter Valerie Haynes of Gilbertsville, New York; two granddaughters and one great-grandson. Services have been held. ■

The Access Press Charlie Smith Award Banquet is Friday, November 3 at the Doubletree by Hilton Hotel in Bloomington. Our award winner has been named but the work isn’t over yet.

Readers can help make the banquet a big success. We’d like to see you there and we’d welcome your donations for the silent auction and raffle. We’d also welcome sponsors. Time to donate and buy tickets is now.

The banquet honors the winner of the Charlie Smith Award, named in honor of the newspaper’s founding editor. It’s a great opportunity to honor community members who help Minnesotans with disabilities. The banquet is a great time for friends, coworkers and family members to support the winner and nominees.

This year’s winner is athletes and advocate Mark Braun. Read about him and learn his remarkable life story, in this month’s issue. You won’t want to miss his speech.

Our venue, which is hosting the banquet for the second year, has ample parking and offers a spacious banquet room with great sight lines and easy second-floor access. Tickets are $50 per person and $350 per table. Sign up now for tickets or a table with a business, organization or friends. Enjoy social time, a cash bar, the silent auction and raffle starting at 5:30 p.m., and the sit-down dinner and awards ceremony at 7 p.m.

Menu choices are New York steak, wild rice and mascarpone stuffed chicken, and gnocchi for vegetarians.

Attendees can register and pay for tickets online, send a check to the newspaper office or call 651-644-2133.

The popular pick-a-prize raffle, in which tickets are dropped into jars, is a big hit as people can pay very little, try their luck and maybe take home a nice prize.

A silent auction, with bidding on sheets, will also be held. Donations of gift baskets, collectibles, art, gift certificates, new merchandise and more are needed for the raffle and silent auction.

Past prizes have included a portable ramp, jewelry jar, electronics, scarves, restaurant and brewery gift cards, theater and concert tickets, framed art, photos, toys, books and much more.

Please call and ask about donations so there aren’t duplicates. Can you or your business offer a product or service? How about a class or day trip?

Be creative and make a gift basket to promote a business. Show off knitting, sewing, woodworking or other skills.

Make a basket for a movie night, a fondue party, a spa day, or a wine and cheese party. Proceeds benefit the newspaper and its work.

The newspaper is also continuing to seek banquet sponsors. The current roster of sponsors appears elsewhere in this month’s newspaper. There is still time to be a sponsor.

Office Manager Dawn Frederick can answer questions about the banquet, tickets, sponsorships and the silent auction and raffle prizes. Call her at 651-644-2133 or email her at dawn@ accesspress.org. ■

September 10, 2017 Volume 28, Number 9

Adaptive cycling lending program lets riders hit the trail

by Dayna L. Wolfe “Enhancing Independence and Building Community through Outdoor Adaptive Cycling” is the mission and motto of one of the state’s first adaptive cycling lending program. Twin Cities Adaptive Cycling or TCAC is a non-profit organization co-founded by bicycling enthusiasts Caitlin “Cato” Bowles-Roth and Tommy Dixon.

They and TCAC volunteers work to increase participation and access to cycling among individuals with disabilities in the Twin Cities, as well as encouraging more diversity amongst urban bicycle riders.

T.C.A.C. is located in South Minneapolis, in a donated space within the CityKid Farm parking lot of Urban Ventures, 2841 5th Ave. S., Minneapolis.. It is adjacent to the Midtown Greenway, a bicycle and pedestrian connection through several neighborhoods.

Drop-in times are 1-7 p.m.

Tuesdays and 1-3 p.m. Saturdays.

The first ride is free. A small fee is charged for subsequent rides.

Minnesota natives Bowles-Roth and Dixon recently returned from Berkeley, CA. There they spent several years as adaptive cycling program assistants to a model outdoor sports and recreation program, Bay Area Outreach and Recreation Program. Bowles-Roth is an occupational therapist who has worked predominately in community-based programs in New York and California. While working for the Bay Area program BowlesRoth did extensive research about what adaptive cycling programs exist in Minnesota. She found that the programs are small and not urban-based, so T.C.A.C. fills this gap in Minnesota adaptive cycling programming.

The current model is a “dropin” or call-ahead program. Patrons request a time and can also specify which bicycle among the fleet of 18

bicycles is preferred. TCAC has six different styles for adults and youth.

Wear cycling friendly clothing and bring a water bottle. Helmets can be borrowed from a large selection or riders can bring their own. For the first visit plan on spending 10 minutes filling out personal information and release of liability paperwork. Riders are then fitted with a bicycle, which can take up to an hour on the initial visit.

Patrons are encouraged to bring a companion rider at no extra charge when riding out in the community for the first time. A side-by-side assisted ride with one of the volunteers is also an available option. A huge open space in the fenced parking lot can be used to test ride and practice before taking the bike out on the greenway.

The environment and energy of everyone are full of perseverance, activity, and engagement by individuals with a clear vision and mission. All cyclists are encouraged and supported.

The right bicycle is chosen to fit each individual’s needs. After fitting and adjusting in a process that lasts about 30 minutes, riders can hit the streets or trails. A good fit between a rider and a bicycle is a key to a good experience, and it takes some time to learn which bike is best for a specific rider. Even patrons who haven’t been on a bike for many years will find the right bike and be able to hit the open road.

Dixon and” Bowles-Roth have many aspirations for TCAC. Their plans include a collaboration with Northpoint Health and Wellness Center’s bicycle lending and health awareness through riding program, recruiting more volunteers, and taking riders on riding camping trips. One key need is for a volunteer grant writer.

For more details visit www.TCACYCLING.org. ■

Pg 5

September 10, 2017 Volume 28, Number 9

Pg 6

CAMP WINNEBAGO

REGIONAL NEWS

Camp Winnebago pulls up stakes After 50 years of serving campers with disabilities throughout the region, Camp Winnebago in Caledonia is closing. Its board plans to sell the property this fall, according to an announcement posted on the camp's website and Facebook page. Former campers and staff members have expressed sadness about the closing.

During its history, the camp hosted campers from around the world.

“At this time, we plan on keeping lower camp seasonal sites and facilities operational through the remainder of this camping season.

But starting immediately, we will no longer book events for the conference

center or cabins and will be canceling any existing reservations and providing refunds," according to the statement issued by the camp's board of directors.

During its peak, Camp Winnebago hosted about 450 campers a year.

This season, there were only 135.

Expenses rose while income couldn’t keep pace.

“We did try partnership opportunities with other people who have the same mission as (Camp Winnebago),” said Jane Palen, board secretary. “They didn't pan out.”

“When the camp started 50 years ago, people with disabilities were re-

Social Security increase eyed

Americans who rely on Social Security can expect to receive their biggest payment increase in years this January, according to projections released by the trustees who oversee the program. But that doesn’t mean the increase is large, at just 2.2 percent, or about $28 a month for the average recipient.

More than 61 million retirees, disabled workers, spouses and surviving children receive Social Security benefits.

The average monthly payment is $1,253.

Social Security recipients have gone years with tiny increases in benefits. This year they received an increase of 0.3 percent, after getting nothing last year.

The program trustees also continue to warn that the long-term financial problems of Social Security and Medicare, the federal government's two bedrock retirement programs, are still a concern. Medicare provides health insurance to about 58 million people, most of whom are at least 65 years old.

Unless Congress acts, the trust funds that support Social Security are estimated to run dry in 2034, the same year as last year's projection. Medicare's trust fund for inpatient care is projected to be depleted in 2029, a year later than last year's forecast.

If Congress allows either fund to be depleted, millions of Americans living on fixed incomes would face steep cuts in benefits.

Neither Social Security nor Medicare faces an immediate crisis. But the trustees warn that the longer Congress waits to address the program's problems, the harder it will be to sustain Social Security and Medicare without significant cuts in benefits, big tax increases or both.

President Donald Trump has promised not to cut Social Security or Medicare, though his budget proposal for next year would reduce Social Security's disability benefits by nearly $70 billion over the next decade. The savings would come from encouraging, and in some cases requiring, people receiving the benefits to re-enter the workforce.

(Source: Associated Press)

ally separated from the mainstream and they needed their own place,” Palen said. “It's not a bad thing that the population is becoming more and more integrated in education and in recreational opportunities. There's not that separateness that used to be there.”

Proceeds from the camp's sale will be used to pay off creditors. Any amount beyond the camp's financial obligations will be donated to another non-profit that serves the same population as the camp.

(Source: Rochester Post-Bulletin)

Settlement reached with family

A Duluth assisted living facility has settled the wrongful death lawsuit brought by the family of a 74-year-old resident who died after wandering away from the care center in 2013.

The Wesley Residence and parent company At Home Living Facilities of Hermantown resolved the civil suit brought in February 2016 by Mark Gerard, just before an August trial. Gerard’s mother Dale had dementia. She was missing for nine months before her remains were found in the Lincoln Park area.

Earlier this year a judge earlier this year ruled that Gerard's death came as a direct result of leaving Wesley. The facility has acknowledged liability for her death. The jury only would have been left to determine monetary damages owed to the Gerard family.

Settlement terms are confidential, which is typical in civil cases. But attorney Andrew Gross, who represents the Gerards, said it was an “amicable resolution.”

“When the family came to us, what they wanted was for the facility to accept responsibility and didn't want this to go ignored,” Gross told the Duluth News Tribune. “They wanted to feel that they were pursuing justice and not have this forgotten. Through what we've accomplished here, we've achieved those goals.” The Gerards had a service plan for their mother and had used a tracking bracelet.

Gross said a goal of the lawsuit was to ensure that other families do not face similar situations when they put a loved one in a care center. His law firm, Kosieradzki Smith, specializes in cases involving nursing homes and assisted living facilities.

Representatives of Wesley have never spoken publicly about the lawsuit, and attorney Robyn Johnson did not return a call seeking comment on the settlement.

(Source: Duluth News-Tribune)

Skyway regulations to change

Proposed new skyway regulations, including a midnight closing, could change in mid-September. But the changes

could face a legal challenge from people with disabilities.

The changes went to a St. Paul City Council public hearing September 6 at City Hall. The proposed rules, which arose from a task force process, are already meeting pushback from people with disabilities who use the skyway system. They have retained an attorney to make the case that skyways should remain open until 2 a.m. as they are now.

The rules were introduced by the City Council August 16. New code of conduct signs posted throughout the system and city-sanctioned video surveillance plans would also be among the changes.

The city’s skyway system has come under fire in recent months for increased crime and behavior issues, especially late at night and early in the morning. Fights and panhandling are issues, as is littering and vandalism The owners of the Railroader Printing Building on Mears Park began locking their doors early due to ongoing problems with loitering, drug use, public urination and crime.

Despite being ordered by the council not to do so, the early closings continued. The dispute was sent to a legislative hearing officer recently.

But the skyways also provide needed access for the downtown area’s growing number of residents and to workers. Some residents contend that especially critical in the overnight hours.

Ward Two Council Member Rebecca Noecker, after hearing concerns from many constituents, worked with downtown residents, business owners and city staff on the possible changes. She also cochaired the group that worked on ordinance amendments.

(Source: Villager, St. Paul)

Cell phone app is unveiled

St. Paul police have become the first department in the country to use a new cell phone app that aims to de-escalate encounters with those who have disabilities not easily visible, such as autism, dementia or mental illnesses. Twin Cities application developer VariAware created the VITALS app, which stands for Vulnerable Individuals Technology Assisted Location Service.

App users or their caregivers can upload personal information onto the app, including medical conditions individuals have, treatments they might need or tips on how to calm them down. Users are then given a small transmitter that sends signals to nearby phones.

“It’s going to make the world so much more accessible for people with disabilities, people with dementia,” said Jillian Nelson, who is on the autism spectrum. “It's going to be able to speak for me even if I’m in a situation where I lose my ability to communicate effectively for myself.”

Officers can activate the app and will be alerted whenever they come within about 30 feet of someone with a transmitter. They can then access information about individuals which can help facilitate safer interactions. “Cops are really excited about that, to have that information,” said officer Robert Zink, who worked with developers on the app due to his own interactions as an officer. He also has a son on the spectrum. “If you were to touch (my son) or grab him the wrong way, you might have a fight and I don’t want to see anything bad ever happen to him.”

The department has signed a two-year contract with VariAware. The VITALS transmitters cost between $9$15. The app also costs $9.95 a month. Autism Society of Minnesota is working to develop grants to help families and at-risk adults offset the monthly expense.

(Source: KARE 11)

Wilderness Health program praised

A health care initiative that has helped Minnesota save nearly $213 million and achieve better health outcomes for people enrolled in Medicaid and MinnesotaCare is seeing successes in Two Harbors, where 13,636 patients have been served through the program at Wilderness Health.

REGIONAL NEWS page 13

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September 10, 2017 Volume 28, Number 9

Nominees reflect what’s good about the community

Pg 7

Access Press wishes to honor the four other nominees for the 2017 Charlie Smith Award. Here are their stories.

Bjorgan helps improve lives

Transportation Resource to Aid Independent Living, Inc. (TRAIL)

SUBMITTED PHOTOS

Karen Bjorgan works tirelessly to help people adapt to their new lives after having a stroke and other disabilities.

The coordinator of the Stroke INSPIRE Program at Methodist Hospital in St. Louis Park, Bjorgan brings empathy and comment, as well as personal experience, to her work.

Nominator Sharon Guffman said that had Bjorgan not had two strokes herself, INSPIRE wouldn’t exist in its current form. Bjorgan has helped people have better lives, and has helped stroke survivors’ families along the journey to recovery and better lives. She has worked constantly to improve and expand Inspire, and makes sure that program participants never feel that they have been forgotten.

Guffman praised Bjorgan for her “courage, conviction and dedication” to get the program started and make it what it is today. Bjorgan helps people realize that they do matter and that their lives can be productive again.

More than 20 years ago Bjorgan had a daughter by Cesarean section, then had two strokes. She found herself with altered reality, including aphasia. She was 32 years old.

She spent 50 days in the hospital. As she recovered Bjorgan went through rehabilitation. One activity during that time was to make a list of all of the things she wished were available to her as a stroke survivor. Two years after her stroke, Bjorgan started a support group.

She wanted there to be a forum where other young people who had suffered strokes or brain injuries could connect.

A few years later in 1997 Bjorgan and her speech therapist took the list to the Park Nicollet Foundation. In 1998 Inspire began. Two years later Bjorgan left her commercial banking job to run the program, which serves stroke survivors and those who live with brain injuries and aphasia.

Since then she has worked to provide an array of programs and activities to help stroke survivors. These include support groups, book chats, public speaking, dinner club, art, bowling, golf, photography and more. Inspire participants also work as hospital volunteers and get others engaged and involved. INSPIRE is a huge community service to people who would otherwise be struggling.

“The Coffee Chat is so important,” said Guffman. It is a key way for stroke survivors to connect and provide support for one another. Bjorgan gives Coffee Chat participants advice, including tips she has learned over the years.

Bjorgan has been honored by Gov. Mark Dayton and the State of Minnesota for her commitment to INSPIRE. “Isolation is the enemy in a stroke recovery,” Bjorgan said in an interview.

“The key is to find a community where you feel comfortable. They can help

Vina Marquart

Karen Bjorgan

Therese Davis

you move to the next level of recovery.

And they can help you gain purpose.

That’s why INSPIRE exists.”

independently, the Three Directions Program for adults looking for work, volunteer opportunities or social interaction, and oversight of a number of peer support programs including Rainbow Support Group for LGBT adults, an All Hands on Deck group for those who are deaf and hard of hearing, and Wingspan's Glee Club which is in partnership with MacPhail Center for Music.

She has also directed the efforts of Tsev Laus Kaj Siab, the first-of-its-kind culturally-specific day center for Hmong adults. Wingspan pioneered it in 2001.

Other responsibilities have included human resources, training, finance, resource development, board recruitment, and new business development.

Her commitment extends well beyond a "normal" 40-hour work week, according to nominator Wingspan Residential Program Director Frank Merrill.

Although her degree in human services informs her work, it is her depth of one-on-one experience in serving adults with disabilities, combined with her connection to families, case managers, social workers, physicians and

therapists that has made her one of the disability community's most ardent advocates -- both for those being served and for direct support professionals.

She has been described as being “both a warrior and a healer.”

Davis was a pioneer with others in the development and implementation of the person-centered support philosophy. She has influenced the culture of Wingspan and other organizations to promote such supports. Her passion for the intellectual/developmental disability community runs deep and she has been at the forefront of its key issues.

Davis has selflessly and tirelessly devoted her life's work to serving the disability community. She is compassionate, experienced, and utilizes her insights, expertise and passion to advocate for optimization of support, for nurturing well-being and independence, and is attuned to the need for expanding caregiver services including respite care for families. She has been a center of influence in the community-based

Davis has devoted career to Wingspan Therese Davis has devoted her entire career to Wingspan and its services for adults with disabilities. She is an innovator and a forward-thinking leader.

Davis’ 40-year career with Wingspan began in 1977. She has been an integral part of the organization's growth and programming expansion in service to adults with developmental and other disabilities. Wingspan's mission is "To help those challenged by age ability or health to realize their unique gifts, talents and dreams." She served as a care counselor, program developer, director of residential services and chief operations officer before becoming executive director in early 2016.

Her responsibilities have included direction and oversight for 24 group homes in the residential program, the in-home program for those living with family or

DIRECTORY OF ORGANIZATIONS MEMBER

Bethel Healthcare Community began as a family owned and operated nursing home. It eventually evolved into a 123bed progressive skilled nursing facility, specializing in complex care.

Bethel is just one of a handful of facilities in Minnesota that specializes in ventilator care. There’s a dedicated ventilator unit, which offers two-dozen private rooms; with two fulltime respiratory therapists and a certified wound nurse.

The on-site Aegis Therapy features state-of-the-art equipment, providing outstanding advanced services in the areas of physical, occupational and speech therapy.

Bethel Healthcare Community provides the highest quality care utilizing a holistic approach with personalized attention to each person's physical, social, cultural and spiritual needs. The goal is for each resident to maintain individuality, while promoting independence.

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September 10, 2017 Volume 28, Number 9

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Pg 8

Mark Braun, Charlie Smith honoree HONOREE From Page 1 2019 Parapan American Games in Lima, Peru. When he is not training for competitions, Braun works parttime in youth development at the Emma B. Howe YMCA in Coon Rapids. He is a motivational speaker and is launching his own foundation.

"We had many good nominees for the Charlie Smith Award, which made selecting the winner a challenge,” said Steve Anderson, chairman of the Access Press Board of Directors. “Mark Braun has been recognized in the past for his athletic abilities, which are numerous. However, Access Press is recognizing Mark for his impact in the disability community, especially working with individuals with newly acquired disabilities, showing them that life does not end because of a disability, it only changes.”

“Mark Braun is an amazing young man who has overcome the odds not only to succeed but to help others,” said Access Press Executive Director Tim Benjamin. “We are proud to honor him as this year’s Charlie Smith Award winner.”

The late Smith founded Access Press almost 30 years ago. “Charlie Smith loved children and reached out to all children with or without disabilities,” Benjamin said. “So it is very fitting that this year’s honoree continues that legacy of reaching out and encouraging children to do and be their best selves.”

Braun’s life story is remarkable.

Born in Jamaica with spina bifida, he was abandoned in a trash can as an infant. A police officer heard him crying and he was taken to an orphanage. Conditions there were bleak as children shared scant food supplies and lived in crowded quarters. Until Braun was five years old, he had to crawl around the orphanage, pulling his legs behind him.

Claire Braun was on a mission trip in 1997 when she met the child who would become one of her family’s 11 children. “There was just something about Mark, even when he was small,” she said. On a return trip to the orphanage, she and other volunteers fitted the children with wheelchairs. The little boy was so excited, he cut in line. When Claire Braun held him in her lap so that

Minnesota Disability Law Center honored

™

he would wait his turn, he began to sing. Then and there she made the decision to adopt him.

Claire and Warren Braun are longtime foster parents for Ramsey County, caring for 75 children over four decades. Mark Braun would become part of a family that includes eight children with complex medical conditions. He parted with his wheelchair in exchange for a teddy bear and a promise of a new chair when he arrived in the United States.

Braun began in the adaptive sports program at Courage Kenny Rehabilitation Institute, where he has enjoyed basketball, softball, track and Nordic skiing. Today he is one of the fastest wheelchair sprinters in the United States.

He played on four national championship Junior Rolling Timberwolves teams. “I enjoy sports of all kinds,” he said.

Braun uses his powerful arms and abdominal muscles to utilize his three-wheeled sports wheelchairs and other mobility devices. His mother recalled how quickly he mastered the use of a wheelchair, zipping around their home as a little boy should.

He was among the first wheelchair athletes to compete in track and field events at the Minnesota State High School League, in 2011, wearing the colors of Irondale High School. He also finds time to help his mother coach the Rolling Thunder basketball team for younger children.

Although Braun loves sports, another great love is that of helping others. He has traveled the globe advocating for people with disabilities. On one trip to Jamaica,

he convinced the nation’s prime minister to release several children with disabilities for adoption. He used his Make-A-Wish opportunity to provide gifts for children with disabilities. He visits children in hospitals to encourage them and share with them the world of adaptive sports.

“He’s an amazing young man,” Claire Braun said. “He has such a giving spirit.”

He speaks to groups and recently appeared at the Minnesota State Council on Disability Booth at the Minnesota State Fair. He also filmed a video at the fairgrounds, about the challenges of getting around. Braun said it’s important to point out access problems and to get those resolved.

Visitors to the Science Museum of Minnesota in St. Paul can “see” Braun in the new interactive sports ology exhibit.

“These kinds of opportunities allow me to raise awareness of different issues, ranging from sports and fitness to accessibility,” he said.

Braun especially wants to get children and elders engaged and involved. “I like to talk to people about overcoming whatever challenges they face,” he said.

“That’s really important to me. I like to get people moving so they can see what they can do.”

Banquet tickets are $50 per person or $350 for a table of eight.

Access Press is still seeking banquet sponsors as well as donations for the silent auction and “pick a prize” raffle. Call Access Press Office Manager Dawn Frederick with questions about the banquet, tickets, sponsorships and the silent auction and raffle prizes, at 651-644-2133 or email dawn@accesspress.org. ■

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September 10, 2017 Volume 28, Number 9

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2017 Access Press winner Mark Braun

Experiences & adventures for all abilities

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September 10, 2017 Volume 28, Number 9 Pg 10

Disability issues highlighted at large rally

ENJOY!

ABILITY BASH MDI hosts the Ability Bash, 5:30-8:30 p.m. Wed, Sept. 13 at the Solar Arts Bldg, 711 15th Ave NE, Mpls, above Indeed Brewing Co. Tickets are $75 ($25 tax-deductible) includes appetizers, desserts, and valet parking.

Venue is wheelchair-accessible. Enjoy food, music, a live auction and much more. Proceeds advance the careers of people with disabilities. FFI: Melissa McKeever, Melissa.McKeever@mdi.org, 651-999-8304 or 651-999-8215 or Katie Johnson, 651-999-8215, Katie.Johnson@mdi.org.

topographic layering; however, she will include earlier work of high relief landscapes to feel and experience. Braille, large print, and online descriptions will be available. At Ames Center, 12600 Nicollet Ave., Burnsville. Free.

Exhibit continues thru Sept. 23. FFI: 952-895-4680, www.ames-center.com/.

TO REALLY SEE: EXPLORING THE MEDICATION-TAKING EXPERIENCE THROUGH ART New works by artists from Spectrum ArtWorks and other artists with mental illness are in a new traveling exhibition, at Mpls Central Library, 300 Nicollet Mall, second floor. A panel discussion will conclude the Minneapolis exhibit Sept. 27, and then it will move to St. Luke's Hospital, Duluth, until April and then the University of Minnesota Twin Cities Bio-Med Library.

Free. FFI. 612-752-8242, www.artworksatspectrum.org

MADE IN THE SHADE WALK, RUN & ROLL The silver anniversary Made in the Shade Walk, Run & Roll is 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Sat, Sept. 16 at Thomas Beach, Lake Calhoun, Mpls. The 2017 partner agencies include Ally People Solutions, CHOICE, Inc., Homeward Bound, Partnership Resources, Inc., The Phoenix Residence, Inc., TSE, Inc., Wingspan Life Resources and Zenith Services. Together the agencies support almost 1,400 people. Enjoy live bluegrass music, a free hamburger lunch, vendors, an art contest and display, and a short program. Sign up now to attend, volunteer or be a sponsor. FFI: Janet Virnig, Partnership Resources, Inc. 952-925-1404, www.madeintheshade.org

WHAT’S LEFT: LIVES TOUCHED BY SUICIDE A multi-media exhibit designed to spur conversation about mental illness and suicide will be at Owatonna Arts Center, 435 Garden View Lane, Owatonna though Sept. 24. Free. Since it opened in 2015 at Macrostie Art Center in Grand Rapids, this exhibit has traveled to churches, art galleries and colleges in Rochester, Duluth, Red Lake, Bigfork, Virginia, Bemidji, Hibbing, Minneapolis, Minnetonka and Little Falls. Fifty artists participated – painters, poets, sculptors and glass workers. Free, open 1-5 Tue-Sun. FFI: Silvan Durben, 507-451-0533, venue information. To host the exhibit, contact Katie Marshall, 218-326-2697.

RISE INC. FUNDRAISING GALA Rise Inc. hosts its annual fundraising gala 5:30-8:30 p.m. Thu, Oct. 5 at the Mpls. Northwest Marriott. RSVP by Sept. 22. WCCO-TV’s Kate Raddatz is master of ceremonies for the program. Events start at 5:30 p.m. with social hour, games and a cash bar, followed by dinner at 6:45 p.m. and an awards program, live auction and Fund-A-Need for Unlocking Possibilities 7:30-8:30 p.m. Pentair is the premier sponsor for the event. FFI: Ian, 763-792-2448

FEAST OPENING RECEPTION Interact Visual Artists are exploring the subject of food and their relationships and perceptions of food and art. Individual cultural traditions were compared by exploring different ethnic foods. The artists have approached the call in a variety of media and styles to demonstrate both existing and new understandings of one of the most basic building blocks of life, food. Exhibit is at Birchwood Café, 3311 E. 25th St., Mpls. until Oct. 8. Artists include Angela Weller, Ashlea Karkula, Bonnie Thorne, Carol O, Daniel Metchnek, Ingrid Hansen, Janice Essick, John Riddle, Lucy Johnson, Mike Harris Jr., Renai (Volz) Drane, Rosemary Perronteau, Sherry Bartholomew, Vance Diamond, W.S. Norton and Wendy Johnson. Free. FFI: Interact: 651-209-3575, www.interactcenter.org

THE GREAT (POINT) 8K Lupus Link hosts the Great (Point) 8K Sat, Oct. 14 at Central Park in Maple Grove. The 8.k distance is less than one half mile. Go the short distance for lupus awareness and help raise funds for Lupus Link. Form a team for the event or enter on your own. Details are on the organization website. FFI: www.lupuslinkmn.org RUN, WALK, ROLL Join PACER for the 8th annual Run, Walk, Roll Against Bullying on Sat, Oct. 7 to raise awareness for bullying prevention. One out of every five students reports being bullied during the school year. Help PACER makes a difference by uniting against bullying and uniting for kindness, acceptance, and inclusion. October is National Bullying Prevention Month. Register now, as a group or individuals. Rates are $20 for adults and $10 for children, with children age six and under participate for free. Event sponsors are also sought. FFI: www.pacer.org/rwr CAN DO WOOFAROO Bring your well-behaved dog and well-mannered friends to the Can Do Woofaroo Sat, Sept. 16. Enjoy pet-centric exhibitors, live entertainment, and of course...dogs. A fundraising walk starts at 11 a.m., followed by demonstrations, entertainment and more. Gather pledges and help raise funds. Event is at Can Do Canines, 9440 Science Center Drive, New Hope. More details online. www.candowoofaroo.com SIGN LANGUAGE SATURDAY Sign Language Saturday at Minnesota Renaissance Festival is 9 a.m.-7 p.m.

Sat, Sept. 16 at the festival grounds, 12364 Chestnut Blvd. (off Hwy 169, 7 miles south of Shakopee). Enjoy a variety of comedic acts, performances, and improvisations with American Sign Language interpreting. Motorized scooters are available for rent, but not wheelchairs or strollers. Tickets $23.95 (advance $20.95); discounts for children and seniors. Advance tickets available online and at participating Menards, Super America and Walgreen’s. Discount coupons available at participating Subway locations. Free parking. FFI: 952-445-736, www.renaissancefest.com IN THE HEIGHTS A touring company brings the Tony Award-winning musical about a New York City neighborhood to the Ordway Music Theater, 345 Washington, St. Paul. ASL and AD offered 2 p.m. Sat, Sept. 16. OC offered 7:30 p.m. Thu, Sept. 21. If using ASL or open captioning, request seating in that area. Tickets $34-$116.50. FFI: 651-224-4222, www.ordway.org ≈[ALMOST EQUAL TO] Pillsbury House Theatre presents a dark political comedy at Pillsbury House Theatre, 3501 Chicago Ave. S., Mpls. AD offered 7:30 p.m. Fri, Sept. 22. ASL offered 7:30 p.m. Fri, Oct. 6. Tickets Pick-your-price (regular $25). FFI: 612825-0459, http://pillsburyhouseandtheatre.org STEEL MAGNOLIAS Commonweal Theatre Company presents the story of women and friendship, at Commonweal Theatre, 208 Parkway Ave. N., Lanesboro. AD offered 1:30 p.m. Sat, Sept. 23, with pre-show at 1:10 p.m. Make AD reservations at least one week in advance. Two-week notice requested for a Braille program. Five-week notice requested for ASL interpreting. Assistive listening devices available at the box office. Special seating available for persons with mobility issues. Tickets reduced to $15 for AD/ASL patrons (regular $35).

Other discounts available. FFI: 800-657-7025, www.commonwealtheatre.org THE NETHER Jungle Theater presents a crime drama of technology and human desire, at Jungle Theater, 2951 Lyndale Ave. S., Mpls. AD offered 7:30 p.m. Thu, Sept.

28. Assistive listening devices available. Contact the theatre to request an ASL-interpreted show. Tickets reduced to $17 (regular $35-45). FFI: 612-8227063, www.jungletheater.com HENRY AND ALICE: INTO THE WILD Park Square Theatre presents a comedy about a couple in the midst of mid-life crisis, at the Andy Boss Thrust Stage, 20 W. 7th Place, St. Paul. AD offered 7:30 p.m. Fri, Sept. 29. ASL offered 2 p.m. Sun, Oct. 1. OC offered 7:30 p.m. Thu-Fri-Sat, Oct. 19-21 and 2 p.m. Sun, Oct. 22. Assistive listening devices available. ASL/AD/OC single ticket discount is half-price for patron and one guest with code ACC (regular $40, $60; previews $27, $37). Other discounts available. FFI: 651-291-7005, www.parksquaretheatre.org OPEN FLOW FORUM The Artists with Disabilities Alliance Open Flow Forum is the first Thu of the month, 7-9 p.m. at Walker Community Church, 3104 16th Ave. S., Mpls. Upcoming dates: Oct. 5, Nov. 2 and Dec. 7. Open Flow allows artists with disabilities to share visual art, writing, music, theatre and other artistic efforts or disability concerns. It’s informal and fragrance-free. Bring refreshments as well as your recent artistic creations to share. Free. Facilitators are Tara Innmon and Dan Reiva. Fully accessible, but anyone needing special accommodations, contact Jon at VSA Minnesota, 612-332-3888 or jon@vsamn.org

STEEL MAGNOLIAS Commonweal Theatre Company presents the story of women and friendship, at Commonweal Theatre, 208 Parkway Ave. N., Lanesboro. AD offered 1:30 p.m. Sat, Sept. 23, with pre-show at 1:10 p.m. Please make AD reservations at least one week in advance. Two-week notice requested for a Braille program. Five-week notice requested for ASL interpreting.

Assistive listening devices available at the box office. Special seating available for persons with mobility issues. Tickets reduced to $15 for AD/ ASL patrons (regular $35). Other discounts available. FFI: 800-657-7025, www.commonwealtheatre.org DEATH OF A SALESMAN Northfield Arts Guild presents a new approach to the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning drama. 411 W. 3rd St., Northfield. ASL offered 2 p.m. Sun, Oct. 1 with reservation at least two weeks in advance. Tickets $17. Other discounts available. FFI: 507-645-8877, www.northfieldartsguild.org TAKING STEPS Theatre in the Round Players presents a farce about a wealthy and dysfunctional family, at Theatre in the Round, 245 Cedar Ave., Mpls. AD offered 2 p.m. Sun, Oct. 1. Tactile tour at 1 p.m. upon request based on reservations.

Large-print programs and assisted-listening devices available at every performance. Tickets $22, other discounts available. FFI: 612-333-3010, www. theatreintheround.org HOW TO USE A KNIFE Mixed Blood Theatre presents a suspense-filled, expletive-laden comedy about cultural clashes in a restaurant kitchen, at Alan Page Auditorium at Mixed Blood Theatre, 1501 S. 4th St., Mpls. Projected supertitle translations in English at all performances. AD and ASL offered 7:30 p.m. Sat, Sept. 30 with a tactile tour at 7 p.m. Mixed Blood’s Access Pass provides complimentary guaranteed admission for shows to patrons with disabilities and their companions, as well as free transportation to and from the theatre for patrons with disabilities. Advance reservations available online or by phone for $25. Or, Radical Hospitality admission is FREE on a first come/first served basis starting two hours before every show. Memberships: $35 members under 35; $50 first-time members; $70 to $140 year-long memberships. FFI: 612-338-6131, www.mixedblood.com.

DON PASQUALE Minnesota Opera presents Donizetti’s bubbly farce at Ordway Center Music Theatre, 345 Washington St., St. Paul. OC offered 8 p.m. Sat, Oct. 7 and 7:30 p.m. Tue, Oct. 10, Thu, Oct. 12, Sat, Oct. 14; and at 2 p.m. Sun, Oct. 15. Sung in Italian with English translations projected above the stage. AD offered 2 p.m. Sunday, October 15. Braille, large-print programs and infrared listening systems available at Patron Services in Ordway’s first level lobby. Tickets reduced to half-price for AD patrons (regular $25 - $165). FFI: 612-333-6669, www.mnopera.org 25TH ANNUAL SALLY AWARDS The Sally Awards celebrate the contributions and accomplishments of artists, educators, volunteers, philanthropists and leaders who strengthen and enrich the stage of Minnesota with their commitment to the arts and arts education. The five 2017 recipients and categories are Arts Access, Hunter Gullickson, Guthrie Theater accessibility coordinator; Commitment, J. Otis Powell; Education, Z Puppets Rosenschnoz; Initiative, Bee Yang; Vision, Rhiana Yazzie. Event is Mon, Oct. 16 at Ordway Concert Hall, 345 Washington, St. Paul, with 6:30 p.m. social time, 7 p.m. ceremony and reception at 8:15 p.m. Free but reservations required, ASL offered. FFI: 651-224-4222, www. ordway.org/sallyrsvp TOUR FOR PEOPLE WITH MEMORY LOSS At 10 a.m. on the first Tuesday of every month the historic James J. Hill House, 240 Summit Ave., St. Paul, offers a sensory-based tour designed for people with memory loss and their caregivers. Each themed tour, usually an hour or less, highlights three rooms and is followed by an optional social time until 11:30 a.m. with pastries and coffee. Private group tours are available for care facilities. Next tour is Oct. 3. Free but reservations are required. FFI: 651-297-2555, www.mnhs.org REIGN OF COLOR: PAINTINGS BY ANNIE YOUNG Burnsville artist Annie Young offers her latest study of color, texture, and composition in this exhibit. Much of her new work veers away from her

MORE EVENTS INFORMATION VSA MINNESOTA VSA Minnesota is a statewide nonprofit organization that works to create a community where people with disabilities can learn through, participate in and access the arts, at http://vsamn.org. The website has a comprehensive calendar at the upper right-hand corner of its home page. For information on galleries and theater performances around the state join the Access to Performing Arts email list at access@vsamn.org or call VSA Minnesota, 612332-3888 or statewide 800-801-3883 (voice/TTY). To hear a weekly listing of accessible performances, call 612-332-3888 or 800-801-3883. Access Press only publishes performance dates when accommodations are offered.

Contact the venue to find out the entire run of a particular production and if discounts for seniors, students or groups are offered. VSA Minnesota advises everyone to call or email ahead, to make such that an accommodation is offered, as schedules can change. VSA Minnesota can also refer venues and theater companies to qualified describers, interpreters, and captioners.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES Another web events listing is http://c2net.org (c2: caption coalition, inc., which does most of the captioned shows across the country. Facebook is another way to connect with performances. Sign up to connect with Audio Description across Minnesota http:// tinyurl.com/d34dzo2. Connect with ASL interpreted and captioned performances across Minnesota on Facebook http://tinyurl.com/FBcaption. Another resource is Minnesota Playlist, with a recently updated website calendar with all the ASL-interpreted, audio-described, captioned, pay-what-you-can shows and other features. Go to http://minnesotaplaylist.com/calendar Arts festivals are held throughout the state. Check: www.exploreminnesota. com/index.aspx, http://festivalnet.com/state/minnesota/mn.html, www.fairsandfestivals.net/states/MN/

Our award-winning access services can help make your visit a memorable one.

Connect with us to learn more.

612.377.2224 • accessibility@guthrietheater.org guthrietheater.org Access programs at the Guthrie are sponsored by Travelers, Medtronic and Xcel Foundation

September 10, 2017 Volume 28, Number 9 Pg 11

OPPORTUNITIES CONFERENCES SPINAL CORD INJURY IS TOPIC Courage Kenny Rehabilitation Institute, Get Up Stand Up and Minnesota Spinal Cord Injury Association are bringing together people with spinal cord injuries/dysfunction, their families and/or care providers by presenting the opportunity to learn more about optimal care, health and wellness opportunities. The Bridging Together: Spinal Cord Injury Conference is 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Sat, Sept. 23 at Allina Health, Mpls. Lectures, panel discussions and exhibits will help attendees learn about local, national and international spinal cord injury research. Discuss and learn about the many options to become more physically, mentally and socially active. Hear personal stories and share information needed for daily living. Save the date and watch for details.

HEALTHY, INDEPENDENT LIVING Healthy, independent living is the focus of a conference sponsored by the Minnesota Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities (MNCCD). Save the date of Tue, Oct. 3 and make plans to attend the conference at St. Mary’s Greek Orthodox Church, Mpls. The church is accessible. Keynote speaker is Henry Emmons. Emmons is a doctor and author of the book, The Chemistry of Joy. The conference is for direct support staff, professionals working with people with disabilities, and people experiencing significant health challenges. -CEU’s and certificates of attendance are available. MN-CCD is seeking conference presenters, vendors and sponsors. Make plans now to participate in or support the event. The consortium is posting details about the conference, so check on the website home page’s conference tab. FFI: www.mnccd.org PAPERS SOUGHT FOR CONFERENCE Autism Society of Minnesota is seeking papers for the 23rd Annual Minnesota Autism Conference April 25-28, 2018.

Submission of presentation proposals is open to those with expertise on autism-related topics. The Minnesota Autism Conference is the largest annual educational event for the Minnesota autism community, making it a prime opportunity for researchers, therapists, educators, and individuals on the spectrum, parents, caregivers, and other autism experts to present their work. A conference education committee will review submitted papers. Selected speakers will present among an esteemed group of experts while connecting with and educating the autism community. Submission deadline is Nov. 17.

FFI: www.ausm.org

CONTEST ANTI-BULLYING VIDEOS Central Minnesota’s Independent Lifestyles Inc. Center for Independent Living seeks entries for the BetheONE video challenge; Changing the Face of Ability by ending bullying and respecting people with disabilities. Create a two-minute video and be eligible to win $500, $250 or $150. The contest is open to anyone – groups, classes or individuals. Deadline is Sept. 15.

FFI: 320-529-9000, independentlifestyles.org/BetheONE

CHILDREN & FAMILIES AUTISM CAREGIVERS’ SUPPORT Autism Society of Minnesota (AuSM) announces a new free resource for caregivers and parents. The Caregivers of Kids with Autism Support Group provides a space for parents and caregivers of children with autism ages 4-21 to come together, discuss challenges, share solutions, and form relationships with families in similar situations. Many families report feeling alone or isolated, and support groups allow caregivers to make meaningful connections. Meeting at 10:30 a.m.-noon on the second Sat of each month AuSM, 2380 Wycliff Street #102, St. Paul, and led by a therapist. FFI: www.ausm.org PACER WORKSHOPS SAMPLING PACER Center offers many useful free or low-cost workshops and other resources for families of children with any disabilities.

Workshops are at PACER Center, 8161 Normandale Blvd., Bloomington, unless specified. Workshops are offered throughout the state. Advance registration is required for all workshops.

At leasst 48 hours’ notice is needed for interpretation. Ask if workshops are livestreamed. Check out PACER’s website and link

ACCESS MEDICAL RECORDS ELECTRONICALLY Nancy A. Berryhill, Acting Commissioner of Social Security, announced a new collaboration to access medical records electronically from HealthEast. HealthEast is based in St. Paul.

HealthEast will transmit complete secure medical records for Social Security disability applicants, with the appropriate patient consent.

Social Security will receive medical records within minutes or hours, as compared to weeks through the traditional manual process (mail, fax, or secure website). The electronic process saves time and money.

“This fast, safe, and secure method for receiving medical records will significantly shorten the time it takes to make a disability decision and makes the process more efficient,” Berryhill said.

Over the last several years, Social Security has entered into similar relationships. The agency currently receives electronic medical records from several very large organizations including the United States Department of Defense, the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, Kaiser Permanente, and Johns Hopkins Medicine. Social Security plans to continue expanding health IT partners with new high volume organizations, as well as additional facilities with existing partners.

People may apply online for disability benefits by visiting www. socialsecurity.gov.

To create a Social Security account, please visit www.socialsecurity. gov/myaccount/.

To learn more about Social Security’s Health IT program, please visit www.socialsecurity.gov/hit.

to the newsletter of statewide workshops that allows participants to pick and choose sessions catered to their needs. Finding and Funding Assistive Technology is 6:30-8 p.m. Mon, Sept. 18 at PACER Center. Participants will learn how to find and fund needed assistive technology. From AT in the IEP to low interest loans there are a variety of resources and strategies to help.

How Parents Can Effectively Communicate with the Individualized Education Program (IEP) Team is 6:30-8 p.m. Tue, Sept. 19 at Norwood. Parents will learn to advocate for children in the special education process, and receive tips and tools to help them become more effective communicators as a member of their child’s IEP team. FFI: PACER, 952-838-9000, 800-537-2237, www.pacer.org SKILLSHOPS OFFERED Autism Society of Minnesota (AuSM) offers two Skillshops tailored for caregivers and parents of individuals with autism. At 7-9 p.m.Tue, Sept. 19, Barb Luskin presents Law & Order: ASD. Studies show that people with autism are seven to 12 times more likely to interface with law enforcement and the criminal justice system than their neurotypical peers. In this session, participants will learn about common scenarios involving individuals with autism and how to ensure their safety in the community as well as how to advocate and support them through the legal process.

At 7-9 p.m. Tue, Sept. 26, Beth Pitchford presents My Child Has Autism: Do I?, a workshop that will focus on the heritability of autism, adult diagnosis, parenting with autism, and the importance of understanding caregiver needs. The presenters are therapists with AuSM’s Counseling and Consulting Services group. The sessions are at 2380 Wycliff St. #102, St. Paul. Cost: $25 for AuSM members; $40 for non-members; and $10 for students and individuals with autism. FFI: www.ausm.org

INFO & ASSISTANCE QPR - SUICIDE PREVENTION CLASS QPR is a free, one-hour presentation sponsored by NAMI Minnesota (National Alliance on Mental Illness) that covers the three steps anyone can learn to help prevent suicide - Question, Persuade and Refer. Just like CPR, QPR is an emergency response to someone in crisis and can save lives. It is the most widely taught gatekeeper training program in the United States. A class is offered 12:30-1:30 p.m. Tue, Sept. 12 at NAMI Minnesota, 800 Transfer Road, Suite 31, St. Paul. Registration required. FFI: 651645-2948, www.namihelps.org MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT OFFERED National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Minnesota offers

more than 300 free educational classes statewide each year, along with help in navigating the mental health system. NAMI also has more than 70 free support groups for people living with a mental illness and their families. NAMI Minnesota offers more than 300 free educational classes statewide each year, along with help in navigating the mental health system. In the Twin Cities NAMI has about two dozen family support groups, more than 20 support groups for people living with a mental illness, anxiety support groups, groups for veterans and other groups.

Led by trained facilitators, groups provide help and support.

Parent resource groups are facilitated by a parent who has a child with a mental illness and who has been trained to lead support groups. A group meets 6:30-8 p.m. on the second and fourth Monday at Eagle Brook Church, 2401 East Buffalo St., White Bear Lake. FFI: Jody Lyons 651-645-2948 x109.

FAMILY SUPPORT GROUPS help families who have a relative with a mental illness. A group meets at 6:30 p.m. the second and fourth Wed at Centennial United Methodist Church, 1524 Co. Rd. C-2 West, Roseville. FFI: Anne Mae. 651-484-0599.

OPEN DOOR ANXIETY AND PANIC SUPPORT GROUPS help people cope with anxiety disorders. One group meets 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. the second and fourth Thu in Room 104, Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, 700 Snelling Ave. S., St. Paul. The group used to meet at Goodwill/Easter Seals. Another group meets 6:30-8 p.m. the first and third Thu at Woodland Hills Church, 1740 Van Dyke St., St. Paul.

YOUNG ADULT NAMI CONNECTION is a free support group for persons ages 16-20. A group meets 7-8:30 the first and third Thu at Friends Meeting House, 1725 Grand Ave., St. Paul. The group is facilitated by young adults who live with mental illnesses and are doing well in recovery. A full calendar of all events is offered online. FFI: 651-645-2948, www.namihelps.org VISION LOSS GROUP OFFERS ACTIVITIES Vision Loss Resources provides free and low-cost activities in the Twin Cities for people who are blind or visually impaired. Life skills classes for those with low vision; card games, craft classes, book clubs, walking groups, dinners out, special outings and technology classes are among the offerings. Participants need to RVSP to participate, at least three working days prior to an event.

The calendar is also available on the Vision Loss Resources website and as a printable large-print PDF document for those who wish to print their own or additional copies. FFI: RSVP hotline, 612-843-3439; activity line and audio calendar, 612-2535155, www.visionlossresources.org OPPORTUNITIES To Page 12

HEALTHY INDEPENDENT LIVING: For People with Disabilities

E DATE! SAVE THE DATE! SAVE THE THE DATE! DATE! SAVE ward Banquet SAVE THE DATE! 2016 Charlie Award Banquet 2016 Charlie Award Banquet SAVE THE DATE! mber 3, 2016 2017 Charlie Award Banquet

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&

HEALTH WELLNESS CONFERENCE KEYNOTE SPEAKER

Henry Emmons, MD Author of The Chemistry of Joy WHEN

Tuesday, October 3, 2017 WHERE

St. Mary’s Greek Orthodox Church Minneapolis, MN

September 10, 2017 Volume 28, Number 9 Pg 12

PEOPLE & PLACES Calvit is Pollen honoree

Jeanne Calvit, founder, creative director and executive director of Interact Center for Visual and Performing Acts is one of the 2017 50 Over 50 honorees. For the second year, AARP Minnesota and Pollen Midwest are honoring 50 Minnesotans over the age of 50. The honorees are saluted for their impact in the arts, business, community building, and the nonprofit sector. The group is also saluted for its work that disputes commonly held myths about aging and taking risks.

Calvit and her fellow nominees will be recognized at the 50 Over 50 event Tuesday, October 17 at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. Calvit has used the improv rule of thumb of “Yes, but …” to guide her work. She has been helping change perceptions of disability for more than two decades. Because of Calvit’s vocal insistence that artists with disabilities can—and do— create high-quality, professional work, Interact has received critical acclaim nationally and locally. Interact has also won two Ivey Awards for originality and best original music theater score, groundbreaking accomplishments for artists whose work historically never reaches the public eye.

Calvit draws her inspiration from Interact’s diverse, multi-generational ensemble. Artists blossom and shine under her direction. Her uncompromising vision of “radical inclusion” dissolves ideas of who can and who cannot, and unites a wide spectrum of talented artists with and without disabiliJeanne Calvit ties from both marginalized and mainstream communities.

Estrem is ARRM board leader

John Estrem, CEO of Hammer Residences, Inc. is the new board president for ARRM, an association representing more than 200 direct care providers and supporting service providers for people with disabilities in Minnesota Estrem has served as CEO of Hammer for five years, and is in his second term on the ARRM board, most recently John Estrem serving as its treasurer. He brings more than 20 years of non-profit and social service experience to ARRM’s leadership team, serving as executive director of Episcopal Community Services and CEO of Catholic Charities of Minneapolis and St. Paul before joining Hammer.

On the board, he takes over from John Kehr, regional special projects director at Dungarvin, Inc. “I am humbled to have been elected to this important role by my fellow Board Members and am excited to take on a new leadership role in the association that represents our industry,” said Estrem. “We are at a critical juncture in Minnesota to ensure that support services for people with disabilities continue to be able to empower people to live their best lives, and I look forward to seeing that ARRM remains a leader in this advocacy.”

Estrem is a leading advocate for people with disabilities and the organizations and staff that provide supportive services. He has been a key voice for the This Is Medicaid campaign, a group educating the public and lawmakers about the importance of Medicaid, and has been a strong representative at the capitol on a range of social service issues.

Way to Work Program wins award

Way to Work, a Minnesota Vocational Rehabilitation Services program in partnership with ProAct, Inc. in Eagan, county and state level human service agencies was given a 2017 Minnesota State Government Innovation Award. The program helped to place people with disabilities in competitive jobs.

“Our employment specialists were dedicated and passionate about this pilot project,” said ProAct Employment Manager Heather Deutschlaender. “We are excited as we continue to place more people in jobs and help them reach their goals.”

The unique arrangement brought vocational rehabilitation services counselors in-house at ProAct for intensified

OPPORTUNITIES From Page 11 MCIL HOSTS CLASSES AND ACTIVITIES The Metropolitan Center for Independent Living provides many life skills classes as well as fun outings and events for people with disabilities. MCIL is at 530 N. Robert Street, St Paul and most activities are there or start there. Classes and events are listed on the website, www.mcil-mn.org. Click on “Classes Groups and Sessions” for updated information or to print their calendar.

Please give two weeks’ notice if the alternative format or other accommodations are needed. Events are free, accessible and mostly scent-free. FFI: 651-603-2030 ICICIL OFFERS OPPORTUNITIES ICICIL Independent Lifestyles, 215 N. Benton Drive, St. Cloud, offers a number of classes, events and other opportunities for Minnesotans with disabilities in central Minnesota. The center offers its own programming and hosts other groups. One group it hosts is the St. Cloud Area Parkinson's Disease Support Group, which meets 1-2:30 p.m. the third Mon of each month. The free mental health discussion group 6-:30 p.m. Mon. Learn to live life to the fullest and support each other. FFI: Ricky at 320.281.2025.

efforts to find employment for individuals with disabilities. ProAct employment specialists and vocational specialists worked to rapidly engage people in job searches that best matched their interests.

Way to Work assisted 94 such people at ProAct, placing 32 in competitive jobs. Thirty-two others are actively engaged in community-based job searches. Another 21 are developing their career plans.

Wages range from $9.50 to $11 per hour. “The best part about this project is that it is a win-win for employers and our individuals,” said Deutschlaender.

Way to Work accepted applicants at ProAct through June. But the nonprofit’s leaders said that the best practices learned through the program are expected to continue here, and through the statewide service delivery system.

Poetz wins national award

Cliff Poetz of the University of Minnesota’s Regional Training Center on Community Living has been selected to receive the Leadership in Advocacy Award from the Association of University Centers on Disabilities. The association will honor him and other award winners at its conference in November in Washington, D.C. The Leadership in Advoca- 2016 Winner Clifford Poetz cy Award is presented to an outstanding individual or family member who has exhibited exceptional leadership and self-advocacy skills in the area of developmental disabilities. Poetz, who has been a self-advocate and activist for decades, was nominated for his leadership and self-advocacy skills. His years of involvement span housing, employment and other disability rights issues. He has been a fixture at the state capitol, and is a skilled lobbyist.

Poetz was the 2016 winner of the Access Press Charlie Smith Award, given for outstanding service to Minnesota’s disability community.

The conference theme this year is Raise Your Voice, underscoring the critical importance that communication and advocacy, both collective and personal, have in the lives of people with disabilities.

McKinney leads Radio Talking Book

Scott McKinney is the new supervisor at the State Services for the Blind’s Radio Talking Book program. He

The center has a full schedule of activities including support groups, martial arts, Nordic walking and more FFI: 320-267-7717 ADULT SUPPORT GROUPS OFFERED AuSM offers free support groups for adults with autism spectrum disorder. Groups include those for adult family members, women with autism spectrum disorders and independent adults with autism. Check the website for upcoming groups. Groups meet at the AuSM offices at 2380 Wycliff St. FFI: 651-647-1083 ext. 10, www.ausm.org

VOLUNTEER OPEN THE DOOR TO EDUCATION Help adults reach their educational goals and earn their GED. Tutor, teach or assist in a classroom with the Minnesota Literacy Council. Give just 2-3 hours a week and help people expand their opportunities and change their lives through education. The literacy council provides training and support and accommodations for volunteers with disabilities. FFI: Allison, 651-251-9110, volunteer@mnliteracy.org, http://tinyurl.com/adult-opportunities

takes over from Stuart Holland, who has retired.

McKinney has vast experience in broadcasting, journalism and community services. A graduate of Augustana College, McKinney also has leadership experience as a station manager and as an agency planner. He most recently edited the Braham Journal and has authored a blog. McKinney also has research and grant writing experience with the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe.

He has a history of becoming involved in diverse communities and developing effective community relationships. Every year he travels to Cape Breton in Nova Scotia to participate as a site manager in a Celtic music festival called Celtic Colors.

Albright joins UCare

UCare has hired David Albright as the not-for-profit health plan’s new vice president and chief information officer. Prior to joining UCare, he was vice president of information technology at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota, where he led all aspects of the IT division for three years. He has also held senior-level data analytics and IT roles at Optum, Moneygram International, Inc. and Minnegasco. He has played a key role in the health care technology field and has served on a number of advisory councils.

In his new position, he provides vision and strategic direction for UCare’s technology staff and systems to enable the health plan to efficiently and effectively serve members and business partners. He oversees all areas of IT operations including architecture, infrastructure, applications, web, security, quality assurance, data and service. Albright is responsible for establishing and implementing UCare’s technology vision, strategy and roadmap in alignment with organizational strategies and priorities.

Albright reports to UCare Senior Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer Hilary Marden-Resnik, “Dave brings proven experience and leadership to the most senior IT role at UCare. He is expert at building strong partnerships, fostering engaged teams, enhancing processes and services, and implementing enterprise-wide technology efforts. What’s more, he has a passion for UCare’s mission and future success,” said Marden-Resnik.

Albright and his family live in St. Paul.

State council member named

Gov. Mark Dayton in August announced a new appointment to the State Rehabilitation Council. Lisa Parteh of Cambridge will serve as a community rehabilitation program provider representative. Her term expires in early 2019.

She replaces Clayton Liend.

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September 10, 2017 Volume 28, Number 9 Pg 13

REGIONAL NEWS REGIONAL NEWS From Page 6 Wilderness Health is a collaborative of nine health care providers located in Northeastern Minnesota. They joined the Minnesota Department of Human Service’s Integrated Health Partnerships (IHP) program in 2015. The partnership aims to improve health and reduce the cost of care.

Human Services Assistant Commissioner Nathan Moracco recently visited one of Wilderness Health’s members, Lake View Hospital and Clinic in Two Harbors.

“By working together, we strive to continually develop and implement new and better ways to meet the health care needs of this region – and the IHP programs have helped us target our efforts,” said Cassandra Beardsley, Wilderness Health’s executive director.

Drivers of Wilderness Health’s IHP success include enhancing access to services from a variety of health care providers through telehealth and contracting; using analytical tools to integrate data, then identifying and acting on opportunities for coordinating care; identifying patients with high emergency room utilization and linking them to primary care providers; and exploring opportunities to reduce opioid prescribing and enhance access to treatment for opioid abuse.

Statewide, IHPs now encompass 21 provider groups and more than 462,000 enrollees. Legislation approved during the 2017 session will help DHS build on its significant progress toward accountability, costs savings and better health outcomes through IHPs. (Source: DHS)

Deaf man seeks jury accommodations

When he received a summons to serve on a southern Minnesota grand jury in late 2015, Mark Valimont was eager to comply.

But Valimont, who is deaf, soon learned that he had been excused from duty after requesting a sign-language interpreter to help him participate.

Now Valimont is suing the state, its judicial branch and others in U.S. District Court, alleging that his involuntary excusal amounted to discrimination. He also wants the judge to require that Minnesota court staff be trained for such cases in the future.

In a federal civil complaint, an attorney said Valimont told court officials he didn’t want to be excused from grand jury service.

But the court “did not correct its error,” according to Rick Macpherson III, an attorney with the Minnesota Disability Law Center who took on Valimont’s case pro bono.

Valimont is calling for training for district court judges, administrators and staff in charge of selecting people to serve on Minnesota grand juries. He’s also asking that juries be provided with American Sign Language interpreters “or other appropriate auxiliary aids requested” and for changes to juror questionnaires to avoid similar confusion in the future, Macpherson said.

The Minnesota Judicial Branch officials

issued a statement: “The Minnesota Judicial Branch is committed to ensuring equal and equitable access to the court system, which includes ensuring that people with disabilities can participate equally in jury service.”

“This is not a case where the court appears to have a policy that affirmatively discriminates,” Macpherson said. “It appears to us that the court system as a whole ... [has] a policy to allow folks with disabilities to be on grand juries and something happened here where that didn’t get implemented.”

The Minnesota Judicial Branch website advises prospective jurors to contact their county’s jury office if they need “special accommodations, such as a sight or sign language interpreter, hearing amplification, or special seating.”

(Source: Star Tribune)

Special needs clothing line launched

Target is the first major retailer to launch a line for special needs children. The clothing line was announced in August. The clothes will be outfitted with “sensory processing sensitivities.” That includes pieces with heat transferable labels in place of tags, as well as flat seams and graphic tees designed to minimize discomfort.

The clothing is part of the Cat & Jack line of garments for children. The selection now is limited but that is expected to change.

According to their announcement, Target says that in the fall, “We’ll expand Cat & Jack even further to include adaptive pieces to help address the needs of children living with disabilities.” The limited selection of cat & jack sensory-friendly pieces in sizes xs-xl (big kids) and 2t-5t (toddler) exclusively at target.com. Prices range from $4.50 to $7.

The pieces were inspired by designers’ own children who have autism. Clothing for children with sensory issues has been criticized as not being stylish. A volunteer team worked on the clothing design issues, with a focus on making the clothing attractive as well as functional.

(Source: Target)

Caregiver fraud is alleged

A New Ulm man allegedly was driving a truck cross country at the same times he was being paid to care for a person with disabilities.

Daryle Jay Hansen, 55, was charged in August in Brown County District Court with three felonies for theft and forgery.

Hansen falsely claimed he provided personal care assistant services for five to seven hours per day from August 2015 through March 2017, according to the criminal complaint. The charges allege Hansen fraudulently collected more than $32,000 in net income from the government while he worked for Abbey Care.

A Brown County investigator found Hansen also worked full time as a driver for a trucking company and regularly was on the road at the same time he claimed to be working as a personal care assistant.

When questioned, Hansen reportedly claimed he brought the person he was caring for with him in his truck. The investigator reportedly informed Hansen he had records indicating the care recipient had used his food assistance program debit card in New Ulm at the same times at which Hansen claimed his charge was traveling with him. Hansen reportedly said he sometimes left his charge at home when the man was in poor health.

(Source: Mankato Free Press)

Northwest provides combination of care

Northwestern Mental Health Center is breaking new ground in mental and chemical health care in northwestern Minnesota. The center, which serves Kittson, Marshall, Red Lake, Polk, Norman and Mahnomen counties, is designated as a Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC). CCBHCs are a new pilot program that not only brings together chemical and mental health care, but coordinates a person’s total health and social service needs, including physical health care. In short, CCBHCs serve as a “one-stop-shop” for both adults and children who have trouble otherwise getting the help they need.

“We have to put the needs of people first,” said Wilson, who oversees chemical and mental health services for the state. “By offering a wide range of services, Northwestern Mental Health Center is doing just that.”

In the past, a person with a mental illness would need to contact several different agencies to obtain various services, and rarely can someone obtain both mental health and substance use disorder treatment through the same agency. CCBHCs change that, offering a range of coordinated services such as primary care screening, crisis mental health services and case management in addition to mental and chemical health care.

Minnesota is one of eight states selected by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to pilot this new model.

For Northwestern Mental Health Center, becoming a CCBHC was a natural extension of its already wide range of services.

“We are excited to be able to offer this CCBHC services to our community,” says Shauna Reitmeier, CEO of Northwestern Mental Health Center. “We truly believe this is the future of mental and substance use disorder care.”

(Source: DHS)

Mental health crisis center eyed for Chaska site

Ridgeview Medical Center, in the southwest Twin Cities suburbs, is seeing more and more emergency room patients with a mental health diagnosis. This is why Ridgeview proposed a mental health crisis center to replace the Marie Steiner Kelting Hospice Home in Chaska. The hospice closed in June due to lack of funding.

The crisis center would have 12 rooms and could potentially solve the problem

of residents going as far away as Rochester and Mankato to seek treatment – which are the closest centers. Lisa Gjerde and Noah McCourt are two of nine members on the Carver County Mental Health Advisory Council. They support the proposal Gjerde is the chair of the council and has been involved for eight years now. “We look at a lot of different topics, like lack of transportation and beds as well as crisis intervention with law enforcement in the county,” she said. She said patients can wait for days before a bed becomes available somewhere.

“We’ve had a need for a crisis facility for a long time – sometimes residents are even going across state lines for help,” McCourt said. Carver County has gotten better at addressing mental health needs in the county but they still have a long way to go. He believes this is an opportunity to bring education into schools and the out in the community.

“The county is always putting out the fire, a focus should be made on preventative care,” he said.

Town hall meetings are being held to discuss the proposal.

(Source: Sun Patriot News)

New school is applauded

Pankalo, a combination of Greek words for “complete” and “beauty,” is open in the Northeast Metro Intermediate School District. Pankalo was planned carefully for students who have complex special needs.

That means lots of natural light, softened acoustics and classrooms that can quickly be adapted to students’ changing needs.

District Superintendent Connie Hayes notes that school environment plays an important role in educating students on the autism spectrum, with cognitive and developmental delays or with emotional and behavioral disorders because many of them are sensitive to light and sound.

Pankalo’s curriculum will have an arts focus that encourages students to showcase their creativity in a calming atmosphere.

“This is really a marriage between a behavioral health care setting and a school setting,” Hayes said of the Lake Elmo school, which opens in September.

Northeast Metro is a collaborative of 14 districts that stretch from St. Francis to South Washington County; it enrolled about 800 students last school year. The $21 million Pankalo school was paid for with member districts’ funds designated for school infrastructure.

The new schools were built because staff struggled to serve students in a traditional school setting. The district also is in the process of revamping a high school it operates in Little Canada.

Pankalo has capacity for about 130 but expects to enroll about 80 this fall. Students will be broken up into four “neighborhoods,” each with five classrooms and five to seven students per class.

(Source: Pioneer Press)

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September 10, 2017 Volume 28, Number 9 Pg 14

RADIO TALKING BOOK BOOKS AVAILABLE THROUGH FARIBAULT Books broadcast on the Minnesota Radio Talking Book Network are available through the Minnesota Braille and Talking Book Library in Faribault. Call 1-800-7220550, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. The catalog is online at www.mnbtbl.org, click on the link Search the Library Catalog. Persons living outside of Minnesota may obtain copies of books via an inter-library loan by contacting their home state’s Network Library for the National Library Service.

The listings that appear here are a sampling and don’t represent the full array of programming.

Listen to the Minnesota Radio Talking Book, either live or archived program from the last week, on the Internet at www. mnssb.org/rtb. The listing published monthly in Access Press is a sampling.

Many more programs and books are available. Call the Talking Book Library for a password to the site. To find more information about Minnesota Radio Talking Book Network events go to the Facebook site at http://tinyurl.com/facebookMTBN Audio information about the daily book listings is also on the National Federation for the Blind (NFB) Newsline. Register for the NFB Newsline by calling 651-539-1424.

Access Press is featured at 9 p.m. Sundays on the program It Makes a Difference. Donate to the State Services for the Blind at mn.gov/deed/ssbdonate CHAUTAUQUA* Tuesday – Saturday 4 a.m.

How Emotions Are Made, Nonfiction by Lisa Feldman Berrett, 2017. 17 broadcasts.

Begins Sept. 12. Emotions feel automatic, like uncontrollable reactions to things we think and experience. But the science of emotion is in the midst of a revolution, and this paradigm shift has immense implications for us all. Read by Stevie Ray. BOOKWORM* Monday – Friday 11 a.m.

The Mare, Fiction by Mary Gaitskill, 2015.

16 broadcasts. Begins Sept. 19. Velveteen Vargas gets a glimpse of life outside of Brooklyn, but her host family upstate is far from perfect: Ginger, a failed artist and shakily recovered alcoholic, and her academic husband, Paul, who wonder what it will mean to make a difference in such a contrived situation. L - Read by Connie Jamison.

THE WRITER’S VOICE* Monday – Friday 2 p.m.

Eleanor and Hick, Nonfiction by Susan Quinn, 2016. 16 broadcasts. Begins Sept.

12. Eleanor Roosevelt and Lorena Hickok could not have been more different. But their extraordinary relationship influenced some of the most consequential years in American history. Read by Scott Brush.

CHOICE READING* Monday – Friday 4 p.m.

Do Not Find Me, Fiction by Kathleen Novak, 2016. Seven broadcasts. Begins Sept.

25. When Gigi Paulo first arrives in New York, he sees a girl he is drawn to. Two years later, he meets, learns her name is Corrine, and learns her secrets. He becomes obsessed with her. L, S - Read by Janelle Mattson.

PM REPORT* Monday – Friday 8 p.m.

The Islamic Jesus, Nonfiction by Musta-

fa Akyol, 2017. Nine broadcasts. Begins Sept. 21. Not only is Jesus written of in the Qur’an, but the Islamic picture of him resonates with pre-existing Christian sources. There is a fascinating similarity between Islam and “Jewish Christianity,” a branch of the early church that was branded as heresy. Read by Stuart Holland.

NIGHT JOURNEY* Monday – Friday 9 p.m.

The Death of Kings, Fiction by Rennie Airth, 2017. 14 Br. Begins Sept. 21. In 1938, a beautiful actress was murdered on the estate of a close friend of the Prince of Wales. The arrest of an ex-convict and his confession brought the case to a close. But was the executed man really the murderer? L - Read by Neil Bright.

OFF THE SHELF* Monday – Friday 10 p.m.

Borders, Fiction by Roy Jacobsen, 2016. 15 broadcasts. Begins Sept. 19.

In the Ardennes, Robert has grown up under his mother’s care. For guidance, he turns to his godfather, who has faked blindness since the war. Read by John Mandeville.

POTPOURRI* Monday – Friday 11 p.m.

Live Inside, Nonfiction by Michelle Leon, 2016. Five broadcasts. Begins Sept.

18. Michelle was a shy, awkward child from the Minneapolis suburbs but became a major player in the punk rock scene around the world. It started when she saw Lori Barbero and Kat Bjelland performing at a party. L - Read by Holly Sylvester.

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AFTER MIDNIGHT* Tuesday – Saturday 1 a.m.

The Dire Earth, Fiction by Jason M. Hough, 2015. Five broadcasts. Begins Sept. 15. In a future post-apocalyptic Earth in the 23rd Century, an empty space vessel arrives.

It is a harbinger of additional arrivals from other worlds. Read by Peter Danbury.

The Portable Veblen, Fiction by Elizabeth McKenzie, 2016. 12 broadcasts. Begins Sept. 22. Veblen and Paul are trying to make it to their wedding day in one piece.

In order to do that, they need to grapple with dysfunctional parents, a seductive heiress, and a charismatic squirrel. L Read by Michele Potts.

WEEKEND PROGRAM BOOKS Your Personal World, Saturday at 1 p.m., is airing Living from the Center Within by Michele Rae. For the Younger Set, Sunday at 11 a.m., is airing The Jumbies by Tracey Baptiste. Poetic Reflections, Sunday at noon, is airing When We Were Birds by Joe Wilkins. The Great North, Sunday at 4 p.m., is airing Warrior Nation: A History of the Red Lake Ojibwe by Anton Treuer.

Abbreviations: V – violence, L – offensive language, S – sexual situations, RE – racial epithets.

Thrill Me, Nonfiction by Benjamin Percy,

Thanks to ALL OF YOU FRIEND ($50-$74)

2016. Six broadcasts. Begins Sept. 25.

Benjamin Percy is the author of three novels, and a teacher of writing. He says literary and genre fiction are not mutually exclusive. In his essays, he shows how contemporary writers engage plot, character, dialogue, and suspense. Read by Carolyn Light Bell.

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September 10, 2017 Volume 28, Number 9 Pg 15

HOLLAND From Page 1 nue, into one of the best recording facilities in the country. “It’s wonderful, and so acoustically insulated,” he said. “You walk into the recording booth and once the door is shut, you cannot hear a thing, not even a fire alarm. Blinking lights are used for fire alarms.”

The number of volunteers has doubled between 1994 and 2001. “That’s because we started having teams of volunteers across the state who broadcast their local newspapers,” he said. “They would break into our signal once a day and read them.

Fergus Falls was the first, in 1994. Then St. Cloud, Duluth, Rochester, Mankato and Grand Rapids.”

Radio Talking Book today

Volunteers read from across the United States. “We loan them the equipment they need to do the recording. They do the recordings, then send them back to us in the mail. It works quite well,” Holland said.

Volunteers are required to take an oral reading test. “We ask them to get 92 percent of the vocabulary words correct, and we need them to know when they have made a mistake,” noted Holland. “We all make mistakes.”

After reading for a long time, volunteers get very good or become sloppy. Readers are monitored to listen for problems.

The recording booths are constantly busy. Volunteers are from all types of

NOMINEES

from page 7

services consortium ARRM, putting in many years’ service on its conference committee and public policy committee.

She has also served as a field team district captain for the Best Life Alliance.

Marquart went the extra mile

CLASSIFIEDS

Vina Marquart is someone who goes the extra mile for her friends, and will step in and help at a time of need. She is compassionate and listens to others.

Her nominator credits Marquart for saving her life.

LeAnne Dahl nominated Marquart.

They met while attending the same St. Paul church and taking Bible classes together. They have been friends for about 15 years.

Marquart eventually became responsible for Dahl’s health care. Dahl lives with disabilities and appreciates her longtime friend’s help.

Dahl had lived in the same assisted living facility before she became very ill in early spring 2017. Marquart has a regular time to call and check on her, and when Dahl didn’t call back Marquart took quick action. She checked on Dahl, and found that her longtime friend was very ill.

Dahl was taken by ambulance to a hospital for treatment, with Marquart following behind. She stayed with Dahl for several hours until her condition stabilized. Dahl almost died while en route to the hospital as she was very sick, and needed someone to stay with her.

Dahl’s illness hung on for three months and assisted living wasn’t meeting her needs. Then came the difficult decision for Dahl to move from her assisted living apartment of many years into a nursing home setting nearby.

Marquart helped her friend make that tough choice. Then she rolled up her

backgrounds, from college professors to factory workers.

The station operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Programs are on automation 10 p.m. to 5:30 a.m., with the rest of the time being staffed. “We work that late because we have volunteers who come in, and we need people who can help with equipment and just be here in case something happens,” Holland said.

Books are aired serially. Monday through Friday, people will hear 11 hours of books, four hours of newspapers, and nine hours of programming taken from around 300 periodicals. Saturdays and Sundays only have four books, which consist of a self-help book, a book of regional interest, a book aimed at children 8 to 15, and a book of contemporary poetry. Remaining weekend programming is reading of periodicals and newspapers.

“We have a very broad cross-section of books,” Holland said, “everything from history, to romance, to political and, controversial materials, mysteries, general fiction and vampire stories. We have something for everybody.”

He doesn’t usually select best sellers for broadcast because the National Library Service covers those. “I check their list to see what is already being covered,” he said. “We have a lot of Minnesota authors who don’t make it to the bestsellers, but are perfectly good authors, and we offer them.”

Holland leaves Radio Talking Book with one more accomplishment to his credit.

“In 1969, it was assumed that everyone in Minnesota should know how to speak English.”

After much thought and consultation, Radio Talking Book began offering news programs in Spanish, Hmong, Russian and Somali. Somali and Hmong volunteers are still a need.

“Now people can go to that page and find the latest in news in their language,” Holland said. “I consider that to be my signature accomplishment for my last year.”

sleeves, brought in two of her friends and helped Dahl make the move into nursing home care. That took about a month of cleaning, sorting and downsizing, to get Dahl out of her longtime assisted living unit. Marquart and her friends got that done.

“She saved my life and she stayed with me at the hospital,” said Dahl.

“She has helped me in so many ways. I can’t thank her enough.”

Marquart was born and raised in Fairmont. She studied nursing at Augustana University and also studied at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health. She has extensive professional experience in public health, work-related injury and emergency preparedness issues. She began her career as a nurse and later worked on the workers’ compensation insurance field for the American Compensation Insurance Company.

Marquart also served on the board of the Minnesota Workers’ Compensation Insurers’ Association.

She most recently worked for many years for Carver County as a public health educator, focusing on public health and emergency preparedness issues. She worked with communities and community advisory committees throughout the county, providing technical expertise and talks on a range of topics. She also helped with the county’s Medical Reserve Corps and the ReadyCarver emergency preparedness program. Marquart retired in spring 2016.

Marquart is married and lives in Eden Prairie.

Cities suburbs. Residents of Bloomington, Eden Prairie, Edina and Richfield utilize TRAIL services to attend recreation and leisure programs offered by the Adaptive Recreation and Learning Exchange (AR&LE). AR&LE is a partnership of the four cities and their school districts.

TRAIL riders live independently or semi-independently. Riders pay just $2 per trip for door-to-door service to and from programs. In 2016 TRAIL provided 1,413 individual rides to 222 AR&LE events. Rides are provided through a partnership with Transit Team, a local Twin Cities transportation company which provides the buses and drivers. Transit Team consistently ensures safety, reliability and respect.

Transportation is a service that is often overlooked and underserved to people with disabilities. TRAIL began in 1988 with a group of concerned parents looking for safe, affordable, reliable transportation for their adult children with developmental disabilities. In 1991 TRAIL was officially incorporated by the state and received non-profit status, providing 13 trips that year. Last year TRAIL celebrated 25 years of service and has grown to more than 200 trips, annually.

TRAIL is sustainable thanks to the dedication of its all-volunteer board of directors, made up of self-advocates, family members, business professionals and individuals who work with or have been influenced by people with developmental disabilities. Appointed rider representatives ensure that riders' voices are heard.

Fundraising efforts ensure affordability for riders, including the annual Bowling for Buses fundraiser. TRAIL sub-

Blazing a TRAIL for independence

Transportation Resource to Aid Independent Living, Inc. or TRAIL provides needed transportation services for adults with disabilities in four Twin

Moving on

During his tenure as manager, Holland has worked under several governors and commissioners. What he will miss most is his connection with the volunteers.

“I tell people when they start that they are joining a large family of volunteers.

They don’t all know each other or interact or see each other, but many do. And we try to give them a few opportunities during the year to connect with each other. I have taught master classes for volunteers the past 17 years.”

He now hopes to take that master class and market it as a business, helping others hone their public speaking skills. Holland holds a degree in theater and may also pursue acting roles in the future.

And who knows? Holland is likely to continue as a Radio Talking Book reader and may be reading his own work someday. He is working on a couple of books as an author, one a mystery and one about his collection of German pottery. ■

EQUIPMENT from page 1

their everyday needs. Quality of some supplies provided by new vendors has also met criticism. Delays in delivery have been a frequent complaint around the country. Another objection is the difficulty in getting items repaired.

Disability and elder advocacy groups, providers and others criticized the competitive bidding program because of its focus on the cheapest prices.

In January 2016, CMS began a sixmonth, phased expansion from cities into suburban and rural areas, even though these areas never participated in an auction process. All Medicare beneficiaries are now affected across the country People for Quality Care noted, “Failing to factor the unique costs of accessing and caring for medically fragile Medicare patients across rural America, CMS slashed reimbursement rates for medical equipment.”

People for Quality Care has also been involved in efforts to inform members of Congress about how people in rural areas have been adversely affected by Medicare cuts to medical equipment.

The cuts had been delayed but are now back in effect. The group and other advocates from around the nation are asking that the cuts not be imposed. ■

sidizes 85 percent of every rider's fare.

Fares have not gone up in more than six years and actually decreased this year, thanks to a very successful 25-year anniversary gala and dance.

Transportation makes it possible for adults with disabilities to be more social, recreational and independent, and be more active in the community. In 2016, there were three TRAIL riders who each attended more than 100 AR&LE events. Programs include bowling, golf, softball, cooking classes, water aerobics, dances, art classes and relationship skills and independent living classes.

If not for TRAIL, riders would need to seek out their own transportation, which can be a frustrating process, stressful and a barrier to participation.

TRAIL provides riders with the security needed to independently learn, socialize and be part of their community, while attending programs specifically designed to meet needs and enrich lives, mentally, creatively and socially.

The TRAIL-AR&LE partnership is unique, impactful to riders and programs and immensely valued. TRAIL riders know they have a safe ride to and from programs at an affordable price.

For more than 26 years, TRAIL has been filling a void and enriching life in its community.

TRAIL was nominated by Jackie Doncavage, recreation supervisor, City of Bloomington.■

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