OSWEGO COUNTY EDITION Director: Sabine Ingerson
March 2017 MARCH IS BRAIN INJURY AWARENESS MONTH
What’s Inside:
By: Sabine ARISE Groups
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MSC Blog
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Community Habilitation
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Ride for Ramps
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Fun Page
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Calendar
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Employment
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ARISE
Center for Independent Living ARISE Oswego 9 Fourth Ave Oswego, NY 13126 (315) 342-4088
ARISE Pulaski 2 Broad St Pulaski, NY 13142 (315) 298-5726
ARISE Fulton
113 Schuyler St, Suite 2 Fulton, NY 13069 (315) 887-5156
ariseinc.org /ARISEcny
The theme for this year’s Brain Injury Awareness Month is “Not Alone”. The annual awareness campaign, led by the Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA), provides a platform to educate the general public about the need of people with brain injuries and their families. In this country 5.3 million people live with a brain injury. They want what everyone else wants: a good job, a nice home, and to enjoy their lives. Research, treatment, and supports help 2.5 million people survive brain injuries each year. The level of support need varies for each person. Many continue to live in the community and return to work. The trauma of the injury and the challenges faced daily, which might not be noticeable to others, still remain. Two years ago Shannon Morrell started the Traumatic Brain Injury Peer Support Group at our office in Oswego. The group meets monthly and is assisted by Chris Ward, who is the parent of a child who incurred a brain injury. The meetings are on the second Tuesday of each month and are open to anyone in the community. It is a safe place to share, connect with peers, and truly addresses the need to not be alone. Last year ARISE held a Brain Injury Awareness Fair at the Fulton Campus of Cayuga Community College. There were speakers, interactive games, and presentations to raise awareness among the students who will encounter persons with brain injuries in their careers. The college has offered to host the event again this year, which will take place on March 21, 2017 from 9:00 AM-3:00 PM. The public is invited to attend. On March 9th at 2:00pm, the Oswego County Legislation will issue a proclamation to raise awareness about brain injury.
Our Mission
To work with people of all abilities to create a fair and just community in which everyone can fully participate. Page 1
ARISE Groups Oswego Social Club
Self-Advocacy Group
No Social Club this month.
Friday, March 17th 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM Pontiac Terrace Community Room
Self-Advocacy is a group for people who want to advocate for change. For additional information, or if you have an issue you would like the group to advocate for, please contact Josh Solazzo at 342-4088 X213.
Teen Group
Community Connections
Saturday, March 25th
Saturday, March 11th
10:00 AM - 3:30 PM
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
WonderWorks in Syracuse, NY
Spring Dance
(when you sign up, please let Vicki know if you want to do laser tag)
Featuring SHOtime Music by Gary Rainbow (This event is open to the public & hosted
Please sign up for this event by emailing Vicki at vaffinati@ariseinc.org or call 342-4088 X225 for information about this group.
by Parents of Special Children) Please sign up for this event by emailing Vicki at vaffinati@ariseinc.org or call 342-4088 X225 for information about this group.
SibShops
TBI Group
Saturday, March 18th
Tuesday, March 14th
12:00 Noon - 4:00 PM
4:30 PM - 5:30 PM
We will meet at the Oswego office for games,
(This is a reoccurring meeting that takes place the 2nd Tuesday of each month)
crafts, and lunch. Please email Sabine at singerson@ariseinc.org or call 342-4088 X210 for information.
We will be meeting at the ARISE Oswego office If you have any questions, contact Shannon Morrell at 342-4088 X245 or Christine Ward at 342-4088 X201 or cward@ariseinc.org.
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MSC Blog Nathaniel Davis Medicaid Service Coordinator
It’s spring time again and now is the best time to plan a garden. A sensory garden is a garden environment that is designed with the purpose of stimulating the senses. This stimulation occurs courtesy of plants and the use of materials that engage a person’s senses including sight, smell, touch, taste, and sound. These types of gardens are popular with and beneficial to both children and adults, especially those who have sensory processing issues. To get the maximum use from a sensory garden, it is important to take into account for whom the garden is primarily intended. It is also important to understand what plants and features will best achieve the atmosphere that is desired. Depending on the person’s needs, a sensory garden can primarily focus on one sense, or it can incorporate all of them. For those who are hyper-reactive to stimuli, the sensory garden should provide a relaxing environment, and for those who tend to be under-reactive to stimuli, the garden is a great way to stimulate the senses. For people who do not have a disability, a sensory garden is beneficial in that it is a fun, educational tool that allows them to explore and learn about their senses and nature. While in the garden, they are encouraged to touch, smell, taste, and generally interact with the environment around them. Sound is another fun feature of a sensory garden, and it is crucial to creating a calming environment. Certain ornamental grasses create unique sounds, and the rustling of leaves is also soothing. Man-made additions, such as wind chimes and water fountains, also add to the sounds of the garden. Smells can trigger a wide range of emotions, and plants should be chosen with care. Some plants release scent naturally without the need for touch. For example; all types and varieties of roses naturally release scent into the air. Other scents are released when the leaves or petals are crushed by hand, such as geraniums. Consider a combination of scents that range from subtle to more intense in order to produce the greatest variety and interest. Plants to consider for their scent include honeysuckle, lavender, violets, mint, and chocolate cosmos, which release a chocolate-like scent. Explore taste by planting edible herbs and other plants in the garden. Examples of edible flowers include nasturtiums, evening primrose, hibiscus, and pansy. Fruit trees and plants that produce vegetables are also a natural and obvious choice when it comes to taste in the sensory garden. When planting edible flowers, take care to differentiate them from other non-edible flowers. This is of particular importance when the garden is for children. Place edible flowers together in a designated area or simply stick with recognizable fruits and vegetables. For touch, use plants that add a variety of tactile stimulation in terms of texture. Examples of plants that are good for tactile stimuli include lamb’s ear, which feels wooly to the touch and soft. Yarrow is another plant that is good for touch, as its flowers are stiff and its foliage is soft. Feather grass, coneflower, and borage are additional examples of plants that are good for touch. Water features such as backyard ponds and water gardens are also good additions for touch, as is bark for ground covering. A sensory garden is a wonderful way for children and adults to explore their senses and learn about the environment around them. It is also a healthy place of discovery and gets them outdoors. People with disabilities also greatly benefit from exposure to sensory gardens, as they provide a therapeutic and safe way for them to explore their senses. When creating a sensory garden, use care in choosing the elements that go into the garden, and also consider the layout in terms of the height and reach of the plants and walkways so that it is accessible to the children and/or adults for whom it is intended.
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Community Habilitation Department MUSIC IS IN THE AIR If you were in our office on Tuesday afternoons during the last few months you would have heard guitar music. As Dustin Hanley, one of our very dedicated Direct Support Professionals, got to know several of the individuals in the Community Habilitation program better, he discovered that a group of them wanted to learn to play an instrument. As Dustin is an accomplished guitar player, he offered to teach them to play the guitar. He shared his plan with AJ Music and they gave him several sets of strings for the group to use with guitars he had been able to get for his endeavor. Three of the players are left handed so the guitars had to be strung differently to fit their preference. Over the last few weeks the students have been learning basic cords. It has been enjoyable to see the progress they have made. For most of us, trying something new is met with a little hesitation. The group members have given each other a lot of encouragement which has made this a positive experience. Not only are they improving their fine motor skills, but they are also socializing more and increasing their self-esteem. Learning to play the guitar takes lots of practice – I know, I used to take lessons when I was in school. The musicians are making steady progress and can’t wait till they are ready to perform. I want to take this opportunity to thank Dustin and the other staff who have been helping to teach and encourage. By: Sabine Ingerson
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Ride For Ramps Ride for Ramps Update Though it may seem quite a distance off, June 3rd is approaching us sooner than we would like. Ride for Ramps is taking shape already and we have some great things in store for you. At the moment we are seeking a couple of hard working, fun loving volunteers to assist us in some of the pre-event work. We will also be looking for those that wish to assist on the day of the event. If you find that you have that fun-loving spirit and the itch to jump in and make a difference in someone’s life, then do we have a place for you! If you have requirements for school that involves volunteer work, we can use you. Also, please, keep in mind that as warmer weather approaches us we will be looking for additional volunteers in one or more of three different teams for the ramp program. You can select the wooden ramp program, the aluminum ramp program, and or the take-down/repair crew. Our first new announcement for this year is a 50/50 that is a bit unusual. We call it “A New Kind of 50/50” and this is how it works. Each ticket is $5.00 and there are only 500 tickets. As the ticket is purchased the buyer of the ticket will provide their name and phone number and the volunteer fire department they wish to have win. The prize is divided between the ARISE ramp program and the winning volunteer fire department. This pot will contain $1,250 for ARISE that will complete yet another ramp for someone in need, and the other $1,250 will assist a local volunteer fire department to purchase lifesaving equipment for their department. The drawing will take place June 3rd at our event. Tickets will soon be sent to the local volunteer fire departments and we will have some at the ARISE office, or you can order them by mail. Stay tuned for a couple of big and bigger announcements. You may also now register for the ride on our website www.rideforramps.org. Should you have any questions, comments or wish to contact us please do so. ARISE 315-342-4088 Jim Karasek X206
Jim Cronk X211
jkarasek@ariseinc.org
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Josh Solazzo X213
Fun Page
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MARCH Sun
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Fresh Food Giveaway Christian Life Assembly, Syracuse 3:00-5:00p
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Fresh Food Giveaway Sandy Creek UMC, 3:30-5:30p
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14 TBI Peer Support Group 4:30-5:30p
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Fresh Food Giveaway Park UMC, Pulaski 3:00-5:00p
Fresh Food Giveaway
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St. Joseph’s The Worker, Liverpool 3:30-5:30p
Fresh Food Giveaway No. Syracuse Christian Church 3:30-5:30p
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Community Connections 1:00-3:00p
17 Self Advocacy Group 11:30-12:30p
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Fresh Food Giveaway Believer’s Chapel 3:30-5:30p
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18 Sibshops 12:00-4:00p
25 Teen Group 10:00-3:30p
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30 Fresh Food Giveaway St. Joseph’s The Worker, Liverpool 3:30-5:30p
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NON-PROFIT US POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO. 25
ARISE 9 Fourth Avenue Oswego, NY 13126 Phone: Fax: TTY:
OSWEGO, NY 13126
(315)342-4088 (315)342-4107 (315)342-8696
ariseinc.org
Address Service Requested Mailing Address Goes Here
Employment ACCES-VR (Adult Career and Continuing Education Services-Vocational Rehabilitation) is an agency in the New York State Education Department that has helped many individuals with disabilities find and keep employment. You may know the agency from it’s previous acronym: VESID. Over the past year, ACCES-VR has helped over 900 people in Central New York (including 80 in Oswego County) succeed in careers ranging from customer service to information technology. Services to help eligible individuals reach their employment goals may include but are not limited to: job coaching, employment counseling, advocacy, and financial assistance with training, equipment, and work uniforms. If you or someone you know has a barrier to employment and is interested in applying, please call (315) 428-4180 to register for an information session or to receive an application.