OSWEGO COUNTY EDITION Director: Sabine Ingerson
October 2016 What’s Inside:
20TH ANNIVERSARY OF ARISE IN OSWEGO COUNTY
ARISE 20th Anniversary
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ARISE 20th Anniversary
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ARISE Groups
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Disability Mentoring Day & Ramp Program
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Community Habilitation & ARISE Golf
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MSC Blog
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Read Event
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Demon Acres
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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
Our Mission
ARISE celebrated 20 years of service in Oswego County with a reception at the Lake Ontario Event and Conference Center on Tuesday, September 27th. Many friends of ARISE, community partners, and staff gathered to share stories about their experience with ARISE. For many it was also a great opportunity to reconnect. The art published in this year’s UNIQUE magazine was on display so the guests had the opportunity to meet some of the artists and talk with them about the visual and literary pieces they created. The story of the last 20 years was shared through photos, while information about current programs was displayed on tables and explained by our dedicated staff. In our remarks Tania Anderson, CEO, and I shared some of the milestones and thanked the many community partners who have collaborated with ARISE to make our community a better place to live for everyone. Assemblyman Will Barclay presented a proclamation in honor of the special anniversary. David Poleto read a proclamation on behalf of Senator Ritchie’s office. The best testimony about the importance of our services came from those who entrusted us to work with them. One of our speakers was Jeremy Kelley, whose mother first contacted ARISE for education advocacy and service coordination when he was still in elementary school. He later accessed our Habilitation program to improve skills needed for community inclusion. Jeremy is now fully employed. He spoke of the importance of having been published in UNIQUE. Although he is increasingly independent he still participates in the FSS Recreation programs organized by Vicki Affinati to foster the many friendships he has forged over the year. Tammy Elowsky spoke about the importance of the Sibshops group her daughter, Taylor, has attended now since 3 rd grade. She talked about how important it has been for her daughter to get together with other kids to share the challenges and joys of having a sibling with a disability. Taylor, although she has aged out, continues with the group, mentoring the younger children who are joining. The evening also provided a perfect setting to thank the founding
To work with people of all abilities members of the Oswego Advisory Committee who have been there since to create a fair and just the beginning in 2005: Joanne Gardner, Jeff Grimshaw, Ron Tascarella, community in which everyone can and Ernie Wheeler. We value their dedication and guidance. fully participate. Page 1
ARISE 20th Anniversary Celebration Our ramp program, which has no government funding, relies on donations and volunteers to make homes accessible. Honored for their many hours of volunteer service were members of Believers Chapel in Fulton, Fulton First United Methodist Church, Oswego First United Methodist Church, the Elks Lodge #271, and the Center for Instruction, Technology, and Innovation (CiTi). Without their help, this program would not be possible. Along with the many recipients of ramps, we are very grateful for their engagement. Garrette Weiss shared a story about the carpentry class at CiTi who took down a ramp on the coldest day of the year and is now building ramp sections as part of their class. For one of the students it was a life changing event. When he realized that his work mattered he became a model student who is now pursuing an apprenticeship. Businesses honored for their many years of continued support of the ramp program were G&C Foods, Ed Mertens & Integrated Marketing Services, Fastenal, Raby’s Ace Home Center, Pathfinder Bank, the Oswego Speedway, Lighthouse Lanes, and Compass Federal Credit Union. Jason Noyes, who started and continues to organize the ARISE & Ride for Ramps motorcycle ride, was thanked for his fundraising idea and continued dedication to making the ride better every year. We are grateful to all who have been a part of our journey over the last 20 years and hope that you will be with us as we continue to support this community. By: Sabine Ingerson, Director of the ARISE Oswego Office
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ARISE 20th Anniversary Celebration Cont’d
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ARISE Groups Oswego Social Club
Self-Advocacy Group Friday, October 21st
No Social Club this month.
11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Held @ Pontiac Apts. 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 X 213.
Teen Group
Community Connections
Sunday, October 9th
Sunday, October 9th
1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Stony Hill Acres
Stony Hill Acres
1685 State Route 264 Phoenix, NY 13135
1685 State Route 264 Phoenix, NY 13135
Hay rides Face Painting Pumpkin Decorating Food and Fun
Hay rides Face Painting Pumpkin Decorating Food and Fun
Petting Zoo: with goats, miniature donkeys, cows, ducks and bunnies
Petting Zoo: with goats, miniature donkeys, cows, ducks and bunnies
(Event is open to the Public)
(Event is open to the Public)
Please email Vicki at vaffinati@ariseinc.org or call 342-4088 X225 for information and to RSVP by October 3rd.
Please email Vicki at vaffinati@ariseinc.org or call 342-4088 X225 for information and to RSVP by October 3rd.
Sib Shops
TBI Group
(No meeting in October)
Tuesday, September 13th 4:30 P.M. - 5:30 P.M. (This is a reoccurring meeting that takes place the 2nd Tuesday of each month)
Saturday, November 5th 12:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. We will be meeting at the ARISE Oswego office. 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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Disability Mentoring Day October is Disability Awareness Month and in honor of the individuals in Oswego County, the Oswego County Placement Network will be holding our 10th annual Disability Mentoring Day. DMD is a large-scale national effort coordinated by American Association of People with Disabilities ( AAPD) to promote career development for students and job-seekers with disabilities through handson career exploration and ongoing mentoring relationships. DMD was founded in 1999 through a White House initiative with less than three-dozen students participating to increase the awareness of National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM). Since that event, DMD has spring boarded from a one day event for a small group of students to an extensive national mentoring program for young professionals with disabilities across the United States and abroad. DMD will take place on Thursday Oct 27th at the American Foundry. We will kick it off with a breakfast at 8:30am and guest speakers. If you are interested in becoming a Mentee/Mentor or would like to attend the event, please contact Teresa Gilbert 315-342-4088 ext. 235
Nationwide - Ramp Build I get a kick out of the various commercials from Nationwide Insurance and the jingle tends to stay with you‌.�Nationwide is on your side.� Though the commercials are geared to let you know that as an insurance company they work with you and for you, recently they have taken that motto to another level. On Sept 28 th several employees from the Nationwide office in Syracuse joined our ramp program to build a ramp for someone in need of one. There were several memorable moments in this build, the first being the enthusiasm in wanting to get started and seeing what could be accomplished. The second impressive attribute was the number of these volunteers that were willing to step into different processes of the ramp build and try new things. Several who had never used certain tools stepped forward and with instruction were able to soon fly solo. Some came with knowledge and expertise to just jump in, and a few had to be encouraged to try something new and not be afraid of the task. These types of builds are some of the best experiences we have. We get the opportunity to share our program, teach new skills, and watch the transformation of a pile of wood into a ramp, one that is so important to the user and the family. The second transformation is watching a group of people that show up with spirit, enthusiasm and the willingness to work turn into the pride, sense of accomplishment and emotions of seeing the first moment when the user of the ramp is able to come out of their home onto a safe transition from confinement to freedom to rejoin the community. We would like to thank Nationwide for sharing their day with us. We learned from them, we had a chance to share with them, and we built a ramp. What a great day!!! Jim Karasek, Manager of Independent Living Skills Want to build a ramp???? 342-4088 x206 Page 5
Community Habilitation October is Domestic Violence Awareness month. The ARISE Community Habilitation Department, our staff ,and individuals were honored to partner with SAF (Services to Aid Families, a division of OCO) in creating a purple flag display that represent the many individuals with developmental disabilities that SAF has assisted and helped during the last year. In addition to the display, Stacie France, SAF Community Response Coordinator, and Sara Gozzi, SAF Educator and Advocate, provided a wonderful opportunity for discussion and education about healthy relationships. ARISE enjoyed being a part of this collaboration!
ARISE Golf Evergreen Hills is on Par with Developmental Disabilities Awareness. (Pictured are ARISE & Golf participants, staff, and Dustin Jones, kneeling in green)
OSWEGO: On September 7th and 8th, Evergreen Hills Golf Course in Oswego hosted the 7th Annual ARISE & Golf Clinic. Nineteen individuals from Oswego and Onondaga County participated in the two-day event. The first day consisted of instruction by PGA Professional Dustin Jones, owner and operator of the Deer Run Golf Facility in Westmoreland, NY. Dustin provided an overview of the rules, etiquette, and history of the game followed by hands-on training of the various techniques. Outgoing and humorous, combined with a wealth of knowledge and experience, Jones was able to instill a fundamental joy and appreciation of the game that was easily visible on the faces of the participants. “These folks taught me way more than I could teach them. Their smiles and positive outlook on life was enlightening, I am so rejuvenated and this solidified why I chose this profession!” said Jones. On the second day the participants were grouped into teams and took part in a tournament where they each played three holes with the assistance of a volunteer captain. The captains included Oswego Fire Chief Jeff McCrobie, Oswego City Police Officer Derek Jansson, and Course Member Don Fitch, as well as ARISE employees Andy Bidwell, Josh Solazzo, and the event’s organizer Shane Hoey. Throughout the tournament there were constant streams of laughter and words of encouragement, followed by roars of applause and cheering. This event has improved every year with the assistance of many volunteers and the generosity of golf course owner John Hayes. Hayes also hosts an annual fundraiser for this event that pays for the needed materials and picnic that follows for the individuals and staff. “This is an opportunity for these participants to experience something extraordinary while increasing community awareness and participation,” said Hoey, who joked, “and it also gives me an excuse to play golf at work.” Page 6
MSC Blog Fall is Tick Season By: Danielle Fox Medicaid Service Coordinator Oswego, NY It’s that time of year again. Fall is here and it means changing colors of leaves, apple picking, cooler weather, great food, and football, but it also means that ticks will be out in full force. It seems like each year you hear of more people getting tick bites. Tick bites can be very serious so we need to take measures to make sure that we are safe and our children are safe while they are outside. Here are some measures to help protect yourself from ticks: Wear light colored clothing, long sleeves and pants, tuck pants into socks. Long loose hair should be covered, braided or tied when venturing into areas where ticks are apt to be. Spray your clothing, etc. (also, see Repellent Sprays section). When coming in from outside activities where you might have encountered ticks, throw clothing into the dryer set on high heat. This will ensure no ticks survive on your clothing. Remember to do a tick check, take a shower and wash your hair.
Removal Using fine pointed tweezers, grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible without squeezing the tick's body. Firmly pull it straight out (expect to feel some resistance). Save the tick for future testing by placing it in a plastic bag or in a small jar of alcohol. If a tick is tested for spirochetes, place it in a small jar or vial with a blade of grass to keep it alive. Be sure to note the date and site of the bite for future reference. NEVER: squeeze the tick, burn it, or cover it with Vaseline or any other substance. Remember to disinfect the site of the bite, wash your hands and disinfect your tweezers. Contact your doctor and let them know what happened. If you have any questions or concerns please contact the Oswego Health Department at 315-349-3557
There are also many sprays/repellents you can use to help ward off ticks. Look for repellents that have DEET. You can find these at drug stores, grocery stores or an outdoor store. You want to read the label and make sure it says it repels against ticks. Ticks should be removed promptly. The longer it is attached the higher the chance of disease transmission. Remove it carefully to prevent disease transmission:
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Fun Page
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OCTOBER Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
UNIQUE at CNY Arts Center (CCC)
Sat 1
10/1-10/24
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Fresh Food Giveaway Sandy Creek UMC, 3:30-5:30p
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Teen Group, & Community Connections 1:00p-5:00p
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TBI Peer Support Group 4:30-5:30p
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Fresh Food Giveaway Believer’s Chapel, Fulton 4:00-6:00p
23/30
24/31
Fresh Food Giveaway Park UMC, Pulaski 3:00-5:00p
19 Fresh Food Giveaway No. Syracuse Christian Church 3:30-5:30p
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Advocacy Group 11:00-12:00p
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28 Office Closed
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Read at APW
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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.