Thursday, December 29, 2011

Young woman excels at decorating birdhouses...sells dozens

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Marisol is an artistically talented 26-year-old woman with Down Syndrome and a former student of the Abilities United After School Socialization program. Today, Marisol is an Adult Education student in San Jose where she does volunteer work for organizations such as Meals on Wheels.

Marisol enjoys a lot of things in life but she especially enjoys painting an decorating birdhouses. She and her mother work together to create the designs and select recycled materials as decorating media. Marisol picks her colors, and painstakingly pastes and glues the materials to the birdhouses to create the intricate and complex designs. Each birdhouse is a unique work of art. No two are alike in shape, design or style. When each one is complete, Marisol sits back with a look of satisfaction and pride. She is particularly proud when she sells a birdhouse, as she was just this week when she received $375 for four of her birdhouses. She has used her earnings to pay for a computer, clothes, and recreational activities. She has also donated to Abilities United and saves some of her earnings.

Marisol is also a regular participant and medal winner in Special Olympics track and field, softball, baseball, bowling, floor hockey and basketball. She also enjoys going to dances. She loves Michael Jackson and dances every morning while she waits for her bus and when coloring and painting. She dreams that one day she will be called to be a part of a concert for Michael Jackson. Marisol collects Michael Jackson memorabilia.

Marisol has sold dozens of her creatively decorated wood birdhouses to individuals throughout the Bay Area who appreciate and value her talent. Birdhouses sell for between $50 and $300 dollars depending on the complexity of design. One of her fans, a resident of Woodside and an owner of at least a half dozen of Marisol's creations, so admires her work that she sponsored an auction of the birdhouse and matched the price of each birdhouse sold with a donation to Abilities United!


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Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Artist’s talent is valued; five art pieces purchased by local art appreciators


When Michael first dropped in to Abilities United to show us his 30+ original painting, all of us were, to say the least, extremely impressed... actually blown away. His use of color is incredible. Vibrant colors in combinations that make his artwork pop with emotion and energy. His paintings of nature and animals are whimsical, creative and expressive yet powerful and realistic. He is inspired by and promotes the unity of life, the unity of humans and animals, the unity of the world and universe. He is also a lover of anime so many of his pieces are super human characters. He says he has painted 114 original works of art! And now we are privileged to showcase Michaels talents throughout the Peninsula and South Bay.
Art appreciators and art lovers are also impressed by Michaels talents. So much so in the last couple months Michael has sold 5 pieces of art. His "Giraffe in Africa" sold for $140 to Lisa Mancini, the Director of Aging and Adult Services for San Mateo County. The Transformers sold for $150 to the Abilities United auditor! His Flight of the Dragons, featured in the Abilities United 2012 calendar/annual report, sold for $275 to a woman who is giving it to her grandchild. Frankenstein meets the Wolfman sold for $200. And Paradise Ranch sold for $500 to a woman on the East Coast who is giving it as a Christmas gift! We were delighted to celebrate Michaels success with a bell-ringing moment at Abilities United, which included giving him over $1,000 in checks for these various works of art!
Michaels art has been exhibited at the San Mateo County Council on Disabilities art show and auction in October & November as well as the Abilities United Expo art showcase in November. Two of his pieces were featured at the Abilities United Authors Luncheon and each piece sold. In January and February, numerous pieces will be on display at Zoes Café in Menlo Park. We hope to find an anime oriented location to showcase his many anime pieces.
At the San Mateo County Council on Disabilities exhibit, Michael spoke to potential buyer/bidders about his artwork. He took the opportunity to speak to the crowd and explained a bit about himself and his artwork. He expressed appreciation for the services he receives at the ARC (in Daly City) and Abilities United. He drove it all home with a final sentence: "I'm the happiest man alive."

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Thanks to you, the Abilities United Authors Luncheon 20th Anniversary was a huge success...raised $200K


On November 5, the 20th Anniversary Authors Luncheon was attended by a sell-out crowd of 650 book lovers who gathered at the Crowne Plaza Cabana Hotel to be entertained by authors Calvin Trillin, Maxine Hong Kingston, Erik Larsen and local children's book author, Jennifer Holm. Thanks to the enthusiastic leadership of Carolyn Brennan and Gina Rayfield, the help of 65 volunteers, and the generosity of event sponsors and attendees, the luncheon was a record success!
ABC7 news anchor, Carolyn Johnson, joined us this year as our very enthusiastic emcee. Abilities United Executive Director, Lynda Steele, highlighted 20 years of accomplishments of the Authors Luncheon which included over $2 million raised for services for people with developmental and physical disabilities, 92 world renowned authors who have donated their time and talent, over a thousand community volunteers, and countless community businesses contributing to this popular event!
This year, the audience was moved by Andy Ramans' story about his son's 40-year history with Abilities United - from infancy to independence. Laura Arrilllaga-Andreessen, whose mother Fran Arrillaga was the first honorary chair of the Authors Luncheon, spoke passionately about her mother's example of philanthropy and gifted her new book, Giving 2.0, to all of the guests.
Our community partner, Books Inc. provided their expertise and assistance to recruit the authors and manage the Book Salon which featured the 2011 authors as well as books from past Authors Luncheon speakers.
Finally, the event was topped off with the Abilities United Art Auction, which featured original works of art from a dozen artists from Abilities United, 16 pieces of art sold for a total of over $1,600 going directly to the artists!
Can you image a better way to spend a Saturday? Gathering with hundreds of fellow literary aficionados while you support the mission of Abilities United! Please join us at the 2012 Abilities United Authors Luncheon! For more information about the luncheon or how to be a 2012 sponsor, contact Michele@AbilitiesUnited.org 650-618-3330.

Watch your email and mailbox for the date announcement for the 2012 Authors Luncheon. It sells out each year and you won't want to miss it!

Thanks to you, the Abilities United Aquathon was a huge success...raised $150K!


The Abilities United Aquathon is truly a special time for the community to come together and celebrate all abilities, from the littlest of infants to our respected seniors. Everyone is a champion for the day! Year after year, donors, participants, staff, volunteers and community members dedicate thousands of hours of work and fundraising to make the Abilities United Aquathon incredibly successful and fun! The 2011 Aquathon just set the bar higher…netting $150,000!

400 community people gathered at the California Sports Center in Sunnyvale to swim and raise money for services at Abilities United. Swimmers, representing all ages and swim levels, swam on 40 teams and were entertained by and swam with everyone’s favorite mascot, “Sharkie”, from the San Jose Sharks. You could hear the music and cheering from a block away. In addition to having fun, participants left feeling really good about their contribution to the success of the event. We owe a huge thank you to our top $10,000 sponsors, NVIDIA and Oracle, for their long-time support of this event; new corporate sponsor Lockheed Martin and returning sponsor Intuit for their $5,000 sponsorships; and Webcor their $2,500 sponsorship. Don’t be left out next year - be sure to mark your calendars for the 2012 Aquathon, Sunday September 9, at 2:00 pm.
We rely on the efforts of all of our fundraisers, some who have been with this event for 25 years. Our top 10 individual fundraisers were: Charlotte Rayfield, Marc Weeks, Michael Rayfield, Michael Skarpelos, Philip Decker, Keely Costedoat, Jesse Smithnosky, Michael Seiders, Dan Logan, and Robin Flecha.
Mike Seiders, a lifelong participant at Abilities United, moved the audience to cheers and tears as he completed the event’s first laps as the 2011 Honorary Swimmer. Each year, John Rothmann of KGO Newstalk 810 and Olympic swimmer Susan Roy make the event extra special by presenting medals to and posing for photos with the children.
In addition, the success of this event depends on volunteers. We send a special thank you to:
Bern King- Photography; Chris Ream-Emcee; Vickie Yamaoka-Food Coordinator; Douglas Tao-Video Tao & Audio Services; Raymond Chin-Video; Homestead Interact Club volunteers; One Brick volunteers; and all the Abilities United staff and Board members.
Over 30 Abilities United participants swam and raised over $12,000. Bill Hall, who is in our Adult Services program, goes above and beyond each year and won a special award for raising $1,600! We welcome new participants and corporate sponsors for 2012. To learn more about the Aquathon, view our video at www.abilitiesunited.org/aquathon and contact jo@abilitiesunited.org or at 650-618-3331.

Thursday, September 22, 2011

Inclusive Early Childhood Education: Essential for All Children

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Inclusive education is an academic and social asset to all children, with and without disabilities. Research shows that the instruction methods that are typical of inclusive education, such as peer tutoring, cooperative learning groups, and differentiated instruction, are beneficial to all learners and help to enhance learning. So why wait until your child is in elementary or high school to reap these benefits? As with nearly anything in life, the earlier your child is introduced to new and exciting things, the more readily they will incorporate what they learn into their lives and benefit from it. Enrolling your child in a well run inclusive preschool will put your child in an early learning environment that is stimulating, not just for children with delays and disabilities, but for every child.
Educators and parents frequently hear about the benefits of inclusion for children with disabilities, but we hear much less about what children with typical development might gain. The National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) recognizes the following commonly identified benefits for each group of learners.
Benefits of Inclusion for Students With Disabilities
- Friendships
- Increased social initiations, relationships and networks
- Peer role models for academic, social and behavior skills
- Increased achievement of academic and IEP goals
- Greater access to general curriculum
- Enhanced skill acquisition and generalization
- Increased inclusion in future environments
- Greater opportunities for interactions
- Higher motivation and expectation to learn
- Increased school staff collaboration
- Increased parent participation
- Families are more integrated into community


Benefits of Inclusion for Students Without Disabilities
- Meaningful friendships
- Increased appreciation and acceptance of individual differences
- Increased understanding and acceptance of diversity
- Respect for all people
- Preparation for adult life in an inclusive society
- Master activities by practicing and teaching others
- Greater academic outcomes
- All students needs are better met
- More resources for everyone

Currently there is no research that shows any negative effects from inclusion when it is done appropriately with the necessary supports and services for students. To the contrary, studies show there is no reduction in the amount of time allocated to instruction or classroom activities, individual attention to each student, or test scores and grades. (York, Vandercook, MacDonald, Heise-Neff, and Caughey, 1992)
Since “inclusion” is a bit of a buzzword these days how can you tell if a preschool is really inclusive and provides good instruction to all of it’s students? Research from the Waisman Center at the University of Wisconsin suggests parents look for:
- Students are sitting together: no particular students are isolated or alone with an adult.
Even if a child has an aide, the child should spend most of their time interacting with other students. The aid is there to facilitate the child’s inclusion, not take the place of peers.
- Each student has a role to play in his or her group activities. Roles should be assigned based on the child’s particular skill set.
- All students are frequently asked for responses and encouraged to participate in class discussions.
- Children who don’t speak should participate using the communication techniques and tools they can use such as nods, picture devices, sign language, etc.
- Attitudes and communication about ALL students focuses on individual strengths and abilities, not deficits.
- Each teacher works with all the students. Families can speak to any teacher, not just the teacher with the special education background, for a progress update or an answer.
- School leaders (directors, principles, etc) support and demonstrate a commitment to inclusion.
- Special education assistants/paraprofessionals are part of the overall teaching team, not just working with one student with a developmental concern.
- Teachers and administrative staff work as a team.
- Students do more work than the teachers through group activities, discussion, interaction, hands-on experimentation and exploration.
- Students are seated so they can work together, rather than so that all desks that face the teacher.
- All students work on the same curriculum, but at a variety of levels of complexity.
- There are a variety of ways to participate in activities: verbally, written, by using assistive technology; yes/no/I don’t know; choice of two or three options.
- Students have multiple ways to demonstrate what they know: posters, skits, written essays and papers; art work, etc.
- Every student has opportunities to share his/her gifts, abilities and passions in ways that are appropriate and comfortable for that individual.
- Evaluations are offered in a variety of ways such as multiple-choice exams, verbal quizzes or projects.
- Therapies and special instruction are integrated into regular activities throughout the school day rather than as separate functions outside the classroom activities.
- All students are encouraged to and participate in extra-curricular and social events at school.
- Each student has some time to talk about themselves and what they like.
- Students feel they are part of a community and belong at their school.
- Classmates are involved in helping other students and in cooperative learning.
Clearly inclusion is a valuable asset, but there are a number of other features, which parents should considering when choosing a preschool for their child.
- Family involvement. Young children are greatly influenced by their homes and their parents and caregivers. Parent involvement usually translates into the child retaining more of what they are learning in school and the ability for them to translate their newfound knowledge into their every day life. Parents who regularly communicate with the teachers have regular opportunities to discuss their children’s development. When parents understand how their children grow and develop, they are better able to provide the best start for their children.
- Educated staff. Knowledgeable staff are dedicated and engaged staff. Teachers credentialed in regular and special education, and with backgrounds in child development, music and movement, motor, speech and language specialist etc., will have the knowledge to create an exceptional preschool experience for your child. These diverse educational backgrounds bring a unique perspective to the classroom which h helps the teachers recognize the individual needs of each child and respond to these needs through the curriculum.
- Small classes allow each student to receive the individual attention needed. Teachers also have more time to plan the quality and relevant curriculum and activities. Small classes also give each child more opportunity to form a bonding relationship with the teachers and other students.
- Values individual differences. Children have different personalities, needs, abilities, and likes, dislikes. Preschools that respect and embrace the uniqueness of each child encourage self-confidence, respect, acceptance, open-mindedness, curiosity and a host of other qualities that are essential in this increasingly global world.
We are fortunate to live in a time when inclusive education is available to children with and without special needs. Take this opportunity to make sure your preschooler receives the best academic and real life education available to them. Consider the lifelong benefits all children derive when educated side-by-side children with a broad range of abilities in an inclusive classroom.
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Co-authored by Janel Astor, M.A. Ed. and Wendy Kuehnl

Monday, September 19, 2011

Palo Alto Medical Foundation educator earns President's Award Becky Beacom honored for 30 years of volunteer servic

All of us at Abilities United were delighted to present 30-year volunteer, Becky Beacom, with the President's Volunteer Call to Service Lifetime award. Read the comments of congratulations from the community to Becky on the Palo Alto Online post of the following article. You deserve this award and many more Becky! Thanks for being so involved in the local community including Abilities United!

Abilities United proudly presented Becky Beacom, a 30 year volunteer with Abilities United, the President’s Volunteer Service Call to Action Lifetime Award http://www.presidentialserviceawards.gov/tg/pvsainfo/dspAboutAwards.cfm for her 4,000+ hours of volunteer work as the instructor of the Pre-Natal Fitness Class offered at the Abilities United Betty Wright Swim Center. http://www.AbilitiesUnited.org/BWSCwelcome

In addition to being a lifelong volunteer at Abilities United, Becky is a renowned health educator with the Palo Alto Medical Foundation where she oversees their prenatal education and numerous community outreach programs and is founder and leader of the SHARE Committee, a collaboration of home, school, and community to ensure a sense of wholeness and well-being for the youth of Palo Alto. She gently, calmly, and insightfully shares her knowledge on anything from bike safety to teen risk behavior to child rearing. Her voice is one of reason and empathy.  Becky lives with her husband in Palo Alto and is the mother of two young-adult children. 

The Lifetime Award is a very unique and prestigious award as it takes many years of consistent and continual volunteer work for one individual to donate over 4,000 hours of community service. Although President Obama wasn't present, Becky received an official letter, certificate and pin from President Obama and the White House.  Staff and participants were present to congratulate Becky.

Becky’s commitment to Abilities United began in 1981 when she was looking for a pool for mothers-to-be to exercise in throughout the year. The warm water and indoor pool at the Abilities United Betty Wright Swim Center (BWSC) was the perfect match, and Becky has held her weekly pre-natal fitness class ever since finding this jewel. Prenatal exercise was the arena where Becky found her passion for health education and disease prevention. Even though her career has led her to work on a variety of health issues, her volunteer work at the Abilities United has allowed her to stay in touch with expectant mothers; a population near to her heart; and warm water, a medium that she adores. Becky says, “I look forward to my Saturday mornings and am so grateful for the relationships that I’ve enjoyed over these years.” 

In fact, it is that close connection that she makes with her students that keeps them coming from near and far, week after week, to her Saturday morning class. Most students take her health education and movement class from the end of the first trimester all the way until a week or two before their due date. What Becky knows is, “it is such a relief to be in a non-weight bearing environment, floating on a noodle, suspended in the water, particularly as the pressure intensifies and the body becomes increasingly tired.” 

The best part of the class, though, may be the social outlet as well as the invaluable opportunity for the mothers-to-be to focus on themselves and their own health for an hour. Even with their diverse backgrounds and ages coming from all over the Bay Area, the women bond on a very deep, sensitive level. 

Becky sees the prenatal class as having real value today as well, “Women today are facing greater demands. They are stepping into careers and motherhood, often simultaneously. Women should develop healthy fitness habits during their pregnancy so that they will continue these changes into the new life they are creating.” 


The President¹s Volunteer Service Award
http://www.presidentialserviceawards.gov/tg/pvsainfo/dspAboutAwards.cfm
is issued by Points of Light Institute and the Corporation for National and Community Service on behalf of the President of the United States to recognize the best in American spirit and to encourage all Americans to improve their communities through volunteer service and civic participation. The award is given to individuals, families and groups that have demonstrated outstanding volunteer service over a 12-month period. Individuals who complete 4,000 or more hours of volunteer service over the course of their lifetime will be recognized with the President¹s Call to Action Award.





Friday, September 16, 2011

Abilities United Aquathon raises $132,000 and counting!


A big “Thank You” to all the swimmers, volunteers, and cheerleaders for participating in this year’s Abilities United Aquathon and for making it such a success! We hope you enjoyed the event. We especially want to recognize the team captains for pulling all the swimmers together, and the following wonderful volunteers:
Vickie Yamaoka for organizing the food table – which is a huge job!
Bern King, the official photographer of the event.
Chris Ream--isn’t he a wonderful emcee!
Jon Rothmann, KGO Newstalk 810, award host.
Susan Roy, former Olympic swimmer, award presenter.
Doug Tao, Video Tao, for providing our audio service.

One Brick volunteers
Homestead Interact Club volunteers
Sharkie for always entertaining the crowd and creating great photo ops!
We are still in fundraising mode as we have a number of large trophies in the office waiting for homes for the year.
We’ve extended the fundraising date until 5 pm Friday, Sept. 30. Now is the time to encourage your donors to apply for matching gifts through their companies. It can double your donation amount! If you send us copies of the forms, we will add the match to your totals as a pledge.
Help us get to $200,000 by September 30th!
Our congratulations to the following teams for their placement in the speed category:
Adult Teams1st Place: Webcoracle 135 laps
2
nd Place: Sue Nommi’s Speedos 132 laps
3
rd Place Cisco Bommarito Barracudas 128 laps

Family/Community/Kids Teams1st Place: BWSC Rehab 90 laps
2
nd Place: Jack’s Divers 79 laps
3
rd Place: BWSC Rec 74 laps

Special thanks to the Abilities United Aquathon sponsors:
Nvidia
Oracle
Lockheed Martin
IntuitWebcor Builders
CFOs2go
MarketRiders
Milk Pail Market
Montreux Equity Partners
Mulcahy
Family Dentistry
SRI
As well as inkind donors:
Captain Kirk's San Francisco Sailing
Costco · Esther's German Bakery - Los Altos
Hobee’s Restaurant · House of Bagels
Izzy’s Brooklyn Bagels · La Baguette
Odwalla · Peet’s Coffee and Tea - Palo Alto
SJ Sharks · Verisign
Finally, special thanks to Sunnyvale Sun photographer, William Gerth for spreading the word about Abilities United and the Aquathon. Read the article and see the photo in the September 16 Sunnyvale Sun
Several team captains have already begun to strategize for next year, so we expect some very close competitions in 2012!
Thanks again for your support and for contributing so much energy and fun to the Aquathon!

Linda & Jo