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Check out these contests from the NDSC!!

Contest for Self Advocates!

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Our friends at Woodbine House are holding a contest for teens and adults with Down syndrome. The winners will have their original stories, photos, pictures, poems and song lyrics published in a book! For all of the details, please visit the Woodbine House website at this link.

Video Contest for Siblings!

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Do you have a creative sibling in your household? The Down Syndrome Research and Treatment Foundation's "plus 15" campaign is holding a video contest! Winners will receive gift certificates to Amazon.com. Check out all the details at this link

#down syndrome #special needs #special needs camp #via west campus #via services

Via Services at the Abilities Expo Nov. 18-20th

We will be at the San Jose Abilities Expo on November 18-20, 2011 at the San Jose Convention Center where we would like to introduce you to all the great things they have to offer.

In addition to us, there will be nearly 140 suppliers of products and services that will increase your quality of life through new technology, great seminars on important issues and networking opportunities that will meet your specific needs. The expo is FREE and it’s the leading event for people with disabilities, their families, caregivers, seniors, veterans and healthcare professionals.

If you have not pre-registered, you can do so now and receive priority access to the show onsite. Here are just a few of the things that you will see at the Expo:

· The latest products and services for people with ALL disabilities

· Cutting-edge assistive technology at the AT Pavilion

· FREE wheelchair repair

· FREE loaner scooters

· Low-cost daily living aids at the Retail Pavilion

· Compelling workshops on the issues that make a difference to you

· Special guest famed actor and best-selling author Henry Winkler will share his personal story about his mother's struggle with Upper Limb Spasticity

· Check out award-winning film shorts at our disability film festival

· Witness an innovation new horse therapy and meet one of the stars of The Horse Boy, a critically acclaimed film about a family's worldwide quest to help their autistic child

· Canine assistance demo to learn how dogs can help their human partners

· Hip-hop wheelchair dancing for the hottest dance moves on wheels

· Adaptive sports like power soccer, adaptive tennis and pep squad

· Essentials for seniors

· Face painting for kids

· Artist Market featuring the works of local artists with disabilities

· FREE sign language interpreters

· And more!

Don't keep it to yourself! Bring your family. Tell your friends. With all of its life-enhancing possibilities, this event is a must-attend for anyone in the Community.

Abilities Expo San Jose is right around the corner so mark your calendar now, Friday, November 18 through Sunday, November 20 at the San Jose Convention Center. Click here for directions and parking. We will see you there!!!

Thank you to Kiwanis Clubs!

Thank you to the several Kiwanis Clubs for coming up to Via West Campus and participating in our beautification effort! Kiwanis members planted flowers, painted buildings, and hosted a fundraising BBQ at Via West this Saturday October 15th.

A big Via West THANK YOU to everyone who came out!!

Via West's first respite weekend of the 2011-2012 season! This is a clip of the homecoming dance from our "Homecoming and Sports" weekend! Check out our Facebook page for all the great pictures!!

Wheelchair basketball at the 4th annual disability awareness day at San Jose City Hall

Some of our favorite moments from Via West's Summer 2011

Via Services Partner Puts On Film Festival

The College of Adaptive Arts adult students will differing abilities cordially invite you to their 3rd Annual Celebrating Differing Abilities Film Festival at the RETRO DOME in San Jose. The Film Festival will be run by the CAA Student Council with CAA students emceeing the event and interviewing the film-makers/actors after each short film featured. Each of the 12+ locally made films, documentaries, music videos, and/or animation highlights and celebrates individuals with differing abilities:

Event: “Celebrating Differing Abilities” Film Festival Featuring 12+ Local Documentaries by, for, and about individuals with special needs

Date: Sunday, October 2nd, 2011

Time: 2 – 5pm

Venue: The RETRO DOME, 1694 Saratoga Ave., San Jose 95129

Ticket Price: $13 (includes ticket fee) Children 2 & Under FREE: https://www.vendini.com/ticket-software.html?t=tix&m=8bd318e5110cc1dba439c28dcb2724eb

The College of Adaptive Arts (CAA) is featuring 12+ locally made 5-20-minute films/documentaries by and about individuals with differing abilities.

*There is a $3 fee per ticket. To purchase online, select the number of tickets next to the type of tickets. Once your order is complete, you will receive an email confirmation with e-tickets. For assistance or to order tickets for children 2 & under, please call the box office at (408) 404-7711 or email [email protected]. Enjoy the film festival!* Here is part of the ticket receipt you’ll receive when you purchase tickets:

Thank you for your ticket purchase to the COLLEGE OF ADAPTIVE ARTS 3RD ANNUAL FILM FESTIVAL "CELEBRATING DIFFERING ABILITIES." Please note your credit card statement will show a charge from "Guggenheim Entertainment." GREEN NOTE: To save paper and ink, simply print from page three (3) on. Two (2) tickets print per page. HOW LONG IS THE SHOW? The film festival will run approximately three (3) hours. There will be one (1) 20-minute intermission after the first 90 minutes. Please remember: For this family-friendly event, everyone entering the theatre must have a ticket, including infants. To order tickets for children ages 2 and under, please call the box office at 408-404-7711. Any questions, please call the box office at 408-404-7711 or email: [email protected] Thank you! Enjoy the film festival!

#special needs #differing abilities #college of adaptive arts #film festival #documentary

Via West is Hiring!

Via West Campus is currently hiring counselors, unit directors, nurses and program staff for scheduled weekend programs that run from October 2011 through April 2012. We are particularly interested in bringing onboard students and/or graduates in professional fields, including recreation therapy, kinesiology, adaptive physical education, special education, occupational therapy, speech and language pathology, audiology, physical therapy, child and adolescent development, and nursing.

Via staff members from nursing, occupational therapy, adaptive physical education, recreation therapy and speech language pathology are actively involved in these weekend programs, so students will have the chance to see how professionals provide education and training to our clients. Staff members are expected to live on campus, receiving room and board, throughout the weekend. We are a non-smoking facility. Staff members can choose the weekends they work, and are given first priority for summer positions as well.

We are holding open houses for potential staff on Sunday, September 25 from 10A-1P and again on Wednesday, September 28 from 5-8P at Via West, 13851 Stevens Canyon Road, Cupertino. Applicants will learn about the program, tour the campus and have a personal interview for hiring purposes. If you would like to attend an open house, please email Sandy Keefe, MSN, RN, Associate Director, at [email protected] and fill out an online application at http://viaservices.org/content/camp-costanoan-application.

Inspiring story.

Important information for those caring for someone with Down syndrome

Check out the guidelines by following this link: http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/early/2011/07/21/peds.2011-1605.full.pdf

Also, Currently, there is no information available on employment and unemployment status for adults with Down syndrome. There is also no information describing where people work and the kinds of jobs they do. We all need that information in order to document the current situation and advocate for job training programs, funding, and more variety and choices in jobs for individuals with DS.

Dr. Libby Kumin has created a survey to begin to collect that information. The survey is designed for parents/caregivers and their adult children with Down syndrome, ages 18-50 years old. It is important for you to take this survey whether you are working in paid or volunteer jobs, not currently working, or are in a training program to prepare you for jobs.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/RK5SWWS

Please also share this link with your friends. The survey will be online until December 31, 2011, but don't delay! Take the survey as soon as you can. Everyone's response is important. Together we can make a difference!

WHAT IS YOUR EARLIEST HUMAN MEMORY?

Well, our earliest memory is from the 40's when we first were established. Here is our story:

In the early 1940s, public schools were not required to provide educational services to children with disabilities. Children and adults with disabilities most often lived idle, isolated existences with little community contact and no educational or recreational opportunities.

In 1945, two women in the community, Frances Anderson and Faye Braely, became aware of one 13-year old boy with cerebral palsy. His single mother worked fulltime to support her family. Because school was not mandated for children with disabilities, his mother was forced to leave her son alone every day. She positioned his wheelchair by the window, placed his food on a nearby table and reluctantly left him there from early morning until she could return from work in the evening.

Mrs. Anderson and Mrs. Braely approached the mother about taking her son on weekly excursions and she welcomed their help. Climbing two flights of narrow stairs, they would first bring down the boy’s heavy wheelchair and then climb the stairs again, carrying the boy down in a chair they made with their arms. They took the boy on short field trips and city excursions, expanding his horizons.

The grateful mother told other families, and soon the two volunteers found themselves caring for five youngsters with various disabilities. When lifting and transporting the children became too demanding for the women physically, they contacted the Yellow Cab Company who generously provided free transportation for the community excursions. Another friend, Marti Hecker, contacted the Shriners who loaned a bus to accommodate the increasing number of children involved in the activities. Mrs. Hecker learned of a house on Monroe Street (in Santa Clara) that had been vacant for some time, and she convinced the owner to let her use the house until it was sold. With borrowed chairs and tables, the growing group of volunteers provided lunch, entertainment and day activities at Via’s first formal center.

Via Services was established in 1945 and incorporated in 1947. Originally known as the Crippled Children’s Society of Santa Clara County, Inc., the organization changed its name in 1995 to Via (meaning path) to better position its programs as a path to independence and richer lives for people with disabilities.

Just love this photo!! This is one of our senior staff at the Via West Campus showing a young boy with Autism how to play a game on an iPad. Photo taken by the Mercury news during an iPad workshop in January, 2011

Via Services had its first Board mixer and fundraiser last Thursday, August 18th. The event was a tremendous success and we raised money for mission to serve children and adults with disabilities and special needs!!

Thank you to everyone who attended and contributed to this event!!

~Via Services

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