IN THIS ISSUE...
1) GET YOUR TREATS AT HEARTWOOD HOUSE
2) FAMILY CONFERENCE: A QUESTION OF SAFETY
3) 2009 CELEBRATION OF PEOPLE AWARDS
4) MARITIME KITCHEN PARTY NEWS
5) FAMILY FEAST & NEW YEAR'S EVE
6) CONGRATULATIONS DAVE HINGSBURGER
7) THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT
GET YOUR TREATS AT HEARTWOOD HOUSE
Looking for something a little different this halloween? Drop by Heartwood House at 153 Chapel Street from 12-2 and take part in the OC Transpo Lost & Found Unclaimed Items Sale! You won't believe the bargains - people will leave a
nything and everything on the bus. If they don't come to claim it, it eventually gets sold at the Unclaimed Items sale. Proceeds from the two sales in April and October go to support the charitable work of Heartwood House, which is home to 15 non-profit organizations who have decided to be "better together" in one building.The Heartwood House OC Transpo Lost & Found is also a learning and training opportunity with a volunteer team drawn mainly from member organizations in the Heartwood community. LiveWorkPlay members are some of the main beneficiaries! See the story below about the Celebration of People awards to learn more about this!
FAMILY CONFERENCE 2009: A QUESTION OF SAFETY
Safety concerns often weigh heavily on the minds of people with intellectual disabilities and the people who support them. There are many mixed messages that sometimes come into conflict with other messages about self-advocacy and community inclusion.
Is it "Don't talk to strangers!" and "Don't answer the door!" or are there new and better ways of being safe and managing risk?
Join our experienced panel comprised of a trainer, self-advocate, and police officer who have researched and implemented safety education designed to meet the needs of individuals and families.
The workshop is Saturday, November 21 at the Hampton Inn Ottawa Conference Centre (200 Coventry Road). It is intended primarily for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, their family members and key supporters, people who work or volunteer in support of people with intellectual disabilities, and those who work in law enforcement and related fields. Enjoy a delicious catered lunch and coffee breaks (included).
The Law Foundation of Ontario is supporting this workshop and will also be supporting future events in February and June, stay tuned!
This workshop explores a unique initiative developed by Brampton Caledon Community Living and Peel Region Police to reduce the risk of people becoming victims of crime by teaching practical skills and strategies that can be easily applied in day-to-day situations.
Get your tickets early and save!
We are pleased to welcome the conference presenters:
Sean Travis (Self-Advocate)
Heather Marsh (Community Living Brampton-Caledon)
Constable Tom McKay (Peel Regional Police)
2009 CELEBRATION OF PEOPLE AWARDS
Celebration of People is an annual awards program and dinner event first held in Ottawa in 2001. Presentation of the Celebration of People awards takes place each year in conjunction with December 3, designated by the United Nations as the International Day of Persons with Disabilities.
The awards recognize the achievements and contributions of individuals, businesses and organizations promoting accessibility, inclusion and full community participation by citizens with disabilities.
One of the 2009 finalists for the Volunteer Opportunities Award is none other than Heartwood House! This award, sponsored by Volunteer Ottawa, recognizes an organization that has shown leadership in creating opportunities for persons with disabilities to engage in meaningful volunteer opportunities. That is exactly wha
t Heartwood House has been doing since 2001 through the OC Transpo Lost & Found initiative!
Many people with intellectual disabilities involved with LiveWorkPlay are key members of the Heartwood House volunteer team, and we need your help to make sure they can be a part of the celebration! Please click here to make a donation to support the cost of a ticket. And of course by purchasing a ticket for yourself you can be a part of the cheering section and enjoy an exciting evening and a delicious meal!
MARITIME KITCHEN PARTY NEWS
LiveWorkPlay co-founders Keenan Wellar and Julie Kingstone are back from Dieppe, New Brunswick, where they took part in the Maritime Family Kitchen Party, a national gathering of families, self-advocates, and allies working towards a more inclusive Canada. Co-sponsored by Canadian Association for Community Living and the New Brunswick Associati
on for Community Living, one of the conference themes was about expanding our kitchen table discussions and bringing the message of inclusion to the world. Click here for conference photos!
Keenan took part in the Opening Plenary as a guest panelist with Catherine Harrop of CBC Television and Duncan Matheson of BissetMatheson Communications. There is widespread agreement within the Community Living and inclusion movement that greater efforts must be made to change the movement from something that is considered "ours" to a belief in values that are shared by society at large. The panel was in agreement that continuing emphasis on traditional means of communication - such as mainstream media and information meetings - will have limited potential for engaging the general public.
Building on a theme elaborated by Jack Pearpoint, Keenan suggested tapping into personal and professional networks with accessible conversations about the lives of people with intellectual disabilities as a critical means of broadening the movement. This can be done not only with internet tools like Facebook but also through kitchen table conversations that seek to engage those who are not already "in the know."
LiveWorkPlay is trying to put this into practice in many ways. This includes the growing trend of grassroots fundraisers hosted by members of the LiveWorkPlay network - people coming together to enjoy each other's company but also to learn in a casual atmosphere about our work and the challenges facing people with intellectual disabilities and their families. And of course LiveWorkPlay is "out there" on the internet! For example, you can watch us on YouTube, follow us on Twitter, or be a Fan on Facebook!
FAMILY FEAST & NEW YEAR'S EVE
LiveWorkPlay has made changes to Family Fun Night, they are now Family Feast Nights. The main difference is obvious - more food! Join us for the first ever Festive Family Feast at St. Anthony's Banquet Hall on Friday, December 18. Doors open at 6:30PM, please don't arrive later than 7:00 because the rest of us aren't waiting! In addition to hanging out with people you don't get to see as often as you'd like, enjoy a FEAST for just $10!
Don't delay, get your Family Feast tickets today!
The Feast will be a fun and casual affair. The real PARTY begins December 31 with the LiveWorkPlay New Year's Eve Party. This year we are taking a break from our big public party for a member's only event, gathering at our new location, the Delta Ottawa Hotel & Suites. We will party it down in the Algonquin Room with a professional DJ from Quality Entertainment and a gourmet buffet dinner. Stay the night for a special discount rate of $109. Contact Keenan if you don't have the discount code.
LiveWorkPlay members are welcome to bring friends and colleagues as always. You will just need to purchase the tickets for them and have them pay you back.
CONGRATULATIONS DAVE HINGSBURGER
LiveWorkPlay congratulates David Hingsburger, inductee to the Canadian Disability Hall of Fame. Dave spent several days with the LiveWorkPlay community some 5 years ago, and left a lasting impression.
"For more than 30 years, David has fought to reduce the sexual victimization of people with developmental disabilities. A prolific author, lecturer, and therapist, Hingsburger has campaigned fearlessly for greater awareness of the sexuality of people with disabilities, while also coaching individuals with intellectual disabilities how to recognize and deal with problematic sexual behaviour. Hingsburger's leadership and compassion have made it possible for more Canadians with disabilities to live with the dignity and respect they deserve."
LiveWorkPlay also congratulates Kory Earle, recently elected President of People First of Ontario. Kory is a well-known advocate in the Lanark region and we hope to connect with him soon to help raise awareness of People First in the Ottawa area.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT
If you would like to make a donation to LiveWorkPlay, please click here to donate online or use our new PDF donation form which now has options for credit card and pre-authorized withdrawals. You may also specify how you would like your donation to be used.
It is United Way Ottawa/Centraide campaign season and this is a great time to contribute to LiveWorkPlay and any other charities that you support. You can download a United Way donation form that already has the LiveWorkPlay information included. The United Way supports LiveWorkPlay youth services!
We hope you have enjoyed this 34th edition of LiveWorkPlayNews. If you have received an email about this blog in error and/or you would prefer not to receive future LiveWorkPlayNews messages, simply click here and follow the simple instructions. Click here for the web page that can be used by newcomers who would like to join LiveWorkPlayNews. Feel free to share the address with friends, colleagues, and family who might like to subscribe. Send story ideas to Keenan Wellar.
