To celebrate National Nurses’ Day on Sunday, May 6th and International Nurses’ Day on Saturday, May 12th, we made giant greeting cards and signed them for the Arc’s two nurses, Ms. Gloria C. (RN) and Ms. Reyvel A. (LVN ) They take turns working at the Arc of San Antonio on West Avenue and the Arc of San Antonio / Pam Stephens’ Center on Wurzbach Road. All of the Arc Participants and the staff members are truly thankful that we have these wonderful women to care of us.

In anticipation of Mother’s Day, the Arc Participants made many different arts and crafts projects to show their moms, caregivers, and staff members he how much they mean to them. The Participants decided to make floral pens. These are writing pens with beautiful artificial flowers attached to the top. This project, which was originally created by Arc Staff Member, Tiffany V., was the perfect idea for the Participants who knew that their moms, caregivers, and staff members that love to write. The supplies for this project were donated to the Arc Participants by a very kind-hearted person. The Arc always needs donations, so please don’t be afraid to donate anything that you can, especially arts and crafts supplies. Another wonderful Mother’s Day arts and crafts gift idea came from the Arc Staff Members that are in my class, Ms. Shawntye P. and Mr. Eddie P. They helped us make bookmarks and popsicle picture frames that included a poem that I had written named, “A Mother’s Love” I would like to share it with you now.

The power of a mother’s love is a wonderful and magical thing. It can soothe tears and ease many fears. A mother’s love can take care of a household, banish a cold, and shout for joy when a child achieves a goal. A mother’s love even has the power to make a child’s dreams come true. A mother’s love can travel great distances over rivers, lakes, and valleys to find its destination in the heart of a child, tall or small. A mother’s love is the most valuable thing in the world and treasures you whether you are a boy or a girl. For all of the amazing things that you do, and for all of the marvelous things that you will do, I want to say thank you, and to wish a happy Mother’s Day to you.
 
I wish a happy Mother’s Day to all of the mothers that read my blog.

I’m asking everyone that reads my blog to please donate any arts and crafts supplies or Hobby Lobby gift cards to the Arc. We need crayons, markers, construction paper, etc. If you would like to have more information about donating to the Arc’s Life Enrichment Program, please feel free to contact Ms. Beth Green at: (210) 490-4300 ext. 127.

Back to business.  April is one of my favorite months to be at The Arc, because we have so much fun celebrating Fiesta and other things.   We were treated to a visit from a therapy dog named Cali (a five year-old Golden Retriever) and her owner, Mrs. Vicki C. Cali comes from the Responsible Pet Owners Alliance’s Pet Education, Assistance and Rescue (PEAR) Program: “Paws for Service” which also visits hospitals and nursing homes. The Arc Participants got to pet, talk to, and give dog treats to Cali. Mrs. Vicki C. and Cali’s came just in time to remember the National Pet Day (April 11^th) and the 146^th anniversary of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals or the A.S.P.C.A.

Did you know that the first humane society in North America founded by Henry Bergh on April 10^th, 1866. April is also known as A.S.P.C.A. month, if you would like more information about this organization, please go to: www.aspca.org. Meanwhile at my house, my mom and I found a small white girl puppy, sleeping in our garden. I decided to name the puppy, “Snowflake.” After putting up flyers and looking for the owner, my mom and I decided to give Snowflake to the City of San Antonio Animal Care Services at 4710 State Highway 151, San Antonio, TX 78227, so that she can be adopted into a happy and loving permanent home. I love animals and I want help them in any way that I can. So, if you would like more information about this organization, please go to: http://www.sanantonio.gov/AnimalCare

On Thursday, April 5^th, the Arc celebrated the Easter holiday by making Easter arts and crafts that I found online, such as, cards, “Bunny Ears” hats and having fun with our friends. On Wednesday, April 18^th, all the Arc Participants wore their favorite pajamas to the Arc for “National Wear Your Pajamas to Work” Day. I wore my Mountain Dew pajamas and red slippers. Then, on Friday, April 27^th, the Arc celebrated the Fiesta festivities by watching on their classroom’s computers, the “Battle of Flowers” Parade on the website of San Antonio’s local PBS television channel KLRN, with our friends, eating nachos, listening to Mariachi music, hitting piñatas, and dressing in Fiesta clothing. I wore my purple Fiesta shirt and my mini sombrero that I brought from Wal-Mart. I asked my mom to help me decorate my wheelchair by taping a rainbow-colored feather boa (that I brought from the Rodeo) to my tray. The Arc had a classroom Fiesta float building contest.

Since the Fiesta festivities fell within the National Dance Week (Friday, April 20^th to Sunday, April 29^th) the Participants chose our float themes as: “Dances from Around the World.” Each classroom chose a different dance to represent on their float. I’m very proud to say that the first place winning Fiesta float belongs to Classrooms # 7 and 8. This is my classroom, the V.I.P. Program. The letters: V.I.P. stands for Volunteer Involvement Program. The Participants in the program do things like making note pads, making address labels, and laminating papers for other Arc Staff Members. The classroom is led by Arc Staff Members, Shawntye P., Staci D. and Eddie P. The name for our float was “Hip Hop Hooray!” Our float had hand drawn pictures of hip hop dancers (which were drawn by my classmates) and accompanying music was provided by my communicator. The song we choose was “Hip Hop Hooray” by the 1990’s rap group, Naughty by Nature.

The Arc’s Director of the Community Outreach Program, Mrs. Pam Stephens was the judge for our Fiesta floats. I think that Mrs. Pam Stephens is one of the best staff members at the Arc. She has the ability to look pass someone’s disability and see the true person underneath.

Fortunately, families don’t have to navigate this confusing realm of acronyms, abbreviations and medical terminology alone. The Arc of San Antonio’s Comprehensive School-Based Case Management (CSCM) program is here to serve as the liaison between families and the array of resources available to help prepare them and their child.

Our CSCM case managers help families navigate the network of service providers in their area and act as advocates to serve the best interests of the child. Whether parents have questions about financial assistance, area programs their child can participate in, or family resources, The Arc’s CSCM program is here to guide them throughout the entire process.

The Arc of San Antonio’s CSCM program is available to everyone. The program is contracted with the Texas Department of State Health Services and is open to serve children (3-21) who have private insurance, Medicaid or no funding at all. From start to finish, the CSCM program’s primary goal is to transition families from a high level of dependency on case managers to greater independence and self-advocacy.

If you know someone who would benefit from the CSCM program, please let them know The Arc of San Antonio is here to help. Contact Liz Perez by phone at (210)490-4300 ext. 103.

On Friday, March 30th, the Arc Participants and staff members had a “Wacky Tacky Day” and dressed in crazy and silly outfits to celebrate April Fools’ Day. I wore my uncle’s old Hawaiian shirt (which I believe that my uncle bought in the 1980′s) and green pants with purple and light blue polka-dots and a purple and silver tiara. My classmate and I went around to the other classes and took photographs of everyone’s outfits that I will use in the April 2012 edition of the Arc’s newsletter.

Later on, I passed out “The Little Mermaid” and “The Princess and the Frog” cupcakes to my classmates and the staff members. (which are my two favorite Disney Princesses: Princess Ariel and Princess Tiana) that my mom and I brought from Wal-Mart.

On my birthday, I went to my first live San Antonio Spurs game and it was amazingly awesome! I went to the game with my uncle, which is another huge Spurs fan, like I am. A special person got me the tickets as a birthday gift and I got to see my favorite basketball player, Tony Parker, in person! The Spurs beat the Indiana Pacers 112 to 103 points. It was officially the greatest birthday that I ever had!

Happy Saint Patrick’s Day, everyone! I hope that everybody had a safe and happy holiday.  

For National Irish American Heritage month, my fellow Participants and I had a Saint Patrick’s Day celebration where some of the Participants and staff members wore green clothing; made arts and crafts projects, such as “Paper Plate Leprechauns;” and read stories about the country of Ireland and leprechauns about their pots of gold. For the celebration, I asked my mom to paint my fingernails bright green with gold glitter. I wore my “Pot o’ Gold” green shirt with a light up shamrock necklace and a furry shamrock antenna headband that I bought from Party City.  My classmates and I went around to each classroom at the Arc and took pictures of everyone in their Saint Patrick’s Day finest.  I used these pictures in the March edition of “The Arc Times” (the monthly newsletter that I write for the parents/guardians of the Arc Participants) I really enjoy celebrating Saint Patrick’s Day because it means that my birthday is officially two weeks away!

Hooray!    

Jomel keeps moving!

Running a half-marathon is a major goal in anyone’s life. For Jomel C., he made it his goal not once, but three times!

“The trick is to just keep moving,” said Jomel. He is always moving! In fact, he is hard at work training for his third Rock and Roll Half Marathon coming up this November.

A participant at The Arc of San Antonio, Jomel is our own marathon man! Jomel proudly explains how he lost 46 pounds while training for the half-marathon. He runs with a group at Morgan’s Wonderland, headed up by Debi Weland-West. “Last year, I beat my best time,” said Jomel. “I finished in 5 hours. I run and walk during the race.”

Not only is Jomel an avid marathon participant, he volunteers at Morgan’s Wonderland in the summer and is a member of The Arc’s V.I.P. program. The V.I.P. program, Volunteer Involvement Program, is a new initiative within The Arc to encourage volunteerism, vocational and life skills. Members in this program are able to volunteer in the community, learn new job skills and work on basic living skills.

Jomel is justifiably proud of his accomplishments and boasts on how well his teammates are doing with their training, too. The sense of pride that participants like Jomel gain from being a part of programs like The Arc’s V.I.P program and the Morgan’s Wonderland marathon team is invaluable.

Opportunities and programs provided by The Arc of San Antonio and other organizations in the area foster independence and allow individuals with special needs to be part of something larger. Programs at The Arc are geared toward building upon our participants’ confidence, skills and interests. The end goal is to open avenues for them to become active, positive members of their communities. The programs and staff strive to motivate participants to set personal and team goals, then provide the support needed in order to meet them. The thrill and pride exuded after they meet, or more often exceed, those goals is priceless.

In return, Jomel’s enthusiasm is contagious. He is also very persuasive. He is working on an Arc running team. The Arc’s participants motivate the staff just as much as The Arc staff motivates the participants. It is incredibly rewarding to see our participants blossom into members of the community. It inspires us to want to be better, too.

“I like to run,” said Jomel, who trains every day, cold or hot, rain or shine. “Running relaxes me and I can raise money while doing something fun.” Jomel doesn’t let his disability stop him. He doesn’t even think about stopping.

“Sometimes my arthritis hurts, and I have to go slow. But, I don’t give up on nothing!”

Hi. I hope that everyone is having a terrific month of March like we are at The Arc.

March is my favorite month of the year, because it’s the month of my birthday!  It is also the 108^th birthday of the famous children’s writer, Theodor Seuss Geisel also known as Dr. Seuss.  To celebrate, my friends played the “Green Eggs and Ham” board game, read Dr. Seuss books, and made “Cat in the Hat” hats. We also talked about the new animated movie, “Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax” which came out on Friday, March 2^nd.  It is a story about a boy who comes to a desolate corner of town to visit a being called the Once-ler and learns about the Lorax. In this retelling of the classic story, the Once-ler describes how his greedy actions destroyed a beautiful and thriving environment.

Dr. Seuss is a very important person to me as a person, like me, who wants to be a children’s writer one day. Dr. Seuss also wrote the story of “Horton Hears a Who!” (which, by the way, is my favorite book by Dr. Seuss). The book tells the story of Horton the Elephant, while splashing in a pool hears a small speck of dust talking to him. Horton discovers that the speck of dust is actually a tiny planet, home to a tiny community called Whoville, where the Whos reside. The Whos are led by a character known as the Mayor. The Mayor asks Horton (who, though he cannot see them, is able to hear them quite well, because of his large ears) to protect them from harm, which Horton happily agrees to do, proclaiming throughout the book that “even though you can’t see or hear them at all, a person’s a person, no matter how small.”

 I always loved the moral of this story, especially when I was a little girl when I thought that no one could hear me because I was so small.    

I ask everyone who reads my blog to please donate to the Arc of San Antonio’s fund-raiser that they are having on Saturday, March 3rd, 2012 at the JW Marriot Hill Country.

Approximately 50%  percent of the funding that the Arc of San Antonio receives comes from program fees.  They have to ask for donations for the rest of the money.  The 24th Annual Gala supporting The Arc of San Antonio raises much needed funds to support programs for children and adults with disabilities.  The event is important to the Arc’s success, as this is their only fundraiser.  Their goal is to raise $250,000. The money goes directly into the programs that provide enriching curriculums, activities and opportunities for individuals with disabilities. They are presenting the first annual Hartman Humanitarian award to Mr. Harvey Najim.  The event features a live auction with seven great items including: a very adorable silver lab puppy, a trip to Orlando, Florida, a hunt in South Texas and a “Suite Deal” for a San Antonio Spurs Suite.  It will also have a silent auction and raffle.

Each year, The Arc provides services to over 6,000 individuals with disabilities, family members and caregivers through case management services and direct care programs.  They help working families by providing extended child-care and adult day hab hours as well as provide a sliding payment scale services.  Many of the children and adults we work with are economically disadvantaged and can’t afford to pay for services.  The mission of the Arc of San Antonio is to enhance the quality of life for people with intellectual or other developmental disabilities.

 If you have any questions about donating to the Arc or attending the Gala, please feel free to call Ms. Beth Green, Director of Development at: (210) 490-4300 extension 127, or e-mailing Ms. Beth at her e-mail address at: bgreen@arc-sa.org.

 Please help the Arc of San Antonio to continue to be a fabulous facility where people with developmental and physical disabilities can go to feel understood, accepted and successful. Thank you.

Happy Valentine’s Day, everyone! I hope that everyone spent this day of love with the one that they love. All of the Participants at the Arc have been doing different things to celebrate this year’s Valentine’s Day.

On Friday, February 10th, the Participants in the Arts and Crafts Club, led by Arc staff Member, Tiffany V., decided to make mini paintings to give away to their fellow Participants and/or parents and guardians for Valentine’s Day. 

 On Tuesday, February 14th, the Arc of San Antonio had our annual Valentine’s Day Dance where some of the Participants wore red clothing. I wore my new purple headband with bouncy antennas with purple head hearts attached to them (purple is my favorite color).  My friends and fellow Arc Participants, Shennah J. and Seth A., were chosen to be this year’s Valentine’s Day Dance King and Queen of Hearts. 

The Arc Staff Members picked two Participants from each room and names were chosen from a container. My mother and I went to the Burger King restaurant and I decided to get two crowns. My friend and classmate, Hope W. and I put some fashion jewels on them. The other Arc Participants and I had a fabulous time dancing and celebrating Valentine’s Day with our friends. I even burned a special Valentine’s Day CD to play at the dance. We would like to say thank you to Tiffany V. for making the fantastic royal sashes for the King and Queen of Hearts to wear.

Inspired by the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation’s “Random Acts of Kindness” Week (Monday, February 13th to Sunday, February 19th), some of us made Valentine’s Day cards for the senior citizens at the Blanco Vista Nursing Home. Later on during the week, some of the Participants and staff members delivered the hand-made greeting cards to very happy people. The other Arc Participants and were glad to know that they made Valentine’s Day very sweet for some of San Antonio’s older residents.  If you would like more information about the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation, located at: 951 20th Street P.O. Box 13543, Denver CO 80202, please call: (800) 660-2811 or go to:  www.randomactsofkindness.org.

Also, my classmates in Arc’s new V.I.P. Program (Volunteer Involvement Program)  repackaged dog and cat food and gave it to the Meals on Wheels who support San Antonio’s homebound senior citizens and their pets. If you would like more information about the Meals on Wheels of San Antonio (located at: Christian Senior Services. 4306 NW Loop 410), please call: (210) 735-5115 or go to: www.christianseniorservices.org.

On Monday, January 9th, Ms. Shawntye P.,(a Life Enrichment Instructor) received the Staff Member of the Quarter award for the 4^th Quarter.  My classmates and I are very proud that Shawntye is the staff member in our class. On Friday, January 13th, the Arc Participants remembered the life and legacy of the late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The Participants read a short biography that told of Dr. King’s teachings about equality and his “I Have a Dream” speech. I truly believe that Dr. King would be so proud to know that his dream is slowly becoming a reality. Monday, January 23rd was the start of the Chinese New Year; the year of the dragon. We learned which zodiac sign that we were born under. Some of the other Participants also made Chinese lanterns. We celebrated the Chinese New Year by eating egg rolls and watching an educational video about the Chinese people and their culture. So that was how we finished the month of January at the Arc.

I hope that everyone has a fabulous February