More Camp Opportunities...

Can you tell I’m trying to get Maddie’s summer planned? J  I don’t know about you, but when summer rolls around, I panic trying to find things to keep Maddie occupied and out of trouble.  She loves the routine of school and summer is just an endless cycle of routine-less days for her.

Here are some more options for camps:

The Center for Courageous Kids is a fantastic camp located in Scottsville, KY near Bowling Green.  They have disability-specific weeks and really give the kids an amazing camp experience, no matter their abilities.  The camp is beautiful!  It’s clean, features full-time medical staff, and is close to a hospital, if needed.  Maddie went last year for the first time.  I was nervous because she’s never been away from home except to stay with her grandparents and I was sending her away for 6 days!  But it turned out to be the best 6 days ever – for her, as well as for me.  Best of all, the camp is completely free.  Yes, free.

I'm pretty bummed that there's not a Down syndrome week this year, but there are many others available.  Just check the list once you go to the website.

Southeast Christian Church operates Camp Freedom each summer.  A couple of my friend’s children have gone in previous years and loved it!

Camp Freedom features all the activities you would expect at a summer camp, from swimming and fishing, worship, crafts and plenty of eating!

The cost is $125 and registration is online at SECC's website. Just click on the Country Lake tab on the left side, and follow the prompts for Summer Camp to find Camp Freedom.

Dreams with Wings runs a teen/young adult summer program throughout the summer.  Again, my friends who have sent their children here rave about it.  They have two different programs: one for children with autism and one offered through a partnership with Down Syndrome of Louisville.  It’s an eight-week program that encourages independence, continued learning in life and social and communication skills.  They have typical staff ratios of 3:1 or 4:1.

The camp runs from June 8^th – July 29^th, Monday-Friday from 8:00 a.m – 4:00 p.m.  Full-time participation runs $110 per week and part-time (T, W, TH) is $80 per week.  I’ve heard that you can use your Michelle P Waiver to pay for it but I haven’t received my packet yet so I can’t confirm that right now.

For an enrollment packet, email Jackie Shircliff Clark at Dreams with Wings.

Home of the Innocents has two 1-week day camp sessions each summer.  Camp runs from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. at the Home.  Maddie has attended the last two years and really enjoys herself.  Each child is paired with a high school volunteer for the week and they develop some nice friendships this way.  They do crafts, swim (this year the new therapy pool will be available!), have time in the Snoozelin room, cook, eat, and much more!  I haven’t received my registration form yet and the website doesn’t have information about it, but you can call the Home at 502-596-1000 to be put on the list to receive information about it.  This one fills up very fast because of the limited amount of children they can take.

Hope these suggestions help you have a happy Summer!

Elizabeth

What We Do, Makes a Difference

Thanks to my friend, Mary Kay, for sending this to me.  Thought you all might enjoy it…

The Beatitudes for Friends of Exceptional Children

Blessed are you who take time to listen to difficult speech: 
For you help us to know that if we persevere, 
We can be understood. 

Blessed are you who walk with us in public places, 
And ignore the stares of strangers, 
For in your companionship, 
We find havens of peace. 

Blessed are you who never bid us to "hurry up", 
And more blessed are you 
Who do not snatch tasks from our hands to do them for us, 
For often we need time rather than help. 

Blessed are you who stand beside us 
As we enter new and untried ventures, 
For our failures will be outweighed 
By the times we surprise ourselves and you. 

Blessed are you who ask for our help, 
For our greatest need is to be needed. 

Blessed are you when you assure us, 
That the one thing that makes us individuals 
Is not in our peculiar muscles, 
Nor in our wounded nervous systems, 
Nor in our difficulties in learning, 
Nor any exterior difference. 

But is in our inner, personal, individual self 
Which no infirmity can diminish or erase.

Elizabeth

EnTech Technology Camps

enTech (enabling Technologies) is associated with the Auerbach School of Occupational Therapy at Spalding University.  Their vision is to promote and foster independence and the potential of all persons by providing creative technology solutions.

Founded five years ago, enTECH works with independent organizations to provide direct technology-based intervention services or technology consultation to organizations that provide direct services to children. The technology-based services include augmentive communication, switches, and adaptive seating along with other options.

They also offer a technology-based activity program for children ages 3-12 called KITE (Kosiar Integrated Technology Experience).  It’s a technology-based activity program designed to provide physical, cognitive and sensory experiences.  The children rotate through different stations such as computer experience, arts & crafts, group games and sensory and motor experiences.  Each participant is paired with a KITE buddy.

The weeklong sessions are $65.  Children ages 3-6 attend from 9:00am-noon and 7-12 year olds attend from 1:00pm - 4:00pm.  Camps are held the following weeks:

April 4-8 (JCPS Spring Break week)

June 13-17

June 27-July1

July 11-15

You can access the registration forms online at: www.spalding.edu At the top of the page, click Academics, then enTech will show up on the left side of the page.

For more information, contact Mary Kaye Steinmetz at msteinmetz@spalding.edu or by phone at 502-585-9911 ext 2012

The camps fill up VERY quickly so if you’re interested, I’d inquire immediately.

Elizabeth

Free Family Camp Weekend!

          Those of you who know me have heard (probably more than once!) about our awesome family weekend last May to Barren Heights Christian Retreat.  Located in Scottsville KY (near Bowling Green), the focus of their free family weekends is to give families that have children with physical or developmental disabilities a time away to “relax, rest, and rejuvenate.”

            Joe and Toni Rose (undoubtedly, one of the most kind-hearted couples I’ve ever met) started Barren Heights because they wanted to help other families enjoy the same type of family weekends that their family has enjoyed over the years.  Each retreat weekend is Friday through Sunday and has plenty of activity to keep the kids happy while providing for much needed relaxing time for parents.  Once you get there, everything else is included and provided with awesome Southern hospitality!  I can’t say enough about the weekend, really.

            And yes, it’s free.  But you have to sign up!  They take 3 families per weekend so if there’s another family you’d like to go with, make sure you sign up at the same time.  We went down solo and really enjoyed meeting the two other families who were there.  One even came up from southern Georgia!  When you sign up, you’ll pay a small deposit that is refundable once you complete your weekend.  You can also choose to donate your deposit if you want to.

Here’s their website – take a look!

Barren Heights Christian Retreat

And here’s the link to our family album if you want to see more pictures…

Barren Heights Family Photos May 2010

I hope your family can take advantage of this great community resource this year or in the future!

Elizabeth

Website for Reading

Another parent sent me info about this awesome website that is free and educational.  It reads the books to your child so it is great for those who aren't fluent readers yet.  It has a section just for special needs that uses the reading signs if they are not a reader.  There is no catch, your membership is good for a year, no cost. 

MightyBookJr.com offers "interactive books that inspire early childhood literacy for grades K-6th." With over 850 interactive books in English & Spanish, you're sure to find one for your family to enjoy. Songs, games and puzzles are included.

MightyBookJr.com normally costs $99 per year for a household membership, but with the coupon code learntoread, you will get your membership for FREE.

Another good reading website that is used extensively is Starfall.

Elizabeth

iPad App Blog

A friend forwarded me the info on this blog - it talks about lots of things iPad and special needs related...

Lillie's Pad

With the increased use of the iPad and iPod touch in the special needs community,  I thought it might be something you could use.

Elizabeth

Powdered Vitamin Option

I’m sure many of you experience some of the same challenges I do in regards to making sure my daughter gets the appropriate amount of nutrition each day.  One of the things I also have to deal with as far as Maddie is concerned is her inability to chew solid foods.  So, we puree everything!  Consequently, there are some days that I am not as creative with her foods as I should be and she probably isn’t eating the healthiest.

For a long time, I’ve wanted to give her some sort of vitamin supplement but going the chewable or gummy route wouldn’t work for obvious reasons.  And the thought of crushing vitamins everyday really just didn’t work into my plans.  Enter Smoothie King – one of my favorite treats.  The two girls who own the Smoothie King franchises that I frequent are so knowledgeable!  I told them about Maddie and asked them how they put vitamins into the smoothies, because I never taste that vitamin taste.  Their Dad own Simon’s Apothecary here in Louisville and he sells a line of vitamins that actually offers a powdered, berry flavored multivitamin.  I decided to try it.

I mix ½ scoop of Integrative Therapeutics Mega Multivitamin Powder Mix into her applesauce and she LOVES it.  I tried it myself and it doesn’t taste “vitamin-y.”

According to the label, the mix is yeast, gluten, wheat, and corn-free and has no artificial coloring or preservatives.  It contains 23 vitamins and minerals and supplies 100% or more of the US RDA of most essential vitamins and high levels of all the B vitamins.  It contains the following antioxidants: lutein, zeaxanthin and N-acetycyteine.

In addition, if you are in need of a pharmacist who is very knowledgeable about traditional pharmaceuticals as well as natural remedies, call Alan Simon at Simon’s Apothecary.  They are located at 9217 U.S. Highway 42 in Prospect and the phone number is 502-228-4161.  He is a fabulous resource to this community!

Elizabeth

Pages Added...

Since it seems to be seminar and conference season, I added a page just for that purpose.  So from now on, all the seminar and conference info will go on that page.  I also added a Support & Advocacy page where I will be adding contact info for support and advocacy groups, both locally and nationally.

Elizabeth