Our Stories is a quarterly ENewsletter that celebrates Easter Seals’ supporters and showcases how they are making a difference.

Our Stories, Winter 2009/10

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Our Stories, Spring 2009

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The Draggins Rod & Custom Car Club

Saskatoon - For more than 40 consecutive years, the Draggins Rod & Custom Car Club has collectively supported Camp Easter Seal in Saskatchewan with contributions of over $1M. On November 13, this stalwart supporter of Easter Seals was honoured for outstanding philanthropic efforts at the 9th Annual AFP National Philanthropy Day luncheon in Saskatoon.The Draggins’ fund raising efforts have constructed a new aquatic centre, recreation centre, medical cabin, and four cedar cabins at Camp Easter Seal. The financial commitment from the Draggins enables Camp Easter Seal to meet the complex and unique needs of the campers.

“The Draggins support of Camp Easter Seal stands out as a shining example of what is possible when a group of committed individuals come together to make their community a better place. We are honoured to have the Draggins as one of our key partners,” states Joyce Phillips, Regional Director, Saskatoon Branch.

The Saskatchewan Abilities Council is a proud member of Easter Seals Canada. The financial support Easter Seals Saskatchewan receives each year allows rehabilitation and recreational programs to be offered to children with disabilities in this province.

For more on Easter Seals Saskatchewan and the Saskatchewan Abilities Council, click here.

Michael Jama with mom, Irina Abbassova

There is nothing that 12 year-old Michael Jama enjoys more than hockey. Michael has Cerebral Palsy and must use a wheelchair, but nothing lights up his face or gets him more excited than a Leafs game. Michael’s love for Toronto’s hockey team is unconditional and he responds empathically to any criticism of the Leafs: “But, it’s our team!”Michael’s mom, Irina Abbassova, is a single mother who emigrated from Russia over six years ago. She came to Canada with Michael, her only child. They live in Toronto’s west end.

Easter Seals Ontario funded a manual wheelchair for Michael when he was eight years-old. Now that he is almost a teenager, he has outgrown his old wheelchair and needs a new one.

“Easter Seals is wonderful for our kids. Our kids need more and I cannot manage it alone. I could never afford it,” said Irina, referring to everything that is needed to raise a child with a physical disability.

“The cost to raise a child with a physical disability is staggering. When you take into account the costs of a wheelchair, ramps, a bath lift and other essential items, it can cost these families between $10,000 to $40,000 a year, and they just can’t do it on their own,” said Tina Shier, Director, Provincial Services, Easter Seals Ontario. “In addition, a number of families who come forward for assistance are single parents caring for their child with a disability and their siblings.”

Parents, such as Irina, turn to Easter Seals for assistance for mobility equipment and communication devices, as well as for opportunities for their child to attend Easter Seals camp, which is often their only opportunity to experience a stay away from home.

Last summer Michael Jama spent time away from his mother for the first time. He had the chance to experience a 10-day fully accessible summer camp program at Easter Seals Camp Woodeden near London, Ontario.

When Irina went to pick up Michael after his 10-day stay at Camp Woodeden, she remembers: “All the counsellors were there and singing a good-bye song to Michael. He was so happy. I was crying. We would never have the chance for something nice like this back in Russia.”

Donations help kids like Michael access the programs and services they need to achieve a greater level of independence.

For more on Easter Seals Ontario, click here.

Tyler Preece, Friends of We Care Ambassador, and Kevin Collins, Executive Director of Friends of We Care accept cheque for $120,000

Close to 300 people from the Foodservice and Hospitality industry, comprising 45 teams, raised $120,000 at the 12th Annual We Care Bowling Challenge held on November 26 at the Planet Bowl in Etobicoke. The amount raised will send 60 kids with special needs to a fully accessible Easter Seals summer camp.The annual bowling challenge is one of many fundraising events by Friends of We Care, which raises funds for Easter Seals camp programs through Canada’s Foodservice and Hospitality industry. Annually, Friends of We Care raises more than $1M.

“The incredible efforts of Friends of We Care, and the Foodservice and Hospitality industry, touch so many lives,” says Max Beck, CEO of Easter Seals Canada. “Because of them, more children with disabilities get to experience Easter Seals’ transformational camp programs, where they can test themselves, try new experiences and meet new friends.”

Congratulations goes out to the teams from Cardinal Meat Specialists which generated more than $26,750 to capture the top fund raising team trophy, Sysco Canada which raised more than $26,214, Janes Family Foods for $17,445.00, Gordon Food Service for $13,397.00 and Wings Foods for $3,688.00. A special congratulation goes out to the team from Ecolab for winning the top spirit award.

Friends of We Care extends special thanks to Sysco Canada which generously donated all the prizes provided for the top fundraisers. A special thank you to the Bowling Challenge committee which worked tireless hours to make this event a big success, led by Mike Stoner of TTS Marketing and George DaCosta of Cardinal Meat Specialists, Christine Baynham of Wing’s Foods, Cathy Caruso of Janes Family Foods, Kim Hinds of Kostuch Publications, Jennifer Marshall of Magnum Food Brokers, Gerry McParlan of Procter & Gamble Professional, Maureen Quirk of Sysco Canada, Nancy Wulff of W.T. Lynch Foods and Erin Rogers of Friends of We Care.

For more on Friends of We Care, click here

Charlottetown - Easter Seals Prince Edward Island proudly announces its ambassador for the 2010 PEI Easter Seals campaign. Twelve-year-old Colton Matheson, a grade six student from Montague, will represent Easter Seals during a very busy winter and spring fundraising tour.

Colton, who has Downs Syndrome, is a talented young man with a quick sense of humor, an ever-present smile and a huge love for music. Active with the Special Olympics, Colton is also an avid golfer and local entertainer.

Colton is ecstatic to be the 2010 Easter Seals Ambassador. “My motto is ‘Feel the Joy!’ I am thrilled to be the Easter Seals Ambassador,” said Colton.

Colton’s campaign schedule includes traveling across PEI during the annual Tim Horton’s Easter Seals School Tour in April, and taking part in the Easter Beef Show and Sale.

Colton will also be a special guest on the 2010 Easter Seals Telethon, set to broadcast live from Confederation Centre of the Arts at a new and exciting new time slot - Sunday, March 28th from 2:00 P.M to 5:00 P.M. on CBC Television. Colton will share the stage with co-hosts Bruce Rainnie and Matt Rainnie and a top-notch cast of entertainers. The three-hour telethon will enable Islanders to call in pledges on a toll-free line staffed by volunteers from Aliant. The show will also be an opportunity to feature businesses and organizations that are supporting the Easter Seals Campaign through their fundraising efforts.

Colton will also attend the inaugural Charlottetown Easter Seals Drop Zone, where fundraisers dressed as Superheroes will rappel off the roof of one of the city’s tallest buildings. It is scheduled to take place in June 2010. Drop Zone, a national fundraising event, raises awareness, heart rates and fundraising dollars, all for provincial Easter Seals programs and services.

The PEI Easter Seals Society has provided financial assistance to support programs at PEI Cerebral Palsy Association, Camp Gencheff, Stars for Life for Autism PEI Rehabilitation Council, Joy Riders, CADS-PEI (disabled skiers association) and many other worthy organizations. The Society encourages businesses or organizations interested in supporting this year’s Easter Seals Campaign to contact Margaret Wilton, Campaign Coordinator, through her office at 902-651-2373 or email detailseventplanning@gmail.com.

Infrastructure Canada and the Government of Ontario award grant of $2.6 million for Camp Woodeden

December 21, 2009 - Easter Seals Ontario is pleased to announce that we have been successful in our application to Infrastructure Canada for a capital grant to build a Multi-Sport Centre at Easter Seals Camp Woodeden in London, ON.

At a ceremony in London, the Honourable John Baird, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, and the Honourable Deb Matthews, Minister of Health and Long-Term Care announced that Easter Seals Ontario has been awarded a total $2.6 million, to be paid equally by Infrastructure Canada and the Government of Ontario, for the completion of this project. An additional $1.3 million, required to complete the project, will be funded by Easter Seals Ontario.

Project details:

A new, fully accessible, 12,000 sq. ft. facility to include a full size gym, change rooms/washrooms/shower area, lobby and multi-purpose rooms, accessible indoor climbing wall, amphitheatre and sports equipment storage.

The facility will be used by children and youth with physical disabilities who attend Easter Seals camp, as well as by individuals of all ages and levels of ability from the general public, including persons with disabilities, school groups, community groups, sports leagues and corporations.

The Centre will provide for indoor programs that augment the currently available world-class outdoor activities, including the fully accessible High Ropes course, sledge hockey rink and sports surface for racket sports, basketball and adapted sports.

We expect the project to be completed by March 2011. More details will be provided as we move forward with the project in the New Year.

It is an exhilarating time for Access 2 Entertainment card holders because the program is expanding its scope to include a selection of cultural and recreational attractions across Canada. Over the past few years, the Access 2 team has received many requests from card holders and their families to extend the benefits of the card beyond movie theatres to other venues and attractions.

We are pleased to announce that starting in August; selected venues across Canada will be accepting the Access 2 Entertainment card. Using the same card that you use at the movie theatres, you will now be able to bring your attendant in for free to attractions that are brand new to the Access 2 program.

Enjoy live music and theatre at the Harbour Front Centre, or engage your mind at the Royal Ontario Museum. Explore the newly renovated space of the Art Gallery of Ontario or take in the breathtaking views of Toronto’s skyline from the CN Tower. Just show your card, no questions asked. For updates and a complete and comprehensive list of new attractions that are accepting the card, please visit www.access2.ca

In addition to the exciting expansion of the Access 2 Entertainment program for existing card holders, we are also pleased to offer an opportunity for prospective card holders in the Greater Toronto Area. In celebration of the Centre for Independent Living Toronto’s 25th anniversary, and with the support of a generous gift from the Dickson Play Fund, Access 2 Entertainment is offering 1,000 free Access 2 cards to CILT members and people with disabilities in the Greater Toronto Area. To view the details, please visit www.access2.ca

Since 2004, Access 2 Entertainment has been committed to expanding recreational opportunities for people with disabilities and helping businesses improve their customer service standards. To date, over 32,000 people have signed up for the Access 2 card. Many of these card holders can attest to the success of the program and its ability to reduce isolation for people with disabilities, promote a healthy lifestyle and facilitate access to a broad range of recreational, leisure, social and entertainment opportunities.

For more information, please visit www.access2.ca or call 416-932-8382 x 227

By Heather Kuttai, Easter Seals Saskatchewan and Saskatchewan Abilities Council

The seemingly daily improvements to the technologies we use to communicate, work, socialize, learn, and be creative do not often start conversations. We have come to expect our e-tools to work faster, better, and more effectively. Rather, we speak out on the occasions when our computers slow down or our mobile phones cease to work, and our patience has been exhausted.

But what does technology mean for people who can not necessarily join the conversation?

For people with disabilities, well implemented technology is the voice that allows them to join the conversation. New and sophisticated assistive augmented communication devices, for example, can allow a person to touch a computer screen in order to ‘speak’ and interact. Sip-and-puff devices can select and navigate computerized interfaces by controlling breath inhalations and exhalations. In essence, technology provides possibilities.

Finding those possibilities is the main focus of Reg Bartsch, Electronics Technologist with the Adaptive Technology Department at the Saskatchewan Abilities Council. Reg’s passion for discovering hidden potential began in his childhood when he would regularly take things apart and try to find a better way to make something work before putting it all back together. When Reg was an active farmer he believed that technology could help him work better, and he recalls using computers long before they were popular. This faith in finding alternative and better ways of doing things keeps Reg grounded when he looks for the potential for technology to help people with disabilities. Sometimes looking for that potential takes a while.

Just Wait
Paradoxically, while the technology Reg uses is becoming more efficient and ‘faster’, waiting is a critical part of his job. When implementing augmented communication tools, for example, it may take four minutes or longer for a client to answer a question. Time invested in patience and waiting during an assessment ensures that Reg does not “miss something.” Not waiting, and by consequence missing something, could be dire if it means a client loses a chance to control his or her environment or the ability to communicate.

Reg explains that the first goal of assessing a person’s abilities is to find a ‘switch site’, one muscle, big or small, that can be consistently controlled. If you can blink your eye regularly, for example, you can control a switch. If you can control a switch you can, potentially, control parts of your environment. You could turn lights on and off, change the channel on your television, adjust your thermostat, or use a computer. This kind of control, for someone who may experience very little control of his or her body, circumstances, or space, can have empowering results.

Being able to touch a screen or activate a switch and say ‘hello’ or ask for a drink or tissue, creates increased and empowered personal control. Self-determination and self-confidence are similarly bolstered when, through the use of communication technology, a person can assert his or herself and say, “Do not raise your voice to me,” or “Do not interrupt me when I am talking.” A child can communicate with their family, a student can ask questions of their teacher or talk with friends, and an adult can express himself or herself independently.

Reg says that it might sound simple but an important part of his job is his belief that everyone matters. Nothing is more rewarding for him when he knows a little technology has made lives better for clients with disabilities who he serves.

For more on Easter Seals Saskatchewan and the Saskatchewan Abilities Council, visit www.abilitiescouncil.sk.ca

On August 26th Oilers President and CEO Patrick LaForge attended our Easter Seals Alberta annual Kevin Karius Golf Tournament to donate $11,570 on behalf of the Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation.

This gift will support the purchase of mobility and accessibility equipment for clients of our Equipment and Support Services program.

“Easter Seals Alberta does exceptional work in our community to help Albertans with physical disabilities have a full and prosperous life,” said Natalie Minckler, Executive Director of the Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation. “We’re pleased to support Easter Seals Alberta and help to improve the lives of their clients through this donation.”

The Foundation’s support helps clients such as 20 year old Joanne who was injured in a random shooting in the Edmonton area last May. A bullet was fired from behind the vehicle, and it lodged between Joanne’s shoulder blades leaving her paralysed from the shoulder blades down. A portion of the Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation donation was used to purchase a porch lift for Joanne.

The timing of the donation was just right as Joanne was being released from the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital and needed the porch lift immediately. With the lift, Joanne was able to move to Edmonton and into her grandparent’s home where she is close to the hospital for further rehabilitation.

“We are grateful for the generous donation that the Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation has provided for the lift for Joanne and for other equipment,” said Jodi Zabludowski, Director, Operations, Easter Seals Alberta. “It is because of great partnerships in the community that we can provide the programs we do.”

For more on Easter Seals Alberta, visit www.easterseals.ab.ca

What’s it like to have a brother or sister with a disability? For those youth who have siblings with disabilities, Easter Seals New Brunswick offers a new camp experience designed specifically for them.

It’s called Sibsessions and it’s based on a curriculum by Don Meyer called Sibshops. Held at Camp Rotary, Sibsessions allows kids to share in fellowship, and most importantly have fun doing some great camp activities such as sailing, canoeing, kayaking, archery, and campfires. This gives them a great opportunity to enjoy the same camp experience as their siblings. It also gives them an invaluable opportunity to connect with other siblings who understand the joys and challenges of living with a sib with a disability.

When asked about her daughter’s experience, one parent said: “She liked the opportunity to talk, share and think about what it is like to live with her sister who has a disability. Sibsessions is important to give her the opportunity to talk to others who are in similar situations about their experiences.”

The camp was a success. Both campers and staff left with smiles and a newfound understanding of what is it like to have a sibling with a disability. Camp Rotary looks forward to continuing this camp experience next summer.

Camp Rotary, Easter Seals New Brunswick ‘s residential summer camp, has been giving children and adults with disabilities the opportunity to experience the outdoors for over 50 years.  For more information, visit www.easterseals.nb.ca