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Summit Independent July 2008 | April 2008 | January 2008 | Archives of Older Newsletters Some of the documents provided on our website require Adobe Acrobat Reader to view them. If you do not have Adobe Acrobat Reader, please vist the Adobe website to download it. Adobe Acrobat 8 provides a host of features specifically designed to make PDF files accessible. To learn more about using Adobe Acrobat's accessibility features please listen to the Acrobat 8 Accessibility Tutorial. If you would like to receive a paper copy of the Summit Independent through the mail, please fill out the newsletter subscription form and we will add you to our mailing list. Nothing
About Us Without Us | Spotlight On...Heather
Stone | Check Us Out on the Web We know we will always run into people who believe they know what is best for us and others who will want to make our decisions for us. There will also be those situations where people have already made decisions for us, good or bad, without asking what we wanted/needed to begin with. NOW is the time for us to stand up, stand strong, and say NO MORE! It is no longer acceptable to be shut out of the decision-making process when the decisions that are being made have a profound and direct implication on our lives. “Some paradigms shift, some don’t. The past generation has seen a major paradigm shift in popular understanding of disability. Once seen as a medical problem to be treated by health care providers, disability is now seen as a social problem to be addressed by legislators, judges, urban planners, designers, and so on (Gerry Hendershot, University Park MD).” Unfortunately, many legislators, judges, urban planners, designers, community organizers, state employees, etc., etc., etc. still see disability, as far as I can tell, as a barrier to competency and believe that it is their duty to be “do-gooders” and make decisions or form programs in ways that they think are in the “best interests” people with disabilities instead of giving people with disabilities a chance to make their own decisions or to be meaningfully and directly involved in strategizing, planning, or implementing programs/services that are directly related to our lives. We constantly hear those who are in positions of authority preach an understanding of the concept of nothing about us without us only to be continually denied direct and meaningful participation by people further along down the chain of command. All too often, instead of forming partnerships, many issues that could be addressed with a concern of the whole of society turns into an “us against them” fiasco as has recently been evidenced in the issues surrounding initiative 159 and less recently, the Montana Medicaid Infrastructure Grant. People with disabilities have and always will be their own best experts. We know what our dreams and hopes and challenges are. Now is the time to use our collective voice to let others know these are our lives, and we have a right to give input on the decisions that concern us and our lives. NOTHING ABOUT US WITHOUT US! Return to Newsletter Index | Newsletter Archives Spotlight On...Heather Stone, Missoula Peer Advocate Over the past year, I have partaken in several trainings. I traveled to Boring, Oregon to train for & receive my guide dog, Chateau, from Guide Dogs for the Blind. She is absolutely a fantastic addition to my life. I also attended Leader Dogs for the Blind’s campus in Rochester Michigan three times for the technology classes that they offer. Thanks to their training, I am able to use Trekker (a talking GPS system) a lot more efficiently as I get around Missoula. I also have been asked to demonstrate it to other visually impaired/blind individuals in the area. Leader Dog’s computer classes have helped me tremendously in becoming a lot more efficient in using Jaws (text to speech software) with Microsoft Word, Outlook, Excel & PowerPoint. This past winter, I became a board member of the Montana Radio Reading Service. I also serve on their Personnel Committee. I am very impressed with the amount of effort the director, Kate Cotnoir, puts into trying to promote the service & secure funding for it through donations, grants & fundraising. I am doing my best to come up with possible ideas & places to assist her with this endeavor. The Montana Radio Reading Service is a non-profit organization that recognizes information is necessary for successful daily living. Our mission is to empower the lives of those who cannot read because of a visual loss, physical disability or perceptual deficiency; to decrease their sense of isolation; to increase their independence; and to foster their connectedness with their individual communities. Our motto is: Giving the gift of sight through sound. We have been serving blind, sight-impaired and physically print impaired Montanans since 1979. For more information on the Montana Radio Reading Service please call 721-1998 or 1-800-942-7323. Return to Newsletter Index | Newsletter Archives If you have recently looked at our website you’ve probably noticed something different. The Summit website, at www.summitilc.org, has currently undertaken a new look and over the next few months will continue to undergo a much-needed renovation. So what can you do at the Summit website? Some of the new features that have already been incorporated into the new website include a community calendar, action alert system, and blog. The calendar is where you can view upcoming events not only at Summit but also other upcoming community events. To view the calendar simply click on the calendar button on the left side of the website. The calendar can be viewed in agenda, week, and monthly formats. The action alert system feature of the Summit website is the addition of the Montana Independent Living Action Alert System. On the action alert system page you can read a list of current and past action alerts, download a Montana Independent Living Action Alert Widget for your own website, and independently subscribe yourself to the Montana Independent Living Action Alert System Listserv. The blog addition to our website serves as a place where we can post stories of interest and you, the reader, can have ongoing discussions with one another centered around current events in the disability movement. Please keep an eye on the website as there are sure to be more additions and improvements throughout the coming months. Also, if you have an idea for how to further improve the website please do not hesitate to contact Travis Hoffman and let him know. Return to Newsletter Index | Newsletter Archives A new year also means that the next legislative session is getting even closer. That is why Summit Independent Living Center is working with the Statewide Independent Living Council as well as the other Independent Living Centers in being proactive and preparing for the 2009 legislature now. The following is a list of legislative priorities that have been identified and that we will be focusing on throughout the year and into the legislative session.
If you are interested in becoming involved in any of these topics please email Travis Hoffman. You can also join the Montana Independent Living Action Alert System and be kept up to date on local, state, and national issues that affect people with disabilities by sending an e-mail to montana-il-action-alert-subscribe@googlegroups.com or by letting Travis Hoffman know you would like to be added to the Action Alert System. Return to Newsletter Index | Newsletter Archives My name is Mary Olson, and I am the newest Summit addition as the Peer Advocacy Coordinator. I grew up on a farm in Northeastern Montana (or as we like to call it, MonDak). I moved to Missoula in 2002 to attend the University. I graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Economics and Psychology in 06’ and just kind of forgot to leave my college town that I fell in love with. I worked as a preschool teacher at ASUM for about 4 or 5 years and then stumbled onto a fabulous job where I get to combine my passion of working with people with my love of learning new things. In my free time I am playing with my spunky Corgie puppy, Dante, or hitting up some karaoke or tennis. If you see me, be sure to say hello, and don’t be alarmed at all the scrapes and bruises, they are just a product of my attempt at being in a softball league. My nickname is the River Rat, and my favorite season hands down is summer! I am so excited to be here and appreciate all of the consumers that I have met so far welcoming me with open arms. I am learning something new every day and I am ready to submerge myself in the disability movement. Return to Newsletter Index | Newsletter Archives Earlier this spring Summit Independent Living Center, Inc. teamed up with the Statewide Independent Living Council and the three other independent living centers across Montana to survey all of the House and Senate Legislative Candidates who filed to run for office in the state of Montana. In Summit’s service area alone, there were over 100 candidates who filed to run for office and many thanks should be given to those who took the time to read through this survey, fill it out and return it. The survey that we sent out to these legislative candidates focused primarily on the issues that those of you who attended the legislative planning MetNet’s said were important and that are this year’s independent living’s legislative priorities. They were:
We did not get a big number of responses but the responses that we did receive from legislative candidates in the Summit service area are located in the table on the next page. There were a few more responses than what are listed, however, I have only included the responses from candidates who made it past the primary election and are in the running for a legislative seat during the general election this November. If you would like to see the full set of responses, including comments, please contact Travis Hoffman. Please note that we are providing these legislative candidates responses to our questionnaire as information only to help you as you gather information in preparation of voting on November 4th and in no way are we endorsing or denouncing any legislative candidate for their responses. Our October 2008 newsletter will have more information on all of the legislative candidates in the Summit service area as well as more information about statewide candidates, the presidential race and voting information regarding the election itself.
Return to Newsletter Index | Newsletter Archives Welcome once again to the Summit youth corner, Summer edition. During the week of July 14, the Montana Youth Leadership Forum (MYLF) will play host to its 9th group of students to go through the program. Each student will be individually shaped and molded into a leader, leaving Helena at the end of the week with a swagger of confidence and that new advocate smell. Attending this year’s forum as staff with Michael Beers will be Summit’s own Independent Living Specialist Darren Larson and Peer Advocate Sierra Lode. Another opportunity not only for youth, but also for educators and parents alike, is coming up on September 15-17. We are talking about the first annual Montana Youth in Transitions conference which will be held in Great Falls, Montana at the Holiday Inn. The conference will focus on transition services for youth coming out of high school and entering the wonderful world of adulthood. For more information about this conference as well as other resources for youth in transition please visit the Montana youth transitions website at www.montanayouthtransitions.org/. During the conference, participants will have the opportunity to learn about many resources as they relate to the transition including Summit’s Building Advocacy and Learning Leadership Skills curriculum. Travis Hoffman and Michael Beers are also involved in planning for this year’s APRIL Youth Preconference on October 10, 2008 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The preconference is still in the initial phases of planning but we are optimistic that it will be one of the best ever. One of the topics that will be addressed at this year’s APRIL preconference will be the importance of the disability vote but that’s not all we’ll do… Just as with other things around Summit, there is never a shortage of things surrounding youth in transition for us to keep busy with. We will continue to do all we can to improve the lives of people with disabilities and to encourage all youth to step to the plate to take charge and control of their own lives and their own goals. Return to Newsletter Index | Newsletter Archives Bitterroot People First Aktion Club CHARTERING BANQUET The Bitterroot People First Aktion Club was formally chartered on Monday, June 23, 2008, at a banquet held at A Place to Ponder in Hamilton. Attending the ceremony were: Kiwanis members Jenny Howard; President; Andy Hughson, Vice President, Al Hill, Secretary; and Rob Johnson; Summit staff Joanne Verwolf, Ravalli County Coordinator; Mary Millin, Bitterroot People First Advisor; Andrea Dahl, Missoula People First Aktion Club Advisor; I Serenity, Independent Living Specialist; and the current members of the Bitterroot Valley People First, Lisa Howard, President; Michelle Heikkila, Vice President; Olivia Kincaid, Secretary; Anthony Hoilien, Treasurer; Randy Cook, Sergeant at Arms; Patsy Cook; Camron Bailey; and Jim Weir. After a delicious lasagna dinner, the program began with words of welcome and introductions by Jenny Howard, Kiwanis President, followed by opening remarks by Joanne Verwolf, Summit’s Ravalli County Coordinator. The Kiwanis Vice President and Aktion Club Advisor, Andy Hughson, presented the Aktion Club Charter, banner, bell and gavel to Lisa Howard, President of Bitterroot People First. Once the charter was formerly presented, the Aktion Club officers were officially installed by Kiwanis members Andy Hughson and Al Hill. Mary Millin, Bitterroot People First Aktion Club Advisor presented each member of the newly formed group with their official membership certificate, handbook, and membership pins. The program’s closing remarks were delivered by Nancy Maxson from the Rural Institute. The ceremony concluded with the serving of a scrumptious cake to celebrate the very special and momentous occasion. Return to Newsletter Index | Newsletter Archives Ravalli County Caregiver Conference “Celebrating You - The Riches of Giving” Thursday, September 18, 2008 Bitterroot River Inn, Hamilton MT TENTATIVE AGENDA 8:00 – 8:30 Sign-in / Continental Breakfast 8:30 – 9:30 “Hypnotherapy” Presenter: Roberta Schwartz, CHT 9:30 – 9:45 Break 9:45 – 11:00 “Physical Therapy” Presenter: Mary O’Connell, PT 11:00 – 11:15 Break 11:15 – 11:45 “Storykeeper” Presenter: Susie Risho 11:45 – 12:15 “Memory Books” Presenter: Katelyn Andersen 12:15 – 1:00 Lunch provided by Progressive Personal Care Legislative Issues presented by Summit ILC 1:00 – 2:00 Consumer/Caregiver Panel 2:00 – 2:15 Break 2:15 – 3:15 “How to Work with Aging” Presenter: Susan Allen, MSW, Partners in Home Care 3:15 – 3:30 Break 3:30 – 4:30 “Consumer Fraud” Presenter: Katelyn Andersen, M.S. MSU/Rav Co Extension Agent This program is supported in part by a grant from the Hospice Education Institute. Catch a Movie Fun Facts
Welcome to Mary Olson! The Missoula staff and peers are excited to get to know Mary, as our new Peer Advocacy Coordinator. She is energetic, a great listener, an outstanding organizer and has a lighthearted sense of humor. Please take time to read her introduction of herself in this newsletter. Classes 2009 Legislative Session preparation
In preparation for the 2009 legislative session, we would like to hear about your experiences in these areas and will be collecting stories about how any one of these issues has affected your life. If you would like to write down and share your story, we could collect these stories and both share them with the 2009 legislature as well as post them on the legislative priority website we are currently developing. Please contact Travis, Andrea, Darren or Mary if you need assistance with writing about one of these topics. If you are interested in attending the upcoming candidate’s forum contact Travis. A Missoula County legislative candidate forum is currently being planned for October of 2008 but a date definitive has not yet been finalized. If you are interested in learning more and/or attending, please contact Travis at the Missoula office. Legislative candidate forums are also being tentatively planned for Ravalli and Flathead County’s. Celebration - Initiative 159 retracted! Plan your next Mountain Line trip
ahead of time! Return to Newsletter Index | Newsletter Archives The Kalispell office has been experiencing some staffing turmoil. Unfortunately, Deanna Shepard was unable to continue as IL Specialist due to health concerns. After once again re-opening the position we have hired a new Independent Living Specialist and she will start at the end of August. Look for an introduction in our next newsletter. Through the rest of the summer, Flo will be staffing the office alone, with occasional assistance from the Peers and office temps. A Working Well with a Disability workshop was completed June 17th and it was a great success. Attendees formed strong bonds through the ten week workshop and have decided to start up a continuing support group. The group will be open to anyone with a disability and will meet the second Tuesday afternoon of each month. The location is still undetermined. This group promises to have a strong ongoing presence, offering support and varied educational opportunities to consumers. If you are interested in joining this group, call 257-0048 for more information. Come to the Picnic! Return to Newsletter Index | Newsletter Archives You may want to mark on your calendar a couple of annual events coming up in September; one being the Veterans Stand-Down, where veterans may receive free haircuts, lunch, blood pressure monitoring, counseling and benefits assistance, and free military surplus clothing, sleeping bags, duffle bags, etc. It’s a great resource for veterans and Summit will be there to provide information on disability benefits and other community resources. Also in September is the Ravalli County Caregivers Conference to be held on September 18th at the Bitterroot River Inn. If you have any questions regarding either of these events, give us a call at 363-5242. Mary Millin, People First Advisor, and the members of the Bitterroot Valley People First, were thrilled as Kiwanis of Hamilton formerly presented them with the Bitterroot People First Aktion Club charter, membership handbooks, certificates and pins at a Chartering Banquet held on June 23rd at A Place to Ponder. Many congratulations to a great group and a great alliance! The City of Hamilton is updating their Growth Policy and will be holding focus groups over the next few months. I encourage you to get involved and advocate for your vision of the future, such as increased public transit, affordable housing, accessible public facilities, accessible sidewalks with curb cuts, accessible parks, pathways, and recreational areas, etc. Now is the time to let your voice be heard. Serenity remains committed to her outreach to youth, facilitating the strategic committee meetings throughout the summer months to determine how to better serve and prepare students with disabilities in transitioning from school to community. In prioritizing goals, the committee’s main focus will be planning for the fall parent-teacher-student transition nights in each of the Ravalli County high schools. With extensive outreach, networking, and coordination they hope these transition forums will be all inclusive and well attended. They plan to have a comprehensive service directory and extensive information on the transition process that will be beneficial to both the students and their families and the school staff. The second priority will be to explore the options available in developing a self-advocacy/self-determination training to be incorporated into school curriculums. We are very pleased that four individuals from Ravalli County have signed up to attend the beginning peer training. We look forward to having them on board! Enjoy the summer and stay cool… Return to Newsletter Index | Newsletter Archives In April I attended two workshops. The first one was an all day conference at KwaTaqNuk Resort in Polson, MT which was called “Empowerment of Native Americans with Disabilities.” It was well attended by people from various agencies throughout the state of Montana. The conference addressed issues from the Social Security webpage to collaborative efforts that are under way to assist rural households during times of an emergency such as wild fires, floods or a severe winter storm. The other conference was from April 8th to the 11th at the Presbyterian Church of Polson which held a SHIP/I & A Certification Training. SHIP is the “State Health Insurance Assistance Program” and I & A is “Information & Assistance Program.” Some of the topics of this conference included Legal & Advocacy information, some information on Social Security-eligibility-enrollment, benefits and options and SSA online. Some information was given on Medicare & Medicaid in regards to eligibility and benefits. Other topics included Community Service Bureau, Big Sky Rx, Veteran’s Administration/Tricare, Ombudsman program overview, Indian Health Services, Adult Protection Services, and some information on “Reverse Annuity Mortgages” from the Montana Board of Housing. Those two workshops were very informative plus very enjoyable. During the month of May I assisted in conducting a demonstration research survey for the Rural Institute on Disabilities at the University of Montana. Its intention is to see and measuring the progress in achieving accessibility in rural and small towns in Montana. One goal of this project is to develop, evaluate and demonstration a model for applying methods to monitoring the implementation of the ADA in rural communities. A random of samples of business was pre-selected in each of the communities. The communities I conducted the surveys were Polson, Columbia Falls, Whitefish and Libby. A very basic survey form was utilized to access the elements of the physical accessibility in the selected business. The process of evaluating was based on one’s personal judgment based upon the criteria that was being used and plus how one interprets the given check list. For all of the businesses, each was evaluated on the parking/signage; observing the designated accessible parking spaces; the primary entrance: pathway, gravel surface, or paved route to the entry; the door itself; hand knob, L-shape handle or (an automatic door scored the highest) and the door threshold (½ inch or less), plus seeing if the door was too narrow. Finally, once inside the survey scored the accessibility of the businesses interior as it related to the ease to which a person could us a walker, wheelchair or scooter in the building. Overall this project gave me more of a basic knowledge to promote more community awareness for equal access for people with disabilities. During the month of June we hosted a picnic for people with disabilities, their families, and for other Sanders County Service Providers in order for people to become more acquainted with Summit staff and Peer Advocates. The gathering was held at the Montana Power Park in Thompson Falls; there were twelve individuals who were able to join us for a wonderful picnic. Hopefully next time around you can come join us so we can meet in person. I hope this summer you have a joyful time with your loved ones and utilize the services we have to offer you. Please call me at my office in Ronan - (676-0190 or 1-866-230-6936) be well – be safe and take care…thanks Gary. Return to Newsletter Index | Newsletter Archives Get Out and Vote | Voice
Recognition |
Fishing Access for People with Disabilities | SCI
Volunteer Opportunity | 2009
Legislative Priorities | Bitterroot
Valley People First | RAMP
Continues to Grow | New Missoula Staff | New
Flathead Staff | Youth
Corner It is that time once again when we will all have the opportunity to cast our ballots and let our voices be heard. On June 3, 2008 Montana will hold it’s Primary Elections and not only will we be helping to determine who will have a shot at being the next President of the United States, but we will also be narrowing down the field of State Legislative Candidates who are aiming for a shot to represent us during the 2009 Montana Legislative Session. One of the most important and fundamental rights we enjoy as citizens of the United States is the right to vote for the people who make and uphold our laws. This right is the foundation upon which our democratic form of government is based. It's a civic duty we should all feel privileged to perform. The first step to voting is REGISTERING to vote. If you are not registered to vote and would like to register or if you have moved since you last registered and need to update your registration, Summit can help you with a new registration card. Or you can contact your local elections office. If you are a person with a physical disability or are unable to read or write, you may ask an election judge to help you mark your ballot for you. Or you can bring a friend or relative who, with the permission of the election judge, can go into the voting booth with you and help you vote. Every polling place in Montana should have at least one specialized voting machine that will enable people with disabilities to vote independently. If you would like to designate an agent to assist you with the voting process, contact your local election office to ask for an application for the designation of an agent. If you're unable to drive to the polls yourself, you have several options:
Return to Newsletter Index | Newsletter Archives As with many types of Assistive Technology (AT), voice recognition software has improved and become more commonplace and mainstream technology. With the public release of Microsoft Windows Vista last year, voice recognition became readily available to all consumers of this new operating system. Windows Vista owners are no longer required to purchase additional voice recognition software to advantage hands-free computing, as it is now built into the Vista operating system. However, many questions persist in comparing Vista to Dragon NaturallySpeaking, which has been the leader in voice recognition software. Some main considerations in this comparison are price, initial training time, recognition accuracy and speed, and finally versatility. Price leaves no questions, as voice recognition is readily available in all Windows Vista systems whereas Dragon NaturallySpeaking requires an additional software purchase for up to $200 (version 9 .0). Windows Vista also claims that no training is required whereas Dragon has a standard training protocol. However, having used both, it is apparent that training is required for accuracy in either. Dragon's years of existence and continual improvements have transformed speech recognition accuracy and speed, particularly with the past introduction of Version 8.0. Being said, Windows Vista's five-year development has resulted in an initial product with impressive recognition accuracy and speed comparable to that of Dragon. Be aware, though, that the real-life utility of either program produces less accuracy and speed than either's marketing claims. Voice recognition versatility presents some major differences between Vista and Dragon which also may separate mainstream and assistive technology. Beyond the above comparisons, and despite utility of both programs in multiple software applications, Dragon clearly excels in versatility. Dragon alone offers specialty vocabulary programs or upgrades to Medical and Legal versions as well as vocabulary importation to accommodate specialty terminology. Dragon also offers audible dictation playback which may be imperative to help users with learning disabilities in editing. Finally, Dragon offers remote dictation into a voice recorder which then uploads as a wave file and automatically transcribes for users unable to physically take notes. Regardless of one's ultimate choice, MonTECH staff members encourage voice recognition consumers to be fully informed and consider their budget, functional limitations, purpose of use, and environments of use. New users and those considering an upgrade are encouraged to visit MonTECH's AT demonstration center to try Vista and Dragon in person. For more information, call 406-243-5751, 888-243-5511, or visit http://montech.ruralinstitute.umt.edu. Return to Newsletter Index | Newsletter Archives Fishing Access for People with Disabilities The spirit of cooperation is alive and strong in the Bitterroot Valley. One of the Ravalli County peers, Susan Butchart, had a dream of an accessible fishing spot for people who really like to fish but could not thrash through the underbrush to get to good fishing spots. The People First advisor, Mary Millin, found out about a small grant through the Rural Institute to encourage People First and Kiwanians to work together on a project. Susan and Mary took the idea of an accessible fishing site and the possibility of obtaining grant funds to Abby Kirkaldie, the disability consultant for the Bitterroot National Forest and asked for her input. She really liked the idea and expanded it further by offering to make a presentation to the Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) for additional grant funds. The Ravalli County peers went to work and found a good location for the fishing access: the Spring Gulch Campground south of Darby, which is right on the river, has an accessible campground and fishing pier, and a short path along the river. It seemed the most logical location for the project. It would cost less to revamp and expand the existing fishing access rather than start from scratch at another campground. The plan was presented to the Resource Advisory Committee in August of 2007 and grant funds were awarded in September. In January of 2008, Bitterroot Valley People First applied for the Expanding Networks through Recreation and Empowerment (ENTRE) grant, which was awarded in February. Now, having secured the two grants, construction is scheduled to begin on the 1st of June and the project is due to be completed in November of 2008. This coordinated effort among Ravalli County peer advocates, Bitterroot Valley People First, Kiwanis International, and the Bitterroot National Forest is impressive and we all look forward to the completion of the project! Return to Newsletter Index | Newsletter Archives Volunteers With Spinal Cord Injury for at least 6 Months needed for a research study The Montana Spine Center and the Montana Neuroscience Institute are conducting a research study to evaluate an investigational drug to treat spasticity (increased muscle tone upon movement) due to spinal cord injury (SCI). If you are between the ages of 18-70, with spasticity due to SCI, for at least the past 6 months you may be eligible to participate Your participation involves:
All study related care, lab tests and the study drug will be provided to you at no cost, and you will be compensated for your time and travel. This study is being conducted at the Montana Spine and Pain Center and the Montana Neuroscience Institute in Missoula, MT. If you are interested in additional information about this study please contact us at: Contact Name: Pamela Meek, RN Return to Newsletter Index | Newsletter Archives A new year also means that the next legislative session is getting even closer. That is why Summit Independent Living Center is working with the Statewide Independent Living Council as well as the other Independent Living Centers in being proactive and preparing for the 2009 legislature now. The following is a list of legislative priorities that have been identified and that we will be focusing on throughout the year and into the legislative session.
If you are interested in becoming involved in any of these topics please email Travis Hoffman. You can also join the Montana Independent Living Action Alert System and be kept up to date on local, state, and national issues that affect people with disabilities by sending an e-mail to montana-il-action-alert-subscribe@googlegroups.com or by letting Travis Hoffman know you would like to be added to the Action Alert System. Return to Newsletter Index | Newsletter Archives Bitterroot Valley People First Soon to be BITTERROOT VALLEY PEOPLE FIRST AKTION CLUB On March 6, 2008, almost two years after we began the process, the Kiwanis Club of Hamilton Bitterroot Valley voted to sponsor the Bitterroot Valley People First as a chartered AKtion Club affiliated with Kiwanis International. Since the mid-nineties, our local People First group has been in existence, but it wasn’t until Summit ILC became its sponsor in October, 2005 that our group became an official People First Chapter. On March 31, 2006, the group was voted in as an official People First Chapter by the Montana People First Senate. In April, the advisor and members began attending the weekly Kiwanis lunch meetings. The chapter asked the club to sponsor them and they agreed. People First members began volunteering to work on Kiwanis projects and were slowly included more and more. As the 2 groups got closer, barriers came down. On Feb. 20, 2008, Nancy Maxson, the People First Senate coordinator and Ray Rischo, the Kiwanis advisor for the Missoula People First AKtion Club visited our local Kiwanis club and explained the benefits of the groups working together. Two weeks later the Kiwanis board agreed to sponsor the charter. It takes about six weeks to process the paperwork and get our chartering materials from the head office so we are anticipating becoming an official AKtion Club sometime in May. To celebrate, we are planning a chartering dinner where the local Kiwanians will present the People First members with the charter and buttons. Return to Newsletter Index | Newsletter Archives The Regional Access Mobility Program of Montana started operations August 1, of 2006. From the very beginning Summit Independent Living Center has been a major supporter and partner. From an initial grant for the pilot program, to donating office space, RAMP of Montana would not be what it is today without this support. Summit ILC and Missoula Aging Services, during this time have overseen financial accountability and RAMP has worked under their non-profit umbrellas. RAMP has grown and matured and now the Summit ILC board and the RAMP oversight committee are helping to move RAMP to the next level. Beginning June 1st we will be a 501c3 corporation. Our close work with Summit ILC is continuing and our offices will remain there. Legend Builders has contracted with RAMP for construction services and insurances. June 1st RAMP will be a registered contractor with the State of Montana. We thank Legend Builders for all of their support in growing our program. RAMP continues to build all types of access features from single grab bars to complete bathrooms along with ramps, stair lifts and elevators. Solving safety access and mobility problems to keep individuals in their home is our goal. With growing numbers of seniors with limited incomes, finances are always a problem. If you would like to contribute send a donation to RAMP of Montana, 700 S.W. Higgins, STE101 Missoula, MT 59803 Return to Newsletter Index | Newsletter Archives Hello, I’m Mike Giddings, the new SDPAS coordinator assistant located at Summit ILC in Missoula. When not working at Summit, I pursue my art career and enjoy rock hounding in the area. I moved here in May of last year from Palm Desert, California. While in the desert region, I spent some time working with peer advocacy in the mental health area. Proposition 63, the mental health services act, was just passed. This proposition created changes in the mental health area allowing consumers to direct resource distribution amongst the services offered. Also, consumer positions were opened on county and state committees, allowing for continual input. It was great to see consumers being empowered and having the ability to exercise their right of choice. I found this to be a very rewarding experience. I am happy to be working for Summit and being able to continue my efforts in the areas of advocacy and independence for others. Return to Newsletter Index | Newsletter Archives Hello Everyone! I am Deanna Shepard, the new Independent Living Specialist for Flathead County. I was born and raised in Kalispell, and have two sons (19 & 6). I lived in Montgomery Alabama for about 2 years while I finished my Bachelors of Science in Psychology, and then moved back to Montana to be closer to my family. I am currently working on my Master’s degree through distance education at Amridge University in Montgomery Alabama. I have worked in a variety of “Human Service” settings, but my aspiration is to finish my Master’s and go on to get my Ph.D. in Disability Awareness. I was a consumer of Summit in the 90’s (shortly after I lost my hearing), and now I am ever so honored to be yet another Summit success story and be employed with the very organization that made it possible for me to get where I am today. Thank you to all for the warm welcome. Return to Newsletter Index | Newsletter Archives It is with a heavy heart that I bring you this, my final youth corner article… That’s right, after what has seemed like a lifetime, I am leaving Summit Independent Living Center. But don’t worry about me, I’ll be Ok, and if any of you would like to say your goodbyes you can find me at the Reserve Street off ramp with of course, cap in hand. APRIL FOOOLS!!! I had ya going didn’t I? I can’t leave. Who else would write this article? Now, on with the youth update. It is spring and for a lot of people that means baseball, here at Summit that just means B.A.L.L.S. (Building Advocacy and Learning Leadership Skills). Travis and I, with assistance from Darren Larson, are currently teaching the seven-week class at Hellgate High School and will move on to teach the class at Big Sky and Sentinel in the Fall. Other exciting events on the youth calendar include the Delegate and Staff applications for MYLF (Montana Youth Leadership Forum). The deadline has already passed but if you are working on an application or know of someone that is (or should be), feel free to call the Missoula office and ask for Mike Beers and we will see what we can do about extending that deadline. On June 2, 2008 Travis Hoffman and Mike Beers will be presenting a CSPD web conference entitled Independent Living Centers as a Resource to Youth in Transition. During the web conference we will talk about methods we currently employ to reach out to youth and let you know what we think all students with disabilities need to know in their time of development and transition. For more information regarding this web cast, please contact Kim Brown at brown@ruralinstitute.umt.edu. Also, on September 15-17, the 1st Annual Montana Youth Transitions Conference will be held in Great Falls which will be an excellent opportunity for students—and their support teams—to network, explore resources, and discover pathways to meaningful futures! Return to Newsletter Index | Newsletter Archives Summit would like to recognize the following two national groups this spring:
The Missoula Caregiver Conference – contact Lorna Palin
Training Options Summit ILC is involved with a number of classes and training options this spring and summer. If you are interested in any of the following topics contact the Missoula office at 728-1630.
Return to Newsletter Index | Newsletter Archives The Flathead office continues to participate in a strong referral system with human service agencies in the valley. The number of consumers seeking services increases steadily and there is seldom a quiet moment. County Coordinator, Flo Kiewel, has been managing all services alone for the past three months. We had an extended search for a new Independent Living Specialist and only recently hired Deanna Shepard (see introductory bio). Deanna is off to a running start and is already taking on some of the workload. Welcome aboard, Deanna. There is new communication equipment available for loan from our office. Two Ubi-Duo units have been donated; one by Round-up For Safety and another by two area Masonic Lodges. Communication can take place between two individuals by typing back and forth on two separate keyboards; similar to a chat room session. The units may be borrow by anyone with a communication disorder for appointments with doctors, lawyers, or other professional services. So far the units have been loaned out to consumers three times. Contact the office at 257-0048 for more information or to schedule a loan. Working Well with a Disability, a 10 week health promotion workshop similar to Living Well with a Disability, is scheduled to begin a session April 15th. The workshop is being provided as part of a research grant and criteria for participation is very specific. We hope to provide more of these workshops in the future. Call the office if you would be interested. Beginning Sign Language classes will start April 16 from 2:00 to 3:30 at Ashley Square conference room. Call Deanna at 257-0048 to register, even if it is past the starting date. Have a great summer! Return to Newsletter Index | Newsletter Archives The last week of February Joanne spent a week in Portland, Oregon where she participated in the Work Incentives Planning and Assistance (WIPA) training, followed by five weeks of testing after her return to become a Community Work Incentives Coordinator (CWIC). This program focuses on serving SSDI and SSI recipients who are actively engaged in the employment process in transitioning from dependence on public benefits to paid employment and greater economic self-sufficiency. CWIC’s provide work incentives counseling and will assist in the development of an individualized work incentive plan to help individuals reach their employment goals. Mary is our advisor of the Bitterroot Valley People First and determined advocate for improving transportation services throughout Montana. On March 26, 2008, the Bitterroot Valley People First submitted the charter application to become an official Kiwanis AKtion Club. This has been in the works since 2006. Congratulations to Mary and the People First members for their perseverance in reaching this goal. On the transit side, Mary is a member of the Montana Department of Transportation Capital Assistance Review Committee and will participate in prioritizing the vehicle requests of transit providers across the state. Joanne and Mary also plan to attend the Montana Transit Association (MTA) conference in Bozeman April 16-18th to stay current with statewide transportation issues and goals. Serenity has been organizing meetings with school representatives and adult service providers in planning how to better serve and prepare students with disabilities in Ravalli County’s middle and high schools in transitioning from school to community. The participation has been enthusiastic and we’ve all jumped on the “self-determination” bandwagon. To further educate ourselves to the needs of students, a representative from the Office of Public Instruction will be offering a “brown bag lunch training and Q&A session” on April 21st at Hamilton High School to discuss the IEP requirements and IDEA 2004. Another big part of Serenity’s job is information and referral services and advocating for Social Security and other benefits individuals with disabilities may need to remain independent. To that end, she will be attending the State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) and Information & Assistance (I&A) training in Polson on April 8th - 11th. Also in April is the Bitterroot Spring Fair. The Ravalli County peers are very busy preparing the Summit booth on RECREATION FOR ALL. Put April 12th on your calendar and stop by the Ravalli County Fairgrounds to see what we’ve done. You’ll be amazed at what accessible recreational sites are available in Ravalli County and around the state, yet there are still many areas in which we’ll be advocating for improved access. As you can see, April is going to be a very busy month, so please bear with us as we get up to speed on the new services that will be available to you. We are very pleased to announce we have secured funding for this year’s Caregivers Conference, which is scheduled for September 18th at the Bitterroot River Inn. We’re still in the planning stage and can use lots of help to provide a great program to support and recognize Ravalli County caregivers. If you are interested in donating some of your time to this worthy cause, give us a call at 363-5242. Return to Newsletter Index | Newsletter Archives Hello everyone out there in Western Montana can you believe three months have already gone by this 2008 year-WOW! And what about the weather too isn’t it something one day nice-warm-enjoyable then snow the next day with chilly coldness; another –WOW! I hope things are going well and continue to go well for all those consumers presently receiving services from Summit ILC or any other agencies. As well as my prayers to those past consumers who have benefited from services they have received. It is with pleasure and honor that I welcome all the new staff I wish you the best while providing your expertise during your tenure at summit ILC. Since the last newsletter for the Lake/Sanders County services are still slowly moving. Not too many people are coming into the office or calling in to benefit from the services we have to offer. So I ask you to assist me in helping those individuals you might personally know that may be in need of services from Summit ILC. Your help would greatly be appreciated, especially by those persons who are unaware of the services that we provide. Please spread the word; news does travel quite quickly though word of the mouth. While you are having coffee, grocery shopping, or just visiting with them, let them know about Summit in the Lake/Sanders County office. I will be attending the State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) and Information & Assistance (I&A) training in Polson on April 8th - 11th. As you know change is coming again soon with a newly elected president we must prepare ourselves for whoever is elected, Will it be McCain, Obama, or Clinton? Regardless, many events will continue to occur including the Olympics this August, crime in the news, wars in foreign lands, concerns of global warning, and of course the continued health issues many of us face on a daily basis like: Autism, Depression, Alzheimer’s, Cerebral Palsy, Quadriplegia, and many more. What will the newly elected President offer us? What will Congress give? What will the States receive to be able to provide needed services for you? How will the local agencies continue to operate if funds are not appropriated adequately? There will be many legislative issues affecting us in the future but we must continue to help each other on the grassroots level –advocating-advocating and more advocating so that there is more community awareness and consumer services for individuals with disabilities. If you have any ideas of how we can work together, please call me at my office in Ronan-(@ 676-0190 or 1-866-230-6936) be well, be safe, and take care…thanks! Return to Newsletter Index | Newsletter Archives Summit Independent - January 2008 2007: Summit
Independent - October 2007 Older: 2000-01 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 Return to Newsletter Index | Newsletter Archives This newsletter is funded by the U.S. Department of Education grant #H132A30808 and in part under an agreement with the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services. Any statesments Herein do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the Department. This page was last updated on October 7, 2008 . |
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