fall 2015 asfv newsletter - autism society of the fox valley · melissa mcglensey oct 02, 2015 a...
TRANSCRIPT
ASFV Newsletter
Inside this issue
Monkey Joe’s—Events Held……...2-3
Social Outings……………………….....4-5
Support Group/Family Outing…..6-7
SOAR/Employment……………….....8-9
PAC Programs……………………… 10-11
YIPPEE………………………….……...12-13
Safety Scholarships…………………...14
Message from the President School is back in session, fall is in the air, and ASFV is busy plan-
ning and holding more events. Thanks to everyone who helped
make our Octoberfest booth our most successful yet!
ASFV is pleased to announce a family outing at Meuer Farm in
Chilton. Please look inside this newsletter for specific information.
Save the date: A parent/educator workshop is scheduled for
October 26th from 6:30-8pm. The topic is Pet Therapy. To register
for this informative talk email: [email protected].
As always—if your contact information has changed please email
us ASAP to ensure all of the most current events are sent to you. If
you have questions about your membership, please email Kelly at
Our annual membership meeting will be help December 5th at
Monkey Joe’s. The meeting will start at 9:30 am. We will serve
cake after the meeting. Learn about the wonderful things happen-
ing with ASFV, offer your input on future events, and meet the
board members.
You are invited to join our monthly board meetings the 3rd Tuesday
of every month at Goodwill in Menasha at 6pm. Please email
Diane at [email protected] with any questions.
Have a wonderful fall,
Diane Nackers, President
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Fall 2015
Website: www.autismfoxvalley.org
New email: [email protected].
All social outing: [email protected]
Are you thinking of
becoming a member?
What are the ben-
efits of your $15 annual
membership?
Free monthly Monkey Joe’s
Free monthly Building for Kids
Free quarterly newsletters
Free Parent/Support Group
Free Parent/Educator work-
shops
Opportunities for safety and
conference scholarships
And much more.
Thank you to the horses and volunteers from the Winnebago County 4-H club. They hosted a horseback riding event for kids with autism and their siblings. Two ses-sions allowed for more kids to ride. The kids got to spend quality time grooming, riding and just being with these gentle horses.
The ASFV families had a wonderful time. All of the volunteers were patient, kind and supportive.
Thank you for hosting this amazing event.
Annual Membership Meeting December 5th Monkey Joe’s play dates continue to be a popular way for families to connect while their children play.
Where: Monkey Joe’s
1800 N Casaloma Dr, Appleton, WI 54913
When: 9 am until your child is worn out
ASFV board member present
Interact with other families
Let the kids enjoy the new bouncy toys
FREE of charge for all ASFV mem-bers and a reduced $5.00 for non-members.
Annual meeting: Meet with ASFV board members, financial info availa-
ble, enjoy cake, and get more infor-mation about your ASFV member ben-efits
Play dates set for the year:
November 7th
December 5th
January 2nd
February 6th
March 5th
April 2nd
May 7th
June 4th
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Winnebago County 4-H Horse and Pony Project —Autism Ride—Held this past July
Amazing Kids Amazing Day 10th Annual Football Camp with Xavier Hawks and ASFV
3
Thank you to all of the people responsible for another GREAT football
camp. Coach Hinkens, the players, the parent volunteers and the ASFV
board pulled together to create a fantastic day of football for over 60
kids this past September.
Fox11, the Compass and the Post Crescent provided media coverage of
the event.
The pictures of this event can be viewed at: http://
www.thecompassnews.org/2015/09/bay-conference-hawks-continue-
camp-tradition/
Great Country Pumpkin Party October 22nd
Spectrum Saturday occurs the 3rd Sat-
urday of each month. October 17th,
November 21, December 12* dates fill
out the rest of this year. NOTE that
December 12th date is a change.
The Building for Kids is writing grants to obtain more sensory equipment. They are mindful of the unique play needs of children on the spectrum and are actively seeking new exhibits to make your child’s experience fun and meaningful.
All family members of children with autism can spend the morning explor-ing the museum at NO COST. The mu-seum is open only to these families from 9:00-10am, but you are welcome to hang around as long as you like. Please arrive before 10:00am for free admission. More info: www.buildingforkids.org/spectrumsaturdays.
The Country Inn & Suites By Carlson, Appleton, WI is set to host their 7th annual Great Country Pumpkin Party for special needs children & their fam-ilies on Thursday, October 22nd from 4pm - 6pm. The event is designed to provide a safe & fun environment for children with special needs to trick-or-treat. Country Inn & Suites provides rooms for local companies and organizations to deco-rate and hand out treats to children. While costumes are welcome, they are not required. The event will be held at the Country Inn & Suites of Appleton located at 355 Fox River Drive, next to the Fox River Mall. Admission is FREE.
For information or questions about the event please contact the hotel at (920) 830-3240 or at
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Spectrum Saturday Continues to Grow
Autism Therapy Resources @ BFKCM
The following resources are always available at the Welcome Desk, not just on Spectrum Saturdays!
Decision Boards with velcro cards
featuring BFKCM exhibit photos
Visual timers
Quiet room: Need a break? We'll
find you a calm, quiet space.
Sensory station
Free admission for professional
therapists when accompanying a
child patient who pays admission
or is a museum member
ASFV continues to offer social outings for kids who are 7-13 years old. If your child would like to be added to the emailing list to receive all of the outing updates, email Diane at [email protected] or Heidi at [email protected].
The dates listed are the scheduled outings. The specific infor-mation for each outing will come separately as times or locations may change.
Upcoming Dates:
October 17th Meuer Corn Maze in Chilton—see family outing
November 14th—TBD
December 12th—TBD
The ASFV teen group is in its 6th year!! We hold monthly outings at a wide variety of locations. The group consists of teens 13-19 who have high functioning autism or Asperger’s syndrome.
The teens should demonstrate a level of independence so they can participate in community outings without parental supervision. The teens are supervised by board member Diane Nackers. All events are emailed to those who wish to be on the list of outings:
November 14th—TBD
December 12th: Diane’s house
5
Hangin’ Out Social Group - Ages 7-13
Teen Group Outings
ASFV Mission: The Autism Society of the Fox Valley, Inc. was established in 1989. We are a 501 (c) 3 non-profit or-ganization serving the counties of Cal-umet, Fond du Lac, Outagamie, Waupaca and Win-nebago. Our mis-sion is to provide information and re-ferral, advocacy, public awareness, education and sup-port for individuals, families, profession-als and others who support people with autism.
Parent Support Group Meetings
ASFV's 20 Something group has changed its name to The A Team. This group is designed for young adults with ASD, 19 –29 years old, who can independently participate in social activities, and are interested in social networking. The group is always looking for more members to participate (we require a minimum of 3-5 participants to hold each event).
Events are facilitated by ASFV board members or volunteers. If beinging a member of the A Team sounds like something you would be interested in—email Diane: [email protected] for more about the group and/or its activities.
Upcoming Event: October 17th Meuer Farms in Chilton.
ASFV's monthly Parent Support
Group meeting is the first Sunday
of each month, from 6:00-8:00
pm. We meet at 211 E Franklin
Street in downtown Appleton
(just two blocks west of City
Park) in the building that houses
Soar Fox Cites, WisconSibs and
NAMI Fox Valley.
The doors will be locked, but
there is a doorbell so we'll be
there plenty early to let you in.
Refreshments will be provided.
Parents and other caregivers will have the opportunity to get to-
gether in a relaxed, informal at-mosphere to talk about everything from your personal experiences to
available resources and general education about autism.
Please mark your calendars and
we hope to see many of you there!
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Donations are GREATLY Appreciated
A-Team—Adult Social Outing
Valley View Elementary School Staff Thrivent Life Products Services Aurora Health Care Employees William Gillette Carol Koller
WHAT: Combined outings for ALL of our social groups including all family members WHEN: October 17th TIME: 11-2 or? There is no time limit if you are with your family. WHERE: Meuer Farm , N2564 US Hwy. 151, Chilton, WI 53014 FOOD: Lunch on your own. The Jumping Cow Café is in a sheltered clean covered ar-ea: burgers, hot dogs, brats, pulled pork sandwich, pizza, soda, juice, water, chips, car-amel apples and many more items available. Prices range from .50 for chips to $7.00 for a whole pizza. WEBSITE: Please visit their website to see all they have to offer. www.meuerfarm.com PHONE HOTLINE: (920) 418-4777 for updates on times and weather conditions Last year the adult and teen groups went to the maze and had a great time. It is a won-derful family environment so ASFV is opening this up as a family outing. There is a hayride tour of the farm that you need to get on the schedule for by calling ahead of time. The hayride takes 45 minutes. COST: Entrance to the maze and hayride (if you like) are FREE. All other expenses for your family are your responsibility. RSVP required by Friday the 16th: [email protected] Please indicate # of adults and # of children as well as if your family will be taking the hayride.
If it is raining – the event will be canceled.
7
October 17th Family Outing at Meuer Farm
Sonia Barham, Executive Director of SOAR is putting together a new, innovative program to address the unemployment/under employment concerns for individuals with high functioning au-tism in the Valley. The program is called, Make I.T. SOAR. I.T. stands for Intellectual Technicians. Sonia is looking for input from parents on their hopes and dreams for their child or young adult. She is hoping to connect with families of all age groups. Some targets and considerations for this program include: High functioning individuals on the ASD spectrum have high
technical skills and interests. Individuals become valuable contributors to society Individuals are employed in a role that suits their skills and
interests Employment will promote acceptance and break the stigma
in our community Employee/employer benefits Business benefits Community benefits If you are interested in joining this informal panel discussion, please contact Sonia Barham at SOAR. [email protected] Sonia Barham Executive Director SOAR Fox Cities, Inc. 920.731.9831 x116 "Empowering People with Differing Abilities"
Melissa McGlensey Oct 02, 2015
A 2012 study found that 35 percent of young adults (ages 19-23) with autism have not had a job or received postgrad-uate education after leaving high school, according to Reuters. And considering more than 3.5 million Americans live with an autism spectrum disorder, that’s a lot of people with unique perspectives and talents whose contributions to the workforce are being lost. The Mighty teamed up with Autism Society to ask our readers for one piece of advice they’d offer employers about working with people with autism.
This is what they had to say: 1. “First you have you give [people with autism] a job, a chance to try. Without that, nothing else matters.” — Teresa Duncan Johnson 2. “Don’t assume we’re all the same. No two people with autism are exactly alike.” — Alison Loughlin 3. “Be very clear on your expectations.” — Valerie Glassman Mcguire 4. “Find out what their strengths and weaknesses are and see if you can find tasks for them that complement their strengths. Also, be compassionate and understanding, it can go a long way.” — Maggie Bee 5. “Understand that people with autism have a different way of thinking.” — Brian Mah 6. “Let [people with autism] show you their gifts.” — Pamela Berzas 7. “If [people with autism] ask for time to gather their thoughts, allow it. Encourage it, even. Many meltdowns can be avoided with a few minutes of isolation to reduce sensory overload.” — AutisticalU, Facebook page 8. “Keep in mind it will be different for everybody. The fact that you once met your neighbor’s cousin’s nephew’s friend with autism does not mean you understand autism. Each person is unique.” — Tarina Beatty 9. “Do not underestimate an individual’s ability.” — Laura Burrell 10. “Presume competence, but also be patient when an employee faces challenges.” — Alicia Kobylecky 11. “[People with autism] see/perceive things differently than most of us. Stop and try to see things how they might. It will boggle your mind to see things in another light.” — Dina Harrison 12. “Don’t judge us, especially if we stim.” — Mandy Rain 13. “Learn everything you can about autism, but don’t forget that we are individuals. Get to know me. What motivates me, what could cause a meltdown, what you can do to help me succeed? Take the time to ask my parents/teacher all about me, they know me best.” — AnneMarie Bill Martin 14. “If verbal instructions don’t seem to be working, try print versions based upon literacy skills. My sons are very bright, but you could tell them all day and they’ll miss part of it. Give it to them in written form, success every time.” — Elaine Bowen 15. “Don’t ever shout out orders. Always be calm. I know my daughter would freak out and shut down if things were too fast- paced and instructions were being thrown at her left and right.” — April Charisse 16. “Structure and routine will help create the best environment.” — Laura Hershberger 17. “Be very concrete. What you ask for is what you will get.” — Christi Roberts 18. “Same rules should apply to every human. Everything we learned in kindergarten still apples. Kindness, acceptance and patience are required. Also, research please. Some people think when they know one person on the autism spectrum they know them all. Well, each person is unique. Just don’t forget that.” — Migdalia Matos Convery 19. “Acknowledge their humanity above all else.” — Kenyatta Norwood Horne 20. “Accept [people with autism] for who they are and treat them with respect like everyone else.” — Kayla Locke 21. “Even if [employees with autism] don’t look at you and communicate with you, talk to them. Tell them about your day, tell them you hope they had a good day. Treat them like you would anyone else, even if they may not always be able to re spond and communicate back ‘appropriately.'” — Courtney Reitz 22. “Acceptance. Period, the end. No need for further comment.” — Cassandra Budreau-Dunn 23. “Be direct, honest and patient, don’t touch, yell or swear. You will have an amazing employee.” — Christine Joseph-Davies 24. “Understand how sensory overstimulation can be prevented, how to help when someone is overstimulated, and that most people with autism are much better with visual instruction and cues rather than verbal. Know how to communicate best with your employees and how to help them.” — Kathleen McKenna Nelson 25. “Don’t be degrading if we need reminders or if we don’t automatically know something that seems obvious. Our brains may ork differently than yours, but we’re still well aware when you’re treating us like we’re lower than you.” — Emma Wozny 26. “Change and transition are difficult for me. Give me time.” — Erin McKinney 27. “If all your employees were as dedicated, had such meticulous attention to detail, were as honest and reliable as people with autism, you wouldn’t have any concerns.” — Cheryl Joyce 28. “Keep an open mind and give us a chance. My current boss did, and I’m doing great at my current job!” — Sally Senft 29. “Make sure you spend individual time connecting with the person. Earn his/her trust.” — Kera Maxwell Washburn 30. “You might have the best and most loyal worker on your hands when you learn to tap into their strengths.” — Marisa Ul rich
30 Pieces of Advice for Employers Working With People With Autism
9
The PAC in Appleton
is offering two spe-
cial programs early
next year. Please
contact the PAC for
more information
as the performance
has limited availa-
bility.
920-730-3726
10
11
Small, carefully controlled study finds gluten/casein-free diets don’t improve behavior or
bowel symptoms in kids with autism; larger studies needed.
September 15, 2015 Autism Speaks
A small, carefully controlled study found no improvement in behavior, autism symptoms, sleep patterns
or bowel habits when children with autism were placed on a gluten-free, casein-free diet. But the re-searchers caution that larger studies are needed to determine whether there are small subgroups of chil-dren who would benefit. The diet is popular among families who have children with autism. Some propose that gluten (a protein found in wheat and some other grains) and casein (a protein found in dairy products) can worsen autism symptoms by causing inflammation in the gut that spreads to the brain. The study findings appear online in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders.
In the study, the researchers first placed 14 children with autism, ages 3 to 5 years, on a gluten/casein-free diet for 4 to 6 weeks. Then, over the following 12 weeks, they sent home look-alike, taste-alike snacks and meals that either contained gluten and/or casein or were gluten/casein-free. Neither re-searchers nor parents knew when a child was getting food containing gluten and/or casein until the end of the study. Meanwhile, parents completed detailed questionnaires on their children’s behaviors, sleep patterns and bowel movements. (Many children with autism suffer from chronic constipation and/or diarrhea.) When the researchers broke the code to see when each child received gluten and/or casein foods, they found no pattern of improvement or worsening of behavior or other issues. At the same time, the researchers found that – with nutritional counseling – families can adopt a glu-ten/casein-free diet without causing nutritional deficiencies in their children. They call for larger studies enrolling more children to see if there is a small subset of children whose au-tism symptoms are helped by the diet. Such studies need to ensure that neither parents nor researchers know when children are eating gluten and/or casein, they say, so that expectations don’t influence re-sults. The research was led by Susan Hyman, who co-leads the Autism Speaks Autism Treatment Network site at the University of Rochester Medical Center. It was supported by research grants from the National Institutes of Health and the University of Rochester.
For more on the study, also see “Autism Isn’t Helped by Gluten-Free Diet: Study,” in the Wall Street Journal.
Study: Gluten/casein-free diet doesn’t improve autism symptoms
ASFV Safety Scholarships Available
Gizmo Pals — GPS Monitors
Here are the links to the GPS monitors/watches.
Verizon has Gizmo Pals http://www.verizonwireless.com/connected-
devices/gizmopal/
AT&T has Filip 2 http://www.att.com/devices/filip/filip-2.html
The Autism Society of the Fox Valley offers three (3) safety scholarships—up to
$250 each. Families who need assistance purchasing additional locks, alarms,
fence gates, or anything to help ensure safety measures can be taken for your child
can apply.
Just send a short letter explaining what your needs are and the expense you expect
to incur. The ASFV board will vote on your request at the next board meeting.
You will then be notified via email or mail. If your scholarship is approved, pro-
vide a receipt and you will be reimbursed for up to $250. You must be a member
of the Autism Society of the Fox Valley to be considered.
Send the email to: [email protected] and in the subject line write "ASFV
Safety Scholarship". You may also send a letter to ASFV, 1800 Appleton Rd.,
Menasha WI 54952.
For office use only
Date Rec’d_________ Check # __________ Amount $ _________
Membership Application
Date of Application_______________________
Name ________________________________________________________________________________
Street Address __________________________________________________________________________
City, State, Zip ________________________________________ Phone ( ) _______________________
Email _________________________________________ ASW is going green! To receive a printed copy of the newsletter, please check here
Autism Society of the Fox Valley (ASFV) Autism Society of Central Wisconsin (ASCW)
Autism Society of the Lakeshore (ASL) Autism Society of Chippewa Valley (ASCV)
_____Bill my Master Card/VISA Card #____________________________________ Exp Date____________
Authorized signature ____________________________________________
_____Check enclosed, check #______________
Additional contribution (tax deductible).
_____ $25 _____$50 _____$100 _____ $ (Other)
Please send your completed membership form and payment to: Autism
Society of Wisconsin
1477 Kenwood Drive, Menasha, WI 54952
Fax (920) 558-4611
If you have questions, email ASW at [email protected] or call 888-428-8476.
The Autism Society of Wisconsin (ASW) shares membership with the local Autism Society affiliates listed below. By checking a local
affiliate, you will join both the state and local affiliate and receive member benefits from both. To become a member of only the state
affiliate, leave this section blank. To become a member of the Autism Society of America, the Autism Society of South Central Wiscon-
sin and the Autism Society of Southeastern Wisconsin and to find out more about their membership benefits, please contact them sepa-
rately.
Outagamie, Winnebago, Calumet, Fond du Lac and Waupaca Counties
Clark, Forest, Langlade, Lincoln, Marathon, Oneida, Portage,
Price, Taylor and Wood Counties.
Manitowoc, Sheboygan, Calumet, Kewaunee and Door Counties
Sawyer, Polk, Barron, Rusk, St. Croix, Dunn, Chippewa, Pierce,
Pepin, Eau Claire, Buffalo, Trempealeau and Jackson Counties.
Autism Society of Northeast Wisconsin(ASNEW) Brown,
Shawano, Oconto, Florence, Menomonie and Marinette Counties.
Autism Society of South Central Wisconsin, autismsouthcentral.org or [email protected]
Autism Society of Southeastern Wisconsin, www.assew.org
(414) 988-1260. Autism Society of America, www.autism-society.org or
1-800-3-autism.
Membership Categories : Individual ($12) _____ Family ($15) ____ New Member _____ Renewing Member_____ (Select one) (Select one)
Newsletter Submissions
Articles of interest, stories/poetry of persons with autism, book reviews and
upcoming conferences or workshops are accepted. Submissions can be sent to:
Diane Nackers, 8042 Sequaro Ct, Neenah WI 54956 email:
Submission deadlines are November 30, February 28, May 15, and August
15 . Responsibility for accuracy of information remains that of the author of
the article.
Articles from this publication may be reprinted, giving credit to the author and
ASFV. The ASFV Editorial Review Board reserves the right to edit or refuse
submissions.
Autism Society of the Fox Valley
1800 Appleton Rd.
Menasha, WI 54952
(920) 968-6829
Email: [email protected]
ASFV Board Members
Diane Nackers, MS CCC-SLP —
President
Ann Olson—Vice President
Bob Olson—Treasurer
Heidi Dahle— Secretary
Steve Brennan
Archna Hendricks, MD
Kristin Wahl
Chad Leder
Andy Teska
Like Us on Facebook
Autism Society of the Fox Valley
Website: www.autismfoxvalley.org
New email: [email protected].
All social outings: [email protected]