Volume 23, Number 11 www.accesspress.org November 10, 2012

Dale Street Place - p. 14

“Above and beyond thequestion of how to growthe economy there is alegitimate concern abouthow to grow the quality ofour lives.” — Paul Wellstone

NEWS DIGEST

INSIDE

2012 award winnerVan Heuveln exemplifies spirit ofcommunity activism, self-advocacy

Nonprofit Org.U.S. Postage

PAIDTwin Cities. MNPermit No. 4766

Address Service Requested

MN-CCDpoised to makekey changes

Dale Street Place provides needed housing option

Accessible Fun, pg 11

Events, pg 12

People & Places,pg 5, 7, 10

Radio Talking Book, pg 13

Regional News, pg 6

MN-CCD - p. 3

Charles “Chuck” Van Heuveln received astanding ovation as he accepted the 2012Charlie Smith award.

Photo courtesy of Rick Cardenas

Handi Medical honored — Page 7

2012 Charlie Award winner - p. 10

The Rev. Jim Erlandson and social worker Bret Byfield talked aboutthe importance of housing for people with disabilities, at the DaleStreet Place grand reopening.

Photo courtesy of Community Housing Development Corporation

Rides, resources for Election Day

by Jane McClure

In St. Paul, people coping with mental illness and chemical dependency have a newly renovated place to call home. Two years and$12.5 million later, the Redeemer Arms Apartments have become Dale Street Place Apartments. The apartments provide stable, sup-

portive housing for adults with mental illness or chemical depen-dency issues. A large crowd celebrated the building reopeningOct. 23. Many toured the renovated structure to see newly remod-eled apartments, improved community spaces and an exercise room.Community Housing Development Corporation bought the buildingin 2011.

Community Housing Development Corporation is the largest non-profit provider of affordable housing in Minnesota, as owner ofmore than 2,780 apartments. Dale Street Place has 150 apartmentunits, 108 efficiency units and 42 one-bedroom units. Rents rangefrom $455 to $780. Low-income residents living in the building’s82 Section 8 units pay 30 percent of their income, rather than afixed rate.

The apartments are for people who have experienced or who areat risk of experiencing long-term homelessness. Residents must ei-ther have a disability and/or be at least 62 years old. Residents mustearn less than $17,640 per year. Most earn less than $10,000 peryear.

Stable homes for adults with mental illness and chemical depen-

by Access Press staff

The Minnesota Consor-tium for Citizens with Dis-abilities (MN-CCD) contin-ues to implement a reorgani-zation plan that will bringmany changes for the peopleand groups it serves. MN-CCD members groups heardan update on the plan duringthe annual meeting Oct. 29.

Joel Ulland of UCarechaired the reorganizationcommittee, which formedtwo years ago. The groupspent a year planning andexploring reorganizationideas. The past year wasspent implementing thoseideas, after a vote of ap-proval in 2011

MN-CCD will be a stand-alone 501 c 4 nonprofitgroup, with an executive di-rector and part-time adminis-trative assistant. The non-profit designation will allowthe 18-year-old organizationto continue to lobby on be-half of people with disabili-ties and disability serviceand advocacy groups.

The executive director willbe the lead contact for legisla-tors and other policymakers.

The goal is to have staffon board in early 2013. Ap-plications for the executivedirector job closed Nov. 9.Interviews are to take placein November and December.

Eagle Scout project willmake back yard a pleas-ant and accessible place.Page 5.

It’s hard to believe thatthe session is just aroundthe corner. Legislativepriorities have beenchosen for 2013, byMN-CCD.Page 3.

Vern Bloom, who taughtat Augsburg for years,was a mentor and friendto many.Page 4.

Handi-Medical has wona national award forexcellence.Page 7

Many people enjoyedAccess Press’ annualCharlie Smith AwardBanquet. Are you in thepicture?Pages 8-9

by Access Press staff“You’ve got to fight for what you want” was

a key message from the 2012 Access PressCharlie Smith Award winner. Charles “Chuck”Van Heuveln and his supporters recounted hisyears of community and self-advocacy duringhis speech Nov. 2 at the annual banquet, whichwas held at the Minneapolis Airport Marriott inBloomington.

The event celebratesMinnesota’s disability com-munity and its accomplish-ments. The evening in-cluded a preview of an up-coming film aboutMinnesota’s disabilitymovement and the role ofthe news media, whichdrew cheers. The film willbe released in spring 2013.Former Access Press Boardmember Anita Schermerwas honored for her yearsof service to the newspaper.But the main draw was VanHeuveln and his years ofactivism.

Van Heuveln is the tenthperson honored with theaward, which has beengiven since 2003. Manypast award winners were onhand for this year’s event.Previous award winners Anne Henry joinedveteran activist Mel Duncan in introducingVan Heuveln. Both Henry and Duncan areamong those who have worked with VanHeuveln on legislative issues.

Duncan described Van Heuveln as “one ofthose historic figures that few ever hear any-thing about” and noted he was present at the

dawn of Minnesota’s disability rights move-ment. The two met in 1972 at United CerebralPalsy and began working on election issues.Van Heuveln worked for years to force re-moval of architectural barriers, promote acces-sible transportation and reduce physical andpaperwork barriers to voting. He was involvedin efforts to change a past practice that had re-

quired that all absenteeballots be notarized be-fore submission, a rulethat made it difficult formany people to vote.

He was a leader ofwhat became Triple I orIndependence for Im-paired Individuals, agroup Access Pressfounding editor CharlieSmith was its first execu-tive director.

Van Heuveln wasclosely involved in was toadd the word “disability”to state human rights law;removing demeaning lan-guage from most Minne-sota legislation. He alsoled efforts to allow a rub-ber signature stamp to bea person’s legal signature.Yet another focus for himwas to make sure that all

public transportation would be accessible topeople with disabilities.

Van Heuveln’s most recent battle, wagedduring the 2012 session of the Minnesota Leg-islature, was to force charges to Medical Assis-tance for Employed Persons with Disabilities(MA-EPD). The program allows people with

Pg 2 November 10, 2012 Volume 23, Number 11

Pioneering pastor struggled to find transportationHISTORY NOTE

EDITOR’S DESKTim Benjamin

Editorial submissions and news releases on topics of interest to persons withdisabilities, or persons serving those with disabilities, are welcomed. Wereserve the right to edit all submissions. Editorial material does not necessarilyreflect the view of the editor/publisher of Access Press.

Paid advertising is available at rates ranging from $12 to $28 per column inch,depending on size and frequency of run. Classified ads are $14, plus 65 centsper word over 12 words. Advertising and editorial deadlines are the last dayof the month preceding publication, except for employment ads, which aredue by the 25th.

Access Press is a monthly tabloid newspaper published for persons withdisabilities by Access Press, Ltd. Circulation is 11,000, distributed the 10th ofeach month through more than 200 locations statewide. Approximately 450copies are mailed directly to individuals, including political, business,institutional and civic leaders. Subscriptions are available for $30/yr. Low-income, student and bulk subscriptions are available at discounted rates.

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Board of DirectorsBrigid AlsethSteve AndersonKristin JorenbyElin OhlssonHalle O'FalveyCarrie SalbergKay Willshire

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Volume 23, Number 11 • Periodicals Imprint: Pending ISSN

by Luther Granquist

In June 1972 Barbara Andrews was one of a groupof persons with disabilities who urged the Bill ofRights Committee of the Minnesota ConstitutionalStudy Commission to include a provision in the stateconstitution prohibiting discrimination on the basis ofdisability. Andrews, who had cerebral palsy and couldnot drive, described some of the transportation prob-lems she encountered in the Twin Cities in the 1960sand early 1970s while serving as a campus pastor at

the University of Minnesota and attending LutherSeminary in St. Paul.

“My main source of transportation has been the pri-vate cab companies of this area, some of whom haverefused me service from the very beginning though Iam able to get in and out of the average car with littleor no assistance. I was fortunate enough to travel withthe same cab company (Yellow Cab) from 1963 until1971 with few problems. In June of 1971 I was re-fused service, without warning, by that company,which claims to have a picture of the ramp leadinginto my house and further claims that it supplies in-sufficient access for a person of my needs. On the ba-sis of that picture, which I have never seen, the cabcompany in question claims that it cannot afford tohandle the high risk insurance it says is necessary insuch cases.”

Andrews recounted her attempts to get transportationfrom agencies designed to help persons with disabili-ties, “each one seemingly more expensive than theother.” The small suburban cab company (Town Taxi)that did provide her excellent service was unable totransport her throughout the entire metropolitan area.Even that company stipulated “that all drivers need notbe expected to transport handicapped people.”

Andrews received a Master of Divinity Degreefrom the seminary and in December 1970 became thefirst woman ordained by the American LutheranChurch. News accounts of her ordination were repub-lished in newspapers around the country. She becamean assistant pastor at the Edina Community LutheranChurch. In that context, she concluded her testimonyto the committee with this statement:

“As a handicapped person, I am met with a varietyof reactions by fellow handicapped persons. In manyways it looks like I’ve made it in both the straight andthe handicapped world, which makes me both an ob-ject of pride and envy. But whatever way one looks atme, it is a misnomer. I am intelligent and well-edu-cated and to some have achieved a certain degree ofsuccess, but all those things are being threatened by adecreasing mobility in a profession that demands mo-bility. ‘Hire the handicapped—it’s good business’ isonly a slogan as long as there is no way to get to thatjob, if and when you find it.”

The Constitutional Study Commission refused torecommend including a prohibition on discriminationon the basis of disability in the Minnesota Constitution,but the following year the Minnesota Legislature addeddiscrimination on the basis of disability to the Human

Rights Act and prohibitedcab companies from dis-criminating on that basis.Andrews died in Detroit

in 1978 in a fire in herapartment building.The complete text of her

testimony is included inWith an Eye to the Past onthe DD Council website atwww.mnddc.org/pastpdf70s/72/72-DTP-BNA.pdf ■The History Note is a

monthly column sponsoredby the MinnesotaGovernor’s Council onDevelopmental Disabili-ties, www.mncdd.org andwww.partnersinpolicymaking.com

About 140 people joined Access Press for the ninthannual Charlie Smith Award Banquet on November 2,and it was a blast! We gathered for dinner to honorChuck Van Heuveln, who was very excited about andhonored by the celebration. While many of the peoplewho attended knew of Chuck’s recent success in achiev-ing change in key provisions of Medical Assistance forEmployed Persons with Disabilities, most had not beenaware of the long history of Chuck’s legislative accom-plishments. Everyone learned that each of us with adisability has been positively affected by Chuck’s hardwork and his tenacity to make Minnesota better for us.

Luther Granquist, retired disability law attorney,emceed—and did an excellent job as he’s done in thepast. Luther is an icon in the disability communityand we are very proud to have him involved with Ac-cess Press. Soon Luther will move to California andwe’ll miss his history notes. He has said he will writesome from a distance—so let’s hope that he’ll feelhomesick about one day a month and get inspired towrite about Minnesota history.

Mel Duncan, who recently stepped down as Execu-tive Director of Nonviolent Peaceforce and is now theorganization’s Advocacy and Outreach Director, and

Anne Henry, an attorney at the Minnesota DisabilityLaw Center, the state-wide advocacy organization,both gave awesome speeches introducing Chuck tothe crowd. Mel talked about the 40 years he hasknown Chuck and how back in the early days Chuckand Charlie Smith crossed paths many times as theyadvocated for voting rights, accessibility and housingissues. Anne spoke about Chuck’s more recent ac-complishments, noting that they had only met lastyear when Chuck began advocating for removal of theage limitations on the MA-EPD program.

We started the night by showing a brief trailer of adocumentary film that Access Press is creating in col-laboration with some partners, thanks to the supportof UCare. The film, which will be released in thespring of 2013, looks at the legacy of media in sup-port of Minnesota’s disability community. The docu-mentary highlights the history of advocacy and activ-ism in Minnesota’s disability community and the roleof various media channels in getting the word out.We’re all very excited about this project, and if theresponse to the trailer is an example of what is tocome, it will be a real hit.

In another highlight of the night, Anita Schumerwas honored for her service on the Board of Directorsof Access Press. Anita has been a great help through-out her tenure. I’m very proud to be associated withevery member of the board. Chair Brigid Alseth andvice chair Carrie Salberg keep me on my toes, servingas valuable advocates and advisors, along with trea-surer Kay Wilshire, secretary Kristin Jorenby, Steve

Anderson, Elin Ohlsson and our newest member,Halle O’Falvey. We have one of the strongest boardsin my history as director.

Most of all, I want to publicly acknowledge JaneMcClure and Dawn Frederick for all their hard workin planning and managing the awards banquet. Withall they do in keeping Access Press thriving everysingle day, these two powerhouses support me in somany ways, I can’t thank them enough!

As we go to press we have just learned that we willhave four more years with President Barack Obama. Ionly hope that the president will have a better time withlegislators and that both sides can compromise. Thepresident has some tweaking to do on the AffordableCare Act (ObamaCare) to get it to the point where it willbe a true success and good for all of us in the disabilitycommunity. I have confidence that Minnesota will beone of the leaders in forging ahead with healthcare forpeople with disabilities. Another huge struggle will begetting people back to work in well-paid employment.I’m also hoping for education funding so that individualscan get the education they need to earn a living doingwhat they are good at and want to do.

The constitutional amendment for voter ID was notpassed. People with disabilities and senior citizenswill not be disenfranchised by requirements that arecostly and not needed. The marriage amendment didnot pass, either; so as far as I can tell, nothing ischanged. But so far, the majority of Minnesotans saidwe don’t have to restrict our definitions of marriage toone man, one woman.

What a month! Plenty to be grateful for whenThanksgiving comes. Until next time, stay warm. ■

November 10, 2012 Volume 23, Number 11 Pg 3

MN-CCD - p. 1

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“We hope to have someone in place before the startof the legislative session,” Ulland said. The Minne-sota Legislature starts its 2013 session Jan. 8.

MN-CCD will also move its offices from The ArcMinnesota, where it has been located for more thanfour years, to The Arc Greater Twin Cities. Organiza-tions were asked earlier this year to submit proposalsto host MN-CCD and several groups responded.

Having an executive director will give MN-CCD aconsistent spokesperson at the state capitol and in otherleadership situations, according to a task force report re-leased last year. The restructuring will also allow MN-CCD to meet several goals including broadly enhanc-ing the political power of Minnesota’s disability com-munity, strengthening the group’s effectiveness and pro-viding opportunities to build a stronger identity for MN-CCD. Other benefits of the reorganization cited includeenabling MN-CCD to become financially independent.

The organization will move on without two long-time leaders. Veteran MN-CCD Co-Chairman SteveLarson, public policy director for The Arc Minnesota,is stepping down from the organization’s board tomake way for new leadership. Larson said he willcontinue to work closely with the organization.

Anni Simons, the MN-CCD senior policy and pro-gram manager, left her duties Nov. 5 to become agovernment relations specialist at the law firm ofFredrikson and Byron. She worked with MN-CCD for4½ years and is credited with helping MN-CCD growin political power, greatly expand its grassroots ef-forts, and evolve into a due- paying organization.

Until a new MN-CCD director is hired, Simons andboard members will help out.

Simons said she will miss MN-CCD. “But I cer-tainly hope and expect that all of our paths will con-tinue to cross,” she said. ■

Priorities include personal care attendant pay rates

MN-CCD will be out in force at the state capitol in 2013.Self-advocates will be there, many with homemade signs.

Access Press file photo

by Jane McClure

When the 2013 Minnesota Legislature gavels intosession Jan. 8, the Minnesota Consortium for Citizenswith Disabilities (MN-CCD) will be ready with its leg-islative agenda. However, leaders of the state’s disabil-ity groups are all too aware that many uncertainties re-main about the session. That means the agenda adoptedOct. 29 at MN-CCD’s annual meeting could see changes.

“We have to think of this (legislative agenda) as aguiding document,” said Anni Simons. MN-CCD’spoint person on public policy. “We also have to un-derstand that it’s a dynamic, changing document.”

State House and Senate seats, and the political bal-ance of each body, were up for grabs in the Nov. 6election. That could bring changes in leadership to theHouse and Senate, and to committees. Changes at thefederal level could also play a role in terms of effectson state programs and services.

MN-CCD legislative subcommittees reviewed dis-ability community issues for several months. Eachcommittee brought forward its priority issues. MN-CCD members reviewed the subcommittees’ work inSeptember. Each member organization then rankedissues by importance, to set the final agenda.

Another unknown on some issues, such as disabilitywaiver rates, is that proposals still are taking shape.“We don’t know what the proposal is yet, so we don’tknow how to support it,” said Steve Larson of The ArcMinnesota, MN-CCD’s outgoing co-chairman.

About 30 proposals were taken and melded into fourmajor themes, said Simons. Although the agenda con-tains a list of the 30 items, MN-CCD and its individualmember groups will easily be following 100 differentissues and dozens and dozens of bills. One future taskbefore the session starts is to find out which organiza-tions are taking the lead on specific issues.

The first priority for 2013 is to repeal the 20 per-cent cut in rates for family members who serve as per-sonal care attendants or PCAs. The second-highestpriority is to support the passage of Reform 2020

components related to increased coordination of acuteand long-term care services. The third priority is tosupport the inclusion of critical disability services inthe essential benefit set established in conjunctionwith Minnesota’s Health Insurance Exchange.

Other aspects of Reform 2020 ranked fourth andfifth, passage of components related to increased“Self Directed” options within the service system, andcomponents related to transitioning from the currentPCA program into Community First Services andSupports, and actively work to shape the operationaldetails of this transition process and new service.

Other priorities in the top 10 list include support ofcomponents of the Disability Waivers Rate Systemthat ensure access to quality long-term services andsupports for Minnesota’s disability community; re-duce use of prone restraints in schools; and supportincreased autism services coverage through Medicaidand private insurance. MN-CCD also supports com-ponents of the Disability Waivers Rate System thatensure access to quality employment support servicesfor Minnesota’s disability community and supportspassage of recommendations from the Care Integra-tion and Payment Reform work group.

One of the four areas of focus is Reform 2020. Asdetails of Reform 2020 are further developed duringthe 2013 session, MN-CCD will support specific com-ponents of this redesign initiative that increase accessto high- quality services for Minnesotans with dis-abilities in the areas of employment supports, Com-munity First Services and Supports, increased coordi-nation of acute and long term care services, self-di-rected services, and the Demonstration of InnovativeApproaches to Service Coordination for Children.

A second focus is the Disability Waiver Rate System.Fundamental components of the system are expected toadvance during the 2013 legislative session. MN-CCDwill support system components that preserve the abilityof organizations to provide critical disability servicesincluding health and long-term care services, employ-

ment supports and increased residential options.The third area is state healthcare reforms, as state

lawmakers are expected to move forward with a num-ber of reforms this session. MN-CCD will work toensure that the critical healthcare needs of the disabil-ity community are reflected in these reforms throughthe inclusion of specific services in the Health Insur-ance Exchange essential benefit set and the advance-ment of the recommendations of the Care Integrationand Payment Reform work group.

MN-CCD will support additional policy changesLegistative wrap up - p. 7

Pg 4 November 10, 2012 Volume 23, Number 11

MY TURNHappy Thanksgiving

For people with cerebral palsy,gluttony isn’t necessarily a sinby Emma Wagner

Thanksgiving is coming up soon. A dinner of turkey, mashed potatoes, gravyand dessert of pumpkin pie, will likely be served. For people who have ambulatorycerebral palsy (CP) intake of calories should not be an issue. Medical profession-als often compare having CP to walking up stairs all day in terms of a person usingestimated twice as much energy just walking, as someone who does not have thecondition, uses walking up stairs.

There are advantages to having ambulatory cerebral palsy: due to the amount ofenergy they use to walk, people who have the condition burn approximately threeto five times more calories over the course of a day than people who do not haveit. A result of burning calories by using energy, being overweight is not particu-larly a concern.

Regulation of weight is an issue in American culture. Many people in the UnitedStates have issues with weight, whether it is being overweight or underweight.Regulating weight can be difficult even when it would not seem like an issue. Forexample, a person who is not overweight may be conscious of how many caloriesthey take in. People who do not have CP might worry about gaining weight even ifthey are in good shape physically. Being weight-conscious can lead people to eatfoods they think are healthy, but they actually are not, such as, foods marketed aslow-fat or non-fat.

It is not as if gluttony is a sin. It is actually good for individuals who have ambu-latory cerebral palsy, to consistently eat portions of high-calorie foods becausethey will not be able to hold the calories in for long periods of time. Whatever theyeat, they burn off calories.

Calorie burning has led to concern among nutritionists about malnutrition inpeople who have ambulatory cerebral palsy. Depending on their level ofambulation, people who have ambulatory cerebral palsy might burn off caloriesquickly and therefore be low in weight, so weight gain is healthy for them. Thismeans people who have CP can eat foods that people may be wary of, such as ameal consisting of things like ribs, a baked potato, and corn, and still be able todevour a hot fudge sundae for dessert without having to worry about calories.

Who would have thought it? In a culture concerned with weight regulation, hav-ing ambulatory cerebral palsy can be an advantage; it is necessary to eat high-calo-rie foods on a regular basis and there is not much concern about unhealthy weightgain. A disability that requires a large amount of energy use can be a good thing.■

Bloom opened doors for college students with disabilitiesIn Memoriam

by Clarence Schadegg

People who attend Augsburg College in Minneapolis may see students with dis-abilities hurrying from one class or building to another. It was not always like that.Prior to the 1970s, Augsburg College wasn’t accessible to students with disabili-ties. Vern Bloom, who died Oct. 20 at age 78, was one of the people who helpedopen Augsburg to all.

Bloom began teaching at Augsburg College in the 1960s. He taught social work,graduate and undergraduate levels, sociology and a periodic anthropology class. Bloomwas also director of the Community Human Resources Program, the Center for theEducation of Nontraditional Students and Augsburg’s College of the Third Age.

Bloom saw the value of inclusion of people with disabilities at Augsburg. Thisdiversity enriched the Augsburg College experience for students with and withoutdisabilities. The classes he taught and the programs he directed included peoplewith disabilities. He negotiated with staff members who at the time were less thanwilling to include in their classes people with disabilities.

In the 1970s, students with disabilities began coming to Augsburg from residen-tial facilities. Until his retirement Bloom recruited people with disabilities to at-tend classes at Augsburg College. I was one of those students. I was legally blindat the time. Bloom found ways for me to settle into the Augsburg College experi-ence.

Bloom was my supervisor for my University of Minnesota graduate level intern-ship at Augsburg College. That was in 1985. Since then, he and I worked togetheron many projects on and off of the Augsburg College campus. He often invited meto speak to his Augsburg students on campus as well as in prisons on subjects in-cluding blindness, aging and disability.

He also invited me to co-coordinate a daylong conference in 2008 called OpenDoors. Open Doors was held at Wesley United Methodist Church, a faith commu-nity recognized as progressive and as a change-agent. Open Doors included peoplewho worked with prison inmates as well as people from various faith communities.

My life was made better because of Vern Bloom. I came to know and appreciateVern as my mentor, teacher and friend. His death left me feeling stunned and sad-dened. It is a huge understatement that Vern Bloom will be missed. His legacy isthat he guided people out of their comfort zones and institutional complacency toones that became more accessible and inclusive to a variety of people with dis-abilities.

Good-bye, my friend. Rest in the knowledge that you will not be forgotten. Pio-neers like you are never forgotten. Rest my friend in the know that you had walkedthe talk. You showed people around you the valuable contributions of people withdisabilities.

Vern Bloom’s memorial gathering is 1-4 p.m. Sun., Nov. 11 at Cremation Soci-ety of Minnesota, 4343 Nicollet Ave S., Minneapolis. ■

Maynard Reynolds changed education

Maynard Reynolds, a pioneer of mainstreaming in education, died Oct. 16. Hewas 90 and lived in North Oaks. Reynolds was the former chairman of the Univer-sity of Minnesota Department of Special Education. He was a professor for 38years. He is considered one of the architects of the Americans with DisabilitiesAct (ADA).

“People were just a little bit horrified,” Sue Rose, coordinator of Special Educa-tion Programs at the University of Minnesota and a longtime colleague, told theStar Tribune. “They said, ‘You’re taking these kids who have problems and keep-ing them in a general education classroom where regular education teachers don’tknow how to work with them.’ His premise was ‘let’s do a better job of teaching all

kids well across the board.’”Adaptive mainstreaming isnow commonplace.

Reynolds grew up in afamily that lived with dis-abilities. His mother taughtelementary school, even aftershe developed glaucoma thatleft her nearly 100 percentblind. His father lost hishearing.

Reynolds served inWorld War II in the Solomon

In memoriam - p. 14

Ellen Houghton952-404-9981

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November 10, 2012 Volume 23, Number 11 Pg 5

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Eagle Scout project helps residentsIndividuals living at Northport, a Lutheran Social

Service of Minnesota (LSS) home for adults with de-velopmental disabilities in the Minneapolis area, arelooking forward to more afternoons spent at theirneighborhood park and hosting gatherings in theirback yard. That’s because an Eagle Scout’s finalproject brought philanthropy and service together tocreate a more accessible community.

At the suggestion of his Pastor, Erik Newlandpartnered with Lutheran Church of the Good Shep-herd—his scout troop sponsor—and Lutheran SocialServices to design a project that would fulfill hisscouting requirements and a personal desire to helpimprove quality of life for people with disabilities.

With help from a grant awarded by the church’s

foundation, Newland planned and led construction ofa concrete pathway to form a direct route around thehome, providing safe and quick access to the backyard and park. The $3,500 gift covered the entire costof the project.

“When Erik approached me about an idea for hisEagle Scout project, I knew working with LSS wouldbe a perfect fit for him,” said Pastor DeborahSamuelson. “Our foundation encourages stewardshipand service and we wanted to do all we could to sup-port his endeavor.”

Financial backing wasn’t the only support he re-ceived. Building materials including gravel, sand andpavers were provided at a discounted price fromKlier’s Nursery & Garden Center, Minneapolis. Asfor the labor, he enlisted Boy Scout Troop 6, his fam-ily, friends, and congregation to roll up their sleevesand get the job done.

“My grandfather uses a wheelchair, and thestruggle to cope with it has been quite hard on him

and our family,” Newland said. “Hearing about howhard it is for individuals at Northport to do somethingas simple as enjoy the backyard was sad. I’m happythat I could build this path for them and help improvetheir community.”

“This project was a huge undertaking and I am soimpressed with Erik’s initiative,” said PerChomdokmai, designated coordinator for LSS. “Thenew path and patio means that people we serve willbe able to safely access their own back yard wheneverthey want to; an inherent part of the American cultureand social experience. We really appreciate the gen-erosity of Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd andthe support of Erik’s scout troop and family. Withoutany of them, this would not have been possible.”

The concrete pathway was to be finished before theend of October. The crew will return in April to finishlandscaping and plant flowers. Newland expects toreceive the Eagle Scout honor at a recognition cer-emony this winter. ■

Keprios wins national excellence award

The Arc’s National Conference of Executives hon-ored Kim Keprios, chief executive officer of The ArcGreater Twin Cities, with the 2012 Executive Excel-lence Award. She received the award at The Arc’sNational Convention and International Forum inWashington, D.C., Oct. 25-28. The Executive Excel-lence Award is the convention’s highest honor. It rec-ognizes an individual whose career exemplifies thefulfillment of the mission, core values and positionstatements of The Arc.

Keprios was nominated for the award in recogni-tion of her 30th anniversary with The Arc GreaterTwin Cities. She joined Arc Hennepin County in1982 as community services director. She became ex-ecutive director in 1986 and has led the chapterthrough mergers with Arc Carver County and ArcGreat Rivers. Today she is the chief executive officerof The Arc Greater Twin Cities, which serves theseven-county metro area and is the largest chapter ofThe Arc in Minnesota.

Under Keprios’ leadership, The Arc Greater TwinCities has developed strong individual advocacy, self-advocacy and public policy initiatives focused onself-determination and community building for peoplewith intellectual and developmental disabilities andtheir families. These initiatives include future plan-ning, special education, work preparedness and, mostrecently, abuse prevention and mentoring. ■

Housing program achieves milestone

A program that helps Minnesotans with disabilitiesfind safe, affordable housing surpassed the 500 markin moving individuals to homes of their own this year.Housing Access Services is a partnership of The Arcof Minnesota and the Minnesota Department of Hu-man Services that helps adults of all ages who are eli-gible for Medical Assistance home care or waiverprograms and want to move to homes of their own.

Program staff accompanies people as they look forhousing. They help with completing rental applica-tions and lease agreements, meeting and negotiatingwith landlords and property staff, application fees anddeposits, finding affordable furnishings and packingand moving belongings. Staff ensures that people whocan work are close to places of employment and ser-vices, such as transportation, that will allow them towork. Recently staff has worked to ensure that par-ticipants in the program are receiving benefits theymay be entitled to through the federal SupplementalNutrition Assistance Program and other programs.

Currently the program is increasing its efforts toconnect people to nutrition programs and employmentsupports for which they may be eligible. Among the566 people who have moved since the programstarted in September 2009 are adults who had beenliving in their family home and others who moved toresidences of their own from group homes, assistedliving or from being homeless. ■

Health reform expert named Minnesota Medicaid director

Carol Backstrom, an administrator experienced in health care administration and reform at the state and fed-eral levels, has been named state Medicaid director. She began work at the Minnesota Department of HumanServices on Nov. 5.

Backstrom had served as a senior policy advisor at the Center for Medicaid and CHIP Services, part of thefederal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. In this role she has served as liaison with state partners increating and implementing reforms in Medicaid programs across the country. Before that she served as assis-tant to the commissioner for health reform at the Minnesota Department of Health, overseeing implementationof state health reform legislation passed in 2008.

Minnesota is a leader in advancing Medicaid reforms. In August, Minnesota became the first state to winfederal approval for its Health Care Delivery Demonstration, an effort to improve care for enrollees while sav-

ing taxpayer dollars. Minnesota has also implemented competitive bidding for pro-

PEOPLE & PLACES

Eagle Scout candidate Erik Newland stands by his projectto improve accessibility.

Photo courtesy of Lutheran Social Services

People and places - p. 14

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Pg 6 November 10, 2012 Volume 23, Number 11

REGIONAL NEWSGuardians cannot end life support

A Hennepin County District Court judge has ruledthat guardians cannot order their wards to be removedfrom life support. The right-to-die issue could haveimplications for many of the plus-12,000 Minnesotanscurrently under guardianship. The Oct. 18 ruling byJudge Jay Quam is the first time the issue has beenaddressed by a state court.

The case involved Jeffers Tschumy, 57, who diedlast spring. Tschumy, who had cognitive disabilities,had been under guardianship since 2008. He lived in a

group home before choking on food in April 2012. Hecouldn’t be revived and was declared severely braindamaged with little hope for recovery. He had noknown family and no health care directive on file.

Allina Health Systems filed a motion asking thatTschumy be removed from life support. Allina askedthat either Tschumy’s guardian be allowed to makethat decision or that the court make the decision. Theguardian’s attorney and an attorney representingTschumy’s interest agreed with that decision. Quamauthorized the termination of life support in May, butdenied the guardian’s request for the sole power tomake that decision.

Quam’s October ruling elaborates on his May deci-sion. He wrote that although guardians have a strongcase to make end-of-life decisions under the state law

that allows them to withhold or allow medical care,that law doesn’t specifically allow them to terminatelife support. Until the Minnesota Legislature decidesto revisit the issue and change state law, only a judgeor a legally authorized representative can allow lifesupport to be removed.

In his ruling, Quam stated, “Simply stated, if theLegislature intended to give a guardian the power toend the ward’s life, it would have explicitly done so.”Quam wrote. “The Court does not believe that theLegislature intended a subtle inference in a statute tobestow on 12,000 guardians around the state the mostawesome power imaginable over the life of another.”■

[Source: Star Tribune]

We Can Ride must ride awayWe Can Ride, a program that provides horse therapy for people with disabilities, had to saddle up and ride

away from its longtime home at the University of Minnesota St. Paul campus. The program moved out Oct. 23-24. The horses and equipment were relocated to Hastings.

The program has other facilities in the region but the U of M site was the only one in the city. University of-ficials didn’t renew We Can Ride’s lease. College of Veterinary Medicine officials said they ended the rela-tionship reluctantly. The university needs space for its own programs, couldn’t afford to help the nonprofit anylonger and faced the possible loss of accreditation for housing the program and its horses.

Brad Thorsen is the group’s executive director. Thorsen told KSTP-TV, “We did not plan for this to happen.”Therapy sessions will start in Hastings by spring.[Source: KSTP-TV, Star Tribune]

Scooter is stolen, then replacedA St. Paul man with a malignant brain tumor had his mobility scooter stolen in October. The scooter was re-

placed by the law firm Schwebel Goetz and Sieben but the original hasn’t been found.George Hensley, 45, needs a scooter to travel any distance. He used the scooter to take a dog for walks, and

to out by himself. The scooter was stolen from the yard of his home.Hensley’s brain tumor was diagnosed in February 2011, and he’s undergone radiation and chemotherapy.

When Hensley got out of the hospital, he couldn’t walk. He used a wheelchair and is starting to walk on hisown now, but still needs a scooter for longer distances. The Pride-brand scooter is blue and has three graywheels, handlebars and an attached battery-operated push light. It has a gray cloth seat with a black wheelchairseat atop.

If you have any information on the theft, call the St. Paul Police at 651-291-1111. ■[Source: Pioneer Press]

Special education center eyedThe North St. Paul-Maplewood-Oakdale district,

which serves students in Washington and Ramseycounties, wants to renovate the North St. Paul com-munity center for $2.5 million early next year andthen open a special education center there next fall.The district believes it can save on tuition costs forstudents who now are being sent elsewhere for specialprograms. But the proposal is not just about savingmoney, said Karon Joyer, district director of specialservices. She believes students will be better served ina central facility. In addition, parents can take comfortknowing their children are within their home district.

Joyer said the refurbished building would offer stu-dents access to a gymnasium, creative arts spaces andthe city’s Ramsey County branch library. The com-munity center is currently losing money.

Emotional behavioral disorder programs, work-based learning and the TEEP (Therapeutic Elemen-tary Education Program) would be housed in thebuilding if it gets school district, city and state ap-provals. ■

[Source: Star Tribune]

Regional News - p. 15

November 10, 2012 Volume 23, Number 11 Pg 7

PEOPLE & PLACESHandi Medical wins national honors

Handi Medical Supply has been honored with the2012 Home Medical Equipment (HME) ExcellenceAward. Company officials attribute the award largelyto Handi Medical’s focus on mission, vision and val-ues. It is a company born out of one owner’s personalexperiences and ability to see where change wasneeded. The company is based in St. Paul’s Midwayarea and serves a large national clientele.

Handi Medical Supply provides home medicalequipment and supplies both locally in store and na-tionally online at www.handimedical.com.

The HME Excellence Award recognizes one com-

Mike Bailey and Mary Benhardus celebrated HandiMedical’s recent award.

Photo courtesy of Home Medical Equipment News

pany each year as the Best HME Provider, withjudges evaluating company performance in categoriesincluding financial, community involvement, staffingand quality control.

The award was presented in September at the HomeMedical Equipment (HME) News Business Summit inPittsburgh. Two other firms were also honored. Blue-grass Oxygen of Lexington, Ky., won the award forBest Home Respiratory Provider. Home Health Depotof Indianapolis won the award for Best Rehab Tech-nology Provider. HME News received more than 70applications for this year’s awards. HME News isbased in Yarmouth, ME.

This year’s judges were consultants MiriamLieber,Karen Moore and Christopher Sizemore.

Handi Medical was founded in 1988 by Mary Ben-hardus. She owns and operates the business with herhusband Shann, Mike Bailey (CEO) and many keyemployees. Handi Medical has always emphasizedtheir values. Mary Benhardus’ original vision forHandi Medical began during her employment as apersonal care attendant (PCA) and student. When shecalled home medical supply companies to order sup-plies or to have a wheelchair repaired, she found wait-ing periods to be long and the service inadequate forthe needs of her clients.

Addressing the need to properly serve the customer,she borrowed money from her grandfather and startedHandi Medical Supply. She defined their mission sim-ply as “to enrich lives,” and has since witnessed thecompany’s growth rise above industry averages.

With more than 80 employees, Handi Medical Sup-ply maintains a spirit of volunteerism and community

involvement which played a large role in the nomina-tion for the 2012 HME Excellence Award. HandiMedical has a long record of community service atthe local and national levels.

In addition to their Joint Commission accreditationand their finalist position for the Better BusinessBureau’s Integrity Award, Bailey said of the award,“It validates for me that we have selected the correctbusiness model in serving both our internal and exter-nal customers.”

Mary and Shann Benhardus added their sentimentsin response to the award. “We are both so proud towin the 2012 HME Excellence Award because it con-firms to all that Handi Medical Supply is blessed withgreat, quality people who strive to enrich the lives ofour customers each and every day,” the couple said ina statement. “Without the dedication to excellencefrom all of our team members, winning this awardwould not have been possible.”

In 2004 Mary Benhardus served on the first-everCMS’s Program Advisory and Oversight Committeefor competitive bidding. The committee provided ad-vice on implementing competitive bidding related tofinancial standards, data collection, quality standardsand proposals for interaction among manufacturers,suppliers and individuals.

At the time, she expressed concern that decisionsnot be made by people who don’t provide services.She also said that the concerns needed to be focusedon those who receive services.

For more information on the HME ExcellenceAwards, including photos of the 2012 award winners,go to hmeexcellenceawards.com/index.php ■

A Minnesota couple who farm and who provideneeded medical equipment, a group serving veteransand the longtime director of Southeast MinnesotaCenter for Independent Living (SEMCIL) are amongthe 2012 Minnesota State Council on Disability

(MNSCOD) award winners. They were honored Oct.18 at the DS Event Center in St. Paul.

The event also highlighted Emergency Prepared-ness Month and National Disability EmploymentAwareness Month. It included a keynote speech byJoseph Shapiro and a panel discussion.

National Public Radio correspondent Shapiro is au-thor of the ground-breaking disability-rights book“NO PITY”: People with Disabilities Forging a NewCivil Rights Movement.” He discussed how infra-structure is crucial to successful employment forpeople with disabilities.

Longtime SEMCIL Director Vicki Dalle Molle washonored with the Mentorship Award. She ledSEMCIL for more than a decade before recently ac-cepting a position with the Minnesota Department ofHuman Services (DHS). Under her leadership

State council presents awards to those who make a positive difference in Minnesota

MNSCOD award winners - p. 14

SEMCIL has provided extensive services to peoplewith disabilities from independent living skills, tohome care and beyond.

The Disabled American Veterans of Minnesotawon the Above and Beyond Veterans’ EmploymentAward. With the challenge to hire additional employ-ees, the organization focused on new returning com-bat veterans disabled in the current wars. The DAVhas successfully hired five young Iraq/Afghanistandisabled veterans.

Elmer and Vernette Knutson of rural Fairfax wonthe Friend of the Council Award. Rather than retire,this generous couple still lives on the family farm.They gather wheelchairs and other items for people inneed, using space in the barn as storage. They alsovolunteer at the local food shelf.

Northfield residents get help

U.S. Housing and Urban Development SecretaryDonovan recently announced grant approval to help64 senior citizens and persons with disabilities inNorthfield to receive health care, meals, and othercritical supportive services. The grants are awardedthrough HUD’s Multifamily Housing Service Coordi-nator Program.

The grants are awarded to eligible owners of pri-vate housing developments that receive rental subsi-dies from HUD to house low-income individuals in36 states and the District of Columbia. These propertyowners or their management companies either hire orcontract service coordinators with backgrounds inproviding social services, especially to the frail eld-erly and people with disabilities, to assist their resi-dents with special needs.

“These service coordinators help us connect seniorcitizens and those living with disabilities with the ser-vices they need to live independently,” said HUD’sMidwest Regional Administrator, Antonio R. Riley.“We’re getting older as a nation and these grants go along way toward ensuring these vulnerable populationsare well served and allowed to age in place.

The grants are awarded are designed for an initialthree-year period to allow eligible owners of multi-”fam-ily housing for the elderly or disabled, to hire and sup-port a service coordinator. The funds cover such costs assalary, benefits, quality assurance, training, office space,equipment, and other related administrative expenses. ■

Legislative wrap up- from p. 3

that will advance the independence of Minnesotanswith disabilities including specific Olmstead recom-mendations, increased access to non-emergency medi-cal transportation and other public transportation op-tions, increased bullying prevention measures inschools, a narrowed list of “unallowable” items underthe consumer directed community supports program,improvements to the state’s special education systemand strengthened quality assurance measures. ■

Pg 8 November 10, 2012 Volume 23, Number 11

Fun had by all at the 2012 Charlie Smith Award Banquet

The people at Metropolitan Center for IndependentLiving’s table had a lively conversation.

Access Press board member Carrie Salberg, center, visitedwith her tablemates.

Anni Simon, standing, is rec-ognized for her years of workat MN-CCD and was happythat her sister was there to seeher recognized..

“Chuck” Van Heuveln showed his Charlie Smith award toMel Duncan.

The Advocating Change Togethertable included Mary KayKennedy and Rick Cardenas.

Lynda Milne Benjamin, Alex Bartolic, Bill Bartolic, inter-preters and Tim Benjamin enjoy the meal.

New board member Halle O’Falvey, Georgia Duncan,Chuck and Mel Duncan delighted in their conversation.

November 10, 2012 Volume 23, Number 11 Pg 9

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HHA’s trained and supervised by In Home.” - Jean T (Client)

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for you and your individual situation.

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Tim Benjamin and Anne Henry presented Chuck VanHeuveln with the 2012 Charlie Smith award

Banquet attendees were served their meal prior to thecremonies.

Everyone in attendance stood as Chuck Van Heuvelnwheels to the podium to accept his award after a fabulousacknowledgment by Mel Duncan and Anne Henry. Thelong and brisk applause was a wonderful display of appre-ciation for Van Heuveln.

Brigid Alseth presented Anita Schumer with a board recog-nition award.

The UCare table guests were eager to see the trailer of theupcoming documentary on disability and the media. Thedocumentary will highlight the history of advocacy, activ-ism and the struggle of the disability rights movement.

Anita Schermer, Luther Granquist and Jerod Peterson en-joyed the evening and reminisced about the highlights oftheir involvement in Access Press’ past.

Disability Law Center attendees Pamela Hoopes and AnneHenry, winner of the 2009 Charlie Award, are shown attheir table.

Rick Cardenas, Tim Benjamin, Chuck Van Heuveln, stand-ing Joel Ulland, Jeff Bangsberg and John Tschida wereamong many guests in attendance during the banquet.Cardenas was the 2004 recipient of the Charlie Award andBangsberg received it in 2011. Tschida and Ulland re-ceived the award for MN-CCD in 2005.

Photos by Lawrence Green

Pg 10 November 10, 2012 Volume 23, Number 11

ProAct Awards celebrate providers of employment

Four diverse businesses were chosen for this year’s ProAct Em-ployer of the Year awards and honored at ProAct’s 40th annual ban-quet in October. Honors going to Asset Marketing Services,Burnsville; IMV Technologies USA, Maple Grove; and two Eaganbusinesses, Chuck & Don’s Pet Food Outlet and Peanut’s Place. Win-ners were chosen in four employer categories.

The banquet was held at Prom Center in Oakdale and featuredKSTP-TV News Anchor Megan Newquist. More than 500 people at-tended the event.

“Employers are at the heart of our mission, which is to providetraining and job opportunities for people with developmental disabili-ties,” said ProAct President and CEO Steven Ditschler. “We valuetheir partnership, and the solid relationships that have been estab-lished.”

Winning recognition in the Business Partner category, IMV Tech-nologies USA uses individuals from ProAct for packaging and label-ing services, as well as quality assurance. The work involves peoplewith a wide range of disabilities.

IMV’s Eric Salonen, who serves in supply chain and operations inMaple Grove, said the company’s animal breeding products require asterile environment and it found an efficient packaging solution in ProAct. “Theyare a very impressive organization with a good staff that is very enthusiastic aboutthe work they do for their clients. We felt immediately that it was a good fit,” hesaid.

Asset Marketing Services won the Community Marketing award. The companyhas multiple product lines, and employs crews from ProAct for inspection andpackaging. Product handling at Asset requires great attention to detail, said AmyWenstrom, director of inbound fulfillment.

“We are really excited and honored …we feel like we have such a great partner-ship with them,” she said. Work with Asset began in 2011 and has since expanded,but remains flexible to company needs. Asset Marketing also utilizes a team of in-dividuals from ProAct for cleaning services twice a week.

In the Supported Employment category, Chuck & Don’s Pet Food Outlet hasworked closely with its employee, Shannon Stone, who has received follow-upsupport from ProAct. Stone cleans the Eagan store, and has additional responsibili-ties that include working with rescue cats. Store Manager Jenny Griffin has showna unique ability to see beyond Stone’s limitations and to utilize her strengths inproductive ways, said ProAct Program Coordinator Jennifer Markley.

IMV Technologies USA wins ProAct’s Employer of the Year award for the Business Partner category.Pictured, from left, are: ProAct Sales Manager Greg Pechman, IMV Office Manager Eric Salonen and VPand General Manager Angela De Mirjyn, and Megan Newquist, news anchor for KSTP-TV

Photos courtesy of ProAct

Amy Wenstrom, left, inbound fulfillment manager for AssetMarketing in Burnsville, receives ProAct’s Employer of theYear Award for Community Employment from ProAct Em-ployment Manager Catherine McCoy

ProAct vocational specialist Jennifer Malm, left, presentedthe Employer Award for the Vocational Partner category toSandie Heuer and Carol Jackson from Peanut’s Place inEagan.

Chuck & Don’s Pet Food Outlet in Eagan was named forEmployer of the Year for the Supported Employment cat-egory. The store employs ProAct’s Shannon Stone, whoreceived the award on behalf of the store.

2012 Charlie Award winner - from p. 1

disabilities to pay a percent-age of their earnings, as aninsurance premium towardmedical expenses to countyhuman services. Van Heuvelnneeds services to cover hispersonal care attendant needs,which are not covered underhis employment insurance.But under past state rules, hewould be cut off at age 65 andplaced on MA-EPD, eventhough he wanted to continueworking. He would have togive up his job working withstudents with disabilities at St.Paul Public Schools and mostof his accumulated financialassets, and ultimately hishome due to income restric-

tions that would have made itimpossible to continue to payhis mortgage.

He worked to change statelaw to allow MA-EPD recipi-ents to keep working, takinghis case to the news media andraising awareness of this im-portant issue. Duncan recalledthat Van Heuveln initially gotlittle response from state law-makers. But with help from thenews media including AccessPress, Van Heuveln put a hu-man side to the plight of work-ing Minnesotans with disabili-ties who want to work andwant to continue to contributeto society. He got the lawchanged; helping many Minne-

sotans with disabilities con-tinue to work.

Duncan read from an emailfrom Van Heuveln, when thefight began: “I have writtenletters to the Governor and theLieutenant Governor followedthe MA-EPD Bill through theHouse and the Senate in thelast Legislative season. TodayI started checking into LegalAide. Mel I need a little helpbecause I’m not quite ready fora nursing home or be put out topasture.” Duncan quipped,“Chuck has a compelling, mat-ter-of-fact way of engagingpeople that is hard to refuse.”When most legislators provedto be less than helpful, VanHeuveln then wrote them and

challenged each to live on$677 per month, MA incomelimit.

“His refusal to be put out topasture a year and a half agoled to hundreds of people be-ing able to continue working,keep their homes, keep theirpensions, keep their lives,”said Duncan.

Van Heuveln, for his part,recalled the years of work heand other activists put in on somany issues important toMinnesota’s disability commu-nity. He urged those present toget involved and take a role indoing the important work ofadvocating for the community.He was also gracious in em-phasizing that such work isn’t

something he has done alone.“I could not do what I have

done without the help of oth-ers,” Van Heuveln said.

Duncan said it was fittingthat Van Heuveln was honoredjust days before Minnesotansvoted whether or not to amendthe state constitution to restrictvoting, a provision that wouldstifle people with disabilitiesfrom voting.

“We live in tough times,”said Duncan. “Are we wit-nessing the twilight of the dis-ability rights movement? Orwill we follow Chuck’s ex-ample and refuse to be shut inand shut out and act to bring anew dawn?” ■

“It’s always been near and dear to my heart and I love working for a companythat thinks this way,” Griffin said. “Working with Shannon is an absolute joy; shebrings joy to the whole team.”

Peanut’s Place fills a new “Vocational Partner” award category. The animal board-ing and grooming service hosts job candidates from ProAct who gain work experienceand get the chance to be assessed for work opportunities.

ProAct individuals are often working when owner Roberta Venaglia is on duty.They free her up to do work in the front office and on other duties. “They’respending the time with the dogs. It’s a good plus for everybody,” she said.

Additionally, the flexibility to bring job candidates for assessments most any-time has made Peanut’s Place a valuable partner, said ProAct Vocational Coordi-nator Heather Deutschlaender.

ProAct is headquartered in Eagan and has additional operations in Red Wing,Zumbrota and in Hudson, Wis. Its mission is to serve individuals experiencing bar-riers to employment and self-sufficiency due to intellectual and developmental dis-abilities, physical disabilities, mental health issues, traumatic brain injuries andother challenges. ■

November 10, 2012 Volume 23, Number 11 Pg 11

ACCESSIBLE FUNWelcome to the Access Press Accessible Fun listings.Readers looking for additional opportunities to enjoy thearts have these options:

For information on galleries and theater performancesaround the state, join the Access to Performing Artsemail list at access@vsamn.org or call VSA Minnesota,612-332-3888 or statewide 800-801-3883 (voice/TTY).To hear a weekly listing of accessible performances, call612-332-3888 or 800-801-3883. On the web accessibleperformance listings are found at www.vsamn.org/calendar.html, or www.mrid.org,www.accesspress.org,or http://c2net.org (c2: caption coalition, inc.), whichdoes most of the captioned shows in Minnesota andacross the country.

Connect with performances on Facebook. Sign up toconnect with Audio Description Across Minnesota onFacebook http://tinyurl.com/d34dzo2. Sign up to connectwith ASL Interpreted and Captioned PerformancesAcross Minnesota on Facebook http://tinyurl.com/ctwnfzc.

Festival of LightsThe Arc Mower County is a beneficiary of donations atthis year’s Festival of Lights, held 5-10 p.m. Thu-Sun,Nov. 23-Dec. 16 and nightly Dec. 20-30 at Yogi BearJellystone Park outside of Austin. Take Interstate 90 exit187 and follow signs. Costs range from $15 for a carloadof 1-7 people, or $25 for a limo or mini-bus with 8-15people. The cost is reduced $5 if you bring a donation.Donate food or new pet food and items, or a new un-wrapped toy. Help many causes and see beautiful lights.www.austinfestivaloflights.com

Take the Polar PlungeWhether it’s one toe at a time, eyes tightly closed withan uneasy step forward or a fearless cannonball, bravesouls are already planning their grand entrance into theicy waters at the 2013 Polar Bear Plunge, presented byMinnesota law enforcement for the benefit of SpecialOlympics Minnesota. Registration is now open for the2013 Plunge Season. With 16 Polar Bear Plunge eventsscattered across the state between Jan. 26 and March16, dare-devils and do-gooders alike are sure to be“freezin’ for a reason.” Brave Plungers jump into thefrigid Minnesota waters as individuals or as a member ofa team to raise money for Special Olympics Minnesota.Although each participant must raise a minimum of $75to Plunge, the average Plunger raised more than $200 in2012. The total amount raised in 2012 was $2.85 million.FFI: 800-783-7732, plungemn.org,polarbearplunge@somn.org

Northland 300 marks 25 yearsThis year marks the 25th anniversary of the Northland300 and its work to support Special Olympics Minnesota.Thousands have enjoyed this North Shore snowmobileride and fundraiser. Organizers are preparing for thenext big event Jan. 23-27, 2013 and have posted infor-mation about the event history on the event website. Theevent has raised more than $3.6 million over the years.Information on registration and pledges is also available.FFI: Kathy Karkula, 612-789-2081 orkarkulak@hotmail.com; www.northland300.org orwww.specialolympicsminnesota.org

Madeline’s ChristmasStages Theatre Company presents Madeline’s Christ-mas at Hopkins Center forthe Arts Mainstage, 1111Mainstreet, Hopkins. Cap-tioning is offered 1 p.m. Sat,Nov. 17, and 1 p.m. Satur-day, Dec. 1. ASL perfor-mance is 2 p.m. Sun, Dec.2. AD performance is 7 p.m.Friday, Dec. 7, Available onrequest for alternative datesby calling Nicki Pretzer,952-979-1119, at least twoweeks before show. Ticketsare reduced to $11, $9Child/Senior, $8.50 Week-end/Evening Group (12+);apply to the individual need-ing AD/ASL and one com-panion; ask for discount andseating section when mak-ing reservation. FFI: 952-979-1111 option 4,www.stagestheatre.org

A Don’t Hug Me Christmas CarolEnjoy Christmas Eve in Bunyan Bay with GunnarJohnson and folk legend Sven Yorgensen, the ghost ofChristmas past, present and future. Presented by NewCentury Theatre, 615 Hennepin Ave., #145, Mpls. ASLperformance is 8:30 p.m. Sat, Nov. 24. Tickets are $26;reduced to half-price tickets for ASL. FFI: 612-455-9501,e-mail: BoxOffice@HennepinTheatreTrust.org,www.hennepintheatretrust.org

Contemporary Journeys Morning Exhibition TourSee the Contemporary Journeys Morning Exhibition Tourat Walker Art Center, 1750 Hennepin Ave., Mpls. Con-temporary art becomes the catalyst for community build-ing, self-expression, and appreciating the present in thisprogram designed for individuals with early to middle-stage Alzheimer’s and other dementias, their care part-ners, family and friends. A special event for Alzheimer’spatients and their families is at 10 a.m. Wed, Nov. 28.Tour fee is $10, senior 65+ $8. Care partners & addi-tional family/friends free. Pay in advance by credit card(by phone) or cash/check on the program day. (Exactchange appreciated.) Pre-registration required at leastone week before program. FFI: 612-375-7609, or emaileducation.resources@walkerart.org, www.walkerart.org/calendar/2012/cindy-sherman; www.walkerart.org/visit/accessibility

Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole ChristmasChildren’s Theater Company presents the Dr. SeussChristmas story at the theater company’s United HealthGroup Stage, 2400 Third Ave. S., Mpls. AD and ASLperformance is 7 p.m. Fri, Nov. 30; school matinee is10:30 a.m. Wed, Nov. 28. Ask about special price ratesfor ASL/AD patrons (regular $16-40) FFI: 612-874-0400;email tickets@childrenstheatre.org,www.childrenstheatre.org

A Christmas CarolCommonweal Theatre Company presents the CharlesDickens classic at its theater at 208 Parkway Ave. N.,Lanesboro. AD performance is 1:30 p.m. Sat, Dec. 1, pre-show at 1:10 p.m. Tickets are $30; student $15. FFI: 507-467-2525 or 800-657-7025; email: info@commonwealtheatre.org, www.commonwealtheatre.org

A Christmas CarolGuthrie Theater’s version of A Christmas Carol is a TwinCities holiday favorite, presented at the Guthrie Theater,Wurtele Thrust Stage, 818 2nd St. S., Mpls. AD and ASL

performance is 7:30 p.m. Sat, Dec. 1. Sensory tour; is7:30 p.m. Wed, Dec. 5. Captioning is 1 p.m. Sun, Dec. 2.Tickets are reduced to $20 for AD/ASL, $25 forCaptioning (regular $24-62). FFI: 612-377-2224, TTY612-377-6626, www.guthrietheater.org

Our First Noel: A Holiday HomecomingOur First Noel: A Holiday Homecoming is performed by:Twin Cities Gay Men’s Chorus at Ted Mann ConcertHall, 2128 4th St. S., Mpls. ASL performance is 8 p.m.Fri, Dec. 7. Tickets are reduced to half-price for ASL pa-trons (regular $25-41, includes box office & facility fees).Large-print and Braille programs available on request.FFI: 612-624-2345; email: nto@umn.edu,www.tcgmc.org or www.tickets.umn.edu/Online/

Help special needs students through saleNettie & Friends are at it again with their irresistible, lo-cally handcrafted goods. Come to the annual sale’sopening reception 4-8 p.m. Sat., Dec. 1 at the Egg and IEast, 2550 University Ave., St. Paul. Shop there throughDecember and help students at Maxfield School in St.Paul’s Rondo neighborhood.

Learn about service dogsAre you a dog lover? Want to see how a local organiza-tion trains dogs to give back to those in need? Join CanDo Canines 10 a.m. Tue, Nov. 13 for the Tails to TellTour. Learn about the mission of Can Do Canines aswell as the amazing volunteer opportunities available tothe community. Meet a graduate and his/her assistancedog, a puppy raiser, a volunteer and members of thestaff while getting to tour the newly remodeled trainingfacility at 9440 Science Center Drive in New Hope. Theevent is free but space is limited and guests must RSVP.FFI: 763-331-3000 ext.152, tour@can-do-canines.org,http://can-do-canines.org ■

Pg 12 November 10, 2012 Volume 23, Number 11

UPCOMING EVENTS

ConferencesAttend Arc conference“A New Vision in Action” is the theme for The Arc Minne-sota State Conference, Nov. 16-17 at Crowne PlazaSuites Airport, Mall of America, Bloomington. This an-nual conference can help provide a new way of lookingat disability supports and services in the years ahead.Hear about successes and best practices from parents,self-advocates, and people employed in the field whoare creating visions of what is possible and how to getthere. Hear from prominent leaders who are advancingdisability rights and new futures for people with disabili-ties, including Judge Donovan Frank of the U.S. DistrictCourt in St. Paul, and Deputy Commissioner of HumanServices Anne Barry. Hotel rooms are $99/night. Re-duced conference fees for members of The Arc. FFI: 1-800-582-5256, ext. 113, www.arcmn.org

Adult classesUnderstand the rules for workWork Incentives Connection hosts free community meet-ings to explain how working affects Social Security Dis-ability, SSDI and SSI benefits. Learn about benefits andwork rules, myths about working, and how work incen-tives help people earn more. Preregistration is required.Meetings are set for Nov. 13 in Stillwater, Nov. 15 in St.Paul, Nov. 28 in Bloomington and Burnsville; Nov. 29 forForest Lake, Dec. 4 in Chaska and Shakopee, Dec. 5and 11 in Minneapolis, and Dec. 11 for Brooklyn Park.All locations are accessible for people with disabilities.Anyone needing special accommodations or alternativeformats must call at least two weeks in advance. FFI:1-800-976-6728 ext. 5

Help with computer skillsAdults who are unsure about their basic computer skillsnow have a way to easily assess what they know, pin-point what they need to learn and earn a certificate thatshows employers what they know. A broad communitycollaboration of organizations, led by the St. Paul PublicLibrary and the St. Paul Community Literacy Consortium(SPCLC), announce the launch of the Northstar DigitalLiteracy Project, developed in response to the manypeople asking for help finding jobs in a tough economy.The Northstar Digital Literacy Project offers free, onlineassessments of basic computer skills in six modules:basic computer use, world wide web, Windows 7, MacOS X, using e-mail, and Microsoft Word. Spanish-lan-guage and close-captioned versions are available. Atthe end of each test, the user receives the results, listingthe skills that have been mastered and the areas thatneed improvement. Anyone can take the tests online atwww.digitalliteracyassessment.org

Independent living classes offeredThe Metropolitan Center for Independent Living (MCIL)offers free and accessible classes on living indepen-dently for people with disabilities. Most classes are heldat 1600 University Ave., #16, the green tile building atUniversity and Snelling, St. Paul, unless specified. Theoffice is closed for Thanksgiving, Nov. 22-23 and Christ-mas, Dec. 24-25.Help make Italian food for social night 1-6 p.m. Tue,Nov. 27. Walk or roll around Mall of America 1:30-3:30p.m. Thu, Nov. 29, Dec. 13 and 20. Meet at the office forthese trips and take the bus together. The winter cel-ebration is 1-6 p.m. Tue, Dec. 18.Many classes are offered. Learn to control anger beforeit controls your life at classes 1-3 p.m. Mondays Nov. 12,19 and 26. December classes are self-esteem Dec. 3,assertiveness versus aggressiveness Dec. 10, budgetcheck-in Dec. 11 and conflict resolution Dec. 17. Bud-geting class is 10 a.m.-noon Wed, Nov. 14. Learn simpletechniques, patterns and designs of knitting. Adaptiveknitting equipment available; for all levels of knitters.Other crafts are welcome, 1-3 p.m. Wed, Nov. 28, 10a.m.-noon Wed, Dec. 5 1-3 p.m. Wed, Dec. 19. Wii funis back 1-3 p.m. Wed, Nov. 14, Mon, Dec. 17, Thu, Oct.25. Weekenders outings are for those who are tired ofsitting home all weekend. Meet other people who sharesimilar interests and want to meet new people. Guestsare welcome and encouraged. Visit Mall of American 1-4p.m. Sat., Nov. 10 for lunch and a movie. Please bringspending money for events. Events are free (with theexception of Weekenders outings), accessible and

mostly scent-free. Please RSVP and give two weeks’notice of needed accommodations. FFI: CorbettLaubignat, 651-603-2028, corbettl@mcil-mn.org, Cindy,651-603-2037, cindyl@mcil-mn.org, 651-603-2037

Youth and familiesPACER offers workshopsPACER Center offers useful free or low-cost workshopsand other resources for families of children with disabili-ties. Workshops are at PACER Center, 8161 Norman-dale Blvd., Bloomington, unless specified. Special Edu-cation: What Do Parents Need to Know? is a free work-shop for parents of children with disabilities and for pro-fessionals, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Tue, Nov. 13. Special educa-tion is instruction designed specifically to meet theunique needs of children with disabilities. It is provided inthe most appropriate setting and at no cost to parents orfamilies. Understanding and Addressing Challenging Be-haviors in Your Young Child,” a free workshop for par-ents of young children with disabilities and for earlychildhood professionals, is 9-11 a.m. Sat, Nov. 17. Fami-lies of children, ages birth to 5, with developmental de-lays or disabilities can learn about the stages of develop-ment and strategies to provide children with acceptableways to have their needs met. Families will also have theopportunity to network with other parents. Preregister forworkshops. FFI: 952-838-9000, 800-537-2237 (toll free),www.PACER.org

Family support groups offeredThe National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) of Minne-sota sponsors free support groups for families who havea relative with a mental illness. Led by trained facilitatorswho also have a family member with mental illness,groups help families develop better coping skills and findstrength through sharing their experiences. A family sup-port group meets in St. Paul on the second Wed of eachmonth from at 6-7:30 p.m., at Goodwill-Easter Seals, 553Fairview Ave. N., St. Paul, in room 123. FFI: Sonja, 651-357-2077. A group meets at 6:30 p.m., on the fourth Tueof the month, at Lutheran Church of the Redeemer, 285N. Dale St., St. Paul. FFI: Marc, 763-227-9446. A groupalso meets at 6:30 p.m. on the second and fourth Wedof each month at Centennial United Methodist Church,1524 Co. Rd. C-2 West, on the second and fourthWednesdays of the month. FFI: Anne Mae, 651-730-8434.

Parents with disabilities groupMCIL offers a support group for parents with disabilities,Learn from and grow with others who are dealing withthe intricacies of disability and parenting responsibilities.Everyone’s experience is valuable and questions areimportant. The group meets 5-7 pm. Mon, Nov. 12 andDec. 10 at MCIL, 1600 University Ave. W., St. Paul. Pre-registration requested. RSVP: Corbett, 651-603-2028,corbettl@mcil-mn.org

Children’s challenging behaviorRaising a child or adolescent with challenging behaviorscan be difficult. Learn the five essential tasks to buildconfidence in parenting skills, improve the relationshipwith a child and create balance. The free, one-day work-shop is for parents and caregivers of school-age chil-dren, and is approved for two hours’ training for fostercare families. Presented by NAMI-MN, the Children’sChallenging Behaviors class is 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Tue, Nov.13 and at Open Cities Health Center, 409 Dunlap St., St.Paul. Preregister. FFI: 651-645-2948.

Sibshops offer supportKids in the south metro who have brothers and sisterswith intellectual or developmental disabilities can havefun and make friends at a Sibshop Super Saturday fromThe Arc Greater Twin Cities. The event is 10 a.m.-2p.m. Sat, Nov. 10 at Trinity Evangelical Free Church,10658 210th St. W., Lakeville. Sibshop Super Saturdayhas all the fun, activities, discussion and friendship ofThe Arc’s monthly Sibshops, packed into a single half-day session. Sibshop Super Saturday is free for mem-bers of The Arc Greater Twin Cities and $15 per childfor non-members. The cost includes lunch. Preregis-ter. In addition, The Arc Great Twin Cities offersmonthly Sibshops in Anoka, Apple Valley, Hastings,Hopkins, St. Paul and Stillwater. FFI: 952-920-0855,www.arcgreatertwincities.org

Kidshops scheduled for St. PaulKidshops is a program designed for school-aged chil-dren and teens (7-17) with a sibling or parent who has amental illness. Kidshops provide an opportunity for kidsto discuss feelings and share ideas. Each workshop in-cludes games, team-building activities, coping strategiesand fun. Kids receive a “tool” that offers them a way totalk about their feelings with their family. A Kidshop will

be held 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Sat, Nov. 17 at Gloria DeiLutheran Church, 700 S. Snelling Ave., St. Paul.Kidshops are free of charge, but pre-registration isrequested. FFI: 651-645-2948.

Information and supportUCare meetingsUCare hosts informational meetings about its UCare forSeniors Medicare Advantage plan. Meetings are held allover the region. UCare for Seniors has more than75,000 members across Minnesota and western Wis-consin. UCare serves Medicare-eligible individuals andfamilies enrolled in income-based Minnesota HealthCare Programs, such as Minnesota Care and PrepaidMedical Assistance Program; adults with disabilities andMedicare beneficiaries with chronic health conditionsand Minnesotans dually eligible for Medical Assistanceand Medicare FFI: 1-877-523-1518 (toll free),www.ucare.org

Mental Illness support groupsNAMI-MN free support groups for families who have arelative with a mental illness. NAMI has about two dozenfamily support groups, over 20 support groups for peopleliving with a mental illness, anxiety support groups,groups for veterans and other groups. Led by trainedfacilitators, the various groups provide help and support.FFI: 651-645-2948Partners and Spouses support group meets 6:45 p.m.the first Tue of each month at Falcon Heights UnitedChurch of Christ, 1795 Holton St. FFI: Lois, 651-788-1920, or Donna, 651-645-2948 ext. 101.Open Door Anxiety and Panic support, meets at 6:30p.m. the first and third Thu at Woodland Hills Church,1740 Van Dyke St., St. Paul. It also meets 6:30 p.m. onthe second and fourth Thu at Goodwill-Easter Seals, 553Fairview Ave. N., St. Paul. FFI: NAMI at 651-645-2948NAMI Connection peer support group for adults are ledby trained facilitators who are also in recovery leadNAMI Connection groups. One group meets at 6:30 p.m.on the fourth Tue, at Lutheran Church of the Redeemer,285 Dale St. N., St. Paul. FFI: Shelley, 651-228-1645.Bi-weekly adult recovery groups meet at 6:30 p.m. thesecond and fourth Wed at Centennial United MethodistChurch, 1524 Co. Rd. C-2 West, Roseville. FFFI: Will,651-578-3364.

Chronic pain support groupMCIL offers a peer support group for people who livewith chronic pain. The group will start meeting 6:30 thefirst and third Thursday at MCIL, 1600 University Ave.#16, St. Paul. Group members will discuss what chronicpain is and how it affects people. FFI: Cindy Langr, 651-603-2037, cindyl@mcil-mn.org

GLBT GroupMetropolitan Center for Independent Living (MCIL) offersa GLBT support/social group that meets once a month todiscuss topics related to being a part of the GLBT com-munity and dealing with a disability. Meet new peoplewho understand and can provide support and a socialoutlet. Dinner is provided. RSVP at least 2-3 days in ad-vance, as group cancels if fewer than three people signup. Meet at MCIL, 1600 University Ave W #16, St. Paul.FFI Corbett Laubignat, 651 603 2028, corbettl@mcil-mn.org.

Volunteer, DonateOpen the Door to EducationHelp adults reach their educational goals and earn theirGED. Tutor, teach or assist in a classroom with the Min-nesota Literacy Council. Give just 2-3 hours a week andhelp people expand their opportunities and change theirlives through education. The literacy council providestraining and support. Accommodations for volunteerswith disabilities. FFI: Allison, 651-251-9110,volunteer@mnlit eracy.org, www.mnliteracy.org/volun-teers/opportunities/adults.

Volunteer with RSVPVolunteers age 55 and older are eligible to receive freesupplemental insurance, mileage reimbursement andother benefits through the Retired and Senior VolunteerProgram (RSVP) sponsored by Volunteers of America ofMinnesota. RSVP/Volunteers of America of Minnesotaand AARP Foundation need volunteers with good bud-geting and organizational skills to help manage financesof older or disabled low-income individuals. Have a fewhours a month to volunteer? Money Management Pro-gram staff will train and match you with someone in thecommunity. FFI: 612-617-7821. ■

November 10, 2012 Volume 23, Number 11 Pg 13

Abbreviations: V= violence, L=offensive language, S=sexual situations

Picture yourself giving great photogifts this holiday seasonby Jennifer Mundl

Taking pictures is just part of the fun of photogra-phy in today’s electronic world. After creating pic-tures, there are many good resources which can helpeven a novice create professionally design items. Theresults may take some time, but the final product willmake anyone’s work look like that of a professionalphotographer. With the holiday season coming, and abirthday always seeming to be on the calendar, photogifts are a great idea and always welcomed by the re-cipient.

Shutterfly is a website that allows users to createprofessional picture books and other products, such asa mouse pad, coffee cup, picture frames, clothing andseasonal items. Shutterfly is easy to use, and the itemsproduced are unique and affordable. Stores such asWalgreen’s Wal-Mart, Sam’s Club and Target offersimilar photo product services.

Morph It is a program which is available on iPadand computers. It enables users to create cartoons outof pictures. For example, take a picture of the one ofthe children and “morph it” into a picture of the fam-ily dog. Or you can make a video from still picturesor customize a project with personalized words,graphics and writing. There are a variety of uniquechoices to choose from.Photoshop Elements is a program that is similar toPhotoshop, but much less expensive. With it the usercan add effects to pictures. It is easy to removeredeye, adjust variance and shading, make color cor-rection or remove bad areas of the picture.

Pictello is an app that is available for iPad or An-droid devices. Pictello al-

lows the user to create pic-ture books for people withsignificant disabilities. Us-ers can develop a story spe-cific to the user’s experiences or set up files for “myschedule,” “my family,” “vacation,” or anything elseimportant to the user.

The My Story app enables users to make a custom-ized picture book, even recording information to playwhen a graphic element is pressed.

For information about adapted photography classes,contact Courage Center. Photo craft classes aresometimes offered at craft store or through commu-nity education programs. ■

Jennifer Mundl, MS, ATP, is Lead Assistive Tech-nology Specialist, Courage Center.

Digital conversion almost completeRadio Talking Book’s statewide digital signal conversionis almost complete. In October, the metropolitan areas ofRochester and Mankato were converted to a digital sig-nal. Residents of those areas were sent letters explain-ing the conversion and the need for a new radio thatwould pick up the digital signal. If listeners of Radio Talk-ing Book from those areas missed the letter, it’s time toget a new radio. Old radios won’t work with the new digi-tal signal.

Get a new radio by calling the office at 1-800-652-900and asking for the Radio Equipment Desk. Radios aresent out as soon as they are requested.

Books available through FaribaultBooks broadcast on the Minnesota Radio Talking BookNetwork are available through the Minnesota Braille andTalking Book Library in Faribault. Phone is 1-800-722-0550 and hours are 7:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday throughFriday. The catalog is online and can be accessed bygoing to the main website, http://education.state.mn.us,and then clicking on the link. Persons living outside ofMinnesota may obtain copies of books by contactingtheir home state’s Network Library for the National Li-brary Service.

Listen to the Minnesota Radio Talking Book, either liveor archived programs from the last week, on the Internetat www.mnssb.org/rtb. Call the staff for your password tothe site. See more information about events on theFacebook site for the Minnesota Radio Talking BookNetwork. Facebook is a fee social networking web site.Register at www.facebook.com

Access Press is one of the publications featured at 9p.m. Sundays on the program It Makes a Difference.

Weekend Program BooksYour Personal World (Saturday at 1 p.m.) is airing Idea-Links, by Jim Link; For the Younger Set (Sunday at 11a.m.) is airing 172 Hours on the Moon, by JohanHarstad; Poetic Reflections (Sunday at noon) is airingThat Said, by Jane Shore; The U.S. and Us (Sunday at 4p.m.) is airing The Assassination of Hole-in-the-Day, byAnton Treuer and A Boundary Waters History, byStephen Wilbers.

Chautauqua • Tuesday – Saturday 4 a.m.Games Primates Play, Nonfiction by Dario Maestripieri,2012. Primatologist Dario Maestripieri has devoted hislife to studying the rules that govern primate societies.He locates counterparts for much of our behavior in thehabits of our closest living relatives. L - Read by JohnHagman. 12 broadcasts. Begins Nov. 21.

Past is Prologue • Monday – Friday 9 a.m.Prague Winter, Nonfiction by Madeleine Albright, 2012.Before Madeleine Albright turned twelve, her life wasshaken by the Nazi invasion of Czechoslovakia – thecountry where she was born, the Battle of Britain, thenear-total destruction of European Jewry, the Allied vic-tory in World War II, the rise of communism, and the on-set of the Cold War. Read by Michele Potts. 15 broad-casts. Begins Nov. 26.

The Writer’s Voice • Monday – Friday 2 p.m.Juliette Gordon Low, Nonfiction by Stacy A. Cordery,

2012. Growing up in post-Civil War Georgia, Daisy (asshe was known) married Willy Low but the marriagefailed. She found purpose in Baden-Powell’s Boy Scoutsand decided to create the equivalent for girls. Read byYelva Lynfield. 16 broadcasts. Begins Nov. 12.

Choice Reading • Monday – Friday 4 p.m.The Roots of the Olive Tree, Fiction by Courtney MillerSanto, 2012. Five generations of first-born women livetogether in the same house. Anna, the matriarch, is 112.Now a geneticist wishes to study the family believingthey hold the key to breakthroughs on aging. But Anna isnot interested in unlocking secrets – there are truths thatneed to stay hidden. Read by Judy Woodward. 10broadcasts. Begins Nov. 27.

PM Report • Monday – Friday 8 p.m.What it Is Like to Go to War, Nonfiction by KarlMarlantes, 2011. In the past, warriors were prepared forbattle by ritual, religion, and literature, which also helpedbring them home. Warriors today are poorly prepared forthe journey. L – Read by Denny Laufenburger. Ninebroadcasts. Begins Nov. 27.

Night Journey • Monday – Friday 9 p.m.The Risk Agent, Fiction by Ridley Pearson, 2012. A Chi-nese man working for an American company is kid-napped off the streets of Shanghai and Rutherford Risk

steps in. But private investigation is illegal in China. V,L -Read by Dan Sadoff. 14 broadcasts. Begins Nov. 22.

Off the Shelf • Monday – Friday 10 p.m.Running the Rift, Fiction by Naomi Benaron, 2012. JeanPatrick dreams of becoming Rwanda’s first Olympicmedal winner in track. But he is a Tutsi in a world thathas become restrictive and violent for his people. V -Read by Isla Hejny. 15 broadcasts. Begins Nov. 26.

Potpourri • Monday – Friday 11 p.m.Henry’s Demons, Nonfiction by Patrick and HenryCockburn, 2011. After Henry was diagnosed with schizo-phrenia, his journalist father decided to write about whatthey went through. Read by Hugh Jones. Nine broad-casts. Begins Nov. 27.

Good Night Owl • Monday – Friday midnightThe Messenger, Fiction by Stephen Miller, 2012. Daria’sand Sam’s lives will intersect and make each questionwhat it means to have something worth dying for. L -Read by John Marsicano. 12 broadcasts. Begins Nov. 22.

After Midnight • Tuesday – Saturday 1 a.m.The Lost Angel, Fiction by Javier Sierra, 2011. Convincedthat they are the descendants of angels, terrorists plan todestroy the world but first plan to kidnap a scientist. L –Read by John Mandeville. 14 broadcasts. Begins Nov. 21.

Radio Talking Book

Pg 14 November 10, 2012 Volume 23, Number 11

dency remain an urgent need in the Twin Cities, ac-cording to supporters of Dale Street Place. Three outof four homeless adults surveyed by Wilder Researchin 2009 reported at least one of three major health is-sues: mental illness, substance abuse disorder, or achronic physical health condition.

Lutheran Church of the Redeemer has been involvedin the facility since it opened in 1964. Redeemer Armswas originally built as a nursing home. It later housedpeople with disabilities. Some of the charter boardmembers for the housing project are still active in thechurch congregation, said Rev. Jim Erlandson, pastorat Lutheran Church of the Redeemer.

The mission of providing quality housing continueswith the new ownership, Erlandson said. The churchwill have a community advisory board, to stay in-volved with the apartment building. “We’re still withyou and want you to be with us.”

Bret Byfield, a social workers and former Re-deemer Arms Board member, said that the renovationhas created a place “where it’s possible to live well.”Byfield praised the residents of Dale Street Place,who had to live through a long period of buildingrenovation.

Dale Street Place - from p. 1 The renovation includes new building landscaping,resurfaced parking lot, renovated offices, new boilerand mechanical systems, energy-efficient and safekitchens, upgrades ventilation, walls, flooring andplumbing. Units have ample closet space with shelvesfor residents’ belongings.

Among the sources of funding for the renovationare the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency, at $5.8million and City of St. Paul at $1 million.

The Dale Street Place is a partnership between resi-dents, the developer and programs that make the apart-ments affordable, said Mary Tingerthal, Commis-sioner of the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency.She said residents are fortunate to have an owner anddeveloper who is ensuring that the housing is wellmanaged. BDC Management will operate the building.

Tingerthal also said that retaining the apartmentbuilding as long-income housing helps meet a hugeneed for supportive housing. State officials have agoal of providing 4,000 supportive housing units.Next year they will hit the 3,800-unit mark.

St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman said the sale andrenovation of Dale Street Place shows a commitment tosome of the community’s most vulnerable residents. He

said it would have been easy for the building to be soldand redeveloped as market-rate housing, but that is notwhat the community is about. “This about making surethat all are welcome,” he said.

“This is a place of hope,” said Fran Lesicko, a con-sulting psychologist who works with Dale StreetPlace residents. She said stable housing and supportservices will help the residents improve their lives.Because of their disabilities, many residents wouldhave trouble finding housing elsewhere.

Lesicko said Dale Street Place provides badlyneeded affordable and supportive housing. “I grew upin Texas,” she said, “and it just astounds me thatpeople in Minnesota are homeless during the winter.”

Dale Street Place has three service coordinators andan adult mental health case manager from RamseyCounty/South Metro Human Services. Staff work withresidents to help them maintain their housing, learn in-dependent living skills, and participate in groups.

Part of the building’s lower level is leased by thenonprofit agency People Inc. for its APOLLO Re-source Center. This program serves residents and non-residents, offering a variety of activities that helppeople learn independent living skills. ■

Mountain Iron resident Bob Brown won the AccessAward. Brown, who is the Access Director at Centerfor Independent Living of Northeastern MinnesotaServices, has been involved with the center’s rampproject for 18 years. He’s helped build more than 700home access ramps for people who use wheelchairs.

The Rogers Walgreens Distribution Center was hon-ored as the large Employer of the Year. The facility inRogers employs about two dozen workers with disabili-ties, some deaf or hard-of-hearing, and some who haveother types of disabilities. For example, Walgreenssupports deaf employees by hiring sign language inter-preters and promoting signing in the workplace.

The small Employer of the Year award winner isLJP Enterprises Waste & Recycling in NorthMankato. This small firm is an exemplary employerin providing accommodations for applicants and em-ployees during the job application process, in thework environment. It provides disability awarenesstraining to employees, job restructuring for employeeswith disabilities, requested and paid for sign languageinterpreters, and modified training materials.

Cargill’s LEARN Program, which is based inHopkins, won the Corporate Mentorship Award. Thisprogram is committed to removing barriers to employ-ment and post-secondary education for high schoolstudents with disabilities. It serves young adults withdisabilities, ages 18-21, who are enrolled in Transi-tion Plus, a shared student transition program betweenHopkins, St. Louis Park and Minnetonka school dis-tricts. The program providing individual career explo-ration and job skill development through work-basedlearning experiences with Cargill businesses andfunctions. The long-term goal is to help students de-velop skills and independence to enable their successin entry-level employment and/or explore post-sec-ondary training and education opportunities alignedwith their career goals.

Bruce Lattu of the Minnesota Department of Trans-portation (MnDOT) won the Minnesota Award. Re-gardless of his own disability, Lattu always goes outof his way improve someone’s day. Throughout hiscareer he has worked to empower those with disabili-ties to be self-advocates. He has worked to ensure thatMnDOT as well as other state agencies are aware ofnot only the minimum expectations of what the lawrequires. Also, why it is not only right, but good to gobeyond those basic levels. In his more than 20 yearsof service to the State of Minnesota as an employee,Lattu has worked to empower others to ask for thereasonable accommodations they are entitled to andhas worked to find creative ways to meet the needs ofpeople with disabilities so that they can get and main-tain employment. Through his work on such commit-tees as the Central Corridor Project the community atlarge has a greater awareness of disability, learningthat it doesn’t have to be a scary thing to be avoided.■

Rise! exceeds fundraising goalRise, Inc.’s first fundraising gala, Celebrate Rise!,

exceeded its goals, raising more than $100,000. Pro-ceeds will be used to purchase two 15-passenger vansto help ensure people with disabilities are able to goto work and participate in community activities.Pentair was the premier sponsor for the event, whichattracted more than 450 guests to Minneapolis’ Inter-national Market Square Oct. 11.

Several business partners of the organization weresponsors of the event, including ATK Federal Ammu-nition, Cummins Power Generation, Dan’s CompleteAutomotive, Delta Dental, Electrolux Major Appli-ances (Freezer Division), The Grunewald Group,Hays Companies, Inc., Hoglund Bus Company, HOMFurniture, John’s Auto Parts, Johnson, West & Co.LLC, Klein Bank, Liberty Carton Company, Mary T,Inc., Medica, Northeast Bank, Team Personnel, andWells Fargo Bank MN, N.A. WCCO-TV was the Me-dia Sponsor for the event, and News Reporter/AnchorJason DeRusha emceed the gala program. Rise alsohonored Cummins Power Generation’s Business Unitin Fridley as its Business Partner of the Year; Envi-ronmental Stoneworks in North Branch, and Pitney-Bowes Presort Services in Fridley as Employers ofthe Year; and Minnesota Rep. Jim Abeler (R-Anoka)as its Community Partner of the Year. ■

MNSCOD award winners - from p. 7

Islands with the Army Air Force. He graduated fromMoorhead State College and earned his master’s fromthe University of Minnesota. Reynolds received hisPh.D. from the University of Minnesota and taughtthere from 1951 until retiring in 1989. He received theJ.E. Wallace Wallin Lifetime Achievement Awardfrom the Council for Exceptional Children in 1971,and the University of Minnesota OutstandingAchievement Award, which recognizes graduates whoattain unusual distinction in their profession, in 2004.

He is survived by his wife Donna, a son, two daugh-ters and four grandchildren. Services have been held. ■

Olson made outdoors accessible

Outdoor enthusiast Paul Olson, who helped TwinCities residents enjoy the outdoors through a non-profit he founded, died of pneumonia Oct. 2. He was69 and was a Chaska native. Olson most recentlylived in Hopkins.

He was a Vietnam War veteran and served in theU.S. Army. Olson worked as a boat captain in Floridaafter military service. He came back to Minnesota andworked in construction several years ago.

Olson was paralyzed in an accident in 1999, afterfalling off of a roof.

In 2002, Olson and a friend from Courage Centerco-founded Freedom in Wheelchairs Inc., a companyoffering free trips on a wheelchair-accessible pontoonboat up and down the Mississippi and Minnesota riv-ers. The nonprofit offered other free activities. Free-dom in Wheelchairs aims to help people have specialexperiences to make life better, according to thenonprofits’ website. It’s not clear if the organizationwill continue to operate since Olson has passed away.

Olson loved the outdoors and loved being out on thewater, according to friends. He also wanted peoplewith disabilities to enjoy outdoor experiences. At thetime of his death he was working on plans for a hydro-powered bike that people with disabilities could use.

Olson is survived by a daughter, two grandchildrenand two siblings. Services have been held. ■

In memoriam - from p. 4

viders of health care services, already saving taxpay-ers hundreds of millions of dollars without compro-mising care. In addition, an effort is underway to re-design Medicaid services to better serve those withlong-term care needs and make the program sustain-able in the future.

Medicaid, funded jointly by the state and federalgovernments, serves 666,000 low-income senior citi-zens, adults, children and people with disabilities. Itrepresents one of the largest expenditures in the DHSbudget with expenditures of $7.5 billion for state fis-cal year 2011. ■

People and places - from p. 5

November 10, 2012 Volume 23, Number 11 Pg 15

Lewis Park Apartments: Barrier-free housingwith wheelchair users in mind. Section 8 subsi-dized. One- and two-bedroom units. For more in-formation on availability call 651-488-9923. St.Paul, MN. Equal Opportunity Housing.

Oak Park Village: We are accepting applicationsfor the waiting list for one-bedroom wheelchairaccessible apartments. Section 8 subsidized. Con-venient St. Louis Park location. Call 952-935-9125 for information. Equal Opportunity Housing.

Calvary Center Apts: 7650 Golden Valley Road,Golden Valley, MN. A Section 8 building nowaccepting applications for our waiting list. Call 9am to 4 pm, Mon – Fri 763-546-4988 for an appli-cation. Equal Opportunity Housing.

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IN KIND(For this issue)Scott AdamsLuther Granquist

Guilty plea in deaf woman’s deathOn the day he was to stand trial a second time for

the March 2009 fatal hit-and-run of JoanieLeVasseur, Eric James Hunter, 44, pleaded guilty toone felony count in connection with her death. DakotaCounty District Judge David Knutson acceptedHunter’s guilty plea of leaving the scene of an acci-dent involving death. Another count of the samecharge and one of driving after suspension will be dis-missed at sentencing Jan. 8.

Family members said that while the plea wouldbring some closure, it didn’t bring any satisfaction.They question how Hunter didn’t know he’d hit andfatally injured a person. Hunter’s first trial ended in ahung jury in October 2010. Even then, there was noquestion that the car Hunter was driving hitLeVasseur, who was deaf, as she ran across CedarAvenue S. in Apple Valley. The question that the jurygrappled with was whether Hunter knew that he hadhit a person before driving off without stopping orcalling police. ■

[Source: Pioneer Press]

Minnesota recovers $9 million fromAbbott Labs in fraud case

The Minnesota Department of Human Service’sOffice of Inspector General has announced the recov-ery of $9 million from Abbott Laboratories as part ofa national health care fraud settlement involving thedrug Depakote.

The DHS Office of Inspector General was createdin August 2011 by Commissioner Lucinda Jesson toinvestigate and root out fraud, waste and abuse. It isled by Inspector General Jerry Kerber, and is com-prised of an investigations and a licensing division.The settlement with Abbott Laboratories comes afterit pled guilty to illegally marketing Depakote for usesthat were not approved by the U.S. Food and DrugAdministration (FDA) as safe and effective. This re-sulted in false claims to Medicaid and other taxpayer-funded health care programs. Depakote is approvedby the FDA to treat seizures and mania associatedwith bipolar disorder and to prevent migraines; how-ever Abbott promoted its use for the control of agita-tion and aggression in patients experiencing dementia,uses for which it was not approved by the FDA. ■

[Source: Minnesota Department of Human Services]

National group recognizes state hospitalAn inpatient psychiatric hospital in Willmar has

been recognized by the Joint Commission’s Top Per-formers on Key Quality Measures program. The hos-pital—operated by the Minnesota Department of Hu-man Services—is part of the Child and AdolescentBehavioral Health Services (CABHS) program.

The commission’s 2012 quality and safety report, “Im-proving America’s Hospitals,” recognizes accredited hos-pitals that attained and sustained excellence in account-ability performance during the previous calendar year.

The Willmar program was among those cited formeeting or exceeding a 95 percent performance targeton accountability measures for inpatient psychiatricservices. The measures were related to admissionscreening, antipsychotic medications, and creationand transmission of continuing care plans. The facil-ity is one of 11 hospitals in Minnesota and 620 hospi-tals nationwide being recognized in this year’s report.

“This recognition is much appreciated validation ofthe commitment and professionalism of our staff inproviding specialized treatment to children and ado-lescents with serious emotional disturbance,” said Hu-man Services Commissioner Lucinda Jesson. ■

[Source: Minnesota DHS]

Disability employment funding approvedThe U.S. Department of Labor has announced

$20,654,352 for seven states under the Disability Em-ployment Initiative to improve education, training,and employment opportunities and outcomes foryouth and adults with disabilities who are unem-ployed, underemployed and/or receiving Social Secu-rity disability benefits. The initiative is jointly fundedand administered by the department’s Employmentand Training Administration and its Office of Disabil-ity Employment Policy.

This round of funding is the third under the Dis-ability Employment Initiative, which currently sup-ports 16 state projects. The Minnesota Department ofEmployment and Economic Development (DEED)received $2,797,093.

All projects under this initiative build upon previ-ous department initiatives by hiring staff with exper-tise in disability and workforce issues. The grantssupport extensive collaboration across multipleworkforce and disability service systems in each state,including vocational rehabilitation, mental health, in-tellectual/developmental disability agencies, indepen-dent living centers, business leadership networks, andother community and nonprofit organizations. ■

[Source: U.S. Department of Labor]

Employment ads are $22-$25 per col. inch.Mail to: Access Press care of The Kelly Inn Offices;161 St. Anthony Ave; #910; St. Paul, MN 55103;

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EMPLOYMENTEMPLOYMENT

ATTN: PAIN SUFFERERSFed up with costly prescriptions, surgery, & invasiveprocedures? For our exciting consumer educationmessage on using lasers to treat the pain at its source,call 952-388-2816.” (24-hr free recorded message.)

FOR SALEPRIDE MOBILTY SCOOTER Three-wheel Pridescooter. In excellent condition with new batteries &available for immediate purchase. $350 Please con-tact Barbara, 612-685-4400, or by email at Toad5158@hotmail.com

Immediate PCA NeededROSEVILLE

Professional Male quadriplegic client, 8 hour shifts-AM,PM, and Overnight, Prev Exp Necessary, Non-smoker,Valid DL. Must be Flexible, Background Study ran.Call Tracy at In Home Personal Care 763-546-1000

REGIONAL NEWS

Attorney – Housing And Hsq DiscriminationContact Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid. For more details

go to www.mylegalaid.org/jobs

Pg 16 November 10, 2012 Volume 23, Number 11