AUGUST 2011

A Message from the ILCWR Board...........2

A Message from the Executive Director…3

2011 In Review....4-5

Our Success Stories: Patti’s Story.............6

The Gift That Keeps On Giving.................7

“Together, Freedom Through Access and Choice”

WINTER 2011

Warm Holiday Greetings!

Visit the NEW www.ilcwr.org!

Follow us on Twitter!

@ILCWR

Inside...

THE FORUM

ILCWR family. Christmas lists are being made all over Waterloo Region these days, but the best present we could have asked for has already arrived! Our new website, www.ilcwr.org is now fully operational, and we encourage all of our members to visit and check out the news stories, upcoming events calendar, and descriptions of our programs and services—it’s all available online, anytime! We are also pleased to announce that ILCWR is now on Twitter! Follow @ILCWR to stay up to date on news and events that concern our neighbours with disabilities in Waterloo Region. And keep an eye on your inbox for the bi-monthly ILCWR

E-Newsletter launching in 2012. The new year is just around the corner, and so is the deadline for the Accessible Customer Service Standard under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act. On January 1, 2012, all private-sector businesses must train their staff in Accessible Customer Service. If you are a business owner, or know of a business that has yet to do the training, ILCWR can help! Call us or e-mail AODA@ilcwr.org for more information. There’s much more news in the pages to come—please enjoy, and Happy Holidays from your friends at ILCWR!

Happy Holidays from the

Independent Living Centre of Waterloo Region! Welcome once again to The Forum newsletter, our publication for you, the

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As you may know, Board terms begin with the Annual General Meeting in September. Many thanks to those who were able to join us for the meeting this year in Cambridge—it’s always encouraging to make a connection with some of the folks on whose behalf we govern as a Board. We are fortunate to have a group of excellent volunteers at ILCWR, and, like other volunteers, Board members bring many skills and much lived experience to their roles. This term, we warmly welcome Marla Debruyn, Dianna Fong-Lee, and Peter Naus. As volunteer Board members, we each bring so much passion and commitment to the organization, and we want to make sure that our governance is as sound as possible. And we’ve made great progress over the past year! We’re getting better at communicating with members, who are among the “owners” of the agency, and I think we are better disciplined within our governing role. The Board has been

processes are rigorous, since it’s one of the important ways that we meet our “ends.” After all, pre-stated, transparent and easily-understood monitoring criteria is critical to good governance structure. As Board president, embedding good governance is both a pleasure and a challenge. The Board and the Executive Director each do the best job possible—the former by setting policy and direction, and the latter by translating it into action. Working in partnership with each other is crucial to effectively leading and serving the organization and its stakeholders. Certainly, these are challenging times, with unstable global economies, domestic budget deficits and increasing losses of the manufacturing base, but in spite of funding changes, ILCWR continues to deliver excellent value in supporting persons with disabilities in the Region. Management and staff continue to work on finding efficiencies where possible, without compromising service delivery targets. While change is the only certainty, we assure you of the Board’s commitment to excellence in governance and service. You are always welcome to contact us, to attend a meeting, and to access copies of minutes, policies, reports and board initiatives on our new website. On behalf of the board, best wishes to you and to your families this holiday season—and, of course, a happy new year!

Yours sincerely,

Taposhi Batabyal, President, ILCWR Board of Directors

Greetings from the ILCWR Board!

Happy new year

from the ILCWR Board of Directors! While it is not quite the new year for most, it is for the ILCWR Board, complete with a brand-new slate of members and Board calendar.

Taposhi Batabyal,President

looking critically at policies and making sure its monitoring

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WINTER 2011

I recently had the pleasure of listening to the Honourable David

Onley, the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario. His Honour has made accessibility the focus of his tenure and defines it as “that which enables people to achieve their full potential.” Further, he suggests that “true accessibility only occurs when people with disabilities can fully participate in social, economic, and cultural life.” He spoke of physical barriers, attitudes, and bias as the things that create ‘handicap’—not the disability itself. These powerful and inspiring words serve as a call to action for us to continue our journey together on the path of removing these barriers to full participation. Our Centre is a leader in implementing this dream. The programs and services we offer are built around the core principles of consumer control, full participation, and peer support and we can be proud of the accomplishments that we have achieved, both as a Centre and as a part of a larger movement. Curbs are cut, doors open

automatically, individuals have jobs, and people with disabilities have a say in defining what they need and how they receive it. The work we do has a profound impact of the daily lives of our whole community. We continue to make strides forward in our mission to provide exceptional, consumer-directed supports that allow people to live independently in the community. Focusing on the themes of communication, relationship development, and conflict resolution has enabled us to raise the bar. Equally important is our strategy of raising the profile of the organization. Through our broad reach into the larger community, we are able to ensure that the IL philosophy is kept on the agenda and that the voices of our consumers are heard. There is much more to accomplish though—our work is not done. According to His Honour, recent figures suggest that 15.5% of Ontarians have a disability of some sort, and that when you include their families, the number rises to an incredible 53% of the population that is directly affected by disability. These

numbers are staggering. We have a great opportunity to have an impact, and with your continued support, together, we can continue to make a difference. Many thanks to all of you: consumers, staff, and supporters—the members of our IL family, for helping us to realize the dream. I wish you all the very best over the coming holiday season and much prosperity and good fortune in the coming year.

Bil SmithExecutive DirectorIndependent Living Centre of Waterloo Region

A Message From the Executive Director

Bil Smith, Executive Director

The 24th Annual General Meeting at Cambridge City Hall saw the election of 3

new Board Members: Marla DeBruyn, Peter Naus and Dianna Fong-Lee

(pictured far left).

Fashion designer Izzy Camilleri showed off her seated styles for ILCWR consumers over tea in May.

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The Year... ...In Review

20th Anniversaries!

Spring Tea!

5 ILCWR attendants celebrated 20 Years on staff in 2011!(Clockwise from left) Cathy Doerbecker, Joan Williams (centre), Bev Walker,

Nikki Rodriguez (centre) and Linda Cully (centre).

The 24th Annual General Meeting

ILCWR raised $2,000 with its May Fundraiser, El Cinco De Mayo Taco Fiesta!

With an all- you-can-eat taco buffet, silent auction, cake auction and piñata activities, the event was muy bueno!

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Featured in the August, 2011 issue of The Forum, the 14th Annual Tournament of Hope raised a phenomenal $31,406.50 to purchase assistive devices for 14 individuals with disabilities!

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The Year... ...In Review

In October, ILCWR consumers got together to discuss issues related to disability and accessibility in a changing world. We were fortunate to have John Lord facilitate the event.

El Cinco De Mayo Taco Fiesta!

“The World is Changing”Consumer Forum

The 14th Annual

Tournament of Hope

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Patti was only 21 years old when she began to notice blurred vision in one eye.

“That was the first sign,” she said. “I didn’t even know what it was.” As it turns out, it was an indication of the beginnings of chronic progressive multiple sclerosis—a shock for Patti, who does not have a history of MS in her family. But she didn’t let it get in the way of living a healthy, fulfilling life. Patti had two children after her diagnosis, and did not require the use of a wheelchair for five years. A native of Kitchener-Waterloo, Patti spent some time living in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia before moving back in 1998. She began receiving attendant care from a local community organization, but found that she required a greater number of weekly service hours than they could provide. That’s when she became affiliated with the Independent Living Centre of Waterloo Region, which was able to provide her with a greater frequency attendant service that better met her needs. Patti thinks fondly on her time receiving Outreach support. “They’re like part of your family,” she said, referring to the attendants who helped her at home with the tasks of daily living, and made it easier for her to be a mother to her two young children. Now, after 21 years of living with MS, Patti is still living independently, and is as busy as ever. Not only does she

serve on the Board of Directors at the Independent Living Centre of Waterloo Region, Patti has also been heavily involved with Waterloo Region’s Barrier-Free Advisory Committee. She also continues to be active within KW Access-Ability, which over the years has provided countless networking opportunities and valuable relationships. Patti now lives in an apartment in one of ILCWR’s Assisted Living projects, where she feels very much at home. “ILC has let me keep my life,” Patti said. “There will always be barriers to people with disabilities, but you help to keep those barriers to a minimum.”

Our Success Stories!

Patti’s Story

“ILC has let me keep my life.”

“Our Success Stories” are featured in every issue of The Forum, and also in

the 2010-2011 Annual Report.

Visit www.ilcwr.org/annual-reports to read more!

Your Values, Your Credit Unionwww.mscu.com | 1.888.672.6728

See us about...

Can you believe that the Independent Living Centre of Waterloo Region is celebrating its 30th Anniversary

in 2012?! It is an exciting milestone, and one that shows we’re here to stay in this community. For the supporters who have helped us to get to this level of longevity, ILCWR introduces its new Pledged Giving program!

How does it work? For donors like Sue, who has been donating monthly to ILCWR for years, pledged giving makes the process easier. “It can be a whack of money up front,” says Sue, “but when you spread it out it doesn’t feel like it!” Just fill out a Pledged Giving form like the one attached to this newsletter, and ILCWR will process your donation through your Visa or MasterCard on a monthly or yearly basis—you won’t even have to think

about it! And you will still receive your tax receipt at the end of the year. As Sue puts it, “it’s very easy.”

What are the benefits? Donors like pledged giving because they’re able to make the same donation they would have otherwise, without without spending time and postage sending a cheque. But ILCWR benefits too—having pledged gifts means that we can plan our programs for consumers with your investment in mind. It doesn’t need to be a large amount—just informing ILCWR of a planned donation helps to improve our services through good financial planning.

Pledge a gift today, and help people with disabilities achieve independence in our community!

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This Year, Give the Gift That Keeps on Giving!

ILCWR PROGRAMS AND STAFF

Executive Director - Bil SmithHuman Resources & Finance Director - Angela KornEmployee Health Coordinator - Christina ChurchillHuman Resource Coordinator - Doug Boucher Finance Coordinator - Tracy SpencerExecutive Assistant/Community Relations - Andrew PosenReceptionist - Jim Ducharme

Community Support Services Director - Paula SaundersBeyond Barriers Coordinator - Vanessa HenrichsKids on the Block Coordinator - Angelika WernerYouth in Transition Coordinator - Bonnie TaylorPeer Resource & Advocacy Coordinator - Dan LajoieDirect Funding Coordinator - Lorene Collingwood

Attendant Services Director - Daryl NancekivellOutreach & In-Home Respite Supervisor - Cindy GuyOutreach Supervisor - Sandy StaufferOutreach Supervisor - Lise HancockProgram Support - Leanne Schade Program Support - Heather Marsh

SHAMROCK - WATERLOO - (519) 746-1312 Laura Sparks - Project Supervisor

MOOREGATE - KITCHENER - (519) 745-5949 Allan Russell - Project Supervisor

KIWANIS VILLAGE CAMBRIDGE - (519) 650-0843 Jacqueline Doummar - Project Supervisor

Special Thanks To Our Major

Funders

Independent Living Centre of Waterloo Region127 Victoria St. S., Suite 201

Kitchener, ON N2G 2B4

Telephone: (519)571-6788Fax: (519)571-6788TTY: (519)571-7590

Web: www.ilcwr.org ● Charitable # 10750-5356-RR0001

AUGUST 2011

Justice • Dignity • Respect • Teamwork • Welcoming

WINTER 2011