Y INSIDE

UPCOMINGb EVENTS

www.thekennedycenterinc.org

volume #34 Spring 2010

59th Annual Meeting & Dinner7 Awards Given for Outstanding

5. Welcoming the evening’s speaker are left to right: BoardChair, Gil KKellersman, AAlison SSmith, President & CEO, MartySchwartz, speaker, J. RR. MMartinez, SSteve SSmith aand PPeter FFoley.

"Innovative Solutions for Today'sChallenges" was the theme for TheKennedy Center's 59th Annual Meeting.Seven awards were presented to areaemployers and consumers in recogni-tion of their outstanding achievements.Co-chairs of the event were Mary Brownof Bridgeport and Rachelle Mitchell ofMilford.

Motivational sspeaker JJ.R. MMartinez oofDalton, GGeorgia, kkeynoted tthe aannualmeeting at the Bridgeport Holiday Innon March 25. A national spokesman forthe Coalition to Salute America's Heroesand also plays Brot Monroe, a returningsoldier, on the ABC daytime drama "AllMy Children." Martinez told his inspiringstory of resilience, perseverance andoptimism after sustaining severe burninjuries as an infantryman with theUnited States Army in Iraq.

The most prestigious award of theevening was presented to Herb MMoorinof FFairfield (picture ##4), a partner withPullman & Comley in Bridgeport, whoreceived the Evelyn KKennedy SSilver

Bowl. This award is named after thefounder of The Kennedy Center and wasgiven to this longtime supporter whohas made a lasting impact on thisagency through his compassion, leader-ship and unwavering commitment.

Singled out as the CompetitiveEmployer oof tthe YYear wwas SSacred HHeartUniversity (picture ##6). With the nurtur-ing and support of this university, twoKennedy Center clients have beenemployed several years by the university.

Visual FFootcare TTechnologies iinTrumbull wwas nnamed IIndustry oof ttheYear (picture ##8), a special award that israrely given out. For the past threeyears, this company has consistentlyprovided Kennedy Center clients withemployment in our sheltered employ-ment program. John VVoket, PPublicAffairs DDirector aat CCox RRadio iin MMilford(picture ##2) was presented with anotherspecial award, the MMedia PPartnershipAward. For nearly two decades, he hasbeen a good friend and advocate of TheKennedy Center. Through his access to

the airwaves, he has effectively commu-nicated the abilities of citizens with dis-abilities.

Anna-MMaria SSforza oof NNorwalk wwasrecognized aas tthe CCompetitiveEmployee oof tthe YYear (picture ##1). Asan employee of Rite Aid drugstore, sheexhibits a strong desire to work, excel-lent attendance and enjoys assistingcustomers.

Likewise, the Supported EEmployeeAward wwas ggiven tto RRyan GGall oofStratford (picture ##3), a hardworkingand dependable member of the sup-ported employment team. Gall is a trueteam player and helps coworkers whenassistance is needed.

The James GG. RRebeta CClientAchievement AAward wwas ppresented ttoGregory PPonton oof BBridgeport (picture#7). The store manager, who he hasworked with for five years, is extremelypleased with his performance and feelshe is very deserving of this award.

2 EVENTS2010 Cabaret Dinner &

Auction2010 Magic Moments

4 PROGRAMS && SSERVICESWheel ArtSocial Activity GroupsHearing Voices Workshop

6 MAKING AA DDIFFERENCEBigelow Tea Adopts-A-HomeProbus Club Square Dance Legislative ForumTrumbull Chamber of

Commerce8 FROM TTHE HHEART

Music Drives Us

SSiibblliinngg CCoonnffeerreenncceePRESENTED BY ARI OF CT, THE SIBLING LEADERSHIP NETWORK, & THE KENNEDY CENTER

August 7-8, 2010Hyatt RegencyGREENWICH, CT

FOR INFORMATION, GO TOWWW.SSIIBBLLIINNGGCCOONNFFEERREENNCCEE.ORG

66tthh AAnnnnuuaall Business BreakfastChallengeWednesday, Sept. 15Circle DinerFAIRFIELD, CT

REGISTER ONLINE ATwww.THEKENNEDYCENTERINC.orgor CCALL 2203.365.8522, eext. 2216

FFaauusstt HHaallll ddeeddiiccaattiioonnThursday, Sept. 16Dedication Ceremony forThe Norma Pfreim Alzheimer’s Center atFaust Hall

Four SSeasons BBallSaturday, Nov. 22The WaterviewMONROE, CTALL PROCEEDS BENEFITRESIDENTIAL SERVICESFOR MORE INFORMATIONCCAALLLL 220033..336655..88552222,, EEXXTT,, 221166

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EVENTS

2010 CABARET DINNER & AUCTION“ T R I U M P H S ” F O R C H I L D R E N ’ S S E R V I C E S

Representing BBaarrnnuumm FFiinnaanncciiaall GGrroouupp//FFoouunnddaattiioonn ffoorrLLiiffee sponsorship were DDiiaannaa PPaauulliinn aanndd MMiicchhaaeell LLyynncchh.

President & CEO MMaarrttyy SScchhwwaarrttzz and Chair CChhrriissttiinneeDDoonnaahhuuee BBrroowwnn congratulated BBoobb BBrroowwnn, this year’sCabaret Clock recipient.

MMaaggggiiee aanndd SSeeaann CCaarrrroollll of Merit Insurance, enjoyed the“Triumph” theme. MMeerriitt IInnssuurraannccee was a Silver Sponsor.

Cast member, EEllaayynnee CCaassssaarraa, performed one of manysolo arrangements to the Cabaret’s sold-out crowd.

Chairing the event for the 19th consecutive year, CChhrriissttiinneeDDoonnaahhuuee BBrroowwnn joined her brother, cast member MMiicchhaaeellDDoonnaahhuuee, and dad, Master of Ceremonies SStteevvee DDoonnaahhuuee..

The 2010 Cabaret ““TTrriiuummpphh”” CCaasstt got rave reviews fromthe audience for another incredible performance.

A sold-out crowd of over 400 peoplecheered, laughed, and applauded as theTrumbull Marriott ballroom was trans-formed into a giant sports arena onJanuary 23. The Kennedy Center's 19thAnnual Auction/Cabaret was an evening oftriumph in so many ways with a greatturnout, great team spirit and great weather.

In keeping with the "Triumph" sportstheme, guests dressed in everything fromreferee shirts and pants to their favoritefootball jerseys. Clever sporting decora-tions were everywhere. Banners and tro-phies lined The Kennedy Center CabaretHall of Champions. Then, inside the ball-room, each table was covered in a turf like,green tablecloth with trophy centerpiecesfull of red roses.

Throughout the evening, an extraordinarycast of animated Connecticut actors andactresses sang and danced to sports-relat-ed songs, from sultry ballads and rock androll oldies to contemporary hits. Some ofthe favorite crowd-pleasers performed bythese amazing singers were “I Got A

Feeling," “Who Let the Dogs Out," “Hit MeWith Your Best Shot," and “I Will Survive."

New this year to the show was theChildren's Choir from the Performing ArtsCenter of Connecticut. Twenty adorablechildren debuted their singing skills as theyheld hands together on stage. The audi-ence went wild with appreciation as theyoohed, ahed and applauded after the twonumbers they performed. These childrenhelped other children with their time andtalent.

This major fundraiser for The KennedyCenter Children's Services Programbrought in a net $60,000. This annualevent has benefited thousands of children

in Connecticut with and without disabilitiesto achieve their dreams and to triumph.

The inspirational founder and chairman ofthis popular winter social was ChristineDonahue Brown of Fairfield, who wasassisted by a committee of over 20 dedi-cated volunteers. As part of the evening'sfestivities, Robert Brown of Bridgeport wasrecognized for nearly 20 years of outstand-ing volunteer commitment to theAuction/Cabaret. He was honored with theprestigious Kennedy Center Cabaret Clock.

The generous underwriters of this majorevent were: Merit IInsurance and Koskoff,Koskoff && BBieder, PP.C. as the SilverSponsors; Donahue && BBrown, LLLC and TDBank as Bronze Sponsors; and BarnumFinancial GGroup/Foundation ffor LLife,Health NNet aand PPurdue PPharma asSignature Sponsors.

To learn more about The Kennedy CenterChildren’s Services, visit our websitewww.thekennedycenterinc.org

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MAGIC MOMENT’S TEAMWORKNets $115,000 for The Autism Project

CELEBRATING THE POTENTIAL OF ALL PEOPLE

EVENTS

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Magical things happen whenpeople lend their time, talent andsupport to philanthropic causes.The Kennedy Center is no excep-tion. Through the community'sgenerous support, over$115,000 was raised to supportThe Kennedy Center’s AutismProject and help families impact-ed by autism.

Over 250 supporters enjoyed theevening's festivities in the newlyopened SONO Field House inSouth Norwalk. Preceding themain event, a VIP winetastingreception featured wine expertsfrom Harry's Wine & LiquorMarket of Fairfield, and exquisitefood. A high-end selection ofwines and champagnes fromMoet-Hennessy USA were sam-pled and tasted by the connois-seurs in attendance.

Magic Moments was co-chairedby Dr. Pietro Andres and KristineGeorge Andres of Fairfield, whofounded this major autismfundraiser. "This event and ulti-mately, the Autism Project, wouldnot exist without the dedicationand combined efforts of Co-Chairs Kristine and PietroAndres, the Magic MomentsHonorary and PlanningCommittees, volunteers, contrib-utors and friends of The KennedyCenter," said Martin D. Schwartz,President and CEO of TheKennedy Center. “Proceeds fromthis charity event fund the AutismProject for the entire year. We areextremely grateful for the com-munity's outstanding support."

Many generous sponsors con-tributed to this major regionalfundraiser. Team Captain spon-sors included: Autism SSpeaks,the MMorello FFamily of Wilton, TheRoyal BBank oof SScotland, LLazard

Capital MMarkets, TThe PPer && AAstridHeidenreich FFamily FFoundation,and Jeff aand CCindy DDworken ofEaston, Paul and Joy HHorton ofFairfield, Susan aand FFrank CCarrollof Wilton. In addition, the FoleyFamily of Fairfield contributed atthe All-Star level.

In addition, Player sponsors wereL i n d a m o o d - BB e l l L e a r n i n gProcesses, the Matthews FFamilyof Fairfield, Diana PPaulin aand hherhusband MMichael LLynch ofStratford, Pediatric HHealthcareAssociates, and SouthfieldCenter ffor DDevelopment. Mediasponsors are WEBE 108 andWICC, and Morris Media Group.The funds raised at the eventenable The Autism Project to con-tinue to provide a variety of pro-grams that bridge the gaps inexisting community services,such as: coordinating sservices forfamilies, and helping children asthey transition from a Birth toThree home program into pre-school; implementing tthe nnewFamily GGrant PProgram to providefinancial assistance for thosewho struggle with the enormousexpenses associated withautism; conducting wworkshopsand ttrainings for both parentsand professionals on issues suchas dealing with challengingbehaviors, special educationlaws and advocacy, and disclo-sure of information relating todisabilities; supporting cchildrenin their participation in communi-ty activities; and facilitating aasocial aactivities ggroup for schoolage children and teenagers.

For further information visit ourwebsite at www.thekennedycen-terinc.org or call 203.332.4535,ext. 2247.

Co-Chair KKrriissttiinnee AAnnddrreess joined CChhaarrlloottttee MMoorreelllloo and CCaarrooll CCuunnnn during the Private WineTasting before the main event. Charlotte and her husband Chris were sponsors for the event.

Sponsors CCiinnddyy aanndd JJeeffffDDwwoorrkkeenn were especiallyproud of their son Ben, whogave an inspiring speechduring the event..

Co-Chair PPiieettrroo AAnnddrreess andMMiicchhaaeell LLyynncchh took turnsplaying host. Michael was theevening’s emcee as well asone of the event sponsors.

AAnnnnee aanndd PPeetteerr FFoolleeyyenjoyed the evening andwere among the many spon-sors that contributed tothe event’s success.

During the event, aChallenge to raise $20,000to expand The AutismProject’s Social ActivityGroup program was over-whelmingly surpassed byraising a total of $27,000.To help the attendeesunderstand the importanceof the program, BBeennDDwwoorrkkeenn gave a movingspeech on how the programhas helped him with his selfesteem and form lastingfriendships. It was Ben’sfirst time to speak in front ofa crowd and he did an out-standing job.

Sponsors SShhaawwnn aanndd MMoonniiccaa MMaatttthheewwssalong with Co-Chairs KKrriissttiinnee aanndd PPiieettrrooAAnnddrreess took a moment to enjoy theevening’s festivities.

FFrraanncckk GGiirraarrdd representing MMooeett HHeennnneessssyyUUSSAA with wine experts from HHaarrrryy’’ss WWiinnee &&LLiiqquuoorr MMaarrkkeett hosted the event’s PrivateWine Tasting.

When you picture an artist at work, what's the first thing that comes to mind? If it is an artist creating art with their wheelchair,you are not the average thinker. “Wheel AArt" oor ““Wheelchair AArt" iisa pphenomenon sslowly mmaking iit's wway aacross tthe UU.S. aand mmakinga ddifference aat TThe KKennedy CCenter. Consumers around the agencyare using their wheels to create colorful paintings that capture thetextures and movements of the mobile chairs so familiar to theirbodies. Not oonly hhas tthis eexpressive pprocess aallowed ffor aa ffun aandcreative eexperience, iit hhas aalso ccaptured aa ttruth tthat mmany oover-look; ssome ppersons wwith ssevere ddisabilities hhave ffew iif aany ootheroptions ffor aa ccreative ooutlet.

“Wheel Art" was featured at the 2008 American Art TherapyAssociation conference, providing attendees with a canvas tote cov-ered in colorful wheel prints. Kennedy Center consumers have cre-ated paintings of a similar feel, including a series created by Jessicaof PProject AAct, that were exhibited at the 2009 People's UnitedBank Calendar reception show. Other consumers have taken theirmotorized wheelchairs for spins and turns over large sheets of fab-ric or canvas, creating beautiful pieces like William oof PProjectTwenty or, like Steven ffrom PProject AAct, who spent part of his lastweek here on earth, creating art and enjoying the colorful ride in hiswheelchair.

Another type of “Wheel Art" not yet tapped into by KennedyCenter consumers is called "Digital Wheel Art." According toYounghyun Chung, author of the article Digital Wheel Art, 2008(http://risknfun.com/project/digitalwheelart/), “Digital Wheel Artis an interactive system that helps individuals with disabilitiesexpress themselves artistically. A user drives his own wheelchair ina room while the system follows the movement of the wheelchair bydetecting infrared signals. The system projects the lines onto thescreen in real-time. It also gives general audiences an opportunityto explore and rethink disabilities through art." Though TheKennedy Center has yet to experience this level of technologicalcreativity, it is clear that only more opportunities will be available inthe future for our less physically available consumers.

While the process of protecting the wheels with plastic can betedious (although this isn't always necessary), all that's really need-ed is an artist, a wheelchair, a surface and some paint. The paint-ings can be created inside or out. A beautiful sunny day and someclean asphalt can prove quite the advantage when outside! Asmany hhave eexperienced aat TThe KKennedy CCenter, wwheel aart iis aa ffuntechnique wwith ccaptivating rresults aand ffor tthe aartists wwith mmotorizedchairs, tthe ccreative pprocess iis ttruly iin ttheir hhands.

PROGRAMS & SERVICES

WHEEL ART / THERAPEUTIC ARTS PROGRAM

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William

Steven

HEARING VOICESWORKSHOP

May was Mental Health Monthand The Kennedy Center partici-pated in this national celebrationby offering a free Hearing VoicesWorkshop on May 20 at theirReservoir office in Trumbull. Thispopular wworkshop iis ddesigned ttofamiliarize sstaff wwith tthe ppersonalexperience oof aauditory hhallucinations.The workshop also increases par-ticipants' sensitivity to client needsand offers professionals moreeffective support and direction.

The first International SSibling Conference will take place August7-88 aat tthe HHyatt RRegency iinGreenwich, CCT. Presented by TheKennedy Center, ARI of CT and TheSibling Leadership Network, theconference will explore the rewardsand challenges of having a familymember with disabilities. For infor-mation, call 203.324.9258 or go towww.siblingconference.org

Families from all over Fairfieldand New Haven Counties havebeen signing up for social activitygroup programs offered by TheKennedy Center. This oone-oof-kkindprogram tteaches cchildren wwithdisabilities aand sspecial nneedshow tto ssocialize aand tthrive iinsocial ssettings. Nearly three years ago,Children’s Services started apilot program for young adults,ages 17 to 21. The responsefrom the community for this firstSocial Activity Group was greaterthan anyone had ever anticipat-ed. A year later, The KennedyCenter was up to five weeklygroups for children with disabili-ties ranging from autism spec-trum disorders to Down syn-drome.As a result of the program's pop-ularity, there aare ccurrently eeightgroups ffor cchildren 55 tto 221,which are organized by age andability. There are participantsfrom nearby Shelton, Easton,Bridgeport, and Stratford, and asfar away as Bethel, Ridgefield,Norwalk, Westport, and Orange.Emma Genster, Youth InclusionCoordinator at The KennedyCenter, oversees the entire pro-gram. Groups mmeet cconvenientlyafter sschool oon TTuesdays aandThursdays, oor oon SSaturdays andare geared to elementary, middle school, and high school students all the way up to young adults.Each drop off group is well super-vised by two Kennedy Centerstaff, who are trained in first aid,CPR, and crisis prevention inter-

vention. A mmaximum oof ssix ttoeight cchildren ccan rregister fforeach pprogram. There is a nomi-nal charge for all programs, "Wetry to make everything affordablefor our families," said Genster.Each social activity group is sup-ported by two peer volunteers.Parent Crista Belmont ofNorwalk spoke highly about thepeer volunteers. "One of thegreatest things about thisteenage social activity group isthe fact that typical teen peersvolunteer to assist the staff. As aresult, our son has becomefriendly with many of the partici-pants," said Belmont. “ThisSaturday mmorning pprogram hhasmade aa bbig ddifference iin oourson's llife aand hhas pprovided hhimwith rreal llife ssocial sskills aandmore sself-cconfidence." It's a win-win situation for thepeer volunteers, too. “After a yearof volunteering at The KennedyCenter, I can truly say that I havechanged as a person," said AlexaBabbin of Westport, a junior atStaples High School. “I haveseen a different world and differ-ent types of people, yet I havealso learned that we are all thesame.”For the youngest children, ages 5to 7, the Explorers group developstheir social skills and relation-ships with peers through recre-ational games and activities.Early elementary skills arestrengthened, listening skills aredeveloped and self-esteemgrows. Kennedy's Kids provides asocial outlet for children a littleolder, from 9 to 12 years old. Preteens and teens learn evenmore advanced skills. At these group sessions, social and dailyliving skills are reviewed andstrategies are discussed prior toattending an outside activitytogether. Participants haveattended a college basketball game, gone ice skating, volun-

teered at a local pet rescue centerand other age appropriate activi-ties. Then, they are encouragedto try these activities with theirfamilies or friends. “The resultshave been amazing," saidGenster. “The participants havegained so much confidence fromthe experience."The nnewest ggroup tto ddebut iisFriday NNight FFun, which includesdinner. This monthly programprovides respite for familieswhile their children have funthrough expressive arts, cookingand recreational games andactivities. This group is geared tochildren ages 7 to 21 whoalready participate in socialactivity groups.The KKennedy CCenter sstaff ddeter-mines tthe bbest-ssuited ggroup fforeach cchild. Prior to registration,an intake interview is conductedand an assessment of eachchild's strengths and needs isdetermined.Parents raising children with adisability need support. ParentConnections was created to pro-vide parents of children with dis-abilities an outlet to express theirconcerns but also their accom-plishments in raising a child withspecial needs. In addition appro-priate resources and informationare shared at meetings. Thisgroup meets the second FFridayof tthe mmonth ffrom noon to 1 p.m.in The Kennedy Center'sRecreation Room, 39 LindemanDrive, Trumbull. For Spanishspeaking parents, the group“Padres LLatinos" meets the thirdThursday oof tthe mmonth from 11a.m. to noon at St. John's FamilyCenter, 768 Fairfield Avenue,Bridgeport. For more information about TheKennedy Center Social ActivityGroup programs, contact EEmmaGenster aat 2203.332.4535, eext.223 oor eegenster@kennedyctr.org

DIGNITY EMPOWERMENT OPPORTUNITY

PROGRAMS & SERVICESSOCIAL ACTIVITY GROUPS

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By making a Bequestof any ssize to

The Kennedy Center.you can let your dreams live

for generations to comewhile still retaining control

over your assets.So simple to do thatit’s aa ““piece oof ccake.”

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACTJO ANN MCMULLAN

203.365.8522, EXT. 229OR JMCMULLAN@KENNEDYCTR.ORG

How to haveYOUR CAKE

and EAT it too

SIBLING CONFERENCE

The PProbus CClub oof GGreater BBridgeport hhasbeen aa wwonderful ssupporter tto TThe KKennedyCenter. For over 50 years this civic organiza-tion, comprised of area business and pro-fessional leaders, has contributed funds toour residential and vocational programs aswell as providing many hours of volunteerservices.Several years ago, one of their members,Attorney Dan Green, came up with a uniqueand fun idea for our group home residents.

He thought they would enjoy a night outsquare dancing with a live caller. TheProbus Club was enthusiatic about his ideaand decided to run with it.

The ffirst HHo-ddown wwas sso ssuccessful tthatthey nnow hhave mmade iit aa yyearly eevent. Thisyear the dance took place at CongregationB’nai Israel and included individuals fromthe Kesher Project, a privately funded pro-gram for developmentally challenged adults.

As you can see, everyone got into the actand danced the night away. It is an eveningthat everyone looks forward to including TheKennedy Center staff, Probus Club membersand of course the guests of honor, the resi-dents ffrom TThe KKennedy CCenter aand iindividu-als wwith tthe KKesher PProject.

We would like to say a big “Thank yyou” tothe members of the Probus Club for a greatidea and a memorable night out.

MAKING A DIFFERENCER. C. BIGELOW ADOPTS-A-HOME

PROBUS CLUB SQUARE DANCE

Bigelow Tea in Fairfield recently adopted aKennedy Center group home as part of a$2,000 donation they contributed duringthe Center's Four Seasons Ball. Eight mem-bers of the company's management teamspent a day at the Wayne Road Home inMilford. Participants included: Don Janezic,Bob Hendrick, Bob Kelly, Marshall Adams,Dean Hearst, Dick Whalen, John McCrawand Cindi Bigelow. They spruced up thehouse inside and out. The Bigelow teampainted, landscaped and even rebuilt apatio for the residents' enjoyment.

Cindi Bigelow, President of Bigelow Tea, wasthrilled with the volunteer experience andnoted, “As aa llong-ttime aadmirer oof tthe ggreatworks bbeing ddone bby tthe KKennedy CCenter, II

was ddelighted ffor mmyself aand mmy tteam ttohave tthe oopportunity tto hhelp wwork oon oone oofthe rresidential hhomes wwith tthe ‘‘Adopt-AA-Group HHome PProgram.' TThe eexperiencecouldn't hhave bbeen mmore ggratifying.

“The day turned out to be outstanding onseveral fronts. First, knowing we were mak-ing a difference for the residents of this

home was extremelysatisfying. Equallyimportant, tthe ccama-raderie wwe sshared ffarexceeded mmy ggreat-est eexpectations.When we finished, myteam definitely hadhuge smiles on theirfaces.

This is now some-thing I look forward to

doing every year. It was a real honor to beable to participate in such a team buildingproject, not to mention to be able to giveback to such a worthy cause."

The AAdopt-AA-GGroup HHome pprogram iis aa ppart-nership uuniting aa ggroup hhome wwith bbusiness-es, ccivic oorganizations aand oother ccommunitypartners. Adoptive organizations are encour-aged to enhance and maintain one of TheKennedy Center's group homes throughoutNew Haven and Fairfield Counties.

Each oof TThe KKennedy CCenter’s 116 ggrouphomes pprovides aa 224-hhour ssupervised sset-ting ffor aas mmany aas eeight iindividuals aand iisstructured wwith ttheir sspecialized nneeds iinmind. Proper maintenance to the grouphomes is vital to The Kennedy Center andits staff to ensure a comfortable and safeenvironment for the residents. Funding pro-vided by the State is limited in this area andwe are truly grateful to Bigelow Tea for part-nering with us on this beautification project.It is also a great way to effectively promoteteam building within a corporation.

For mmore iinformation aabout tthe AAdopt-AA-Group HHome pprogram, ccontact PPeterCarbine, VVice PPresident oof RResidentialServices aat TThe KKennedy CCenter, aat 2203-365-88522, eext. 2204.

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Cindi Bigelow overseesher team while they installa patio for the grill area.

The residents were thrilled with the results from theBigelow / Adopt-A-Home project.

The Bigelow Team took a break and enjoyed a littlelunch before finishing their home improvement proj-ect for The Kennedy Center’s Wayne Road grouphome.

WESTY/FAIRFIELDHOST “NEW & NEARLY NEW” COLLECTION DRIVE

MAKING A DIFFERENCELEGISLATIVE FORUM

TRUMBULL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

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www.THEKENNEDYCENTERINC.org

The Kennedy Center Auxiliary 's New & Nearly New Shop ispleased to announce Westy SSelf SStorage, 22070 KKingsHighway, FFairfield CCt, hhas ggraciously aagreed tto hhost aa ccollec-tion ddrive dduring tthe mmonth oof JJuly 22010.

Items needed include small furniture items, kitchen andhousehold items, jewelry and knickknacks. Items sshould bbebrought tto WWesty iin aa bbox oor pplastic bbag mmarked ffor tthe NNew& NNearly NNew SShop. Please do not include electronics, booksor clothing. All ddonations aare ttax ddeductible. Westy hours areMonday -Friday 8am to 6 pm, Saturday 9am to 6pm andSunday 11am to 4 pm

Manager of the New & Nearly New Shop, CCaarrooll KKaarrppoovviicchhpartners with Westy Director, EEmmaannuueell MMiinnnniicckk for a collec-tion drive that will benefit The Kennedy Center.

Someone is finally listening. (Or - Legislators recently heard our plea forhelp.) February, TThe KKennedy CCenter hhosted aa LLegislative FForum iin HHartfordto ddiscuss ccost-eeffective ssolutions tthat mmake ssense. Legislators from all overthe state attended Kennedy Center Day at the Capitol and started a dialogueto solve our state's current budget crisis. The ideas presented would alsohelp out hundreds of other non-profits throughout the state.

The Kennedy Center personally applauds State SSenators JJohn MMcKinney aandAnthony MMusto aas wwell aas SState RRepresentatives TT.R. RRowe aand TTony HHwangfor taking a brave stance in support of new legislation that would benefit andsupport non-profits. These bbills wwould hhelp TThe KKennedy CCenter tto ccontinuethe vvital sservices iit pprovides tto oover 11,500 iindividuals aannually.

The ttime ffor cchange iis nnow. This groundbreaking legislative action couldgive The Kennedy Center and many other non-profits much needed finan-cial relief. In aaddition, tthe SState oof CConnecticut ccould ssave hhundreds oof mmil-lions oof ddollars. This budget solution makes sense for all of us.

Members of The Kennedy Center Legislative Forum pose with State Senator Gayle Slossberg, whowas one of the many legislators who attended the Forum.

The Trumbull Chamber of Commerce, an affiliate of the BridgeportRegional Business Council, awarded one of the “Taking Care of Business"Grants for 2009 to The Kennedy Center. The “Taking Care of Business"Grant is available to businesses/entities, small and large, that supportprojects that benefit Trumbull and its business community.

The grant will provide funding for reference materials related to job search,career exploration, occupational information, life skills and character educa-tion. These materials will help provide an optimum quality of services andsupport for The Kennedy Center clients and maximize the number of peoplewith disabilities who obtain and sustain community based employment.

Alice Ferreira (center) along with other members of the Trumbull Chamber ofCommerce congratlate Marty Schwartz, President & CEO of The Kennedy Centerwith a check from. the 2009 “Taking Care of Business” grant.

FROM THE HEART

Celebrating the Potential of All People

From the moment I began this journey ofbringing music into the lives of people withlimited abilities, I realized that I might be oneof the only ones who never doubted theirability to create, enjoy, and benefit from allthat music has to offer. Music iis tthe uuniversallanguage tthat ccan sspeak tto aanyone aandeveryone, nno mmatter wwhat oone's aage, ggender,or aability llevel. Here is a story that I hope willtouch your heart the way it did mine.

One day I received a phone call from one ofthe programs that I serve. They asked if Iwould come over to see if I could help oneof our consumers. I was told that this indi-vidual had been lying on the floor for weeks

on end and would not respond to anythingor anyone. The ssituation sseemed hhopeless,and ccaused aa llevel oof ffrustration tthat wwasinfiltrating tthe eentire pprogram. Withoutknowing how successful I would be with thisindividual, I embarked on my mission, guitarin hand, and ready to do what I do best. Myjob is to create a musical experience for ourconsumers.

Walking into the room, I observed this youngwoman lying on the floor, very much obliviousto anything around her. Instead of trying tomake direct contact, I decided to sit downnearby her while I started singing and playingmy guitar. Before tthe ffirst ssong wwas ffinished,this wwoman, wwho hhad eeffectively bblocked ooutthe wworld, wwas ssitting iin aa cchair nnext tto mme.Her head was cocked to the side as she lis-tened intently to the music. I could detect afaint smile on her lips.

I played for about an hour during my weeklyvisits, while I tried to find songs that wouldbring some kind of response from her. Assoon as I would finish playing and got up toleave, she would go back to lying on the floor.Still we all knew that somehow, for that hour,something touched her inside to give her areason to leave her comfort zone.

As the weeks went by I noticed her responseto the music was becoming more profound.Now, she was not only smiling, but rockingback and forth to the beat while clappingher hands. For mmany iindividuals wwith sspe-cial nneeds aand ddisabilities, aa ssimple aact oofinclusion ccan hhave aa mmonumental iimpacton ttheir ooverall wwell-bbeing. Little by littleshe began to lie on the floor less and joinher peers in group activities.

It has been a beautiful experience to seehow the music has produced a sense ofconnectedness for this young woman.Music has helped to integrate self with com-munity, as well as mind, body and spirit. Forwhatever rreason, tthe mmusic hhelped hher ttofocus lless oon hherself aand mmore oon tthe wworldaround hher. It helped her to connect to herpeers, to her staff, and to her community.She iis nnow ffreed ffrom tthe cclosed ooff wworldthat sshe wwas ssinking iinto ddeeper bby tthe dday.Music gives individuals with special needsand disabilities the opportunity to enhancetheir emotional and spiritual well-being, andimprove their overall quality of life.Robin Z. Allen Expressive Arts Facilitator The Kennedy Center

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