Category: Community

February 5, 2020

A Night to Shine

Do you remember your junior and senior proms?  You had to find that special guy or girl to go with.  You had to go shopping and find just the right dress, shoes, purse, and jewelry or tux to match that dress.  Ladies, there was the anticipation of getting your hair and nails done and getting dressed for the night.  And...

Categories Community/General

January 22, 2020

Shifting Perspectives: A World of Endless Possibilities

Recently while going to the movies with my daughters I saw Pixar’s short film trailer for “Loop.” It came out on Disney + on January 10, 2020. In this short film a young lady with autism navigates the world around her. She also teaches her acquaintance that not everything in this world is as it seems. Sometimes if we just...

Categories Community/General

January 8, 2020

Bluegrass Music Might Just Be the Cure For Your Winter Blues

Music has always been a passion for me.  As a young child, in West Virginia, I had the opportunity to go to a number of bluegrass festivals.  I always enjoyed the upbeat tempos and the unique sound that came from the intertwining of all the different instruments being played.  That sound comes from mainly stringed instruments including, acoustic guitar, fiddle,...

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December 18, 2019

It’s a Doggie World

I recently discovered the Wisconsin based company, Gracie’s Doggie Delights. Having an adorable, rambunctious pup of my own, I was intrigued to sniff out what the buzz was about. As the name suggests, this company is all about making delicious treats for our furry buddies but what sets them apart is their commitment to be all USA product, all the...

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November 20, 2019

Thanks and No Thanks: Approaching the Holidays

As I decided on the topic for this blog, I am reminded of the many years of holiday seasons that have come and gone where we have reviewed how to be sensitive to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities during the holiday seasons. Messages are conveyed to be mindful of the losses that so many have suffered around the holidays....

Categories Community/Everyday Life/General

November 6, 2019

The Art of Sensitivity

Story. Dance. Music. Art enriches our lives so much and it is for me a great bonding opportunity. I believe stories are meant to be shared and it is in the sharing that somehow people find common ground and understanding. Have you ever been to the ballet? I’ve only gone once but that day stands out to me as a...

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October 23, 2019

LEGO®: A Brand for Every Ability

LEGO®…doesn’t the mere mention of that name bring back fond childhood memories?  How many of you can remember playing for endless hours with LEGO® sets?  I do.  In fact, I still enjoy putting a LEGO® set together with my children or using our imaginations to come up with our own creations. The LEGO® group was founded in Denmark in 1932,...

Categories Community/Everyday Life/General

October 9, 2019

Clarion County Fair

What a great day at the Clarion County Fair. I had the opportunity to go to the Clarion County Fair on Disability Awareness Day this past July.  I didn’t know what to expect but I can certainly say that the day was amazing!  It was presented by Valley Advantages and it was open to all people with disabilities and their...

Categories Community/General

September 18, 2019

To Ride is to Breathe

The sunshine, beauty, adventure, freedom…these are a few of the things my best friend told me were grand about riding horses. I have yet to try it out but it got me thinking and wondering how many people out there have had the pleasure of riding a horse? How many people have not attempted because they didn’t know it was...

Categories Community/General

September 11, 2019

Social Skills and Autism Resources

This past summer the family of 20 year old Graham Sierota, the drummer for the band Echosmith, released a statement to people magazine about his diagnosis of Autism and general lack of understanding of social cues. It was discovered that Mr. Sierota had been messaging the 13 year old daughter of Travis Barker, the drummer for Blink-132, since she was...

Categories Community/General/Resources