Category: Community

May 8, 2019

Sharing the Journey

I am so excited to share with you a local organization, Reagan’s Journey Inc (http://www.reagansjourney.org/). This organization is making a major impact one medical item, one moment, and one life at a time. How do they do this? Their mission states “Reagan’s Journey Inc. exists to make life better for children with special needs through 3 primary means: special events,...

Categories Community/General/Resources

April 24, 2019

The Great Outdoors

Spring is here and with it comes longer days and warmer temperatures.  There is a newness with spring that cannot be explained.  Trees are budding, flowers are blooming, grass is greener…even the air smells clean and fresh.  Spring is the time of year for us to get back outside and enjoy nature, as well as shed those extra pounds we...

Categories Community/Everyday Life/General

April 10, 2019

Catch of the Day

Fishing is much more than fish. It is the great occasion when we may return to the fine simplicity of our lives. With the arrival of day light savings time and arrival of spring, we can start thinking of all those outdoor activities. Fishing is perfect for enjoying the great outdoors, socializing, and escaping the busy part of our lives....

Categories Community/General

April 4, 2019

Lifesteps Transition’s Got Talent…and That’s a Fact!

Imagine performing on the same stage as some of these famous musicians-Eddie Money, the Gin Blossoms, Foghat, Jefferson Starship, the Outlaws and Shooter Jennings.  That’s just what happened for the folks from Lifesteps Transition Program… The Next Step. They hosted their ‘Transition’s Got Talent’ Event on Tuesday, March 19th, 2019 at Jergel’s Rhythm Grill.  It was clear from the kick...

Categories Community/General

March 27, 2019

Earth Day 2019

In nature, nothing exists alone.” Rachel Carson, 1962 On April 22, 1970, millions of people joined together to protest the negative effects of pollution, deforestation, and other consequences of 150 years of industrial development. Next year will be the 50 year anniversary of Earth Day. This global event inspires over 1 billion people in 192 countries around the world to...

Categories Community/General

March 20, 2019

The Power of Play

I love to play. Whether it’s sports, board games, video games, or playing music and dancing around, when I am playing, I feel most happy. In working with adults with intellectual/developmental disabilities, we have an opportunity to look at play from a couple of different perspectives. First, there is the perspective of the person receiving services. How often do they...

Categories Community/Everyday Life/General

March 15, 2019

Spring Syllabus Available Now!

The start of Spring is in a few days, but your can register now for Spring classes offered by Milestone HCQU West.   Guest Speakers this Spring will focus on topics related to bullying, community safety, seizures and more.  We have multiple webinars scheduled about metabolic syndrome, executive functioning, trauma and the fatal four, plus others.  Check out the Spring...

Categories Community/General/Resources

March 6, 2019

Words Do Matter

Having worked in the system for a number of years I have seen ebbs and flows in our language and the way in which we approach things. There is one word that stops me in my tracks no matter where I am. It is a word of segregation. A word of pain. The “R” word is a word that is...

Categories Community/General

January 30, 2019

Autism Open Mic at Steamworks Creative!

A Chance to be in the Spotlight Celebrating its one year anniversary recently, Steamworks Creative is a unique venue located in Gibsonia, just north of Pittsburgh.  It has been described as a listening room.  Striving to provide a place where music could be the focus, John Vento, launched this innovative space to provide just that.  As the venue only seats...

Categories Community/Everyday Life

January 9, 2019

Fostering Connections

Connection is such an important piece of our lives. I think for myself of all the people I have in my life. My support system has helped me in many invaluable ways in my lifetime. But, what if they weren’t there? Where would I be right now? Through my years of working at the HCQU, this has been an ongoing...

Categories Community/Everyday Life