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Volume 10, Issue 3 Page 1
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August-September-October 2017
QUICK LINKS - Click on a link to jump directly to an article:
Buddy Walk Info Exceptional Families
Win a $50 Visa Gift Card ABLE to Save Webinar Series
Volunteers and Raffle and Sponsors—Oh my! Reading Strategies for Home and School
Sponsorship Opportunities Fun at Family Day at Camp Hanes
Dana Says Hello LNO / D.A.D.S.
Save the Date for the 2018 Deacon Dash! Vote for Educational Seminar Topics
Laura’s Greeting Buddy Walk Sponsors
Proposed Medicaid Managed Care Program Design
Deacon Dash Sponsors
Global Webinar: Promoting Skills to Survive & Thrive in the Teen & Adult Years
Next Chapter Book Club Volunteers Needed!
SUMMERTIME = BUDDY WALK PREP TIME!!
How lucky can we be? We have another Buddy Walk to plan and look forward to!
Right now the weather is so relentlessly hot that it’s hard to imagine fall is just around the corner! But it is, and just as night follows day, our PDSSN Buddy Walk is celebrated every fall.
SAVE THE DATE: SEPTEMBER 30th! Mark that on your calendar!!
Inside this issue you will find all kinds of good information, inspiration, and excitement. We can hardly wait to see you there in your BW 2017 T-shirt! Meanwhile, read on, and find out where you can get involved. Join a team, volunteer, and be sure to update your annual membership at a re-duced rate! Our organization exists for you! To bring you information, connect you with services, and (best of all) with other parents!! Take advantage!!
Read on for all the details!
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Yes! September 30 will be here in no time! We can’t wait to see you at West Forsyth High School for our Buddy Walk & Family Fun Festival from 9 am - 12:30 pm. All of your Buddy Walk favorites are back including inflatables, games, train rides, the talent show, and more! Your registration also includes a free t-shirt and free food! Here are the details:
Register by August 15 to Vote on Our T-Shirt Color: Everyone who registers through August 15 can vote on the
color of this year’s t-shirts. The options are Blue Horizon and Teal.
Early Registration Discount Through August 31: Buddy Walk & PDSSN membership - $25/adult Buddy Walk only - $15/adult (18+ years), $10/child (3-17 years) Individuals with Down syndrome and children under the age of 3 are FREE!
Registration Starting on September 1: Buddy Walk & PDSSN membership - $30/adult Buddy Walk only - $20/adult (18+ years), $10/child (3-17 years) Individuals with Down syndrome and children under the age of 3 are FREE!
Registration at the Buddy Walk on September 30: Buddy Walk & PDSSN membership - $35/adult Buddy Walk only - $25/adult (18+ years), $15/child (3-17 years) Individuals with Down syndrome and children under the age of 3 are FREE!
See Your Team’s Name and Picture Up in Lights! This year, all teams that raise $1500 or more can have their buddies’ names and pictures
projected on the West Forsyth High School’s Jumbotron for all to see! What a way to celebrate your special buddy!
Sponsorship Opportunities: Teams get ALL the credit for obtaining corporate sponsors and donations! Be sure to ask your employer about matching gifts!
This year we’re offering more sponsorship levels and benefits. Click here to learn about sponsorship packages. Don’t hesitate to contact Dana with any
questions at [email protected] or at 336-739-3696.
PDSSN Half-Price Annual Membership Discount: You can choose to join PDSSN or renew your membership during the Buddy Walk registration process and save $10! Pay only $10 and your membership will remain current until next year’s Buddy Walk! (Membership is normally $20/year per household).
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Team Awards: We'll also present 5 Team awards at the walk! There's a maximum of 1 award per
team. Results will be determined by registered walkers & racers and money raised through our fundraising website as of 11:59pm on September 16th. These are the award categories: ● Most registered members by a first time team ● Most $ raised by a first time ● Most registered members by a returning team ● Most $ raised by a returning team ● Most spirit demonstrated at the walk
Click Here to Register and Start Your Team Today! You could be this year's winner of the Most Money Raised award!
If you have questions, please contact us at [email protected] or call 336-739-3696.
All the best, Melinda and Dana
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Many Thanks To Our Buddy Walk Sponsors! PDSSN relies exclusively on generous donations and grants to support our many social and educational events throughout the year. With the funds raised at last year’s event, we were able to launch our PDSSN Learning Program, which improves educational outcomes for children with Down syndrome, while also maintaining our many educational and social programs.
We look forward to expanding our programs next year. You can help us by asking your employer or the businesses you frequent to sponsor this year’s Buddy Walk! There are many levels and many benefits of sponsorship!
Click here to learn about sponsorship opportunities for the Buddy Walk & Family Fun Day!
All people who obtain corporate sponsorships and/or donations will get full credit for their teams. Please ask your company to become a sponsor!
Buddy Walk Raffle Items
Our Buddy Walk raffle always adds an element of excitement to the day! This past year we had over 50 items from which to choose! Do you have any items you can donate or folks you can ask to donate to our raffle? Please let us know! Send us an email at [email protected].
Email [email protected] if you have an item to donate!
Click here to see our growing list of raffle items!
Buddy Walk Volunteers Needed
Each year we’re overwhelmed with the outpouring of love our community shows us by volunteering to help with our Buddy Walk. Our event is successful each
year because of your help! If you click on the link below, you can view and sign up for the many different volunteer opportunities available at this year’s Buddy
Walk. We thank you, in advance, for your help!
Note: For folks who want to participate in the actual Buddy Walk, there are many volunteer shifts that do not conflict with the Walk at 10:45 am.
Click here to sign up to volunteer.
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I’m not sure why, but I’m always surprised by how quickly the summer flies by. If you have younger kiddos, I hope you have some fun activities planned before the start of the school year. I dropped my son off at school this week, which signals the end to my summer and the beginning of… Buddy Walk Planning Season!
Believe it or not, there’s only 7 weeks until the Buddy Walk! We kicked off the season with our first annual Team Captains Kick Off get-together. We had a great group who registered, set up their team pages, and shared fundraising tips. They also won $250 team bonuses and went home with some PDSSN swag as well as other gifts! If you haven’t set up your team yet, it’s time! Visit Bit.ly/PDSSN-BW-2017 today! I look forward to seeing you soon!
All the best, Dana
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Hi everyone!
Summer is on the downhill slide, and you know what that means … BUDDY WALK TIME!! That’s right: September 30 is less than two months away, so if you haven’t started or joined a team, it’s time! As always, there is lots to do and plenty of opportunities to volunteer and help out, and we would *love* to have you there. For more information about the day, visit our website at Bit.ly/PDSSN-BW-2017. To sign up to volunteer, visit Bit.ly/BW-Volunteer-2017.
Remember, the Buddy Walk is our biggest fund- and awareness-raiser of the year, and the money we raise is what enables the organization to provide programs and support to people in our community with Down syndrome and their families. If you can’t volunteer, please come out that day. If you can’t come out that day, donate something. (I promise, every little bit helps!)
Also coming up before we know it are our annual meeting and elections. We will have several board positions open up this year, and fresh perspectives and ideas are always needed. The PDSSN is only as strong as we make it, so please consider offering your time and talents. If you are interested or want to learn more about what serving on the board entails, please contact me at [email protected].
If serving on the board is a little more than you can do right now, there are also several committees that need people and leaders. Click here to visit our About Us webpage to see a list of committees. Any and all of them need people, and we especially need more members on the programs and personnel committees. As I said before, our organization is only as strong as we are active.
Enjoy the last few weeks of summer, and start getting ready for the Buddy Walk! Malcolm is already gathering his Minions in anticipation!
Take care,
Laura
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An Important Message from Dave Richard, Deputy Secretary for Medical Assistance, Division of Medical Assistance, North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services
The Department of Health and Human Services issued a detailed, proposed program design for Medicaid managed care in North Carolina. This proposed design will provide over 1.6 million residents with an innovative, whole-person-centered, well-coordinated system of care. The proposed design, available at ncdhhs.gov/nc-medicaid-transformation, gives providers, plans and other stakeholders the opportunity to share feedback before the Department submits a revised waiver to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) in the fall.
Integrating services for physical health, behavioral health, intellectual and developmental disabilities, and substance use disorders;
Addressing unmet social needs and their effect on overall health; and Building on and strengthening what is working well today, such as care management, while supporting providers
and beneficiaries through any changes during the transition and beyond. Due September 8: Proposed Medicaid Managed Care Program Design Comments Please share this message and the link to the proposed program design with your teams and association members. Prior public comments are available on the Medicaid transformation website at ncdhhs.gov/nc-medicaid-transformation. Those earlier comments do not need to be resubmitted. Please send written comments by September 8:
Email: [email protected] U.S. Mail: Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Health Benefits, 1950 Mail Service Center,
Raleigh NC 27699-1950 The Department remains committed to working closely with stakeholders and experts to further refine the Medicaid managed care program. Thank you for continuing to partner with the Department on Medicaid transformation efforts. For more information, visit ncdhhs.gov/nc-medicaid-transformation. Dave Dave Richard Deputy Secretary for Medical Assistance Division of Medical Assistance North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services 919 855 4101 - office [email protected]
Friends, If you didn’t make it to the DHHS meeting in Greensboro to voice you ideas about Medicaid managed care in NC here is another chance. Please read the message below and send your comments by the September 8th deadline. If your child is not on the Medicaid Waiver wait list, I strongly advise having them added. A waiver offers support to peo-ple who have IDD for things like community inclusion, life skills, supported employment, and personal care as determined by need. The wait list referred to as “registry of unmet needs” has 12,000 plus waiting in NC (173 in Forsyth Co. have been waiting 10 years or more) so you can’t wait until the need is great. Once your child has a waiver the level of need is evaluated annually. Let me know, or contact Dana Alley (336-739-3696) if you have any questions. Best, Deborah Woolard
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So much fun was had by all! Thanks to all the families who joined us this year. If you weren’t able to come, I hope you’ll be able to make it next year!
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P D S S N S U M M E R N E W S
Join us for a relaxing dinner out with friends at 7pm for Ladies’ Night Out
August 17th—7 p.m., Cin Cin
September 12th—7 p.m., Firebirds
RSVP to Kristin Douglass at krisrobdouglass@gmail .com or
336-813-9260.
Our D.A.D.S. group meets on the last Tuesday
of each month from 6:30pm–8:30 pm. For information about our D.A.D.S. group,
Visit Bit.ly/PDSSN-DADS or contact Quincy Harvey, D.A.D.S. Director, at:
[email protected] or 336-403-0128
Next Chapter Book Club Volunteer Opportunity
The Next Chapter Book Clubs sponsored by the Piedmont Down Syndrome Support Network needs volunteers for its Sunday afternoon and Monday night book clubs. The Sunday club meets at Robinhood Y, 3-4 p.m. The Monday club meets weekly at Arby’s off North University from 6:30 - 7:30pm. A short training is required. We are also looking for someone to serve as a substitute as needed for any of our 4 clubs.
What do people say about our clubs? • Members love them. They attend consistently. They make friends, develop confidence, & increase literacy
skills. • Facilitators say it is the “highlight” of their week. • Host businesses look forward to the clubs’ meetings.
Interested? Contact: Deborah Woolard for information at 336-922-0530 or
Facebook Fans: Pages to “Like”
PDSSN Members’ Discussion Group
Next Chapter Book Club W-S D.A.D.S.
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PUT A LITTLE FUN IN YOUR LIFE: VOLUNTEER!
THE NEXT CHAPTER BOOK CLUB is a movement that has local, state, national and international presence! Committed to promoting social connection and literacy opportuni-ties for adolescents and adults with intellectual disabilities, NCBC encourages friendships and life-long learning in a community setting. WE ARE SO FORTUNATE that we have several local clubs that meet on a weekly ba-sis. BUT we always need volunteers who are willing to help facilitate our readers. Are you interested? If so, CONTACT Deborah Woolard at [email protected], or 336.922.0530. Deborah will tell you how easy it is to become a trained facilitator. You’ll be offered the opportunity to visit a NCBC before your 30 minute training session. GREAT! I SEE YOU’RE INTERESTED! GO CALL DEBORAH NOW!! You’ll be so glad you did!!
We’re going to host some informational seminars led by the Exceptional Children’s Assistance Center (ECAC). If you haven’t done so already, please click on the link below to let us know your top 3 choices for seminar topics. We’ll send out an email with the top choice and date!
Click here to choose the topics you want the most.
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4715 Yadkinville Road, #144
Winston-Salem, NC 27040
Dana Alley, Executive Director
336-739-DOWN
Website: PDSSN.org
PDSSN NEWS
Is published four times each year in: January—Winter Issue
April—Spring Issue July—Summer Issue October—Fall Issue
Please submit articles or photos the month prior to publication to:
LET’S GET FIT!
Every Monday night at 5 pm the Let’s Get Fit class meets at the Robinhood Road Family YMCA’s cross training center. Attendees do not have to be members of the Robinhood Y to participate, but there is a $5 fee for each session. The program was started to meet the needs of people who have in-tellectual and developmental disabilities. Participants meet with a trainer for a fun interactive fitness experi-ence. For more information: contact Lisa Marie Blutreich at 245-7203 or [email protected], or check in at the desk prior to 5 pm on any Monday afternoon.
SOCIAL ANIMALS Celebrating Adult Neuro Diversity
“Social Animals” meets monthly for fun and friendship. The cost for attending is only $5.
The group meets on the 3rd Tuesday of the month, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Family Services building located 1200 S. Broad St. in Winston Salem.
Want more information? Contact Gen-evieve Athens at [email protected] or 503-803-8308.
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P D S S N S U M M E R N E W S
Thanks to so many of you who have joined PDSSN! We hope you will re-new your membership annually. Dues are $20 per household per year.
But remember: If your family is new to PDSSN, your first year of mem-bership is free!!
Visit Bit.ly/PDSSN-Membership to join.
PDSSN 4715 Yadkinville Road, #144 Pfafftown, NC 27040
PDSSN is a non-profit organization
PDSSN.org; 336-739-DOWN (3696); [email protected]
www.Facebook.com/PDSSN; www.Facebook.com/Groups/PDSSN/
www.Facebook.com/DADS.Piedmont
www.Facebook.com/nextchapterbookclubwinstonsalemnc
Twitter: @PDSSN; Instagram: PDSSN
If you are one who does some online shopping from the comfort of your home, here is an opportunity for you to support PDSSN at no cost to you! Go to www.amazonsmile.com and register PDSSN as the non-profit you wish to support. 0.5% of all purchases will go to PDSSN. The cost of the item will not go up; the quality will be the same, as will every aspect of the great experience you’ve come to expect at Amazon!
You can get started today! Visit Bit.ly/PDSSN-Amazon-Smile for information and to sign up.
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P D S S N S U M M E R N E W S
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Platinum Level:
Emerald Level:
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Gold Level:
Silver Level:
Bronze Level:
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