LIVIN Lehigh Valley Center for Independent Living, Inc. 435 Allentown Drive Allentown, PA 18109-9121 "Providing services to persons with all types of disabilities" A member of the PA Council on Independent Living (PCIL), a consumer controlled state association of Centers for Independent Living (CIL's) LIVIN' is a quarterly publication of the Lehigh Valley Center for Independent Living, Inc. LVCIL provides information and services to people with disabilities, and other service organizations in Lehigh and Northampton Counties. Businesses or Individuals may sponsor issues of LIVIN'. September-November 2006 Edition, Volume 41 The Official Newsletter of the Lehigh Valley Center For Independent Living, Inc. 435 Allentown Drive Allentown, PA 18109-9121 September-November, 2006 Edition Volume 41 Contact us: Phone: (610) 770-9781 Fax: (610) 770-9801 TTY: (610) 770-9789 Email: info@lvcil.org Web Site www.lvcil.org Editor: Corrina Passaro corrinapassaro@lvcil.org Graphic Design: Bob Amelio bamelio@lvcil.org LVCIL Board of Directors: Tom Burns (VP) Nicholas Butterfield Sheila Costanzi Glenn Firman Chris Gonella John Kinnaird Bob Linney Dr. Lisa Marie McCauley (T) Gretchen Parseghian John Rohal Jeanette Schmoyer Mike Smith Jodie Steiner Kathy Vastyshak (S) Dr. Daniel Wilson (P) Our Staff Email addresses and phone and direct/voicemail extensions Bob Amelio, Jr., Community Support Coordinator: bamelio@lvcil.org ext. 11 Amy Beck, Executive Director: amybeck@lvcil.org ext. 14 Robbie Graves, Advocate: robgraves@lvcil.org ext. 26 Linda Hetherington, SLIRS Fiscal Assistant; lindahetherington@lvcil.org ext. 12 Jodie Jones, SLIRS Program Assistant slirsassistant@lvcil.org ext. 16 Carol A. Olson, Community Support Coordinator: carololson@lvcil.org ext. 18 Brenda Palmer, Administrative Assistant: brendapalmer@lvcil.org ext. 15 Corrina Passaro, Development Coordinator: corrinapassaro@lvcil.org ext. 20 Mark Piedmonte, Assistant Director markpiedmonte@lvcil.org ext. 29 Debbie Rozear, Community Support Coordinator: debbierozear@lvcil.org ext. 24 SLIRS Program: ext. 21 Cara Steidel, Fiscal Coordinator carasteidel@lvcil.org ext. 13 Help Us Make the Lehigh Valley a Fully Inclusive Community! I recently completed an analysis of LVCIL's performance in our 2005-2006 Fiscal Year, which has left me in absolute awe of our staff. I ask myself, "how did our staff of seven full-time and six part-time employees manage to intensively serve 34% more consumers this year than in any other year of our history?" Somehow they also spent the equivalent of nearly two full-time positions (close to 4000 hours) on activities to make the community more inclusive (disability education, speaking engagements, participation in community coalitions, etc.)! WOW! I believe the answer to my question is: our staff gives 200% because they know our community is behind us and our work. If you are reading this article, I know you have an interest in LVCIL's mission to assist persons with disabilities and to create a more inclusive Lehigh Valley. With more of our community behind us, I cannot even imagine what we will achieve in the future. Your belief in LVCIL makes a tremendous impact on our work. If each person reading this newsletter took the five minutes needed to clip and send in the membership application on the back of this newsletter or visit our website (www.lvcil.org) to join LVCIL's membership organization, we will be stronger and will continue our positive growth in services and outreach to those of us with disabilities. You can make a huge impact on our organization with your $15 membership. We look forward to seeing your name among our members! Thank you for your belief in and support of LVCIL! Amy C. Beck LVCIL Executive Director For Your Information (FYI) Don't Cook for a Month At the annual meeting on September 27, 2006, one lucky winner will receive 30 gift certificates from accessible Lehigh Valley restaurants. Tickets are currently on sale at LCVIL. The cost is $5 a piece or buy 3 tickets for $10! Don't miss an opportunity to be part of this unique fundraiser! For more information, please contact Corrina Passaro at (610) 770-9781 ext. 20. Legislative Forum On Friday, September 22, 2006, LVCIL will hold a Legislative Forum at our offices from 2:00-3:30 p.m. State Senators and Representatives will be on hand to speak to constituents and will also add their signatures to our Resolution Supporting the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in the Lehigh Valley, which was signed by consumers and attendees at our Independent Living Month Luncheon. Light refreshments will be served. If you are planning to attend, please contact Corrina Passaro at (610) 770-9781 ext. 20 or by e-mail at corrinapassaro@lvcil.org. Halloween Dance! Attention all you guys and ghouls, on October 27, 2006 from 3:00 - 6:30 p.m. LVCIL will host a Halloween Dance at the offices at 435 Allentown Drive. Come socialize with your friends, dance to tunes, and celebrate Halloween at LVCIL. Costumes are welcomed but are not required. There is a $5 fee for the dance, in order to cover costs. Please note we must have at least 15 people registered to hold the dance. If you are interested in attending please call, Corrina Passaro at (610) 770-9781 ext. 20 by October 13, 2006. Donations If you would like to support LVCIL by donating money for our programs and services, you can now do so by credit card. Recently, we acquired the software to accept credit card donations. Also, please remember that we are part of IGIVE.COM, a website that donates a portion of your purchases to LVCIL. Support of LVCIL is greatly appreciated! Alternate Format If you prefer an alternate format of this newsletter - either electronic, large print or text only, please e-mail Bob Amelio at bamelio@lvcil.org or Corrina Passaro at corrinapssaro@lvcil.org. For CIL Items Due to space constraints, any items listed in our regular "For CIL" section will be available this month through our website only. Please see our current list of items by visiting www.lvcil.org. IMPORTANT PARATRANSIT INFORMATION: EASTON COACH FOR METROPLUS RESERVATIONS & CANCELLATIONS: (610) 253-8333 OR 1-888-253-8333 ALSO, CALL THE NUMBER ABOVE TO BE CONNECTED TO A CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE TO APPLY TO LANTA TO USE METROPLUS CALL LANTA AT (610) 432-3200 2006 Independent Living Month Award Recipients On Thursday, July 27, 2006, LVCIL held its annual Independent Living Month Luncheon and Awards Ceremony at the Best Western Conference Center on Routes 22 and 512. Two awards were given out at the ceremony. Wilhelmina "Billie" Wright received the Mark J. Turbedsky "Torch of Independence" Award for her strong spirit. Billie is a former pastor who recently lost both her sight and her leg. Throughout it all, she has been a powerful advocate for people with disabilities. She is currently the Vice President and Program Chairperson for the Lehigh Valley Council on the Blind. The Housing and Development Corporation (HADC) of Allentown received The Chester R. Collyer "Key to Living" Award for their work with visitability standards. HADC is currently breaking ground on a row of townhouses on North Street in Allentown, which will have doorways and bathrooms on the ground level that will accommodate a wheelchair with wider doorframes and no-step entryways. The construction is a result of a devastating kitchen fire, which destroyed 13 row homes that were currently at this location. Thank You to Everyone Who Sponsored Our ILM Luncheon on July 26, 2006! ILM Angels Good Shepherd ILM Friends Access Ability Easton Coach The Morning Call ILM Supporters Amy & David Beck Robert Dorney Lafayette Ambassador Bank Kirk Summa & Co. LLP Dr. Lisa Marie McCauley Mark & Gretchen Parseghian Daniel Wilson ILM Contributors Jayne & Gregg Bayer Robbie Graves Ellen Weidner Mr. & Mrs. Peter Weilnau ILM Patrons Paty Eiffe Margaret Graves Laurie Geist Tom Harp Ron & Sally Hill John Kinnaird Claire Lapidakis Paul's Barber Shop Mark Piedmonte Michael Piedmonte Jeanette & Bill Seaman Beverly Seibert Kathryn Vastyshak Reverend and Mrs. Rod Wells To LVCIL Board Members and Staff, Thank you for the outstanding honor that you gave to me in July at the Independent Living Month Luncheon. I was overwhelmed by the recognition. My cousin and I had a great time at the event and we appreciated the yummy lunch that was provided. Thank you again for the award. I will try to live up to your expectations. Billie Wright Community Support Corner Dealing with a Traumatic Event By Carol Olson What is a Traumatic Event? A traumatic event can be a single event or a series of events, which cause a lot of stress. These events may cause a sense of horror, helplessness, serious injury or threat of a serious injury or even feelings of possible death. And for some people, they don't have to be present for the event; just watching it on TV or witnessing the event is enough to be affected. Following the tragic events of September 11, 2001, cases of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in Manhattan alone increased to 13% of all residents. What are some common responses to a traumatic event? Every person is different and every person responds differently. People may respond with fear, depression and/or grief. A person may even have physical symptoms such as nausea, dizziness, and change in appetite or sleep patterns. They may even feel like withdrawing from their friends, job and/or social events. These symptoms may last from several weeks to several months before the individual feels better. If the symptoms last more than a month or become worse, the person may be suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). PTSD is a strong physical and emotional response to thoughts and reminders of the particular event. There are three types of symptoms associated with PTSD: Re-Living: This may include flashbacks, nightmares and extreme emotional and/or physical reactions to a reminder of the event. Reactions may include extreme fear of the event, a guilty feeling and/or numbness or sometimes a person may even "zone" out. Other reactions include uncontrollable shaking, the chills, heart palpitations and tension headaches. Avoidance: Person will feel as if they want to avoid public places, events or anything that is a reminder of the particular incident. They may also feel detached from friends, family and people in general. Increased Arousal: Person will become overly alert and can be easily startled. They may have difficulty sleeping and concentrating. (I like to refer to this symptom as feeling as if I've been skinned and all my nerve endings are exposed.) Other symptoms may include difficulty performing daily tasks, panic attacks, irritability, outbursts of anger, thought of suicide or feelings of suicide, drug abuse and feelings of isolation. What Can Be Done? Try to understand that there are some things that are beyond your control. Your symptoms may be normal following the traumatic event. Find ways to be kind to yourself. Keep to your usual schedule; don't change anything. Do not shy away from events, people or places that remind you of the traumatic event. Get plenty of exercise. Recognize when you need more help then you can give yourself and call a mental health professional. When to Seek Professional Help Sometimes certain events may be too overwhelming for people to deal with. Symptoms and severity of cases differ from person to person. Depending on one's person history with traumatic events, depression, or other factors, symptoms for PTSD could last for more than three months, at which time seeking professional help is the next step. If your symptoms are interfering with your daily tasks, or you cannot comfortably socialize anymore with your friends and family, you may also need to seek professional help. Do not be afraid to make an appointment with a mental help professional. With the support of your family and friends, and professional assistance, you can re-gain your life and become a healthy, productive member of the community like you were prior to the traumatic event and PTSD. Information obtained from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and National Victims Assistance Academy. Freewheelers Events Basketball: Practices are Thursdays 7:45 to 9:30 pm Bethlehem YMCA, Broad St. Bethlehem, PA Games held at Eastside Youth Center, Allentown Bowling: Saturdays to be determined. Call for dates or watch website for more info. Tennis Practice Wednesdays from12-2:00 pm indoors at Lehigh and outdoors at various courts. Call Bob for info. Lehigh Valley Tennis Classic A Nationally Sanctioned wheelchair tennis tournament will be held July 13-15, 2007 at Lehigh University. Basket Bingo Watch the LVCIL website for upcoming dates! Monthly membership meetings: First Thursday of the month at the Mezza Luna Restaurant in Allentown, PA All are welcome to attend and play whether you have a disability or not. Call Bob Amelio for more info or directions to any of our events at 610-770-9781 ext. 11 REGIONAL ACTION TEAM Robbie Graves LVCIL Advocate 610-770-9781 ext. 26 robgraves@lvcil.org Join Our Team 2nd Wednesday of each month, 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. Mission: Education of our rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The ADA: Equal rights for people with disabilities. Results: Knowledge of current ADA Standards Improve, Individual, Initiative & Assertiveness in Daily Living RAT News: The Regional Action Team (RAT) continues to meet here at the CIL the second Wednesday of every month from 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. New members are always welcome! We discuss current issues effecting people with disabilities in the Lehigh Valley, strategize about what we can do to make positive change, provide support to each other and generally have a fun afternoon. The Future Advocates Now group for people in their teens and early twenties continues to organize. If you are, or know of a young person who may be interested in learning more about advocacy and what they can do to make a positive difference in the world, please give me a call at the CIL. We have been meeting at the Lehigh Valley Mall and other outings are being planned. On August 9th, thanks to a grant from the Independent Living Consultant Services, nationally recognized disability consultant Terry Roth presented a workshop sharing her wealth of experience as a disability advocate. More speakers will be planned for future RAT meetings. Transportation I have been receiving calls every week from consumers with questions and concerns about their para-transit service. I strongly encourage all consumers to keep calling and putting your thoughts and concerns in writing. A big word of thanks goes to Kathleen Britton for putting together the list of contact information found on page 2. I encourage consumers to make your voices heard. Transportation is one of the most critical ingredients to an independent life. Sign Language Club: This is an open, fun atmosphere where students, instructors, interpreters and anyone else can meet and use the sign language skills they have been learning. Everyone is welcome, but there is NO TALKING - Sign Language Only! Sign Language Club is provided by LVCIL at no charge to participants. For more information, please call Jodi at 610-770-9781 ext. 16 or if you would like to receive e-mail updates about Sign Language Club, please e-mail her at slirsassistant@lvcil.org. Dates for Fall 2006: Wednesday, September 13th is a Welcome Back Ice Cream Social! Bring your favorite ice cream topping to share, we'll provide the rest. Thursday - September 28th Thursday - October 12th Thursday - October 26th Thursday - November 9th Thursday - November 30th Thursday - December 14th - Holiday party! Bring a treat to share! All classes are from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at LVCIL. Sign Language Class Info: American Sign Language Classes offered this Fall at LVCIL! Beginners ASL class, taught by Gina Cafiero 8 Weeks: October 4th - November 22nd Wednesdays 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Cost $90 per person or $120 if you need the textbook. Intermediate ASL class, taught by Doni Piccerillo 8 Weeks: October 3rd - November 21st Tuesdays 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Cost: $125 per person. Registration Deadline is September 26, 2006. Tuition must be paid at time of registration. Visa and MasterCard are accepted. Please fill out the form below to register! We apologize to anyone who did not receive notice that the August 12, 2006 Sign Language Club Picnic was canceled! We are very sorry for any inconvenience! The Rat's Nest By Robbie Graves Patriots History fascinates me and I believe that there is much to be learned from the lessons of the past, especially the struggles and triumphs of those that came before us. For this edition's article, I want to deviate a little and talk about a lesson from the early days of the Disability Movement in America and how we can look into the past and draw strength and motivation. I believe one the first watershed events of the Disability Movement in America was the American Civil War, fought between 1861 and 1865. The Civil War "created" millions of Americans with all types of disabilities. The primary treatment of gunshot and shrapnel wounds to arms and legs was to cut off the limb above the nearest joint, hence, thousands of men found themselves with recent amputations. Even if a soldier escaped amputation, many thousands had mobility impairments the rest of their lives due to traumatic injuries. Men became blind due to facial wounds or power burns to their eyes and many became deaf due to concussion injuries from artillery blasts. Many thousands were left with disfiguring facial wounds and burns and many soldiers suffered the remainder of their lives from what has been called through the years, "shell shock", "battle fatigue", "battlefield trauma" and what we properly diagnose today as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. These men were not elderly either. The average soldier in the Civil War was in his early twenties. These Americans with disabilities refused to be counted out! Even before the war ended, the U.S. Army did something remarkable for these men. The Army created the Veterans Reserve Corps, where wounded soldiers with disabilities could still serve guarding prisoners and per-forming other non-combat related but still essential duty. The effect on the men was remarkable! They could still serve their Country, wear their uniform and they even had their own unit insignia. These Americans with disabilities continued to contribute immensely to the war effort and were justifiably proud of their continued service. After the war, a powerful veteran's organization emerged, the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR). The GAR became one of the most powerful political forces in the last quarter of the 1800's. One of their most essential functions was to care for each other and to lobby Congress for increased pensions for veterans with disabilities, and they were extremely successful! At one point, one out of every three Federal tax dollars went for a veteran's pension. These men refused to be marginalized, counted out and forgotten. They had disabilities of all types, but they were proud, they took care of each other and kept contributing! What a lesson! I have a personal interest in this story. My great, great grandfather enlisted in the Army in 1862 when he was only sixteen years old. When discharged in 1863, he had a broken body, not from wounds, but from typhoid fever and dysentery, which he contracted in the Army. He did go to college, became a physician and practiced medicine for a short period of time, but he was plagued with chronic illness from his Army service and very quickly was unable to work and his life ended at a relatively young age due to complications from his disabilities. He was a member of the GAR and while living, was cared for and his wife received his pension after he died, which is what he and his other fellow comrades were fighting for after the war. Dignity, respect for each other and themselves, and recognizing the worth of all people is what these veterans fought for and in which they believed. They fought for the right to remain productive citizens. Is this not what the Center for Independent Living is all about? As we face the challenges of the future, may we learn from the lessons from those that came before us and follow their example of service to each other in the name of independence and dignity. Bibliography: McConnell, Stuart. Glorious Contentment: The Grand Army of the Republic, 1865-1900. The University of North Carolina Press, 1992. Making Life Easier By Debbie Rozear In today's busy lifestyle, we seem to have more to accomplish everyday and not quite enough hours in each of the days to complete what we would like to. For the "normal" person, it may take them 10 minutes to complete a task however, for a person with a mild disability that same task may take 20 minutes. And, for someone with a more severe disability the same task may be challenging and take 1 hour to complete. I have compiled a list of phone numbers and email addresses that may make some of our daily lives a bit less complicated or frustrating. Channel 69 offers the time, date, and weather forecast when you dial 610-797-5900. If you are interested in receiving more then just the date, time and forecast, why not try this? Call 1-800-555-8355. The voice-activated menu consists of stock quotes, sports, news center, travel, entertainment, and popular short cuts. The Morning Call is now available on the telephone. This newspaper service can be requested through The Library of Congress by calling 1-800-222-1754. The National Federation of the Blind (NFB) has designed this news line service. There are many newspapers being read over the telephone each day cross the United States. North Penn Legal Services; if you are need of legal services, other then criminal, the number to call is 610-317-8757. There are income guidelines for this service. Another source for legal advice is Pennsylvania Protection and Advocacy (PP&A). Phone them at 1-800-692-7443. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (all lines are private and confidential). The phone numbers are 1-800-273-TALK or 1-800-273-8255. Additional information will be listed in the next issue of Livin.' Sign Up For a 2006 CIL Membership! Sign up by November 1, 2006 and we will throw in the 2007 membership, too! Yes! I want to be a CITICIL 2006 Member! Name: Address: City: State: Zip: Phone Number: E-mail: Membership Categories (Please choose one) Individual $15/year Lifetime $500 (one-time only fee) I am requesting a Partial Sponsorship for individual membership in CITICIL 2006. I have enclosed a check for (Minimum of $5.00) Community Support Your tax-deductible contribution supports our many programs, which enrich the lives of people with disabilities in the Lehigh Valley. Just say, "Yes! I believe in LVCIL!" In addition to my membership, I am enclosing a donation in the amount of I am not interested in joining the CITICIL at this time. However, I am enclosing a donation in the amount of Credit Card Information (Phone number must be included in form above for credit card payments): Visa MasterCard Name on Credit Card: Account Number: Expiration Date: Amount: