Prairie Independent Living Resource Center

PRAIRIE INDEPENDENT LIVING RESOURCE CENTER

The Voice Of PILR

Chris Owens, Editor

Heather Jones, Design Layout

March 2009

Volume 8, Issue 1

THE FACES OF CHANGE

By Chris Owens, Executive Director

PILR is experiencing some staff changes as well as changes to our Board of Directors. This means we need to say “welcome” to some and “farewell” to others.

John Eberly is our new Independent Living Specialist. He will join Glenda, Roger, Erica, and Billy in providing Independent Living Services to individuals with disabilities. He wrote an article, entitled “Welcome to me” for this newsletter introducing himself. Be sure to get to know him and welcome him to our staff.

Sharon Coleman, the receptionist in our Pratt office, will be leaving us on March 13, 2009. She is moving out of state to be near her elderly parents. When you see her, thank her for all the work she has done for PILR.

Larry Burnett has served two three-year terms on PILR’s Board of Directors. This past February he rotated off the board. Over the last six years, Larry has been a valuable addition to PILR. If you attended one of our community events and drank a bottle of water, it was probably a donation he got from a local business. PILR hopes Larry will continue to be a part of the center’s activities and some day the Board of Directors.

Since November the Board has acquired two new board members. In November, Nathalie Schlatter rejoined the Board of Directors. She always keeps me on my toes by asking lots of questions. We want to welcome her back.

At our last board meeting, members approved our newest member, Brian Carlton. We believe he has a lot to contribute to the future of the center. In his application for the board, he stated the Center’s Philosophy is “To improve the lives of people with various disabilities by giving them the resources they need to overcome their individual challenges, improve their conditions and better enable them to be a part of their community”. Perhaps for our June newsletter Brian can write an article introducing himself to our readers. If you see him out and about, thank him for his willingness to serve PILR.

Each one of these individuals has and will continue to be important to PILR. It takes all of us, board, staff, consumers, community members to reach our mission of achieving the full inclusion and acceptance of people with disabilities through education and advocacy. Together we can make our communities fully accessible inclusive places to live.

APRIL IS ASSAULT AWARENESS MONTH

By Stephanie Sanford

In 1995 the American Medical Association declared sexual violence an epidemic.

It’s sad, but in some public schools in Reno County open discussion of sexual issues – including sexual assault issues – is not permitted. It’s sad because it’s 2009 and NOT to discuss such issues is irresponsible at best. Picking up the newspaper or simply turning on the evening news will readily confirm that sexual violence does not discriminate in terms of victims or locations. Serial rapes and sexual assault, domestic violence homicides, stalking, and other related crimes occurred in small communities throughout Reno County. And yet sexual issues can’t be discussed openly in many schools.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. recognized the impact of that silence. “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” Not acknowledging or talking about sexual violence and assault will not make it go away. Quite the contrary – it thrives in the darkness of silence. It can be as seemingly innocuous as a passing statement laughed off as an office joke. Or that one friend who makes the sexist comment at the bar and nobody says anything. And don’t forget the uncle who everyone keeps their kids away from during the holidays. Perhaps this seems to be some sort of exaggeration. Rest assured it is not. And it affects us because we do nothing…we have the chance to stand up to the offhand comment and we do nothing. It affects us because our young adults have a right to be safe and being safe does not mean being silent about issues surrounding sexual violence.

A nationally representative survey of 9,684 adults found that 10.6% of women and 2.1% of men reported rape at some time during their lives (Basile, Chen, Lynberg, & Saltzman, 2007). According to another study of 17,421 adults, some of the most common causes of death, disease and disabilities are linked to adverse sexual childhood experiences. Time does not heal some adverse childhood experiences, not even fifty years later (Felitti, Anda, Nordenberg, Williamson, Spitz, Edwards & Koss, 1998). The statistics that point to the prevalence of sexual violence all lead to the same conclusion: it is too much and we must not be silent. Dr. King also came to that conclusion when he said “In the end we will remember not the words of our enemies but the silence of our friends.”

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ARTS RESOURCES

Have you ever auditioned for a part in a play? Drawn or painted a picture?

Written a story?

Played a musical instrument?

Organized a puppet show?

If you are artistically curious and would like to find out what local resources are available to you, call PILR at 620 663-3989 and ask for John.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

3/14/09 Parent Workshop in Salina

3/23/2009 Matt Christensen at Memorial Hall, 101 S. Walnut, beginning at 9:30AM

3/24/09 Parent Support group at Hutch Public Library beginning at 6:30PM

3/27/09 Pratt Youth Advocacy Class

4/11/09 The Music Within at the Fox Theater

4/25/2009 Global Youth Service Day

4/28/09 Parent Support group at Hutch Public

Library beginning at 6:30PM

5/12/2009 TEACH Grant Training - self-direction

and timesheet/payroll packet instruction at 11AM

7/20/09 ADA March & Rally beginning at 9 AM at the Reno County Courthouse

7/28/09: Civil Rights Vigil beginning at 7PM at Reno County Courthouse

Adult Job Club, Hutchinson: 2-4pm

Tuesday, March 10

Tuesday, April 14

Tuesday, May 12

High School Job Club, Hutchinson 4-5pm

Tuesday, March 24

Tuesday, April 28

Tuesday, May 26

Job Club 1:00PM at the Pratt Office every third Thursday of the month located at 103 West 2nd, Pratt, Kansas

Thank You!

This is a special thank you to all of the businesses and individuals who have given donations to support the mission of Prairie Independent Living Resource Center.

FUNDRAISING NOW IN PROGRESS!

Prairie Independent Living Resource Center is now accepting donations from individuals and businesses in our community who wish to support the mission of our center. We are currently in the process of planning many upcoming events. In addition to donations, you may include PILR in your will or estate planning.

If you would like to make a tax -deductible donation, please clip out the coupon and mail it to us. You may personally deliver it as well. Thanks for your support!

Name:______

Address:______

City:______State:_____Zip Code:______

Area code and telephone:______

Tax Deductible Donation: (check one)

___$25.00 ___$50.00 ___$100 ___$200

Other amount: $______

_____I would like to include Prairie Independent Living Resource Center in my will or estate. Please contact me at:

(Phone number):______.

Please mail/deliver to: Prairie Independent Living Resource Center

17 S. Main

Hutchinson, KS 67501

Attn: Chris Owens

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Legislative Update 2009

By Stephanie Sanford

To say that it has been a hectic legislative session so far would be a gross understatement. Reports from disability lobbyists working the session daily suggest an earnestness not usually seen quite so early in the legislative session. One individual commented that “it felt like Omnibus from the first day.” And all in the midst of major renovations to the Capitol itself. While I certainly have not been there day in and day out, when I did visit my legislators they expressed that same sense of urgency…meeting our fiscal and ethical responsibilities head on and in a way that serves Kansans.

Issues addressed by the Legislature to date that directly impact Kansans with disabilities are many and varied. Perhaps foremost on peoples’ minds is continued funding for Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) for individuals on the Physical Disability Waiver. SRS had frozen the waiting list for services effective December 1, 2008. As a result of budget negotiations and passage, language was issued that allowed for “a rolling waiting list beginning March 1, 2009 through June 30, 2009.” That day can’t come soon enough for those Kansans waiting for services in their home.

Other legislation of interest includes Senate Bill 162 that unanimously passed out of the Senate last week and now heads to the House of Representatives for consideration and approval. This bill directs the State Board of Education to designate the last two weeks in January of each year as disability history and awareness weeks and, during those two weeks, K-12 schools will implement a course of instruction that works to encourage better treatment of individuals with disabilities, reduce bullying against students with disabilities, increase self-esteem and disability pride, and reaffirm a commitment to full inclusion of people with disabilities. True to form, Kansas Youth Empowerment Academy Executive Director Julia Fonseca stated, “Bill or no bill we will keep teaching this. We are going to keep spreading this around.” Congrats to Julia and all the folks from KYEA who did an OUTSTANDING job! That is true advocacy in action!

SB 160 also passed out of the Senate and heads to the House for consideration. This bill would raise the minimum wage in Kansas to $7.25 per hour from its current rate of $2.65. As I attended a Legislative Forum this past weekend in Hutchinson, all representatives expressed their support of this bill when it reaches the House. The rationale for support was what took me by surprise. Speaker of the House O’Neal pointed out how it really was a “symbolic gesture” in raising the minimum wage in Kansas. Others present readily agreed. And this, perhaps, is why I’ll never be a politician. If it is merely “symbolic”, why has it taken years of education, years of advocacy, and years of effort to finally become a reality? And perhaps we should just take these “symbolic gestures” however we can get them.

Welcome To Me! –John Eberly

What motivates a person to do what they do? Perhaps it has something to do with their background, their experiences, their hopes, dreams, or desires. Or maybe they simply feel a basic human need to connect with others.

I have lived in the Hutchinson/Reno County since 1993. Initially my family moved here so that I could teach Art History and Art Appreciation at HCC. I have also had the opportunity to work for several other not-for-profit entities in the area on various projects, so the unique challenges facing non-profit organizations are very familiar to me.

My connection to people has often been found through the expression of artistic creativity. I believe that everyone has a creative side, and I like to appreciate and encourage it in others. A lot of people don’t believe they have any “artistic” qualities, and yet they are masters at the art of unconditionally loving other people, or, for example, they bake great pies! Sometimes you simply have to broaden the definition of what you consider “creative.” Anything you can dream is possible, just give yourself permission to find out!

Of course, from time to time we all run into obstacles. That’s a fact of life. It has always been frustrating to me to see how some create obstacles for others rather than finding resources and strategies to remove them. There are gatekeepers and facilitators. I have always seen myself as a facilitator, and above all, a collaborator, someone who works side by side with others toward common goals.

From my first exposure to Prairie Independent Living Resource Center, I was motivated to learn more about the organization: the mission, the services, the people. The more I uncovered, the more I wanted to know, the more knowledge I received, the more interested I became in getting involved. Recently, I noticed on the PILR website that there was an opening for an Independent Living Specialist, so I submitted my resume, had a great interview, and here I am!

I am very excited to be a new member of the excellent staff at Prairie Independent Living Resource Center. Everyone has been so helpful and considerate during my initial training and transitioning-in period: I am very grateful for everyone’s kindness. I sincerely hope to bring my experience into this new work environment and impact it in a positive way.

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To Be or not to be Vulnerable…

That is the question

By Roger Frischenmeyer

I was watching a movie the other day about the history of people with disabilities, and they showed a clip from the Jerry Lewis Muscular dystrophy telethon where he claimed that people with M.D. couldn’t go in the workplace because there was nothing they could do. I, like many people with disabilities am outraged when I here things like that because I know that it isn’t true first of all, and the only reason he makes claims like that is because that pity allows him to raise money.

Fast forward to today, I was reading an article in the newspaper regarding home care services for people with developmental disabilities and I saw pity rear it’s ugly head again. The premise of this article is that advocates for people with developmental disabilities want the government to make home and community services a priority. This I don’t have a problem with and agree that community services should be available for people with both physical and developmental disabilities. What I do have a problem with though is using pity to try to make those changes.