Longmont SmartHome Residents “Shine”

Last Friday, Charles Family SmartHome in Longmont residents attended “Shine,” a special prom for individuals with a variety of disabilities put on by Flatirons Community Church in Lafayette, CO. Check out the photos – they sure seemed to have a great time!

Thanks Tetra Tech!

The good folks at the Tetra Tech Longmont office are sponsoring a walk/run fundraising event for the Imagine! Foundation. The money raised will be directed towards the Charles Family SmartHome in Longmont.

The event is today, Wednesday, June 29th, at 4:00 PM. The race will begin on the St. Vrain Greenway and end at Left Hand Brewing Company!

Many thanks to Imagine! Foundation board member Julie Vlier for arranging this event, and to Imagine! Foundation board member Forrest Fleming and his company Instant Imprints for donating T-shirts.

Congressman Jared Polis Tours SmartHome

Yesterday, U.S. Representative Jared Polis toured the Bob and Judy Charles SmartHome in Boulder. The tour was result of our ongoing efforts to bring the message to the highest levels that technology offers new and efficient ways to deliver services to some of our most vulnerable citizens.

Representative Polis asked some very insightful questions. We appreciate his time and thoughtful engagement.

John, one of the Bob and Judy Charles SmartHome residents (on right) greets Congressman Polis (center).

Imagine! CEO Mark Emery (right) with Congressman Polis.

SmartHomes Project manager Sterling Wind (left) and SmartHomes guru Greg Wellems (second from left) demonstrate task prompters to Congressman Polis.

Project Manager Sterling Wind (right) explains how some of the technology benefits the people Imagine! serves.

Imagine! CEO Mark Emery (right) with Congressman Polis.

SmartHomes guru Greg Wellems (left) talks tech with Congressman Polis.

Congressman Polis (left) asked some very thoughtful and insightful questions.

Congressman Polis (left) with SmartHomes guru Greg Wellems.

Guess Who's Touring The SmartHome

Exciting news! Touring Imagine!’s Bob and Judy SmartHome in Boulder today is US Representative Jared Polis. This is a result of our ongoing efforts to bring the message to the highest levels that technology offers new and efficient ways to deliver services to some of our most vulnerable citizens. The photo to the right is of Imagine! CEO Mark Emery meeting with Rep. Polis last year. Thanks for taking the tour, Rep. Polis!

You don’t have to be a member of Congress to visit our SmartHomes, though. If you are interested in a tour, just sign up here!

Happy Birthday Donna!

Wishing the happiest of birthdays to Bob and Judy Charles SmartHome resident Donna! Hope it is a great one!

Millennium Harvest House Boulder FAC

On Friday, June 17, the Millennium Harvest House Boulder invited Imagine! to be a featured nonprofit at their FAC, and the residents from the Bob and Judy Charles SmartHome showed up to support the Millennium and to promote Imagine!. Some SmartHome artists painted with other attendees at our tent, while others just relaxed and enjoyed the food, music, and good company.

Chris in front of the bandstand

Imagine!’s booth was filled with SmartHome residents and kids creating art together

John dances to the music

Lana shows off her latest masterpiece

Rae shows off her latest masterpiece

Rebecca gives Mandy an assist

Rebecca’s rainbow painting

Communications Class Photos

Longmont SmartHome residents Wes and Toby are participating in a communications class for their DynaVoxes (computerized communications devices). The class focuses on device operation, communications skills, socialization, and literacy – skills that can be transferred to all aspects of their lives. Keep up the good work, guys!

Presentable

On July 2, SmartHomes project manager Sterling Wind will be presenting at the No Barriers USA Summit on “Engineering for Exceptional Needs.”

Sterling will be presenting with University of Colorado Associate Professor Melinda Piket-May. Students in professor Piket-May’s class have worked on projects to design simple adaptive technologies that aid increased independence for some of the folks Imagine! serves, including some residents of our SmartHomes.

Click here to see some videos of the students demonstrating their projects.

This is a great example of how other organizations are seeing that the technologies we are using to serve those with developmental disabilities can be applied to those with other disabilities.

Good luck, Sterling and Melinda!

Table Topic

At the Open House for the Charles Family SmartHome in Longmont on May 26, Imagine! staff created a “Wish List,” including a new dining room table. The existing table was not a good fit for the heights of the different wheelchairs used by the six residents of the home.

But over the weekend, past Imagine! Foundation president Leona Stoecker was visiting the new Fabulous Finds Upscale Consignment store at Airport and Nelson Roads in Longmont and saw a beautiful cherry table top with no legs.

The value was about $1,500, but when owner Jill Cutler heard of the need at the SmartHome, she donated the table top. Then Leona got her friend Bob Sarchet to donate the lumber and his time and make a base for the table top. Voila! A lovely new perfectly-sized dining table for the SmartHome is on its way!

Thanks to all involved in this collaborative project!

Gerald's First Day On The Job

The good folks at Twisted Pine Brewery in Boulder have demonstrated their commitment to providing supported employment to those with significant needs by carving out a special position for Gerald. For those of you who don’t know him, Gerald lives in the Bob and Judy Charles SmartHome in Boulder. Gerald has significant physical disabilities, including limited mobility and a limited ability to communicate vocally. Over the past few years, however, Gerald has used an assistive communication device called a DynaVox to improve his ability to communicate his needs and desires. He has also used the device to begin to learn how to read and write – at the age of 48!

Twisted Pine has been collaborating with Gerald, Imagine!’s CORE/Labor Source department, and the staff members at the SmartHome to create some tasks that Gerald can perform at Twisted Pine using his DynaVox, including assisting with inventory and even making posts on the Twisted Pine Facebook page!

Think about that – someone who just started learning to read and write a few short years ago is able to act as a spokesperson for a company thanks to technology!

Gerald has already shown his willingness to be a dedicated employee – he has studied feverishly to get up to speed on his reading, writing, numbers, and counting using the DynaVox.

Twisted Pine has shown equal dedication, including installing a special ramp for Gerald so he can access the production area of the brewery.

Enjoy this video of the first time he travels down the ramp to explore the newfound possibilities that come with being employed and contributing to his community.

Presentable

SmartHomes guru Greg Wellems is giving a keynote address during the opening session of the Alliance June Summit today. The theme of the summit is innovation, and who better than Greg to discuss innovation in action.

Thanks for representing us so well, Greg!

Below is a very shortened version of what Greg will be presenting.

Changing Lives Through Technology

View more presentations from Fred Hobbs

Mandy's Birthday

Last weekend, Bob and Judy Charles SmartHome resident Mandy celebrated her birthday with her family, friends, and roommates. Enjoy some pictures from the party!

Mandy and Kimberly (a Residential Counselor from 19th Street Group Home)

Mandy, Mandy’s mom, and Donna

Gerald entertains a guest

Jessica with Mandy

Dawn Marie gives Mandy a gift

Mandy sure seems to enjoy this gift

Mandy with her brother-in-law and her nephew

Mandy and Cailin (Residential Counselor at the Bob & Judy Charles SmartHome)

Guess Who's Touring The SmartHomes?

This past Monday, a group of folks from the Colorado Chapter of the Philanthropic Educational Organization Sisterhood visited the Charles Family SmartHome in Longmont. Thanks for taking the tour!

Are you interested in taking a tour? Then use our handy online reservation form to schedule a time to see first hand how technology is changing the lives of individuals with developmental disabilities.

DC Legislative Visits

Imagine! SmartHome staff and leadership traveled this week to Washington, DC, to meet with staff members from Colorado’s legislative representatives to promote the use of technology in serving those with developmental disabilities.

The SmartHome team met with staffers for: Representatives Jared Polis, Diana DeGette, Mike Coffman, Ed Perlmutter, Cory Gardner, and Scott Tipton, and Senators Mark Udall and Michael Bennet.

SmartHome guru Greg Wellems and Imagine!’s legislative liaison David Sprenger at Representative Cory Gardner’s office.

Imagine! CEO Mark Emery and Imagine!’s legislative liaison David Sprenger at Representative Mike Coffman’s office.

Imagine! CEO Mark Emery and PR guy Fred Hobbs at Representative Ed Perlmutter’s office.

Imagine! CEO Mark Emery and Rosalyn Kumar, Legislative Director for Representative Jared Polis.

Presenting at ANCOR Conference

SmartHome team members continue to spread the word about our ambitious project. This week, Greg Wellems and Fred Hobbs both spoke at ANCOR’s 2011 Conference: Leading Cultures of Innovation and Advocacy. Both presentations were full of great information and well received.

Greg Wellems spoke at on panel on changing lives through technology.

Fred Hobbs spoke on how Direct Support Professionals can use Social Media to enhance the lives of those they serve.

Happy Birthday Mandy!

Wishing the happiest of birthdays to Bob and Judy Charles SamrtHome resident Mandy.  Make it a great one, Mandy!

Presentable

SmartHomes PR guy Fred Hobbs will be presenting Monday at ANCOR's 2011 Conference: Leading Cultures of Innovation and Advocacy. Here’s his topic

The Social Media revolution has created a fundamental shift in the way we communicate. It has also created amazing new opportunities for individuals with intellectual disabilities to engage in communities and conversations without barriers and without judgment. This presentation will share examples of how Direct Support Professionals and service provider organizations can harness these powerful Social Media tools to open doors for individuals with a variety of disabilities, enabling them to connect, communicate, and network in ways never before possible. It will also address some commonly voiced concerns about the use of Social Media in the field, as well as offering tips on Social Media “dos” and don’ts.”

Take a sneak peak:

How Direct Care Professionals Can Use Social Media to Connect, Communicate, and Network Regardless of Ability/Disability

View more presentations from Fred Hobbs

Donna's Diary - May 2011

SmartHome residents Gerald and Donna participated in the Bolder Boulder on Monday. How did it go? Find out by reading Donna’s latest online diary entry.

And click here to see all of Donna’s diary entries.

On Memorial Day Gerald and I were in the Bolder Boulder. Phil and Joseph, who work with us at the Bob and Judy Charles SmartHome, pushed our wheelchairs so we could be in the race, and we sure do appreciate it. They got a good workout because not only did they push us in our chairs for the entire race, but they pushed us from home to where the race started. That had to be another couple of miles. The race doesn’t allow power chairs for safety reasons, so that’s why we needed to be pushed.  

To get to the race by 9:45, we had a quick breakfast before scurrying out the door. Gerald suggested leaving our cell phones at home so we didn’t have to worry about anybody calling us during the race. I met three people I knew during the race. A friend named Dan, Officer Sue (who we know from the Boulder Police Department’s Safety First Class), and the guy who sold my shoes to me. I didn’t expect to see anyone I knew, but things like that happen when you’re in a big crowd.  

There were all kinds of bands along the way. There was even a band that wore red stripping wrapped around them, and a guy who looks like and sounds like Elvis Presley. After the race, both Gerald and I passed on the free beer because it was a bit too early for that, but we each had a pop instead. In our red colored lunch bags were some nice snacks. I traded some of my stuff with Gerald so we both got enough of what we wanted.

My job at In Clover is busy, which is good. On Friday, June 17th, we plan to attend the Millennium Hotel’s FAC because Imagine! will have a booth there. The last couple of years Gerald and I have painted pictures there, but this year we just want to go and relax and hang out with people. We’ll stick to just the chit chat this year.  

Well, in a few minutes, my friend Chloe is coming by to see me. She’s been coming by for about three years now, usually every week. We play Uno, Blokus (a game of strategy), and also just visit with one another. I’m really lucky to have her as a friend, so I’m going to get ready to greet her. Thanks for keeping up with what’s going on in my life, and I’ll be back with more.