Friday, December 30, 2011

CU Engineering Class Adaptive Equipment Project Fall 2011 -- Adjustable Shelf 2

A group of CU Engineering students in a 2011 Fall Semester class taught by Associate Professor Melinda Piket-May worked on projects to design simple adaptive technologies that aid increased independence for some of the individuals Imagine! serves. The video below shows a project where students created an adjustable shelf.



Can’t see the video? Click here.

Thursday, December 29, 2011

The Magical Christmas Holiday

Note: Mandy lives at the Bob and Judy Charles SmartHome in Boulder, and is using some of the technology in the SmartHome and in CORE/Labor Source classes to write articles for the Imagine! employee newsletter. Below is her latest contribution.
The Magical Christmas Holiday

There was a big rocking chair. It was painted red and green and it was very comfortable. This man sat in it and then put on his red velvety outfit with white furry trim and a big black belt with a shiny buckle. He had four gold buttons going down the front of the red velvet jacket with white furry trim on the cuffs of his sleeves and on the bottom of his pant legs. He had big black shiny boots with a buckle. Every once in a while he would put extra polish on his boots. The polish made them bright and beautiful. His nose was as red as a cherry. He had a long white beard and a red stocking hat with furry white trim. He had a white tassel on the top of his hat. He had a black sack over his shoulder with lots of toys in it for all the good girls and boys. His stomach jiggled and shook as he walked.

There was a little girl walking by. She looked very excited for Christmas day. The little girl walked up with a big smile on her face and said "Hi." Santa patted his knee and asked the little girl to come and sit with him. The girl said, "Sure, I would love to." Santa read "The Night Before Christmas." Then Santa started talking to the little girl about what she wanted for Christmas. The little girl said, "I don't care." Right before the little girl left, Santa asked the little girl if she was interested in helping him put up the Christmas tree. The little girl’s eyes lit up with happiness. The little girl said "I would be delighted to." Santa and the little girl started to put up the tree together.

They put all kind of neat ornaments, garlands, lights, and something that can make the Christmas lights on the Christmas tree blink to the rhythm of the Christmas music that was playing. The girl’s mom had handmade a Christmas carpet to put under the Christmas tree. The carpet had a whole bunch of different Christmas scenes on it. The mom gave the carpet to the little girl and the little girl carried the carpet over to where Santa was sitting. Santa and the little girl helped each other put the carpet under the Christmas tree.

They had one last step they needed to do to help the Christmas tree look complete. They finished by putting the Candy-Canes on the Christmas tree. They were very happy with way it all turned out. They put lots of work into it and made it really nice. The Christmas tree lit up the whole town. The lights were bright as the people walked up and down the street. The children were waiting for Santa to greet them. The little girl had her picture taken with Santa. Then she said, to Santa, "I need to say goodbye." Santa said, "Wait, I have a copy of the book I was reading you, The Night Before Christmas." The little girl said, “Oh thank you" and handed Santa her own Christmas list. She wanted a toy computer and games.

Santa started to practice and prepare for his one special night. He is a star. He only comes once a year. The little ones can see him from afar. He can see up close. Where, nobody knows. He comes around when everyone is asleep and doesn't peep. He brings lots of toys to all the good girls and boys. He drives a car made of candy.

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

CU Engineering Class Adaptive Equipment Project Fall 2011 – Adjustable Shelf 1

A group of CU Engineering students in a 2011 Fall Semester class taught by Associate Professor Melinda Piket-May worked on projects to design simple adaptive technologies that aid increased independence for some of the individuals Imagine! serves, including Imagine! SmartHome residents. This video below a project where students created an adjustable shelf.



Can't see the video? Click here.

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

CU Engineering Class Adaptive Equipment Project Fall 2011 – Adjustable Assistive Wall Mounted Arm

A group of CU Engineering students in a 2011 Fall Semester class taught by Associate Professor Melinda Piket-May worked on projects to design simple adaptive technologies that aid increased independence for some of the individuals Imagine! serves. The video below shows a project where students created an adjustable assistive wall mounted arm for SmartHome resident Gerald.



Can't see the video?  Click here.

Sunday, December 25, 2011

Merry Christmas From The SmartHomes!


On behalf of SmartHome staff members and residents, we would like to wish you a happy holiday season, and a safe and prosperous New Year.

Friday, December 23, 2011

Happy Birthday, Loren!

Wishing the happiest of birthdays to Charles Family SmartHome in Longmont resident Loren. Make it a great one, Loren!

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

CU Engineering Class Adaptive Equipment Project Fall 2011 -- Wheelchair Laundry Attachment

A group of CU Engineering students in a 2011 Fall Semester class taught by Associate Professor Melinda Piket-May worked on projects to design simple adaptive technologies that aid increased independence for some of the individuals Imagine! serves. This video below shows a project where students created wheelchair laundry attachment for SmartHome resident Anthony.



Can’t see the video? Click here.

Monday, December 19, 2011

Guess Who's Touring The SmartHome?


Touring the Charles Family SmartHome in Longmont today: Bobby Danos, President of the Longmont Association of Realtors. We hope you enjoy the tour, Bobby!

Friday, December 16, 2011

Wii The People

Really cool stuff to share today.

A group of CU Engineering students in a 2011 Fall Semester class taught by Associate Professor Melinda Piket-May worked on projects to design simple adaptive technologies that aid increased independence for some of the individuals Imagine! serves. In the next few weeks we’ll be sharing the projects.

Today, we’d like to show a project where students built and adaptive Wii board that allows individuals who use wheelchairs to play Wii games. Below is a video of the students demonstrating their project.



Can’t see the video? Click here

Now, check out this video of Imagine!’s Bob and Judy Charles SmartHome resident Donna using the adaptive Wii board at the home.



Can’t see the video? Click here.

Thanks to Professor Piket-May and especially the students for their hard work.

Thursday, December 15, 2011

Christmas Decorations at the Bob and Judy Charles SmartHome

A couple of weekends ago, residents of the Bob and Judy Charles SmartHome in Boulder set out to decorate their home for the holidays. Kudos to staff member Brent Bowen, who organized a house resident meeting beforehand so that the residents could discuss what they wanted for decorations. Brent even came in on his day off to help set this up! Thanks, Brent, for helping to make the SmartHome so jolly!





Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Presentable

SmartHomes guru Greg Wellems, SmartHomes Project Manager Sterling Wind, and SmartHome technology guy Kevin Harding are hosting a series of webinars for ANCOR on “Strategically Implementing Technology in Your Organization.” These webinars are designed to introduce a strategic process for helping service providers incorporate technology into their organizations to strategically succeed in an ever-changing world.

Tomorrow they will host the first webinar: “Step 1: Know What’s Out There”

Interested? Learn more or sign up here.

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Imagine! Presentation at Boulder/Denver New Tech Not-For-Profit Night

On Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2011, Imagine! SmartHomes tech guys Kevin Harding and Alex Andrews presented at the Boulder/Denver New Tech Not-For-Profit night. It was a great opportunity for them to introduce Imagine!’s SmartHome project (and other tech projects Imagine! is involved in), introduce a couple of small projects that we need assistance with, recruit volunteers, and get some help/guidance from a highly technical crowd.

Kevin and Alex reported that they got great feedback from the group. Thanks for hosting us, BDNT!

Below is the short PowerPoint presentation Kevin and Alex shared with the group.

Monday, December 12, 2011

Happy Birthday, Lana

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

Friday, December 9, 2011

Charles Family SmartHome Christmas Tree Decoration Party

Some nice pictures of residents of the Charles Family SmartHome in Longmont decorating their Christmas tree.





Thursday, December 8, 2011

Lana Creates Ornaments For Whole Foods Charity Event

Artist/consumers in Imagine!'s CORE/Labor Source art classes, including SmartHome resident Lana, have completed another project that provided a great community connection. Whole Foods Market, located at 2905 Pearl Street in Boulder, will be displaying tree ornaments created by the artist/consumers. “It was a beautiful simple project that consisted of clear glass ornaments that the students cut up small pieces of tissue paper and glued on with watered down Elmer’s glue,” said Alethea Chorey, Art Instructor for the class. The end result is an ornament that looks like stained glass.

The ornaments will be attached to several seasonal displays that Whole Foods Market will have throughout the store. Customers will be able to purchase them for a five dollar donation to Community Food Share.

Nice work, Lana, and thank you, Whole Foods!

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Senator Mark Udall Tours SmartHome

This past Saturday, we had a VIP tour the Bob and Judy Charles SmartHome in Boulder – Senator Mark Udall. Senator Udall seemed very impressed with the technology in the home and its potential to impact the lives of so many individuals with developmental and related disabilities. He asked some great questions and offered to assist Imagine! as we work to incorporate more and more technology into the services for some of our most vulnerable citizens.

Several members of Imagine!’s Board of Directors attended the tour as well, and most of the residents of the home were there to greet the Senator and discuss their lives living in a high tech home.

Thanks for touring, Senator Udall!








Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Today Is Colorado Gives Day

Today is Colorado Gives Day, and Imagine! is again participating. Donations made online Imagine!'s website (using any of the “Donate Here” buttons) today will also be eligible for partial matching funds.

The “Donate Here” button takes you directly to the Community First Foundation site and saves the 5.5% bank fee for credit card donations.

Last year individuals donated $4,675 to Imagine! on Colorado Gives Day, and we received $177.68 in matching funds from the Circle of Giving Incentive Fund. But $8.4 million was donated across Colorado last year, and $320,000 in incentive funds were given out, so we have room to grow!

If you are thinking about making a gift to Imagine! before the end of the calendar year, please consider doing it online today (you can also designate Imagine!'s SmartHomes project in the “Any comments or special instructions” box if you would like).

Monday, December 5, 2011

Happy Birthday, Toby!

Wishing the happiest of birthdays to Charles Family SmartHome in Longmont resident Toby. Make it a great one, Toby!

Friday, December 2, 2011

Check Out Donna's Blog

Bob and Judy Charles SmartHome resident Donna has made a couple of new posts on her blog. It sounds like she’s really getting into the Christmas spirit, singing holiday songs and decorating the SmartHome. Check out her blog to learn more.

Thursday, December 1, 2011

Happy Birthday, John!

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