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Photos From Yesterday's "R Word = Respect" Event

March 6th, 2013 was National Spread the Word to End the Word Awareness Day (the “R” word is a hurtful, derogatory word that some people use). Yesterday, Imagine!’s Innovations department hosted a gathering encouraging people to create a poster or piece of artwork in honor of this event and to bring it in to Imagine!’s Coal Creek office to share with everyone. Residents from the Bob and Judy Charles SmartHome were there to show their support. There was a banner signing and information available about how to support this movement. Below are pictures from the event.

Rae with a poster created by the residents of the Bob and Judy Charles SmartHome.

Mandy's poster has an ice cream cone and cupcake on it. With Mandy is
Chantelle, site supervisor at the Bob and Judy Charles SmartHome.

Gerald displays the poster created by residents of the Bob and Judy Charles SmartHome.

John and Lana show the posters they created.

Rebecca Is Ready For Some Sunny Weather

This post was sent to us via an audio email from Rebecca, who is a resident at the Bob and Judy Charles SmartHome in Boulder. The message was sent last Saturday afternoon while Boulder was in the process of getting ten inches of snow. It appears that Rebecca is ready for spring. She sent two audio emails, both expressing her displeasure with the snow and the television weather reports. In spite of her frustration she was civil while speaking her mind.

“Hi, I’m a nice lady, but I don’t like this snow, it’s the pits. I don’t like the news at all today. Channel 2 and Channel 4 have stupid weather reports. I want hot weather, sunny and warm. Hot weather! See you later.”

Gerald Is Ready For Fishing Weather

This post was sent via an audio email by Gerald, who is a resident at the Bob and Judy Charles SmartHome in Boulder. Gerald used his Dynavox computer to provide his comments.

“Some of my favorite ponds are Golden Ponds and Coots Lake. I am ready for summer to be here so I can go fishing again.”

New Accessible Van For Charles Family SmartHome

A new wheelchair-accessible van was recently purchased for the Charles Family SmartHome. The van can safely accommodate up to four people using wheelchairs. This will afford more opportunities for accessing community activities for the people living in the SmartHome, increase safety, and reduce ongoing costs by replacing an aging vehicle.

Chris and John Hard at Work

Pictured are housemates John (in the front wearing a ball cap) and Chris, working side by side mopping at the Hungry Toad Pub in Boulder. John and Chris live at the Bob and Judy Charles SmartHome in Boulder and they sure are enjoying themselves as they work. Hungry Toad owner Terry Morton has employed Imagine! consumers for 22 years and is a great boss.

John Takes Pride In His Jobs

This blog post is from a conversation with John yesterday morning after he finished his shift as a member of a CORE/Labor Source work crew at the Hungry Toad Pub in Boulder where John vacuumed and mopped.

“After we eat lunch, this afternoon I will be at Timberline doing a bit of cleaning. We clean the kitchen area, things like that.” When asked what he does with the money he earns at his jobs, John replied, “I save some in the bank, and I keep some so if I go bowling I can buy a snack. I’m going bowling tomorrow with CORE/Labor Source at Coal Creek Bowling Alley.

"Yesterday, we had our (Innovations) Advocacy Council meeting and we discussed National Siblings Day, which is April 10th. I have two brothers and two sisters so we have a lot of us in our family.”

John vacuuming at the Hungry Toad Pub.

Check Out Rebecca’s Art

Breadworks Bakery and Cafe in Boulder (2644 Broadway, between North St. and Alpine Ave.) is currently displaying artwork created by members of CORE/Labor Source art classes, including Rebecca, who lives in the Bob and Judy Charles SmartHome (her painting is below). The art will be up for two more weeks so please try to find the time to stop in and check out the artwork and thank the store employees for displaying the art. Breadworks is open Monday - Saturday 7 am - 7 pm and on Sunday from 7 am - 6 pm.

John's Busy Day

Ever wonder how the SmartHome residents spend their days? Here’s an audio email from John, who lives in the Bob and Judy Charles SmartHome, sharing what he will be doing today. He certainly keeps active!

“ In the morning I’ll work at the Hungry Toad, and then in the afternoon I have an Innovations Advocacy Council meeting and right after that I go to East Boulder Rec Center for a sports ceremony. It should be a fun day.”

Volunteers Bring Adaptive Yoga To SmartHome

Volunteers can make a big difference at our SmartHomes.

According to Bob and Judy Charles SmartHome site supervisor Chantelle Tweeten: “A few days ago we had two volunteers guide most of our residents through some adaptive yoga exercises. The residents participated in deep breathing. According to Alex Johnstone, the staff on duty, all of the consumers who participated seemed calm and relaxed after the yoga session.”

Thanks to Mike Kuss, and his assistant Lara, for volunteering!

If you are interested in volunteering at the SmartHome, or for others served by Imagine!, click here.

Guess Who's Touring The SmartHomes?

Scheduled to tour Imagine!’s Charles Family SmartHome in Longmont today: representatives from the Inn Between, a Longmont-based organization that provides transitional housing and supportive services for homeless individuals and families to help them achieve self-sufficiency.

Lana Had A Good Time At Flatirons Church Prom

This post was sent Saturday, March 2nd via an audio email from Lana, who is a resident of the Bob and Judy Charles SmartHome in Boulder. All the residents at the SmartHome have access to an audio email system that allows them to send audio emails. When someone replies to the audio email with a typed email, the resident's computer reads the written response aloud so the residents do not need to be able to read or write to be able to communicate with their friends and families.

“Hi, This is Lana, I went to a dance last night (Shine Prom at Flatirons Church in Lafayette). We had a good time. I had a glass of water, and I didn’t eat any sweets. I hung out with Brent (a counselor at the Bob and Judy Charles SmartHome).”

Thanking The Collins Foundation

Today we’d like to send a great big “thank you” to The Collins Foundation for their recent $2,500 grant for the Bob and Judy Charles SmartHome. 

This is The Collins Foundation’s fifth grant to our Boulder SmartHome, totaling $15,000. The Collins Foundation was established by William R. and Ruth Collins for distribution to charitable, religious, and educational purposes and organizations within the County of Boulder. The Collins Foundation is administered by the Private Client Services division of Wells Fargo Bank.

Thanks, Collins Foundation!

SmartHome Residents Blind Us – With Science!

Residents at the Bob and Judy Charles SmartHome have been conducting science experiments. This experiment involved asking the question, “If you put an egg in salt water, will it float?” The following information was taken from Donna’s worksheet on the experiment. Her notes are in bold.

1. Ask a question: If you put an egg is salt water what happens?
2. Make a prediction: It will float.
3. Make a plan and follow it: Add salt to water and then put an egg in salt water.
4. Observe: The egg floated.
5. Record the results: Egg floated in the water.
6. Draw a conclusion: Salt water is more dense than water.

Editor's note: A fresh egg will usually not float in plain water.

 

Guess Who's Touring The SmartHomes?

Scheduled to tour the Charles Family SmartHome in Longmont today: Jonathan Singer, Colorado State Representative from House District 11. Hope you enjoy the tour, Representative Singer!

Donna Tie-Dyes

A fun activity the residents of the Bob and Judy Charles SmartHome have been taking part in recently is tie-dying shirts. It is a great way for the residents to express their personality and creativity. In this photo, Donna is making sure her shirt is rolled up carefully before starting the dying process.

Gerald Writes More About His Birthday Party

This post was sent via email from SmartHome resident Gerald, who wrote the post at his CORE/Labor Source Creative Writing Class.

I had a great birthday! All of my roommates were there as well as my house staff and of some of my staff from CORE. We had mashed potatoes and spaghetti, cake and ice cream. I got a fire truck and police car that light up and make noise. Everyone wore silly homemade party hats. We all had a fun time only 342 days until my next birthday!

Spread The Word To End The Word!

Today, March 6th, 2013, is National Spread the Word to End the Word Awareness Day. The day was created to bring about the end of the use of the R-word. The R-word hurts because it is exclusive. It's offensive. It's derogatory. For more information on National Spread the Word to End the Word Awareness Day, click here.

Guess Who’s Touring The SmartHomes?

Imagine!’s SmartHomes continue to be a “must-tour” for people across the country, and even the world, interested in learning first-hand how technology is being used to improve services for individuals with developmental disabilities.

A few recent SmartHome tourists include Martha Pofit, a health care consultant from New York-based Living Resources, which provides a wide range of services to individuals challenged by a variety of developmental disabilities, Steve Phua, President of Wonderland Homes, who is interested in collaborating with Imagine! on the construction needs of the people we serve, and twelve volunteers from AmeriCorps.

Folks scheduled to tour the SmartHome in the next few weeks include Jonathan Singer, Colorado State Representative from House District 11, Shusei Iioka, from the Residential Sales and Planning Department of the Japanese Urban Renaissance Agency, and Denise Bloomquist from Texas-based Project Janus, a not-for-profit corporation whose purpose is to support the most appropriate level of preventative care, treatment and crisis intervention services for constituents affected by a dual diagnosis of an intellectual or developmental disability and co-occurring mental illness (IDD/MI).

Are you interested in taking a tour? Click here to schedule a tour online.

Guess Who’s Touring The SmartHomes?

We had some special visitors to Imaigne!’s Bob and Judy Charles SmartHome in Boulder today.

I think they forgot to sign up for their tour online, though.

March Is Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month

Twenty-five years ago, spurred by advocates across the nation, then-President Ronald Reagan declared March to be Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month urging “all Americans to join me in according to our fellow citizens with such disabilities both encouragement and the opportunities they need to lead productive lives and to achieve their full potential.”

In observance of DD Awareness Month, Imagine!’s SmartHomes team encourages everyone to celebrate the strengths and achievements of Americans with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). After decades of progress, today people with I/DD are living and working in the community, pursuing higher education, growing their faith, making their voices heard, and even taking a lead in using technology to find more independence.