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OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE WITH INTELLECTUAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES
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ARC
JANUARY | FEBRUARY | MARCH 2015 NEWSLETTER
VOLUME 6
ISSUE 1
LIVING THE COLLEGE
EXPERIENCE
Students in Ontario ARC’s College Experience are growing
inside and outside the classroom. This spring, College
Experience students at Hobart and William Smith Colleges are
partnering with HWS matriculated students in Education 203:
Children with Disabilities.
continues on Page 5
JANUARY | FEBRUARY | MARCH 2015 NEWSLETTER
ARCLife
Life
ARC
Ontario ARC is a not-for-profit organization
dedicated to assisting individuals with intellectual
and developmental disabilities and their
families. We offer personalized services and
supports that promote independence, recognize
individual uniqueness and value quality of life.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Patrick R. Boyle, president
Karen Springmeier, vice president
Elizabeth A. Palmatier, secretary
Kathryn Wegman, treasurer
Charles McCausland, assistant treasurer
BOARD OF GOVERNORS
Joseph M. Bognanno
Deborah Wilbur
DIRECTORS
Gretchen Daugherty
Lynne Erdle
Peter Lijewski
Kyle Meath
Mary Kate Morrell
Marie O’Horo
Barbara G. Risser, EdD
John A. Schuppenhauer, Esq.
Michael Stapleton
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Ann Scheetz
PUBLISHING TEAM
Writing, design and layout
In House Graphic Design, Inc.
Major Photography
Jan Regan Photography
Share your e-mail address with us and
receive agency news and information.
Visit ontarioarc.org to sign up today!
If you prefer not to receive agency news
and information call 585.394.7500 or
email dauria@ontarioarc.org
VOLUME 6
ISSUE 1
MESSAGE FROM BRENDA ESTEY
SENIOR ASSOCIATE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
It’s hard to believe that 2015 is here and that spring is just
around the corner!
At the end of 2014, Ontario ARC earned accreditation
by the Council on Quality and Leadership (CQL), an
international organization that assesses agency practices
and commitment to quality of services. We are proud to
be one of only a few agencies in New York State to have
received this distinction! We are excited to continue to
provide innovative services and supports that have a
person-centered focus, and will continue to listen to each
person to see how they define quality of life for themselves.
Brenda Estey
If you visit our many service sites, you may notice our
new CQL banners proclaiming the focus: “It’s all about you: Your Self, Your World,
Your Dreams.”
We listened to the feedback received during Senator Nozzolio’s Autism Summit last
year. Attendees made it clear that there was a need for additional trainings for families,
school personnel and community organizations. Our Autism Center is responding by
scheduling a wide range of educational sessions for 2015.
Speaking of spring … the spring semester is in full swing on the College Experience
campus sites at Hobart and William Smith Colleges (HWS) and Finger Lakes
Community College (FLCC), and our partnership with both colleges continue to
grow. Our collaboration with HWS is on an exciting path both inside and outside the
classroom with the support of Professor Mary Kelly, Associate Professor of Education,
and the College Experience Outreach (CEO) Club. At FLCC, students are finding
ways to expand their knowledge by joining clubs that focus on their interests.
Lastly, the 4th Annual Open Our Bottle Night was a huge success, thanks to the
incredible generosity of our many sponsors and attendees. The event atmosphere
is always festive and intimate, creating a great casual setting to celebrate our
partnerships, successes and friends. This event makes it possible for us to offer new
and innovative opportunities each year!
Find us on Facebook!
facebook.com/ontarioarc
Participate in our blog at
ontarioarc.blogspot.com
Follow us on Twitter at
twitter.com/ontarioarc
Ontario County Chapter of NYSARC, Inc.
3071 County Complex Drive
Canandaigua, New York 14424
585.394.7500 www.ontarioarc.org
United Way
of Ontario County
On the Cover: Rachel, Ashton and Lacey get
ready to “Spread the Word to End the Word.”
2
College Experience students and HWS students are joined by Professor Mary Kelly as they
“Spread the Word to End the Word” on March 4th on the HWS campus.
3
LIVELY BIDDING SUPPORTED OPEN OUR BOTTLE NIGHT
THANK YOU BIDDERS AND 2015 SPONSORS
SOVEREIGN SPONSOR
IMPERIAL SPONSORS
Finger Lakes Partners, LLC.
M/E Engineering, P.C.
Shepard Ford
The Bonadio Group
JEROBOAM SPONSORS
The fundraiser raised close to $45,000.
All proceeds will benefit the Friends of Ontario
ARC Foundation and the growing menu of services
for nearly 900 people with intellectual and other
developmental disabilities, including autism at
Ontario ARC.
FRIENDS OF
ONTARIO ARC
FOUNDATION
BOARD
WELCOMES TWO
NEW MEMBERS
The Friends of Ontario ARC Foundation
welcomes two new members to its Board,
a panel of leaders who help the agency
raise funds for programs and services while
securing the agency’s financial future.
Please join us in welcoming:
John Hovey, LUTCF, Mark Kovaleski,
of Geneva, is an
Associate at Finger
Lakes Partners.
of Victor, is
Managing Partner
at Mengel, Metzger,
Barr & Co. LLP.
Ashley Home Furniture Store
Canandaigua National Bank
Frank J. Marianacci, Inc.
HEP Sales/North Main Lumber/Bright
Ideas
Mike Moreland’s Lawn & Landscape
Nationwide Retirement Plans
Relph Benefit Advisors
Shoshin Leadership, Inc.
Thompson Health
Wegmans of Canandaigua
THE AUTISM
CENTER OFFERS
COMMUNITY
TRAINING
OPPORTUNITIES
The Autism Center at Ontario ARC now
offers training opportunities for schools,
businesses, and local community groups.
The training sessions help to educate people
about autism spectrum and related disorders.
“We provide up-to-date best practices and
strategies,” says Diane Van Derwater, clinical
services manager. All training sessions teach
positive and effective approaches with tips
and strategies that can be applied to any child
behavior situation.
School districts in particular can
take advantage of this training during
staff development days. Teachers and
paraprofessionals will enhance what they
already know, better equip themselves for
ongoing training, and keep current on best
MAGNUM SPONSORS
Alesco Advisors
Barbara and John Beca
BCL Koch Division
Canandaigua Financial Group
DiMarco Group
Doyle Security Systems, Inc.
Friends of Brian Kolb
G.W. Lisk
Genecco Produce
Geneva Club Beverage
Hunt Engineers Architects
& Land Surveyors, P.C.
Jachles Imperial Flooring
Leonard’s Express, Inc.
Lyons National Bank
Brian & Kelly Meath
Outward Landscaping
PLAN Architectural Studio, P.C.
Dawn Santiago-Marullo & Tom Marullo
Shuttleworth Asphalt Sealing
practices as children’s individualized needs
grow in the school setting.
Autism 101, for example, explores how
diagnosing has changed and helps to
understand how testing is now done. A
session on transitioning teaches how to
smoothly move on to the next activity,
with less anxiety for both children and
teachers/group leaders.
The Autism Center can customize a
training session to meet any need, including
for businesses and community groups.
Session titles include:
• Autism 101
• Transitioning Students with Autism
• Positive and Effective Approaches for
Behavioral Support
• Power Struggles
• Mental Health Disorders
• Effective Use of Coping Skills
• Managing Anxiety and Symptoms of OCD
• Effective Communication
• Working with Difficult Behaviors
For more information, visit ontarioarc.org,
or contact Diane Van Derwater
at (585) 919-2148 or
dvanderwater@ontarioarc.org.
4
ONTARIO ARC
CELEBRATES CQL
ACCREDITATION
In February, Ontario ARC celebrated earning
national accreditation for Person-Centered
Excellence from CQL, The Council on
Quality and Leadership.
The stringent CQL accreditation process
included an in-depth review of Ontario ARC
services and supports that empower people
to make even more choices in how they live
their lives. CQL’s recognition of Ontario
ARC noted specifically the dedication of
the agency’s Direct Support Professionals in
providing quality services.
As part of the accreditation, Lynn White
Sohn, staff development coordinator, recently
received CQL Trainer Certification to
continue the development of the personcentered focus. Lynn is now Ontario ARC’s
in-house ‘expert’ and will lead year-round
training for other members of staff.
FOUNDATIONS
AND GRANTS
UPDATE
Finger Lakes Gaming
and Race Track 7th Annual
Charity Cup: $5,000.
Ontario ARC was one of six charities
selected, by application, to participate.
Charities received points corresponding
to how their horse picks placed in each
of six horse races. The Charity Cup took
place in October 2014 and distributed
$30,000 amongst the charities; Ontario
ARC finished third, ‘winning’ $5,000 for
our Therapeutic Recreation Yard at the
Eberhardt Center.
We thank CQL for guiding Ontario ARC’s
accreditation, and for their more than
40 years as leaders in raising the bar for
human service organizations and systems to
continuously define, measure, and improve
the quality of life of all people.
Spring Hill Fund
for Youth: $4,400.
Received in January 2015, and gives our
youth recreational opportunities to play
in the community where they live, and
to enjoy activities with their peers, while
increasing social skills and self-esteem.
Friends of Ontario
ARC Foundation.
BAD DOG™ RETAIL IS ONLINE!
Bad Dog retail products are now available online on Amazon.com! Visit the online shop at www.amazon.com/shops/ontarioarc. By purchasing Bad Dog retail products, you can help to grow
Pet Connections™, a unique and exciting program that connects
animals with people with intellectual and other developmental
disabilities, including autism.
The Friends of Ontario ARC Foundation
is now an incorporated 501(c)3
organization. All unrestricted funding
will be directed to the Foundation,
which was established to raise funds to
enhance Ontario ARC’s growing menu
of innovative services for people with
intellectual and other developmental
disabilities. The Foundation will oversee
the agency’s signature fundraising
events, the 1954 Society, annual fund
campaign, major gifts, planned giving,
honorariums, and memorial donations.
All contributions made to the agency should
be made payable to Friends of the Ontario
ARC Foundation.
ARCLife
JANUARY | FEBRUARY | MARCH 2015 NEWSLETTER
VOLUME 6
ISSUE 1
5
Travis (left) and Orin (right) visit with Jennie Erdle (center), director of student life at FLCC.
Living the College Experience,
continued from cover
Professor Mary Kelly, Associate
Professor of Education, is a liaison to
the Ontario ARC College Experience
program and has been designing blended
classes to include the students since
2010. “I am always thinking about a way
to create an inclusive classroom so all
students can participate and understand
according to their different strengths
and learning abilities,” says Prof. Kelly.
“Providing an opportunity for HWS and
Ontario ARC students to learn together
just made sense.”
The blended classes are student-centered
and take into account varying strengths,
challenges, and learning styles. All of
the students learn and grow together by
engaging through collaborative group
assignments on a wide variety of content.
The boundaries that are broken within the
classroom setting carry over to post-college
life and careers for all the students.
“Everyone is learning from each other,”
says Prof. Kelly, “and all of us will be
changed in some way as a result of being
in class together.”
Over at the Finger Lakes Community
College campus, clubs and student life
activities continue for the Ontario ARC
students outside of the classroom.
Orin Rivenburg is a member of the
FLCC Electronic Gaming Society.
The club for aficionados of complex,
fast-paced video games meets for
tournament play. Travis Wyman is
involved with the FLCC Nerf Club and
the Wildlife Club, which appeals to the
conservationalist-minded and allows club
members to learn about the Finger Lakes
ecosystem and meet wildlife handlers
and their animals.
Lindsey Arsenault regularly participates
in student life activities such as ice cream
socials and craft sessions. Both Lindsey and
Travis also volunteer for FLCC student life
activities, including blood drives and the
campus’s annual May Day celebration.
The partnership between College
Experience students and their peers at
both Hobart and William Smith Colleges
and Finger Lakes Community College is
a true college experience, including
academic challenges and forming
lifelong friendships.
CEO CLUB
RECEIVES
DONATION
The HWS College Experience
Outreach Club is very excited to
receive a $2,000 donation from
an alum who supports the club’s
mission: To connect Ontario ARC
students with HWS students, to
promote inclusion on campus, and
to help the College Experience
students become active members
of the student body.
Ontario County Chapter of NYSARC, Inc.
3071 County Complex Drive
Canandaigua, New York 14424
Prsrt Std
U.S. Postage
PAID
Permit No. 780
Rochester, NY
H
S
onor Our Past…
ecure Our Future
In 1954, a group of parents from Geneva
founded Ontario ARC to create more
opportunities for their children. In honor of
our founders, Ontario ARC has established
the 1954 Society, an endowment fund to
secure services for future generations.
A contribution of $1,954 each year over
three years will provide ongoing support
for programs and services that make a
positive impact on the lives of people with
intellectual and developmental disabilities.
For information on benefits and how to join the 1954 Society, contact Michele Wistner, director of development,
at 585-919-2156 or mwistner@ontarioarc.org. Or, visit us online at ontarioarc.org.