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SPIRIT NEWSLETTER - November 1998
Chairperson's Message
Well, the summer seems to have flown right by and fall is here once more. I hope that those of you who participated in the Summer Programme not only had a lot of fun but learned new things at the same time.
I had a busy schedule all summer and could not participate in many of the Summer Programme activities. However, I always make it a point to participate in the variety show at the end of the summer. This year's show was excellent in many ways. There was, indeed, a lot of potential there! Congratulations on a job well done to all those who participated!
Now that winter is just around the corner, we must all go back to our regular cold weather schedules. Those of you who are students will be in school by the time you read this. Any volunteer work or fall/winter projects in which you are involved will probably be in full swing soon too.
That also applies to our Board of Directors. I hope that all our Board members have had a great summer and that they are prepared to get right to work. There is much to be done. Our regular committees began meeting in October. I envision each committee coming up with realistic goals to achieve within the next year.
Fall always seems to be a season of changes. The weather gets cooler, the days get shorter, and many people get involved in new activities, because they want a "change" from their usual schedules.
Change can be a very positive thing but, if you are anything like me, you might find it
rather frightening too! But change is a part of life and sometimes we not only want it but need it in order to keep our lives interesting, challenging, and exciting. If you would like to make some changes in your life but are nervous about doing so, just remember that other people are making changes too, and they are probably just as nervous as you are. If you let your fear of change hold you back, you will never know what you are missing! So go ahead - try something new, for a change! Have a great winter!
- Joyce Nieuwesteeg
RIP DEPARTS
After eleven years, two months and five days with K-W Access-Ability, I have decided to stay home, take care of my husband and my two cats, enjoy my garden and have time to pursue my long neglected hobbies. During my time with KWAA I've seen a lot of changes, some for the better, some not. Over my eleven years with the Agency, many people have passed through our doors. I only hope that I have touched your lives in some small way. You have certainly touched mine in many different ways.
I will be leaving as of December 31st, 1998, BUT don't think you can get rid of me that quickly. I'll be back the 4th of January for a couple of weeks to assist our Director with hiring my replacement. I wish my successor all the best. It can be a most challenging role. And who knows - after I sleep for a month and then get my home in ship-shape condition, I may return as a volunteer!
- Kathryn Cowan
Executive Director's Address
Much water has past under the bridge since our last newsletter. We sponsored the 1st Team Canada to participate in the 1st World Electric Wheelchair Hockey Championships. We have all survived another active summer programme and I have had some time to catch my breathe and digest the news that Kathryn Cowan (the R.I.P.) will be leaving the Agency for the green, green grass of home.
Our involvement with Team Canada 98 was an incredible experience, and for those who were in attendance at our AGM in June, you heard first hand the thoughts and some of the exploits of our players. Everyone who was involved is convinced I believe that this is something we should be involved in again. The planning has begun for Team Canada 99, September 1999 in Munich Germany. Look for Team Canada and the Rangers Community Bus in the Santa Claus parade on November 21st.
We had, I felt an extremely active summer programme. Two staff members returned from last year and with our two rookies, (finally we hired a man) we had quite a team. Our focus was again on member involvement in planning and implementation of our programmes. In response to the issue of cost, we attempted to explore recreational options within the K-W area, as opposed to travelling to other locations. We did however have our obligatory trips to a Blue Jays game and to Anna Mae's for a belt loosening meal.
It is hard to know where to begin or what to say about Kathryn. It seems as if she has always been here, and yet I can still remember the first day she walked into the office looking for volunteer work. She was dressed in a green and brown suede outfit and I can remember thinking she reminded me of one of Robin Hood's merry (men?).She became a volunteer, working on the Agency information services and then quickly became a Board Member, and before I knew what hit me, she was the R.I.P.(Resource Information Person). Kathryn has served throughout the community, both as a representative of K-W Access-Ability and in her own right, as a strong voice on issues relevant to people with disabilities.
I said that it seems as if she has always been here, and I guess in relation to work, that is what I will miss the most. She is always there, and I could always count on her, we could all count on her being there!
An additional change which is in the making is that Joyce Nieuwesteeg will be resigning her position as Chairperson to begin working with P.H.I.R.S.T. LINK. The position of Chairperson will be filled by Randy Barrett, our Vice Chairperson.
Joyce has been an active and dedicated Chairperson, fulfilling the often arduous and demanding role with hard work and good humour. We thank you for your years of service as a Board Member and as Chairperson and look forward to your efforts as P.H.I.R.S.T. LINK Tutor.
Change is all around us!
- Chris B. Hodnett
VIDEO SERVICE
K-W Access-Ability has an interesting selection of videos for loan, many of them screen classics. You may chose as many as 3 videos at a time and keep them out for as long as a week. A donation of $1.00 per video would be appreciated. To qualify for this service, you must be a member.
BERYL POTTER, ADVOCATE FOR RIGHTS OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES
It is with deep regret that we acknowledge the passing of Beryl Potter on May 1, 1998. It was a great honour to meet Beryl and work with her on Agency sponsored events on several occasions. Best known for her role as an advocate for people with disabilities, she almost single handedly took on the TTC in her fight for better accessible transit in Metro Toronto. She believed strongly that accessible transportation is a "right".
Beryl took on many roles. She was Executive Director and Founder of the Scarborough Club for Disabled Adults and the East York Club for Disabled Adults, President and Founder of Ontario Action Awareness Association, Chairperson of Trans-Action, Co-Chairperson of Disabled Persons for Employment Equity and of National Access Awareness Week, Chairperson and Founder of Ontario Users Council on Transportation and Producer/Hostess of a Community TV Program, "Ability Phorom". She sat on many Committees and Boards, at the local, provincial and national levels. She was the recipient of many awards including the Order of Ontario in 1989 and the Order of Canada in 1997. In 1992, the Honourary Degree of Doctor of Laws was conferred upon her by the University of Waterloo.
Although often given to fiery feuds with bureaucrats, Beryl also had a very easy going and fun-loving side and was such a joy to be with.
PROJECT LIFT CELEBRATES 25 YEARS OF SERVICE (excerpts from GM's Report at AGM)
In 11 days from now a small piece of paper that hangs on the wall in the Project Lift office will mark an anniversary. That piece of paper is known as our Letters Patent of Incorporation and is dated October 31, 1974. You may say that if you add 25 to 1974 you actually get 1999. That is true, however you don't just all of a sudden incorporate an entity and decide that on that specific day you are going to drive people in wheelchairs around K-W. In actual fact about 18 months previous to that, sometime prior to the summer of 1973, two people, Nancy and Jim Hodgson received a L.I.P. Grant from the federal government. Nancy was a student, who received a grant for a summer job. L.I.P. stood for Local Initiatives Project Grants and it was intended as a grant for a local project. Since the intent of this local project was to give people in wheelchairs a lift around town it was coined Project Lift and, as they say, the rest is history.
It is an interesting history of 25 years of transportation service to our community. Some notes of interest are that Project Lift started with one van with a plywood ramp, leased from Forbes Motors. That van did not have any such thing as a tie-down system. Apparently it only took one corner on the very first trip before it was realized that wheelchairs, despite their brakes, were never intended to be moved on another set of wheels. Did you know that during Project Lift's first 3 years of service it actually was funded by and served Kitchener, Waterloo and Cambridge (Cambridge Transit started their own service circa 1976). By this time Project Lift had grown, very quickly I might add by today's standards of expansion, into an operation of 3 vehicles (affectionately known as the Old Bussette, the New Bussette and the Old Van) with 6 full time drivers and 2 office staff. The vans by this time had clamping restraint systems and hydraulic/chain-driven lifts. Of those original 6 drivers, two are here this evening and are very much still involved in Project Lift. A seventh driver was hired as a part-timer to work Christmas Day 1976 because no one else would/could. He turned out to be a misfit driver and they made him General Manager in the fall of 1984 when Nancy retired.
I would first like to rewind to this time last year when I stood right here and restated my concern from the previous year - that being the final elimination of MTO Subsidy from the province. As you may or may not realize since 1980, coincidentally the year of the disabled, Project Lift and all other specialized transit services in Ontario had been receiving a minimum 50% operating funding from the province of Ontario's Ministry of Transportation. In other words, for every dollar applied to Project Lift at the local level of government, the MTO was matching it. However, in mid-1995 the then newly elected provincial government reduced our MTO funding by approximately 10% right in the middle of the fiscal year. You may recall that we did much scrambling and the Cities of Kitchener and Waterloo were gracious enough to cover that shortfall so that we could continue the same level of service in 1995 as had been budgeted for without an enormous increase in fares. On behalf of the Customers of Project Lift I personally again want to thank our municipalities for their generosity and continued caring in the face of that crisis to have come up with that extra $90,000. Fortunately specialized transit was spared further reductions in the Minister of Finance's Economic Statement in late November 1995. MTO funding for specialized transit remained the same for 1996 and 1997 as it had been capped in 1995.
That was the good news. Unfortunately there is sometimes bad news with good news and the bad news was that for 1998 and beyond there would be no commitment for MTO funding for specialized nor, for that matter, conventional transit to municipalities. The financial carrot for the municipalities to continue to support transit services in Ontario appears now to be gone forever. But to look at it another way and many of my colleagues in both conventional transit and specialized transit believe that if the province is no longer going to pay they no longer have a right to say.
We really need to thank the Municipalities of Kitchener and Waterloo for funding Project Lift 100% net of revenues in 1998 even in the face of lack of revenue neutrality that had been promised by the province to the municipalities through the "WHO, DOES, WHAT" process and the downloading that occurred. The Cities still receive unconditional transfers of funds from the province but the almost $900,000 that the province transferred to the Cities in 1995, '96 & '97 specifically and only for the provision of Project Lift got thrown into an overall pot and that pot is not as large as it had been in 1997 or before. And a further acknowledgment of our Cities' support to Project Lift needs to be extended. With provincial transfers for 1999 still not totally certain, the Cities have indicated, through 1999 operating budgetary guidelines, that they will continue to fund Project Lift at least at the same amount as in 1998.
Something that has disturbed me since February 12, 1996 is the decrease in "Project Lift Ridership". When I stood here in 1994 with only the knowledge of 1993 and before, I was a pretty proud General Manager having seen nothing but increases year, after year, after year in both funding and ridership. With $90,000 gone or almost 5% of the total bottom-line missing, whether it was provincial money or local money, we asked our ridership to cover the shortfall. Some of you may recall the Forum that we held in December of 1995 to inform you of this shortfall and it was stated at that time that we had no recourse but to raise the fare for the first time to be different than Kitchener Transit or to cut-back levels of service. Results of that Forum indicated that about 75% of our Customers stated that we should keep the same service level and raise the fare to cover that shortfall. However about 25% of our Customers did not say that. We know that the person who goes to work every day with Project Lift, for the most part, still does that and the person who goes for physio or other medical appointments two or three times per month still does that but it would seem very obvious that the person who used to travel several times per week for recreation purposes is not financially able to do so as before 1996. It would seem that Project Lift's ridership prescribes well to what is known as Pierto's Principle which states that, "80% of your business will come from 20% of your customers." I should add, that the fare increase was not as a result of any municipal budget changes but was necessary to cover the aforementioned $90,000 decrease in MTO funding.
As our new Chairman, Paul Tower indicated in his speech, the Board of Directors has set up task forces over the past year to explore options and issues. One of those options which came out of that process and was adopted by the Board of Directors was that, "Project Lift implement a fare structure, no lower than the adult fare of Kitchener Transit, as an incentive to optimize ridership patterns," That could have meant a myriad of options; one that had been discussed over the past year with Kitchener Transit was to offer a lower fare for people who could transfer to one of their low-floor buses for a cross town trip (Project Lift would pick the Customer up at their door and take them to the closest low-floor bus stop, the passenger would then utilize the low-floor bus for the longest leg of the trip). Other options were to offer a lower fare to travel during the off-peaks, in particular the evenings when most of our vans sit idle (this fact really brings home the point that recreational ridership has dropped off). But what the Board of Directors has chosen to do is to submit to the Cities a 1999 operating budget showing a fare reduction from $2.35 to $2.00. By its submission, Project Lift will be asking the Cities to support a pressing need of its Customers.
Enough about the past and the present. We are in the final phases of implementation of our new scheduling software. Although this has not gone as smoothly as anticipated, as software installations, as I have come to find out, rarely do, Scheduling Coordinator Bob Little and his staff have worked very hard over the last 2 years but the learning curve has been horrendous and the implementation problems difficult. Our supplier IRD has been great, but trampling over new ground for a software developer to take care of all the little nuances of our Customers' needs, especially when those needs have been rapidly changing is difficult for a software writer to grasp. The addition of requirements for Community Transportation and the potential scheduling of multiple fleets in the new reality, has led to long delays. The staff and members of the Board of Directors took the "bull by the horns" over the summer and assessed where we are with this long implementation process. Much activity by our developers has happened since then and I feel confident that our final product will be what we anticipated. It has been a long time coming and we now see the light at the end of the tunnel and I believe we have almost emerged.
I would just like to conclude by saying that it is a very interesting and concerned time for me, our staff and our Board in this field of accessible transit as we look forward to greater utilization of the so named "family of services" available to our Customers whether it be door-to-door special services that we provide with our vans and contracted taxi services or the future movement of Customers, some of whom are possibly not yet registered with us, onto low floor accessible conventional transit vehicles. Be that as it may, we will still be here for you as we have been for the past 25 years and believe that we will be for many years to come. Some things will change, but we will continue to strive to make the best use of our resources and operating dollars to run the best specialized transit service in the province, if not the country.
I would personally like to thank our Board of Directors for their continued skill at guiding the Company and in particular to now permanently retired Chairman, Russell Lavoie, who came back from retirement last December until last month, our dispatch and driving staff for their continued skill at guiding our vehicles, operations supervisor Glenn Hughes and scheduling coordinator Bob Little, our Administrative Assistant, Sharen. And lastly and most importantly I thank all of our Customers for their continued support.
- Dave Smith
P.H.I.R.S.T. LINK News
Greetings once again from P.H.I.R.S.T. LINK. I hope that all of you had a terrific summer, and have been enjoying the fall.
The Summer Programme at K-W Access-Ability was again a great success, thanks to a very capable summer staff, and the active participation of many of our members - - a number of them from P.H.I.R.S.T. LINK. As resident amateur magician, I helped introduce "Project Magic" to this year's fare, and hope to see some of our members perform at this year's Christmas party. Developed by David Copperfield, this programme helps teach magic to people with physical disabilities.
This issue of our newsletter sees a new feature called Computer Corner. In it I will be answering some common technical and troubleshooting questions. This issue's column deals with the subject of computer viruses. A future column will deal with the year 2000 computer problem, and how you can prepare yourself.
Our annual general meeting saw a number of P.H.I.R.S.T. LINK students receive certificates of completion for their individual programme plan. If this is something you are interested in, we can arrange evaluation and testing for you.
P.H.I.R.S.T. LINK Administrative Assistant Bonnie Gay Rees has retired from active service with the agency and has gone on to pursue other activities - - perhaps even working on the year 2000 computer problem! Bonnie was a long time volunteer with the agency before she began working at K-W Access-Ability, and she will be greatly missed by staff and members alike.
Occasionally, you may need to call P.H.I.R.S.T. LINK with a computer trouble-shooting question. Please make sure that you have all the relevant information at hand. Write down any error messages ahead of time. If possible, sit beside your computer when you call and make sure that you have it turned on. Be prepared to tell us when the problem first occurred, and to describe it as clearly and precisely as possible. Depending on the nature of the problem, we may ask that you come in for further training.
A number of people on our waiting list received the loan of basic computers (assembled by P.H.I.R.S.T. LINK this summer), for Word Perfect and text-based internet access. If you would like to be added to the waiting list, please let us know. To qualify, you must currently be without a computer, and have taken the requisite training from us.
Your referral of friends and acquaintances to P.H.I.R.S.T. LINK is appreciated, and lets us know that you value our programme.
Ronald Fleming
P.H.I.R.S.T. LINK Manager
COMPUTER CORNER: Computer Viruses
Computer viruses don't just happen. They are created by people with time on their hands, and a deportment ranging from a strange sense of humour to a malicious streak.
A computer virus is a miniature computer program. Some viruses are comparatively harmless. They might, for example, put a smiley face on your screen the next time you turn on your computer. Other viruses can wipe out the entire contents of your hard drive.
We compare these destructive programs to viruses because of the number of characteristics they share in common. For example, viruses can be passed from computer to computer, just as a cold can be passed from person to person. And like some human viruses, we don't always know that we have one. Some viruses can be programmed to activate on a certain date, such as Friday the 13th.
At one time computer viruses could only infect computer programs, though they could destroy both documents and programs. Now computer viruses can hide in document files as well.
Because there are thousands of viruses, and new viruses every day, it is important to have an up to date virus checker. You can download one such as F-Prot from the Internet, or bring in two blank disks, and we will make a copy of the program for you and provide you with an information sheet on how to use it. You can then periodically check your hard drive and disks for viruses. The F-Prot computer program errs on the side of caution and checks for anything that remotely looks like a virus.
Remember to print out a hard copy of an infected file before disinfecting it. Sometimes the disinfection process destroys much of the contents of the file itself.If you use computer disks in more than one machine, always check your disk for a virus before and after you use it. Get permission before bringing disks from home into P.H.I.R.S.T. LINK, and have the P.H.I.R.S.T. LINK Manager screen them for you.
There's no need to panic about computer viruses. But it is important to use common sense.
New Books
We have recently acquired two new books to add to our library shelves. The first is Christopher Reeve's autobiography, "Still Me" and a new biography, "Helen Keller A Life" by Dorothy Herrmann. This latter book questions who the real genius was, Helen or Annie? Inquire about borrowing either one, next time you're in the office.
WHO'S NEWS
Pet Helpers uses trained volunteers and donations from individuals and businesses to help senior citizens and people with disabilities keep and care for their pets. John Dunbar came up with the idea, which he says is popular in the United States. Kitchener-Waterloo is his testing ground and the programme is successful here, Dunbar plans to expand it throughout Ontario. Pet Helpers will help you groom, clean, feed, walk your pet and even take them to the vet. They will assist any senior or person with a disability, regardless of their financial situation. Services are free, but how much, if any, of a vet's bills the organization would cover depends on the pet owner's ability to pay. You can reach Pet Helpers at 749-9325.
Meals For You offers a line of delicious, homestyle, individually portioned, frozen entrees and soups from Nestle Food Services. They have an exciting new menu of 25 different entrees (a wide variety of beef, poultry, pork, fish and vegetarian) and 10 soups. Prices are 7 entrees or 5 entrees & 5 soups for $30.00. Delivery charge is $2.00 per delivery. For more information or to place an order, call Mary Schnurr, at 822-8908 or toll-free at 1-800-390-5351.
Val Baker of V.A. Baker & Associates is a Master's level psychologist offering support to persons with special needs as well as those assisting them on a personal level by fostering personal growth through individual counselling sessions and small support groups. She also offers workshops to the community to help improve personal effectiveness skills, as well as giving motivational talks to community groups. Val hopes to be able to continue to offer her services to those with special needs at an affordable price. At present the cost to a person on a low fixed income is $10 per fifty minute individual session if you come to Val and $15 if Val comes to you. The full cost of a session is $45 per session. The sessions can be a one time deal or ongoing, depending upon what suits the client's needs. Receipts are given. Val is also open to providing quick free advice via email. Her address is: vbaker@golden.net. You may also check out her web site at www.golden.net/~vbaker/ If you wish to contact Val, the phone number is 519-884-6162.
The YWCA Wellness Centre is offering the following Fall/Winter courses: "Boney Moves", an Osteoporosis Exercise Programme, "Tender Points", a Fibromyalgia Exercise Programme and "Energy to Endure", a Muscle Strengthening Exercise Programme. Financial assistance is available. For information, call Stephanie Von Dehn - 744-6507.
Resource Group for Supported Volunteering: In April 1997, agency representatives came together to discuss and develop strategies for increasing awareness and providing support to volunteers with disabilities. Representing eighteen nonprofit organizations in the Region of Waterloo, RGSV initiated a two phase research and development project.
With funding from the Trillium Foundation, we hired researcher, Linda Graff who has conducted a Community Agency Survey and six Focus Group sessions. Assets inventories have been completed and all this input will enhance the Phase One final report. Thanks to all who participated! If your agency is interested in joining the group to work on Model Development and Phase Two, please call Dianne Boston-Nyp at 894-8350.
Tetra/OMOD, a partnership making a difference for people with disabilities, provides simple, unique, practical and inexpensive solutions that could change your life! The Tetra Society is made up of volunteer engineers and designers who solve technical challenges. OMOD will provide administrative support, assistance in developing new chapters and through its many consumers, generate new projects. Services are offered without a fee. All projects are assessed before they are assigned to a volunteer. Clients cover the cost of materials and expenses for volunteer(s) involved with their specific project. Call Kathy Glasser or Roy Weber at 579-5530 for more information.
Summer Staff Speaks Out
Hello, my name is Sarah, and I am currently preparing to enter my fourth and final year at Brock University as a Child Studies Concurrent Education student. I have spent previous summers as a day-camp coordinator for the CNIB in Waterloo, which was a wonderfully fun learning experience for me, and which served as a terrific precursor to everything I have experienced this summer at K-W Access-Ability.
This has been one of the most enjoyable and yet challenging summers I have had. I found myself stretching my organizational skills and patience to the utmost at various times, and I am glad to have had the opportunity to improve these skills. However this is not what I will remember most about this summer. What I will remember and what is most meaningful for me, are the wonderful times I have had, and all of the new people I have met as a result.
I would like to thank everyone that has helped to make this summer so special for me: the members, the summer staff, Kathryn ad Chris. I can only hope that my future endeavours will be as rewarding as this summer has been, and that I will continue to be so lucky in finding so many fabulous and caring people.
Thank you for the opportunity, and the memories. To everyone I wish the best of luck.
Hello Out There,
My name is Sean Taylor, and I have just completed my role with K-W Access-Ability as a part of the Summer Recreation Staff. I am a student at the University of Waterloo, and will receive my Bachelor of Environmental Studies in December. This summer was the most enjoyable that I have had in my three years in Waterloo and was made possible by the enthusiastic participation of the members of the Summer Program. I will take this experience with me in future endeavours and will always remember the wonderful summer we spent together.
I would like to thank the other staff members Natalie, Sarah and Amanda that I had the good fortune to work with, for their organization and enthusiasm. I would also like to thank Chris and Kathryn for their belief in me that I would fit in with this program, despite my lack of experience. Most importantly I would like to thank all of the members who made my summer so memorable. I enjoyed the many hours we spent together and wish you the very best in the future.
This summer has provided me with not only fond memories and good times, but more importantly has given me a wealth of new skills. The thanks that goes out to all those involved with all aspects of K-W Access-Ability cannot be overstated, I am a better person for having been involved with each one of you.
"If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants." -Isaac Newton, 1675.
Hello-it's me Natalie! Most of you probably remember me from last year, (how could you forget ME, eh?!). And if you don't, hopefully you came to know me and my smiling face this year. I enjoyed myself immensely this summer. I was happy to see again the faces from long ago (read: last summer), as well as meet the new members who joined us this summer. I hope all of you continue to get out there and have fun during the fall and winter months. I'll miss you guys-you were such a big part of my life for a few short months. Hopefully, I will see you around town since I live in Kitchener and go to school in Waterloo. I am very excited to be entering into my last year of Social Development Studies at the University of Waterloo. After I complete my education, I hope to work for of couple of years in K-W Habilitation Services or something of the like before I commit myself to more schooling or full time work. Anyway, if I don't run into any of you (or you run into me), I look forward to seeing you at the Christmas party. Thanks to all the summer staff, the members, Project Lift for putting up with our many faxes, Chris and Kathryn for a wonderful summer filled with many great memories I will take with me.
Take care,
Natalie
UPCOMING EVENTS
K-W Access-Ability's Annual Christmas Dinner & Dance will take place on Saturday, December 12, 1998 at the Subscribers' Lounge, Kitchener Memorial Auditorium Complex. The evening begins with cocktails at 6 pm, followed by dinner at 7:00. Sundog will once again be providing the music for dancing. Cost for dinner and dance is $12.50. If you just want to come for the dance, its $5.00. Don't forget to reserve this date on your calendar.
If you want to try the game of Boccia it is being offered at Franklin Public School, 371 Franklin St. N., Kitchener on Tuesdays, 6:30 to 8:00 pm. This Session date is Jan. 5 - Mar. 9, 1999. The cost is $30 per 10 week session. Call Barb at 576-6578 or Cheryl at 886-8886.
Calling All Members, Volunteers, & Staff of K-W Access-Ability, Present & Past! Next year, 1999, we will celebrate the 30th Anniversary of our Agency. Plans are already under way and include, among other things, a gala variety show. If you would like to take part or have any great ideas, give us a call and let us know. Also, start making a list of people associated with KWAA through the years who should be invited to attend.
1999 Ontario Games for the Physically Disabled - More than 200 athletes will gather at sites throughout Kitchener- Waterloo from July 15 - 17 to participate in track & field, boccia, powerlifting and golf.
IN MEMORIAM
NOREEN LICHTY - 1927 - 1998
Noreen was a long time member of the K-W Access-Ability. She was one of the first members to work with U. of W.'s System Design engineering students in the design of devices. Noreen and her students developed a wheelchair control for her chair and a phone system for her to use. She was also one of the original members of the Music group, pre Music Therapy. Over the past number of years Noreen had been involved in fewer and fewer activities outside of Freeport, as her health deteriorated. We are thankful for having known Noreen. Her life touched our own in special ways.
POETRY CORNER
(The following literary works are the products of a Summer Creative Writing Workshop.)
CLOUDS
I like clouds for different reasons.
They capture my imagination.
Clouds provide us with different things;
they can hide the sun,
they contain vast amounts of water.
Sometimes my head is in the clouds.
At times, clouds appear gentle and welcoming;
at other times, dark and threatening.
Clouds influence our weather patterns in different ways.
- Carey Ruby
CLOUDS
Raining and that snow...
Sunny days make me happy;
Blue and then snow comes down from the sky
Clouds are like dish soap bubbles.
I could reach in and spread them on my face--
a great white divine beard
Which doesn't need a razor to be shaved off
a washcloth would be sufficient
and water is all you need
to wipe the slate clean again
as the rain washes the clouds from the sky.
- Cecilia O'Quinn
CLOUDS
Clouds are like soft cotton balls when the skies are clear and blue.
But when skies are dark and cloudy, clouds look like dirty little pillows.
What person hasn't looked up at the sky on a bright sunny day and just day dreamed about what ever comes to his or her mind.
Fluffy white clouds are sometimes dangerous because a person might be lost in dreams while walking, thus not looking where he or she is going.
The result may be one's body hits the ground! Ouch!
The clouds got in the person's way. In other words the person tripped on a cloud and didn't have a crash landing.
- Susan Czajkowskyj
CLOUDS
Clouds are rain with dark sky.
When sky is dark the lightning strikes.
When the lightning strikes, trees fall down.
When trees fall down there's no more branches because when the branches fall off, hits the trunk.
When the trunk falls down its made into paper.
When the paper is made from the trunk then you can make all sorts of short stories.
When it's finished raining the sun comes out with nice blue sky.
Then the sunset comes after the sun comes out.
That makes a nice twilight.
Then the silver sunset comes after that.
When the sunset comes out at night, that means it's a nice hot day the next day.
- Ron Grant
We are still collecting Zehrs receipts. If you are already donating your Zehrs tapes to us, please continue bringing them into the office. If you haven't started bringing in your tapes yet, join the fun and start saving them for the agency If each person would donate their own tapes and find 2 other people to save their tapes for us, we could really raise some money. We need your help to do this though. Tell your family and friends.
New Course Offered: We will be starting a course on the Human Rights Code in the new year. Learn how to interpret it and how to go about using the code to pled your case to the Human Rights Commission when you feel your rights are being infringed upon by and individual, employer, organization or municipality. Call Chris at 885-6640 for information.
FREE BATH LIFT
We have a bath-lift device available free of charge to anyone who can make good use of it. It is about 9 years old and is the type that connects by hose to the shower head in order to raise and lower the person using the lift. We had this unit fully reconditioned 4 years ago it may need another retrofit which costs $200 - $300. The original cost of these units is around $1200.00. Call Bob or Marlo at 894-3813 to arrange to see the unit.
WE NEED YOU!
We are looking for one or two people who are willing to volunteer one or two days a week of their time to act as secretary/ receptionist in the office beginning in January, 1999. This is a challenging position, which offers the opportunity to learn about the day to day operation of a busy service organization.
We are seeking an outgoing person who enjoys working with people and wishes to contribute to the provision of a valuable service. Training will be provided in the etiquette of telephone work, as well as training in the necessary computer skills.
If you are interested in meeting new people, learning new things, and gaining valuable work experience, please give Chris a call.
CHRISTMAS HOURS
P.H.I.R.S.T. LINK will be closed the week of December 21st, 1998 for computer maintenance. K-W Access-Ability will close at 12:00 noon on Thursday, December 24th, 1998 for Christmas and New Year's holidays. We will reopen on Monday, January 4th, 1999 at 9:00 am.
NOTICE: 1999 MEMBERSHIP FEES DUE
The time is fast approaching to renew your memberships for 1999. They are due January 1st, 1999. The cost is $10.00 per year.
A membership card allows you access to all the services of the Agency and demonstrates your support for our goals and objectives.
Please complete the form below and bring it along to one of the programmes, drop it off at the office or mail it to:
K-W Access-Ability
Waterloo Town Square
Concourse #7
75 King Street South
Waterloo, Ontario N2J 1P2
*** Please remember to enclose your $10.00 payment.
NAME ______________________________________________________
ADDRESS ____________________________________________________
CITY ______________________ PROVINCE _____________________
POSTAL CODE ________________ PHONE ___________________
OUR STAFF
Bookkeeper - Wayne Kaiser
Executive Director - Chris Hodnett
P.H.I.R.S.T. LINK Manager - Ronald Fleming
Recreation Worker - Brad Schlonies
Resource Information Person - Kathryn Cowan
Waterloo Town Square
Lower Level
75 King Street South
Waterloo, Ontario, N2J 1P2
519-885-6640 Voice
519-885-4526 TTY
519-885-4525 Fax
KWAA @ KWA.ON.CA
HOURS: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday & Friday 9-5, Wednesday 9-9
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