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Business Name Volume 6, Issue 4
September/October 2015
Calendar: Board Meetings KISD Educ. Service Center 6:30 p.m., Public welcome.
• September 14, 2015 • October 5, 2015 • November 2, 2015 • January 4, 2016 • February 1, 2016 • March 7, 2016 • April 11, 2016 • May 2, 2016 • June 6, 2016
Events:
• Teen/Young Adult Parent Group Meetings September 22, 2015 October 20, 2015 November 17, 2015 December 15, 2015 January 19, 2016 February 16, 2016 March 15, 2016 April 19, 2016 May 17, 2016 • Hands-On Art Workshop October 10, 2015 • Klackle Orchards Event October 25, 2015 • Connor’s Friends November 11, 2015 • Holiday Party December 7, 2015 • Easter Egg Hunt Date TBD • Walk for Autism Awareness April 24, 2016 • Golf for Autism Awareness August 1, 2016
I N S I D E T H I S I S S U E :
Sensory Friendly Films Klackle Orchards Event Support Group Meetings Conferences & Workshops Meet the ASK Team Meet the ASK Team Hands-On Art Workshop Support Group Teens/Adults Conner’s Friends Golf Photos and Thanks Golf Photos and Thanks
Autism Suppor t of Kent County
THE VOICE
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 8 9 11 11
NEWS FROM ASK
Welcome back to a new school year! We have started planning some great things for you, our autism families! Look for information about some fun family events that we have planned. We are adding to our calendar and can’t wait to see you at one of our activities. As I talk to many autism moms, dads, and grandparents, it is apparent to me that help is needed for those of you who have a child who is a teen or young adult. Not only is there a lack of programming and opportunities, but this time can be very confusing for parents. With issues like guardianship, Social Security, hous-ing, transition programs, and other young adult things concerning you, we need to talk! We are launching a SUPPORT GROUP JUST FOR PARENTS AND GUARDI-ANS OF TEENS AND YOUNG ADULTS WITH AUTISM. This group will be facilitat-ed by me, and will offer a speaker and time to network and share ideas each month. If you are a parent or guardian of a older teen or young adult with autism, please join us for our first Parent Group Meeting on Tuesday, September 22, from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. at the KISD Edu-cational Services Building, 2930 Knapp NE, Grand Rapids. We will start taking ideas for topics and planning for speak-ers. This group will meet monthly, with the second meeting being held on Tues-day, October 20, at 7:00 p.m., and we’d love to have you join us!
(Our volunteer-led Parent Support Group is still going strong, of course. Email [email protected] to receive information about this group. It’s a great one!) We are proud to be able to offer Music Therapy in almost every single ASD class-room in Kent County again this year. For teachers of low-income students, we are pleased to be able to offer scholarships once again so your students can enjoy and learn from Community-Based Instruc-tion. The process and form was emailed to you, but if you have questions, please contact me. Teachers—don’t forget to take advantage of our membership at the Grand Rapids Public Museum, too. Your class can enjoy a great day at the muse-um, courtesy of ASK! New to us this year is the West Michigan Special Hockey program that we are proud to help fund. Our other programs are still going strong, too — things like the Puzzle Partners Friendship Groups, Pro-ject Lifesaver, VIP Soccer, our Walk Event and Resource Fair, and our commitment to sending kids to Indian Trails Camp re-mains a focus for us. With new, energetic Board Members, fun activities for the whole family, and our dedicated, tireless and awesome volun-teers working to make these things hap-pen, this year is shaping up to be a great one! As always, please contact me at any time at 616-752-8577, or by email at [email protected]. Looking forward to seeing you ~ Pam Liggett Executive Director
Page 2 Volume 6, Issue 4
Heart of West Michigan United Way investors can choose to designate all or part of their annual contributions to Autism Support of Kent County.
To designate your gift to ASK, use the United Way Designation Form and write: Autism Support of Kent County, Grand Rapids, Michigan. Thank you!
Sensory Friendly Films Presents:
The Sensory Friendly Films program provides a special opportunity for families to enjoy their favorite films in a safe and accepting environment. The auditoriums dedi-cated to the program have their lights up, the sound turned down and audience members are invited to get up and dance, walk, shout or sing!
10:00 a.m.— AMC Star Grand Rapids 3000 Alpine Ave. NW, Grand Rapids, 49544
Tickets: $5.50
HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA 2 Saturday, September 26, 2015
PAN Saturday, October 17, 2015
Page 3 Volume 6, Issue 4
Klackle Orchards and Autism Support of Kent County invite you
to come out and enjoy a day in the country!
Sunday, October 25, at 1:00 pm
x� Registration and cider and donuts at 1:00 pm x� ASK Family Wagon Ride to Pumpkin Patch and
Orchard at 2:00 pm x� Enjoy the play area: Petting Zoo, Inflatables,
Barrel Train ride, and Corn Maze x� Each person takes home a pumpkin and a 1/2
peck of apples
Located 1 Mile West of Greenville on M-57
Space is limited and you must RSVP to reserve tickets. There is no charge for the first four (4) members of your immediate family. Additional guests are $9.00 each. Sign up today at www.eventbrite.com (Search “Autism Support of Kent County Klackle Orchards). If you regis-ter and then find you cannot attend, please notify ASK at 616-752-8577 ASAP so we can contact families on our waiting list. We hope to see you there!!
The ASD Parent Support Group will meet on Thursday, September 24th, from 6:30 - 9:00 pm at KISD in the Board Room of the Educational Ser-vice Center (ESC). Please park in Lot #11. For our September meeting, we are pleased to have as our guest speak-er, Sandy Koteskey, Board Certified Music Therapist from the Franciscan Life Process Center (FLPC) in Lowell. Sandy will give a presentation about Music Therapy during the first half of our meeting time. Music Therapy is a well-established technique used as a therapeutic stimulus to achieve non-musical treatment goals. According to the AMTA (American Music Therapy As-sociation), research supports con-nections between singing and speech, rhythm and motor behavior, memory for song and memory for academic material, and an overall ability of preferred music to en-hance mood, attention, and behav-
ior to optimize the individual's ability to learn and interact. Sandy will give a general overview on Music Thera-py and its many clinical benefits for individuals of all ages. Autism Support of Kent County (ASK) promotes and supports Music
Therapy. ASK helps to fund Music Therapy, which is provided to ASD classrooms in Kent County by the certified therapists from FLPC. Sandy will also be bringing their new CD for sale at our Support Group meeting on the 24th.
On October 15th, we will be having as our guest presenter, Dr. Michael Anderson D.C., of Anderson Family Chiropractic and the topic of his presentation will be "Chiropractic and Autism". More details to follow. As usual, our support group meeting will be held immediately following the presentation. Please feel free to share information about our support group meeting with fellow parents and caregivers. If you have any questions, please send an email to [email protected]
ASD SUPPORT GROUP Page 4 Volume 6, Issue 4
Kent Intermediate School District (KISD) 2930 Knapp NE
Grand Rapids, MI 49525 (616) 364-1333
www.kentisd.org
We ask that parents arrange for childcare as this meeting is for
parents/caregivers only. The email address for the support group is
Creative Solutions for Independent Living for Adults with Special Needs September 24, 2015 7:00 — 8:45 pm OASIS Community of West Michigan Trinity Lutheran Church 2700 East Fulton Street, Grand Rapids, MI 49506 OASIS Community of West Michigan is hosting an infor-mational meeting focused on supporting the develop-ment of creative solutions for independent living for adults with special needs. Feel free to invite friends and family along. RSVP by September 22 to [email protected] or (616) 340-9627. Michigan Autism Conference October 7—9, 2015 Radisson Plaza Hotel 100 W. Michigan Avenue, Kalamazoo, MI The Michigan Autism Conference is dedicated to providing families, practitioners and researchers with information on a variety of topics related to the assess-ment and treatment of those affected by autism. www.michiganautismconference.org AssisTechKnow 2015—Come Learn with Us! October 15 and 16, 2015 Kent ISD Education Service Center 2930 Knapp NE, Grand Rapids, MI The Kent Intermediate School District and Region 3
Assistive Technology Group welcomes educators, stu-dent teachers, PTs, OTs, SLPs and others to learn about the latest in Assistive Technology. We're proud to announce this year's featured presenter is Chris Bugaj, MA CCC-‐SLP of the AT Tips Cast and Loudoun County Public Schools. Please join us for this unprece-dented opportunity to view and interact with nationally recognized providers of Assistive Technology. We will have presentations from vendors, practitioners and educators all day long. http://assistechknow.org/ Autism Society of Michigan 2015 Fall Conference October 19, 2015 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Grand Valley State University—L.V. Eberhard 301 Fulton Street, Room 210, Grand Rapids, MI Keynote Speaker: Paula Kluth Morning Session: “You’re Going to Love This Kid”: Edu-cating Students with Autism in Inclusive Schools: In this Interactive session, participants will learn practical ways of supporting students with Autism Spectrum la-bels and other disabilities within a general education classroom. Afternoon Session: In this presentation, Dr. Kluth will explore alternative perspectives and will fo-cus specifically on how they can serve as supports, teaching tools, inspirations, and hobbies. Participants will learn how honoring fascinations and using them as tools can help teachers calm, comfort, teach, inspire, and connect with their students with autism labels. To register or for more information, call (517) 882-2800 or visit www.autism-mi.org
Conferences and Workshops Page 5 Volume 6, Issue 4
4th Annual Special Families Fun Fest Saturday, October 17
DeltaPlex Arena 10 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Fun Fest will provide a low-cost, low-stress day filled with resources and fun ac vi es perfect for the whole family of individuals with special needs, no ma er their age or disability. Check out our website at www.familyfounda on.org for more event details. You can also “like” the “Special Families Fun Fest” Facebook page.
• Fun Fest offers a full day of fun for only $5 per per-‐
son, which includes 10 carnival game ckets. You’ll enjoy other family fun like a pe ng zoo, stage show entertainers, adap ve bike course, face pain ng, arts & cra s and more!
• We work hard to make the day stress-free for you –
we’ll have a sensory room and quiet rooms available to help your child re-group and cope with all the ex-‐citement, and volunteers at every exit for safety.
• You WON’T want to miss this fabulous day!
Page 6 Volume 6, Issue 4
Staff
Pam Liggett, Executive Director “I have been the Executive Director of ASK for 3 years now, and it’s been busy, fun, challenging, and very rewarding. Getting to know so many unique and very special indi-viduals with autism and their fami-lies makes it all worth it and makes it so enjoyable. Thank you for the opportunity to work with you! In ad-dition to working part-time for ASK, I do volunteer work at the Caledo-nia Community Schools, enjoy be-ing with my family: husband Jeff, kids Abby and Jeffrey, and two adopted pit bulls, and I enjoy relax-ing with friends and reading.” Celia Andrus, Newsletter Editor and Social Media Coordinator Celia has been involved with ASK since 1999 and has served in sev-eral capacities, including Secretary, Treasurer and, most recently, News-letter Editor and Social Media Coor-dinator. She and her husband Larry have three sons, Christopher, Brad-ley, and Joshua. Joshua was diag-nosed with ASD in 1991 at the age of six. While serving on the ASK board, Celia also represented For-est Hills Schools on the Parent Advi-sory for Special Education (PASE) committee for three years. Celia’s background is in administrative management. She holds a B.S. in Business Studies, with a minor in Business Education, from Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas.
Executive Board
Dr. Richard Elias III, President Rick is serving his ninth term as President of ASK. He is an implant and cosmetic dentist in East Grand Rapids, taking special interest in individuals with ASD. Rick and his wife Amy have been married since
1989 and are parents of three boys — Jake, Luke and Peter. Peter was diagnosed with classic autism at the age of 18 months in 1999. Rick is involved with many ASK projects throughout the year, including fund-raising, Project Lifesaver, and the promotion of speakers and events. Rick recently organized the annual ASK Golf Classic. The four man scramble golf event was held at Thornapple Point and raised over $12,000 for ASK. Dr. Elias looks forward to serving on the Board of Directors again this year and help-ing to promote autism awareness and ultimately benefiting those with ASD and their families. Brad Andrus, Vice President Brad currently serves as Vice Presi-dent of Autism Support of Kent County after serving as ASK Treas-urer from 2013 to 2015. He holds a BBA from Alma College and a Ju-ris Doctor from Loyola University Chicago School of Law, and has been a member of the Illinois Bar since 2009. Brad currently works in Marketing/Sales at Trivalent Group, an IT solution provider in Grandville. Mary Kay Anderson, Treasurer Mary Kay graduated from Grand Valley State University with a Bach-elor’s Degree in Business Admin-istration. She worked for various non-profit agencies for 15 years before going back to Grand Valley State University to get her Bachelor of Science Degree with an empha-sis in Special Education. She also has a Master’s Degree in Educa-tional Technology. Mary Kay was a Special Education teacher for 12 years for Grand Rapids Public Schools. She is going into her third year as the Assistive Technology Consultant for Grand Rapids Public Schools. Mary Kay is very excited to be a part of the ASK Team.
Jenny Harrell, Secretary Jenny graduated from Grand Valley State University with a Bachelors Degree in Psychology. After gradu-ating, Jenny worked with children with disabilities until 2008, when she started working as a Program Instructor in a Skill Building Pro-gram at Hope Network. She was also a Supports Coordinator for Hope Network and supervised a day program for Muskegon County. Jenny currently works as a Home Supervisor for MOKA and is looking forward to serving on the ASK Board again this year.
Directors Doug Domine Doug is a semi-retired business pro-fessional with a 24-year old son di-agnosed at an early age on the ASD bandwidth (PDD – NOS). He is a compassionate parent-advocate supporting young adults and their families in the greater Grand Rapids area since 2012. His volunteer work includes the Hope Network Center for Autism and the Spartan YMCA Family Hope program for young adults/adults with ASD. As a new addition to our Board, Doug brings broad management and leadership experience from the public sector along with a parental insight on the transitional scope of late teens and adults with ASD. Doug has a BBA and MMA in management and will contribute on our ASK team with his perspective and proactive style.
Continued on page 7
Meet the ASK Team
Page 7 Volume 6, Issue 4
Lynne Kindy Lynne has been a social worker for Grand Rapids Public Schools since 1991. Lynne earned her B.S. in Psy-chology from the University of Michi-gan and her Masters in Social Work from GVSU. She has been attending monthly meetings of Autism Support of Kent County since 1991, and has been a board member since 1994. Lynne has also volunteered as a cri-sis counselor for B93.7's Roofsit For Kids — a fundraiser for abused and neglected children — for several years. She and her husband Steve enjoy traveling and camping with their dogs Libby and Gretel.
Martha Knoll-Loader Martha is in her 6th year of teach-ing. She currently teaches Pre-K stu-dents at Nelson Elementary School for Muskegon Public Schools and also teaches in the 21st Century Learning Program after school. Be-fore working with MPS, Martha was a teacher of students on the autism spectrum for Grand Rapids Public Schools. She received a C.D.A and A.A. from Muskegon Community Col-lege, a B.A. in Learning Disabilities and Early Childhood Education from Aquinas College, and certification in Autism Spectrum Disorders. She is currently in the Masters program through Oakland University, pursu-ing a Masters in Special Education. She was in charge of ASK's annual Autism Awareness Basketball game at Creston/Union H.S., taught the LINKS class at both Creston and Union High Schools, and was the Special Olympics/Project Unify Coor-dinator for Creston/Union High School. Martha has four children and three grandchildren. This will be her fourth year on the board of ASK. Andre Marchena Andre graduated from the Siedman School of Business at GVSU with a Bachelor of Business Administration and General Management. Andre is an alumnus of the Ferris State Uni-
versity’s Latino Talent Program, and member of the West Michigan Socie-ty of Latino Professionals. He cur-rently serves as VP of Business De-velopment for St. Benedict Proper-ties LLC. “My wife and I have a 3 year old autistic son who was diag-nosed a year ago, we were blessed to have many people supporting us and we want to support other fami-lies to overcome the fears of the un-known. The interaction with autism is very special and rewarding if we can support one another and move forward together one step at a time.” Elizabeth Marchena: “As a native of Grand Rapids, I am excited to have the opportunity to support the autism community in Kent County. Since moving back to Michigan in 2008, I have had the pleasure of working for Farmers In-surance, currently serving as a Com-pliance Specialist. I hold a Bachelor of Fine Arts from The University of Michigan, an Associate in General Insurance designation from The In-stitutes, and am a licensed Insur-ance Producer in the State of Michi-gan. My husband Andre and I are infinitely blessed by our 3 year old son Elijah, who was diagnosed with autism last year. As a young family, we are still discovering all of the re-sources available to us through the autism community, and are very ea-ger to share information and support with other young families.” Tasha Oltman Tasha has been working in the so-cial services field since 2006, with a heart for those who have special needs. She earned her BA in Soci-ology and Social Thought from Hills-dale College. She currently serves as a Skill Building Coordinator with MOKA, supervising in a program that provides opportunities for individu-als to expand their community in-volvement, learn valuable skills for increased independence, and lead fulfilling lives. Tasha and her hus-band, Will, live in Grand Rapids and
enjoy spending time antiquing, gar-dening, dancing, and finding a varie-ty of interesting things to do in the area. Tasha is grateful and excited about the opportunity to serve with ASK again this year.
Marie Sly Marie is a small business owner with a photography business specializing in births, children, and families. Her oldest was diagnosed with autism at the age of 19 months and is a thriv-ing, happy six year old today. Marie studied Automotive Aftermarket Management at Northwood Universi-ty and went on to own a motorsports public relations and marketing com-pany, for which she still does free-lance and contract work. Today, she serves as Vice President of the Board of Directors, as well as the Team Manager of the West Michigan Special Hockey Association, oversee-ing fundraising, marketing, and team scheduling. Marie has been very ac-tive in the autism community and has done extensive work in bringing awareness to our community, as well as being a big supporter of newly diagnosed families. Marie lives in Hudsonville with her husband, Neil, and three children, Ryan (6), Kaitlin (3) and Natalie (1).
Advisory Board:
Larry Andrus Trivalent Group, Inc.
Scott Dwyer Mika Meyers Beckett & Jones
Dan Folkertsma Kent Record Management, Inc.
Evette Pittman Grand Rapids Symphony
Dr. Anthony Richtsmeier Spectrum Health
Meet the ASK Team — Continued from Page 6
Page 8 Volume 6, Issue 4
JOIN US FOR OUR **NEW** SUPPORT GROUP JUST FOR PARENTS and GUARDIANS OF OLDER TEENS
AND YOUNG ADULTS WITH AUTISM!
what? Support Group to address issues surrounding older teens and young adults with au sm
when? Tuesday, September 22 AND Tuesday, October 20
me? 7 — 9 pm where? KISD Educa onal Services Building 2930 Knapp NE, Grand Rapids
contact? Pam Ligge , ASK Execu ve Director 616-752-8577- voicemail 616-822-0944- cell phone
Please come to help us launch this group, plan for speakers, and pick topics for discussion! Ques ons? Contact Pam.
Hands-On Art Workshop
Saturday, October 10 1:00 — 3:00 pm
Hearts for the Arts Studio
Ages 6 and over. Free to Kent County ASK families! One parent or guardian must be in attendance at the workshop. Space is limited. Call ASK at 616-752-8577 for details or to register.
Volume 6, Issue 4 Page 9
Visit our website to view and/or download the ASK Community
Resource Directory: www.autismsupportofkentcounty.org
Connor’s Friends, a special night for children and families affected by autism, is back again this year on Wednesday, November 11, from 6:00 to 8:00 pm at the Grand Rapids Chil-dren’s Museum.
To prepare for the Connor’s Friends evening, both floors of the Museum will be modified to create unique spaces with special sensory ac-tivities and hanging roller shades to be used throughout the museum, reducing noise and visual stimulation. A music therapist will also be on hand during Connor’s Friends to per-form calming music and interact with the chil-dren.
Sensory activities will be added to the muse-um’s current exhibits, and themed activity tents will be on display for children who wish to engage in individual play. Free valet park-ing will be provided to ease the transition be-tween home and the museum. A special com-mittee of autism experts guided the planning of the unique spaces so children will feel re-laxed and at ease as they play and explore. Nursing, occupational therapy, and education student volunteers will also be on hand throughout the evening.
Attendance is limited and reservations are re-quired to attend Connor’s Friends. This event is FREE for all families involved. Please note —
if you are unable to attend the event, please cancel your reservation immediately to make room for families on our waiting list.
For more information about Connor’s Friends, to make your reservation, or to volunteer at the event, call 616-235-4726, ext. 204 or email [email protected]
This event is made possible by the Grand Rap-ids Children’s Museum and Autism Support of Kent County.
Connor’s Friends A Night of Fun and Learning at the Grand Rapids Children’s Museum
Page 10 Volume 6, Issue 4
This year's Golf for Awareness event was bigger and better than ever! Thank you to the commit-
tee of Dr. Rick Elias, Larry Andrus, Bruce Pienton, Amy Elias, Ken Kranz, and Brad
Andrus. We raised over $12,000 with the larg-est number of golfers ever! Our sponsors and donors were extremely generous, and we are very grateful for their support. Thanks also to the event check-in and check-out volunteers,
Shelly and John, and to those of you who worked that day. Money raised at this event is
used to send kids with autism to Summer Camp at Indian Trails. Once again, you have all made
this possible. Thank you!!
Page 11 Volume 6, Issue 4
Our 2015 Golf Outing raised over $12,000 to send kids with autism to Indian Trails Camp! WE COULD NOT DO WHAT WE DO WITHOUT THE GENEROSITY OF OUR SPONSORS AND DONORS! SPECIAL THANKS TO: Thomas S. Fox Diamond Jewelers, Dr. Rick Elias, Elias Dental, Larry Andrus, Trivalent Group, Miller Welding, Dick and Joan Elias, Jayne VerLee, Mika Meyers, Meijer, Berends Hendricks Stuit, Bruce Pienton, United Bank, Anonymous, Chemical Bank, Group Marketing Services, Mercantile Bank, First Companies, OST, Maple Hill Golf, Developmental Enhancement PLC, Dick Gauthier, Crowe Horwath, Bob Scharf Real Estate, Wiser Furniture, Reagan Marketing + Design, Dan Folkertsma, Copper Rock Construction, Kassouni Group, and Serv U Success. MANY DONORS GAVE TO HELP US MAKE LIFE BETTER FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH AUTISM. Thank you! Proceeds from the fundraising drive at the Knights of Columbus Archbishop Charles A. Salatka Council 15454 from SS. Peter and Paul Parish were given to ASK! Anderson Bros. Steamatic donated 5% of their carpet cleanings from April 2015 to ASK! The Flaming Arrows Youth Archery Program of Archery Unlimited donated the money raised from the Jamie Rus Memorial Archery Tournament to us! Donors to our Golf Outing helped make it a great and profitable event. Special thanks to: State Farm Insurance, Chemical Bank, Crowe Hor-wath, Grand Rapids Griffins, Essence Group—Bistro Bella Vita, The Green Well & Grove, Tommy Fitzger-ald of Kitchen Sage, Trivalent Group, Elias Dental, The Mitten Brewing Co., Varnum Law, The Detroit Red Wings, Amway Grand Plaza, John Teeples, Teeples Law, David Tartoni, Colgate, Michael Perry, Mercantile Bank, Tom Traynor, Sherry Minott, Scott Weldon, Bruce Pienton, Cascade Car Wash, Grand Rapids Symphony, Dixon Golf, Siegel Jewelers, Vivant Brewery, and Under the Vines.
Do you ? To find our Facebook page, simply type Autism Support of Kent County in the “Search” bar located in the upper left corner. Click on “like” to join our page and receive updates. Be sure to tell
your friends and family!
Disclaimers Articles, conferences, workshops, presenters or infor-mation contained in this newsletter or at meetings are not endorsed by Autism Support of Kent County. Articles occasionally offer information about medi-cal/pharmacological research, treatment and thera-pies or legal issues. This information is given for infor-mational purposes and is not intended to act as a substitute for professional advice. Readers are en-couraged to consult with their own practitioners for individual or specific advice.
Autism Support of Kent County
Autism Support of Kent County (ASK) in Grand Rapids, Michigan, is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organiza-tion of parents, school staff, and others who actively seek to support and advocate for persons with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and their families. ASK is committed to partnering with local schools and agencies to promote the welfare of individuals with ASD in our community. Please note that Autism Support of Kent County does not endorse any specific therapy, product, treatment, strategy, opinions, service, or individual.
Aut ism Support o f Kent County
P. O. Box 150348 Grand Rapids, MI 49515-0348
Phone: 616-752-8577 E-mail: [email protected]
