The ArcToday

Non-Profit OrgUS PostagePAID

Sugar Land, TXPermit No 19

The Arc of Fort Bend County123 Brooks StreetSugar Land, Texas 77478Phone: 281-494-5959Fax: 281-494-5960

Add us as your friend and keep in touch with all

events at The Arc! facebook.com/arcoffortbend

Donate your vehicle today!tax deduction and free towing

(877) ARC-CAR0(877) 272-2270

May 2013Volume 12, Issue 4

Save the Dates

Lemonade DayMay 4th, 2013

11:00Missouri City Recreation

and Tennis Center

Athletic BanquetJune 8th, 2013

11:30 am – 1:45 pmMissouri City

Community Center

Golf Classic 2013June 17th, 2013

Weston Lakes Country Club

Annual Meeting & Awards Dinner

MONDAY, June 24, 2013

Safari Texas “The Palm Room”

Meeting: 5:30 pmDinner & Awards: 6:00 pm

Dinner - $10 prepaid, $15 at the door

RSVP by June 15th to The Arc office281-494-5959

Pay by cash/check – mail to The Arc Office @

123 Brooks Street, Sugar Land, TX. 77478 Pay by CC @ www.arcoffortbend.org

Page 2 Volume 12 Issue 4

The Arc of Fort Bend County Board of Directors 2011-2012

EXECUTIVE BOARDChairmanKaren Daly

Vice ChairmanHimesh Gandhi

TreasurerStewart Jacobson

SecretaryMary Stephney Quinby

MEMBERS AT LARGE Mike CaseyRick CushenberryBecky GearyAvis GoldyJenny GortneyCharlie HuberJack Molho

Executive DirectorLaura LaVigne

Education AdvocateCheryl Sewell

Employment SpecialistMargo Pasko

Program DirectorNancy Dobert

Administrative AssistantAshleigh Jones

Account ManagerJenny Schulte

Committee Assignments and Job Descriptions are available on our website

CORE VALUES1. Awareness: greater awareness about

individuals with disabilities increases understanding about the abilities of individuals with disabilities, and greater understanding increases opportunities for individuals with disabilities, so we work to achieve greater awareness to achieve greater understanding to expand opportunities.

2. Diversity: we must serve all individuals with intellectual and related developmental disabilities and their families in this county.

3. Respect: we must be understanding of and sensitive to the concerns of individuals with disabilities about their identity and how we describe them.

4. Ownership: it is important to have community members serve on our committees and board, and support our association, but our association should remain an “individuals with disabilities and their families” organization.

5. Advocacy: with limited resources, if we become primarily or solely a provider organization, our association will never do more than make only a limited impact on the quality of life of a few individuals with disabilities.

6. Cooperation: advocacy and programs that benefit individuals with intellectual disabilities and their families in many cases will also benefit individuals with other disabilities.

7. Good Stewardship: as an association, we must be fiduciaries of the talent and resources that our volunteers and community supporters entrust to us.

OUR GOALS

The Arc’s goals were chosen to be directed toward Mission and Vision and build on our strength and success.

I. The Arc shall advocate for appropriate individualized educational programs/ opportunities for people with I/DD in all stages of life.

II. The Arc shall advocate for a variety of vocational/employment options for people with I/DD.

III. The Arc shall advocate for public and private community institutions to become more responsive to the individual needs of people with I/DD, thereby promoting quality of life for all.

IV. The Arc shall advocate for and promote a variety of appropriate and inclusive social, cultural and fitness/wellness opportunities in the community.

V. The Arc shall continue to invest in properties that are self-sustaining and provide facilities for our constituents.

VI. The Arc shall provide effective leadership and fundraising efforts to accomplish our mission.

To Send a Special Tributeo In Memory of or o In Honor of

Pay tribute to a friend or family member while also supporting services and programs that benefit the Arc of Fort Bend County with your donation.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Person’s Name Occasion

Send acknowledgement to:

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Name

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Address City, State, Zip

Please make checks payable to:The Arc of Fort Bend County

123 Brooks Street, Sugar Land, Texas 77478

OUR MISSIONThe Arc of Fort Bend County ensures opportunities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities to maximize their quality of life within our community.

Volume 12 Issue 4 Page 3

2013-2014Annual Membership MeetingThe Arc of Fort Bend County Board Nominees:

Expired Term Board PositionsThe Nominating Committee nominates the following people for three-year terms on the board of directors beginning on July 1, 2013: Pat Bullard Jenny Gortney Sharon Lee Diana Rushing Mary Stephney Quinby

Filled Board PositionsThe Nominating Committee nominates the following person to complete the vacant position in the 2011 – 2014 board of director’s class beginning on July 1, 2013: Monica Wright

The Nominating Committee nominates the following people to complete the vacant positions in the 2012 – 2015 board of director’s class beginning on July 1, 2013: Larry Lobue Laurel Wendt

Officer PositionsThe Nominating Committee nominates the following persons to the officer positions on the board of directors shown next to their names for one-year terms beginning on July 1, 2013:

Chairman: Stewart Jacobson Vice-Chairman: Jenny Gortney Secretary: Becky Geary Treasurer: Jack Molho

Nominating Committee Positions The Nominating Committee nominates the following people for two-year terms on the Nominating Committee beginning on July 1, 2013:

Karen Daly July 1, 2013 - 2015 Rick Cushenberry July 1, 2013 - 2015

The Arc Family MattersAnnis Power, mother of Sam Power, passed away at the age of 100 on March 17, 2012. Please keep the Power family in your prayers.

Page 4 Volume 12 Issue 4

Prep for Lemonade Day ContinuesCheryl Sewell

We continued discussing “best prices” and obtaining the “cost per unit.” We determined that four lemons make a pound, eight lemons yield one cup of lemon juice and one cup of lemon juice yields a quart of lemonade. We are going to need many lemons! Abel’s dad is a chemist so he advised that to get the optimal sweetness for our lemonade, we first need to mix the sugar in the water and then mix in the lemon juice. Well, who knew?

We roll played asking for donations by going to the “customer service” counter, asking for the manager, introducing ourselves and using a nice, firm handshake. We practiced telling the manager about Lemonade Day and needing many lemons!

Our last activity was a home-made Lemonade Game that I made. The game required everyone to go shopping with a grocery list. All started out playing on their own, but thanks to “partner” cards, by the end of the game, we were all working as a team to combine our groceries to have a successful Lemonade event.

We invited Kristi Fu to our 5th lesson. Kristi designed our lemonade stand and we practiced putting it together with her help and supervision.

Donation request: We will need many lemons! If you would like to donate lemons or have our class pick lemons off of your tree, please call me at 281-494-5924 or cbsewell@arcoffortbend.org.

Volume 12 Issue 4 Page 5

Two Events! One Great Location!

Enjoy activities open to the public in celebration of Cinco de Mayo - but one day early!

And more!

Quench your thirst after all that activity by enjoying a cool, refreshing glass of homemade, freshly squeezed, lemonade! (sugar free, mixed lemonade also available)

Lemonade fundraiser sponsored by families of The Arc of Fort Bend County

Learn to Salsa Dance!

Saturday - May 4 11 am to 2 pm

The New, Missouri City

Recreation & Tennis Center

2701 Cypress Point Drive

Missouri City, TX 77489

Food Tasting!

Learn to make a Piñata!

Page 6 Volume 12 Issue 4

Lamar CISD Hosts 32nd AnnualMargo Pasko

Will Rogers said, “Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.” None of our Special Olympics track and field athletes “just sat there” on April 13! The Arc of Fort Bend County fielded a track team of 31 athletes for the 32nd Annual Lamar Consolidated Independent School District Invitation Track Meet on Saturday, April 13 at Mustang Stadium in Rosenberg. The athletes participated in a variety of events from walking, to individual running events, relay teams, softball throw, turbo-javelin, standing long jump and shot-put. The weather was perfect for a day outdoors!

Larry Lobue and Jami Huffman shared head coaching responsibilities. They were assisted by Reed Beck, Gaylon Butler (who knew he knew “shot put”?!), Glenn Cheeks, Don Duyka, Allan Harris, Destiny Hilton, Debbie Patton, Gary Schottle, Jenny Webb, Cathy Zepeda, and all the other family members and care-givers who showed up and helped keep

things moving. The athletes would not have had a track and field season without the volunteer participation of these people!

The athletes registered to participate were:Michael Angeley, Roberto Avila, Clarence Baldwin, Kimberly Butler, Lucas Castro, Desney Cheeks, Corey Cobb, Amy Crane, Trevor Dow, Trevor Dyer, Vincent Eubanks, Margie Evans, Kristin Fisher, Tyrone Frederick, Kathleen Geary, Allan Harris Jr., Wayne Heitman, Blaine Hylton, Aaron Lindsey, Nicole LaSala, Justin Lu, Whitney McLaren, Stevie Meyer, Tony Presson, Derek Schottle, Sharon Schreiber, Russell Smith, Bridget Stephney, Rudy Vasquez, Meredith Webb, and Tiffany Williams. The Arc welcomes brand new athletes Nicole LaSala, Justin Lu, and Tiffany Williams to our delegation! Participation results were not available at the time this newsletter went to press.

The Arc also sponsored Olympic Town, the recreational area where the 300 Gulf Coast area participating athletes went to have fun while waiting for their events. Staff member and Special Olympics volunteer Margo Pasko and her husband Jeff Hoffman, also a Special Olympics volunteer, led the group of volunteers who ran the Olympic Town events.

The athletes will close out their season by participating in the Gulf Coast Area 22 Special Olympics Track Meet at Clear Creek High School on May 4 and at Summer Games in Arlington. As always, athlete participate in Summer Games depends on the level of care needed by the individual athletes and the number of chaperones (by gender ratio) available for the trip.

Special thanks to Gary Schottle for his photography skills—he took most of the track pictures used in this issue.

Volume 12 Issue 4 Page 7

Special Olympics Invitational Track Meet

Page 8 Volume 12 Issue 4

Brazos Bend Guardianship ServicesOur next Guardianship Information Session is scheduled for Monday, May 13, 2013 from 6:30pm-8:30pm at the First Colony Library located at 2121 Austin Parkway, Sugar Land, TX. 77478. If you or someone you know is considering obtaining legal guardianship of an incapacitated adult or a child that will soon be an adult, please attend this session. The session will cover what guardianship is, why it might be necessary to attain, what a guardians responsibilities are and alternatives to guardianship. An attorney will be present to answer any legal questions you might have. You are encouraged to make a reservation for this session and this can be done via our website www.brazosbendguardianship.org or by contacting Brazos Bend Guardianship Services at 281-232-7701.

BRAZOS BEND GUARDIANSHIP SERVICES HAS MOVED TO ROSENBERG!!! Our new office is located at 830 3rd St., suite 209 and our new office # is 281-232-7701. Our mailing address is PO Box 72, Rosenberg, TX. 77471.

“It’s not how

much we give but

how much love we

put into giving.”

-Mother Teresa-

A generous man forgets

what he gives and

remembers what he receives.

~Old Proverb

The measure of a life, after all, is not its duration, but

its donation. Corrie Ten Boom

Thank You to Our DonorsGeneral

Rick AdamsBen Bono

Long Meadow FarmsNew Hope Lutheran Church

Programs Cokey Clark for Education Services

In Honor/MemoryMarilyn and Bob Ewing in memory of Jane Victory

Marion and Frank Jensen in memory of Annis Powers

Volume 12 Issue 4 Page 9

to Don Kerstetter with Classic Chevrolet, The Golf Classic Signature Sponsor, and Johnny Tedder with Fairway Golf Carts for his continued support of The Arc and for donating the brand new golf cart, pictured to the right, to the 2013 Annual Golf Classic.

Missouri City Parks and Recreation Master PlanThe City of Missouri City is currently updating its Parks and Recreation Master Plan to guide future park and recreation improvements throughout the City. As part of the process they are seeking input from special interest groups and organizations who are primary users of the parks and recreational facilities in the City. Cheryl Sewell and Margo Pasko met with Missouri City Parks and Recreation Department staff to discuss The Arc’s specific needs and concerns regarding parks and recreation in Missouri City. The issues that were discussed were based on a survey presented by Shane Mize with Missouri City Parks and Recreation Department:

• WhatwordorphrasewouldyouusetodescribetheMissouriCityparkssystemtoday?• HowdoyouthinkMissouriCity’sparkssystemcomparestoareacitiesorothersimilarcitiesinTexas? • Whatareitsstrengths? • Howcoulditimprove?• Haveyouseenapark,recreationfacilityorprograminanothercitythatyoulikedandthatmightbe

applicable to Missouri City? • WhatarethebiggestparkrelatedneedsinMissouriCityoverall?• Whatarethebiggestparkrelatedneedsthatareofconcerntoyourgroup/organizationorspecial

recreational interest?

As The Arc’s executive director, Laura LaVigne submitted written comments, “Missouri City Parks and Recreation facilities and programs have been accommodating by truly serving all populations. The Arc envisions that people with intellectual disabilities will be included in programs and services offered to the general public – not segregated programs. We realize this requires specially trained staff and Missouri City Parks and Recreation have made the effort to train staff and to provide equipment, programs and facilities so that individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities can participate.”

Pictured left to right: Ashleigh Jones and Nancy Dobert with The Arc; Michael Huff and Johnny Tedder with Fairway Golf Carts; Don Kerstetter with Classic Chevrolet; Commis-sioner James Patterson

Big Thanks

Page 10 Volume 12 Issue 4

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SR - Lone Star Symphonic Band

SO - Summer Games

The Arc Board of Directors Meeting

Parent Support Group

SO - Summer Games

Kids & Youth GroupSR - Dance at St. Theresa’s

SO - Summer Games

Lemonade Day!BowlingSO - Area Track Meet

Bowling

BowlingSR - Sugar Land Skeeters Game

SO - Summer GamesBowling

May 2013

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

Special Olympics information line 281-494-5941 Social Recreation information line 281-494-5939

2 Parent Support Group 9:30 am – 11:30 am Cindy Villarreal’s home

4 Lemonade Day! 11 am – 2 pm M/C Rec & Tennis Center

Bowling 2:45 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Stafford Lanes

SO—Area Track Meet 7:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Clear Creek H.S.

5 SR – Lone Star Symphonic Band 4:00 p.m. TBA

10 Kids & Youth Group 6 pm – 10 pm Parents Night Out

SR – Dance at St. Theresa’s 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 St. Theresa’s

11 Bowling 2:45 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Stafford Lanes

18 Bowling 2:45 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Stafford Lanes

SR – Sugar Land Skeeters game 6:05 p.m. Constellation Field

20 The Arc Board of Directors Meeting 6:00 p.m. The Arc office – tentative date

23-26 SO – Summer Games 9:00 a.m on 5/23, - 5 p.m. 5/26 Arlington, TX

25 Bowling 2:45 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Stafford Lanes

Volume 12 Issue 4 Page 11

The Arc of Fort Bend County ensures opportunities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities to maximize their quality of life within our community.

Membership Form Date:

Please indicate o New Member o Renewing Member

Member Name:

Address:

City/State/Zip:

Home Phone: ( ) - Cell Phone: ( ) -

E-mail Address: HCS Provider:

I am a:o Family Member o Person with Disability o Interested Citizen o Professional who works in the Disability Field

Indicate the age of person with a disability: 0-12 13-22 23-54 55+

Membership Levels: Individual with Disability $20.00 reserved for those not living at home and not included in a family membershipreceives one vote at meetings of the membership

Single $35.00 receives one vote at meetings of the membership

Single Lifetime $500.00 receives one vote at meetings of the membership

Family $50.00 *Names of all family members: _________________________________________________________includes all immediate members of the family living in the homeincludes a family member with a disability living outside of the homereceives two votes at meetings of the membership

Corporate $100.00receives one vote at meetings of the membership

Corporate Lifetime $2000.00receives once vote at meetings of the membership

VIPgiven yearly to chairs of “Best in the West” and Golf Classicgiven yearly to Head Coaches of Special Olympic Sports

Additional Tax Deductible Donation: $____________ If you wish, you may donate to a specific program:

o Bowling o Education o Employment

o Self-Advocacy o Social Recreation o Special Olympics

Total Amount Enclosed: $____________

Mail form and payment to: OR Join online at www.arcoffortbend.org The Arc of Fort Bend County 123 Brooks Street Sugar Land, Texas 77478

The Arc of Fort Bend County is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization

The ArcToday

Inside this Issue:

Non-Profit OrgUS PostagePAID

Sugar Land, TXPermit No 19

The Arc of Fort Bend County123 Brooks StreetSugar Land, Texas 77478Phone: 281-494-5959Fax: 281-494-5960

Add us as your friend and keep in touch with all

events at The Arc! facebook.com/arcoffortbend

33835 USE.indd 1 3/17/11 4:21 PM

Long Meadow Farms Donates $5000 to The Arc

Pictured left to right: Robert Fondren, David Cannon, Commission Patterson, Rick Cushenberry, Jack Molho, Nicole Marshall, Lynne Byrne, Cheryl Sewell, Robin Mitchell and Randy Risher