Let's celebrate Deaf-Blind Awareness Week!

The National Family Association states on their website (http://nfadb.org/) that as a result of a Presidential Proclamation made by Ronald Reagan in 1984, the last week of June has been designated as HELEN KELLER DEAF BLIND AWARENESS WEEK. The Helen Keller National Center (HKNC) is one of the major associations that celebrates Deaf-Blindness Awareness week and encourages as many people as possible to raise awareness of the impact Deaf-Blindness has had on individuals and their families.We encourage you to celebrate Deaf-Blind awareness week. It's really important to make sure everyone around us knows that people who are Deaf Blind CAN be fully active and incorporated in our community no matter what their barriers are just like all people with disabilities.

One of the many important aspects to focus on during this time is making sure everyone is aware of the many different types of individuals who are Deaf-Blind and how they can be affected at any level ranging from mild to severe. We must be prepared and open minded to what people think and to know that every individual is different. Keeping this in mind is also very important among employers when making accommodations in the work place. The national organization of nurses with disabilities (http://www.nond.org/Trending/files/ddbcce7883c87af979708c5b88a92265-23.html) states the following. When you think of an individual who is deaf-blind (also known as deaf-blindness, blind-deaf, or combined vision and hearing loss), do you think of someone who is fully deaf and fully blind? Helen Keller might be an important historical figure that comes to mind. In reality, while there are individuals who are fully deaf and fully blind, many people who are deaf-blind have some usable vision and hearing. For example, some individuals may have grown up with some degree of vision loss and experienced a change in their hearing later in life, or vice versa. Other individuals may have been born with mild to moderate deficits in both vision and hearing. Others may have experienced trauma or illness at some point in their lives that resulted in both vision and hearing loss while older adults are likely to experience age-related vision and hearing impairments.

Workplace accommodation needs for deaf-blind employees will depend on the setting in which individuals will be working, their specific job tasks, and their unique hearing and vision needs. Typical concerns may include: equal access to information presented in meetings and trainings, effective workplace communication, access to printed materials, computer access, and emergency preparedness. Job seekers and employees who are deaf-blind are likely to be very knowledgeable about their accommodation needs, especially equipment and techniques that have served them well in other settings. Employers should be prepared to work with the individual, and likewise, individuals should be open to discussing their own ideas as well as effective alternatives. Remember that accommodations may be needed to allow effective communication during this process. Many helpful resources are available to assist in determining effective accommodation including: medical providers, vocational rehabilitation and other state agencies, and assistive technology projects.

Secondly we want people to be aware of the alternative ways of communication that work for individuals who are Deaf blind. Communication in the work place will vary from person to person based on their needs. Never be afraid to ask a person you meet who is Deaf Blind what they need to communicate in order to help them to accomplish their goals. According to https://www.sense.org.uk/content/communicating-people-who-are-deafblind. Good communication is crucial to our relationships and membership of social groups for them to be satisfying and meaningful.

A person, who is deaf blind or has sensory impairments, depends on communication that is clear, concise and accessible for a good quality of life. They may face great difficulty in knowing for certain what is happening around them or in communicating with those they meet.
Deaf blind people use many different methods of communication. The method, or methods used will depend on the amount of residual sight and hearing and any additional disabilities the individual has. It will also depend on whether the individual has learned formal language before becoming deaf blind. It is important to remember that communication often requires a great deal of concentration and effort for a person who is deaf blind and can be tiring for them. The environment, such as lighting and background noise, should be considered to assist those with sight and hearing impairments. A person’s communication methods and needs vary enormously - and these may change during their life.

As a person who is Deaf Blind myself I want to encourage you to take this opportunity to spread awareness of Deaf-Blindness in any way you can.

Arts and Drafts 5K and Fest

This week we wanted to make sure you know all the details about our exciting upcoming events on August 5th. We also want to share who all is sponsoring this event and who will be involved so we can honor them and give them a big THANK YOU. 

The 5^th annual Arts and Drafts Community Festival takes place on Saturday August 5th and brings together live bands, food trucks and craft beers, plus an art auction and on-site tattooing provided by nationally renowned tattoo artists including Ink Masters’  Ryan Hadley. The festival is sponsored by Kettering Health Network and Hollywood Gaming, a sponsor for the second year. Both the festival and the 5K run that morning are held to support the many programs of We Care Arts.

Food trucks Zombie Dogz and Wicked ‘Wich, will be at the festival, along with Toxic Brew and their craft beers, plus Heidelburg, and BJ’s Brew House with their wonderful root beer floats.Rocking the stage throughout the event will be live bands The Pocket Rockets, Mavis Pearly, Toni Hates Jazz, Paige Beller, Anew to Wander, Wasted Potential and Chris Heider. The art auction is comprised of pieces created by nationally renowned tattoo artists and this year’s art auction theme is “War of the Roses.” The on-site tattooing will be provided by nationally renowned tattoo artists.  And the kids will want to get their faces painted with our many cool designs!

Our local community of tattoo artists want to give back to the community, so we hold this festival and they donate the tattooing proceeds to We Care Arts.They can sympathize with the struggles that life holds for people with disabilities, since the tattoo artists grew up wanting a professional career in art and people didn’t understand that desire and so treated them differently.

The fun will be in the We Care Arts back parking lot at 3035 Wilmington Pike on August 5 and begins at 2pm. A portion of the proceeds from the tattooing, art auction, and food and beverages will be donated to We Care Arts and the bands are donating their time and talent.

The 5K run to support We Care Arts, called “Run, Stroll and Roll”, will be held that same morning at Indian Riffle Park in Kettering and is sponsored by Bockrath Flooring and Rugs and Cargill. 

A “Fun Run” will also be held at the park for those who enjoy a more leisurely activity. All participants in either run will be awarded a unique hand-made ceramic medallion created by our We care Arts' artists, along with other goodies!

We want to thank all of the other organizations that have made this run possible: 

-Runners Plus for goodies in our goodie bags for the runners

-Speakeasy Yoga for leading our pre-race stretches

-Key Sports for organizing our 5K run

-Dorothy Lane Market and Fresh Thyme for snacks to fuel our runners

 If you would like to register for the 5k please click here: http://5kartsanddrafts.itsyourrace.com/event.aspx?id=7489

Also please feel free to advertise this big day with anyone you know who would truly enjoy participating. You can share this by word of mouth or on social media. Again thank you so much for our sponsors and everyone who is helping make a difference in the community. 

Art with Buddies Program

Jessie, one of our teachers here at We Care Arts, teaches “Arts with Buddies” every Saturday at the Rosewood Arts Center in Kettering. I had the privilege of sitting down with Jessie to learn more about this program and want to make sure you know about all the opportunities WCA has to offer both on site and off site. She has been teaching the class for about 1 1/2 years. The class is for children ages 3-6 with autism and the parents also stay and participate with their child. The class lasts about 6-8 weeks. When one class ends a new one begins. During the class students participate in various art projects every week such as making Valentine’s Day cards, painting bird houses, and making flower bowls out of clay using patterns. Jessie gets to know her students' interests and then picks out projects to match those interests.

We can definitely tell how much students enjoy coming to the program, especially because they love staying busy and interacting with others who have similar needs, abilities, and experiences. Jessie has received many positive comments from parents noting that they usually have to convince their child to participate in different activities, however they don’t have to convince them to come to this class because they are already motivated to participate.

Jessie finds teaching this class as something she truly loves doing because she loves playing and running around with children especially when they are hyperactive and having fun. She loves seeing students with a smile on their face as they play with playdough when they are finished with their projects because they finish their projects as different times so we always have things to keep them busy! She shared an amazing inspirational story that shows how much the students enjoy coming to this class. Jessie said, “Classes have about 4-5 students in them, and they all have their own long table to themselves. We were doing a project with markers on tin foil and they all came to one table on their own and started coloring together and sharing. Students come into the class really shy, or the complete opposite and scream the entire class. The more they come, the more they become relaxed and comfortable, which is a big deal for students with autism.”

The cost for this class is $35 for people who don’t live in Kettering and $30 for people who live in Kettering. This is the cost per child and parent together. If you are interested in learning more information or registering for this program please contact the Rosewood Art Center or look online at https://register.parksreconline.com/wbwsc/kettering.wsc/wbsearch.html?wbsi=si&xxmod=AR&xxtype=YVART,YPART,YHUM&wbsi=si , or call (937)296-0294.

Meet John Deger

This week, we would like to introduce you to John Deger, another one of our team of amazing artists.  He has been coming to We Care Arts since January 2012 after being referred by his therapist, and is more than happy to share his background, hobbies and passions for coming here.

John Deger was born in Centerville, Ohio. He is the youngest with two older brothers. While growing up, he enjoyed being the youngest as he was spoiled. John expressed some of his hobbies when he said, “I like painting, reading and watching sports, including the University of Dayton Ohio basketball team and the Cincinnati Reds.” He also truly enjoys advanced coloring books, mosaic art, and participates in two different bowling leagues. Sharing how much he loves coming here John said, “My favorite thing about We Care Arts is being around all my friends.  Everyone is so friendly.”

We look forward to introducing you to many more members of our WCA family. If you know anyone with any kind of emotional, physical, or cognitive disabilities who could benefit from being actively involved in a warm and friendly group of friends and experience different types of art please check out We Care Arts. 

http://www.wecarearts.org/ We are also on Facebook and twitter so you can learn about our programs/events as well as spread the word.

Promoting the Importance of Safety

Let’s come together to celebrate National Safety Awareness Month.  This is such an important issue to We Care Arts, companies, restaurants, stores, and other public places throughout the community.  We want to be sure all individuals such as our friends, family, neighbors and colleagues have the most safe, happy, and healthy lives possible.  According to The National Safety Council the purpose of National Safety Month is to spread awareness and promote ways to reduce the leading causes of injury and death in the workplace, on the road, and in homes and communities.  We believe this is such an important time to consider our safety as it is summer, the time when more people are outside enjoying the weather, traveling, or participating more in community activities. 

The National Safety Council (NSC) provides some valid and important information regarding the leading causes of death and injury at home, on the road, in the workplace.  

Safety at Home: According to Injury Facts 2017, about 146,571 people died from unintentional injury-related deaths in 2015. That's 146,571 times someone's ordinary day turned tragic. These deaths are at an all-time high. Often, these tragedies happen when least expected – during a vacation, while doing chores at home or while driving across town – and they are all preventable. NSC encourages everyone to be aware of hazards related to leisure and recreational activities and take proper safety precautions. Here, in order, are the top causes of unintentional injury and death in homes and communities.

#1: Poisoning: In 2011, poisonings overtook motor vehicle crashes for the first time as the leading cause of unintentional-injury-related death for all ages combined. Poisoning deaths are caused by gases, chemicals and other substances, but prescription drug overdose is by far the leading cause.  Learn more about this epidemic and other poisons in the home.

#2: Motor Vehicle Crashes: No one wakes up thinking they will lose a loved one in a car crash, but motor vehicle crashes are the second leading cause of unintentional-injury-related death overall. Impaired driving, distracted driving, speeding and inexperience can cause a life to be cut short in the blink of an eye. Everyone has a role in making our roads safer.

#3: Falls: More than 33,000 people died in falls in 2015. Falling is the third leading cause of unintentional-injury-related death over all age groups, but it's the #1 cause of death for those 65 and older, according to Injury Facts 2017 The good news: Aging, itself, does not cause falls.Learn what you can do to help protect older loved ones.

#4: Choking and Suffocation: Suffocation is the fourth leading cause of unintentional injury-related death over all age groups, and choking on food or other objects is a primary cause. Suffocation is the second leading cause of unintentional injury death for people 87 and older. Mechanical suffocation is the #1 cause of death for infants. Learn prevention and rescue tips.

        #5: Drowning: Not including boating incidents, about 10 people drown every day. It's the fifth leading cause of unintentional-injury-related death over all ages, and the #1 cause of death for children ages 1 to 4, mostly due  to children falling into pools or being left alone in bathtubs. Learn how to keep yourself and your family safe.

        #6: Fires and Burns: Fire is the sixth leading cause of unintentional-injury-related death over all ages. About 2,646 deaths were caused by burns and injuries related to fire in 2015. Often fires start at night, when family members are asleep. A working smoke alarm will cut the chances of dying in a fire in half. Learn more fire safety tips here.

#7: Natural and Environmental Incidents: Disasters are front-page news even though lives lost are relatively few compared to other unintentional-injury-related deaths. Weather-related disasters claim hundreds of lives per year. NSC encourages families to learn all they can about emergency preparedness, and always have an emergency kit on hand.

Safety on the Road: In 2015, more than 38,000 people died in motor vehicle crashes; some of these fatalities involved people who drive for a living. According to Injury Facts 2016, the Council’s annual report on unintentional injuries, the three biggest causes of fatalities on the road are alcohol, speeding and distracted driving.

Safety at Work: According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics 2014 Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, 4,821 people – more than 13 per day – died while doing their jobs. Implementing safety measures can change these statistics. NSC Safety training builds skills needed to save lives: Workplace Training, First Aid Training, and Defensive Driver Training.  

Safety is an important priority for everyone here at WCA as we work to make sure everyone we serve gets the most positive experience out of our services and programs.  We truly highlight the importance of making sure our facilities and the medical equipment people bring in are as clean as possible to reduce the spread of disease and illness.  We also make sure every individual who enters WCA is fully aware with all emergency exits and where to go during a fire, tornado, or other emergency,  We truly hope you take this special opportunity to promote National Safety Awareness Month and educate others on how to live as safely and healthy as possible.