2013 IL Symposium. Independently Speaking

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1 Independently Speaking Montana Independent Living Project Quarterly October December IL Symposium WHEN THE FOUR CENTERS FOR INDEPENDENT LIVING COME TOGETHER, IDEAS FLOW. Every couple of years, the Montana Centers for Independent Living (CIL) are able to gather together to strategically plan our priorities for the year(s) ahead. The topics covered ranged from housing and transportation, public relations, technology, and employment to political strategy and leadership organization. The opportunity to gather face to face in the same room creates great discussion and goal setting that will ultimately impact Montanans with disabilities in a positive way. Each CIL serves a different area of the state, but the issues remain similar. There is not enough accessible, affordable housing, there is not enough employment opportunities, transition services need to improve for youth with disabilities, and the list goes on. This year we were able to call upon the help of Bloom Consulting to help facilitate our strategic plan and get our ideas into timelines and specific areas of improvement. If you are interested in joining us to reach these goals, please notify your local office. Helena Peer, Brian Persons Bozeman Peer Mentor, David Poole MONTANA INDEPENDENT LIVING PROJECT Montana Independent Living Project (MILP) is a not-for-profit agency providing services which promote independence for people with disabilities living in southwestern Montana. We strive to support the development and expansion of community-based services which directly facilitate independence, productivity, and quality of life for people with disabilities. We provide information and referral, independent living skills training, individual, group, and peer advocacy. MILP is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors consisting of at least 51% people with disabilities. MILP staff consists primarily of people with disabilities or with experience with disabilities. INSIDE THIS ISSUE Staff Spotlight... 2 O & M Services... 2 Sidewalks... 3 Recipe... 3 LW Classes... 4 Social Events... 4 Tami Hoar, MILP Program Director, was able to present the National Council on Independent Living Region VIII Advocacy Award to Travis Hoffman, Summit Independent Living Services. Travis is a leader in Montana for the IL movement! Congratulations Travis, you deserve it! Youth... 5 MILP OFFICES WILL BE CLOSED: Monday, October 14 If you would like to sign up for the MILP newsletter please contact or cweightman@milp.us Zumba Monday, November 11 Thursday, November 28 Friday, November 29 Wednesday, Dec. 25

2 Les Clark Les can be reached in our Helena office at STAFF SPOTLIGHT LES CLARK Les joined the MILP team in March Les works as the Independent Living Specialist in our Helena office. Les was born and raised in Helena. He received a degree in Psychology from Carroll College. Much of Les employment has been with non profit social service providers, including Mental Health inpatient and in the community with children, families, and adults with severe disabilities for nearly 20 years. Les worked for MILP several years ago and we are lucky enough to have him back. Les brings with him a passion for advocacy and bettering services for people with disabilities in Montana. Les is a true believer in the IL philosophy and model! Les has personal experience with disability. He has a seizure disorder and 2 complete knee replacements. Outside of work, Les greatest passions are community gardens, having helped create accessible community gardens throughout Helena, and introducing others to fun activities, especially recreation. Les is very happy to be back with MILP! Helena Peer Event She stood in the storm, and when the wind did not blow her way, she adjusted her sails. Elizabeth Edwards MILP OFFERS ORIENTATION AND MOBILITY SERVICES We would like to welcome Melanie Bush to the MILP team as our Orientation and Mobility Specialist! A graduate of Northern Colorado, Melanie received her master s degree in Special Education, with an emphasis in Visual Impairments. She first discovered her passion for teaching O & M while working in early intervention where she received a case load with three children who were blind. She was touched by her experiences and had to travel out of state to find a college with a special education program that specialized in visual impairments. Congratulations to Tami Hoar, now on the board of the National Council for Independent Living! Bozeman Peer Event Melanie has 13 years experience in the field. She has provided O & M services in Iowa, Alaska, Idaho, and Montana and has served students of all ages, from 18 months to 92 years. She is one of very few professionals practicing in Montana and we are thrilled to have her on the MILP team. She has a real passion for her work and loves to connect with people, tap into their interests, and make Orientation and Mobility fun. She is passionate about early intervention, teaching O & M skills early to build a foundation for a happy and successful life, as well as finding ways to make O & M interesting and inviting to those she is working with. Thanks to recent changes in the Medicaid code that allow payment for O & M services, we are now able to offer these services through MILP. We look forward to filling the need for services in Western Montana. If you know of someone that would benefit from these services, please contact our Helena office at 1 (800)

3 HELENA: SIDEWALKS A MUST IN NEW SUBDIVISIONS Sidewalks are vital to community accessibility for those with disabilities. Too often sidewalks lack curb cuts, are not wide enough, or have overgrowth and cracks that make them inaccessible. Furthermore, there are many areas of town that simply do not have sidewalks. MILP, along with several passionate community members, advocated for the requirement of sidewalks in new subdivisions in Helena. This is great news and definitely a step in the right direction. Of course, there remain many issues with the current sidewalks and other barriers in our towns. If sidewalks have posed a problem for you in your daily life, please let us know. The more feedback from folks in our communities, the better leverage we have to advocate for the basic civil rights of those with disabilities. Please notify your local office if you have a testimony or complaint you would like to share or lsparks@milp.us Youth in Motion Volunteering RECIPE CORNER BAKED POTATO SOUP 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter 1 cup all purpose flour 8 cups whole milk 5 large potatoes, baked and cubed (peeled if desired) Open House-Helena 2 lbs bacon, cooked and crumbled (2 cups) 3 cups shredded cheddar cheese Directions: Melt the butter in the bottom of a large pot over medium high heat. Add flour and whisk to combine until thickened. Whisking continuously, slowly pour in the milk and whisk until mixture is smooth. Be sure to get the corners of the pan. Add all of the remaining ingredients and lower the heat to medium. Stir occasionally until the cheese is melted and the soup is warmed through. Be sure to scrape bottom of the pot as you stir so soup doesn t burn. Serve warm and enjoy! 3 Butte Peer Event

4 WHAT IS THE LIVING WELL WORKSHOP? Living Well with a Disability is a ten week peer support workshop designed for anyone with a health challenge. Most of us practice a healthy lifestyle when it supports opportunities to participate in activities we find meaningful. The Living Well workshop begins with why we want to be well and introduces how healthy living habits create new possibilities. Participating in the Living Well workshop will take you on a journey of selfempowerment that follows your personal quality of life goals. BENEFITS OF LIVING WELL Living Well workshops help identify the life areas that are important to you and help develop your personal goals to ensure those areas continue to contribute to your quality of life. Living Well workshop participants report improvements in outlook and positive changes in daily activity, such as new recreational pursuits, returning to school or work, and participating in new social activities. 4 UPCOMING LIVING WELL WORKSHOPS Helena Living Well Where: MILP Office First Class: Thursday, November 7th When: Thursdays, 1:30 3:30pm Schedule: 11/7 1/9 To RSVP: (406) Like us on Facebook. Montana Independent Living Project INTRODUCING THE NEW PEER GROUP MODEL We are starting a new Peer Group that will be focused on having an active voice in our communities with a legislative/political focus. The Peer Social Events have been a great success with getting to know each other and with letting everyone know what MILP has been up to behind the scenes with community issues. We appreciate everyone s participation and commitment to make the events fun and enjoyable for all. We will still have our annual MILP Picnic every summer. The Peer Group will meet about 4 times a year to discuss and plan our agenda for making change and progress in our communities. We will also focus on national issues and political agendas that effect people with disabilities. Additionally, we want to keep things fun and enjoyable for the group members so we will also be socializing and will include fun activities in the meeting time. Snacks and refreshments will be provided at each meeting. Thank you to everyone for making the Peer Social Events successful. It has been so great getting to know each of you. We look forward to continuing to work together through the Peer Group! If you are interested being part of these groups or have any questions, please contact Lloyd at (800) ext or , or call your local office.

5 Butte If you are a young person, years old and live in Butte, please join us! We meet monthly at: Gym Dandy 305 W. Mercury Uptown Butte October: Thursday, Oct. 17th. 6:00pm November: Thursday, Nov. 21th. 6:00pm December: Thursday, Dec. 19th. 6:00pm. **please call ahead if you plan on attending as events are subject to change.** If you are interested in this group, please call Cassie at Bozeman This is a new group! If you are a young person, living in the Bozeman/Belgrade area, please join us! This is new for us, so be patient and let us know your ideas! October: Thursday, October 17th at 11am at the MILP office. November: Thursday, November 14th at 1pm. December: Thursday, December 13th at 1pm Date/times/location are subject to change, so let us know if you are planning on joining us! If you are interested in this group, please call Lacey at Little Words sevenlittlewords.com 1. Earth s land is divided into seven of these 10 letters 2. Large bodies of salt water around the continents 6 letters 3. Imaginary line that splits the earth in half 7 letters 4. Distance in degrees from equator to a pole 8 letters 5. Imaginary line through the north and south 8 letters 6. Distance in degrees from meridian to east or west 9 letters 7. Half of the earth 10 letters Use the letters (right) to find the answer for the words above. Letters are only used one time. July 13 Solutions: 1. Desert; 2. Plain; 3. Prairie; 4. Peninsula; 5. Isthmus; 6. Gulf; 7. Island NG HEM OCEA RI TUDE CONT ENTS AN EQUA LO TOR NS ME LATI DI ITU IN DE ISP HERE 5

6 Montana 3475 Monroe, Ste 100 Butte, MT Independent Living Project 3475 Monroe, Suite 100 Butte, MT If you no longer wish to receive this newsletter please call (800) or MILP Contact Information GET OUT! HELENA OFFICE: 825 Great Northern Blvd Suite 105 Helena, MT (406) Butte: I Am Woman. Copper King Hotel. October :30 5pm.Free Anaconda Christmas Stroll. November 29. 6pm. Free Christmas Stroll. Uptown Butte. December 7th. Free BUTTE OFFICE: 3475 Monroe, Suite 100 Butte, MT (406) BOZEMAN OFFICE: 3835 Valley Commons Drive, Suite 2 Bozeman, MT (406) Bozeman: Helena: Read to a Dog. Bozeman Public Library. October 2nd. 4pm Christmas Stroll. Downtown Bozeman. December 4.4:30 7:30pm. free Winter Art Walk. Downtown Bozeman. December pm The Big Read. October The Great Gatsby. Lewis and Clark Library. Contact the library for information on the calendar of events ext. 5 Phone: Website: Annual Downtown Art Walk. Downtown Helena. November pm. Festival of Trees. Civic Center. December 5 8. Helena