Niecie's News The Newsletter of Speaking For Ourselves Fall 2007 Page 1 From the Desk of the Executive Director... As you know SFO moved out of our Plymouth Meeting office in August. IÕm excited to tell you we signed a lease for our new location in Lansdale, PA. After 26 years of being in office buildings, SFO is finally moving to space that will be like a home. ItÕs the kind of space weÕve always wanted: - In the community where people can find us - Close to public transportation - Creative, fun and flexible to suit our needs WeÕll have more to share in the coming months as we welcome you all to our new home! - Debra Robinson Goodbye Plymouth Meeting, Hello Lansdale While saying goodbye is hard, our new home will offer many opportunities. An early 2008 housewarming is being planned to celebrate this new chapter in SpeakingÕs work. As the renovations in the new space are taking place staff will work from portable offices. LetÕs face it, Speaking isnÕt about an office. Speaking is wherever our members are! Our phone and fax numbers, website and email are all the same. Please send snail mail to our temporary mailing address: Speaking For Ourselves P.O. Box 1214 North Wales, PA 19454 News You Need New Directions for Speaking For Ourselves This summer Speaking made the decision to leave the Pennsylvania Training Partnership for People with Disabilities and Families. The Board and Staff at SFO found the projects for the Partnership took valuable time away from fulfilling SFOÕs core mission of spreading the word of advocacy and selfdetermination. WeÕre moving forward with a renewed commitment to connecting with our chapters and providing self-advocate friendly trainings. News continues on page 2 Speaking For Ourselves is an independent, grassroots, self-advocacy organization run by and for people with developmental disabilities. NiecieÕs News, the Newsletter of Speaking For Ourselves, is made possible by funding from the PA Developmental Disabilities Council and the Bucks, Chester, Montgomery and Philadelphia County MH/MR Departments. Speaking For Ourselves thanks them for their support of this project. P.O. Box 1214 North Wales, PA 19454 800-867-3330 FAX 610-825-4595 www.speaking.org Page 2 Board of Directors Lynette Savoy, President Rick Giovannucci, Vice President Thalia Dafermos, Secretary Carolyn Morgan, Treasurer Marjorie Bungard Oscar Drummond Scott Federbusch Karen Hayes Ramona Klink Esther Kuhn Elizabeth Malley Cindy Roach Mike Rhine Frank Yurick Staff Debra Robinson, Executive Director Sharon Ferry, Deputy Director Barbara Bernecker, Office Coordinator Jodi Saitsky, Membership Staff Updates Welcome New Team Members SFO recently welcomed two new members. Ruth Landsman will assist us with policy and development. Oni McMullen, who joins Speaking this November, will develop trainings and resources. Both look forward to meeting our many members. Welcome Ruth and Oni! United Nations and Disability Rights In July, executive director Debra Robinson was present at Access Living in Chicago for a report on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabiities. Debra joined many other guests, including current board members of the National Council on Disabilities, to learn more about this significant initiative. While in Chicago, Debra also served on a panel at the Rehabilitation Institue of Chicago, providing input on a new guidebook for medical professionals on understanding end-of-life issues for people with disabilities. News You Need Continued PA Moves to Create a Bill of Rights SFO is closely following two proposed bills in the PAState Legislature. The goal of each is to establish a bill of rights for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. SFO supports House Bill 1764 by Kate Harper, Republican. We are NOT in support of House Bill 1703 by Russell Fairchild, Republican which uses the outdated language of Òmental retardation.Ó We will keep you posted on the progress! Get Well Wishes ÒGet Well SoonÓ wishes go out to Corey Rowley, Executive Director of the PA SILC. Corey we canÕt wait to show you our new place! SFO Email Community Coming Soon! Stay Tuned for Details! Page 3 Events Roland Johnson Celebration and Picnic October 27, 2007, 1 pmÐ4 pm Camphill Soltane, Glenmoore, PA SFO members, friends and family are invited to a Celebration of Roland Johnson! The dayÕs festivities will include a picnic and entertainment. All funds raised go to support the reprint of RolandÕs book, Lost in a Desert World. For more details, visit www.speaking.org or call Jim Colbert at 484-986-4405. The Road to Freedom Bus Comes to Philadelphia this Fall Keep an eye out for the ÒRoad to Freedom Bus,Ó scheduled to make stops in Philadelphia and Harrisburg this fall. The Road To Freedom is a national awareness campaign inspired by Justin and YoshikoÕs historic journey across America to mobilize support for the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Find out more at www.roadtofreedom.org. First Annual ADA Unity Day Many Speaking members gathered in Harrisburg on July 25, 2007 to celebrate the First Annual ADA Unity Day. We joined together with others with disabilities to celebrate the 17th anniversary of the signing of ADA in true cross-disability fashion. The day featured speakers, including SFO Executive Director Debra Robinson and SFO member Brian Habermehl. Limited edition t-shirts from the event are available. Cost is $15 plus shipping and handling. To order, call the office at 1-800-867-3330 or send an email to info@speaking.org. Be sure to give us your mailing address and shirt size (choose from M, L, XL, XXL, 2X, 3X, or 4X) Coming Soon! Speaking For Ourselves Annual Conference June 2008 Plans are under way for the 2008 Speaking For Ourselves Conference. The conference will take place in Southeastern PA and is supported in part by the PA Office of Developmental Programs. Stay tuned for more details! My City My Place Conference Thursday, Nov. 1, 2007 Look for SFOÕs information table at this Philadelphia event. Page 4 Chapter Updates Sad News from Blair County Chapter We are saddened to share some tragic news with you. Donna Luther, long-time advisor to the Blair County Chapter in Altoona, passed away this summer. Our deepest sympathies go out to her son Ken and her daughter Chivone. Northumberland Chapter - Fund Raiser SpeakingÕs Northumberland Chapter recently conducted a fund raiser at the Susquehanna Valley Mall. The event, a 50-50 raffle, raised monies to benefit their sponsor group Parent to Parent Connections. Parent to Parent provides funds and a meeting location for the Northumberland Chapter. Central PA Chapter - Annual Voter Forum Central PA recently held their Annual Voter Forum together with the League of Women Voters. The event, organized by SFO members, included presentations, voting demonstrations, and a dinner. The approximately 50 attendees represented a cross-section of interest in voting, including self-advocates, county representatives, providers, and voter coalition members, all present to dicuss voting needs for people with disabilities. Members presented ÒWhen You Vote You Have a VoiceÓ followed by practice using a voting machine for attendees. As chapter president James White says, ÒWe want people to learn all about voting. To get them registered to vote. To teach them how to use the voting booth. Our goal is for everyone to know that voting gives them a voice.Ó New Location for Philadelphia Chapter The Philly SFO Chapter now meets at Networks for TrainingÑthe use of space for meetings is part of an exciting new collaboration between SFO and Networks. The Northumberland Chapter is also working with Networks at their Assistive Technology (AT) Center. New Chapter Forming in Lancaster Through partnership with Millersville University and their Best Buddies student members, a new SFO chapter is forming in Lancaster. SFO E.D. Debra Robinson spoke with University staff, students and area self-advocates in September. The ChapterÕs first activity will be a self-advocacy workshop presented by SFO staff in the coming months. Excerpt from Lost in a Desert World by Roland Johnson ÒI think that the name need to be changed. Our members do not like the name, Ômental retardation.Õ WeÕre trying to get that name changed. Every time I go to conferences, there are people talk about thatÑthat they donÕt want that name; they want it changed. What the worldÕd be like Ñ itÕd be different. ItÕll be more that we are special people in some ways. We are special because we have a sense of our own; we know who we are; we know what we are doing; we got lots on the ball.Ó Page 5 News You Need Continued New Staff Member at Office of Developmental Programs Jeanne Meikrantz of Chester County joined the staff of Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) this September. Many of us know Jeanne from her recent work with Chester County. SheÕs been a key player in their well-recognized efforts to include all stakeholders in the process: consumers, families, and providers. Jeanne brings a great deal of experience and knowledge to her new position where she will work on policy. We wish her the best in her new role! Introducing the Tribute Wall The new SFO home in Lansdale, PA features a ÒTribute Wall.Ó Make your mark on the wall by purchasing a brick to honor or memorialize a significant person or event. Bricks are available for a donation of $25, $50 or $100. Each brick will be painted blue, silver or gold and include an inscription. Donation forms are available by calling SFO at 1-800-867-3330 or visit www.speaking.org. News WeÕve Heard - Service Definitions Delayed We hear word that ODP is sending the service definitions back to the drawing board for another look at the exact language being used. This move delays the implementation of the service definitions by at least one year. More News WeÕve Heard - Statewide Rate Settings Effort An initiative is in progress to provide comparable statewide rates for providers Ñ whether services are provided in-home with a family or via an agency. The State of PA has retained the services of Mercer Government Human Services Consulting for this project. Reportedly, input from all stakeholders will be sought. To the best of our knowledge, selfadvocates and their families are still waiting for contact from Mercer. We trust that input from all will be equally solicited and considered. Help Self-Advocates live self-determined lives with a contribution to SFO! Speaking For Ourselves is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and your contributions are tax deductible. Mail contributions to: Speaking For Ourselves P.O. Box 1214 North Wales, PA 19454 Make checks payable to Speaking For Ourselves, and include your name and mailing address. You can also donate to Speaking For Ourselves through United Way. For details visit the United Way of Southeast PA website at www.uwsepa.org. Click on ÒDonateÓfor details. The Speaking For Ourselves code is 6531. Page 6 Join Speaking For Ourselves Today! Member Benefits: - Support important Chapter activities across the State of PA - Receive newsletter and learn about important events - Invitations to special events - Support training and information efforts of SFO ÒSFO is one of the single most important organizations in the state. I encourage you all to be members.Ó Ð Kevin Casey, Deputy Secretary, Office of Developmental Programs Complete Member Details: Name Address City State Zip Select Membership Type: Member (Person with a Disability) $10.00 Supporter $15.00Ð$25.00 Sponsor $35.00Ð$55.00 Booster $65.00Ð$100.00 Corporate Sponsor $150.00Ð$500.00 Mail this form with check or money order made payable to: Speaking For Ourselves P.O. Box 1214 North Wales, PA 19454