Wellness Fair 2013

The annual Wellness Fair is a labor of love for our dedicated Wellness Committee.  They spend months planning every detail -- reaching out to local vendors and organizations, inviting fitness instructors, putting together door prizes and making sure the day runs just right.  And, it is well worth the effort.  Hundreds of agency staff and people from our programs turn out, have a blast and learn something new!  Here are some shots from this year's fair. 

Partnering around pets

The two people on the far right in the picture are Paul and Ashley.  They are students at Wayne-Finger Lakes BOCES' animal science department.  Each week they mentor people from Pet Connections to help the program's participants expand their grooming  skills while reinforcing their own knowledge of the subject.

When you walk into the classroom you can feel the energy and spirit of collaboration. The students are eager to pair up with their Pet Connections partners.  And even the students who aren't directly mentoring, can't wait to see the Ontario ARC van arrive on Wednesdays.

Paul, Ashley and Alexis (left) are just some of the amazing students I met that day.  They reinforce their education by imparting that knowledge on the program's participants -- many of who wish to find employment related to animal care.  And now towards the end of the year, the participants seem to have the animal care routine down to a "t."

Much thanks to the Wayne-Finger Lakes BOCES animal science students and their instructor Sandy Hawkins!

Girl Power!

Errina, from the wellness group, does yoga.

Ontario ARC is deeply rooted in wellness.  We offer a comprehensive health and wellness program for the people we support as well as our staff.  In addition, we have a Wellness Committee that puts on lots of great events, including our upcoming Wellness Fair this Friday.  And, we've taken a new approach to help pre-teen girls stay healthy, too.

Once a week, we are offering a wellness group for these young women focusing on topics such as nutrition, body image, personality, and assertiveness.  Led by one of our behavioral specialists, Jennifer Danker-Stiles, each 24-week session also include yoga to help enhance breathing and relaxation techniques.  Jennifer also guides the girls through an imagery piece, where the girls listen to quiet music and focus on their feelings and thoughts.

Learn more about this new offering from our agency in this issue of ARC Life!

Come Cruisin' With Us!

Save the Date!

It is finally nice to see the sun in the Finger Lakes!  Around the same time each year, I find myself amazed around 7 or 8 p.m. that the sun is still out.  Spring is here and that means that summer isn't too far behind.  And with that, comes Cruisin' for a Cause.

On Saturday, August 17, Ontario ARC will celebrate the end of summer with its 21st annual Cruisin' for a Cause on the lakefront under the tent at Steamboat Landing in beautiful Canandaigua.  This year's event will feature entertainment by The Skycoasters and live auction emceed by "The Mayor" Pete Kennedy.  We will also have a silent auction featuring unique items, complimentary wines, summer barbeque, and cruises will be available aboard the Canandaigua Lady.  

Proceeds from Cruisin' go towards our programs and services for people of all ages with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families.  Each year more than 800 attendees turn out for this exciting summer happening and support our agency and "get on board" with our vision -- for individuals to become fully included members of their communities. 

Join us!  If you haven't been to Cruisin' for a Cause, check out some pictures from last year's event our Facebook page.  Then, buy your tickets today!

Creating community inclusion through the arts

Art, music and horticulture are deeply rooted in what we do at Ontario ARC, thanks to our Creative

Creative Expressions artists work on a sail
for the festival's Sail Trail.

Expressions team.  They provide the tools and guidance that have helped hundreds of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities independently express their thoughts, feelings and emotions.  And each spring, our artists and musicians have a place to share and exhibit their creative talents with the community.

The ARTS Experience is a two-week long festival celebrating community inclusion and the arts at Hobart & William Smith Colleges.  ARC Chapters from around the area -- including Ontario ARC -- partner with HWS students and professors as well as the community to share how the arts can impact people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.  The event includes workshops, performances, classes and concludes with The ARTS Experience Gala.  Our own art specialist, Christin Lersch, even led one of workshops, Rain Barrel Painting which involved the creation of sustainable rain barrels that were painted.  It is truly a unique event for our area!

Here the final product of the above sail from the Sail Trail.  See what else we created during the festival on our Facebook page.

5 Ontario ARC staff receive Total Life Care Certificate

Congratulations to Emily Steinruck, Andrea Hill, Eileen Bancroft, Grace Baker, Janet Fellows and Wendy Christensen!  These five skills instructors from Ontario ARC's residential services recently completed  Total Life Care -- 28 hours of training designed to help improve the care of medically frail individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. 

Total Life Care gives Ontario ARC's direct support professionals the tools to successfully support individuals throughout their lifespan by providing for their changing needs and supporting maxium quality of life. It designed to teach staff how to support individuals who are medically frail and individuals who are aging.  It provides detailed instruction on how to deliver end of life care. This year, we were pleased to welcome House of John Director Carol Jensen, R.N. and Care Coordinator Danese Grigg. They offered insight and shared their experiences in end of life care, bringing a rich and meaningful addition to the class.

The Total Life Care course was written by Ontario ARC nurses Yvonne Truchon, Jody Thomas and former Ontario ARC nurse Laura Bowman along with Shelley VanLare R.N. from the ARC of Monroe.

The course is taught by four Ontario ARC nurses including: Justine Zanghi R.N., Yvonne Truchon R.N., Elaine Hanagan R.N. and Jody Thomas R.N.

Congratulations for a job well done!!