November 2012 Autism Spectrum Partnering Network
Vol. 2, No.11
I.
Calendar Events
Monthly family
support group for families impacted by autism spectrum conditions and other
neurodevelopmental delays; meets on the first
Tuesday of every month in the United Way facility located at 240 Cypress Street,
Abilene, Texas, at 6:00 P.M.
Family
Support Group- This
group meets every 3rd Tuesday at 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the WTRC Boardroom, 4601
Hartford, and Abilene, Texas. Parking is provided in back.
"King David's Kids" exists to
minister to developmentally delayed children & their families. We seek to
minister the love of Jesus to each child, sibling, & parent - offering
love, acceptance & hope.
Parent/Guardian support groups are held bi-monthly during the fall &
spring, Support group meeting dates:
Sept 25 - Oct 9,23 - Nov 6,20 - Dec 4 - Jan 15,29 - Feb 12,26 - Mar 5,19
- Apr 2,16,30 If you have any questions
or would like to obtain an application contact the KDK office at: King David’s
Kids, 754 S. Treadaway, Abilene, TX Phone: (325) 672-8837, Fax: (325)677-9144,
E-mail: kingdavids_kids@yahoo.com
This is a new all-inclusive therapy center in
Abilene, Texas specializing in equine-assisted therapy. Along with specialized
and licensed counselors, the special horses are empathetic to the people they
help in the individual healing process. Equine-assisted therapy is
multi-faceted in its reach and can be used on all-ages and disabilities, and
especially those with autism. Equine-therapy assists autistic patients in their
social skills, balance and control issues. Great success has been seen with
autistic children working with horses in therapy sessions, and we look forward
to partnering with REACH to assist autistic children in the Big Country. The
Legacy Complex is located at 4301 North Danville Drive across from KTXS News on
HWY 83; for more information visit our website www.legacycomplex.org or find us
on Facebook as The Legacy Complex or twitter @legacycomplex.
General Purpose of
Adaptive Recreation Services: to provide
specialized leisure and adaptive recreational activities for persons with
disabilities. PROGRAM HOURS: Monday-Friday 9 a.m-3 p.m. PROGRAM
FEE: $32 per month. http://www.abilenetx.com/recreation/adaptive.htm
Reach for a Difference wants to remind readers
that the website is being updated almost daily. It can be found at http://www.reachforadifference.org. The website is one of the ways Reach will be creating the roadmaps
to resources.
II. Don’t miss this!
Successful businesswoman Tori St.
John is haunted by the verse “From whom much is given, from him much is required.”
Despite a marketing coup that guarantees her an executive management position,
Tori abandoned her career. Instead, she and husband Phillip adopt two children
from a third-world orphanage. At five, Lydia is sugar-coated dynamite.
Two-year-old Gabe avoids eye contact, prefers a silver bowl over shiny new toys
and fears the vacuum cleaner. His diagnosis of autism leaves Tori obsessed with
helping her son, angry at God and at odds with her husband and daughter. At
stake is Gabe’s future. Tori marshals the skills that made her a business diva
and plunges into the special-needs world. As she struggles to defeat Gabe’s
disability, Tori’s world unravels. School’s not working for Gabe, their church
rejects him, Lydia’s resentment of Gabe escalates and a sultry co-worker is
pursuing Phillip. As she battles to save her family, Tori must learn how to
balance a life she can’t control and embrace a different concept of normal. D’Ann
Renner had been selected to enter her company’s fast-track program when she and
her husband felt called to adopt a sibling pair of older, third-world children.
Her “Home Front Management” career became more challenging when her son was
diagnosed with autism. She is active in the special needs world and speaks to local
women’s and special needs’ groups. D’Ann and Bruce, her husband of 28 years,
live in Johns Creek, Georgia with their son, a dog and two cats. When not
engrossed in writing and Home Front Management, D’Ann advocates for special
needs and directs a child sponsorship program for her church.
Come hear D’Ann speak at REACH for a
Difference on November 6th 2012
United Way of Abilene Building
2nd floor
6-7:30pm
Book signing and refreshments will
follow.
D’Ann Renner’s motto is “Link Arms with
God and Laugh at the Enemy.” Previously a businesswoman with a successful
marketing career, she opted not to enter her company’s fast-track program.
Instead, she and her husband adopted internationally, and Renner embraced the
challenging profession of “Home Front Manager.” Of the career change, she says:
“The work never ends but the rewards are eternal.”
Her new vocation took on an
additional level of challenge when the Renner’s son was diagnosed with autism.
D’Ann plunged into the special needs world, became active in several existing
support groups and helped found another.
Renner’s style has been referred to
as “humor-dipped truth.” She speaks on topics relating to developing strength
through adversity and on special needs. She hosts the website, “Normal is a
Point of View” which can be found at dannrenner.com. Her first novel, Dancing
from the Shadows, will be released by Ambassador International in Fall,
2012.
When not fully occupied as a home
manager, writer, and speaker, D’Ann advocates for special needs children and is
the director of a Guatemala Child Sponsorship Program.
D’Ann and Bruce, her husband of 28
years, live in Johns Creek, GA, with their son plus a large dog and two cats
who rule the household. They also have three adult daughters.
III.ACU & REACH present: Music and Me
Saturday November 17th, REACH
in collaboration with Abilene Christian University- Department of Music- Mu Phi
Epsilon Honor Sorority will meet on the campus at the Williams Performing Arts
Building where the second collaborative program for children and families on
the spectrum will take place. This program was developed and created by Mu Phi
Epsilon and is called Music and Me. From 10-12pm, children, families and
college students will come together to experience something very special. This
group of college students heard the cry from REACH for useful programs in our
community that can provide children on the spectrum the same types of
experiences that all children are entitled, and created a program that is very
creative, exciting, and therapeutic for all children. Music and Me will have
open mic time for everyone to have the opportunity to express themselves
through the sound of an open mic. Demonstrations will be given on many
instruments including; percussion, flute, French horn, trumpet, clarinet,
strings, and piano. Instrument Petting Zoo is a time when children are able to
experience all these instruments and sounds themselves. A music lesson will be given and a drum
circle will form where we will make wonderful music together. In the music lab,
students are taught composition on keyboards. Thank you so much Mu Phi Epsilon
for hearing our voice and rising to the occasion to provide this opportunity
for voices to be expressed through music. I believe some doors may open for children
in communication. I have provided some pictures from last semester’s event for
you all to see.
This is a therapeutic program developed to meet the needs of
students and those on the autism spectrum. This program presented by members of
Mu Phi Epsilon, a music service fraternity of the Department of Music at
Abilene Christian University in partnership with REACH for a Difference. This
program will be available twice a semester. The purpose of this program is to
expose children and autism spectrum individuals and their families to the basic
music forms, various instruments, vocal techniques, piano skills, and other
music related areas. The students will be given a tour of the facility to let
them experience the band hall, the choral rehearsal hall, music practice rooms,
and performance areas.
Please register online for this special event at:
There is no cost to participate!
FREE!!!
IV. REACH thanks
The Legacy Complex for providing scholarships!
Congratulations! The Legacy Complex on becoming a new non-profit
agency in Abilene providing four services: 1) traditional counseling; 2) equine
assisted counseling and learning opportunities using EGALA model; 3)
therapeutic riding; and 4) Hippo therapy either an occupational or physical
therapist or a language pathologist. Their therapist are licensed &/or
certified by the state of Texas, PATH Int’l, EAGALA and American Hippo therapy
Association. The Legacy Complex is a PATH International recognized therapeutic
center.
The Legacy Complex is offering REACH families 4 scholarships to riders
with similar need level of their choosing for four free sessions each rider.
Riders can benefit in multiple areas: confidence building; problem solving;
improved communication and listening skills; improved social skills;
self-discipline; physical strengthening; stress reducing; and it’s just fun!
Four applications and instructions have been received by REACH and
will be given to families.
If you know anyone wanting to become a volunteer at The Legacy Complex
their next Volunteer Training is on October 27, from 8:30am – noon. A
demonstration of an EAGALA equine assisted counseling will be given at the end
of the training. You can contact The Legacy Complex at www.legacycomplex.org
Thank you Tammie Spitler for thinking of us at REACH and providing us
with this amazing opportunity to our families!
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