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May 2016 eNewsletter



Our students raised  $2,647.91 for Friends of Down Syndrome!


View photos like this one (above) on our new photo website at  Smugmug. If you purchase prints through the site, Friends of Down Syndrome will receive a portion of your purchase. If you have photos you think should be added to the site, please contact Dorothy at  dpuchlillig@aol.com


President's Corner 

 

We are growing and expanding our Academy!

Our Summer School Open house was a huge success.  We have been able to add 10 more students to our roster starting June 6. 

We are also expanding into the space next door and adding three more classrooms and making the PE room twice as big. The old PE room will be converted into our Talk Tools classroom and the nutrition classroom. We are leaving one of the wall mirrors in there so that the students can see themselves working their different muscles for speech.  

Because of the added classrooms, we still have several openings in the different ability groups. If you know someone who may be interested in attending the Down Syndrome Academy, let them know that we have a few openings.  The classes will start June 6 and go year-round. They need to fill out an application and have their student evaluated. The open positions will be filled with the first candidates who qualify.
 
Two of the biggest challenges that our students face are weight issues and speech.  We addressed the weight issue when we added Darryl Hughes, a personal trainer to work with our students, and we have seen some great results. As for speech, our speech therapist Denise Brockman does a great job with our students in the classroom.  She also does one-on-one sessions for students who have insurance or have the HCS or THL waivers.  Because our commitment is to ALL teens and adults with Down syndrome, we have opened our facility so that Denise Brockman can now see speech clients one-on-one here at the Down Syndrome Academy.  Read more about her in this newsletter.
 
We had a great turnout at our eight lemonade stands on May 1.  We were able to raise nearly $2,700!
 
Last, but certainly not least, we want to thank all of our volunteers who continue to support our program. This month, I especially want to thank Sandra Gifford and Elisabeth Bruheim.  These two volunteers run the accounting office and volunteer anywhere from 20 to 30 hours each a week. Not only have they been volunteering their precious time, but in April they decided that they could no longer work with the old computer that was in the office and that housed the QuickBooks program. They went out and researched what it would take to add two new Dell computers to the office, along with a brand new printer (the old printer had been donated). They purchased all the computers, software, printer and Elisabeth had her husband's company volunteer their IT guy to come and network the new computers. These ladies are so awesome.  They give so much to our program that it is impossible to say the right words to thank them for what they are doing for the Academy.  Thanks Sandra and Elisabeth!  May you receive ten times back what you have given to us. Bless you and your families.
 
Until next month, stay in touch with what is happening by becoming our friend on Facebook.
 


Your Friend,


Thank you, Volunteers!
Total Volunteer Hours for April 2016: 937
Total so far for 2016: 4,072
Wow!


From left: Elisabeth Bruheim (accounting volunteer and mother to Kenneth), Jason Watson (IT consultant for Impact Geo Solutions) and Sandra Gifford (accounting volunteer and mother to Michael). Thank you to these three amazing volunteers for their commitment to Friends of Down Syndrome! Elisabeth and Sandra bought two new computers and a printer for our business office, while Jason set up the network. 


Friends of Down Syndrome in the News...





Save the Date!








Expanded Speech Services at the Down Syndrome Academy

I am honored and pleased to announce I will be expanding my role at the Friends of Down Syndrome Academy. I currently provide speech services to the students attending the academy.  Starting June 1, 2016, I am offering private speech services to any individual with Down syndrome too young to attend the academy.  

What is unique about my services?  I am a Level 4 Certified Talk Tools therapist.  I provide Oral Placement Therapy (OPT) to individuals who are not able to learn the standard speech sounds through auditory and/or visual instruction.  OPT is a tactile teaching technique used for individuals with inadequate muscle control to develop the strength, dissociation and agility of the abdomen, velum, jaw, cheeks, lips, and tongue.  These individuals have difficulties with speech and feeding.  OPT assesses and provides intervention as needed for the sensory system, feeding skills, oral motor deficits, and speech clarity.

I have been a speech pathologist for over thirty years.  When working with the Down syndrome population, I find they are perfect candidates for OPT.  They typically do not present as someone with an articulation disorder.  They typically have low muscle tone and poor muscle control.  They need to develop the foundational skills for speech and not just work on sound production.

I look forward to providing this service at the Down Syndrome Academy.  Please contact me if you would like to schedule an evaluation or if you have any further questions.

Regards,

Denise Brockman, CCC(SLP)
248-760-2448






 S upport Friends of Down Syndrome!

Become a member

Membership is always FREE!  Join us TODAY!

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If you are interested in serving on one or more of our committees, please contact the committee leader to see how you can get involved.

~ Available ~ "Building Blocks" Educational Series
Karen Evans Fundraising
(832) 630-9696
Steve Friedman Housing & Building, Capital Campaign (281) 785-9884
Jennifer Friedman
Marketing & Public Relations
(713) 252-1612
Leslie Way Membership (832) 276-4878
~ Available ~ T21 Social Club
(713) 302-4145
Kathleen Westfall Volunteers (281) 989-0234

Volunteer

If you are interested, you can email or visit Rosa Rocha at the Down Syndrome Academy Mondays thru Fridays from 8am - 5pm.  Please feel free to call us at (281) 989-0345 f or more details.

Donate

We could not exist without donations from our community. Consider making a tax-deductible donation today. Many companies also will match your donation! .

Honor Gifting:    Wondering what to give the person who has everything?  You can celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, weddings, retirement, births, or any other life cycle event with an Honor Gift to Friends of Down Syndrome.

Memorial Gifting:  A Memorial Gift is a beautiful testament to the life of a beloved family member or friend who has passed away.  The person arranging the funeral or memorial service can instruct the funeral director to insert the following phrase in the obituary notice:

"The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations can be made and sent to Friends of Down Syndrome, 5200 Mitchelldale, Suite D4, Houston, Texas  77092. You may also call Rosa Rocha at (281) 989-0345 to arrange your donation." 

Legacy Gifting:  Please consider leaving a legacy by including Friends of Down Syndrome
in your will. 

Vehicle Gifting: Please consider donating your unwanted vehicle.


Donations can be made and sent to: 
Friends of Down Syndrome, 
5200 Mitchelldale, Suite D4, 
Houston, Texas  77092. 

Please include your name, the reason for the gift, the honoree's mailing address, your mailing address, and daytime phone number.  For more information call Rosa Rocha at (281) 989-0345 to arrange your donation.

Add Friends of Down Syndrome to your Kroger Card

 INSTRUCTIONS:

1.  Create or login to your Kroger account by clicking:   www.Kroger.com
 
2.  Click the COMMUNITY TAB, t hen click COMMUNITY REWARDS, and click  ENROLL NOW.

3.  On your ACCOUNT SUMMARY scroll to Community Rewards section and click ENROLL.
 
4.  Under FIND YOUR ORGANIZATION
Enter The organization number - 99855  --OR--  Friends of Down Syndrome
 
5.  Select - Friends of Down Syndrome
 
6.  Click ENROLL

Your Account Summary should now reflect your support of FoDS:
  • Organization Name: FRIENDS OF DOWN SYNDROME
  • Organization Number: 99855
  • Enrollment Date: 01/18/2016
  • Must renew your membership every year in August.

Choose us as your designated charity on Amazon Smile 


INSTRUCTIONS:

 
2.    Sign in with your current Amazon login information  OR  Create an Amazon Account
 
3.   Select an ORGANIZATION, e nter Friends of Down Syndrome in the search field and c lick     "Search"
 
4.   Select - Friends of Down Syndrome
 
5.   Confirm that you see ~ Supporting:  Friends of Down Syndrome directly under the Amazon search field.

 
6.  Now Shop! Shop! Shop!  

* Each time you shop with Amazon, you must sign in at https://smile.amazon.com for the organization to receive rewards.

Donate an item from 0ur Wish List

Here are the items we are currently needing: 

Cases of copy paper (Sam's Club $26.98)

Shredder (Sam's Club $99)

Cleaning supplies

Paper Towels 12/packs

Ice Maker (free-standing)
 
Cases of bottled water and Lipton Diet Green Tea

from Lowe's $7.98 each

from Sam's Club $55.98 each
  
If you can help, please drop the items off at the  Down Syndrome Academy,  5200 Mitchelldale, Suite D4, Houston, Texas 77092,  Monday thru Friday, 8am-5pm.   We are happy to provide you with an "In-Kind" donation receipt letter for your tax purposes.   For more information, contact  Rosa Rocha  at (281) 989-0345.  

Purchase Friends of Down Syndrome merchandise and help spread awareness!


Spirit Shirts
Tote Bags 
FoDS Tote Bag
Tote Bag, complete with a place
for a water bottle  $10
DSA Magnet
Birdhouses


Contact Us


Rosa Rocha, President

(281) 989 - 0345

5200 Mitchelldale, Suite D4
Houston, Texas  77092