The Brainerd office is currently planning renovations for the upstairs office. Our plans are to also install a new phone system in the Aitkin office. Patricia Ross is training to become a peer for our area. Her responsibilities will be expanding from reception duties (she will remain the morning receptionist for Brainerd) to some peer duties and will begin offering Advocacy classes soon. Patricia has also been working on the ATV fundraiser, making calls asking for donations from our service area communities to be raffled off. John and I have been working diligently with new intakes, our Fee for Service consumers and traveling to meet with all of our consumers. We have a terrific team here in Brainerd, who support one another and work well together. A great big thanks to Patricia, Diane and John, for all they do!

Walker Office 

      The Walker office is also very busy. Steve was able to help take a consumer to St. Paul so the consumer could talk to our legislators about his journey to independence through the work Steve did with him. This consumer also did some work with a local radio station talking about his journey with Access North and Steve's work with him. The Walker office team also support and help one another through difficult times. One staff member has been dealing with an illness in the family and reception staff have pulled together to make sure everything runs smoothly for the Walker office. A huge thank you to Steve, Amy and Rita for all they do for Access North!

     In the fall of 2015, Access North Independent Living Program staff, in Hibbing, were contacted by the Veteran's Service Office in Itasca County with a request to assist one of their veteran clients, Robert Breese, with obtaining a more accessible means of entering and exiting his home.   Access North has a proud history of coordination with the Veteran Service Offices within its capacious service area, so IL Staff eagerly accepted the referral and made contact with Mr. Breese.

     Upon arriving at the residence, it was immediately apparent to IL staff that stairs to his front door could present a definite obstacle to accessibility.  The tread was quite narrow and the rise was notably steep on the small deck's stairway. 

     Robert, a veteran of the United States Navy, who served as an Aviation Machinist from 1956 to 1960, is quite a good spirited, positive gentleman, despite the obstacles that he successfully battled in his life.  Having battled two different types of cancer, diabetes, a pacemaker, and a bad back, Mr. Breese is nothing less than resilient and determined. However, he stated that the degenerated condition of his back had rendered him unable to safely navigate the steep stairway to the front entrance of his home.   This situation had caused him to spend most of his time within the walls of his home, preventing him from enjoying the pleasure of spending time cooking outside on the grill, sitting on the dock to watch a sunset, or his favorite hobby-fishing. 

     After completing the initial intake interview and ramp program application, IL staff looked to Lori Huber, store manager of the Grand Rapids Home Depot, for assistance with funding to provide Robert with an accessible entrance to his home.  Home Depot, as a company, has always prided itself in giving back to those veterans who have sacrificed for the greater good of our nation, so Lori was enthusiastic about assisting us with this project.  Through Home Depot's Framing Hope program for Veterans, Lori pledged to provide the materials, as well as a number of volunteers from her store to make this project take place. 

     Bob Brown, US Navy Veteran and Access North Ramp Program originator, designed a deck with low rise stairs for Mr. Breese.  The deck was intentionally designed to be large enough for Robert to be able to enjoy his treasured barbeque grill.  "It is so rewarding to help a brother veteran increase the accessibility and enjoy-ability of his home," stated Brown. 

     On January 7, 2016, retired Access North Ramp Program Coordinator-Bob Brown, current Access North Home Access Coordinator and US Army Veteran-Jason Worlie, and agency maintenance person and US Army Veteran-Greg Christensen met with Lori Huber and a crew of volunteers to build an accessible deck with low-rise stairs for Robert Breese.  By the end of that snowy, wintery day, he was cheerfully enjoying his new deck with his beloved wife.  "As a veteran, I know the hoops that a vet has to jump through to get what they need, so it pleases me to be able to help this man avoid all of that to help him make his home more accessible," Jason Worlie explained.  Greg also stated that, "It felt great to be a part of such a wonderful project."

This project was the catalyst to a valuable partnership between Home Depot and Access North.  Lori Huber states that "It has been a great opportunity for Home Depot to join together with Access North to help veterans within our local community."  Since the Breese project, Home Depot and Access North have entered into an ongoing partnership through the Framing Hope program to provide other house related items for consumers in need, such as doorways, home appliances, and flooring.

      Those of us at Access North would like to give a heartfelt "Thank You" to; Lori Huber, the Home Depot volunteers, Bob Brown, Jason Worlie, and Greg Christensen for all of the hard work and dedication that they put into helping Robert Breese gain safe access to his home.  We would also like to show our appreciation and gratitude to Robert for his service to our great nation. 

-- John David Ulrich, IL Specialist

    Access North has recently been privileged to be chosen as a "donation partner" by Home Depot in Grand Rapids, MN.   As a donation partner, Access North is now eligible to participate in Home Depot's Framing Hope Project and receive on-going donations from Home Depot's expansive inventory.   All of the inventory received is donated directly to the people being served by Access North.  Staff and Board members of Access North are ineligible for donations. 

     Access North has received several shipments of Home Depot inventory through the Framing Hope Project so far and has made over two dozen donations to appreciative families!  Donations to families have included dishwashers, washing machines, bathroom vanities & faucets, carpeting, laminate flooring, tile, doors, windows and so much more!  Any person and/or family working with Access North are eligible to receive donations.  Please talk with your Independent Living Specialist or Qualified Professional for details on the Framing Hope Project and the application process.   

     Home Depot Corporation is also making a significant on-going commitment towards meeting the accessibility needs of military service veterans.  Home Depot has committed to donating the lumber and volunteer hours in the building of home access ramps for service veterans.  

Access North thanks the Home Depot Corporation for their extreme generosity 

that allows us to positively impact the people of northeastern Minnesota!    

     Access North will be planning two major fundraisers this year in an effort to build a reserve of discretionary dollars that can be used for the Home Modification Mini Grant and Ramp Program.  The goal is to have a reserve of dollars to help subsidize ramps or home modification projects for people with an inability to pay for these services.    

     Last year Access North donated over $10,000 to homeowners to complete home modification projects that will improve accessibility to the home.  Access North would like to increase those numbers and be able to also subsidize home access ramps for people with very low incomes. 

     Access North will be holding an ATV Raffle that  will include numerous prizes to be  given out on August 10th at the Hibbing "Pig in the Park" annual picnic at Bennet Park.  Tickets will be $20 and will go on sale in April (office staff, board members and their immediate families are ineligible to win).  Prizes include an Arctic Cat ATV, Floe Cargo Max Trailer, $200 Pokegama Lawn & Sport gift certificate, lodging & dinner in Canal Park - Duluth, golfing packages and more!  

     Access North will also hold a Million Dollar Hole-in-One Golf Shootout to be held at the Mesaba Country Club in Hibbing on August 27th. Community members can pre-qualify to win the Million Dollars all summer long by buying 3 hits for $10 (a special hole will be set up on the driving range) and landing the ball within a 3' diameter of the hole.  Everyone pre-qualifying will be invited back for the final shootout on Saturday, August 27th.  The five people closest to the pin will then hit for their chance at a $1,000,000!

Watch for details on our website and on Facebook 

or call 218-262-6675 for tickets.    

     Hello, My name is Waynette Larsen, (Nettie). I feel blessed to announce that I was offered a 450 hour Social Work internship with Access North in the Hibbing office.  I have worked for Access North as a PCA for the PCA choice program for the last 7 years.  I will be graduating May 14, 2016, with my Bachelors in Social Work from UWS.  Last year I graduated from Mesabi Technical College in Virginia with my AA, AAS in Human Services & my AAS in Chemical Dependency Counseling.  I enjoy coming to my internship every day, and look forward to helping others be able to live independently in their homes and advocate and assist with resources in their community.

     I am grateful for this opportunity that I have been given at Access North with the Independent Living Specialist and the Qualified Professionals. Having hands on experience has educated me and given me experience at so many levels.  The company is a dedicated, friendly and family oriented atmosphere.  Thank you everyone for making me feel so comfortable and accepting me to your great team of success during my journey.  My hobbies include spending time with my family, friends, fishing, snowmobiling and being on the water. 

     This Council is a federally mandated council of community volunteers who are appointed by the Governor to develop, monitor, review and evaluate the State Plan for Independent Living (SPIL). The Council works on other activities related to the advancement of independent living for people with disabilities as well.  Members serve a three year term.  

     Any Minnesotan is eligible for membership. Considerations for appointments include, but are not limited to, personal qualifications for service, ensuring statewide representation, and having people with a wide range of disabilities included.  By law, the Council must include 51% people with disabilities.  

     Currently there are five openings on the Council.  To ensure we meet our legal mandate, three of those five must be people with disabilities.  We are looking for people from the following categories: 1 representative from a State Agency, 1 public member, 1 business representative and two advocates. Applications can be found on the Secretary of State's website: http://www.sos.state.mn.us/ and on the MNSILC website.

If you have questions or want more information, please visit the MNSILC website at mn.gov/deed/silc or contact Pam Taylor, Coordinator -  mnsilc1215@gmail.com  or 612-518-1497.  

Congratulations to Meredith Kujala, Qualified Professional in our Duluth office, for being selected to serve on the MNSILC!  Thank you for being involved and volunteering to help enrich the lives of people with disabilities! 

Meets every Thursday. Join us for an opportunity to interact with peers, watch movies, play games and socialize in a group setting.

All of these Independent Living classes are held in the Access North Hibbing Office