Life without Limits E-newsletter

August 2016

LIFE WITHOUT LIMITS E-NEWS

A monthly update from UCP Central PA

PA Students are "Living the Dream"

Thanks to DREAM Scholarship Funding

The primary goal of The D.R.E.A.M. Partnership (aka DREAM)--a subsidiary of UCP Central PA that was established in October 2012--is to build or grow a network of colleges throughout Pennsylvania that provides inclusive educational opportunities for students with intellectual disabilities. The second over-arching goal of DREAM is to raise money to fund scholarships for students who attend programs supported by The D.R.E.A.M. Partnership/ACES Project.

This summer, the DREAM Scholarship Committee received ten scholarship applications. Application requirements include a listing of school activities, an essay written by the student, an essay written by parents/guardians, and additional recommendations. Upon review, t he Scholarship Committee found all ten applicants to be deserving of funding. As such, the Committee awarded scholarships in the amount of $64,000 to:

* Two students of Slippery Rock University's ROCK Life Program

* Two students of Mercyhurst's OASIS Program

* Six students of Penn State/Harrisburg's Career Life Studies Program

To date, DREAM has awarded upwards of $200,000 to help students

"live the dream." Without this program and this funding, these students would not have had the opportunity to enjoy academic, vocational, and social experiences alongside their same-age peers.

"Living the Dream" is the aptly named Septemb er 22 fundraiser that DREAM will be hosting at the Hershey Vineyards and Brew ery . Proceeds from the event will go to support the activities of The D.R.E.A.M. Partnership and to fund additional DREAM scholarships.

The reason that DREAM scholarship funding is so critical is very straightforward:

Students with intellectual and developmental disabilities, as well as their family, never thought that college would be an option for them. They never had the dream of college, so they never saved for it.

As the number of programs at Pennsylvania coll eges and universities continues to grow, so will the number of students who will be i n need of funding. These students and their families need our scholarships to help them continue "living the d ream." Fortunately, The D.R.E.A.M. Partnership has been able to raise funds through a generous grant from the Stabler Foundation and through our own fundraising efforts.

To learn more about the upcoming "Living the Dream" fundraiser, or to purchase tickets online, visit: www.dreampartnership.org.

A Great Day on the Greens

We weathered the weather!

Neither threatening skies nor an eventual thunderstorm could ruin the otherwise beautiful day on the links at Carlisle Country Club on August 1. That's when 100 golfers and UCP supporters gathered for fun, food, and friendly competition at the 30th Annual UCP/SchmitKramer Golf Tournament.

We'd like to extend our deepest gratitude to Event Sponsor SchmidtKramer-especially partners Chuck Schmidt, Gerry Kramer, and Scott Cooper-for their continued financial support of this event.

Other generous sponsors of the tournament included:

* Double Diamond: OppenheimerFunds

* Dinner: PinnacleHealth

* Diamond: AIA, AmWins , Kramer-Warner, M&T Bank, Merry Maids, SotirIS

* Silver: Guernsey; Brown, Schultz, Sheridan & Fritz

* Beverage: AP Williams

Thanks to these sponsors-as well as advertisers, individual golfers, and donors--the 2016 Tournament raised approximately $25,000 in support of life without limits for people with disabilities.

We'd also like to thank all the volunteers who helped make the day a success, among them: Audra Aldrich, Dr. Stephanie Bowen, Justin Hutchinson, Demi Keller, and Chad Wilson. And a great big shout out to SchmidtKramer volunteers-Sherrie, Laura, Ashley, Abbie, Amanda, Jeni, Jennifer, Renee, Tiff, Trish, Kate, Noemi, and Jess for their tireless efforts on and around the course the day of the tournament.

Check out more highlights from the event captured in photos!

Take 10,000 steps a day in STEPtember!

And raise money for people with disabilities

S TEP up to the challenge! Children and adults living with Cerebral Palsy and other disabilities take on physical challenges every single day. Join teams from around the world and challenge yourself to take 10,000 steps for 28 days to help raise vital funds for people living with Cerebral Palsy and other disabilities.

And as you cheer on the athletes in Rio this month, why not join the fun and STEP UP? Go to steptember.us and start your preparation for STEPtember.

Help us maintain our Top-rated Nonprofit status!

If you know us and love our work, then spread the word! GreatNonprofits - a review site - is running their annual campaign to recognize highly reviewed nonprofits with their 2016 Top-Rated List. Won't you help us raise visibility for our work by posting a review of your experience with us?

To help us meet our goal, we are relying on reviews (personal testimonials and success stories) from UCP consumers, family members and other caregivers, volunteers, donors, and others who have an affinity for UCP Central PA. Won't you help us gather at least 10 positive reviews before October 31st?

It only takes a few minutes to write a review -- just speak from the heart about your experience with us. Your story could help raise funds, recruit volunteers, and increase visibility for an organization that is making a difference in the lives of more than 4,000 individuals with disabilities each year.

Click here to get started!

Upcoming Family Events


Everyday Lives Conference - hosted by PA Dept of Human Services September 14-16 Hershey Lodge 325 University Drive Hershey, PA 17033 Learn More	Fall Fun Fair Sunday, September 25 12:00pm - 4:00pm Capital Area Children's Center 44 S. 38th Street Camp Hill, PA 17011 Learn More .	Adventure Park Golf Tournament October 8, 2016 9:00am Armitage Golf Club 800 Orr's Bridge Road Mechanicsburg, PA Learn More

Support UCP programs while you shop for Back to School

Get what you need for the school year while supporting the needs of others. When you shop at smile.amazon.com or goodshop.com and designate UCP Central PA as your charity of choice... you won't pay a penny more, but we'll get a valuable donation!