CALL OUT FOR ENTRIES. DEADLINE OCTOBER 27

Our Art, Our Voice! Art Show Coming in November
                                
Are you an artist? Know an artist? Our art show, created exclusively for those with Special Needs, will open in November, and will run through part of January. It will be a traveling show, and we can already release one of the three to four locations in which the show will appear: The Pennsylvania State Capitol.

We have other locations under consideration in order to create a traveling show, which in turn will increase exposure to the incredible art and self- expression that can be created by those who find art as a means of communication-often the best method of expression. People who enjoy creating art and who have a disability can show the community their creativity, their mastery, their expression; in short, THEIR VOICE. This year's exhibition is the 44th annual show, first launched way back in 1973.

The Arc of Dauphin County celebrates its 65th anniversary January 1.  We plan on the Our Art, Our Voice! Art Show to be a way of celebrating 65 years working with people of all abilities who also have intellectual or developmental disabilities.

If you know someone who would like to enter, here is the great news:

1. NO ENTRY FEE. Our generous sponsor has provided a sponsorship, which will allow us to cover the exhibition's costs, including receptions, labels and signs and the display panels for the artwork. The Our Art, Our Voice!  Art Show will also include a take home pamphlet, available to the show's viewers, which is also provided by the sponsor.

2. All art forms including oils, sculpture, pen and ink, leather and wood crafts, pottery, watercolor, acrylics, ceramics and more are accepted.

3. You can call The Arc offices at 717.920.2727 to have an entry form sent to you, or you can get one today by going to our Website at www.arcofdc.org. If you are able to download a file, click here and you'll have an entry form instantly.

The Arc of Dauphin County is looking for entries. This is a terrific opportunity for all persons with Special Needs. We are planning on major media coverage because this is a really BIG story.

New Lunch & Learn Program October 18th, 11:00 AM
The Arc of Dauphin County is Hosting a Brown Bag Lunch Learning Series: Planning for Your Dependent After You "Are Gone"



Families with a child (often an adult) face dilemmas, only a few are:  

1. What happens to our child after we die?
2. Things work fine now but when I cannot "do it" anymore, or I pass away, what happens?
3. Who takes care of my child?
4. How can I rest comfortably knowing my child is provided for?

Register now to participate in our October Lunch & Learn featuring one of a handful of chartered special needs consultants in the Mid-State: Michael Miller.

Mr. Miller will present a very important program on October 18th. He will be broadly covering his TEN POINTS that parents can consider and initiate in order to set up a Life Care Plan. Such a plan often involves the creation of a team of two or more professionals who will help and guide the family. The topics will be discussed broadly. Each point of the plan could be its own hour-long program, and he will return next year to "dive deeper" into parts of the plan our audience wishes to know more about.  

What is a "Life Care Plan"?

It is a holistic approach involving an individual's network of advisors in the development of a life care plan that can help the person maintain the lifestyle that he or she needs. It is a coordinated program of future care planning, financial, and legal strategies for individuals with disabilities and their families.

Think it's too early...or perhaps too late to develop a Life Care Plan? Don't know where to start?

A Life Care Plan changes throughout an individual's lifetime, but there are ten primary steps that will help you develop an agenda and keep you on track as you consider what is right for your situation. We will identify and discuss each of these steps in the session.

Who Should Attend?

Individuals, families, and other interested persons who want to learn about Legal and Financial Instruments for individuals with special needs are invited to attend this informative session presented by Chartered Special Needs Consultant, Michael Miller.

About the Presenter

Michael Miller, ChSNC®, is a Financial Advisor and Special Care Planner with Orrstown Financial Advisors. 

The ChSNC® is the only credential on the market designed to provide special needs families with an advisor competent to address their unique concerns.

ChSNC® designees are equipped with the specialized skills needed to help parents and caregivers plan for the future with honesty, ethics and compassion. 

A ChSNC® can navigate the unique considerations, estate planning, special needs trusts, life insurance, tax deductions, healthcare issues, Medicaid complexities, and the emotional aspects of providing for a loved one with a disability.

Mr. Miller's program will be in our Arc Community Room, located in the Harsco Building, 2569 Walnut Street, Harrisburg, PA  17103 at 11:30 AM.  

We encourage attendees to bring a brown bag lunch to snack on during the seminar (hence our name for this, "Lunch & Learn."  Coffee, tea, water, provided.

REGISTRATION REQIRED:  Please call 717.920.2727 between 8:10 and 3:50 PM M-F to register.  Or, e-mail
bbressler@arcofdc.org by October 18th.


Craig's Corner 
A Message from our President and CEO

Here at The Arc of Dauphin County, we work hard for our consumers every day. While we have rolled out many county-agency authorized and supported programs from various agencies, we are working to craft new programs, some that we can offer on our own, such as the social dance program we provide each month.

 
Our fundraising has just raised funding to support a new program we are trying to launch that benefits families and consumers on the autism spectrum. It goes deeper for us as we look for ways to support our consumers. As we looked at all aspects of consumer needs we identified the need for a force of Certified Investigators to keep all county agencies'-consumers safe. To that end, five of our staff members have just completed the Temple University Certified Investigator Course ...again, this was a project supported by generous donors answering our fundraising call.


Way back in 1973, The Arc of Dauphin County initiated an art show. This was a terrific program for consumers, but it has been on a hiatus for the past couple of years. We are revitalizing it, making it better than ever. A generous donor answered our fundraising call, and will help to support the art show and all its costs so we can make it available to zero cost to our consumers. You can read more about the OUR ART, OUR VOICE! Art Show elsewhere in this edition. Think how excited a consumer who is interested in art will be to find out that their expression in art will be on display at the Pennsylvania State Capitol! It will be there, and it will be in two or three other locations of this traveling exhibition as well. Very exciting times, indeed! We expect this to draw the attention of media everywhere.
Talk about donors answering the fundraising call! Our 2nd Annual Million Dollar Golf Outing just concluded to rave reviews. This fundraising effort will help support our Advocacy Department and other consumer program needs. That story, too, is elsewhere in this edition of The Arc News.

And to all of our readers, members, supporters, board, staff, volunteers: We are especially proud of you because you were part of the force that answered our call to write your senators and congressmen, write the media, write or talk to anyone who will listen and tell your story. You told how the loss of Medicaid and other programs can devastate those who depend upon it. The effective calls and letters were made once again-and heard! By September 26th, most sources were citing the Senate bill as crushed. Please read the article near the end of this newsletter, which contains a message from the President of The Arc of the United States. There in Washington, The Arc of the U.S.A. and states and chapters throughout the country said "No!" This is what advocacy is about, and it has worked again.

Thank you.
 

2nd Annual Million Dollar Golf Outing Was Spectacular! 




Thanks to a combination of great weather, a terrific fun course, an engaged golf pro (Bill Wall) who guided us, an active and hardworking Standing Golf Committee, and especially thanks to outstanding sponsors, donors and players we presented to the golfing public a landmark golfing experience.  We can truly say that our golf outing provided more prize opportunities than any other golf outing in the Mid-State.   For this reason, we expect word to spread, and for our golf outing to sell out early next year.


Take a look at what we offered our golfers:

On golfer had a chance to shoot for a cool $1 million in annuities, continuing on to his or her beneficiaries until all one million dollars is paid out. And...our golfer hit a straight line drive directly to the green to the oohs and ahhs of the crowd! He came up a little short, and we all marveled at what almost happened!

All golfers participated in a shoot-out for $10,000 at another hole.

All golfers participated in a shoot-out for $500 at another hole. 


All golfers participated in a shoot-out for a new set of Calloway Golf Clubs (complete set) at another hole.


All golfers participated in a shootout for a 52" Smart TV at another hole.


 
Perhaps best of all, all golfers participated in a shoot-out for a new car lease from Sutliff Chevrolet at another hole!  


 
Then there were the prizes, so many of them! Among the highlights were two VIP club section tickets including Stadium Close Parking to a Redskins game at FedEx Field valued at $814.00, Gift Certificates from the area's finest restaurants including Hotel Hershey, Stocks on Second, the ever popular Ted's on Route 22, the Warwick Hotel, and many, many more. 


Leading the Sponsorship thrust were M&T Bank and United Concordia as Bronze Sponsors and Tri-State Shredding, our Cart Sponsor. Chick-fil-A® was our Breakfast Sponsor, and kept our players well fed until lunch.


"We are proud of all the golf teams that formed and came out to play with some of the Hershey Bears alumni, and we are proud of our Leadership Sponsors as well as the litany of tee and green sponsors," exclaimed Craig George, President of The Arc of Dauphin County.

 "What's more, I couldn't be more excited about the exemplary work and dedication shown by the Standing Golf Committee, and many staff members who rallied hard to make this the best golf outing for our players ever." he added. 

George went on to explain that many of The Arc's staff and board plus a volunteer from outside The Arc organization have met regularly for over a year working on the success of the project....and are already hard at work for next year.

 "Already, we have met to launch the 3rd Annual Million Dollar Golf Outing on September 17, 2018 at Deer Valley," he concluded.

Many of our consumers were on hand this year including our Super Six group who helped as witnesses at the shoot-out holes, and Brielle Taylor, Miss Arc 2018, who greeted guests using her communication device. "Keep Your Head Down," she advised many players.




 

An Important Message from The Arc of the United States

The Arc of Dauphin County received the message below from the National Arc in Washington, DC. 

We are sharing it with our members and supporters now. Please be sure to click on the link to get a personal message from the National Arc President.  
If you cannot retrieve it, please call our office and we will send it to you by U.S. Mail. 717-920-2727.


Thank You for Your Advocacy

Thank you! This is because of the hard work of advocates like you, across the country. You called, you rallied, you shared your story - and once again, you showed the power of the disability community.

You can read The Arc's statement on this news:
https://blog.thearc.org/2017/09/26/disability-rights-protected-arc-senate-not-voting-graham-cassidy-week/

The Arc is deeply grateful for your advocacy and proud to be with you in in the challenges ahead.

When and How to Become a Legislative Advocate
By  PA Rep. Mauree Gingrich, Ret.

PA Rep. Mauree Gingrich, Ret.
The decades I spent in the Pennsylvania Legislature provided me with a great deal of hands-on experience in advocacy, for numerous and diverse issues. 

As a new member of The Arc of Dauphin County Board of Trustees, I am happy to share some recommendations so that our Arc initiatives will be both efficient and effective.

We are all advocates in some way, either formally or informally. However, if legislation action is the goal, the critical component is that you have a clear and concise message and communicate it in a way the will engage the legislator or his/her aide. 

Legislative advocacy is basically working with individual lawmakers to gain support for your cause or initiative. At times, it will require Legislative action and the introduction of a bill that will require funding and regulation changes.  


Time is always paramount when scheduling time with a legislator. Recognize that their schedules are demanding and be prepared and appreciative of their time. I will attempt to share a brief guideline that will be helpful.

In order to be effective, there are two basic elements:  Stay focused on your message and be proactive/timely. Advocacy is the most effective way to move your initiative forward and puts focus on your issue. Getting to know lawmakers will help them understand the cause/concern and make them more likely to listen as issues arise.

Timing is critical to success. Please understand that legislative memories can be short, due to the many issues that come before them. Thus, it is important to know when a significant push is crucial. For instance, you must act when a bill is filed that affects the issue either in a positive or negative manner. 

Of course, if it involves a funding issue, it is essential that your voice be heard while they are deliberating the budget decisions. If a bill has been passed and it hurts the cause, act quickly in conjunction with a legislator to craft an amendment to correct the impact. It is important that legislators be aware that the issue exists, making a clear and concise message the cornerstone and one with which they are already familiar.

Remember, advocacy is an investment. You are in it for the long term, with periodic well-timed legislative hard pushes. Ongoing communication and building relationships with your own legislator and their staff has utmost value. Do some research/homework regarding legislators that have a voting record in support of issues related to the disabled population. You will find them open to your conversations and often willing to introduce you to other legislators that can help. 

Find out which lawmakers serve on the committees that deal with disabled issues. Know the issue inside and out:  Be able to explain it in a way that the average person can fully understand in a very short conversation.
A personal meeting with your own legislator is the best way to begin a relationship, remembering that respect for their time and a concise message are the secret to success. 

Legislators are always interested in what their constituents (voters) have to say regarding the votes they make on their constituents' behalf. Individual email communication and phone contacts are the most convenient ways to share valuable input when a personal meeting is not possible. 

Remember to personalize your message. Form style email or mail contact will be filed under "number of calls for or against" a bill/initiative but it will be fully considered under a voter's individual name! Legislators sometimes need to be reminded that your vote and the votes of all those supporting the disability issues WILL matter in their next election.

Find the contact information for your own PA State Representative at palegis.us.


Life, Animated
A Story of Sidekicks, Heroes, and Autism


This is the title of a book and a documentary based on the real life
experience of Owen Suskind, son of Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist
Ron Suskind.
 
At the age of three Owen, a seemingly typical talkative child, became
unable to process speech and his only comfort became the Disney
animated films he loved before autism struck.
 
During the years that followed the family was able to communicate with
little Owen by "becoming" the animated characters.
 
On April 15, 2018 author Ron Suskind will discuss his book, followed by  a screening of the documentary adaptation of the book.
 
Location: Jewish Community Center of Harrisburg, Mark Sachs Auditorium.
Phone: 717.233.1682                                              

Upcoming Events


October 6, 2017

First Friday Dance

Hosted by:   The Arc of Dauphin County
Location: The Arc of Dauphin County , 2569 Walnut Street, Harrisburg, PA
     
Time:  5:30 PM - 7:30 PM

Fee: $5

Our Art, Our Voice! Art Show Deadline

October 27, 2017

Deadline for our Art Show. Have your art turned in with entry form by 4:00 PM this date!



Classifieds

VOLUNTEERS WANTED
Do you like organization?  The Arc of Dauphin County seeks energized, "want to make the world a better place" volunteers to help us with our new FOA (Friends of The Arc) program, filing, organizing our many closets of supplies, materials and other assets.  Even one day a month would be wonderful help!  Call Barb Bressler at 717.920.2727.
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ISO: VOLUNTEER ARCHIVIST
The "penthouse" level of our Respite Center Building (RCB) is becoming our Archive.  This beautiful space has its own independent heating and cooling system, it is very, very quiet on this floor, and you would be working on your own schedule to organize seven years of records.  The Archive will be divided into seven departments, and over time, the Archivist of The Arc will get all seven departments organized and searchable.  The Archivist candidate will need to pass FBI background checks, and other background checks.  Must also be able to lift a "banker's box" of files, and able to climb two flights of stairs to reach the Archive.  This is a very special volunteer opportunity for a very special person, and will remain open until filled.  For more information, please contact Craig George at cgeorge@arcofdc.org , and specify in the subject line: ARCHIVES.
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DANCE & DINE
Your place to socialize and enjoy the music is The Arc of Dauphin County.  For nearly a decade we have been offering "First Friday Dances" complete with a DJ spinning your favorite tunes.  $5.00 covers entrance and hot dogs, cookies, soda, etc. (free to Charter Members of The Arc of Dauphin County)
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HELP WANTED
The Arc of Dauphin County is Hiring!  E-mail  hr@arcofdc.org to find out about any of the following opportunities:

CONSULTANT in the Positive Behavior Support Department.  A Bachelor's degree and certification/training in ABA techniques are requirements for this full-time temporary opportunity.
                 
RESPITE CARE COUNSELOR - seeking one part-time person to provide support in our Respite program.  

We also have the following unpaid internship available:

ADVANCEMENT ASSISTANT - responsible for assisting the organization in the development and implementation of its marketing, business development (fundraising, grant research and writing, etc.), and public relations plans
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DONATIONS      
Help support our friends with disabilities through our advocacy, education, consumer programs, life in the community/inclusion, and so much more!  Your gift ensures our non-profit can continue to provide the best services possible.  Our new Respite Center, which will open after the first of the year, will also benefit from your generosity.  Please e-mail Craig George at   cgeorge@arcofdc.org , or call the main switchboard at 717.920.2727.
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PLANNED GIVING          
If you are thinking long term, so are we!  Planning for the future, The Arc of Dauphin County will soon launch a Planned Giving program, which will allow our supporters who own a house or other real estate, who have paid up life insurance policies, or who would like to contribute to a trust or an Arc Endowment, as well as many other planned gift vehicles, to think long term with us.  Did you know without proper planning, the largest benefactor of your estate will be Uncle Sam?  Many planned gifts pass outside of probate from you to your loved ones and other beneficiaries, such as The Arc of Dauphin County.  For a confidential consultation, please e-mail Craig George at cgeorge@arcofdc.org or call the main switchboard at 717.920.2727.

Visit us at www.arcofdc.org.