~To empower, educate and connect those living without both arms or all four limbs. |
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{ January 2022 Newsletter } |
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Executive Director's Message
We hope the new year is off to a good start for everyone!
Do you know someone who has lost both arms or all four limbs and would benefit from seeing how someone else prepares a meal, eats, bathes themselves or gets dressed? Are you a family member or someone who works with limb loss individuals? If so, the Virtual Skills for Life 5 1/2 Recordings are now available so make sure to read below for more information on how to access the recordings.
Skills for Life 6 is coming up in about 8 months (if you are watching our countdown clock, it is about 250 days away to be more exact). We would love to add your company name to our sponsor list below, keep reading for details and thank you in advance for your continued support of this amazing workshop and our SFL community!
We are super excited about our events taking place in 2022! In addition to the Skills for Life workshop, Ronnie's annual bowling tournament, is happening in less than 2 weeks. It is an incredible fundraiser, but is also turning into a mini Skills for Life reunion with at least 9 folks traveling in to participate!
Lots of details included below so make sure to stay subscribed to these emails or keep checking back for additional updates on our website. These are two amazing opportunities for face to face connections with our SFL community after a nearly two year hiatus.
Looking forward to an exciting 2022 and reconnecting face to face with everyone again!
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Virtual Skills for Life Recordings Now Available!
For our Virtual Skills for Life 5 1/2 Attendees, you should have received an email in the last 1-2 weeks with links to the Workshop recordings. If you did not receive this email, check your spam folder or request a new link.
If you are a limb loss individual who did not register or attend the virtual workshop, please contact us to obtain your link.
If you are a healthcare professional who did not register or attend, please click here, to place your order via a donation. Your order will allow us to continue providing support to our SFL community and continue to provide these valuable resources for family members or those who work in the limb loss rehabilitation field.
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Ronnie's 4th Annual Bowling Tournament |
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Ronnie is hosting his 4th Annual Bowling Tournament in Livingston, TX February 12-13, 2021. Which is less than 2 weeks away now! Ronnie is still accepting donated items to include in the raffle or silent auction that takes place during the tournament. Click here to read more and fill out this form if you have something you would like to donate (weekend getaways, gift cards, homemade crafts, etc).
You don't have to bowl if you come, and you don't need to bring anything special with you, you just need to bring yourself and be ready to have fun. If you want to give bowling a try, we will have some equipment for you to test out. There is always a good life hack tip to be shared, lots of socializing and awesome raffle/silent auction items to win!
HOTEL INFORMATION
We have a block of rooms at La Quinta in Livingston, TX for $65/night + tax! Please make your own hotel reservations by calling 936-328-5299 and tell them you are with the Skills for Life Bowling Tournament. You will not get the above rate by booking online so make sure you give them a call. If you apply for a scholarship/grant, Enhancing Skills for Life will take care of the hotel bill upon checkout and will reimburse you for your flight once we have your receipt.
We have NINE folks from our Skills for Life community traveling to Livingston! This event will be an awesome way to get some of our crew together after all this time apart and have some fun. The tournament helps raise money for a great cause and it will be super cool to watch Ronnie, Jason, Sam, Chrissy, JJ, Dawn, Wayne, Billy, Kelly and James hopefully bowl some strikes! Still time to join us!
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Skills for Life 6 Latest Information
The first ever Skills for Life workshop was held in Denver, CO in 2002. The upcoming SIXTH workshop will mark a significant milestone as it will be the 20th Anniversary of these amazing workshops!
The Skills for Life Workshops are unique events dedicated to people who are living without both arms or all four limbs. They include sessions devoted specifically to issues these individuals face on a daily basis. Presenters include those living with limb loss, family members, therapists, prosthetists, physicians, case managers and many exciting others. We hope to see you in Houston, TX October 5-9, 2022 for our 20th Anniversary!!
PROGRAM LAYOUT
PLEASE NOTE, there will NOT be a call for abstracts this year, but if you want to ensure a particular subject is addressed, please make sure to email us. We took your feedback from Skills for Life 5 and 5 1/2 as well as the zoom sessions we held over the last year. We have been keeping a detailed list and we are excited about how the SFL 6 Program is shaping up. We will have a dedicated block of time for ADL's including dressing, bathing, toileting, meal preparation/eating, and adaptive equipment, etc, Our sponsors will also share their latest updates, as well as discussions on pain management, return to work, trauma/coping, intimacy, makerspace, smart homes, congenital limb difference, sepsis and more.
ACTIVITY DAY(S)
The ever popular ACTIVITY DAY will also be back, bigger and better than ever! Look for an exciting boot camp opportunity with Hanger Clinic's Kevin Carroll and Cameron Clapp on Friday morning, October 7th. Additional info and details will be made available in the coming months. We are also looking forward to a swim clinic opportunity led by swim coaches from Challenged Athlete’s Foundation (CAF) on Saturday, October 8th.
We will definitely have your favorites from years past as well like, Kids Korner, Adaptive Gaming with Warfighter Engaged, Biking, Swimming, Exercise Class, Art Class, Cooking Demo and many other fun opportunities. Stay tuned!
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Change a Life, Donate Today
The Skills for Life workshop was developed 20 years ago with a specific focus on people missing both arms or all four limbs and the unique set of circumstances they face on a daily basis. Please consider donating so everyone who wants to has a chance to attend this life changing international event!
To donate, please click the button in this section. If you make a donation of $950 or higher, you will be recognized as a HERO Sponsor at Skills for Life 6. Feel free to leave a note with your donation if sponsoring a particular individual or multiple individuals.
Any and all donations, large or small, are greatly appreciated! To show our appreciation, your name will be listed on our Skills for Life 6 website and in our Skills for Life Program!
Enhancing Skills for Life, 501c3 Tax ID: 81-2619137.
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SFL 6 Hotel & Registration Information
Hotel Reservation link is now available!!
Our Skills for Life 6 Workshop will be held at the JW Marriott Houston by the Galleria, 5150 Westheimer Rd, Houston, TX 77056
*Cutoff reservation date is September 14, 2022
Pro Tip: Book now as you can always cancel later if you don't end up being able to come.
Event registration link coming soon...
Once registration opens, you will use Eventbrite to guarantee your spot at Skills for Life. If you are a limb loss/limb different individual, remember your registration is free, but you will still need to complete the online process. All other registrations range from $150-$650.
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SFL 6 Scholarship Applications
Limb loss individuals may apply for financial assistance to help offset their travel and lodging expenses (up to $1,000 USD) in order to attend a Skills for Life event or something similar. Applications will be processed in the order they were received. Someone from the scholarship committee will contact you within 24-48 hours of your application. Recipients will be notified with plenty of time to make travel arrangements. Lodging will be paid directly to the hotel.
PLEASE NOTE: You will still need to register for the conference through Eventbrite (coming soon). Follow up emails and/or phone calls will be necessary, so make sure your contact information is accurate.
Click here or the button in this section to start your scholarship application. Please contact us with any questions.
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Become a Skills for Life 6 Sponsor/Exhibitor Today!
Thank You to TIRR Memorial Hermann (Platinum), Fillauer (Gold), Ossur (Bronze), Point Designs (Exhibitor) and USISPO (Global Outreach) for their support of the upcoming SFL 6 Workshop! Our amazing sponsors can also be found at the end of this newsletter. We would love to add your company name to our list!
The Skills for Life workshop is only possible because of our generous sponsors, donors and exhibitors! We have many levels of sponsorship available so click on the application link or button in this section to learn more on how to get involved.
Our exhibit area is a big hit for many of our attendees and it is a great opportunity for companies and care providers to show off products as well as connect directly with limb loss individuals. Please consider becoming a sponsor or exhibitor at SFL 6 and contact us with any questions.
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Shawn Swanson Johnson, OT (co-chair)
Kristi Turner, OT (co-chair)
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Diane Atkins, OT
Nathalie Atkins
John Dombo
Zach Harvey, CP
Wendy Hill, OT
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Scott Hosie, CP
Danielle Melton, MD
Wayne Moorehead
Eric Nelson
Levin Sliker, PhD
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Fanny Schultea, CP
Kim Steele
Mike St Onge
Patricia Tully, OT
Peggy Turner, CTRS
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Mike St Onge, Chair
Jeff Mulvogue, Treasurer
Annae Jones, Secretary
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John Dombo
Harold Sears, PhD
Gerry Stark, CP
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Steve Kaestle
Karen Lundquist
Mara Herschbach
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Thank you Skills for Life 6 Sponsors! |
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Gold Sponsor & Repair Booth |
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Help us continue to provide meaningful connections! |
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Scholarships
Limb loss individuals may apply for scholarships to attend Skills for Life workshops or other events where there are opportunities for face to face interaction with individuals missing at least both arms or all four limbs (Amputee Coalition National Conference, Quad Squad Muster, Camp No Limits, etc). Financial assistance requests need to be completed and submitted online. Please be as thorough as possible in your applications and provide good contact information as follow up emails or phone calls may be necessary. Please contact Kristi Turner with any questions.
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ESFL is an AmazonSmile Charity
Consider choosing Enhancing Skills for Life as your 501c3 charity on AmazonSmile! When customers shop on AmazonSmile (smile.amazon.com), the AmazonSmile Foundation will donate 0.5% of the price of eligible purchases to Enhancing Skills for Life. When first visiting AmazonSmile, you will be prompted to select a charitable organization. Why not choose Enhancing Skills for Life? Click HERE to change your current AmazonSmile charity to ESFL today!
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Contact Us | 713-240-8336 | Email
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