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 ARISE Newsletter —Fall 2011

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 In this Edition

     

    Patience and Teamwork Pay Off For Everyone

    Plato's Closet is not a typical secondhand clothing store. It only buys and resells brand-name clothing, shoes, and accessories in good condition. It is a fashionable store where young adults can find the current trends for up to 70% lower than original retail price. It is also a store that has worked with the ARISE Supported Employment program to hire individuals with disabilities.

    Jessica Clark, Operations Manager for four franchises in Syracuse and Rochester, and Angeline Jonga, Store Manager for the Plato's Closet in Dewitt, were pleased to hire Erin in March through the ARISE Supported Employment service. Erin was outgoing and a good fit for the atmosphere of the store. An ARISE Job Coach came to work with Erin in order to help her learn her job duties.

    For the first few months, Erin did well and seemed happy. As summer approached, Clark noticed that there were some days when Erin wasn't as outgoing and cheerful. "I wanted to reach out to her," Clark said. "I wanted to see her in an environment where she felt more productive."

    Erin had not fully grasped the transition that would take place as her Job Coach spent less time at work with her. She also was experiencing some personal issues outside of work. Erin's motivation decreased noticeably. After discussion and careful consideration, the store's owners decided that Erin's inconsistency was cause for termination. "I had to fire her; it was the most depressing day," Jonga said.

    Working with a service coordinator, Erin was able to get through the personal and family difficulties she was experiencing. With support from ARISE, Erin found the courage to ask for her job back in August.

    Clark hired Erin again with an agreement about specific conditions that had to be met. Clark also chose to make some changes to Erin's previous position in order to create a more positive situation. Clark spread Erin's hours over two days per week instead of one. Erin was assigned different projects so she could see a finished product at the end of her shift. Perhaps most importantly, Clark and Jonga went out of their way to make Erin feel a sense of camaraderie with the entire team.

    "We're about people and setting them up for the future," Clark said. "We want to be known as a business that is approachable and has a great relationship among the staff." With open communication, Erin is able to talk to her managers if she feels anything is wrong at work or in her personal life. Her new schedule and job duties have created a sense of satisfaction for Erin and for her employer.

    "She is definitely an asset," Jonga said while talking about the great job Erin did in re-stocking clothes during the busy back-to-school rush.

    Plato's Closet is celebrating its one-year anniversary in its Dewitt location. It is a pleasure to work with the entire team at Plato's Closet. We salute their dedication to providing a welcoming workplace for people of all abilities.

    October was National Disability Employment Awareness Month. We would be delighted to work with your company to place skilled employees. To find out how, contact Darlene Klock at (315) 671-3083.

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    From the Executive Director

    I have never played "Truth or Dare", but I do know a dare when I hear one. Two of our service coordinators in Oswego County, Lisa and Jennifer, ganged up on me to say, "We want you to spend a day with us, to learn what our jobs are really like." And I did. On September 14, I accompanied service coordinators as they visited adults, teens and children, and, in a number of situations, their families. I am in my 10th year of work at ARISE, with many fine days, but I believe this day topped them all.

    I spent the day as a sponge, soaking up impressions of what happens when a service coordinator connects positively with individuals and families. And what I soaked up was a series of wonderful moments.

    Jennifer summed up much of the wonder when she told me after each visit: "Here's what I learn from this family." Her work was always two-way; she would offer recommendations or support; the individual or family member would share thoughts about interests and goals, and always appreciation for her presence as an ARISE worker. The same was true with each service coordinator at each visit.

    I am sure that such fine work is not limited to that of the service coordinators I followed. We have 543 employees at last count, working primarily in Onondaga, Madison, and Oswego counties. They function in many different roles, and consistently work "with" (not just "for") those who participate in the 50 programs and activities of ARISE. And working in ways that make a difference.

    If you read this newsletter, you will get a sense of effective relationships, the two-way streets, as ARISE workers engage with participants. And further how the work changes systems, and makes a major difference to open our communities to the talents of all of its members. Read on. I dare you.

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    Exceptional Artists Acknowledged

    ARISE Executive Director Tom McKeown was pleased to join Jennifer Lea, the ARISE staff member who coordinates our participation in the Madison County Exceptional Artworks program, at a reception recognizing artists. The collaborative art program encourages people with disabilities to create and display artwork.

    Congratulations to ARISE artist participants including Diane B, William D, Jodie G, Anastasia V, and Josh W.

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    Madison County Courthouse Accessibility Update!

    For quite some time, the Madison County Courthouse in Wampsville has been the only non-accessible courthouse in New York State. ARISE and many community advocates raised this issue in 2009 when the courthouse celebrated its 100th anniversary. With strong action by advocates who initiated a private ADA Title II lawsuit, a settlement agreement has been reached that will make the courthouse accessible to people who have mobility impairments.

    A fully functional lower level court room will be accessible through a newly installed elevator, the back entrance will be made wheelchair accessible, and a call box will be installed at the front door where individuals can request assistance. We applaud everyone involved in demanding and negotiating for this change.

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    Town of Hannibal Revises Codes for Access Ramps

    Until recently, the Town of Hannibal required that any ramp be set back 80 feet from state and county highways in the town, and 60 feet back from any town road. This made it nearly impossible to obtain approval for ramps. Jim Karasek, the Independent Living Manager in ARISE's Oswego County Office, met with the Town Supervisor and the Codes Department to discuss ways to comply more fully with the ADA and make the community more user-friendly to people with disabilities.

    Beginning in September, setbacks for ramps are waived as long as the end of the ramp is positioned to ensure the safety and welfare of people using the ramp. The Oswego County Ramp Program has already built two ramps in Hannibal because of this change.

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    SU Offers Accessible Design Competition

    The collaboration between the Industrial and Interaction Design (IID) program at Syracuse University's College of Visual and Performing Arts and industry insiders led to some outstanding work by juniors participating in the recent IID 360 Competition. Students are challenged to create a design that fits a proposed design brief. This year's theme was "accessibility within the home," with a secondary focus on "reach."

    Agnes McCray, ARISE Board Member and President of the Consumer Council, and Beata Karpinska-Prehn, ARISE Advocacy Manager, provided input in the judging process. The winner was Josh Tsai, who designed the "EZCart," a rolling tripod with dimensions similar to a walking cane that has hooks for hanging grocery bags. Second place went to Julia Byron, who designed a fully-accessible vanity station. It is wonderful to see creative energy placed around form and function.

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    Caring Administrator Makes Transitioning Between Schools Easier in Oswego

    Lisa Seguin, Senior Medicaid Service Coordinator in the ARISE Oswego Office, received a wonderful phone call in August from Mary Beth Fierro, Principal of the Middle School in the Oswego City School District. Ms. Fierro read Lisa's article in the August 2011 ARISE Oswego County Newsletter about the challenges her 13-year old daughter and other children with disabilities face as they transition from elementary school to middle school, and she wanted to help. Ms. Fierro and her staff met with parents and children to give tours, to facilitate introductions to new teachers, and do a dry-run for a new bus pickup. This process helped start the school year off right for several students with disabilities. We are grateful to Principal Fierro for her proactive approach and her concern for all students.

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    UNIQUE 2011 Travels Through the Area

    After a stunning opening at the Everson Museum of Art in August, art and literary pieces featured in the 2011 edition of UNIQUE Magazine are traveling through Central New York. We are thrilled to be working with new partners and delighted that existing partners were waiting to feature this year's body of work.
    Selected pieces were on display at Temple Adath Yeshurun. Steven Kern, Executive Director of the Everson Musuem of Art and a UNIQUE Editorial Board member, spoke about the role of art in self-expression and human connection at the Temple's Saturday morning services on October 1. The show remained on display during Temple Adath Yeshurun's Citizen of the Year Dinner.

    A portion of the UNIQUE artwork was displayed at Syracuse Stage during the entire run of "The Boys Next Door," a play about four adults with developmental disabilities living in a group home. Syracuse Stage hosted a special reception for the artists on October 20.
    The UNIQUE 2011 artwork was on display at a special one-night reception and show at the Fulton Municipal Building Community Room on October 27. Mayor Ronald L. Woodward Sr. welcomed community members who came to celebrate the artists. We were grateful for the opportunity to have this large event in Oswego County.

    Future exhibits will be at King + King Architects in December, and at the Golisano Children's Hospital and the SUNY Upstate Medical University Health Sciences Library early in the new year. To check on the dates for upcoming exhibits, please check the website at uniquemagazine.org.

    We are very grateful to sponsors of UNIQUE 2011, the Editorial Board members, the Everson Museum of Art, and the other venues that will host the work. Most importantly, we want to thank the artists and writers for sharing their vision and voice.
    UNIQUE 2011 magazine is available at the exhibits and ARISE offices. Note cards and a 2012 calendar featuring selected pieces from the magazine are available for purchase at ARISE offices.

    Premier Sponsor

    • The Drescher Corporation

    Eleventh Edition Sponsors

    • J.W. Burns & Company Investment Counsel
    • Haylor, Freyer & Coon, Inc.

    Patrons of the Arts

    • Green & Seifter, Attorneys, PLLC
    • Daisy & Paul Nojaim
    • PurEnergy L.L.C.
    • Relph Benefit Advisors
    • V.I.P. Structures, Inc.

    Friends of UNIQUE

    • The Bonadio Group
    • INFICON, Inc.

    Media Sponsors

    • Y94FM
    • NewsChannel 9 WSYR

    Opening Exhibit Partner

    • Everson Museum of Art

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    Great Food and Great Music for a Great Cause!

    What fun it was to welcome friends and supporters to the second annual ARISE Up Singing event! While terrific Folkus Project volunteers worked to set everything up for the concert, guests enjoyed delicious food donated by Sparky Town Restaurant and Catering. Linda "Sparky" Mortimer personally served the food while concert goers enjoyed a series of open-mic performances as they bid on more than fifty items available in the silent auction.

    Jeffrey Pepper Rodgers, Dana "Short Order" Cooke and Christopher Weiss warmed up the audience in a round-robin format before John Cadley and friends played an extended set featuring new songs as well as familiar tunes to long-time fans. The evening closed with all of the musicians performing together.

    We are grateful for the fantastic food and music, and the support showed by all for the inclusive winter recreation provided through ARISE & Ski. We will see you on the slopes at Toggenburg in January!

    Special Thanks To:

    • John Cadley
    • Jeffrey Pepper Rodgers
    • Dana "Short Order" Cooke
    • Christopher Weiss
    • Integrated Marketing
    • May Memorial Unitarian Universalist Society
    • Alliance Bank
    • The Folkus Project
    • Sparkytown Restaurant
    • B104.7
    • Toggenburg Winter Sports Center

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    ARISE Foundation Begins Work

    The ARISE Board of Directors took an important step and opened a new chapter in the ARISE story. The ARISE Foundation was created to promote, solicit, receive, provide stewardship, and administer gifts, bequests, endowments or any charitable contribution made in support of the mission, programs, and activities of ARISE.

    Twelve people have been appointed to the serve on the Board of Directors of the ARISE Foundation, including ARISE Board members Agnes McCray and Don Scholl, and ARISE Executive Director Tom McKeown. We are grateful to all of these individuals for making this important commitment.

    The Foundation has spent the past several months coordinating the first annual ARISE and Ride at the Farm, soliciting support for UNIQUE Magazine, and assisting with the second annual ARISE Up Singing concert to benefit ARISE & Ski. Through those efforts, a record number of people came to the Farm this summer, new partners have become involved with UNIQUE magazine and exhibits, and more people have heard about ARISE services in Onondaga, Oswego, and Madison counties.

    We are seeking people who would like to join us on this new journey. Have you or a family member been touched by ARISE? Would you be interested in learning about ways to support our work that would also benefit your business? Can you help us spread the word about our programs and services? We'd love to talk with you.

    Be on the lookout for more from the ARISE Foundation, or get involved right now by contacting Nancy Kronen at (315) 671-2903.

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    Raby's Helps Make a Difference

    We wish to thank Peter Raby and Robert Raby of Raby's Ace Home Center in Oswego as they again demonstrated their commitment to the community. The store recently made a donation to our Oswego County Ramp Program, which provides ramps at the homes of people with mobility impairments.

    We extend our gratitude to Raby's for their generosity and continued support of independence and access for all.

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    ARISE Helps Kick off United Way Campaign at Ninth Kickoff Cookoff

    As a recipient of critical program funding from the United Way in both Onondaga and Oswego counties, we were thrilled to take part once again in the United Way of Central New York's Campaign Kickoff Cookoff at the Regional Market. Our black forest ham pinwheels were a big hit.

    Our own internal United Way Campaign is off and running toward another year of 100% staff participation. We are proud to LIVE UNITED.

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    Homecoming at ARISE at the Farm

    Thanks to the generosity of SUNY Morrisville and Lucille McDermott, three new horses now call ARISE at the Farm home. Banjo, Teddy, and Gypsy have received a warm reception from Farm participants, staff, and volunteers. The three new members of the stable will soon be at work helping children and adults of all abilities through adaptive and therapeutic riding, and/or accessible cart driving.

    We are so grateful to these generous friends and to everyone who supports inclusive recreation at ARISE at the Farm.

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    Thank You to Our Donors

    ARISE thanks the following individuals and organizations who made donations from August 1 to October 21, 2011 to support our many programs and services.

    • Chris Arnold and Ellen Yeomans
    • Janine Backmann
    • Ann Barnes
    • bc Restaurant
    • Stephen Bennett
    • Kathy Blakeman
    • BNY Mellon Community Partnership
    • Marian Budnar
    • John Cadley
    • Café Kubal
    • Frank Calidonna
    • Jason Cassuliss
    • Dana "Short Order" Cooke
    • Michele Cousineau
    • Meg Daniels
    • P. Drescher Incorporated
    • The Dump Boutique and Image Studio
    • Elizabeth Dunn
    • First Baptist Church of Manlius
    • Flamingo Bowl
    • MJ Gelsomino
    • Laurie and Joe Gerardi
    • Bob and Pam Getek
    • Andrea Hall
    • Michael Harwood
    • John's Service Center
    • Rosie Jordan
    • Beata Karpinska-Prehn
    • Kinsella Quarries
    • Carol Kranz
    • Bob Knauff
    • Kristine's Haircuts
    • Nancy Kronen and Doug Eaton
    • Lamb's Ear
    • Melissa LaNigra
    • Joseph Lebediker
    • The Lighthouse Station
    • Lockheed Martin Employees Federated Fund
    • Lupien's Gifts & Engravings
    • Karen Lynch
    • Richelle Maki
    • Jim Maniccia
    • Regina Marcinkiewicz
    • Lucille McDermott
    • Denise McGraw
    • Tom and Lynne McKeown
    • New York State Fair
    • Pathfinder Bank
    • Christian Poirier
    • Marudhu Ramachandran
    • Reefer Compressor and Parts, Inc.
    • Jeffrey Pepper Rodgers
    • Rick Ryan
    • Pamela Sartori
    • Trisha Schwartz
    • SGMC OCC
    • Cil and John Sindoni
    • SUNY Morrisville
    • Syracuse Crunch Hockey Club
    • Trout Fishing in America
    • Joyce Van Deburg
    • Village Ace Hardware
    • Vollmer's Farm Market
    • Christopher Weiss
    • Works of Thine Hands Watercolors
    • Laura Zellers

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Gifts in Tribute

ARISE thanks the following individuals and organizations who made gifts in memory of or in honor of a friend or family member between August 9 and October 21, 2011.

Gifts in Memory of Howard Paster

  • Michael and Jane Reagan

Gifts in Memory of David Rothwell

  • Dickson and Carol Rothwell

Gifts in Memory of Collin R. Smith

  • Steven and Sabine Ingerson

Gifts in Honor of the ARISE Foundation

  • Jeffrey Grimshaw

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