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Happy October Birthday!
Shannon McEwan
10/2/1997
Nikolas Mazzella
10/2/1997
Ty Shealy
10/3/1987
Christopher Drew
10/17/2000
Camdyn DuVall
10/18/2006
Gage Tichenor
10/22/2000
Marina Donadio
10/23/2005
Chaz Wilson
10/24/1993
Paul Kloos
10/24/1008
Ashley Oravec
10/24/2004
Boaz Reigstad
10/30/2005
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Karyn Frederick
Lisa Cassasa
Fairhaven School
Jim Dascenzo
Nick Zuzzolo
Sue Joe, NDSC
Joseph Bettura
Linda Maiorana
Maggie Bogdan
Stacey Navarro
Debbie & Richard Rose & family
In Memory of Dorothy Kijowski
Catherine, Jeff & John Campana
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A special thank you to all those who volunteered at the DSAV Booth during the 164th Canfield Fair!
Walter KijowskiMichele Jones
Kelly & Chris Donadio
Norma & Joe Conti
Joe Bettura
Linda Maiorana
Judy & Ray Donadio
Rose & Nathan DePizzo
Eddie Neer
Gerri & Ron Slipski
Jack & Kathy Trella
Cindy Williams & family
Heidi Herman Lyndsey Morris
Jan & Dave Gordon
Jill and Roscoe Collins
Paula Houy & family
Carli Wojciak & family
Linda Freeze & family
Tawnia Beckwith & Allysa
Zina & Mike Iacobucci
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DSAV office hours
2nd & 4th Monday
10:00am - 11:30am
Tuesdays & Thursdays
11:30am - 1:00pm
other times by appointment
Our office is staffed by volunteers. It is always best to call ahead before stopping in. Occasionally the hours change due to scheduling conflicts. |
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This video created by the sister of a little girl with Down syndrome is a huge "hit" on YouTube.
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Young adults CAN!
Watch this inspiring news story about a young man in Pittsburgh and the school program that provided him with the skills necessary to be able to live on his own and hold two jobs!
Providing life skills programs for young adults in transistion is a long-range goal of the DSAV. If this is an area of interest to you, contact us.
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Watch this great video as two High School football teams come together to make a young man's dream a reality!
As Ike's dad said, "...every kid out on the field has a special need. I personally don't know of anyone that has it all together. Ike scored a touchdown only because of the simple act of true sportsmanship and tolerance ..."
That is what we all want...to be given a chance! |
A free appropriate public education.
In a nutshell, FAPE is an individualized educational program that is designed to meet the child's unique needs and from which the child receives educational benefit, and prepares them for further education, employment, and independent living.
To find out more about IDEA, FAPE, special education law, education law, and advocacy for children with disabilities, visit Wrightslaw. |
Photos keep coming, we have to keep sharing....
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Dear Members & Friends,
Cooler temperatures and falling leaves are a sure sign that Autumn is here. The annual DSAV member costume party helps bring some fun to the crisp October days. At this year's party we will be drawing for the wonderful Orlando getaway. You still have time to buy tickets for the Orlando trip.
Have you joined us on Facebook? We have a group and a fan page. We try to update both on a regular basis. Be sure to join both to keep up to date and tell others to join us, too.
October is National Down Syndrome Awareness month. You should see the NDSC "More Alike than Different" posters that we have displayed around the valley. The "Buddy Wall" posters are displayed in the DSAV Center for Success windows. If you didn't get a a chance to see them at the Buddy Walk or the Canfield Fair, stop by and take a look. If you would like a More Alike than Different poster to display, let us know. Down Syndrome Education International (DownsEd) is bringing their education conference to Cleveland on November 3rd - 5th. This world renowned Ds organization offers materials and resources based on their extensive research and development throughout the UK and the world. The DSAV is happy to provide scholarships to a number of our parent and professional members to attend. We look forward to hearing from them following the conference.
Remember, resources are available at the DSAV Center for Success. The office is open a few hours a week and we are in the process of adding more office help and hours.
We hope to see many of you at some of the upcoming events.
~Kelly Donadio
DSAV Co-founder |
Orlando, Florida Get-A-Way
Support the DSAV and purchase raffle tickets for a fabulous prize package with a total value of over $2300 including:
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7 day/6 night Orlando Area resort stay
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2 Round-Trip Allegiant air travel vouchers
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4 one-day Walt Disney World Park Hopper Passes
 Tickets on sale for $10 each. Stop in at the DSAV Center for Success in Boardman, Mega Insurance Group offices in Lisbon and East Liverpool, Northeast Ohio Orthopedics in Warren to purchase tickets or e-mail Michele.
Drawing will be held on October 24, 2010 at Creekside Gardens, Warren at the annual DSAV Costume Party. Winner need not be present.
Members, family and friends are welcome to sell tickets.
For each set of 5 ticket stubs returned and completed by October 15, the seller will be entered into an incentive prize drawing with a chance to win additional prizes just for selling the tickets!! Contact Michele with any questions.
Thank you for your continued support of the DSAV!!
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National Down Syndrome Awareness Month |
In promoting National Down Syndrome Awareness month, the DSAV is again spearheading the Library Display Awareness Project (LiDAP), throughout the region for the month of October. Volunteers contact local public and school libraries and are responsible for setting up and removing Down syndrome materials, books, and posters in locked display cases. It is our goal to set up library displays in every county that we serve.
If you are interested in volunteering for this worthwhile program contact Michele. Anyone can volunteer to contact the public library or school library nearest you. If a locked display case is available materials can be picked up at the DSAV Center for Success in Boardman to be used in the display cases. Please consider volunteering your time to spread Down syndrome awareness throughout the communities in which we live and work!
The DSAV is proud to be an affiliate member of the National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS), the National Down Syndrome Congress (NDSC) and the Down Syndrome Affiliate in Action (DsAIA). Together with these organizations, we can have a positive effect on our society's view of people with Ds. As you go through National Down Syndrome Awareness month this October, make every effort to focus on the abilities of those with Down syndrome and help celebrate who they are and all they can do! |
Family Grants |
Applications are again available for the DSAV Family Grant program.
Since the inception of the DSAV Family Grant program in the fall of 2009, over $20,000 has been awarded to DSAV member families!
These grants have enabled individuals with Down syndrome to participate in swimming lessons, football programs, summer camps and therapies as well as provide eyeglasses, orthotics, medical co-pays and adaptive equipment, as well as other programs and needs.
We look forward to providing more of the same to our DSAV members this fall.
We are happy to work with CVS Pharmacy and their Volunteer Challenge and Caremark programs. These programs provide willing volunteers for events like the Buddy Walk of the Valley and Canfield Fair as well as additional funding for our family grants. We are pleased to have received a $1,500 grant this past summer through these programs.
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Costume Party |
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DSAV Member Costume Party
Sunday, October 24, 2010
4:30pm - 6:30pm
Join us once again this year at Creekside Gardens for our annual costume party.
As always, Mel & Bob Meinke have great games and activities planned and we'll have plenty of great "harvest" food to enjoy.
For safety, please no weapons or swords.
This year, we will be drawing the winning ticket in our Orlando Getaway, so be sure to get your raffle ticketsbefore October 24th.
Please RSVP here for the costume party, so we can plan accordingly. See you then! |
Supplies for DSAV |
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Enroll your Giant Eagle Advantage Card today and earn points for FREE educational awards with every shopping trip.
Even if you enrolled in the past, you must re-enroll so the DSAV Center for Success benefits from the all new Apples for the Students program.
Your generosity in 2009-2010 awarded the DSAV Center a 10 cell storage center. With your help, we hope to receive even bigger awards this year.
You can either log onto the Apples for Student site or call 1-800-474-4777. Our ID # 5453 Thank you for your support! |
Education Conference |
Down Syndrome Education International(DownsEd)
National Conference
November 3-5, 2010
Crowne Plaza Hotel
Cleveland, OH
The Down Syndrome Education Conferences offer high quality, evidence-based guidance and information for professionals and families and are offered at locations around the world.
Hosted by the USOD of Greater Cleveland, this unique event covers motor, cognitive, social, language, literacy and numeracy development from birth, while presenting up-to-date overviews of current knowledge and illustrating evidence-based, effective teaching techniques and approaches for people with Down syndrome.
The DownsEd Conference Cleveland 2010 provides the following tracks:
Two Day In Depth Tracks - November 3-4, 2010:
In Depth Track - Early Years (Birth-5 Years)
In DepthTrack - Elementary / Childhood Years
In Depth Track - Speech and Language Professionals
One Day Essentials Tracks - November 5, 2010:
Essentials Track - Early Years (Birth-5 Years)
Essentials Track - Elementary / Childhood Years
Essentials Track - High School / Adolescence Years
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Ds Medical Clinics coming to Hermitage |
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Down Syndrome Clinics in Hermitage
The Down Syndrome Center of Pittsburgh is pleased to announce the scheduling of appointments at an additional clinic location in Hermitage.
Children's Hospital Specialty Care Center Hermitage
Womancare Center
875 North Hermitage Rd.
Hermitage, PA 16148
Schedule times fill up very quickly as at this time only one physician is available at the Hermitage clinic.
You can schedule your child's appointment with the Down Syndrome Center by calling 412-692-7963 option #1 or online by Clicking here.
Clinics are still scheduled at the Oakland and Wexford locations, as well.
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DSAV Christmas Party |
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SAVE THE DATE!
DSAV Member Christmas Party
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Assumption Social Center at St. Mary's
356 S. Belle Vista Ave. Youngstown 44509
4:30pm - 7:00pm
(dinner at 5:00)
Delicious Food
Great Entertainment
Crafts for the kids
Santa
Wonderful Borders gifts for the children |
Person First |
Person First Language is an area they continue to work on with the media and communities throughout the country. Please help "the cause" by remembering that our children have Down syndrome. There is no "s" at the end of Down. They don't have "downs" and are not "a Downs". They are a person or a child with Down syndrome.
Try to remember it this way; an individual with Cerebral Palsy (CP) is not referred to as a "cerebral" or a "cerebral palsy kid", they are referred to as a person with Cerebral Palsy. The same goes for many other disabilities such as Muscular dystrophy, Tourrette syndrome or Autism. Individuals with any disability are people first, the disability is just a part of who they are, just as their hair color, eye color and shoe size. |
Congratulations |
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DSAV member honored!
John with Mrs. Walter Horn |
An awards luncheon took place on Wednesday, August 18th at the Villa Milano Banquet Center in Columbus, Ohio. Only 16 individuals in Ohio were selected for this award (each representing a particular region).
Howland's John Prokup was awarded the "R.A. Horn Outstanding Achievement Award". This award is presented to one exemplary special education student from each of Ohio's sixteen SST regions. The award was established 22 years ago by the Ohio Department of Education. It was named in honor of the late Dr. Raymond A. Horn, Assistant Superintendent of Public Instruction Emeritus, who is acknowledged as a national leader in the field of special education.
John received this award for numerous reasons. The main one is for his extensive volunteer work at  Trumbull Memorial Hospital (photo above). Every week he delivers newspapers to each of the patients and passes out their flowers and cards as well. It makes them so happy to see his smiling face in the morning.
He also received this award for his achievement of  running on Howland's track team and receiving a varsity letter. He ran the 100-m dash for two years and acquired the nickname "Track Man."
Another great accomplishment of his was being voted Howland High School's prom king his senior year.
Currently, John works hard in Howland's work training program, works out at the gym every day, and continues to volunteer at the hospital.
 You, no doubt have seen John at the Buddy Walk of the Valley. For the past three consecutive year, John has participated in this great DSAV event.  Through bake sales, collecting outside of stores, raffle baskets, and collecting door to door, he has raised thousands of dollars to support this cause.
John is a busy man and an extraordinary person to meet. He was very proud of himself and excited to have received this honor.
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NEW DSAV Store |
 Want to show your DSAV support?
Offering a variety of clothing and accessory items, this is the place to purchase DSAV logo items and show your support year-round.
Just some of what is available:
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polo shirts
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fleece items
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hats
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golf towels
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blankets
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aprons
A portion of every sale helps to fund the DSAV mission and vision! Thank you! |
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Our vision is for people with Down syndrome to be active participants in a fully inclusive society.
Our Mission is to provide support, advocacy resources, education and opportunity for those with Down syndrome and their families.
Our Core Values
The DSAV fosters a climate which encourages independence, support, advocacy and opportunity for all individuals with Down syndrome.
We strive to represent the needs of people with Down syndrome and their families to improve quality of life, preserve rights and advance their interests thereby enhancing their status as citizens and enabling maximum independence and participation in the community.
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