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Photo of the Week
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for more photos - gallery
send new photos to
photos@usod.org
ToysRUs Casting Call for the
2010 Differently Abled Kids Brochure
Details
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Designate USOD
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 Make a Double Difference!
Please consider designating your UW donation to USOD. Thanks!
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Join Our List
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USOD
Board of Directors |
Casey
Atkinson
David J. Bruening
Allan Buzzelli
Renee Chappell
Denise Cirino
Sandy Donahoe
Scott Eitman
Sue Groszek
Debbie Marks
Katherine E. Schubert
Lisa G. Trifiletti
Ken Vinikoff
Brian J. Weiss, DPM
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Need USOD Parents for Focus Groups on Starting a Down Syndrome Clinic at Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital
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USOD & Rainbow Babies Partnership
Monday, March 29, 2010The day is Monday, March 29, 2010 for three time slots: 11:00 Individuals with Complex Needs12:00 Children Ages Birth to 6 - FULL 1:00 Ages 7 & upWe need your support & priceless information to help create a resource for our entire community. Please email robin@usod.org if you are interested & available to in participate and can ensure that you have proper childcare available. We have 6 slots for each timegroup so please rsvp as soon as possible. Thanks for stepping forward to help drive the future!
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USOD Bowling Buddies this Sunday - only a few left!
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 Let's celebrate just a few weeks of winter to go! We have reserved
four lanes at Freeway Lanes in Solon. All bowlers are asked to wear
their Buddy Walk shirts if they have them. What better way to spend a
cold Sunday afternoon than with your Bowling Buddies!
Mark your calendar for 2-4pm on the following dates:
March 28
April 11 and 25th
Price: Individuals with Ds are free. All others pay $3.95 per game, all with complementary shoes.
Freeway Lanes
33185 Bainbridge Road Solon, OH 44139 - mapquest
Please rsvp to USOD office
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2010 USOD Annual Meeting - Learn, Link & Laugh
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 Tuesday, April 13, 2010 7:00 pm
With
great excitement the USOD Board of Directors and staff wishes to invite
our community to the 2010 Annual Meeting on This will be a free wine & dessert sampling and promises to be a
great night where everyone can LEARN about the exciting goals, 2009 performance and updates for the USOD and our community, LINK with friends, both old and new, and LAUGH to the inspirational comedian and musician Dan Kulp. YOU MUST BE OVER 21 TO ATTEND.
An evening for parents, grandparents, siblings, self-advocates, and extended family and friends of people with Down syndrome!
Dan Kulp will share his childhood story from the 1970's as a sibling
of four brothers and sisters who have Down syndrome, three of whom were
adopted. Dan will also share his adult experiences in raising two
children, Simon & Danielle, who were both adopted from China and
both have Down syndrome. Through humorous and profound stories, Dan
shares lessons learned from his upbringing about tolerance for the
disabled, acceptance of those who are "different" and the joy of
adoption.
This event is free. Seating is limited so please reserve your seat & glass of wine today! Register Today
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Reading & Math Enrichment Support
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 4 Part Parent Pilot Series
Up Side of Downs
is excited to offer a 4 part parent training series for a
hands-on enrichment program for reading and math. The Learning Program is
based on over 30 years of research that has been conducted in England (www.downsed.org). register today
There will be four sessions
which will take place on Wednesday evenings at 7:00 pm and last
approximately 1.5 hours. The cost for the series is $40 which includes all
materials. Attendance at all four sessions is mandatory.
Dates are as follows:
April 14 May 5
May 26 June 14
For more information, contact Gina Mitchner, USOD education coordinator at gina@usod.org
Location: 1st class only at the Cleveland Clinic Community Center in Beachwood.
Register Online - Spring Pilot Program
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Getting Ready for Toileting
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 Down Syndrome Centre
Becoming dry and clean is an important developmental milestone for self
help and independence. Becoming continent opens the doors for further
opportunities and helps children to socially integrate into the
community. In the absence of a relevant medical condition, continence
is achievable for almost all young children with Down syndrome. read on.....,
Additional Potty Training Resources are available on the USOD website click here... Good Luck! |
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Lots of Great Things On the Web This Week!
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Down syndrome caregivers face new challenges
as they age
USA Today -Liz Szabo Jeanne Swiatowiec has never felt the loneliness
of an empty nest, although she has been widowed for 30 years and three
of her children are married.
Swiatowiec, 78, still shares her home with her
daughter, Beth, 43, who has Down syndrome. After so many years together,
their daily routine is as well-rehearsed as a ballet. Swiatowiec cooks
dinner, while her daughter sets the table. Swiatowiec washes the
laundry, and her daughter dries and folds it. read on...**********************************************************************  Eva's Video Message for World Down Syndrome
Awareness Day! click here********************************************************************** USOD Parent Nikki Kitzmiller Launches Ds Awar eness Website The Precious Lives Group This website is beautifully done and so inspiring. Thank You! click here*************************************************
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USOD Spring Math Conference for Educators & Parents
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April 19th & 20th
Online Registration - click here
DeAnna Horstmeier, an experienced educator, was inspired to develop a
program (and consequently a book) for teaching math skills by
observing the difficulty her adult son with Down syndrome and his
roommates had in applying math skills to everyday life. Its success
lies in capitalizing on the visual learning strengths of these learners
and using manipulative, games and activities to teach and maintain
motivation for learning math. Topics will include:
*** Number Sense & Recognition *** Calculator Skills
Recognizing & Writing Numerals *** Counting
Time *** Measurements
Place Value *** Addition & Subtraction
Money *** Percents
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Monday, April 19, 2010 6:00 - 9:00pm Independence Civic
Center, 6363 Selig Dr, Independence - mapquest
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 9:00 am-12:00pm
$20 professionals, $5 USOD parents (CEU's Pending)
Her books will be available for pre-order at a $10 discount!
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An Inspiring Reminder to Me of How Much We Have ............to Give & to Share
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 Robin Sirkin & Balarabe Mohammed of the Garkuwa Down Syndrome Foundation in Nigeria
This past week USOD super-staff & parents Laura Skwarski, Laurie Kowalski, Nikki Kitzmiller and myself had the honor of attending the 4th Annual Conference of the Down Syndrome Affiliates in Action. There were dozens of informative and inspiring seminars, and hundreds more exciting conversations with people from all over. Everyone there was committed to supporting & celebrating life with Down syndrome & the energy was really high. We have a long list of new projects & ideas will be sharing and exploring them as we move on.... However, one idea I just couldn't hold onto since it was so enlightening to me. Even though it is so obvious I felt I needed to not be embarrassed & say something. To stop and think of individuals with Down syndrome in much poorer countries around the world that have no recognition as citizens, no access to therapies and struggle for basic access to food, clothing & shelter. I had an inspiring conversation with Balarabe Mohammed of Nigeria and he shared with me how in Nigeria there are an estimated 25,000 individuals with Ds with NO resources or interventions available, (that is 1/16th of the estimated American Ds population.) Going forward Balarabe & myself are going to keep in touch to see how we can share information. Today we are shipping him, through DC, a set of the USOD new parent resource books, so the first set ever to Nigeria. So it is a start... let me know if you are interested in communicating with Balarabe (he is on facebook & has extended an open invitation to visit Nigeria.) Thanks for listening, Robin
(Stay tuned for an update on the straw project..... for oral development. Anyone coming into the USOD office knows that we half enough straws stacked up high for almost all of Nigeria......)
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Adult Transition Planning Seminar - Three Part Series
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Every family has many questions about their children's future, but they're of even greater importance for parents whose sons and daughters have a developmental disability. Whether your son or daughter is a child or an adult, it's time NOW to plan for the future.
· Public-Private Partnerships · Education · · Income Tax Answers · Legal Documents · · Funding and Management · Eligibility Questions · · Waiting List · Waivers · Reviewing Your Existing Plan · Spring 2010
Rocky River Adult Activities Center, 20120 Detroit Road 1490 East 191st Street, Wed., April 14, 21 & 28, 2010
Fall 2010
Euclid Adult Activities, 1490 East 191st Street Wednesdays, Sept. 29, Oct. 6 and 13
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USOD Mission
To provide support, education, and advocacy for people with Down syndrome, their families and communities.
Vision
The Up Side of Downs is committed to building a community where
people with Down syndrome are independent and have the opportunity to
reach their fullest potential.
History
In the early 1980's, a handful of parents whose children had Down
syndrome began to meet informally over coffee for socialization and
support. Nearly thirty years later, with the help of a lot of coffee
& caffeine, their vision and hard work has taken the Up Side of
Downs from a grassroots parent movement to a staffed nonprofit
organization joining over 800 families throughout Northeast Ohio.
We invite you to connect with our with our support community to join us at one of our many programs & services, do research in our comprehensive resource directory, join our on-line family support network, enjoy our scrapbook photo gallery and so much more.
Contact the Up Side of Downs of Greater Cleveland.
The Up Side of Downs of Greater Cleveland
23230 Chagrin Blvd., Suite 640
Cleveland, OH 44122
phone
216.464.USOD (8763)
fax 888.708.USOD (8763)
e-mail
info@usod.org
web www.usod.org
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