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Photo of the Week
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for more photos - gallery
send new photos to
photos@usod.org
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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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2010 USOD Buddy Walk - Mark Your Calendars
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 Saturday August 21, 2010It is with great excitement that we are stepping up to the 2010 Buddy Walk! The first Buddy Walk Committee meeting is Tuesday, April 27, 2010 at 7:00pm( it will be in Independence Ohio, final location will be announced) We need help in all shapes & sizes and none is too small. So please contact the USOD officeif you are interested in supporting & celebrating one of our best, biggest & brightest days of the year! |
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USOD Annual Meeting
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 This Past Tuesday
April 13, 2010 the USOD held it's first Annual Meeting. It was with great pride and excitement that the USOD Board issued the 2009 USOD Annual Report.Please take a moment to reflect & rejoice in the accomplishments of 2009. Additionally 2010 Priorities and Goals were discussed. Several resources were issued such as:
10 Small Ways to Help USOD in 2010
10 Big Ways to help USOD in 2010
USOD - Who Do You Know List?
So take a moment and feel free to contact the USOD office, USOD Board & staff with any questions, suggestions, resources or concerns.
Most of all THANK YOUfor all that you do to help celebrate & support life with Down syndrome in Northeast Ohio!
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Mom's Night Out - Medina & Valley View
Take Some Time To Meet Other Great Moms
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 Valley View, Friday 4/16 7pmIt's YOU time! Join us the third Friday of each month as we wind down
the week at Yours Truly sharing stories, smiles, and appetizers
courtesy of USOD! Give yourself a break from cooking and save room for
dinner, too. We know it can be a little uncomfortable to meet new people. Feel free
to bring a friend for support. We want you to come...and to come back! Hope to see you there! Yours Truly Restaurant8111 Rockside Rd. Valley View, OH - mapquestrsvp to laura@usod.org |
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USOD Bowling Buddies, Last One is a Party!
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 April 25th @ 2:00 pm
Great snacks, prizes and friends with teen volunteers from JServe. Please rsvpto the USOD officewith the name & ages of the kids playing (so we have the right age goodies.)
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
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April is Sexual Assault Awareness & Prevention Month
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 Take a Moment to LearnAmong adults who are developmentally disabled, as many as 83% of the females and 32% of the
males are the victims of sexual assault. fact sheets April is Sexual Assault Awareness & Prevention Month, a
month to create awareness that rape and sexual assault are still prevalent and that change is needed. Every one of us can make a difference by dispelling myths, prevention & advocacy. This is a serious issue that the USOD is addressing in partnership with the CBDD. We are developing a series for both parents and 3-part workshops for pre-teens & teens targeting body health & safety. Additionally we are ordering materials to be made available to parents through SafePlacein Austin, Tx which has wonderful resources specifically for individuals with disabilities, families & providers. Please contact the office if you would like to review the materials or additional information.
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USOD Spring Math Conference for Educators & Parents
Pre-Order Book & CD Discount Ends Sunday April 11th!
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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)
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Shining Diamonds Parent Group -
Topic - When It Isn't Cute Anymore!
New Location - Appetizers on USOD
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 Tuesday, April 20th 7:00 pmWe invite you to join other parents, grandparents, and caregivers of
children and adults with Down syndrome and an alphabet soup of complex
needs. While each multi-facted shining diamond is unique, supporting
our loved one has led us to a common place. We have much to teach each
other!
Only by talking to each other, comparing notes,
and laughing are we able to help our carefully sculpted
diamonds truly shine and show off their "bling". free
Mulligans Place -6131 Highland
Rd. Highland Heights 44143 - mapquestTo rsvp or for more information contact Sue Groszek |
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Pre-Order Amazing Book & Help Raise Funds for USOD
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 I'm Down with You
by Jagatjoti S. Khalsa with Darren Setter
This beautiful book which is a photographic portraiture book and documentary focusing on the
Down syndrome community. Pre-order your signed copy for a
special pre-order price of $19.95 (regularly $29.95) & USOD gets a $5 donation for each copy sold (enter our name at checkout please.)
Go to http://theotherpersonisyou.org/book.html
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Half Marathon Registration is Almost Full!
Join Team USOD
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Run With Team USOD & Down syndrome Awareness
Put on your running (or walking) shoes and show your
support for the Up Side of Downs! Join us at The Rite
Aid Cleveland Marathon, Half Marathon & 10K for a
day to celebrate the abilities and accomplishments of
people with Down syndrome...as well as your own! The
33rd annual Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon is one of the 50
oldest marathons in the United States and a great way
to honor all those hours you've logged on the treadmill
this winter.
Te am USOD running t-shirts and singlets are available through the USOD office. You also receive access to a customized fund raising Web page and fund raising materials. If you would like to get involved but prefer to
watch, please consider volunteering for the USOD Water Stationemail USOD officeand cheer on our team runners and walkers!
Visit www.clevelandmarathon.comfor race info & race registration, (you must register & pay entrance fees.) USOD's charity code is USDGC2010for
the marathon and half marathon, or
USDGC2010TRACKfor the 10k and 5k.
This code should be entered into the "charity code"
section of the rite aide application form. Also, please contact Dan Clapperor Julie Farleyalso about joining the USOD Team & race day details.
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Teen & Young Adult Spring Formal DanceS!
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 Sunday, April 25, 2010It's time to put on your dancing shoes and fanciest finery. Join us for
an elegant evening of dinner, dancing, and music by C.R. Entertainment
at Pine Ridge Country Club. This is a great opportunity for those 14 and
older to get out, have fun, meet up with friends and make new ones! Sponsored by Lake Metroparks Farmpark and USOD.
Register on line at www.lakemetroparks.com
or call or call Lake Metroparks Registration at 1-800-669-9226.
Deadline for registration is Tuesday, April 20.
Cost: $25 per person, $22 per chaperon
Jewish Community Center
Sunday, May 2nd 4:00-5:30
Stonehill Auditorium at the
JCC, which is located at 26001
South Woodland Road in Beachwood. We will
have a DJ and snacks. Come prepared to have a great time. Admission is
$3/person payable at the door. Hope to see you there. flyer
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Grant Application Deadlines - April 30, 2010
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 USOD Family Grants ProgramFamily Grants are made available to the membership of The Up Side of
Downs to provide financial assistance which directly improves the life
of the individual with Down syndrome. See application & guidelines. (PLEASE GET CONFIRMATION FROM THE OFFICE IF YOU SUBMIT ELECTRONICALLY THAT YOUR APPLICATION HAS BEEN RECEIVED.) 2010 USOD Family Grant ApplicationUSOD Undergraduate Scholarshipfor General Education A renewable academic scholarship of $1,000 for students enrolled in a 4
year college in the state of Ohio and intending to become educators in
the general education classroom. The goal of the scholarship is to
broaden the experiences of pre-service teachers in order to help them
develop an understanding and clarity regarding the educational needs of
individuals with disabilities and their families. 2010 Undergraduate Application The Different Needz Foundation is proud to announce that the 2010 grant
applications are now available. Special needs individuals, families and
organizations that serve the special needs community can apply for
monetary grants to purchase equipment or services. Application |
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Moving to Cleveland & Asking for Suggestions
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 Can You Help?
Hello - I am seriously considering moving my family to Cleveland from
Carmel Indiana, and wonder about schools and services for young people
with DS in Cleveland - I have a 19yr old daughter with DS - fun loving
and very social!. Any recommendations? what school districts are best
recommended? how are the highschools and middleschools in the area? my
"typical" son will be entering 8th grade. Please send response to the office & we will forward.... THANKS!
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Top
Dog @ Spectator's
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 Friday, April 16 at 9:00pmBenefit
Concert - The Michael Carter Foundation - Raising money for the Chagrin Falls
Exceptional and Special Needs Students Group
Spectators - 8003 Mayfield Road, Chesterland, OH
Sponsored by the Michael Carter Foundation.
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New Summer Camp For Kids With Down syndrome
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 Week of August 2-6, 2010
We are so excited about a wonderful full-day camp being offered especially for kids with Down syndrome by Bluestreak Camps which will be held on the Jon Carrol Campus in University Heights. Blue Streak Summer Camps, Inc. was established in 1985 as a
co-educational, non-competitive sports summer day camp. Since that time
our goal has always remained to provide a wide variety of athletic
camps, for both children and adults, in a wholesome environment; camps
which are safe, fun, and as personal as possible. At Blue Streak Camps,
the focus continues to be on sportsmanship, fair-play, learning, and
skill improvement - not on winning and losing. Call for information today, there are limited slots due to the high camper to staff ratio. Cost is $200.
Please contact Tim or 440-287-7644.
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Great Things At Achievement Centers for Children
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 April Fun
Infant Massage Classes starting in April - flyer
Family Fun Day April 24, 2010 - flyer
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Do You Have A Question?
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New online advice services launched
Starting in May 2010, DownsEd Internationalis providing new online advice
services offering live group consultations with expert practitioners,
focused on specific issues and areas of development for young people
with Down syndrome. Book now to secure your place, as places on each
session are limited.
Live, online, group consultations hosted by experts
Our new online
advice sessions offer live group consultations with expert
practitioners focused on specific issues and areas of development for
young people with Down syndrome. The Advice Session presenters include Professor Sue
Buckley, Gillian
Bird, Julie
Hughes and Becky Baxter.
Participants can submit questions during the session and engage in
discussions on a variety of practical topics across different age
groups. here for more info
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Don't forget to mark your calendars for DownsEd International Coming to CLEVELAND, OHIO
November 3,4 & 5th 2010
November 3rd & 4th are for educators & therapists & November 5 is for parents
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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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