The Arc of Whatcom County General News
The Arc of Whatcom County
Greetings!
JOIN OUR PARADE TEAM
We want you to celebrate with us!

The Arc of Whatcom County, People First and The Max Higbee Center are joining together for a wonderful day of fun and advocacy at the Ski to Sea Grand Parade... and we want you with us! You can walk, wheel, skip hop or ride!

The Grand Parade will start at noon on Saturday, May 29th. If you're interested in marching with us, come to Alabama Street between Grant and Humboldt at 11 AM. Click here for a map. We are group #64. Wear your Arc shirt -- if you don't have one, we'll have one for you!

The parade route begins at the corner of Alabama and Cornwall, moves south on Cornwall, turns east on E Champion, and then turns north on N State to finish at York.
WALK WITH THE ARC
Support The Arc in the Human Race!

The Arc of Whatcom County has had the largest team in the Human Race for the last two years, and we'd love to repeat our success this year, but we can't do it without your help! The 2010 Human Race Fun Walk/Run will be helf June 12, 2010 in Zuanich Point Park. Check in starts at 8:45 AM. The run begins at 10 AM.

Register before June 10th for $15, or pay $20 the day of the race. Lunch, music and prizes are included! Help support The Arc by collecting donations from you family, friends and neighbors. All donations support valuable programs for individuals with developmental disabilities.

For more information, or to request a registration form, contact Amy McKinley at (360) 715-0170 x309 or visit the Whatcom Volunteer Center website.
NEW STUDY BEGINS
Doctors are studying parents' stress levels

Pei-Chun Hsieh, a doctoral student attending Indiana University, has asked The Arc of Whatcom County to seek your participation in a study which surveys parental caregivers of children with developmental disabilities. According to Dr. Hsieh,

[t]he purpose of the present study is to investigate possible factors that may promote successful adaptation in parental caregivers who are providing care to a child with a developmental disability. The aims of this study are (1) to provide a description of parental characteristics and the demands placed on these parental caregivers, (2) to assess the relationship between coping resources and caregiving appraisals among parental caregivers, (3) to examine how caregiving appraisals can buffer the effect of caregiving demands on quality of life among parental caregivers, and (4) to investigate how leisure-time satisfaction can influence the impacts of caregiving demands on quality of life among parental caregivers. It is hoped that the results of the present study will help service agencies target families who may be at greater risk as well as provide recommendations for developing programs that may better serve these parental caregivers.

This is a voluntary study, and is not affiliated with The Arc of the United States, The Arc of Washington State, or The Arc of Whatcom County. For more information about the study, contact the researcher, Pei-Chun Hsieh, by email at pehsieh@indiana.edu or by phone at (812)391-3253. You may also contact Dr. Van Puymbroeck at mvp@indiana.edu. If you are interested in participating, click here.

Survey respondents are not paid, but may enter a drawing for one of ten $50 Target gift cards following completion of the survey.
ABOUT US
The Arc of Whatcom County provides information and referrals, educational programs, and funding for people with developmental disabilities, their families, and the organizations that serve them.

To become a member of The Arc, visit our website!

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BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Ken Larson
President
Katie Edson
Vice President
Hilde Schaaf
Vice President
Maureen Monroe
Secretary
Patty Reimers
Treasurer
Melissa Bartell
Director
Joyce Pedlow
Director
Jennifer Schouten
Director
Matthew Shellenberger
Director
Dale Whipple
Director

To reach any Director:
(360) 715-0170
boardofdirectors@arcwhatcom.org

STAFF

Corinne Clarke
Executive Director
Maureen Godwin
Assistant Executive Director
Beverly Porter
Parent Coalition Coordinator
Andrew Cole
Office Administrator
Amy McKinley
Public Outreach & Fund Development
Makenna Padgett
Assistant Volunteer Coordinator
Terri Hansen
Inclusion Advocate
Sonja Hellinga
Administrative Support
Justin Vanderwoude

Receptionist

To reach any staff member:
(360) 715-0170
admin@arcwhatcom.org