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December 2014
The Arc Archives

Greetings!

Happy Holidays!  The Arc of Moore County is having one of its busiest seasons of the year with Operation Santa underway along with the new programs of ArcFIT and Joyful Noise!  Also, the Book Club and Fun Group are doing so many more activities thanks to great coordinators and enthusiastic participants.  Not only are we providing needed supports and services, but also are providing fun activities for our members in the community!

While we are enjoying this growth and numerous offerings in activities for individuals with I/DD, it does come with a price tag.  We urge all of our members and those in the community that are our friends to consider giving your year end gift to help support our good work.  Our staff and volunteers are busy working on finding grants and fundraising events that will help to support us, but we depend the most on individual gifts from members of the community.

We invite you to come by our office and speak with us regarding our programming.  We also invite you to join us for the Operation Santa Toy Distribution taking place on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, December 9-11 at the National Guard Armory from 9-2 pm as we help the families we support as they are preparing for Christmas. 

OPERATION SANTA!

First In Families of the Sandhills is providing assistance to families that we support again this year during Operation Santa! Children with disabilities have submitted their wishes to us and we are looking for members of the community that would like to help!

Individuals or groups may come by our office Monday-Thurs from 9-4 and Friday 9-1 to "adopt" a child's wish list to be fulfilled and gifts returned by Friday, December 5.  At that time, volunteers will collect gifts and prepare them for distribution to the families beginning Monday, December 9 through Wednesday, December 11.  At that time, we welcome our members and friends to stop by and meet some of the families we support.

If you would like to volunteer to help in the distribution process or to make a donation, please contact Beverly Davis at 692-8272 x225.


CHRISTMAS SHOW AND SNOW SPECTACULAR!
Double Feature

Our third annual fundraiser will be held Saturday, December 20 at the Sunrise Theater in Southern Pines.  Please join us for a fun-filled day of Christmas carol singing, watching holiday movie classic "Elf" and fun in the SNOW for all ages.  Festivities begin at 11 AM with a sing-a-long and a visit from Santa, followed by refreshments and fun in the snow-covered green space adjacent to the theater.

This year as our double feature we are hosting a showing of the classic "White Christmas" starting at 7 PM.  

Your $10 donation per show includes entry to the movie, refreshments and festivities!  To purchase tickets early, please visit our website at www.thearcofmoore.org.

Thanks in part to St. Joseph of the Pines and Thomas, Judy and Tucker, P.A.  for sponsoring this event.  For more information on sponsorship opportunities, contact our office at 692-8272.


Recent UNO tournament winners
PARTNERSHIP WITH PINEHURST PARKS AND RECREATION
UNO, Prom and so much more!

The Arc of Moore County is happy to announce a new partnership with Pinehurst Parks and Recreation which will be offering lots of activities for our young adults.  Look for activity listings of on our website.  From UNO tournaments, to a new bowling league as well as a Prom in the spring, all of these activities will be offered to our members with a discounted fee.  Look for announcements on our website and Facebook page!

Director Beverly Dunlop conducting a practice of Joyful Noise.
JOYFUL NOISE!

The group formerly known as Succeed in Music is now Joyful Noise and is sponsored by The Arc of Moore County.  Members meet 2 times a week at Sandhills Community College and under the direction of Beverly Dunlop, practice singing in the chorus and hand bell choir.  
The group has been in high demand over the holiday season and is available to perform for businesses and organizations per reservation.  

For more information or to request a reservation form, please contact The Arc at 692-8272. or download the form on our website www.thearcofmoore.org. 

ArcFIT participants embarking on a walk at Reservoir Park in Southern Pines.
ArcFIT
Losing Weight and Looking Great!!

You may have read about our newest program, ArcFIT recently in The Pilot newspaper.  This program of nutrition and fitness education has been very successful for the 12 participants so far.

A total of over 40 pounds has been lost in just a few weeks and most importantly, participants have recognized the importance of exercise and healthy eating.  

The program is open to people with I/DD as well as their support staff or family members so that a team approach can be utilized and each member has someone to encourage them to make healthy choices.  

The program will continue in January and a waiting list is currently underway.  Please contact the office at 910-692-8272 for more information or to be added to the list.

BOOK CLUB
The Book Club has been meeting each month and along with great books to read, they have been treated to interesting programs and trips organized to make the books they read come to life!  In October they were able to see the musical Phantom of the Opera after studying the book.  Before that they have read and studied about pirates and went to see Pirates Adventure in Myrtle Beach.  

The group meets monthly at the Pizza Hut in Aberdeen and members are provided the opportunity to stay for pizza after the meeting.

Many more adventures are in store for this group!  Interested?  Please contact us for more information.
                                                                      
FUN GROUP
Decorating Trees!

The Fun Group most recently decorated a Christmas Tree for the Southern Pines Tree Lighting  on Friday, November 21.  The tree was donated by BB&T Insurance and is located on the corner of Pennsylvania Ave. and Bennett St. in Southern Pines.  


AKTION CLUB

The Aktion Club of Moore County has a new look but our mission is still the same - providing an opportunity for service leadership among young adults living with I/DD to our community and beyond.  

The Club is currently holding a canned food drive to benefit the Sandhills Food Bank.  Members and others that would like to help are encouraged to bring non-perishable food items to The Arc office during November and December to be delivered to the Food Bank in order to help families over the holiday season.

Our Club is currently in the process of relocating our monthly meetings.  Our new location will be in the parish hall of the Sandhills Alliance Church which has relocated in Pinehurst.

The Aktion Club is a service leadership program of Kiwanis International and is locally sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of the Sandhills and the Seven Lakes Kiwanis  Club along with The Arc of Moore County. For more information on becoming a member of our club, please contact The Arc at 692-8272.

WELCOME NEW Arc BOARD MEMBERS

The Arc of Moore County is happy to announce the addition of two new members to the board of directors, Melinda Ransdell and Gerri Crutchfield.  Both new members come to us with personal knowledge of issues affecting people living with I/DD and their families. Their combined experience will be a great asset to our team of directors.

Sadly, we must report on the passing of a longtime supporter and board member, Bob Campbell.  His contributions to our organization both personal and financial have been very valuable to us over many years.  His wife, daughter and family will continue to be in our thoughts over the coming months.
START HOSPITALITY PROGRAM
Sandhills Community College Adult Basic Education

Skills, Tasks, and Results Training (START) program, developed by the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute (AHLEI), is a 24-week program that gives students the real-world knowledge and skills needed for a entry-level employment in the hospitality industry.  

 

Upon successful completion, students earn an industry-recognized certification from the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute.   

 

This is a pilot program that is being offered as a transition program opportunity for students participating in the Adult Basic Education Program.  For more information, please contact Nicole Worley at  [email protected].
As you can see, we have been extremely busy at The Arc over the last few months.  Please feel free to stop by and talk to us more about what we do and how you can become involved.  We are making a difference in the lives of people living with I/DD.  We are also making a big difference in our community by sharing the gifts and talents of the people we serve!

Sincerely,


Wendy Russell, Executive Director
The Arc of Moore County