KindTree is dedicated to serving and celebrating the Autism Community through art, education, and recreation. With warm hearted whimsy, an open sense of family and a deep level of caring, we reach inside ourselves to embrace our flaws, gather our strengths, and offer our love while reaching out to people with autism spectrum disorders, their families and care givers. Through the power of self-advocacy in an atmosphere of acceptance and respect, autistic and neuro-normal people alike can work toward self- realization.

Autism Community News  January, 2007 benefit show with The Ovulators & The CoStars Thursday, Jan 11, 8:30pm Sam Bond's Garage $5 - $15 Silent Auction Luncheon April Fool's Day SAVE THE DATE! Autism Artism 2007 Coming this May! submit your art by 2/20/06 Art by people with autism: Notecards and More... Help Support Artists With Autism     Flash 1-07 Flash 1-06 / Flash 2-06 / Flash 4-06 / Flash 5-06 / Flash 7-06 / Flash 11-06 Flash 12-05 / Flash 10-05 / Flash 7-05 / Flash 4-05 / Flash 2-05 /Flash 10-04 Flash 5-04 / Flash 4-04 / Flash 1-0 Letter from Sassy / Silent Auction Benefit /Autism Research Projects CDC / Combating Autism Act / Suzie Nicole, Artist Education - Not Left Behind / Geri Newton on Puberty Events Greetings, All of us at KindTree hope your holiday celebrations have been joyful. I'm still eating chocolate. I'm Ok with that. I hope you are, too. Congratulatins to the winners of the artist grants - $150 each:Kim Miller, Dorothy Butcher, Joanne Halvorson and Stephen Peeler. We'll all get to see there work at the "Autism Artism 2007" exhibition in May - June. We wish them great success with their efforts. You can view some of their work here. We've managed to get a pretty good schedule set up for 2007, and I thought you ought to know. Here is what KindTree has planned for 2007, so far... January 11, Thursday at 8:30pm, Autism Rocks presents "the Ovulators", voted Eugene's best rock band, for a night of dancing and rolling at Sam Bonds Garage. "Hell hath no fury . . . Eugene's all-women rockers the Ovulators have serious attitude and talent to back it up. Their hard rock is full of energy and the vocals somehow manage to be tough and ethereal at the same time." Both "the Ovulators" and the opening act "the CoStars" have band members connected to the autism community. They have offered their talents to help KindTree "serve and celebrate". So let's do just that! $5 - $15 sliding scale. We're negotiating with Lane ESD to hang our "Autism Artism 2006" show in their lobby. Look for that in late January February 20 is the deadline for submissions to "Autism Artism 2007". This exhibition of art by people with autism will open May 1 in the Maude Kerns Art Center room in the DIVA gallery downtown. It will run through June. Last year's program was great fun and a great success. Money raised at the above benefit with the Ovulators will help support this event, along with a grant from Lane Arts Council, and support from GreyWolf Projects and Becky Beach. You, too, can help support this event. Just click on the button and put in your amount. It's easy. Support Autism Rocks Art Show May 1 - June 30 March - Autism Rocks Traveling Art Show will be on display in the County Courthouse lobby. Raising autism awareness whenever we can. Sunday, April 1 - KindTree Silent Auction Luncheon! We had this event back in 2005 at the top floor of the Hilton Inn and it was a great success and lots of fun. Great food, good music, many wonderful items to bid on, special moments - please put the day on your calendar and we'll provide more details later. You won't want to miss this! From noon - 3pm. April 29, Sunday afternoon at the KindTree Autism Forum. This annual, free event brings together providers and consumers of autism services for a give and take about what is available and what is needed. Sponsored again this year by Doris Germain. We'll announce the main topics soon and keep you posted. Read about last year's forum here. Friday, May 11, Autism Artism Gala Opening Party. (tentative date) Last year the Mayor came. Will she be there this year? We'll let you know. This will be a party! See a slide show of Autism Artism 2006 here. And of course, we will be at the Art & the Vineyard event July 4th, at the Oregon Country Fair July 13-15, and our Autism Retreat is August 24-26. Now that you've seen all we have planned, please consider joining KindTree as a volunteer, or maybe even join our wonderful working board of directors. Give Mary-Minn a call if you are interested and she'll invite you to our next meeting. Put your talents to work. Mary-Minn is at 541 689 2228. Call her. NEWS: Letter From Sassy Fuchs Hello Tim! This is Sassy Fuchs from The CoStars...I just want to thank you for including us in this benefit for Autism Rocks. I live with my Husband, (drummer for The CoStars,) and his brother, (a very sweet man who has been diagnosed with Autism, and is also the best roommate I've ever had...) I ran into one of the posters yesterday, VERY nice! We're excited for this show! YOU ROCK!! Thanks so much! Happy, Happy Holidays! - Sassy Research Projects My name is Hyung-Kyung (HK) and I'm working on a doctoral program in the department of Human Development and Family Sciences at Oregon State University. To briefly introduce my research project, it is a cross-cultural study of how South Korean mothers and European American mothers perceive themselves and their children with autism spectrum disorders. The children will have moderate to severe autism and age between 5 and 8. Professionals help me with recruitment simply handing out or mailing packets to European American mothers of children with moderate to severe autism. All materials will be ready to be sent out and a re-turn envelope will be included in the packets. Those who assist me in recruiting participants will receive a children's book about autism. Mothers who are eligible for the study and who complete two interview sessions will receive a $10 gift certificate with my appreciation. This study is supported by the Northwest Health Foundation, Thayer/Raymond Fellowship and National Council on Family Relations Feminism Section. If you have any questions regarding this study, please contact me and I would be happy to answer them. I really appreciate your help in making contact with professionals or participants. Thank you, HK - youh@onid.orst.edu   Dear KindTree Productions, Inc "Autism Rocks," I am working with an assistant professor in the department of Political Science and Criminal Justice at Washington State University Vancouver on a project examining interactions between health care systems and families with children with autism. As part of the project, I am surveying parents of children with autism in Washington and Oregon. I would appreciate it very much if you would be willing to help me contact families to take a survey for this project. There is compensation in the form of an online gift certificate for Amazon.com. The survey should take approximately 45 minutes to complete and can be accessed using the internet link provided below: http://www.zoomerang.com/survey.zgi?p= WEB225R37KELNS I can also provide you with a paper copy of the surveys if you prefer. Alternatively, we can conduct the interviews over the phone, so feel free to call me. If you have any questions about the data collection or this project please do not hesitate to contact my research professor or I. All information collected for this study will be kept strictly confidential. Thank you for your time and assistance. Nick Lonstad, Research Assistant, Washington State University Vancouver Email: nick1lonstad@hotmail.com, Phone: (360)-909-6425 Dana Lee Baker, Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science and Criminal Justice, Washington State University, 14204 NE Salmon Creek Avenue, Vancouver, WA 98686 Email: bakerda@vancouver.wsu.edu, Phone: (360) 546-9125 CDC Launches Multi-state Study on Autism $5.9 Million Awarded to Five Sites The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is initiating a multi-state collaborative study to help identify factors that may put children at risk for autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) and other developmental disabilities. Approximately 2,700 children, ages 2 to 5, and their parents will be part of this study. CDC has awarded a total of $5.9 million to five sites - Kaiser Foundation Research Institute in California, Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Johns Hopkins University in Maryland, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and the University of Pennsylvania. These sites make up the Centers for Autism and Developmental Disabilities Research and Epidemiology (CADDRE) Network. CDC will also be participating in the study, and will include children and their parents from the metropolitan Atlanta area. "We hope this national study will help us learn more about the characteristics of children with ASDs, factors associated with developmental delays, and how genes and the environment may affect child development," said Dr. José F. Cordero, assistant surgeon general and director of CDC's National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities. Read More Here... STATEMENT BY PRESIDENT GEORGE W BUSH December, 19, 2006 For the millions of Americans whose lives are affected by autism, today is a day of hope. The Combating Autism Act of 2006 will increase public awareness about this disorder and provide enhanced federal support for autism research and treatment. By creating a national education program for doctors and the public about autism, this legislation will help more people recognize the symptoms of autism. This will lead to early identification and intervention, which is critical for children with autism. I am proud to sign this bill into law and confident that it will serve as an important foundation for our Nation's efforts to find a cure for autism. First-grader’s art a budding business The Times Nov 30, 2006 TIGARD – Suzie Noel Duncan-Wynn is only a first-grader, but she is already an entrepreneur. (Suzie is not a KindTree artist - not yet!) Bonnie Duncan and her husband Michael Wynn adopted the 6-year-old three years ago from the Oregon foster-care system and were told that she had a mild form of autism. The couple have worked tirelessly with Suzie, who has blossomed under their care, including showing an extraordinary ability to draw. “A year ago in June, I was coming back with Suzie on a plane from Denver, and I showed her how to draw on a napkin,” said Duncan, who is a substitute teacher in the Tigard-Tualatin School District. “We got home, and I gave her sidewalk chalk to draw with. “In July, I showed her objects like a tree and a bug and gave her paper, and she just started to draw. She sort of draws in a Strawberry Shortcake style.” Amy Taylor, owner of Burnt Studio in Sherwood, made a postcard of one of Suzie’s drawings and said, “That little girl has real talent,” according to Duncan. “She said she would like to make cards out of her drawings. Over the summer, Suzie’s artwork got more advanced. She has a photographic memory. She didn’t like to color inside the lines, but I showed how, and now she does some coloring and I do some – it’s a joint project.” Barbara Sherman / The Times BUDDING ARTIST — Suzie Noel Duncan-Wynn sits in her family’s dining room surrounded by some of the note cards, calendars and framed art she has drawn that will be for sale at the Mary Woodward Holiday Bazaar on Saturday. Read More Here... Education Issue: Not left behind Teachers question federally mandated tests for special education students Instructional assistant Joan Bunch helps Douglas High School sophomore Evan Hooten, 15, in the computer lab at Douglas High School on Wednesday. JON AUSTRIA / N-R staff photo Read More Here Moore understands why No Child Left Behind is important, and she said parents who want their children to perform well on the state tests can include that in their child's individualized education plan. Students who don't need the skills emphasized on the tests shouldn't have to take them, and they wouldn't affect the whole schools' rating, Moore said. Donna Kerrick's daughter, Heather, finished her schooling at Douglas in 2004. Heather works at Goodwill. Her mother said she's never late and was upset when she had to miss a day because she was sick. Kerrick believes Heather was more prepared for the workplace than many students without disabilities. "She met the standards that for her life were more important than geometry, perfect sentence structure, reading 'Gone With the Wind,'" Kerrick said "There's that question of are we serving kids or are we serving tests? ... And sometimes I have to ask myself, are there any jobs out there for test takers?" Deeper than the mirror from Archives: Local News, Updated: Wednesday, December 13, 2006, Walla Walla, WA Puberty is a difficult stage for developmentally disabled children who may not be equipped to deal with the way their bodies and minds change. By Sheila Hagar of the Union-Bulletin Puberty. Every parent knows the anxiety and fear associated with the topic. ``It's a delicate subject,'' said author and consultant Geri Newton. ``There is general discomfort about sexuality, it's really a peculiar relationship. We use it to sell products, but we don't want to talk about it.'' Imagine, then, the child going through the growing-up process is developmentally disabled, perhaps with limited speech or unpredictable behaviors. It has become Newton's job to open the door for conversation about the matter, not only to parents of developmentally disabled children, but for teachers and others working with the special-needs population. Portland-based Newton takes her message across the United States as a consultant in ethics, sexuality and therapeutic interventions. Her mission since 1978 has been to dispel bad information and myths, she explained. Read More Here... EVENTS January 11, the Ovulators at Sam Bonds 8:30 KindTree benefit show Autism Training and Support The Autism Family Support Group (now) meets at The DaySpring Fellowship Church, 1580 River Road in Eugene. We usually meet on the third Tuesday of each month from 7:00-9:00 PM, but due to holiday schedules, this month and next month we will meet on the second Tuesday. Sponsored by Autism Training and Support, Inc. (541) 689-2327 Wednesday Series: Strategies for Working with Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder Wednesday afternoons in January and February of 2007, presented by AUTISM TRAINING & SUPPORT, Inc. All workshops are from 12:30 – 4:30 pm Workshop Location: Day Spring Church, 1580 River Road in Eugene (These workshops are appropriate for anyone who works with people with Autism Spectrum Disorder, including teachers, parents, educational assistants, foster parents, support staff, therapists, managers, and counselors. ) January 10, 2007 Characteristics of Autism Spectrum Disorder January 17, 2007 Structured Teaching Strategies January 24, 2007 Socialization Skills/ASD Awareness January 31, 2007 Strategies for Sensory Processing Problems February 7, 2007 Addressing Behavioral Issues in ASD February 14, 2007 Strategies for Teaching Students in the Inclusive Classroom February 21, 2007 Strategies for Teaching Independence for Adults February 28, 2007 Putting it all together/How to get started Safe, Strong and Free A 12 week class offered at Hilyard Community Center through Adaptive Recreation. Safe, Strong and Free is a co-ed class for adults who have cognitive disabilities and who want to learn skills that will help them to be safe in the community, to be more comfortable knowing and expressing their choices, and to develop healthy relationships. Class content will include feelings, boundaries, physical and verbal self-defense, types of relationships, safe person, private body parts, types of abuse, rules of touching, and the influence of media. For ages 16 and up. For more information, call Molly Elliott, 682-6307 Hilyard Community Center Wednesdays, Jan. 10 - Mar. 28 4- 5:15 pm Cost: $35 SPARKPLUG DANCE WINTER CLASSES BEGIN JANUARY 8th Winter Classes: Look for he schedule online, and in your mailbox soon… Register for your favorites, or check out new programs, such as dance and art, creative explorers for 2 1/2-4's, and new classes for the littlest movers and shakers -- the wobblers and their big people. To register online, visit www.sparkplugdance.org Or register by mail - but hurry. Classes will fill up fast. Bridgeway House Calendar dates coming soon.... visit www.bridgewayhouse.org for more info Autism Vancouver Biennial Congress 2007, Vancouver BC March 1-4, 2007, Autism Today and USAAA has assembled leading experts on autism spectrum disorders, with presenters from England, Canada, and the United States. Speakers will focus on ways to improve the quality of life for the affected individuals and their families/caregivers by conducting presentations in the areas of educational and biomedical interventions, research, adjunct therapies, diet and nutrition, and family issues. Speakers include Dr. Temple Grandin, Dr. Andrew Wakefield, Dr. Jeff Bradstreet, Dr. Simon Baron-Cohen, Dr. Doreen Granpeesheh, Dr. Phillip DeMio, Dr. Stephen Shore, Shannon Kenitz, Dr. Lauren Underwood, Dr. Barry Prizant, Stan Kurtz, Dr. Diane Twachtman-Cullen, Dr. Teresa Bolick, Dr. William Shaw, Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride, and Julia Berle (mother to Baxter who recovered from autism). Sunday, April 1 - KindTree Silent Auction Luncheon! noon - 3pm Hilton Inn April 29, Sunday afternoon at the KindTree Autism Forum. 1-5pm Hilyard Center Friday, May 11, Autism Artism Gala Opening Party. time TBA May 15 & 16, 2007 Building Futures: Secondary Transition Conference Full Conference Sessions $99.00* professional $25.00* student/parent May 14, 2007 Pre-service on Benefit Planning/Work Incentives $25.00 Target audience is professionals, but all are welcome. Embassy Suites Hotel, Tigard, OR 97223 Keynote Speakers: Peter Squires, chair of National Youth Leadership Network Jonathan Mooney, author of “Learning Outside the Lines” and “The Short Bus Story” Terry Cohen, author of “Disabled & Challenged: Reach for Your Dreams!” This conference is for students and young adults with disabilities, parents and professionals. Pre-service will focus on benefit planning and work incentives. For detailed conference pricing and information go to the OrPTI web site at: www.orpti.org or call 1-888-505-2673, ext. 208. Sponsored by the Oregon Department of Education, Oregon Parent Training and Information Center, Oregon Council on Developmental Disabilities, Competitive Employment Project, Office of Developmental Disabilities Services, and Oregon Vocational Rehabilitation Services So where do we find our joy? Each of us has our own answer, but let me give you a little suggestion - your heart will fill with joy when you support a KindTree artist with your purchase of Autism Rocks Notecards, or an Autism Rocks logo or art bedecked T-shirt or other gift item. Please visit KindTree.org and share your joy. You can also use our convenient donation button to make a donation with your credit card through PayPal. Or sign up for e-Scrip. I know I've said it before. So go ahead. Do it now. Frederick Douglass, 1849: "If there is no struggle there is no progress. Those who profess to favor freedom, and yet depreciate agitation, are men who want crops without plowing up the ground. They want rain without thunder and lightning. They want the ocean without the awful roar of its many waters. Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will."