Thanks for Your Support
Right
away, first thing, special thanks to the REX Foundation
- a Grateful Dead affiliated charity - for their generous
support of our Art Program; and to Cheryl Horner and the
Lane Arts Council for their support again for the coming
season, allowing us to fully fund our "From the Studio
to the Gallery" program including grants to the artists.
Keep an eye out for future announcements regarding artist
assistance grants from KindTree, coming in the fall.
Thanks also to the ASO, the Chambers Family Foundation
and the Monaco Coach Coorporation for their support of
our Autism Camp / Retreat. We've had quite a few applications
for scholarships and these funds will help more people
attend our unique event. All of us here are truly grateful.
We are gearing up for our 13th Autism Retreat.
Already the place is filling up. We have most of our volunteer
lined up and we will be ready for you. There are still
cabin spots available and you can use your credit card
to sign up, too. Check it out
here.
This Retreat is a family centered event where folks can
be themselves and not worry about offending the crowd.
You will meet other people going through the same challenges
you are in a relaxed outdoor setting with home cooked
meals and real fun. You can feel safe with KindTree. Join
us!
I have to say a few words about the "Autism
Artism 2008" Gala Opening. Over 100 people attended
this event on an otherwise deserted LCC campus. KindTree
did over $1200 of sales with 20, yes 20, original works
sold! But it's not all about money, you say. Well, you
are right. It was about community, with both Rep Chris
Edwards and Mayor Kitty Piercy (see sidebar)
speaking on diversity and inclusion, echoing our Founder
Steve Brown's motto: "We're all in this together."
Queen Glo was a lot of fun, and the artists were beaming.
Hokoyo rocked while we drank a free keg of beer! Don't
you wish you were there?
Come visit us at Art
& the Vineyard this weekend in Alton
Baker Park, Eugene. Come and see what people with autism
can do when you're not looking. We'll be glad to see you.
Thanks for Listening - Tim Mueller
"Last night I wasn't
at a meeting with about forty people. The ceiling didn't
have rows and rows of fluorescent lights with ceiling
fans below them so I didn't have to be the only one in
the room wearing dark sunglasses." C
Darwin
NEWS
Elephants!?
Really? Dear Donna Williams,
Dear Donna,
I am writing to you from the Born Free Foundation, an
international animal welfare and conservation charity
based in the UK. We have been alerted to a new animal
therapy practice that is being promoted as a having benefits
for autistic or Asperger’s children and others:
elephant therapy (for example, see www.elephanttherapy.org/
or www.kindplanet.org/boelie.html.)
Here is an excerpt from the subsequent interview
of Donna Williams by Chris Draper, a scientific researcher
with the Born Free Foundation. Read
the whole interview here...
CHRIS
What do you think about animal therapy in general is it
effective?
DONNA:
There’s always going to be anecdotal reports of
any paid service resulting in small breakthroughs. The
placebo effect probably accounts for much of that or simply
the fact that trying any pleasant previously untried experience
could have surprising results.
For example, a boy with Selective Mutism and autism saw
some of my paintings and began to chatter incessantly
for the first time in 6 months. It happened that he was
intrigued by my faceless paintings… perhaps he was
also faceblind (I am). Perhaps he had Exposure Anxiety
which makes it hard to cope with having an audience and
my faceless characters can’t watch anyone. Perhaps
he had a visual perceptual agnosia called Form Agnosia
in which people see the part and lose the whole, which
makes it hard to focus on a face as a whole unless one
uses peripheral vision to cut down the amount of incoming
information to facilitate the more cohesive processing
of what’s left and here were my faceless people,
perhaps his ideal world.Perhaps he was an eccentric stuffed
into a one size fits all world and it made him buzz that
someone dared paint faceless people.
Who knows, but my view is there were a load of new experiences
could have tapped into some experience this boy’s
usual daily life wasn’t tapping into and that doesn’t
take an elephant or a dolphin or a 2nd mortgage to go
chase some latest craze.
CHRIS
Are you surprised to hear about the use of elephants as
therapy animals?
DONNA:
No, sadly, I’m not. Capitalism knows few if any
boundaries in what people can exploit for money and the
autism market is a hot marketplace. It’s like the
sideshows of the 20s and 30s, with their snake oil merchants.
This is one reason why I dedicate my lectures to demystifying
autism and demonstrating why it is NOT one condition,
why there are autismS not autism and why that means there
are no magic bullet treatments, no one size fits all therapies.
I try and promote the very simple, free of charge environmental,
communication and social approaches which can be adapted
to different sensory-perceptual, cognitive and neurological
developmental ‘normalities’ and the personality
packages they come in.
County right
to stop use of herbicides
By Lisa Arkin
and Kenneth Welker
Published: June 29, 2008 12:00AM Register Guard
We are grateful to our Lane County Board of Commissioners
for voting 5-0 on June 18 to place a moratorium on roadside
herbicide spray.
The decision was not arbitrary — the issue of spraying
poisons on our public roads has been deliberated by the
board many times and for many years. The commissioners,
acting as the Board of Health, considered the growing
evidence of human, animal and environmental hazards associated
with the use of pesticides. Arguments limited to only
the direct costs of vegetation containment ignore the
real costs of disease and disrupted physiological balance
with increasing pesticide exposure.
Herbicides don’t stay where they are put. When
sprayed on roadsides, they run off and drift into the
surrounding environment, exposing people in cars, bicyclists,
hikers and residential property.
These chemicals are not easily flushed from living tissue.
Studies by public health experts show strong evidence
that pesticide exposure harms humans, especially children.
As one example of many problems, cumulative exposure
leads to increasing breast cancer risks — in particular
to young women who were exposed as children. As a result
of exposure men face higher rates of prostate cancer,
and also face infertility issues with lower sperm counts
and hormone reductions.
A study done at Stanford University School of Medicine
found that the use of herbicides or weed killers in the
garden, or fungicides to control mold or mildew, increases
the risk of developing neurodegenerative disorders such
as Parkinsonism, a risk we all will face.
Other health effects include increasing the toxic
burden to autistic children. Some medical professionals
believe that children with autism disorder are less able
to metabolize pesticide molecules into less hazardous
substances, which has the effect of intensifying the toxic
response in these vulnerable children when they are exposed.
These chemicals have extremely potent effects at low
doses. A series of studies done in Hood River County by
the Oregon Health & Science University found that
small amounts of pesticides in the environment can be
detected in human blood and urine. The researchers determined
that thinking, memory and spatial skills can be impaired
when people are exposed to pesticides, even at low levels.
The required government studies of toxicity are done
only on the touted “active” ingredient, not
the final chemical composite of pesticide sold. The pesticide
product actually contains so-called inactive ingredients
that remain undisclosed to the public because they are
considered trade secrets. Many of the supposedly inactive
proprietary substances formulated into the pesticide can
increase both the final potency and toxicity over a thousand
fold.
We feel that The Register-Guard’s editorial on
June 22, “Last resort, no resort,” missed
the point of the county’s last-resort policy by
suggesting that chemicals will always be necessary at
some point. The editors cited the example of invasive
wild blackberry bushes that grow along roadways.
We agree that certain plants can be a problem. However,
many invasive weeds, including blackberries, are able
to regenerate following herbicide treatment. That is why
weed prevention techniques, as required by the last-resort
policy, help prevent reinfestation and stop an unending
cycle of pesticide use.
The Lane County commissioners are not alone in their
concern about the risks of pesticides. Other businesses
and governments are taking protective action. The Canadian
division of Home Depot announced that it will stop selling
lawn pesticides by the end of 2008. Ontario Province,
Toronto and Quebec, plus 55 other municipalities, have
banned the use of pesticides for lawns.
The Lane County commissioners were responsible and wise
in reaffirming public health and environmental preservation.
We applaud their courage and their counting of all the
costs.
Lisa Arkin of Eugene is executive director of the
Oregon Toxics Alliance. Kenneth Welker, M.D., practices
with the Oregon Optimal Health center
From
'News of the Weird' in the Idaho
Statesman
Ari Ne'eman, 20, who has Asperger's syndrome, has formed
the Autistic Self Advocacy Network to persuade public
opinion that those diagnosed with autism are not ill or
disabled but merely different in the way they process
information, in that social interaction is very difficult
for them. Those without autism, say the activists, are
merely "neurotypical," and a progressive society
must be "neurodiverse."
Notwithstanding such articulate advocates as Ne'eman,
most medical professionals continue to consider autism
a potentially devastating affliction, according to a June
report in New York magazine.
2007
Special Education Spreadsheet
Do you want to see the prevalence of various disabilities
in the state of Oregon? Click
here...
School
district will try to fill void on special ed programs
By Rebecca Mayer, The Lake Oswego Review,
Jun 26, 2008
Clackamas County Educational Service District is cutting
some special education programs from its services next
year and leaving smaller districts to offer their own.
Patrick Tomblin, director of special education/special
services, says the changes will allow Lake Oswego School
District to improve its programs and provide them at a
lower cost.
Tomblin was hired by the district last summer, and the
district has been working on a new model for special needs
programs for the last three years.
“We will be trying to be sure that the proposals
we have for special education will have a smooth transition,”
said board chair Linda Brown.
One benefit of the changes is a child’s transition
from school to school should be smoother. In the past,
most of the students attending ESD programs were Lake
Oswego or Oregon City kids, who jumped around to various
sites for their education. Previously ESD offered programs
in LOSD schools in addition to other cities.
For example, Delta is a behavior/anxiety program that
includes higher functioning students with Asperger’s
and autism. In the past, the ESD-run program placed Lake
Oswego students at Hallinan Elementary for grades one
to three. Then they would do grades four to six in Oregon
City, transfer to Lake Oswego Junior High and then graduate
from Lakeridge.
“So you’d never develop a cohort of kids,”
said Tomblin. “This puts kids on one side of the
lake or the other. We think that’s much better for
kids.”
Read
more here...
Autistic Boy and
Mom Kicked Off Plane
Mother Says Flight Crew Should Have Been
More Understanding
By STEPHANIE DAHLE and JONANN
BRADY
June 25, 2008
There
were no weapons on board or concerns about
terrorism, but an American Eagle flight about
to take off from the Raleigh-Durham, N.C.,
airport was turned back to its gate on Monday
to remove two passengers.
American
Eagle flight crew diverts plane to remove 2-year-old.
The culprits? An upset, autistic toddler and his
mother.
By all accounts, two-year-old Jarret Farrell wasn't
a happy traveler. But his mother, Janice Farrell,
who said she tried everything to calm her son,
believes there was no reason for the airline to
kick them off the plane.
The airline disagrees, saying they were removed
primarily because Janice Farrell kept her carry-on
bag on the floor in front of her seat, but that
Jarret's behavior added to the tense situation.
"The child had been crying and screaming
uncontrollably, to the point where the child's
well being was in question," American Airlines,
the parent company of American Eagle, said in
a statement. "Though, ultimately, the parent's
violation of FAA regulations was the cause for
removal, both situations contributed to an uncomfortable
and potentially unsafe atmosphere for our passengers
and crew."
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Standardization
study
I am working as a field examiner for Harcourt
Pyschological Corp which is now merged with Pearson. Currently
they have a standardization study going on and are in
need of adults 25-40 years old with ASD. Do you know any
in that age group that might be interested in earning
$200 and participate in this study. It is the WAIS. Let
me know.
Making a Difference for Kids, Joni Anderson
Special Education Advocate/Consultant for Families with
Kids having Special Needs
Circle of Friends Advocacy ~ www.circleoffriendsadvocacy.com
503.524-9420 ~ purpleslp@msn.com
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What's
New at KINDTREE.ORG
Autism
Artism 2008
Photo Gallery
Autism Rocks Art Show
"Autism Artism 2008"
Still on Display
June 14 - July
17, afternoons
LCC Art Gallery, bldg #11
More
here...
Autism
Rocks
Traveling Art Show:
July
4-6 Art
& the Vineyard featuring the Autism Rocks Traveling
Art Show,
Alton Baker Park.
July 7 - September 26 Autism
Rocks Art Show visits Oregon Research Institue,
1715 Franklin St, Eugene
July 21 - August 29 Autism
Rocks Art Show visits Brokerage Mentor Oregon,
859 Willamette St, Eugene, upstairs
October 1 - November 30 Autism
Rocks Art Show visits Village Coffee, 7781 SW
Capitol Hwy, Portland
Support
the Artists
A
Letter to the Register Guard
A
few weeks ago KindTree Productions celebrated artists
with autism at the “Autism Artism 2008” Gala
Opening in the LCC Art Gallery. (The show continues in
Bldg #11 through July 17.) Among the artists, friends
and fans, Mayor Kitty Piercy was there to share in the
celebration and to share her approach to autism as Eugene’s
top elected official. She could have listed programs and
initiatives, but she instead departed from her prepared
remarks and told all the artists and family there that
everything she does as Mayor is for people with autism
– because they are part of the community, and she
is here to serve the community.
That
day, Mayor Piercy demonstrated why she enjoys so much
support. In her heart, she doesn’t see fragmented
communities and competing constituencies. She see all
of us in the same boat, traveling together, each of us
doing the best we can for ourselves and each other and
each of us benefiting by that mutual support.
People
with autism may need different supports than most of us.
But certainly you or I could not survive alone, either.
And Kitty understands that. Strength in diversity is not
just a slogan. We are so lucky to have her.
Priceless
I would like to let you know how much I appreciate
your newsletter and especially Mary-Minn's Stim
Page.
Her ability to articulate the interior experience
of autism is priceless to me! As the parent of
an autist, I intuit what his experiences are,
but I often find that others, including extended
family, push him too hard. Her words provide tangible
insight that I can show to others to help them
understand my son--both his massive strengths
and his complexities.
My son is traveling out of state next month for
his father's wedding. I am copying Mary-Minn's
Stim Page regarding traveling to Bend and
making notes for them to understand how to help
my son Raja navigate the fun-yet-confusing experience
of travel and the overwhelming experience of being
around so many people (many of them new), expected
to be "socially correct" and demonstrate
appropriate ettiquette for hours/days at a time
in a noisy household full of nervous/excited relatives
who will likely forget about Raja's needs.
Despite
the fact that Raja's paternal grandmother is a
special ed teacher, his paternal side has always
taken a stance that "he will be fine,"
subjecting Raja to their whims and fancies, heedless
of his internal experience.
In
the past, he has had a tendency to shut down when
pushed or when subjected to loud environments,
but since he has entered puberty, he has displayed
a tendency to act out, outwardly expressing his
discomfort in sometimes aggressive ways.
I
am copying Mary-Minn's Stim Page as an outside
source of information to augment my suggestions
regarding how to simplify and quiet what may be
a somewhat fun ordeal (much of my son's life these
days seems to be characterized as a somewhat fun
ordeal when socializing as he wants to be part
of the fun, but finds the social aspects, including
noise, quite an ordeal).
I
venture a guess that I speak for many when I say
that Mary Minn's perspective is very illuminating
to us as parents. She is intelligent, articulate,
and vulnerable. Thankfully, she is able to share
the gamut of her journey because she is a living
reminder to me that, even amid efforts resulting
in external recognition, kindness is the greatest
form of intelligence.
I
watch her and see a public figure, a public speaker,
a team player, a bright and creative woman, the
Volunteer of the Year (WOW!), and yet inside she
is working very hard to plan and focus, keeping
all the pieces together because one little fracture
in her self-management system can cause an avalanche.
In
her words, I hear the things my son cannot yet
say, the explanation he gropes for and cannot
find, the process of self-management that he is
working on mastering, feeling like a failure much
of the time because the world and its demands
can so quickly outpace his capacities to get and
keep it all together. Still, we move forward,
hopeful and optimistic, stronger than ever, knowing
that every tiny step is a step in the right direction.
I
so look forward to next month's Stim Page and
what I will learn from a great teacher.
Thanks
for the reminder about Art and the Vineyard! If
we don't make it out, we will make it to another
event soon.
Michelle
Cheney
(ed
note - check out what Michelle Cheney has going
on...
Online
Friendship Matching Service
I,
Michelle Cheney, have entered an idea for $10,000
seed money to create MyFriend, and online friendship
matching service for those on the spectrum. The
grant money is sponsored by Advanta at www.ideablob.com
and awarded by popular vote. Last time I checked,
MyFriend had a 91% approval rating, indicating
that we are close to winning! If you have a chance
to check it out and vote (which does require a
registration process), please do. All the details
are on the site at www.ideablob.com,
and MyFriend will be on the first page. Also,
you can comment on the idea, offer advice, or
submit your own idea for $10,000. I hope you visit
www.ideablob.com when you can, and thanks!
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July
4-6 Art
& the Vineyard featuring the Autism Rocks
Traveling Art Show,
Alton Baker Park.
July
7 - September 26 Autism
Rocks Art Show visits Oregon Research Institue,
1715 Franklin St, Eugene
July
11-13 Oregon
Country Fair. Visit KindTree in the “Doors
of Expression” booth in the Community
Village part of the Fair. See the Autism Community
joining the larger community in action.
July
19
FREE seminar: Comprehensive Assessment
& Biomedical Treatments for Autism,
ADHD, Mood disorders, Sensory and Motor dysfunctions,
Allergies, and more with Dr. Leigh Ann Chapman,
N.D. Scottish Rite Center 709 SW 15th Avenue,
Portland, Call to register: Chasity Robinson
or Bryan Olson at 1-800-288-0383
July
21 - August 29 Autism
Rocks Art Show visits Brokerage Mentor Oregon,
859 Willamette St, Eugene, upstairs
August
22-24
KindTree Autism Camp/Retreat. Register
here.
August
25
ASO Sponsored Day at the
Ball Game
At
PGE Park
WITH THE PORTLAND BEAVERS
ASO Representative Rachel Kumler
rachelkumler@gmail.com 503.679.4208
FOR TICKETS, CONTACT:
www.oregonautism.com
SUPPORT A GREAT CAUSE!
Monday, August 25th, 2008 vs. Salt Lake Bees
Join the Portland Beavers and the Autism Society
of Oregon for a fun-filled night at PGE Park!
Game starts at 7:05pm
- Enjoy the game while supporting ASO
- Infield Reserve tickets are $14 - $5 goes
to ASO!
- General Admission tickets are $8 - $3 goes
to ASO! enjoy the experience
September
4 -7, 2008
National Institute on
Recreation Inclusion
Registration and Housing Open
April 2008
Visit www.nrpa.org/niri
for more information or call 800.626.NRPA (6772)
Save the Date!
Hilton Eugene and Conference Center, Eugene,
Oregon
September
19 The Sprout Film Festival
from FABl
This international film festival reinforces
accurate portrayals of people with developmental
disabilities, and exposes the media and general
public to important issues. People can expect
an enjoyable and enlightening experience, which
will not only entertain, but help break down
stereotypes, promoting a greater acceptance
of differences and awareness of similarities.
Further information will be available through
the FAB
website.
Wildish Community Theater, 630 E Main St. Springfield
Friday, September 19, 2008
Join us at 5:30pm for a pre-show event of
Hors d’oeuvres, No-Host Bar and a Silent
Auction!
Films begin at 7pm: $30 for pre-show & films,
$10 films only.
ASO
Puberty Seminar with Lucinda
Waddell, Karen Ripplinger and Mary
Minn Sirag September 20th Seaside,
OR , Seaside Convention Center on Saturday
October 18th Eugene, OR , Hilyard
Community Center , on Saturday
November 8th Beaverton, OR
, Kingstad Center , on Saturday
More
info here...
October
1 - November 30 Autism
Rocks Art Show visits Village Coffee,
7781 SW Capitol Hwy, Portland
October
22 - 24
Healthy Brain Conference
Key Impacts and Interventions
in Eugene, OR
SAVE THE DATE
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ASO
Respite Program Extended:
Take a Break on ASO
Read
more here...
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