This Saturday, March 10, KindTree - Autism Rocks, along with the Autism Society of Oregon, Lane County Chapter, and many more are sponsoring a gathering / celebration of our families who speak Spanish. The goal is to begin a Parent Action group to move into the future.
Meet at the Arc from 12:15 - 4pm, this event includes food, childcare, entertainmant and a panel of parents. Free bus passes are available, registration is recommended. Read more here...
Supporting agencies include Lane Country Mental Health Advisory Committee, Lane County Developmental Disabilities Services, the Arc, Parents in Action, KindTree - Autism Rocks, Mentor Oregon, LTD, EC Cares, the Autism Society of Oregon.
Participating agencies include 4J, Springfield Schools, Direction Service, Bridgeway House, Centro Latino Americano, Full Access, Downs Syndrome Network.
~ PADRES EN ACCIÓN / PARENTS IN ACTION ~
Reunión de Padres Latinos para Celebrar a sus hijos con disCAPACIDADES
“CONSTRUYENDO UNA COMUNIDAD CON PODER Y APOYO”
Primera reunión de líderes y familias latinas. La reunión se llevará a cabo en español y es GRATUITA
Dónde: El Arc Condado Lane (The Arc Lane County)
4181 E. Street Springfield, OR. 97478
CUPO LIMITADO
Hora: De 12:15 a 4:00 de la tarde (se empezará puntualmente)
Cuándo: Sábado 10 de marzo de 2012
Habrá cuidado de niños con actividades y entretenimiento
~ Música en vivo por el Mariachi del Sol
~ Comida mexicana del restaurant El Rey durante el convivio
~ Pases disponibles de transporte (LTD) al Arc ~ Solicite su pase de camión
Sale Hours:
Friday 3/16, 8 - 10 AM for Agencies Only
(Lots of stackable chairs, desks...)
Friday 3/16, 10 am - 5 pm
Saturday 3/17, 10am - 5pm
Drop off your donations to our sale:
Tuesday March 13, 4-6pm
In a few days we will be preparing for a big garage sale on March 16 and 17. A BIG LIST of items will be sold off.
The City of Eugene has offered us the opportunity to raise money by selling off all the stuff left over in the Kaufmann Senior Center at 10th and Jefferson. There is a lot of stuff. We need help sorting, setting up display, pricing and staffing the actual sale hours, as well as returning on the Monday after and removing all that is left unsold.
We NEED YOU to help make this fundraising opportunity work for us. Please look at your calendar and see if you have a few hours to help out.
Below is the schedule of times we need volunteers. Please choose a time slot and respond.
Thanks so much. We can't do this without your help.
of art by people with autism, from Lane County and the World.
Gala Opening Saturday, March 31. 5-7 PM...Meet the Artists
Dobro by John Keskinen, snacks, great wine, all your friends, and awesome art.
Special Guests include Mayor Kitty Piercy and Commissioner Rob Handy.
This year we will feature over 25 artists with nearly 40 images, a poetry book and two original videos. A gallery of images included in the show will be online soon, along with the videos and poetry samples. A few selections are below.
This is your chance to take a deeper look into the world these artists with autism see. Enjoy their vision in the friendly atmosphere at Territorial Vineyards while music plays ad the wine pours. Our community. Together, celebrating.
This event, produced with Melissa Farley, an intern working with KindTree - Autism Rocks, is a celebration of autistic talents to be presented to the Eugene community. We know how amazing so many of you are and we want the world to know it, too.
Please contact us if you - or someone you know - have a talent, big or small, that you would like to share. We will haved a dress rehearsal a few days before the show, and then the show. Each performer will be given a short time frame (about 5 minutes) to have the stage. Right now we are in our performer recruitment process. We're looking for a wide variety of performance styles and ages. Music, spoken word, magic, skits, dance, unique and odd talents, whatever you are special at.
St. Augustine: “Let us, on both sides, lay aside all arrogance. Let us not, on either side, claim that we have already discovered the truth.”
KindTree - Autism Rocks
visit www.kindtree.org daily for news and events benefiting the Autism Community.
Reaching Out - Reaching In
Autism Community News, Vol 14 #3, September
2011
In
this Issue:
"Hearts Filled with Love"
And so another KindTree - Autism Rocks Family Camp / Retreat is behind us. This year we started a little early and hosted 13 guests on Thursday. Many of then ended up helping out, while the rest just relaxed and watched everyone set up their tents and get settled. And after the weekend was over, this is what I read on our feedback forms:
"We love this place and the volunteers are awesome! X-tra thanks to the bathroom crew who made sure there was always TP!"
"Very fun. The kids really loved all the art activities."
"Autism Camp is the highlight of my summer. I love everything and everybody at camp. Thanks so much for being You!"
"I love it here - everyone is so happy."
"Great time, great people, we’re leaving with hearts filled with love."
"I loved the arts & crafts and accordion and guitar and T R Kelley and loved helping in the kitchen. I loved the friendly atmosphere!"
Our feedback forms also revealed the most popular aspect of the Retreat: the sense of community, the people, the love in the air. We are especially proud of that kind of feedback. Creating a safe place to be yourself, to make friends, to be part of it, is our most important goal. Our volunteers work through the year to keep improving our event, listening to your feedback (gonna be a dance party next year…), fine tuning our established activities, all with your safety and community in mind. Read more here...
"Time is a-wasting. My friend is 30 minutes late for our art day in my back yard. I can’t decide whether to be anxious, annoyed, or liberated to power through a more pressing task, so, paralyzed by indecisiveness, I compromise by feeling all three. I start by over-analyzing the possibilities.
Could it be that I have the day wrong? I try to call her but am relegated to leaving a message. I ask my husband how long I should wait.
Was I being too inflexible and selfish when I insisted on doing it today rather than Wednesday because on Wednesday I wouldn’t have enough downtime after seeing "The Help" with another friend?
Is she mad at me for being short with her the other day when she one-upped a symptom I was kvetching about by describing an even more gruesome affliction of hers rather than compassionately listening? Or have I inadvertently offended her in some other way? I have to constantly remind myself to anticipate pitfalls and avoid committing breaches of etiquette and tactfulness." Read the rest here...
Autistic and Seeking a Place in an Adult World
the coordinator of a new kind of “transition to adulthood” program for special education students at Montclair High School, wondered if they were all in over their heads...
Oregon Days of Culture
"A REAL MAN" with Mike Guido is a great local event that is part of the Oregon Days of Culture
DOE Survey re:parent disputes with schools
significant emotional and financial costs associated with disputes between educators and parents of children with special needs
More of "Hearts filled with Love..."
Coming up this October 1st is a truly special event. Mike Guido, a successful stand-up comic formerly of Eugene, will be returning for his one man show, "A Real Man". A tale of comedy, tragedy and inspiration, this live performance will surely touch you. If you find few people understand what you, as a parent or loved one of someone on the spectrum, go through every day, invite them to join you for this show. In the midst of all the laughter and tears, they just might get it. Raising awareness is one of our missions, and we’re hoping this will be one fun way to make it happen.
VIP tickets get in you early to meet Mike, listen to Paul Safar on a great Grand Piano, and get a head start on our silent auction. Regular ticket doors open at 7:00 pm. And the show begins at 7:30 with me and Mary-Minn doing a special number! Don’t miss it, and don’t be late! GET YOUR TICKETS HERE!
Later in October, at 3:00 on Sunday the 23rd, we present our 8th Mask Making Party. This one is a little different as there is no Karaoke. Instead we have a Talent Show. Hart Keene the Magician will be the host, encouraging you to get on stage and share your talent - dance, song, poetry, mathematics, disappearing, whatever. There will be a sign up sheet, and you can even call ahead at 541 521 7208 or autism@kindtree.org to get on the list early. Keep your act to 8 minutes, please.
Finally, we are reaching out this Fall to folks in Cottage Grove with a special Art Opening at the Axe and Fiddle in December - watch for the dates. I hope you can share in some of these activities with us. It’s always a treat to see you.
Thanks for listening...
Visit www.kindtree.org
updates weekly
New art!
New T-shirt colors!
New: Aprons!!
A succesful stand-up comic, formerly of Eugene, has taken his struggles coping with his daughter's autism and turned them into a one-man show, offered by KindTree - Autism Rocks on October 1, 2011, 7:30 pm at the Wildish Theater in Springfield, Oregon.
Mike Guido hopes that by sharing his story, he'll help other parents, and particularly dads, cope with the challenges and the joys of parenting a special needs child.
His daughter Maria, 19, has severe autism and will always live at home. She needs help with dressing, bathing and has communication challenges.
"If you'd have told me 16 or 17 years ago that I'd get through it and be OK and be grateful for it all, I would have said, 'I'm not that kind of guy,' " Guido said. "But when you have no choice, you just do it and that's what happened to me.
"I'm trying to get across to people that we're all capable of so much more than we realize."
Standard Ticket - $14 pre-event, $18 at the door. Door opens at 7:00pm
Group Tickets (6) - $75
VIP Tickets - $25 pre-event, $30 at the door (starts at 6:00pm and features Paul Safar on Piano)
VIP Group Tickets (6) - $135 Special Price for persons with autism - $10
Autism Rocks Art Display at Village Health in the Woodfield Station shopping area at Willamette and 28th.
Art by People with autism in a healing environment
"Right about midnight, Shaina heard a small, tiny noise from the corner of her room, behind the dresser. She held oh, so still, and only looked with one eye.…"
Shaina is a girl who loves bedtime snacks, and she's not the only one. Will she learn to share? Read about Shaina and her adventures meeting the Snackits: snack hungry critters hiding under the bed!
Available at: www.amazon.com
Or directly from the author - KindTree's own Tim Mueller - at www.gwproj.com, signed by author and illustrator, Tim's daughter Miranda.
"My kids loved it. I liked that there were healthy snacks, too. What a great story for bedtime!"
The days are longer, the sun is warmer, it's time to plant the peas! But more than that, it's time to open up your life a little and participate in the autism community. As a member of our Peer Support Group says, "This is my best time. "
Here are a few ways you can add some fun, energy or passion into your life:
Join our new BLOG. You can make comments, join the discussion, or e-mail Melissa@kindtree.org to become a contributor and post your own topics. Right now there is a discussion going on about the new DSM definition of who has autism. What is your opinion?
Friend us on Facebook. This is a great way to get KindTree news about upcoming events and issues and opportunities! We have updates almost daily on our website that get announced on Facebook. Stay on top of things with KindTree - Autism Rocks.
Contact to your Legislator. The Oregon Legislature is in the middle of a short session. They always want to hear from you. Go here to find opportunities to get informed.
GOT TALENT?? We wanna know! KindTree - Autism Rocks is producing a fun Variety Show (SOMEWHERE OVER THE SPECTRUM) for people on the spectrum of all ages and abilities. Music, magic, puppets, poetry, comedy, fashion, mime, spoken word, skits, dance, all are welcome and ecouraged. If you or someone you know is a performer with autism, please join us for our casting call at the Hilyard Center Sunday March 4 at 2:00 pm. It's a Talent Serach! More info here, printable flyer here. Share with your friends and colleagues. Put a band together. Let's have a SHOW!
New autism definition may exclude many
Only 45 percent of the highest functioning autistic people in the study would meet proposed criteria for diagnosis
KindTree - Autism Rocks eFLASH! News,
January 2012
Dear Friend,
KindTree - Autism Rocks is Reaching Out
For many people on the spectrum - and for their overworked parents - maintaining a social network can be a big challenge. KindTree - Autism Rocks is working to meet that challenge in two new ways
Introducing our new BLOG. With the help of Melissa Farley, an intern from the University of Oregon, we are inviting you all to visit the blog, make comments on the posts there, and be part of an online community based right here in Oregon.
You can click to become a follower and be notified when new comments and posts are uploaded. You can click to invite your friends to participate with you. And you can e-mail Melissa@kindtree.org to become a contributor and post your own topics.
We also encourage you to friend us on Facebook. This is a great way to get KindTree news!
The second plan we have is to begin a new program dedicated to building life skills, social skills, and lasting relationship, the kinds of skills that are born at our Autism Camp. We're calling this the "stIle Program" - "Specialized Training for an Independent Living Experience". Stay tuned for more on this later in the year.
These new ventures take time and money. Please consider volunteering or making a donation.
KindTree - Autism Rocks is receiving original art for jurying for the "Autism Artism 2012" gallery show, scheduled for April 2012 at Terrirorial Vineyards. And we'd like you to enter to be in it. This is a great opportunity, and great fun, plus you could make some money.
KindTree's Autism Rocks Traveling Art Show features all mediums of artistc expression. We can scan your paintings or other visual creations. We can print short stories or poetry, photographs and images of your sculptures or weavings, create flash versions of your video and audio productoions. We can post these things on this website for all the world to enjoy.
In 2009, KindTree wrote checks totaling over $3000 to artists with autism. We pay our artists 50% of all our gross sales amounts, less venue commision. This is a great deal! Artists pay nothing up front - no production expenses or promotional fees at all. Nada.
At kindtree.org, hover on the 'Art Program' link and click on 'KindTree Artist Guild'.
Autism Artism 2012 Submission Deadline
- February 10, 2012
The Autism Society of Oregon (ASO) is hosting a panel discussion with three adults on the Autism Spectrum. Self-advocates on the Autism Spectrum have a tremendous amount of information to share about what life is like from their unique perspectives and their experiences as Autistic individuals.
This event will be an interactive session with the Panelists discussing topics of personal interest, as well as insights about effective self-advocacy, successful employment, navigating social situations and relationships, coping with sensory integration issues, and strategies for handling transitions effectively.
The event will be held on Friday, January 20, 2012, from 6:00 to 8:30 pm from at the Hilyard Center, 2580 Hilyard St, Eugene. A suggested donation of $5 is requested. The event is appropriate for people with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), people who think they may be on the Autism Spectrum, parents, caregivers, agency personnel and educators.
Jonathan Chase is a working musician as well as an advocate and professional speaker. He currently serves on the board of the Autism Society of Oregon and is involved with other autism related organizations and causes.
Amber Perry is a Chapter Representative for the Autism Society of Oregon in Lane County and a volunteer with KindTree Productions - Autism Rocks.
Mary-Minn Sirag has been teaching art and leading activities for the City of Eugene’s Adaptive Recreation program for the past 10 years, as well as helping folks with disabilities live more independently through Full Access Brokerage and Lane Independent Living Alliance. She has also worked with kids on the spectrum and given talks to classrooms and agencies. She is a Chapter Representative for the Autism Society of Oregon in Lane County and President of KindTree Productions - Autism Rocks.
Come enjoy some great music while you help support our programs for the Autism Community.
Catch the Debut Performance of "Steel Wool", the newest combo featuring TR Kelly and Randy Hamme of the Raventones, plus Tim Mueller and Nel Applegate doing all original songs. Rockin'.
Followed by DJ & Ray, doing some serious Sunday Night Metal Shredding.
What a bill! And people with autism can get in free.
So put it on your calendar. Come on down. Have a beer. Have a slice of Pizza. Join the Community.
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