Open House -World Down Syndrome Day 2018

March 21, 2018-World Down Syndrome Day OPEN HOUSE

The Down Syndrome Association of Hamilton welcomed members, professionals and the community at large to celebrate the contributions and impact that people who have Down syndrome have had in our community.

We thank Lisa Tullet (http://lisatullettphotography.com/) for your talent, passion, keen eye for detail. We think you will agree after seeing these awesome photos. You are welcome download copies for you to use as you wish. They are high resolution and should be good for printing copies.

We thank The Hamilton Spectator (https://www.thespec.com/) for promoting our event -many visitors came to our Open House because they read about it in the newspaper!

We thank Cristina’s Tortina Shop (http://www.cristinastortinashop.com/) for the amazing treats – you continue to showcase capabilities and we are a proud supporter of the work you do!

A great thank you goes out to Gaby Urech and Cindy Urech and the members of the GLEE Club for showcasing their hard work and signing for us at the Open House.

We thank the many volunteers who made this afternoon of celebration possible.

Our families are thriving in a community that promotes acceptance and inclusion. Let’s continue the conversation beyond 3.21 and socks – let’s continue to work so that the future for our children and adults with Down syndrome include equal access to all aspects of society.

#proudtobeme

CDSS Conference 2017-Financial Support

CDSS Conference 2017 -FINANCIAL SUPPORT.

This post presents the guidelines that the Down Syndrome Association of Hamilton (DSAH) will implement to provide financial support to members (National Conference Bursary) interested in attending this year’s National Canadian Down Syndrome Society (CDSS) Conference in Banff, Alberta. The conference runs from May 19^th to May 21^st.

Member Qualifications
To qualify for the National Conference Bursary, members must:

Have a current and in good standing (paid) membership with DSAH and
Be an active member – “active members” participate in functions of DSAH regularly.

NOTES:

Starting 2016, DSAH is providing a “Joint Membership” with CDSS – your fee of $25 remains the same, the only change is that you now have access to all the benefits provided by CDSS as a paid DSAH member.
Memberships fees (2017-18) must be paid before approval of the bursary to be eligible for this bursary (normal due date is April 1st). The membership is valid for the fiscal year in which it was paid. DSAH’s fiscal year runs from April 1st to March 31st of the following year.
If you want to know the status of your membership, whether it is up-to-date or requires renewal, please email Ingrid Muschta at communications@dsah.ca.

National Conference Bursary – family membership

The Down Syndrome Association of Hamilton will cover the cost of allowable expenses of attending the CDSS National Conference for 5 members (one per family) up to a maximum cost of $1,500 per family. Members must pay for their own expenses and provide original receipts to be reimbursed for their expenses.

NOTE: Up-front funds can be made available for members who have a legitimate concern or are unable to pay for the expenses themselves. Please consult with us.

What are Allowable Costs for the National Conference Bursary:

Expenses that could covered under this bursary include:

Cost of Conference Fee – CDSS EARLY BIRD MEMBER RATE ONLY
Hotel room for 2 nights – CDSS APPROVED HOTEL RATE ONLY
Child care costs for a family through the CDSS CONFERENCE PROGRAM ONLY.
Banquet Fees
Travel costs

*please note that the bursary may NOT cover your full costs as it is only up to $1,500.00

National Conference Bursary – SELF ADVOCATES BURSARY

A separate SELF ADVOCATE BURSARY is available for members with Down syndrome age 18+ wishing to attend the conference. The Self Advocate Bursary covers the costs of the following allowable expenses for the self-advocate and their support person:

Cost of Conference Fee – CDSS EARLY BIRD MEMBER RATE ONLY
Hotel room for 2 nights – CDSS APPROVED HOTEL RATE ONLY
Banquet Fees

DEADLINE to apply for the National Conference Bursary 2017

To be considered for either of the above bursaries, you must send an email confirming your interest to contactus@dsah.ca no later than March 1, 2017. The first 5 eligible families and the first 5 self advocates and support person who expresses their interest will receive a note back confirming their eligibility for the bursary. While you are welcome to register at anytime, you are not guaranteed a bursary until you have been notified via email.

Priority will be given to those families who have not attended a National Conference in the last calendar year. If more than 5 families and 5 self advocates who have attended a conference in the past year will be placed on a waiting list and will be notified of their eligibility after March 10, 2017.

Some exceptions to the above guidelines may be made to the discretion of the Executive Board.

Please contact Jennifer Crowson at contactus@dsah.ca if you have any concerns.

Down Syndrome Association of Hamilton -Winter Programs Support

Once again, the Down Syndrome Association of Hamilton is providing financial support to members in good standing (paid membership), to participate in one session (January to March/April 2015) for any of the following winter programs run by organizations within our community. DSAH will reimburse the cost of one paid session with proof of purchase/payment.

Have any questions? Already registered and want to send in copies of your receipt?

Please email programs@dsah.ca attention Alyson Kowalchyk.

NOTE: registration process for many of these programs has already began, you are responsible for signing up and making payments so you can attend classes starting on January 2015.

Programs eligible for funding by DSAH

Superhero Training Academy -Offered by McMaster University Athletics & Recreation

The Superhero Training Academy is a fitness program designed specifically for children, ages 5 to 16 years, with special needs. Participants must be ambulatory. The program focuses on improving fitness fundamentals, such as balance, flexibility, coordination and strength, while also promoting the development of social skills, such as listening to instructions and working co-operatively in groups. In order to achieve these goals, children receive the undivided attention of one or two dedicated McMaster student volunteers. Parents are welcome to stay and observe. For further details contact the program coordinators Harriet Law and Matt Berardocco at sta@mcmaster.ca.

You can register online by visiting: Superhero Training Academy

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SwimAbilities-Children-Offered by the City of Hamilton. Locations: Bennetto CC and Sir Winston Churchill RC

A Learn to Swim program for children (3-18) with special needs. The program is based on Hamilton’s Splash, Lifesaving Swimmer Program and Lifesaving Swim to Survive Program. Participants in this class must provide their own volunteer to be in the water with the participant. There are 3 levels: Beginner – Parent and Tot / Splash ABC; Intermediate – Splash A+B+C+ / Swimmer 1, 2; and Advanced – Swimmer 3 and higher. Participants in this class MUST provide their own volunteer to be present in the water with the swimmer.

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SwimAbilities-ADULTS – Offered by the City of Hamilton. Location: Bennetto CC

A Learn to Swim program for adults (18+) with special needs. The program is based on Hamilton’s Splash, Lifesaving Swimmer Program and Lifesaving Swim to Survive Program. Participants in this class must provide their own volunteer to be in the water with the participant. Participants in this class MUST provide their own volunteer to be present in the water with the swimmer.

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Bowling Friday Framers. Offered by the City of Hamilton. Location: Huntington Park RC

This recreational program is designed for teens and adults with special needs. Participants meet weekly at Sherwood Bowling Lanes and must provide own support worker.

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Teen Connections. Offered by the City of Hamilton. Locations: Ryerson RC and Westmount RC

This recreational program is designed for teens age 16-21 who have special needs and can participate semi-independently with a ratio of one staff to 5 participants. Participants can recreate and form connections with other teens and engage in activities including cooking, active games, crafts, swimming, fitness, group team building and much more.

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Again, any questions or concerns, please contact Alyson Kowalchyk at programs@dsah.ca.

Hope to see many participating and having fun!

Down Syndrome Association of Hamilton Christmas Party 2014

Thank You to everyone that made this year’s Down Syndrome Association of Hamilton’s Christmas party a great success!

For a copy of the original photo, without a Christmas frame, follow this link: Original Prints -photography by Paul Arnold.

Workshop- Oral Motor Therapy & Speech Therapy

Transition from school to work for young adults with Down syndrome

Join Canadian Down Syndrome Society Board member and Supported Employment expert, Sean Wiltshire, for an informal conversation around successful transitions to the workforce. Sean has been working in Supported Employment for over 20 years, and his organization Avalon Employment has assisted individuals in accessing over 1,240,000 hours of work and counting.

Sean is the founding President of the Canadian Association of Supported Employment and is a professional speaker with the National Speakers Bureau in Toronto and Vancouver.

EVENT DETAILS

Date: Wednesday, September 17th, 2014

Time: 7:00 pm

Location: Charles Sturt University, Burlington, ON

Address: 860 Harrington Court, just off Harvester Road

(Guelph Line and Walkers Line).

RSVP or Questions: leanne@haltondownsyndrome.com

Parents Connecting-D.A.D.S & Mom’s Night Out

Keep your eyes open for the return of two very popular opportunities to connect with other parents, trade stories and share information on social, educational, and the overall well being of our children. These gatherings are a way to strengthen our community.

Speech & Language Development

Ms. Monica Knott, a Speech Pathologist with the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board, spoke to our members during an Information Night this past February. We are thankful to have received her permission to upload a copy of her presentation for those members that were not able to attend the session. Click here to download a printable copy of her presentation “Development of Communication Skills”.

Members Corner: Arbonne Presentation

From Sherry Gardner, Consultant & Proud Mom.

I am a proud mom of a child with Down Syndrome. One of our greatest struggles was how do we create extra income in our house, and more importantly, how do I, as the primary caregiver and advocate, create extra income. My daughter Maggie is now 5. I also have a 7 year old daughter named Quinn; between Maggie’s busy therapy and health care appointments, and Quinn’s busy toddler life I was at a loss as to how I could possibly create income that was substantial and flexible so that I could attend all the necessary appointments.

During this search process, I was introduced to the business of Network Marketing and in particular, a company called Arbonne. Unsure about what it really was but truly desperate at the time to help my family, I jumped into the business and it was hands down the best thing I did for my family. I wasn’t worried about “easy”, I just needed “possible”.

Today, I spend my time educating people on how to read their labels and make better choices when it comes to personal care but more importantly, I help others who were in the same situation as I was to find a solution to their financial needs; whatever they may be. It has substantially changed our family income, Arbonne has allowed me to stay home with my kids and yet still contribute to the family income.

I am so passionate about sharing this with people in our community. There are so many benefits, including creating a willable income stream, time leveraging and residual income that I believe others will be interested as well. I am hosting a couple of workshops for anyone who is at all curious about what I do, what I did and/or the product line. I am also new to the area and know very few people in the Down Syndrome Community here in Hamilton. These workshops will also give us the opportunity to get to know each other and share stories.

PROPOSED WORKSHOP: Wednesday April 16 at 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm DISCOVER ARBONNE

Business presentation and Product Discovery. 20 Macklin Street North, Toronto, ON

At this presentation, learn how to read your labels, learn more about how this business might fit into your life as a BUSY parent to a child with special needs, and socialize with others.

7:00 pm – Socialize

7:30 pm – Presentation, and Discussion.

Please contact sherrydgarner@gmail.com for more information.

I am flexible, if there is a group who would like to get together at a different time of location. My goal is to educate people that there are choices and help them make the best decision for their family. There will never be any pressure for anyone to purchase anything or make a decision that is not right for them, my goal is to educate on many levels whether it is to show people how to read labels or to introduce them to an alternative income source. The rest is up to them.

I know there are others out there that may be feeling like I felt, fearful about how I was going to provide for my special “peanut”. I had no idea this was a choice out there. And I have found that it has been the best thing for our family. I am really excited to share it with our community.

With sincere gratitude,

Sherry Garner

Open House -World Down Syndrome Day 2018

CDSS Conference 2017-Financial Support

Down Syndrome Association of Hamilton -Winter Programs Support

Programs eligible for funding by DSAH

Superhero Training Academy -Offered by McMaster University Athletics & Recreation

Down Syndrome Association of Hamilton Christmas Party 2014

Thank You to everyone that made this year’s Down Syndrome Association of Hamilton’s Christmas party a great success!

Workshop- Oral Motor Therapy & Speech Therapy

Transition from school to work for young adults with Down syndrome

Parents Connecting-D.A.D.S & Mom’s Night Out

Speech & Language Development

Members Corner: Arbonne Presentation

Sponsorship Pages

Sponsorship Package 2014