Volume
1 Issue 4
March 2003
Quarterly newsletter of Speaking Differently - A national organization for persons with disabilities who communicate in different ways.
2 INSPIRING MESSAGES THIS ISSUE!
LIFE IS A ROLLER COASTER
Life is full of ups and downs, highs and lows, triumphs and failures. The only way to deal with this roller coaster ride of life is to roll with the punches and move on.
Back in October, after completing a six month business course to enable me
to make a living by selling my greeting cards and artwork, I went into a store
at Queens Quay. It was a store that sold different types of artwork by various
Canadian artists, so I thought that it might be a good place to sell my work.
I entered the store, enthused and hopeful, and went right up to the man behind
the counter. (He didn't seem to be busy, so I didn't feel like I was imposing
on
him.) I had previously prepared a written message for just this type of situation,
explaining that I was an artist and asking if the reader would like to purchase
some of my work. The man read the message and started to yell at me, saying
that I should get out of his store because they didn't allow BEGGARS! Stunned
and humiliated, I left. I wandered around for a while, thinking about what
the man had said to me. He had no right to kick me out of his store, I had
done nothing wrong. The more I thought about it, the angrier I got! I returned
to the store, and much to my amazement, the man started yelling at me again
and telling me to leave or else he would call security. This time, I stood
my ground and refused to leave! I began to look around the store, just as
any other customer would. Still, the man continued to tell me to leave, following
me around as I browsed. Finally, unable to stand his harassment anymore, I
spelled out to him, "I'm no beggar!" and then left the store. I
don't know if he took any notice of what I had said or even if it changed
his views about people like me. I can only hope that it did make him think
a little. It's almost December as I write this, and I think about that man
often. If only he knew that I am selling my cards and artwork quite successfully
at St Lawrence Market now. If only he knew that I am the chairperson of Speaking
Differently, a group which is maturing and growing steadily, an organization
which is challenging itself and chasing new horizons. And, if only that man
knew that the other board members are just as driven and passionate as I.
I can now look upon this experience not with anger but with wry humour...
and with some pity. He has no idea how we are making a respectable place for
ourselves in our communities.
At the November board meeting, we were honoured by the presence of Betty-Jean Findlay from ISAAC who presented a cheque in the amount of $16,400 - our grant from The Trillium Fund. We have great plans for the use of this money to make changes for people who use AAC ( for details, refer to the September 2003 issue of Loud 'n Clear, or, contact Anne Abbott anne@warenda.com or Bern O'Keefe b.okeefe@utoronto.ca).
Things are happening, things are rolling, and we are on a definite up-swing!
Anne Abbott, Chair, SD
ENCOURAGE THEM TO JOIN SPEAKING DIFFERENTLY |
BLISSYMBOLICS IN BALA
- SUMMER 2003
Reflecting back over the summer, I rejoice in recalling the great impacts that the Blissymbolics Learning Centre had upon the 32 students who attended the program.
Over sixteen weeks, two students came each week to share and take an active role in the learning environment of the program and as welcome guests to the Bliss House. We laughed, we cried, we learned, we showed and were shown great compassion, we shared and we cared. Our staff were committed to making each week the best educational experience possible.
Our Centre was a place where each individual could feel safe in a special surrounding. Each student was given the opportunity to develop new interpersonal skills and offered the space to reach new heights of physical and mental capabilities. What I appreciated most was the way in which our team gave the highest respect to each person. We became their educators, always setting the bar just beyond their natural reach so they would desire to reach out of their own comfort zone. We became their friends providing that safe environment where they could feel free to be themselves, expressing wants, needs, hopes and dreams. We became their caregivers, offering a home atmosphere of safety, creating that special place where laughter and good heart-to-heart talks can provide a crucial turning point in a person's life.
We developed individualized literacy programs for the students who desired ongoing training to master more reading skills. We designed and created new Bliss displays for many of the students. This involved countless hours from our committed technology and instructional staff members. We set up computers and did specialized programming so each person would have the vital capabilities to interact with their world. We instructed and installed specialized software that will enable trapped minds to communicate across the electronic universe.
We celebrated the grand opening of The Bliss House in June. Mayor Susan Pryke joined in the ribbon cutting ceremony. We are thankful to the mayor and the township councillors for their ongoing support and encouragement. We are thankful as well to our Board members and Bliss supporters who worked so hard at fund-raising.
In July we had a lawn sale. It provided the opportunity for Bala residents and our neighbours to became more aware of our Learning Centre's activities.
We held our second annual luncheon and silent auction at the Port Carling Golf and Country Club. It was wonderful to have Cheryl Pounder as our guest speaker. In September we hosted Singing for Bliss featuring the Muskoka Men of Song, Guelph Village Singers and the Glen Orchard Children's Chorus. It was a very special musical evening, celebrated by all. I was honoured to present the Paul Marshall award for Lifetime Learning to Elaine Drover. How proud I was to be able to give Elaine a laptop computer to enable her to continue her learning as she returned to St. John's!
We say a big thank you to our team this summer. The summer owes its success to each and every staff member and volunteer. A special thank you goes out to our Mentors Britt Amberntson from Gotteborg Sweden, Shelly Deegan from Hamilton Ontario, Trish Bailey from England, Jane Green from St. John Newfoundland and Sue Thurston from Hamilton Ontario. During their volunteer time with us they worked nonstop and played a critical part in creating the environment that we wanted to cultivate for each student.
Many persons took the time to help 32 special individuals this summer. We look ahead to next year, when we will again foster new and wonderful learning opportunities for others at The Bliss House and Learning Centre. By Paul Marshall
HOW TO JOIN SD
If you would like to become a member of SD, send your name, address and email address to Urszula May at u.may@utoronto.ca. Fax: (416 978 1596)
Or, go to the website (http://pages.istar.ca/~marshall/Speaking_Differently)
to obtain a membership application form.
Membership in Speaking Differently is $4.00 for people who use AAC. Students
may join for $5.00. Inquire about different levels of support for persons
who do not use AAC. For information, contact Urszula May at u.may@utoronto.ca
or write to Speaking Differently Rehabilitation Sciences Building University
of Toronto Department of Speech-Language Pathology 500 University Avenue Toronto,
ON M5G 1V7
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