Programs of The Arc/Rowan
Programs
Summer Day Program /
Summer Camp
|
Advocacy | Annual
Dinner | Dream
Catchers Civitan Club | Employee
of Record | Fetal
Alcohol Syndrome | Kids
on the Block | Mental
Retardation Sabbath Sunday |
Lending Library | Monthly
Seminars | Operation Santa |
|Public
Information | Respite
| Shaker's Dance | Resource
Library | |Surrogate
Parent Program | Teen Night
| The
Employer of Record |
The Arc/Rowan Christmas Party
| Van Transportation |
Summer
Camp
This camp
experience is for adults with developmental
disabilities held Blowing Rock Assembly Grounds.
This is often the only vacation taken by these
participants. Activities include art and crafts,
hiking, social time and a trip to Tweetsie
Railroad. This is a great opportunity to get
away and have a good time in a supervised
setting. The Arc/Rowan coordinates chaperones,
transportation and participates. This trip
utilizes volunteer assistance.
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Advocacy:
Family
Support Services
provides individual assistance on an as needed
basis. A person with mental retardation or other
developmental disability can call The Arc/Rowan
to receive assistance on accessing services, ask
a question, obtain information, seek housing,
Medicaid benefits, guardianship, disability
determination, obtain referral assistance or any
other need. The family members can obtain
information on supports for caring for their
family member with a developmental disability
including advice, assistance and services.
Family support can be long term or short term
determined by the family and or person with
developmental disability.
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Family
Intervention is an
opportunity for a family to request assistance
when supports are of increased urgency. Some
examples would include attending an IEP
(Individual Education Plan) meeting, court and
legal issues, long term care are situations
where The Arc/Rowan would intervene on behalf of
the family or person with a developmental
disability.
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Public
Awareness is important
means for people in Rowan County to learn about
The Arc/Rowan, our services, our mission and
purpose. Three percent of Rowan County residents
are considered to have some degree of mental
retardation. The entire county is involved
providing supports in our community. Mental
Retardation does not just affect the person with
the disability…the family, and community are
also affected.
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School
Issues – IDEA
(Individual with Disabilities Education Act) and
ADA (Americans Disabilities Act) are two laws
insuring the rights of people with developmental
disabilities. The Arc/Rowan supports system
advocacy through IDEA and ADA. The Arc/Rowan
works with the Rowan Salisbury School System to
insure the rights of Rowan County children are
appropriately served and I the best placement.
The Arc/Rowan represents families to insure
choices in educational curriculum for children
are available.
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Annual
Dinner:
The Annual
Dinner is an opportunity for The Arc/Rowan
Membership and interested citizens to meet
together. This meeting provides a summary of the
year, election of Board of Directors, election
of officers, entertainment, a program presenting
a topic of interest and a wonderful dinner.
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Dream Catchers Civitan
Club:
This club
organized when a group of people with severe
physical disabilities and mental retardation
wanted to help others. They were very specific
about types of community service focus. They
have an “Adopt-a-Grandparent” program at a local
nursing home. They are truly ambassadors for
ABILITIES in everyone. One way the club
expresses their abilities is with an active
choral group. The singers perform upon request
at special events, church functions and club
meetings. Club members have expressed that this
is one way they can give back to the community.
Employee of Record: A
family directed self-determination resource network. This program
supports and educates individuals and families to provide services
to the extent they desire.
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Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
The Fetal
Alcohol Syndrome Program (FAS) is a public
awareness program for the prevention of mental
retardation. FAS is caused by a woman drinking
while pregnant. This is a 100% preventable cause
of mental retardation. This program is presented
to middle and high school students in Rowan
County. The message is simple “somewhere,
someday you will be with someone who is pregnant
and a drink will be offered and you will be able
to make a difference for that baby”. The
statistics are staggering, 50% of women will
drink alcohol before they realize they are
pregnant. Knowledge is power. Our goal is to
spread the message that there is:
No safe amount of
alcohol when pregnant.
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Kids on the Block
This troupe
of disabled and non-disabled puppets provides a
valuable learning experience for children about
acceptance of differences in people. The puppet
show is designed for third graders. The puppets
are intriguing. The presentation provides the
children opportunity to ask questions about
disabilities in a fun setting.
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Mental Retardation
Sabbath Sunday
Over 16,000
bulletin inserts containing information about
mental retardation are distributed to Rowan
County Churches. This is done during March in
recognition of Mental Retardation Awareness
Month. The Arc/Rowan has taken to task to
increase the number of churches reached each
year.
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Lending
Library
The Arc Rowan
has a collection of books about mental
retardation and related developmental
disabilities for public loan.
Subjects include Down Syndrome, Autism, The
IEP ( Individual Educational Plan ), Maze,
parenting small children with a disability
and others.
The collection
is housed at the Catawba College Library.
The public is welcome to check out any book
on these topics and other books of interest.
Application for a Catawba College library
card is required for books checked out over
night.
Sunday 1:30pm to
11:00pm
Monday - Thursday
8:00am to 11:00pm
Monthly
Seminars:
The seminar
format has provided educational opportunities on
a variety of subjects. The Arc/Rowan provides a
speaker on topics of interest. Seminars have
included: Guardianship, Fetal Alcohol Syndrome,
Individual Education Plans, Transition from
School to Work, Autism, Future Planning to name
a few.
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Operation
Santa This program
provides The Arc/Rowan the opportunity to bring
the spirit of Christmas to people with
Developmental Disabilities. We focus on people
who are poor and needy with handicaps. Children
and adults who live in our state institutional
settings from Rowan County deserve and receive
Christmas cheer when gifts arrive. We also ask
teachers from our local schools for children’s
names. We gather a wish list from our “Santa
Helpers” to determine what each individual likes
and what sizes they need. The Arc/Rowan is
always taken by the number of children that have
the simple request of shoes for Christmas.
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Public
Information:
Newsletter – The
Arc/Rowan newsletter includes information about
coming events, educational articles, happenings
that are of interest. This newsletter is sent to
families, interested citizens and people with
developmental disabilities. Our newsletter is a
great way to keep our membership and interested
individuals aware of the activities of The
Arc/Rowan. This newsletter is mailed four times
a year and reaches over 600 families. We strive
to increase and reach more people with our
newsletter.
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Membership is the
heart of The Arc/Rowan. Our members support The
Arc/Rowan through a nominal membership fee. Our
members serve as a volunteer base. The
membership is a wide range of professionals,
families, individuals, self-advocates and
students.
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Conference/Meetings –
Staying current is the up-most importance.
Conferences provide the opportunity to expand
our knowledge so that we can better serve the
people of Rowan County with developmental
disabilities. Meetings allow our agency the
opportunity to network with other providers and
agencies in our area. Interagency collaboration
has continued to increase service opportunities.
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Respite:
Every family
deserves a break from the continual care needs
of a family member (child or adult) with a
developmental disability. Trained respite
providers provide an opportunity for family
members to “take a break”. Respite time is
individually determined based on the need of the
family.
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Shaker's
Dance A major
social gathering is the best description of this
event. This is a monthly dance for adults with
developmental disabilities. Every month City
Park Rocks! This dance is hosted by a different
group of volunteers each month. The host
provides the refreshments. All enjoying dancing
to the music. This event is always well
attended.
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Resource
Library:
The
Arc/Rowan collection of books is housed at the
Catawba College Library. We are able to add
books each year to the collection. Information
about disabilities includes Autism, Down
Syndrome, CP, Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, Mental
Retardation and other related developmental
disabilities. The public is welcomed to check
out a book at the Catawba Library.
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Surrogate
Parent Program:
Children
with disabilities are required by law to have an
Individual Education Plan (IEP). Each IEP
requires a parent’s involvement. Unfortunately
not all children with IEP’s in Rowan County have
a parent to represent them for the IEP process.
The Arc/Rowan Staff has been trained by the
Rowan-Salisbury School System to be the
representative in place of the parent when the
parent is not involved with the child. We attend
IEP meetings to insure the educational needs are
being met for these children.
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Teen
Night
A monthly
event for teenagers with developmental
disabilities. The teen’s requested a night of
their own. “We have nothing to do, nowhere to
go” was the echo. Like any teenager, this group
wanted activities for their own age group. This
night has become a wonderful opportunity to
socialize in a safe and supervised setting.
Volunteers are always welcome to join in the
fun!
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The
Employer of Record:
Families are
given the opportunity to select their own staff
for working with their disabled family member. A
self-determination resource network that offers
families an alternative to the standard provider
based service model. Families report that being
in control has made a difference in their lives
and their families life. Providing choices to
enrich the lives of people with disabilities.
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The
Arc/Rowan Christmas Party
This party
is for all people who participate in The
Arc/Rowan programs and the Membership of The
Arc/Rowan. Volunteers work year round to
organize and collect items for the Christmas
“goodie bags”. Music, food, fun and Santa make
for fun fellowship.
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Van
Transportation
The
Arc/Rowan van provides daily transportation to
Rowan Vocational Opportunities. Without this
means the riders would not have a way to work.
The van is used during the day to take an
enclave to their work site. Other van uses
include Special Olympics, weekly recreation,
summer day program, Blowing Rock trip and other
special outings. People with mental retardation
typically do not drive. The inability to get to
a desired location can be debilitating,
isolating, defeating and very frustrating. The
Arc/Rowan helps to elevate this situation with
availability of a van.
For additional information about
The Arc/Rowan Programs call:
704-637-1521
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