I am not a sports fan. At all. Not one little bit. But unless sports fans like me live under rocks, even we know the Giants and Patriots are doing the Super Bowl thing this Sunday. So, in an attempt to fit in with the majority and in honor of the big event, DifferentDream.com is taking a special needs look-see into professional football.

Enter Friendship Circle

To be honest, I’m not doing the look-see. The good people at Friendship Circle, specifically Annie the blogger, did the look-see and I’m passing on the results to you. Annie visited each team’s community affairs page on their respective websites, and created a list of 12 teams that raise money or sponsor events for special needs.

 Professional Football Special Needs Hall of Fame

So, here’s the list of teams Annie found:

1. New York Giants
2. Detroit Lions
3. Green Bay Packers
4. Minnesota Vikings
5. Seattle Seahawks
6. Chicago Bears
7. Philadelphia Eagles
8. Kansas City Chiefs
9. Jacksonville Jaguars
10. Pittsburgh Steelers
11. Cleveland Browns
12. New England Patriots

And a Few Individual Stars

Annie also discovered that players Dan Flute, Jr. and Dan Marino support special needs organizations individually. Hopefully, your curiosity is piqued, and you want to know what special needs organizations these teams and players support. In that case visit Friendship Circle’s informative blog to get the whole story.

I suspect more players and teams support special needs than made this list. For example, former player Jim Kelly and his wife run Hunter’s Hope, a foundation to raise awareness and encourage research into Krabbe Leukodystrophy, the condition their son Hunter lived with for 8 1/2 years.

Can You Add to the List?

Maybe you’re more of a sports fan than I am. In that case, you may be able to add to the list. So if you know of more teams and players who support special needs organziations, leave a comment with the information…and a prediction of who you think will win Sunday. What’s my prediction? The halftime show will be a spectacle.

Told ya’ I wasn’t a sports fan.

Play ball!
Jolene

With its cold weather and limited daylight hours, January is not my favorite month. So I’ve been using the 2012 Accessibility Summit at McLean Bible Church (in Washington, DC) as a coping mechanism.

Day Dreaming About the Accessibility Summit

When the cold and dark close in and I go a little crazy, an almost daily event, I day dream about being at the conference April 20-21. I day dream of being in DC with the cherry blossoms in bloom. I day dream about Temple Grandin’s mother, Eustacia Cutler, (she’s this year’s keynote speaker) coming up to me and saying, “Jolene, I love your books. Would you autograph my copies?”

Day Dreaming About Meeting You

But mostly, I day dream about meeting parents of kids with special needs attending the conference for a good dose of encouragement, fellowship, and information. That is the best part of the conference, and I would love, LOVE, L-O-V-E to meet you there. (If arranging care for your child is an issue, the conference has special needs child care available.) So hop over to the Accessibility Summit Website to learn more about child care, the keynote speaker Eustacia Cutler, featured musician Patrick Henry Hughes, and the 30+ workshops conducted by speakers with a wide variety of expertise. (My workshop about time management and setting priorities is located in the Family & Caregiver track.)

Washington DC is a long way from home for many, but this conference is an amazing opportunity for those on the East Coast. McLean Bible Church is a leader in special needs ministry, and their staff is available throughout the conference to answer questions and share their expertise.

What Are You Day Dreaming About?

If you’re going to the conference, leave a comment so we can figure out how to get together. If you can’t attend, describe what you day dream about to keep from going crazy during January. In any case, think spring. It’s less than two months away!

Jolene

Do you remember guest blogger Christine Lester’s November series at DifferentDream.com? In Part 1, she described her emotions upon seeing the scars on her newborn son’s body. In Part 2, she talked about finally taking her baby home from NICU and grieving over his scars. The final post in the series was about how her perception of her son’s scars have changed over the years since his birth.

Raising Awareness about Infant Surgery

The response to the series was overwhelming. Many readers left comments about their newborns’ surgery experiences. Others left notes thanking Christine for giving them a glimpse into infant surgery. Those of us who have parented babies through surgery and NICU stays forget that it’s a foreign concept to those who have healthy infants. I was amazed and gratified to see the series raise awareness of the issue.

Raising Awareness about EA/TEF

The timing of the series in mid-November couldn’t have been better. It coincided with an episode of Gray’s Anatomy featuring a newborn with the same birth anomaly diagnosed in Christine’s son and mine. I’m not a Gray’s Anatomy watcher, but Christine is, and she send an email with a hulu link to the episode, Dark Is the Night, and the medical case file.

Here’s what Christine said in her email:

“Last night on Grey’s Anatomy they finally had a TEF child. The message boards blew up and on all my friends’ Facebook pages showed their stories and a few of the Non EA/TEF friends would ask them and myself, ‘Is that what really happened?’ and ‘They would never leave a mother at another hospital. You were not left were you?’ and the answer was always YES.”

Be sure to check out the medical case file. It does an excellent job of explaining EA/TEF.

January Is EA/TEF Month

January has been designated EA/TEF, and some posts at DifferentDream,com will be dedicated to raising awareness of the birth anomaly. Hopefully, by then the surgical outcome of the Gray’s Anatomy baby will be known and the love lives of the cast members will be resolved. If you have predictions about either, leave a comment!

Jolene

In November, the Easter Seals society released a national report called Our Nation’s Youngest Children at Risk: Easter Seals Releases State-by-State Report on Early Intervention. The Easter Seals Society used the information to lobby Congressional leaders about funding for early childhood intervention.

Our Nation’s Youngest Children at Risk

You can read about the project at www.EasterSeals.com. Click on Our Nation’s Children at Risk: A State-by-State Report on Early Intervention to go straight to links to the entire report, each state’s individual report, and the executive summary. Those links are time savers, because the entire report is quite long and slow to scroll through.

The Best and the Worst

The report lists states providing early intervention to over 4% of their special needs youngsters: Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Mexico, Wyoming, New York and New Hampshire. It also lists states serving less than 2% of children ages 0 – 3: Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, Mississippi, Montana, Missouri, Arkansas and the District of Columbia. That means the rest of the states, including Iowa where I live, are serving about 3% of kids, ages 0 – 3.

Spotlight on Kids

The report also tells the stories of children who have benefited greatly from early intervention services. Those stories put faces to the statistics and tug at the old heart strings.

What Do You Think?

Do the statistics for your state jibe with your early childhood intervention experience? What suggestions do you have for improving services? Leave a comment to share your thoughts.

Thanks,
Jolene

This year’s holiday issue of Special Needs Parenting Magazine is here! Once again, it is packed with articles and product reviews you won’t want to miss. Here are a few highlights:

• Articles on toy safety and choosing age appropriate gifts.
• A holiday gift guide.
• Special dietary needs and weight control during the holidays advice.
• Stories about adaptive PE and kids with special needs on stage for holiday programs.

And that’s barely the tip of the ice berg. To view the entire online magazine, click here.

If you have a favorite holiday resource for families of kids with special needs, leave a link or comment so others can check it out.

Merry Christmas (in advance),
Jolene

As has been mentioned before on this blog, Temple Grandin is one of my heros. So when Harriet Cabelly who blogs at www.rebuildyourlifecoach.com sent an email saying she’d interviewed Grandin, I was impressed.

Way to Go, Harriet Cabelly

My guess is you’re going to love the description about how the interview came about. It certainly inspired me to follow Harriet’s advice:  Don’t be afraid to ask for what you want, you just might get it.

Way to Go, Temple Grandin

But Harriet’s story is just the warm up. The interview is filled with advice from Temple, a lifetime of experiences distilled into encouragement and practical suggestions for parents of kids on the autism spectrum. But don’t take my word for it. Read the interview for yourself at Harriet’s blog.

Utilizing Harriet’s Advice

Now’s the time for me to take Harriet and Temple’s advice. Somehow, Harriet’s email address got caught in this blog’s spam filter and was deleted before I realized what had happened. Therefore Harriet, who has lots of good insights to share, can’t post them. If you have any ideas about how to rectify the situation, please leave a comment.

Thanks for your help!
Jolene

After months of planning and techno-wizardry, it’s almost time for Inclusion Fusion to begin! The three day (November 3 – 5) Special Needs Ministry Web Conference kicks off this evening.

In honor of the conference, Katie Wetherbee of Key Ministry, the event host, is today’s guest blogger. Here’s what she has to say about why Key Ministry is offering the event FREE OF CHARGE to parents and churches.

Complete Inclusion

As the gentleman approached the Welcome Desk, his countenance and pace communicated his discomfort. His hands clutched the tiny child in his arms a little closer as he said, “This is Abby*. It’s her first visit… She’s a second grader.” He leaned in, his voice lower. “She’s really small for her age.”

As I began assembling a welcome packet, this devoted dad’s eyes met mine, forecasting the gravity of the news he was about to share. “She has some special needs,” he whispered. He went on to describe the rare syndrome with which she was diagnosed. “She might need some help during Sunday School. And she might not understand everything the teacher says.  She probably won’t talk with the other kids and she won’t join the games…”

I jotted this information on the student information form, and then asked him some questions about his daughter’s strengths and interests. “We understand special needs here at our church,” I told him. We even have folks who are trained as buddies…that way, we can make our new friends feel welcome and included.”

The worry on his face was quickly replaced with a measure of relief. “That sounds great!” I beckoned to the high school student near the door to come and meet this new friend.

You might think, as you’re reading this story, that our church really “gets” inclusion. However, welcoming this child—or any child—into the Sunday morning program is really only part of what inclusion should be. This is the “greet and meet” portion of inclusion: We warmly greeted Abby and parent, and we were equipped to meet her needs. This is important. ..a necessary beginning… but it’s incomplete. 1 Corinthians 12 tells us that the Church is incomplete without the gifts of all…

So…how do we move beyond the “greet and meet” to make the Church complete?

This question is beautifully answered by what happened as Abby was introduced to her high school buddy. “This is Jenny,” I said, introducing Abby and her dad to the high school helper. Abby’s father said, “My daughter has special needs.” Without hesitation, Jenny leaned down to Abby’s level and held out her hand.

“Well, Abby” she said, “I have special needs, too! We can enjoy church together today!”

That’s complete inclusion…when children and adults with disabilities are not only welcomed and included, but also using their gifts to serve Christ!

We want to make ALL churches COMPLETE! Join us for Inclusion Fusion (www.inclusionfusion.org) on November 3-5 to learn more about this kind of inclusion. This free, web-based conference can be accessed from any computer, smart phone or tablet. Modules for pastors, volunteers and parents will provide a wide range of information and inspiration so that every family can feel welcome and truly included in the life of a local church. Join us!

*names in this article have been changed to protect confidentiality.

Katie Wetherbee is the Director of Education for Key Ministry. She and her husband live with their two teenagers and a quirky mutt named Mitzie in Chagrin Falls, OH.  Katie blogs at http://katiewetherbee.wordpress.com

Register for Inclusion Fusion

If you haven’t registered for Inclusion Fusion yet, there’s still time! Just go to www.inclusionfusion.org and follow the links. If you are registered, check out the schedule for online chats. I’ll be leading one on Friday at noon and would love to connect with you.

See you this weekend,
Jolene

Even though this blog is read across the country, once in awhile I come across a local or regional story that deserves crowing about. Today’s blog is about one of them.

The Des Moines Register Reports

An article in the Des Moines Register highlighted two programs for kids with special needs offered through the Ankeny Parks and Recreation Department. For those of you unfamiliar with central Iowa, Ankeny is one of Des Moines northern suburbs. It’s also where my mother lives, something I know you’ve all been dying to know. But I digress.

Monets in the Making

Here’s what the article says about the first program. “Monets In The Making allows each child to express themselves through arts and crafts; enlightens children with colors, textures and designs. The class can get messy and participants should bring an art shirt with them each week to protect clothing. Siblings are welcome.”

Super Circuit

And now for a quote about the second program. “Super Circuit is a multi-activity program that emphasizes socialization, good sportsmanship and fun. A variety of sports may be played, including volleyball, kickball, basketball and dodgeball. Super Circuit is sponsored by the Ankeny Kiwanis.” To read the whole article, click  here.

How About in Your Neck of the Woods?

I think both programs sound way cool. But since they’re happening not too far from where I live, maybe I’m biased. And maybe some way cool programs are being offered in your neck of the woods, too. If so, brag a little in the comment box and leave a link so we can learn more.

Looking forward to hearing about way cool things where you live,
Jolene

A DifferentDream.com post from a few week’s back announced an upcoming event, Inclusion Fusion. It’s a web-based special needs conference being held November 3-5. The event is sponsored by Key Ministry and the Pajama Conference people to equip and encourage churches to implement special needs ministries. Best of all, it’s absolutely FREE.

Keynote Speaker: Chuck Swindoll

Now, there’s more great news. The keynote speaker will be Chuck Swindoll. He’s a well-known author, pastor, and the grandpa of a child with special needs. (For those of you who are Women of Faith junkies, he’s also Lucy Swindoll’s brother.) To learn more about him, check out this post by Steve Grcevich, the founder of Key Ministry.

You’re In for a Treat

If you haven’t heard Dr. Swindoll before, you’re in for a treat. I can’t wait to hear what he has to say to parents of kids with special needs. Judging from the previous times I’ve heard him speak and from the books of his I’ve read, his words will be sound, compassionate, and filled with practical application.

Register Now

Now’s the time for you to register for the conference. It’s also the time to encourage people from your church to register. All the how to details can be found at the Inclusion Fusion website.

Hope to “see” you there,
Jolene

Good news for those of you interested in learning more about special needs ministries, but can’t leave home because you’re the care giver for a child or adult with special needs. Key Ministry and Pajama Conferences are partnering to create Inclusion Fusion, a web-based conference you can attend from home!

Mark Your Calendar for November 3-5

Inclusion Fusion will be November 3-5 with a key note speaker and full slate of presenters. (If you have a workshop idea, applications are still being accepted at this post at the Key Ministry website.) You can attend the conference from the comfort of your own home and wear your pajamas if you like. And you’re going to love the cost because the conference is absolutely FREE!

Learn More about Inclusion Fusion Here

Updates about the conference can be found at www.inclusionfusion.org where you can also register for the conference. If your church is interested in starting a special needs ministry, please pass the information on to your church staff, too. The registration fee is perfect for the smallest church’s budget!

See You There

Maybe we’ll “meet” at the Inclusion Fusion Conference since I’m one of the presenters. My workshop will springboard off one of the topics in Different Dream Parenting, though which one has yet to be determined. See you there!

Until November 3,
Jolene