Writing Stories Takes Time, Energy, Patience & Will Power

This blog post was submitted in person by Mandy.

I am working on a holiday story and will send you that when I finish it. I’m sorry it’s taking me so long but as you know, writing stories takes time, energy, patience, and will power.

Rose Mary Honored For 15 Years Of Volunteering

Thanks to Imagine! employee Eva Klemens for orchestrating this neat blog post.

Congratulations to Rose Mary, who is pictured here displaying the plaque she received for volunteering at Boulder Community Hospital for 15 years. Rose Mary volunteers every Wednesday for 2 hours and does office work. Note the rose stitched onto the green jacket she was presented with, which is also engraved with her name. Way to go Rose Mary.

John Is Getting Ready For Halloween

This blog post was submitted via an audio email from John on Tuesday, October 23.

Hi, this is John speaking. Today I went to the pumpkin party at the ACL (Association for Community Living), and it was fun. I went to a pumpkin patch on Saturday and that was very nice too. Say hi to the other people at the Imagine! Coal Creek building, and I hope you hear my message OK.

Here’s a wonderful joke for you. “Why did the chicken cross the road?” “Because it had to get to the other side.” That is one of my favorite jokes.

Have a great night, all righty, bye.

This photo of John was taken last week at the Bob and Judy Charles SmartHome in Boulder, Colorado. John is in the living room peering through Halloween cob webs that are decorating the home.

Shelly Enjoying Painting

This photo was taken yesterday at a CORE/Labor Source art class in Longmont, Colorado. Shelly is using an adapted paint brush to help her to guide it with accuracy. Shelly is always proud of her appearance, as demonstrated in her designed fingernail polish and colorful bracelets.

Robert Attended Dancing With The Boulder Stars

This blog post was submitted by Robert via an audio email that also included written text as an attachment.

Hello my name is Robert. I went to the Dancing with the Boulder Stars last Thursday evening at the Fox Theater, and boy was it fun.

I had to get the tickets first, and then we unloaded everybody (from the van). And how we got the tickets, was the pie man that usually comes to the house, his daughter works there, and she had five other tickets that she wanted to donate, so she gave the house five extra tickets, which was very, very nice. We couldn’t have done it without her.

At first, I had a Coke, and I was halfway done with the Coke, but then the daughter’s dad came up and asked me what kind of beer I liked, and then me and another gentleman said, “Whatever sounds good, we would take.” And he said, “Hang on,” then brought out the beer. It was a Coors Lite, and we both said, “Thank you.” Then about 20 minutes later, the program started. I saw a lot of neat dances and I also got good compliments from other people. We stayed about three and 1/2 hours or four hours, but then we had to go, because it was getting pretty late.

This is Robert, signing off.

Neil Likes Working At The Outback Steakhouse

This blog post was provided in person by Neil.

"Things are going great. I like my job at the Outback Steakhouse in Longmont. I work there Tuesdays and Wednesdays." (When asked what he likes to do with the money he earns, Neil replied), "Spend some and save some, save some and spend some, it goes back and forth."



This photo of Neil was taken a couple years ago in an art class with Imagine!'s CORE/Labor Source department.  Neil was working on a Peace Pole project at the time.

Lana Will Be Voting

This blog post was submitted via audio email by Lana. The voting meeting Lana is referring to was a meeting about voting issues that she attended at Imagine! on Monday that was sponsored by The Legal Center.

Hi, this is Lana. The voting meeting went really good. I learned a lot, and I will be voting.

This photo was taken recently when Lana attended a live webcast at Imagine!, the National Forum on Disability Issues, an historic nonpartisan event, focusing on the disability positions of the 2012 Presidential candidates.

Shout Out For Lafayette's Coal Creek Lanes

This blog post was submitted by Erika Alvis, who is a Program Coordinator with CORE/Labor Source.

Below is a picture I took today of Terri and Randy with one of the wonderful staff at Coal Creek Lanes (In Lafayette). The staff at Coal Creek Lanes are just simply the best. They call all of our folks by name, have created relationships with them, invite them to sit and chat with them while they eat their lunch and more than anything support the work we do and understand the varying needs of the consumers we work with.

From the front desk to the concession stand, I am always continually amazed by the staff smiles and willingness to ensure all of the consumers we serve have an excellent experience at Coal Creek Lanes.

Bob With His Brand New Tim Tebow NY Jets Jersey

This blog entry was sent via an audio email from Bob, who like most of us was quite surprised at the Denver Bronco’s come from behind victory over the San Diego Chargers last night on Monday night football.

Hello.

I watched the game last night, and it totally surprised me that they were down 0-24 and they came back and won 35-24. I am getting a brand new authentic New York Jets Tim Tebow jersey today, and I’m really enjoying computer class. I’m taking a new class and it’s in computers. And I’m really excited to be taking this computer class because it teaches me something new in computers every day. And I just feel good all around.

This is Bob, signing off.

Bob with his brand new authentic Tim Tebow jersey that he got today.

Flowers For Sarah

This blog entry was sent via audio email by Mandy, who sent a beautiful bouquet of purple flowers to the funeral of her friend Sarah.

Hi, I just wanted to let you know I’m doing well. I hope that you are doing well too. I hope people who saw the flowers enjoyed them. I will talk to you soon, bye.

Chris Is Learning How To Use SmartHome Technology

This blog post was given in person by Chris, a resident of the Bob and Judy Charles SmartHome in Boulder, Colorado.

I love living in the Bob and Judy Charles SmartHome. When I first moved in here, I didn’t know what to do with any of the computer stuff. Now I find videos on the internet, play games, send audio emails, and listen to music, especially country and rap. I really do love this place. 

Jessie Walked 500 Feet Today

This blog post was provided in person today by Jessie, who was born with a physical disability in her legs.  She has no femurs, and uses a wheelchair for mobility.  Until about a month ago, Jessie had not walked in six years.

Today I reached one of my goals for walking. I was at the physical therapy room at Exempla Good Samaritan Medical Center and I walked four laps with my walker. It is 125 feet per lap, so I walked a total of 500 feet. That achieved one of my goals, to walk 500 feet with a walker.

My next goal is to walk 500 feet without a walker. That won't be so easy.  I currently don’t have the core strength to stand on my own, so I’m lacking the stability and balance to stand. That will hopefully come in time and with a lot of work.

I have a few busy days coming up, including some fun activities I'll be doing with Out & About. Tonight I will go to Giddy Up, (NOTE:  Giddy Up is an equine-assisted therapy program designed in collaboration between Out & About and Medicine Horse Program in which participants learn skills such as horse grooming, natural horsemanship, riding, and horse leading while focusing on relationships with the horses and each other), tomorrow I will go to Friday Night Out where we’ll have pizza and go bowling; and Saturday we’ll go to the Louisville Rec Center for Fitness and Fun where I’ll get some exercise.

I’ll keep you updated with my progress.

Lana Will Miss Her Friend Sarah Who Passed Away

This blog post was submitted via audio email by Lana. The funeral service Lana is referring to attending was for her friend Sarah, a resident of the Charles Family SmartHome, who passed away last Saturday. Lana attended the memorial service and celebration of Sarah’s life yesterday.

Hi, This is Lana. We had fun at Sarah’s celebration of life yesterday. We had peanut butter and jelly sandwiches because that’s something Sarah liked to eat. We also had chips, coffee, hot chocolate, and tea. I will miss Sarah.

Art Class Focuses On Collaborative Art Pieces

This blog post and photo were submitted by Katherine, one of the Art Instructors for Imagine!’s CORE/Labor Source department.

At Longmont’s CORE/Labor Source art classes, we have been focusing on collaborative art pieces. In the photo, participants were instructed to come together and compromise on colors and subject matters. The group expressed that they wanted to draw Charlie Brown and work on geometric designs.

David Enjoys His Bowling Leagues, And His Life

This blog post was provided in person by David at Coal Creek Sports Center (bowling alley) in Lafayette.

I would like to invite my friends at Imagine! to stop by the bowling alley on a Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday to watch me bowl and to visit. I am in different leagues all three nights, and the leagues go until April 2nd so I’ll be here all winter. We bowl from around 6:00 until 8:00 PM, and I have a lot of friends at Imagine! I’d like to see, so please pass this on to them. (When asked what his all time high scores are in bowling, David said that he’s had a 207 and a 209. Some leagues have bumpers in the gutters to prevent the ball from going into the gutters but David bowls in leagues that do not use the bumpers).

I haven’t been able to get to Mapleton softball fields since the bowling leagues started, but I got there a lot during the summer. I always watched the Imagine! team on Wednesdays. 

I’m working at Bayaud Enterprises in Denver as a janitor three days a week. I’m happy. I love to work, you know that. I just enjoy life. I don’t like sitting around doing nothing, I like to keep busy.

Jack and I didn’t go to the Bronco game last week since it was against the Raiders. We go to the rest of the games but we give someone our tickets for the Raiders’ games because the crowd is just too rowdy when the Broncos play the Raiders. We just go to have fun.

Well, I hope I see some of you soon. Stop by the bowling alley and say hi!

David sure had the pins flying on this shot.

John Is Working Hard At His Jobs

This blog post was sent via audio email by John.

Hi, this is your friend John speaking. I just want to record this message, and so I will tell you two things. I am working really hard at the Hungry Toad and Timberline, and I want to tell you that.

Here’s a good joke. “What did the fish say when he ran into the wall? Dam.”  I hope you know that.

Bye bye.