Imagine!'s Dayspring Bulletin - May 2019

Imagine!’s latest Dayspring Bulletin is available online.

Alex Beckley - Imagine! Case Management Unsung Hero

Congratulations are in order for Alex Beckley, recently selected as an Imagine! Case Management Unsung Hero.

A parent of one of our clients sent the following praise for Alex, who is her daughter’s Case Manager: “I feel compelled to express my deep gratitude, and to recognize Alex for her skilled and attentive work. Alex is extraordinary. She is extremely knowledgeable, and consistently well-educated in Colorado's programs and laws. She stays in close contact with my daughter and ensures that her needs are met. Recently, there was a problem with my daughter’s Medicaid and we could have lost coverage if Alex hadn't alerted us to a problem. This is what I had hoped it would be like to have a Case Manager. My daughter has an ally and a partner with Alex, and I am so very grateful.”

Addie Fleegel - Imagine! Case Management Unsung Hero

Congratulations are in order for Addie Fleegel, recently selected as an Imagine! Case Management Unsung Hero.

Addie has been with Imagine! for not quite a year and has quickly learned how to complete basic Targeted Case Management tasks with excellence. Team members shared the following praise: “Addie takes extra steps to include family members as the team. “ “Addie identified a potential Benefit Break and fixed it before the county knew about it.” From a residential provider: “I wanted to tell you that Addie is awesome! I’ve worked with her on a bunch of cases and she’s terrific.” 

Thank you, Addie, for your dedication to Imagine!’s Mission.

Morgan Slaski - Imagine! Early Intervention Rockstar

Congratulations are in order for Morgan Slaski, recently selected as an Imagine! Early Intervention Rockstar.

Morgan has been a great asset to our Early Intervention department. She has been consistent with reaching out to all insurance companies and has established a good relationship with all of the agencies. In the short period of time that she has joined EI, she has helped with creating a better flowing process, which has helped the overall department in ensuring our service coordinators are getting insurance verification in a timely manner. We are lucky to have Morgan on our team!

Imagine! the Possibilities: Give on April 25

Technology is opening the doors to more opportunities for people with intellectual disabilities, making things that were once impossible, possible.

To support Imagine!’s many technology initiatives, we are hosting a “Day of Giving” on April 25 – twenty four hours to invest in Imagine!’s use of technology to create a world of opportunity for all abilities.

Technologies like:

Voice command technologies that enhance a person's ability to control his/her environment.

Virtual Reality that provides job training and leisure activities.

Remote Supports that allow people to live more independently.

To make the day even more impactful, our credit card vendor is waiving all fees on donations made on our Day of Giving!

Click here to donate on April 25. 

You can even sign up to get an email reminder sent to you so you don’t miss this fantastic opportunity!

Bella's Story

Earlier this year, the Imagine! Foundation held its annual fundraiser gala, hosting 500 guests for a night of guest speakers, featured videos, and a silent and live auction. To kick off the main program, Imagine! welcomed guest speaker Bella Larsen to the stage to share her story and warm up the crowd:

“I’m Bella Larsen and I am on the Imagine! Board of Directors. I also receive services from Imagine!. Lots of my friends get services from Imagine! too. I love Imagine! because they help me and my friends. I also love that I get to meet new people and make new friends. Thank you for coming tonight and I hope that you spend lots and lots of money. Thank you for supporting Imagine!.” 

After asking her how it was speaking in front of 500 people, she laughed and replied, “That was a lot of people! It was good.”

 Bella grew up in Boulder, CO and starting using Imagine! services when she was a little girl. Bella has grown up to be a wise, caring, and generous member of her community, constantly looking for ways to give back. She sees her position on the Imagine! Board of Directors as a way to represent people with disabilities. “Some people I know are non-verbal and can’t say what they’re feeling, so I help by representing them the best I can,” said Bella.

Joining the Board of Directors is an accumulation of her charitable lifestyle. Bella also volunteers at the Boulder Humane Society. “I love it,” said Bella. “It’s like my second home because I know everybody, they’re like family.” Bella helps with laundry, dishes, socializing the dogs, and also at big events. She partnered with the Humane Society ever since middle school, attending volunteer shifts with her mother. As she got older, Bella starting helping out on her own. She has logged over 500 volunteer hours with the Boulder Humane Society.

Bella lives a healthy lifestyle by infusing sports and fitness into her routine. When she was younger, her father would drive her to hockey practice in Littleton. After five years of commuting to south of Denver every week, Bella’s father helped launch the Colorado Ice Wizards, who now operate out of the YMCA in Lafayette. Bella brings her charitable personality to the hockey team as well. “My dad encouraged me once to get on the ice and help the newer players,” said Bella. “So I try to help them whenever I can.”

She recently traveled to Toronto, Canada, participating in the 25th annual Special Hockey International Tournament. Four days straight on the ice, Bella breathed, ate, and slept hockey. During the final game, Bella scored a goal. The hockey season concluded this month, but the off-season just means the sports carousel will oscillate to the next activity. She belongs to the EXPAND swim team in Boulder, will compete in a Special Olympics Regional Competition in April, and run the BolderBoulder in May. “My grandpa was in the Air Force, so I do the BolderBoulder for him (on Memorial Day).”

Last but not least, another bullet point on Bella’s busy schedule is her job. She works at The Roost in Lafayette, a training center for individuals with developmental disabilities. Bella is part of their co-op program, learning vocational skills and earning a profit at the same time. She is looking into a second job at a retirement home, which would allow her to continue helping others and apply the job skills she is learning at The Roost.

Bella was an easy choice to speak at the Imagine! Celebration because of her kind and personable character. She is honest and genuine, all while seeking the good in people. We are lucky to have Bella a part of the Imagine! community and her ongoing support. Thank you, Bella, for all you do in the community, creating a world of opportunity for all abilities!

Imagine! Represents at Four Corners ABA Conference

Submitted by Rachel Bowles, Registered Behavior Technician at Imagine!

Tyler Buchholz, Rachel Bowles, and Jeff Kupfer (left to right)

A select number of Imagine!’s behavioral staff were chosen to present an original poster at the Four Corners ABA (Applied Behavioral Analysis) Annual Conference in Sante Fe, NM. We were referred to submit a poster abstract to this conference by Dr. Jeff Kupfer, a consultant for Imagine!, who established and served on the Board of Directors for Four Corners.

Rachel Bowles and Tyler Buchholz (left to right)

The poster was titled “Effects of Variable DRO and NCR on Attention-Seeking Behaviors in the Context of a Day Program.” We mingled and talked with other presenters at the conference, building our network explaining in more detail what we do at Imagine!. We also had the honor of listening to several experts on many different subjects within the field of Applied Behavior Analysis, over the course of nine sessions at the conference. We met so many interesting and knowledgeable behavioral professionals, and it was truly a lot of fun to hear what they've been up to in the field. We hope to attend and present again in the future, as it was a great experience and a very informative conference!

** DRO = Differential Reinforcement of Other Behaviors
** NCR = Non-Contingent Reinforcement

Patti Showman - Imagine! Early Intervention Rockstar

Congratulations are in order for Patti Showman, recently selected as an Imagine! Early Intervention Rockstar.

Patti always goes above and beyond working with our Early Intervention providers to ensure successful billing. She is accommodating to all our providers during this time. Patti is consistent and competent at what she does. She always has a positive and upbeat attitude, she brings lots of joy to the team and adds to admin’s overall approachability. She maintains team spirit even in light of turnover and software updates. We appreciate you, Patti!

Imagine!'s Family Support Bulletin - March/April 2019

Imagine!’s latest Family Support Bulletin is available online.

Imagine! Artists Featured at Coffee Shop

From now until April 29, Que’s Espresso in Longmont has decorated their coffee shop using the creative minds of Imagine! artists.

Every week, Imagine!’s Adult Day Program facilitates an interactive art class, bringing to life a variety of creative expressions. Painting on canvas is a popular medium in this class, allowing for many opportunities to display artwork in the community.

The Dairy Arts Center, Longmont and Boulder art walks, and the online Etsy page are a few examples of showing off these masterpieces to the greater community. Now, add a popular and classy coffee shop to the list.

Grab a scone and a cup of Joe and support these artists by checking out their work. Que’s Espresso is located at 600 S Airport Road, Longmont, CO 80503. You can also buy the art right off the wall at the shop! Or visit Imagine!’s Etsy page and purchase art  online.

Thanks and Congrats, MassFX

Shelly’s Story, a short documentary created by MassFX Media for Imagine!, was recently nominated for best short documentary at the Colorado Film and Video Association (CFVA) awards.

While we didn’t end up winning, the ability to share the video with that audience and many others through social media due to this honor was tremendous. We thank MassFX for their amazing support of our organization and for their great work sharing Shelly’s story.

Pictured below are MassFX’s Shawna and Matt Schultz with one of the Imagine! employees featured in the video, Meagan Little, at the awards ceremony.

Imagine! Centre Stage Performance Set For April 26

Join us for the 5th annual Imagine! Out & About Centre Stage for Kids performance! Participants from Out & About's after school program have worked all year on a one act play to share with the community!

Sponsored by the City of Lafayette and PEN (Parent Engagement Network).

A Guide for Soon-to-Be Parents Living with a Disability

Today we are featuring a guest article, written by Ashley Taylor of disabledparents.org. 

Photo via Pexels 

A Guide for Soon-to-Be Parents Living with a Disability 

Once you know that a baby is on the way, the initial excitement usually gives way to a few anxieties. How is a child going to change your life? What do you need to do before the baby arrives? Is your home ready to welcome a new addition to the family? These are all common worries for soon-to-be parents, but they can be more overwhelming for those with disabilities. In this guide, we try to answer some of these common questions and give tips for expecting parents with disabilities so that they can feel ready and reassured when the time comes.

Babies and Parenting with a Disability 

The way a baby affects a parent with disabilities’ life will mostly depend on the type of disability, as well as the level of support available in the home from a spouse or other family member. Every parent will have different struggles and considerations. For instance, parents who are hard of hearing will need to find visual ways to be alerted by their child’s cries, while parents who use wheelchairs will have to find accessible baby furniture and accessories.

In the vast majority of cases, there are relatively easy fixes to these problems. Parenting with a disability is not easy, but it is not impossible. In a recent study, researchers found that parents with disabilities scored the same as those without a disability when it came to parental effectiveness or satisfaction. In other words, parents with disabilities are as good at parenting and as happy with it as their able-bodied and neurotypical counterparts.

What to Buy

Perhaps the biggest practical decision you will have to make involves the various products you purchase when a baby arrives. Whatever you buy, first make sure to research your options extensively and look for trusted online reviews.

Depending on your disability, you may need specific items, such as a wheelchair-accessible crib. In this particular case, you may be better off modifying a standard crib, since specialized ones can be a little expensive. In other cases, it’s simply a case of finding standard market products that help you and suit your needs — for example, a high-quality baby carrier that can keep you hands-free while keeping the baby with you (you can find these online for less than $25).

Changes to Make

It may feel like you need to completely overhaul your life and home for the arrival of the baby, but in most cases, you only need to make small modifications. For example, it is a good idea to work toward making your home more accessible since you need to be able to comfortably and quickly navigate the house. There are some easy home modifications for accessible parenting, such as installing ramps and expanding door hinges. It may be a good idea to hire a handyman in your area to complete these projects. In Lafayette, these services generally cost $121 to $466, depending on what you need done. 

As for changes to your schedule and day-to-day life, these will depend on how much help you can get from loved ones or professionals. The first few weeks of a baby’s life are tough on any parent, so it’s important to get rid of any preconceived notions you might have. Learn to get the help you need, and you will find the transition into parenthood far smoother.

It is easy to feel like there is not enough guidance out there for parents with disabilities, and the truth is that this can sometimes be the case. However, do not underestimate the value of general parenting blogs, books, and resources — in most cases, the advice does still apply. When it comes to the specific challenges of parenting with a disability, you will find that there is plenty of support available online from other parents who have gone through the same thing, and who will be more than happy to share with you their tips for making it easier.

Clara Frostman – Imagine! Family Support Life Saver

Congratulations are in order for Clara Frostman, recently selected as an Imagine! Family Support Life Saver.

Clara has been a wonderful addition to our Family Support team! Clara brings positive energy to our team and has been so willing to lend a helping hand. Clara has rocked her role as our Family Support Services Program (FSSP) admin and continues to take on new responsibilities. We appreciate all that she does. FSSP is very lucky to have her!

Imagine! Out & About Summer Job Fair Set For April 13

April 2019 Excellence in Customer Service - Rachel Wolk

This month, we celebrate Rachel Wolk, who works at Imagine!’s Santa Fe Group Home in Broomfield. She is our recipient of this month’s Excellence in Customer Service Award. 

The following praise was included in Rachel’s nominations:

"Rachel shows great care and compassion for the individuals served at the Santa Fe Group Home. She is always willing to take time with the folks she serves, whether it’s to help them work on their goals, getting needed appointments, ensuring daily needs are met, or just being available to chat and play games. In addition to these fabulous things, she is always willing to step up and help her co-workers". 

Recently Rachel has gone above and beyond in her efforts at Santa Fe when a large percentage of employees and supervisors became ill or were on FMLA. For the last two weeks in February Rachel worked extra hours to cover shifts. Sometimes without even needing to be asked, Rachel would see a need to stay between morning and evening shifts and just fill the need calmly and with a positive attitude. Rachel is a cornerstone of the Santa Fe team and we are thankful to have her." 

Thank you, Rachel, for all you do!