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Disability Pride Parade: Get on the LCCIL Bus!

By Mary Curran Rhodes on July 15, 2013 in Lifestyle, Other, Post Transition, Recreation, Relationships, Social Life, Special Event, Uncategorized

Excitement is growing for the 10th Annual Disability Pride Parade in downtown Chicago. Activities begin at 9am and the parade starts at 11. There will be booths, entertainment and presentations. Lake County-ers who want to attend the Parade can take the bus sponsored by the Lake County Center for Independent Living. The bus leaves the LCCIL office at 8 and will return about 3. To reserve your spot contact Matt at 847-949-4440, ext. 215, email: matt@lccil.org

Are you wondering about the parade itself? According to the event website:

The overall mission of the Disability Pride Parade is:

To change the way people think about and define “disability”;

To break down and end the internalized shame among people with Disabilities; and

To promote the belief in society that Disability is a natural and beautiful part of human diversity in which people living with Disabilities can take pride.

Visit the website at: http://www.disabilityprideparade.com/index.php.

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Entrepreneur Registry: A NemoNews Project

By Mary Curran Rhodes on June 24, 2013 in Employment, Employment, Other

Do you have your own business? Do you want to start your own business? Do you have a disability? Are you in the Chicago area? If so, TheNemoNews wants to hear from you. Please register with us using the form below. We promise not to sell your information, bug the heck out of you, or give away your trade secrets!

TheNemoNews is creating this registry for a couple of reasons:

First, we would like to talk to area entrepreneurs who have disabilities. We might write up and publish some of the stories. (With your permission.) Your story might inspire others.

Second, we would like to invite you to events that are of particular interest to entrepreneurs. There is growing interest in entrepreneurship among individuals with disabilities. This includes developing resources to help them succeed.

Third, we would like to have some idea of how large this group is and the scope of activity. That way we can better identify our strengths, figure out what is needed and make entrepreneurial success easier.

For more information on the registry, email Mary Curran Rhodes, mary@thenemonews.com

April 12, 2014: The registry is now closed.

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SO Torch Run in Lake County June 9

By Mary Curran Rhodes on May 30, 2013 in Lifestyle, Other, Recreation, Relationships, Social Life, Special Event

Over 100 Law Enforcement Officers will be carrying the Special Olympics Torch through Lake County on Sunday, June 9. There are several “legs” to the run and it is likely the officers will be running somewhere near you. Check with your local police department to see if/when you can cheer them on. The routes start at various places near the state line with Wisconsin around 6am. They are detailed below.

These runs are part of 23 similar Torch Runs that begin in various places around the state (East St. Louis, Quincy, etc.) All 23 segments will join up at the Opening Ceremonies are scheduled for 8 p.m. Friday, June 14 at Hancock Stadium in Normal, Illinois.

The Illinois Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics is a year round activity that has raised nearly $28 million over the last 27 years to support Special Olympics activities. They aim to raise $3M this year. For more information about the Torch Run visit the Special Olympics Illinois website, or visit this link http://s162186.gridserver.com/law-enforcement-torch-run/

BTW — If you need a donut on May 31, stop by Cops on the Roof fundraiser held at these area Dunkin Donuts! http://www.soill.org/dunkin-donuts-cop-on-rooftop/

Supporters are invited to line the course and cheer for the torch bearers
as they show their support for the Special Olympics Summer Games.

The Law Enforcement Torch Run in Lake County details follow with itineraries and maps:

The Gurnee Route begins at the Six Flags Employee Entrance on Grand and Milwaukee at 6:15am and proceeds down Rt 21 to Dempster. From there, it meets other legs in Proesel Park in Lincolnwood. The Libertyville Stars Swim Team invites others to join them in front of the Baker’s Square on Milwaukee (21) and Greentree. The torch runners are expected to pass by between 7-8am.

The Sheridan Road Route begins at 6am at Sheridan Road and 128th in Winthrop Harbor for the first segment. They will run along Sheridan Road until they arrive in Lake Forest around 8:30. Then they will follow Green Bay Road to Evanston and conclude in Lincolnwood around noon. In Lincolnwood, they will meet up with runners on another leg of the Torch Run.

The Hwy 83 Route begins in Antioch at 6am. It goes through Lake Villa, Round Lake, Grayslake, and Wauconda. The route takes Hwy 83 to Hwy 120 to Fairfield to Chardon and ends at the Wauconda Police Department around 9: 25am.

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Youth Internship at LCCIL

By Mary Curran Rhodes on May 8, 2013 in Employment, Employment, Other

Are you still working on your plans for the summer? How about building your resume while working at the Lake County Center for Independent Living. Their “Voyager: Summer Youth Internship” is seeking teens with disabilities who want to work on advocacy projects and gain more skills.

Among the skills they will be using are Office Skills such as typing and filing, Systems Advocacy, Event Planning, Project Management and more.

For more information contact Matt at 847-949-4440 matt@lccil.org. The deadline for applications is May 20.

View the application here.

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Round Lake Parent Connection April 10

By Mary Curran Rhodes on April 5, 2013 in Lifestyle, Other, Post Transition

Scott Nixon from Life’s Plan, Inc. will discuss Special Needs Trusts at Round Lake High School next week. The meeting will take place on Wednesday, April 10, 2013 from 6:30pm-8pm . It will be held at the Round Lake High School Commons. Attendees are advised to enter through door #29 after 7pm. (Door #1 will be open until 7pm.)

There will be activities for students who attend. Parents are welcome to bring a treat to share. Y se hablan Espanol alla.

The Parent Connections program reaches out to parents and students in ELS (Educational Life Skills), LOP (Learning Opportunities Program), COP (Career Opportunities Program) and other classrooms in the Round Lake area with a special emphasis on middle and high school. For more information, contact Cindy Josefson, 847-546-7539 or Monica Young, 847-740-3314.

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Shepherds Ministries Launches Summer Camp Discovery

By Mary Curran Rhodes on April 1, 2013 in Faith Based, Other, Recreation

Shepherds Ministries (in Union Grove, Wisconsin) will offer three one-week residential summer camp sessions for individuals with intellectual disabilities this year. “Camp Discovery” will target students aged 13-21 as they discover “purpose and possibility” in their lives. The camps will feature field trips, sports, devotions, life skills and counseling. Empowerment, goal setting and collaboration are themes in the camp. The fee for each week is $700.

“We encourage students to discover their abilities over their disabilities in everything we do at Shepherds Ministries” said Brian Canright, Transition Coordinator at the College. “We try to create a space where the student’s abilities can surface and build possibility.”

Some (but not all) campers are attending the camp to try out life at Shepherd’s College. The College offers 3-year programs in horticulture or culinary arts during the school year. Shepherds Ministries offers a variety of residential and day services as well as sponsoring Shepherds College.

Click here for the Discovery Camp webpage. (http://www.shepherdsministries.org/camp.html) The sessions will be held:

June 17-23 for ages 13-17
June 24-30 or July 1-5 for ages 18-21,

Shepherds Ministries has a Christian spiritual component in all their offerings. Programs are open to anyone interested. For more information about Camp Discovery contact Andrea Humphrey at 262-878-5620, ext. 1423, ahumphrey@shepherdsministries.org

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Rivkin Law Offers Discounted Supplemental Needs Planning Session — Feb 2

By Mary Curran Rhodes on January 29, 2013 in Education, Family, Other, Special Event

The next information session for the Discounted Supplemental Needs Planning Program (DSNP) will take place Saturday, February 2, 2013 from 9:30-11:30am at the Lutheran Church of the Holy Spirit, 30 Riverwoods Rd, Lincolnshire. This is an in-depth presentation that discusses estate planning for families with children with special needs. The program is free and limited to 12 families. For more information click here.

The DSNP program is offered by Rivkin & Rivkin (a law firm specializing in estate planning and special needs planning). will offer low-cost legal planning for a limited number of eligible families that qualify for the services. The planning services can include special needs trusts, simple wills, and power of attorney documents.

To participate in DSNP, the families need to be Illinois residents, have relatively modest assets, have not yet done estate or supplemental needs planning, and believe that the actual cost of such legal services would be a significant burden to their family. Each candidate family will need to attend an education session and, if they opt to participate, complete materials online.

“We know that there are many parents in the area who face the many challenges of raising a child with special needs. One of those challenges is obtaining a simple, but high-quality, estate plan that provides for their family – including protecting public benefits eligibility for a child who currently, or might one day, qualify for such benefits. Our firm is committed to improving the quality and affordability of this planning, and we are excited about the opportunity to assist some of these families through our DNSP program.” -according to Denise Kaplan of Rivkin & Rivkin, LLC.

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Grant Money — Get to Know your Township

By Fran Shapiro on January 11, 2013 in Government, Other

Did you know that Lake County is comprised of 18 townships? Out of these, The Nemo News has identified three that have grant programs for not-for-profit programs and services that support residents who live or work in their township. They are Moraine, West Deerfield and Ela Townships. Guidelines and deadlines vary by township and particulars are available from the township involved. The table below shows the deadlines by township.

Township Recent Grant Deadline
Moraine ……………………….February 1, 2013
West Deerfield……………….November 1, 2012
Ela………………………………January 3, 2013

There is still time for agencies to apply for a Moraine Township Grant. The deadline is February 1, 2013. Guidelines for the Moraine application are available here.

It’s not too early to start researching a grant for FY 2013-14 in West Deerfield and Ela Townships (or other townships). Relationships between grant making organizations and grantees take time to develop. Not-for-profit organizations often need to apply for a grant a few times before actually receiving funding. By getting to know the folks in your township who sit on the grant committee, you can educate those in your township about the work your organization does, the people you serve and the invaluable service you provide.

Last year, Moraine Township awarded $225,875 during FY2012-13. Recipients included The Center for Enriched Living, The Equestrian Connection, and Lambs Farm. West Deerfield Township awarded grants to Glenkirk as well as Friendship Circle of Illinois. Moraine Township also offers some programming about management and funding for not-for-profit organizations.

A list of Lake County townships and contact information can be found here. If you township has a grant program that we missed, please let us know.

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377 Board Petition in Kane County

By Mary Curran Rhodes on December 13, 2012 in Government, Housing, Other

Kane County now has an initiative to form a 377 Board to serve the needs of the developmentally disabled. In order to get the referendum on the April 9, 2013 ballot, they need to collect 20,000 signatures from registered Kane County voters. They currently have 7,000 signatures and are asking Kane County voters, advocates and others to help them reach this goal by December 31, 2012. Advocates decided to act at this time because of the crisis in state funding for housing, transportation, jobs, job training and respite services. Local funds are being sought to provide care.

Organizers cite the needs of 10,000 adults in Kane County who need lifetime care, and another 10,000 who need a lesser level of care. This need grows as care-giving parents age and cannot care for their loved ones. Moreover, there are 17,000 students receiving special education services in Kane County. Some portion of these individuals will need care as they mature.

It is still possible for the County Board to approve placement of the referendum on the ballot, but there has been no action to do so. County Board President Chris Lauzen was also cited by the Kane County Chronicle as saying that if voters ultimately approved the levy, he would try to keep the effect tax neutral by cutting in other areas.

A well-developed website supports this effort at http://www.showyoucarekane.com The site has links to petition information, press coverage, and an explanatory power point presentation.

For more information contact Kathy Hazelwood,Vice President Marketing & Development, Association for Individual Development, 847-931-2290,Khazelwood@the-association.org

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Holiday Hearts Appeal — NorthPointe Resources

By Mary Curran Rhodes on November 30, 2012 in Employment, Housing, Other, Post Transition, Special Event

The Annual Holiday Hearts Appeal has begun at NorthPointe Resources in Zion. The Appeal provides opportunities for donors to support individuals and programs at NorthPointe in a variety of ways. These include: providing gifts for individuals, sponsoring the annual holiday party, generalized support and volunteering with NorthPointe.

Holiday Gift giving can be done on a personalized or general basis. Often this holiday gift is the only gift the individual receives in a year. Many consumers no longer have family supports and most have extremely limited social support circles. Donors preferring that “personal touch” can receive an individual’s wishlist from NorthPointe and select a gift specifically for that person.

Alternately, $25 gift cards from a variety of stores are welcome. At this writing, NorthPointe is short 45 gift cards. Anyone wishing to donate a card may send it directly to Lisa Cummings at the address shown below. (See the flyer *below* for suggestions.)

Gift receipt is requested by December 14th in order to be ready for the Holiday Party.

The Holiday Hearts Party for NorthPointe consumers (clients) will be held on December 21. A variety of sponsorship levels are available and they are recruiting volunteer elves to pass out gifts.

Finally the Holiday Hearts Appeal renews its request for donations and volunteers year round to support programs that are underfunded, and further weakened by the slow payment predicament we have in the State of Illinois.

NorthPointe Resources provides a full range of services for individuals with developmental disability and/or Mental Illnesses. These services include Residential Services (full-time and intermittent), Vocational Services and Business Services. Northpointe is a 501(c)(3) organization and contributions are tax-deductible.

For more information on NorthPointe and the Holiday Hearts Appeal contact Lisa Cummings, lcummings@NorthPointeResources.org, 847-731-5708. Mail gift cards to her attention at NorthPointe Resources, 3441 Sheridan Road Zion, IL 60099. Click on the images below to enlarge the page.