Follow us
www.DSFFlorida.org
|
Click here if you want to be featured in our newsletter.
|
|
Upcoming Events
See what's happening this month.
|
|
Down Syndrome Awareness Month and Bowl-A-Thon kick-off celebration! |
|
|
♫ "Celebrate good times, come on!" ♫ - register today!
Date: Friday, October 8
Time: 6:00pm - 9:00pm
Location: Winter Park Community Center
Address: 721 W New England Ave. Winter Park, FL 32789
Join us for an unforgettable night for our members and their immediate family of music, dancing, food, and more. Be sure to register TODAY - this is a party you do not want to miss.
LAST DAY TO REGISTER IS MONDAY, OCTBER 4TH
Let's celebrate the lucky few while moving and grooving at our annual Down Syndrome Awareness Month & 2022 Bowl-A-Thon kick-off celebration!
|
|
WIN $100
or
Dinner at Five Guys at the party!
|
|
|
All teams who register for the 2022 Tour of Champions by the end of the PARTY on October 8, will be entered into a drawing to win:
$50 in gift cards to Five Guys!
|
|
All teams who raise $321 or more for the 2022 Tour of Champions by the end of the PARTY on October 8, will be entered into a drawing to win:
$100 Visa Gift Card!
|
|
Whether it’s learning to read or programming robots, riding a bike in an Ironman or earning a first paycheck, The FOUNDATION fuels hearts and minds with hope, confidence and ability. We do this through our programs and scholarships that are funded by the TOUR OF CHAMPIONS.
We are calling on YOU to help make dreams come true again in 2022. We have A couple MILLION REASONS to believe that you will help!
We have awarded over $1 MILLION dollars in scholarships and provided an additional $1 MILLION dollars in programming because of our bowl-a-thon. That is AMAZING....and so are YOU!
Together, we can unharness POTENTIAL - one scholarship, one program, one person and one dream at a time!
The dream of INCLUSION! Our scholarships, portfolio of iCan! Programs in partnership with UCF, and 25+ monthly events (YES, 25 a month!) provide literally thousands of hours of instruction, inclusion, inspiration and SUCCESS for our members every year!
The dream of INDEPENDENCE! At our tenth annual iCan! Bike Camp, we celebrated the milestone of 400 participants with unique abilities who have learned to ride a two-wheeled bike independently. This program gives our community so much more than the ability to ‘Ride On!’ It also positively impacts hundreds of high school students who volunteer their time and see how giving of oneself can be one of the greatest personal growth experiences.
The dream of EMPLOYMENT! In partnership with Orlando Health, Quality One Wireless, Levy Restaurants, White Castle and other community leaders we provide meaningful employment to individuals with Down syndrome through our iCan! Work Program! Yet another example of positively influencing our community by teaching the value of diversity at work.
The dream of FRIENDSHIP! We have FIVE different groups designed to connect parents and members with Down syndrome with their peers. The Bowl-a-thon allows us to offer incredible experiences with little cost to our members. A day of bowling for you means a lifetime of memories and friendships for our members! These experiences and relationships are PRICELESS!
|
|
Driving for Change!
Inaugural Tour of Champions - Isleworth
|
The inaugural TOUR OF CHAMPIONS - ISLEWORTH will take place on Monday, October 4th. We would like to thank Florida Paints for hosting the tournament that will benefit our iCan! Work Program.
We are beyond thrilled that for Down Syndrome Awareness Month and National Disability Employment Awareness Month we will have members of our program actively working at multiple locations across Central Florida with our community partners: Quality One Wireless, Orlando Health, Levy Restaurants and White Castle.
If you would like to join the iCan! Work program, we will be placing new team members in food service roles in the Fields Ultimate Lounge during the Orlando Magic home games. This opportunity is open to members who are 18 years or older. Members who sign up to participate in the iCan! Work program with Levy Restaurants at the Orlando Magic games will be paid $10/hr, will be invited to participate in our weekly Lunch & Learn series, and will have the opportunity to participate in our On The Job Training with other community partners at the end of the season.
To apply for an iCan! Work role at the Orlando Magic games, click the button below. Got questions? Please contact Carla at carla.machado@dsfflorida.org - thank you!
|
|
|
Are YOU a CHAMPION for INCLUSION & DIVERSITY in the workplace and want to help? You can participate in our online TOUR OF CHAMPIONS AUCTION and bid on amazing items that will support our iCan! Work Program. Bid on exclusive experiences like VIP tickets to the 2022 Bay Hill Open presented by MasterCard, Jacksonville Jaguars or Orlando Magic tickets and so much more! Register and bid now!
|
|
FOUNDATION Young Explorers
Kick Off POOL Party!
|
|
|
We are SO excited to announce our newest group deisgned for families with children in first to sixth grade: YOUNG EXPLORERS
"Make new friends and keep the old, one is silver and the other gold!"
While The FOUNDATION is dedicated to activities that promote inclusion opportunities, we also believe that making friends with our peers who have Down syndrome is also really important! We know developing friendships isn't impotant just for the kiddos - it's also for the parents. This group is designed with parent and child in mind! It is our hope that while the kids do fun activities together, parents will also develolp some meaningful friendships with others who are navigating life through elementary school.
We are thrilled that Claudia Chiorando has volunteered to get this group started and host the first event at her home in Oviedo! The entire family is invited to the kick off pool party. Bring your bathing suits, towels and a smile! Light snacks and drinks will be provided.
When: Sunday, October 10
Time: 1 pm - 4 pm
Location: Oviedo (details will be provided to those who RSVP)
|
|
Join the 2022 Bowl-A-Thon planning committee! |
|
|
Are you creative? Do you love event planning? Want a role in helping our mission? We cannot wait to hear from you!
Date: Monday, October 11
Time: 7:00pm
Location: Virtual meeting on Zoom.
Join the bowl-a-thon committee for the largest fundraiser that makes all of the programs and scholarships available throughout the year! Most meetings are virtual so you can participate no matter where you live. If you live outside the Orlando area and would like to help, there are virtual team options and the auction is online so anyone can participate!
Being part of this committee is fun and a great way to fulfill "active member" status with The FOUNDATION. We are looking for people that are committed to making a difference and can help with the items below:
- Securing auction items
- Registering teams for the Corporate Cup Challenge
- Corporate Sponsorships
- Helping participants set up virtual teams.
We would love a few more creative and energetic individuals to help us make this the best event yet! If you are interested in joining, please email Camille at Camille.Gardiner@dsfflorida.org.
|
|
When: Saturday, October 16
Time: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Location: Phelps Park - 1206 N Phelps Ave, Winter Park, 32789
Join us October 16 from 10 am to noon to enjoy a morning playing in the park!
Come spend a Saturday morning getting to know more FOUNDATION families with children from birth to ages twelve in our community. This is a great way to make friends and share information. Most of the time the very best information you can find is from other parents - from how to survive a night without sleep to the best PT in town, our parents are full of great tips, tricks and understanding when it comes to loving life with our awesome kiddos! You won't leave a play date empty-handed or empty-hearted!
A special THANK YOU to Suzanne Sherrill for helping us organize and plan this fun family event!
|
|
Talk Tools & Oral Motor Placement - What is this and will it really help my child speak more clearly? |
|
|
Date: Thursday, October 21
Time: 7:00pm - 9:00pm
Location: Virtual meeting on Zoom - link will be emailed after registration.
Our October parent information meeting will feature the much talked about Talk Tools program. To learn more about this speech / language and eating oral placement program that uses straws, bubbles and other FUN ways to improve articulation, sensory issues and more! This program is designed to work on the muscle groups you never knew existed - or that they do so much work! Our loved ones can really benefit from a workout program that helps them build the strength to produce sounds correctly, chew properly and develop the proper placement for their tongue, jaw and lips. These are things we don't really THINK about when we speak, but once you start working on them the difference is noticeable.
Join our visiting therapists, Renee and Whitney, from 7pm - 9pm as they give you the background on the program, some immediate tools you can use and the opportunity to ask questions.
Renee and Whitney will be in Orlando in January 2022 to do evaluations. To qualify for a scholarship for these evaluations you will need to have attended this informational meeting.
The FOUNDATION provides Oral Motor Placement Scholarships for our members to participate in this program if you decide your child would benefit from the program.
|
|
Renee Roy Hill has provided therapeutic assessments and program planning for adults and children with oral placement, feeding and motor speech deficits for over 17 years. She is the owner of Crossroads Therapy Clinic in New Braunfels, TX and a member of the TalkTools® speakers bureau. Renee has been an invited speaker for ASHA state conventions and has received specialized training in speech/oral-motor/feeding therapy, Apraxia, sensory processing disorders, Hanen Courses, NDT training, TAMO therapy and PROMPT. She is the creator of the TalkTools® Schedule Board Kit, co-author of Ice Sticks, and author of the TalkTools® Apraxia Program.
|
|
Whitney Pimentel received her Master’s degree in Speech and Language Pathology in 1997 from Louisiana Tech University. During her first two years in her new profession she quickly realized there was a need for understanding how the inability to eat was negatively impacting speech development. In 2005 she began establishing her own practice that has led to creating a treatment base focused on feeding skills, oral placement development, motor skill development and speech clarity. Whitney is a Level 5 TalkTools Therapist. She has had the honor of presenting at the Charge Conference in 2013 and 2015, many Down syndrome conferences, and travels all over the US establishing program plans and treatment for children who need her services. Whitney collaborates with a wide variety of professionals to ensure children on her caseload get optimal care and make progress. |
|
Calling our 18+ members! Join us for the OPENING GAME of the Orlando Solar Bears 2021-22 Season!
Date: Saturday, October 23
Time:6:00 PM - 9:30 PM
Location: Amway Arena (Downtown Orlando)
Cost: The FOUNDATION will cover the cost of admission! Bring money for snacks and drinks at the game.
Who says there isn't ice in Orlando? Our T21 Social Network crew will be meeting at the AdventHealth Rink at Amway Center in downtown Orlando to watch HOCKEY this month!! The Solar Bears open their 10th season of competition in the ECHL – at home against the Atlanta Gladiators. Let's cheer on the home team and have some fun!
|
|
Club 321 (middle and high school) |
|
|
Middle and high school members - join us for a matinee and lunch!
Date: Sunday, October 24
Time: 1:00 pm
Location: TBD (Winter Park Village or Fashion Square Mall)
Cost: The FOUNDATION will cover the admission to the movies. Please bring money if you wish to purchase snacks at the movie theater or if you want to join us for lunch!
We had to change our plans last month, but we are VERY excited to see you on Sunday, October 24 for a matinee and lunch at Regal Cinema in Winter Park OR Premier Cinema 14 at Fashion Square Mall in Orlando (location and movie TBD in a few weeks). Register below for a fun afternoon with friends!
Register below for a fun afternoon with friends!
|
|
Neurodevelopmental Approach with Kay Ness |
|
|
Kay Ness will return to Orlando from
November 1-12
For over 60 years, the neurodevelopmental approach to working with learning, mobility, speech, language, processing and attention problems, has been offering hope to parents of children who have received a variety of labels.
This program has helped many children with various learning abilities make advancements in academic gains, sensory issues and behavior modification and other areas through the innovative and personalized programs by Kay Ness.
People trained in the neurodevelopmental approach look at the causes, train the parents to work with their child at home to address the problems, and also accelerate academics to help the child catch up. By addressing root causes of learning and developmental problems, Kay has helped many many families help their loved ones reach levels of achievement that was thought impossible.
|
|
Register today - Camping Jamboree 2021 |
|
|
Reserve your campsite TODAY for one of our most anticipated events of the year!
What: Camping Jamboree 2021
When: Friday, November 5th - Sunday, November 7th
Where: Jetty Park Campground, 9035 Campground Circle,
Cape Canaveral, FL 32920
We cannot wait to camp with you! Join The FOUNDATION for an unforgettable weekend at Jetty Park (where the cruise ships go out to sea) for the whole family. The FOUNDATION will provide breakfast on Saturday and Sunday, and dinner on Saturday night. We rent beach chairs, umbrellas, boogie boards and kayaks for a fantastic time. This is the perfect way for you to get away with loved ones while making new friends and memories!
Want to join us for just a day? There is a day visit option for non-campers! Families can come out for the day on Saturday to join us at the beach and for dinner. You will still experience a great day getting to know families and enjoy the beach at Jetty Park - register today!
Registration Deadlines:
-
SOLD OUT!
Friday, October 1 - Last day to reserve your RV camping spot.
-
Friday, October 15 - Last day to receive a limited edition camping T-Shirt.
-
Friday, October 29 - Last day to register for camping!
|
|
Participate in Research at UCF
(members ages 3-5)
|
|
|
The FOUNDATION is proud of our ongoing partnership with the University of Central Florida. This partnership allows us to offer our portfolio of iCan! Programs, each program is built upon research-based best practices. The first program we established at UCF was our iCan! Communicate program. This program was designed to improve communication and speech with our members using augmentative communication. UCF is currently recruiting individuals with Down syndrome ages 3-5 for further research used to improve their programs and outcome in this area. Would you like to help further the advancement of speech and language intervention to share that research with other families?
The purpose of this study is to help preschoolers with severe speech impairments improve their language skills. Children eligible to participate in this study: (a) have a speech impairment, (b) could benefit from using augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), and (c) are 3 to 5 years old.
Qualifications:
- Children with Down syndrome 3-5 years old and speech impairment, resulting in speech that is difficult to understand.
- Children ages 3-4 years old with typical receptive language skills and speech impairment, resulting in speech that is difficult to understand.
|
|
Virtual Zumba with Elyse! |
|
|
When: Select Tuesdays
Time: 4:00pm - 5:00pm
Location: Virtual meeting using Zoom - can be found below, on our private Facebook page, Meetup, or by emailing:
Elyse Mundelein will be teaching a virtual Zumba class! We will post the Zoom information of the event below or on our private Facebook page. No experience needed, just get ready to dance and have fun!
|
|
Upcoming dates:
- Tuesday, October 5
- Tuesday, October 12
- Tuesday, October 19
- Tuesday October 26
|
|
Join our Club 321 virtual meet-up for middle and high-schoolers!
When: Every Wednesday
Time: 4:00pm - 5:00pm
Location: Virtual meeting using Zoom - can be found below, on our private Facebook page, Meetup, or by emailing,
This is a great opportunity for our middle and high school group to socialize, engage, and connect with each other. We'll have something new and different each week!
|
|
Upcoming dates:
- Wednesday, October 6 - Trivia Challenge
- Wednesday, October 13 - Workout with The FOUNDATION
- Wednesday, October 20 - Karaoke
- Wednesday, October 27 - Drawing 101
|
|
Virtual T21 Social Network (18+) |
|
|
When: Every Thursday
Time: 4:00pm - 5:00pm
Location: Virtual meeting using Zoom - can be found below, on our private Facebook page, Meetup, or by emailing,
This is a great opportunity for our adult group to socialize, engage, and connect with each other. We'll have something new and different each week!
|
|
Upcoming dates:
- Thursday, October 7 - Dancing Class
- Thursday, October 14 - Yoga 101
- Thursday, October 21 - Bingo
- Thursday, October 28 - Karaoke
|
|
F^3 : Who? What? Where? When? & WHY? |
|
|
When: Select Fridays
Time: 4:00pm - 4:30pm and 4:30pm - 5:00pm
Location: Virtual meeting using Zoom - the link can be found below, on our private Facebook page, Meetup, or by emailing,
POWER UP and BUILD friendships!
This program will provide the building blocks for small groups to form relationships and friendships in a virtual environment. Sessions are capped at 5 participants to allow for deeper engagement and a more personal experience. We'll build conversational skills and independence with the goal of forming true friendships over time. Each session will be offered to different age groups. Ex: Girls aged 11-14 for one session and boys aged 15-18 for a different session, women 25-30, etc.
Schedule:
October 1
4 pm - 5 pm - Girls & Boys ages 11-14
October 15
4 pm to 5 pm - Woman and Men ages 15-18
October 22
4 pm to 5 pm - Woman and Men ages 19-24
October 29
4 pm to 5 pm - Woman and Men ages 25 and older
|
|
Join the Club 321 & T21 Social Network Directory |
|
|
Keep in touch with friends from all around the state - join the Club 321 (middle and high school) or the T21 Social Network (+18) Directory!
Attending our programs and events leads to awesome friendships and we want to help our members keep in contact with each other.
Register by Friday, October 15 to join the directory and you will receive a list with contact information of the other participants. This is also a great way to get to know other members in your area. Click the button below for the appropriate group and register today!
|
|
|
Do you read the TECHNOLOGY CORNER articles?
|
|
|
|
Are the newsletters the right length?
|
|
Yes, they are just right.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Is there other content you would like to see in this section?
|
|
I like/read/use the Technology Corner information.
|
|
|
|
|
I do not need information other than upcoming events.
|
|
|
|
|
I would like more resources related to education (reading/math tips).
|
|
|
|
|
I would like guest articles from medical professionals or teachers.
|
|
|
|
|
I would like parents to share stories about their experience with their child.
|
|
|
|
|
I would love to write articles for you about different topics.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
If you would like to contribute to the newsletter or have suggestions about how to make the newsletter even better, please reach out to us at info@dsfflorida.org with your thoughts and suggestions. We would love to hear from you! |
|
Let's get social!
Follow us on social media for more information and to stay up-to-date on our upcoming events.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
