July 2022

dC's Update

We hope everyone has a safe and enjoyable holiday weekend. Our biggest news is the opening of a second office. We have been working hard and happy to announce we very recently begun having office hours in the new office located in Adrian. The staff continue to work hard and provide services to people in the community.

July 26th marks the 32nd anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. July 30th 11-3, we will be doing a fun cycling activity in downtown Jackson in partnership with Michigan

Sports Unlimited and the Jackson YMCA. We will be providing an opportunity for people of all ages and abilities to try various forms of bicycles. Look for an email invite coming soon.

Reminder that a hybrid The Inclusion Event - The Art of Inclusion is on Oct 13th with Lizzie Acker, streaming all the way from the UK!

July Awareness

Social Wellness Month – Positive social habits can help you stay healthier mentally and physically. So it's a good time to take a step back and look at the connections you've made in your life. Nurture your social relationships. Volunteer with a group. Call an out-of-state friend. Join a hiking club.

Fragile X Awareness Month - Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is a genetic condition that causes intellectual disability, behavioral and learning challenges, and various physical characteristics. Though FXS occurs in both genders, males are more frequently affected than females, and generally with greater severity. Life expectancy is not affected in people with FXS because there are usually no life-threatening health concerns associated with the condition. https://fragilex.org/

Cleft Awareness & Prevention Month – a time to raise awareness and improve understanding of orofacial clefts (clefts of the lip and palate) and other conditions of the head and face. Each year in the United States, approximately 2,600 babies are born with a cleft palate and 4,400 babies are born with a cleft lip, with or without a cleft palate (CDC).

July 2^nd - Disability Recreation Day - acknowledging the importance of recreational activities in the lives of individuals with disabilities. Did you know that around 15% of the world’s population lives with some form of disability?

July 4^th – Independence Day (dC CLOSED)

July 7^th - World Chocolate Day

July 13^th – Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor Awareness day- estimated that 3,000-5,000 people develop gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) in the United States each year (and rates in other countries are similar). - https://liferaftgroup.org/understanding-gist/

July 24^th – National Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) Day –

July 26^th – Anniversary of the 1990 Americans with Disability Act – 32 years

New Office in Adrian

long white tiled hallway with signs hanging from the ceiling with organization names on them

hallway leading to first door for an off with signs and information in the windows

lobby to office space with a door open to show what is on other side of the door

It's open! We now have a 2nd office! The new office is located on the 3rd floor within the Human Services building of Lenawee County in Adrian. We are able to provide all the same CORE services we do in Jackson and Hillsdale.

Office Contact Information:

1040 S. Winter St

Suite 3010

Adrian, MI 49221

517-264-5330

main officearea shown with posters on walls showing people with disabilities in daily life

Beat the Heat – Tips to Keep you Cool

For people with disabilities, overheating is something to keep in mind as it can easily happen. Our disabilities may create additional issues for dealing with the heat. For example, someone with a spinal cord injury doesn’t sweat below the level of their injury. This is a major issue when it comes to being hot but sweating is the easiest way for the body to begin cooling down.

It is important to pay attention to the traditional signs of overheating which include heavy sweating, cold, pale, and clammy skin, fast or weak pulse, nausea or vomiting, muscle cramps, tiredness or weakness, dizziness, or headache.

Some simple tips to keep cool:

Tap into your body cooling spots - Apply Ice cubes wrapped in cloth to places with veins near the skin surface like your temples, back of the neck, and wrists. Also, if possible, put your feet in an ice bath or cold water. If you don’t sweat, spritz your face and body with a water bottle.
Make smart clothing choices - Wear light weight, light colored, moisture wicking material like cotton.
Keep your head covered – hats and shade are your friends whenever possible to assist keeping your brain functioning as usual.
Drink lots, LOTS of water - With its natural vitamins, minerals, and electrolytes it’s even better if you can drink coconut water. Water works as your inner coolant that gets spread through your body and then sweats out.
Eat Spicy Food(s) – I know it’s strange, but it works. Science! The heat created internally works to kick the body into cooling mode so you begin to sweat. Sweat then helps your body to cool through evaporation from the skin.

Ramp It Up

We still need your help to reach our fundraising goal for ramps. Between simple accidents resulting in disabilities, an aging population more prone to naturally acquiring disabilities, and a growing desire to stay in homes longer, we fear having to turn away even more people each year than we can currently help. For qualifying people we will install a wooden ramp to their home.

As we have been building these ramps for people, we have noticed some trends in the service over the years.

Ramps are averaging at least 25’-30’ long
Average nearly $3,000 in materials.
The area’s old housing stock and local rolling and hilly terrain, impacts the number of ramps built each year.

These factors and our limited funding means each year we have more people in need of ramps than we can supply.

With every $100 donated = another 1’ of ramp materials can be provided in our community

Donate or join Ramp It Up with the link below or use this QR code.

Ramp It Up