Kevin On The Roof
Kevin begins his rooftop vacation Saturday, September 1st! Stop by Patriot Subaru in Saco to say hi! Last year, Kevin was on the roof for one full week, raising over $38,000. Kevin's 2018 goal is to raise $40,000 for STRIVE! How long do you think it will take him?
Be sure to follow the Kevin on the Roof Facebook page
to be kept up to date with important information leading up to the event and while we're at Patriot Subaru!
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STRIVE For 5K - Foden Road 5K Road Race & Block Party!
STRIVE for 5: Foden Road 5K and Block Party is just around the corner! Have you started your training? This year's race takes place Saturday, September 8th. The race kicks off with a Kids Fun Run at 8am and the 5K Run/Walk follows at 8:30am. Visit
www.pslstrive.org/STRIVEforFive to register online or pick up a registration form at STRIVE. Don't forget to join us after the race for the Foden Road Networking Group's Block Party for fun, games, prizes, food, music and much more!
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Bayside
This past month, the Bayside participants welcomed a few new faces to the program! Once our Strive U participants left, it opened up a few new slots for others to join. We talked about the rules of Bayside and what to expect each day. In learning group, we started a new topic about manners. We have been talking about the importance of having good manners at the dining room table, at Bayside, and out in the community (and everywhere else!). We also talked quite a bit about what kinds of topics are appropriate to talk about while at Bayside to ensure everyone feels comfortable, safe, and respected while at program.
Last week, the participants began a new tradition of choosing a new goal weekly goal to work on outside of program. Each morning during learning group we check in to see what progress they have made on their goal and whether they get a point on the Bayside chart regarding their "personal goal". To give you an idea of what types of goals our participants are working on, here are a few: 5,000 steps a day, cleaning up kitchen after dinner with their family, personal boundaries, honest communication, time management; among many more awesome goals! We are very proud of our participants for taking what they are learning at program and applying it to their everyday life at home!
STRIVE Bayside is a unique community supports program that is dedicated to exploring and increasing independence. Some of the goals we work on are grocery shopping, budgeting, cleaning, navigating the community, cooking and social skills. We run five days a week, Monday through Friday and have two daily sessions, 9:00-1:00and 1:00- 5:00. We offer full time (Monday- Friday) and part time (Tuesday, Thursday -or- Monday, Wednesday, Friday) options. We operate out of an apartment in down town Portland to simulate actual apartment living. If you would like more information about our program, or to schedule a tour please contact: Caroline Cole at 774-6278 or ccole@pslstrive.org.
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TOPS
STRIVE TOPS offers an Extended School Year (ESY) service for those students who will be in the program for the 2018-19 school year. The purpose of ESY is for the maintenance of skills throughout the summer. The program operates for six weeks, four days each week during July and August.
Each week of TOPS ESY has a theme to it which includes themes like Community Participation and Transportation. For community participation, for example, the students
were out on the town a lot practicing METRO and money transaction skills. Big 20 Bowling, Get Air, Portland Farmer's Market and the Narrow Gauge Railroad were also part of this particular week.
There are some students who are returning for a second year and some who are new to the program so the students have also spent some time getting to know one another and building as a team. The students are motivated to learn and be part of the program so we are looking forward to a year of personal growth for each one!
STRIVE TOPS serves students from school districts who are in their 13th or 14th year of school through an experiential, transition-focused curriculum. Students are recommended for the program through their IEP process. If you have questions, would like more information or to schedule a meeting regarding TOPS,
please contact Betsy Morrison at (207)774-6278 or
bmorrison@pslstrive.org
.
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Next Step
This summer Next STEP has been full of adventures! We began our summer of adventures at Abbot Farm, which is a llama farm. We got to learn all about llamas and their lifestyle but also learned about the other animals that live on the farm as well. Next STEP got to meet an awesome llama named Sammi and got to feed all of the others, too!
Next STEP also went to Orchard Ridge Farms in Gorham where we picked fresh blueberries and fed the farm animals. After going blueberry picking, Next STEP returned to STRIVE and found a recipe to make blueberry muffins for our Snack Lab. Blueberry muffins taste so much better with freshly picked Maine blueberries!
July was all about farm living and all the hard work it takes to owning and caring for different farms!
Next STEP is a great option offering quality curriculum for those who are on a waiting list for other services, in combination with other services or for those who may not qualify for other services. Please contact Betsy Morrison at
bmorrison@pslstrive.org
or 207-774-6278 if you would like more information regarding Next STEP or would like to schedule a tour. Part-time and full-time options are available.
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STRIVE 25
We'll be celebrating one whole year of STRIVE 25 this Thursday at 6pm! We're having a BBQ with hamburgers and hot dogs, plus, cake to celebrate! If you're 25 or older and looking for a rockin' good time, come on down!
STRIVE 25 is a social event for people ages 25 and older. We run the first Thursday of every month from 6-8pm. The cost is $10 and includes dinner, and anyone 25 and older is welcome! Please contact Caroline Cole at ccole@pslstrive.org (or at 207-774-6278) with any questions or for more information.
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STRIVE U
The STRIVE U students have been enjoying many exciting events in the community!
On July 14, some of the students attended a Maine Mammoth's Game. The Maine Mammoths are Portland's brand new football team at the Cross Insurance Arena! The students were given box seats that included food for the whole group. They had a great time watching the game and cheering on the Mammoths!
Several of the students attended an opera on July 25. It was the first time most of the students had attended an opera, so it was a very exciting show! The students dressed up and viewed the Marriage of Figaro at Merrill Auditorium. The opera was in Italian and a screen displayed English subtitles. When asked what his favorite part of the show was, a student replied "the impressive style!" It was a memorable night!
STRIVE
U is a comprehensive two-year residential, post-secondary educational opportunity. To learn more about the program, schedule a tour or get an application, please contact Bill Hughes,
STRIVE
U Admissions Coordinator at
bhughes@pslstrive.org
or call
(207) 774-6278
.
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STRIVE Night
This was a busy month for STRIVE Night's! We had tons of fun during our 4th of July theme night, with lots of red white & blue treats, and of course, tons of dancing! We also had a bittersweet goodbye celebration this past Friday for our 2017-2018 Jesuit Volunteer, Alex!
We also recently had the election of our new Advisory Board members! Congratulations to Consta, who was elected as our new Board President, Caleb as our Vice President, Mary as our Secretary, Emily as our Treasurer, and Bridget, LeeAnn, and Emma as our Inclusion Officers. We are so excited for the year to come, and awesome theme nights to plan!
Friday Nights at
STRIVE, fondly referred to as "
STRIVE Night," is a relaxed but fun evening of socialization for 15-24 year olds. New members welcome, and your first night is free!
STRIVE Night is every Friday from
6-9pm. For more information, contact Olivia at
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Tweens
July was such a fun month for Tweens! We had a ton of fun with the Children's Museum, Portland Youth Dance, and the Portland Symphony Orchestra. Special thank you to all these wonderful organizations who came in and made it such an exciting month. Our August calendar will be coming out soon- stay tuned for that, or come pick up a hard copy here at STRIVE!
Tweens is a safe and fun environment to build new skills and friendships for 11-14 year olds with developmental disabilities. For more information, contact Olivia at ofraioli@pslstrive.org.
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Wednesday Night E
ducational Series
We had a great Series this month! Our Environmental Ed class was a lot of fun, learning about how to backpack safely and all about recycling and conservation. Big thanks to The Maine Outdoor Adventure Club and EcoMaine for coming in and helping out!
We will be taking a summer break for the month of August, but come September we will be partnering with Norway Savings Bank to learn all about Money Management. Look forward to seeing you there!
For more info, and to register for this class, contact Whitney at wwildes@pslstrive.org
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Camp STRIVE
Camp STRIVE had an amazing month of July! Our awesome counselors, Ashley, Haley, Tori, and Chris, have been providing an incredible experience for our campers and have been leading our best summer yet. We've been everywhere from the Wells Reserve, to Funtown Splashtown, the Yarmouth Clam Festival, Sebago Lake and more! We still have spaces available for the month of August, so if you know someone looking for a recreational summer camp experience, contact Olivia at the email below! We will be running through August 31st.
Camp STRIVE provides tweens, teens and young adults, ages 11-24, with a supportive, safe, and active program during school vacations and throughout the summer. During each camp session, campers participate in activities including cooking, community trips, arts and crafts, games and physical fitness and of course social time! Campers are supported at all times by professional staff who have completed PSL's full training and are certified Direct Support Professionals. For more information, or to register for Camp STRIVE, contact Olivia at ofraioli@pslstrive.org or call 207-774-6278.
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After School
While we love summer and summer camp here at STRIVE, we are always looking forward to our After School Program starting back up again! We have plenty of spaces available and are looking to partner with more schools this year. Are you or someone you know in need of some after school coverage? We run every school day from the time your school runs out until 5pm. If you'd like more info, or to register yourself or your child, please contact Olivia at the email below!
STRIVE's After School Program provides an opportunity for students to participate in an engaging extension of their typical school day that reflects their individual, family and school goals. During each afternoon, students work on skills that support self-determination and independence, as well as spending time socializing with peers in a relaxed environment. After School runs Monday through Friday from 2pm-5pm during each student's respective school district schedule. For more information on After School, contact Olivia at ofraioli@pslstrive.org.
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Happy Birthday to the following STRIVE Members!
We hope you have a great day!
Michael Lamoreau
Linda Murray
Tiffany Farides
Ashley Gore
Dave Gardner
Lidia Woofenden
Anthony Giftos
Lucas Bonica
Cole Igneri
Chloe Britton
Alannah Barrasso
Noah Sullivan
James Raymond
Tyra Gnade
Brandon McKenna
Yasmine Ben-Malek
Benjamin Trimble-Smith
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Thank You to Our Donors
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Bette & Sam Novick
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Janice Plante
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Carolyn Bird & Gregg Ritter
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Barbara & Richard Wigton
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Angela Zook
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Richard & Bridget Whiting
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James & Cheryl Carter - In
Memory of Bob DiBiase
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Anonymous
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Kevin Foley & Lea Tunney - In
Memory of Phil Foley
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Great Falls Construction - In
Honor of Cole Shiers
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Marjorie & Bob Murray and
Susan Guerette - In Honor of
Emily Murray
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Ronald & Gaye Blumenthal
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Gorham Savings Bank
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Karen Jannace - In Memory of Peter Jannace
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Fake Living Trust - In Memory of Mary Fake
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David & Catherine Crockett
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Larry & Mary Ann Costanzer
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Roger & Patricia Olson - In Honor of the 50th Anniversary of
Rock & Cathy Sholtanis
- Minna Brewster
Thank you for your generous support of STRIVE!
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General Announcements
-We're Hiring! Check out our open positions:
-We are looking for volunteers! If you or someone you know is interested in volunteering in our programs or in our upcoming events, please contact Whitney at wwildes@pslstrive.org!
We have a need for volunteers at our upcoming 5K Race!
SAVE THE DATE!
STRIVE 25- August 2nd, 2018
Camp STRIVE- Now through August 31st
Kevin On The Roof- September 1st, 2018
Foden Road 5K Road Race- September 8th, 2018
STRIVE's Annual Auction- October 24th, 2018
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