IN THIS ISSUE...
  • 60 Voices That Shine - #41 Jamie Rizzo
  • Join Us For Summit Of Hope 2021!
  • How Would The Build Back Better Act Affect You?
  • Emergency Preparedness: Are You Ready?
  • Broken And Ready To Go: Electronics Recycling
  • A Bedtime Story, Or Two
Jamie Rizzo #41

A bit of a dare-devil, Jamie Rizzo likes to have fun. He was born with spina bifida, and he uses a wheelchair to get around, but it certainly does not slow him down. In fact, his wheelchair has become a tool to do wheelies and amazing tricks, like 360s and bouncing side to side. Some of that inspiration comes from his admiration of Aaron Fotheringham, a wheelchair motocross athlete.

Jamie is courageous and likes to put himself “out there,” not only with wheelchair stunts, but also doing activities like karaoke and participating in Phamaly Theater Company events. For many, the fear of public speaking and performing in front of others is greater than the fear of death. Not for Jamie. He loves to be front and center singing his favorite karaoke songs, including Bon Jovi’s “It’s My Life.”

“I use my voice to show others what people with disabilities are capable of, and to tell them it’s not all bad."

Jamie says, "People see me and stereotype me—they think I can’t do a lot because I use a wheelchair. I try to be very independent in many ways, and I try to be awesome at things like karaoke.” Incidentally, he placed second in our chapter’s Karaoke Night last March!

When not hotdogging in his wheelchair or taking the stage, Jamie loves to listen to top 40 music, watch the Colorado Rockies play baseball, play basketball with his nephews, “waste” time on Facebook, watch his favorite movie (Star Wars: Return of the Jedi), and be with people. Easy-going and a good friend to others, Jamie especially loves being around those who are funny and have a great sense of humor. That’s because Jamie is hilarious himself and is always up for a good surprise.

In other words, Jamie has a well-rounded life full of laughter, joy, suspense, and camaraderie because, as his karaoke go-to song says, “It’s My Life.” If you are fortunate enough to meet him, ask him about his love of sharks!

To see all of the “60 Voices That Shine” featured thus far or for more information about our 60th Anniversary, CLICK HERE.
Join Us For Summit Of Hope 2021
October 14th Online--RSVP Today!

We invite you on a journey through powerful and inspiring stories told by the people we serve. During our half-hour virtual Summit of Hope, you’ll hear about the transformational work that our chapter is doing and the impact it is having on our community.

Like last year, you can attend Summit of Hope on your terms—in your PJs, while eating your lunch, or with an end-of-day beverage in hand.
 
In just a half-hour, you can help change lives!
RSVP today, CLICK HERE
 
  • Select the session you prefer (all sessions will be the same)
  • We’ll send you a reminder with a link prior to the event
  • Join the Zoom session a few minutes before the start time
 
Your generosity ensures that we’re able to help every person with IDD who seeks our advocacy and other life-changing programs. If you are able, please consider making a gift during Summit of Hope, CLICK HERE.
 
More info on Summit of Hope 2021 is available CLICK HERE. Hope you can join us in October!

How Would The Build Back Better Act Affect You?

Last night President Biden stopped in Denver to talk, in part, about his Build Back Better plan. Whenever a new government plan is proposed, we should ask ourselves, “how would this affect me?”
 
While any federal plan contains complexities that we may never understand, here are a few highlights of the Build Back Better plan that could benefit the IDD community if passed.
 
  • Close the Medicaid gap for low-income Americans and help 4 million uninsured people get medical insurance coverage
  • Expand home care for older and disabled Americans while at the same time improving the pay for home care workers
  • Lower prescription drug costs by letting Medicare negotiate drug prices
  • Use tax credits and government financing to bolster affordable and resilient housing
 
These would be big wins for the IDD community. For more information about the Build Back Better plan, CLICK HERE (White House information page) and CLICK HERE (House information page).
 
In addition, the Better Care Better Jobs Act is before Congress right now. This act will decide how much money to include for home and community-based services (HCBS). HCBS provide critical support for people with disabilities by paying for things like employment supports, transportation, dressing and bathing, and much more. Waitlists, underpaid direct support professionals, as well as more people in nursing homes and institutions are the result of less funding for HCBS. CLICK HERE to read more about the Better Care Better Jobs Act.
 
Share your story with Congress and help get this legislation passed. CLICK HERE to be connected to your members of Congress and tell them why disability services mean so much to you.
 
Government works best when we all participate. So, during National Disability Voter Registration Week this week, reach out to your representatives and let them know what is important to you!
 
And, if you haven’t already, register to vote! CLICK HERE for all the information on how to register to vote in Colorado.
Emergency Preparedness: Are You Ready?
National Preparedness Month

A recent story in the New York Times (CLICK HERE, note that there is a paywall to access this article) highlighted the importance of having an emergency preparedness plan and even a backup plan in case things go wrong. In this case, the family of a man with paralysis realized they couldn’t evacuate him from a fire zone in California. The story had a happy ending, but it pointed out the reality of the need for a plan, and even a backup plan.
 
In honor of National Preparedness Month, we're urging our community to pay special attention to the need for an emergency plan, especially if a family member has disabilities. It's rarely as simple as loading the kids and dogs in the car and leaving.
 
Do you have an emergency preparedness plan in place that tells you what to do in case of an emergency like a wildfire, a chemical spill, a flood, or other natural disasters? Here are a few things to consider:
 
  • Where would you go if you needed to leave your home? And how would you get there?
  • What would you need to take with you? Medication? Oxygen? Medical supplies? Wheelchair?
  • Do you have a list of emergency contacts, doctors, care providers, pharmacies, etc.?

If you would like a little help and guidance putting together an emergency preparedness plan, Pitkin County has created a comprehensive workbook. While their version contains local contact numbers and information that don’t apply to our service area, you can easily create your own for your local area. Their worksheets are generic and cover everything you need to think about and plan for in case of an emergency. CLICK HERE to view and download the workbook.

There are additional resources to be found HERE. For more information on emergency preparedness and things you should consider, CLICK HERE. Don’t leave emergency preparedness to chance – make a plan.
Broken And Ready To Go: Electronics Recycling

Did you know that it is now illegal to throw away electronics in the trash? So, what do you do with those old and unusable television sets, computers, fans, toaster ovens, cell phones, and similar items? Do you have a stash of them in your garage or basement? If so, the time has come to get rid of them!
 
Denver7 is partnering with Techno Rescue and AAA to host a recycling event on Saturday, September 18 – this coming weekend!

A fee of $5 per car allows you can drop off these electronics for recycling, for free, with a couple of exceptions. Additional fees, which are discounted for this event, apply for the following items:
 
$5 for each LCD monitor
$20 for each TV or CRT monitor 21” and smaller
$45 for each TV or CRT monitor 22” and larger
$45 for each floor model printer
$90 for each DLP/Projection or Console TV
 
Cash and credit cards will be accepted.
 
The event will be held at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park (Quebec Street entrance) in Commerce City from 7 am to Noon in parking lot H. CLICK HERE for more information, including the items NOT eligible for recycling.
 
They recommend that you wipe data from any computer or phone devices before dropping them off. Instructions on how to do this are on the website. However, all devices will also be wiped clean by Techno Rescue as a second line of security.
A Bedtime Story, Or Two

Experts say that for the best night’s sleep you should develop bedtime rituals. One of the best nighttime rituals started with children--bedtime stories. Bedtime stories are actually great any time of the day though, right?
 
Storyline Online is a free website featuring actors, like national treasure Betty White, reading favorite children’s books. If you love the stories, you can subscribe, for free, to receive new story updates.
 
Here are a few examples of the stories available:
  • “Harry the Dirty Dog” read by Betty White
  • “Hula-Hoopin’ Queen” read by Oprah Winfrey
  • “Catching the Moon” read by Kevin Costner and Jillian Estell
 
The stories are in video format and can played with a simple click on your device. Story run times vary but are generally between 5 and 10 minutes. Each book includes a parent study guide that you can use with your child, or quite frankly yourself, to delve deeper into the story’s main themes creating a fun and interactive parent-child bonding experience.
 
CLICK HERE to visit Storyline Online. Nighty, night, sleep tight.