http://www.stonebelt.org/rss/newsXML.phpStoneBelt Newshttp://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=14http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=14Stone Belt seeks to continuously improve it’s service delivery system. On an annual basis, Stone Belt conducts surveys in order to gather information concerning satisfaction of consumers, families and other stakeholders.  Data from the surveys is utilized to make improvement in service delivery.  The Consumer Satisfaction Survey was recently sent out to all consumers receiving Stone Belt services.  The survey is based on a 1 – 5 scale with 5 being the best score possible.  This year, 25% of all consumers returned Consumer Satisfaction Surveys.  Download the results.2008 Client Survey Results: QUESTION  AVG  #       1. I am happy with the services that Stone Belt provides to me.     Group Home  4.3  43 Supported Living  4.12  42 Respite or non-24 hour service  2  1 Manufacturing Services  4.19  16 Supported Employment  4.32  25 Life Skills Enrichment  3.12  8 Milestones  4.31  13       2. Staff does a good job of training me at home.     Group Home  4.4 25  Supported Living  4.47  40 Respite or non-24 hour service    0 Manufacturing Services  4.25  8 Supported Employment  4.46  13 Life Skills Enrichment  4.33  3 Milestones  4.75  12       3. Staff does a good job of training me at the day program.     Group Home  4.1 41  Supported Living  3.81  32 Respite or non-24 hour service  2  1 Manufacturing Services  4.27  15 Supported Employment  4.26  19 Life Skills Enrichment  3.12  8 Milestones  4.73  11       4. I know which staff to go to if I have a problem, or want changes in my services.     Group Home  4.17 41  Supported Living  4.57  42 Respite or non-24 hour service  2  1 Manufacturing Services  4  15 Supported Employment  4.52  23 Life Skills Enrichment  3.25  8 Milestones  4.67  12       5. I look forward to going to work each day.      Group Home  4.54 39  Supported Living  4.29  35 Respite or non-24 hour service  2  1 Manufacturing Services  4.56  16 Supported Employment  4.38  24 Life Skills Enrichment  3.86  7 Milestones  4.31  13       6. I like my job duties, and the number of hours I work.      Group Home 4.36  36  Supported Living  4.25  36 Respite or non-24 hour service  3  1 Manufacturing Services  4.44  16 Supported Employment  4.38  24 Life Skills Enrichment  3.67  6 Milestones  4.46  13       7. I like the classes I attend at 10th Street/SOI/LARC/Columbus/Seymour     Group Home 3.82  38  Supported Living  3.61  28 Respite or non-24 hour service  3  1 Manufacturing Services  3.75  12 Supported Employment  3  2 Life Skills Enrichment  3  8 Milestones  4.09  11       8. I like the community outings I attend at 10th Street/SOI/LARC/Columbus/Seymour     Group Home 4.14  37  Supported Living  4.54  41 Respite or non-24 hour service  2  1 Manufacturing Services  4.43  14 Supported Employment  4.22  18 Life Skills Enrichment  4.12  8 Milestones  4.38  13       9. I look forward to going home each day.     Group Home 4.21  28  Supported Living  4.67  36 Respite or non-24 hour service    0 Manufacturing Services  4.22  9 Supported Employment  4  13 Life Skills Enrichment  3  3 Milestones  4.25  12       10. I am happy with the services I receive from Milestones staff.     Group Home 4.45  33  Supported Living  4.5 32  Respite or non-24 hour service    0 Manufacturing Services  4.56  9 Supported Employment  4.29  14 Life Skills Enrichment  3  3 Milestones  4.67  12       11. I am involved in planning my program/services.     Group Home 4.21  39 Supported Living  4.42  40 Respite or non-24 hour service    0 Manufacturing Services  3.81  16 Supported Employment  4.26  23 Life Skills Enrichment  3.62  8 Milestones  4.38  13          TOTAL BY TYPE OF SERVICE AVG #       1. I am happy with the services that Stone Belt provides to me.     Residential Services  4.19  86 Day Program  4.08  49 Milestones  4.31  13       2. Staff does a good job of training me at home.     Residential Services  4.45 65 Day Program  4.38  24 Milestones  4.75  12       3.Staff does a good job of training me at the day program.     Residential Services  3.95 74 Day Program  4.05  42 Milestones  4.73  11       4. I know which staff to go to if I have a problem, or want changes in my services.     Residential Services  4.35 84 Day Program  4.13  46 Milestones  4.67  12       5. I look forward to going to work each day.      Community Job (23), Workshop Job (35), Volunteer Job (5)     Residential Services  4.39  75  Day Program  4.36  47 Milestones   4.31  13       6. I like my job duties, and the number of hours I work.     Community Job (19), Workshop Job (35), Volunteer Job (4)     Residential Services  4.29  73  Day Program  4.3  46 Milestones  4.46  13       7. I like the classes I attend at 10th Street/SOI/LARC/Columbus/Seymour      Residential Services   3.72 67  Day Program  3.41  22 Milestones  4.09  11       8. I like the community outings I attend at 10th Street/SOI/LARC/Columbus/Seymour      Residential Services 4.32  79  Day Progarm  4.28  40 Milestones  4.38  13       9. I look forward to going home each day.      Residential Services  4.47  64  Day Services  3.96  25 Milestones   4.25  12       10. I am happy with the services I receive from Milestones staff.     Doctor (9), Case Management (0), Nurse (6), Social Worker (9), Behavior Staff (8), Couselor (1)      Residential Services  4.48  65  Day Services   4.23  26 Milestones  4.67  12       11. I am involved in planning my program/services.      Residential Services  4.32  79  Day Services  4  47 Milestones   4.38  13   GRAND TOTALS  AVG #        1. I am happy with the services that Stone Belt provides to me.     Agency  3.78 148       2. Staff does a good job of training me at home.     Agency  3.9 101       3.Staff does a good job of training me at the day program.     Agency  3.64 127       4. I know which staff to go to if I have a problem, or want changes in my services.     Agency  3.91 142       5. I look forward to going to work each day.       Agency  3.96 135       6. I like my job duties, and the number of hours I work.      Agency  3.87 132       7. I like the classes I attend at 10th Street/SOI/LARC/Columbus/Seymour       Agency  3.24 100       8. I like the community outings I attend at 10th Street/SOI/LARC/Columbus/Seymour       Agency  3.88 132       9. I look forward to going home each day.       Agency  3.81 101       10. I am happy with the services I receive from Milestones staff.      Agency  3.89 103       11. I am involved in planning my program/services.       Agency  3.81 139       AVERAGE SCORE ACROSS QUESTIONS  3.8   return to news listings  http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=13http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=13Leslie Green @ 30 leslie green circa 2000 On a September day 30 years ago Stone Belt was changed forever, when Leslie Green walked through the door for her first day with the agency.  Her plan was to spend two years at Stone Belt while her husband finished his studies at Indiana University.  She never could have predicted that supporting the wonderful clients of Stone Belt would become her life’s career and passion. Over the three decades that Leslie has been a part of Stone Belt she has held numerous positions, including:  Recreation and Inservice Coordinator; Sheltered Work Coordinator; Coordinator of Development and Training; Coordinator of Client Supports; Director of Adult Services; and her current role, Chief Executive Officer.  Much has changed over the past thirty years and Leslie has played a truly significant role in shaping the agency and moving it forward into what it is today.  Leslie’s vision, dedication and drive have impacted not only our Stone Belt community, but also individuals with disabilities throughout our entire state.  Her tireless commitment to advocacy and to program excellence has paved the way for many exciting developments in the field.  Leslie’s unwavering belief in the right to self-determination for all people has touched and changed countless lives. As Leslie embarks on her thirty-first year with Stone Belt, please join us to say thank you to her for all that she has done. Maureen Gahan @ 25 maureen gahan circa 1990 Twenty five years ago in November, Maureen Gahan had been hired by Stone Belt, but had not yet started working when she received a call saying that she should come in because the State was coming for a survey.  She worked from early that morning until well into the night.  That was the first of many productive days that Maureen has worked for Stone Belt.   During her tenure, she has played an instrumental role in the growth and development of Stone Belt’s expansive residential and Milestones programs.  As Assistant Residential Director, Maureen helped oversee two major group home building expansions that grew the program from two adult “cottages” and a children’s group home to 12 homes that supported over 70 individuals living in the community.  Upon her promotion to Residential Director she started and vigorously grew the supported living program.  All along the way she kept developing a talented group of clinical staff to provide behavioral, nursing and social work services.  After completing her Masters Degree in Marriage and Family Services, she had the vision for creating a program where these professional services could be offered not only to Stone Belt clients, but to the whole community.  Milestones has grown to serve more than 2,500.   The impact Maureen has had on Stone Belt can be measured by the countless lives that have been changed because of her vision, work ethic and uncompromising belief in our mission.  We thank her for help making Stone Belt the agency of excellence it is today.http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=12http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=12     > View the Performance Photo Album   Best Buddies enhances the lives of people with intellectual disabilities by providing opportunities for one-to-one friendship and integrated employment.  On Friday, October 24 the Indiana University Best Buddies chapter featured men’s a cappella group Straight No Chaser at Stone Belt.  The members of Straight No Chaser founded their a cappella group at Indiana University ten years ago and have recently been signed by Atlantic Records for a five-album record deal. The men of Straight No Chaser enjoyed painting frames to hold a group photo taken with the Best Buddies participants at Stone Belt Friday afternoon.  The participants also enjoyed a live concert from the men, including dancing and a birthday serenade to one of the participants with a disability.  Indiana University College Buddy Director Alex Willhardt. stated, “It’s great to see people who have an influence in the community interact with our Best Buddies chapter and realize what we are all about.”  Alex’s Best Buddy is Cheryl Thompson, who stated “I liked the dancing” in reference to Straight No Chaser’s performance.  Alex and Cheryl like taking Alex’s dog to for walks and going to the mall together to get their picture taken as a part of their Best Buddies friendship.  Straight No Chaser was featured in The New York Times October 3rd, and will be at the Indiana University Auditorium Saturday, October 25th at 7:30pm.  Their new album, “Holiday Spirits” will be released on October 28th and is available for sale at the performance.  Jerome Collins, Straight No Chaser member, shared some of his thoughts about the group’s newfound success, “We’re staying humble and never forget where we came from.  No one of us is bigger than the group as a whole.”  The men were gracious, entertaining, and compassionate with the Best Buddies group, and the evidence was visible in the shining smiles of the intimate crowd at Stone Belt Friday afternoon.   About Best Buddies International Founded in 1989 by Anthony Kennedy Shriver, Best Buddies is a vibrant, international organization that has grown from one original chapter to more than 1,300 middle school, high school, and college campuses across the country and internationally.  Best Buddies programs engage participants in each of the 50 United States.  We have accredited international programs on six continents; with additional country programs under active development.  Our six formal programs – Best Buddies Middle Schools, High Schools, Colleges, Citizens, e-Buddies and Jobs – positively impact more than 350,000 individuals.  Best Buddies also is systematically implementing our 2010 initiative that will witness the organization’s continued significant growth, both domestically and overseas. Best Buddies volunteers annually contribute, at no cost to their communities, support services that equate to $70 million USD. Best Buddies has a strong presence within Indiana with 45 high school and 16 college chapters located throughout the state including Indiana University, Bloomington High School North, Edgewood High School, and Brown County High School.   For more information, visit www.bestbuddies.org.http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=11http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=11November 24, 2008 7 pm at Bloomington Playwrights Projects (107 West Ninth Street, Bloomington) www.newplays.orgTickets are $10 and available at the Sunrise Box Office and online at www.bloomingtonarts.info  For more information, contact 812-332-2168 / development@stonebelt.org Stone Belt, in partnership with the Bloomington Playwrights Project, will present “I Am You,” monologues written and performed by individuals with disabilities, on Monday, November 24 at 7 p.m. at the Bloomington Playwrights Project (107 W. Ninth Street, Bloomington).  Tickets for the event are $10, available at the Sunrise Box Office and online at www.bloomingtonarts.info. The evening will feature monologues written over the course of the past year by nine Stone Belt clients under the supervision of Michelle Davenport, an IU Senior who has volunteered many hours creating and preparing this project.  The monologues are written in a variety of formats; one is a song, another is a letter and others biographical stories about their lives. The entire evening will showcase the abilities of Stone Belt’s clients. In addition to the monologue performance, Stone Belt client Mark Summitt will play piano for opening music while individuals with disabilities serve as ushers to help seat attendees. The Stone Belt cooking class is catering the post-show reception. A display of Stone Belt Art & Craft client-created mosaics will also be on display. Leslie Green, Stone Belt CEO explains, “Theater is such a powerful form of expression for our clients. This wonderful outlet is helping our clients see past their disabilities and embrace their abilities. This performance also gives the community insight into individuals with disabilities’ thoughts, hopes and dreams and allows them to see what we see every day at Stone Belt.” Stone Belt is a not-for-profit organization that provides education and support for individuals with disabilities. Established in 1958, we are the oldest and largest agency of our kind in south central Indiana. We offer educational, residential, employment support and clinical and health services for over 1,300 clients in Monroe, Lawrence, Owen, Bartholomew, and surrounding counties. It is our mission, in partnership with the community, to prepare, empower and support persons with developmental disabilities and their families to participate fully in the life of the community. The Bloomington Playwrights Project (BPP) is a nonprofit theatre company that strives to be a leading artistic force in the production and encouragement of new American plays and playwrights. The BPP provides opportunities for development, education, and production for promising and established writers and theatre artists in a professional atmosphere. About the Producer:  Michelle DavenportMichelle Davenport, an IU Senior majoring in Therapeutic Recreation and minoring in Theater, came to Stone Belt to volunteer on the advice of a friend. Her vision was to organize a drama presentation by Stone Belt clients for the public. A year later, her vision is becoming reality. She first started working with client Joy McCune on writing her biography and quickly realized how great Joy was at telling stories.  After some time, she had the idea of gathering a few more clients to prepare monologues and perform them for the community.  She started work on this project immediately; volunteering 3 days a week helping clients perfect their stories. Perhaps the most impressive thing about Davenport is her drive.  She is not preparing a class project or receiving class credit, she simply wants to coordinate this event.  "The project means so much to me.  I feel so privileged to have been given the opportunity to be a part of their lives." Davenport received special recognition by the City of Bloomington Council on Community Accessibility for her work on this project. She also received the Volunteer of the Year award at Stone Belt’s Annual Celebration.    Performances and Excerpts Independence Means by Frank Porter“Independence means being Frank Porter. Frank Porter means business. Independence means getting a job; it’s important because I feel valued. I want to work because everyone else works and I want to do what other people do because I can.” Speaking Non-Verbally by Shirley Freeman“Often people treat me as though I have a mental disability because I am non-verbal and they automatically believe I have a low IQ. This does not limit me and I believe this is a disability of our society. I have the intelligence to accomplish whatever tasks I set my mind to.” Art is Love by Billy SetserI started drawing in middle school as a way to express my feelings. It was a way to get away from others and break into fantasy. A lot of people were challenging me because of my disability, so fantasy was the only way out of the drama.” Love Wins by Steven Rock“I’ve got something to say about a special person in my life. Her name is Robbie Denning. She is a good person to hang out with. She’s a good girl with a beautiful heart. I knew from the first time that I met her she was special…love is important because it make me happy to be loved on.” Trust by Joy McCune“No matter how bad your path has been, trust in God, to win. When I couldn’t talk to anyone, I took it to God who understood… Go out and trust and get closer to God by getting in a flower field, trees or sunshine. I don’t know about you, but I feel closer to God outside.” A Happy Guy in a Happy Place by Ron Dunnigan“A happy guy in a happy place. I like Stone Belt. I work hard in the workshop. Take out the trash when it gets full. Seeing my friends every day. Talking, laughing, and having a great time. The workshop makes me feel good because I always get a paycheck.” Independent Person by Babette Hall“I’m glad I’m independent and can do things for myself; I feel that I have freedom. To my friends who have disabilities, you can do anything you put your minds to! To my friends that don’t have disabilities, stand up for what you believe and do things to better yourself.” I Love You by Tom Brantley(singing) “I love you, you love me. I hope you enjoy fishing or moving on a pontoon boat. If you do we can go out on the lake and float. I love you, you love me. I see the sun as bright and warm as it can be. If you want you can come out swimming with me. I love you, you love me.” Memories by Sandy Gaskins“You will stop limiting yourself because of your disabilities and start to see your true abilities. You will learn to not feel sorry for people…you will feel powerful and will encourage others. To my beautiful Sandy, always stay true to yourself.”  http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=10http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=10People with disabilities lost a strong advocate on July 14, 2008 with the untimely passing of Elbert Johns. Elbert came to Bloomington in 1985 to become the Executive Director of Stone Belt Arc and to build upon its positive reputation for preparing, empowering and supporting people with disabilities to participate in the community.  Prior to his arrival in Bloomington, Elbert was the Executive Director for The Arc of Stanly County in Albemarle, North Carolina and he had also worked in a state institution in Georgia.  During his 15-year tenure at the helm of Stone Belt, many programs and services offered by the agency were initiated or greatly expanded.  Under Elbert's leadership, Stone Belt was among the first organizations in Indiana to offer supported employment services that enabled individuals with significant disabilities to meet the needs of local businesses.  Our residential options were significantly expanded by the growth of group home and supported living services.  Nine of Stone Belts 11 group homes were built during Elbert's administration, offering consumers from the local area, as well as many who previously resided in state institutions, the opportunity for community living. Many other resources, including the support of self-advocacy activities were also added. Elbert's impact reached beyond the Stone Belt community with his state and national efforts, including his leadership in mobilizing advocates to end the waiting list for developmental disabilities services within Indiana, and the initiation of TheArcLink, Incorporated, a company that enables consumers and families to find resources in their local communities.   He was a man with big visions and the ability to activate resources to make things happen. He was a true friend to the individuals with disabilities who benefited greatly from his impassioned labors.  His friends at Stone Belt will miss him very much.  In the upcoming days, Stone Belt will be developing a way to memorialize Elbert's contributions to Stone Belt and to people with disabilities. http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=9http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=9Stone Belt is pleased to announce that the Hossler Family including dad Don, mom Carol Anne and son Jonathan are one of twenty families recognized nationally by the Auntie Anne Pretzel Company Foundation's "A Twist on Giving Back" program.  Nominated by Stone Belt, the Hosslers were selected as an innovative volunteer family for their creation of the Hand in Hand Project.  Jonathan Hossler is a Stone Belt client. The Hand in Hand Project is a collaborative activity that currently benefits hundreds of individuals, including Stone Belt clients, food bank recipients, and community residents.   The project involves daily collections of non-perishable food donations, contributed by community members and collected by Stone Belt client volunteers that are then donated to area food banks.  Hand in Hand currently supports dozens of neighborhood routes in Stone Belt's Monroe and Owen County service areas, providing hundreds of families with meaningful philanthropic opportunities.   Stone Belt clients are successfully contributing to the strengthening of society through meaningful on-going volunteer employment.  The project, in turn, provides participating households and food bank staff with the valuable lesson about the ability of everyone to positively contribute.   The Hossler family is now featured on the Auntie Anne Pretzel Foundation's Web site, www.atwistongivingback.org.  In addition, they have received $2,000 for the Hand in Hand Project.  These dollars will go far in assisting Stone Belt with an expansion of the project to all areas the agency serves.  Stone Belt congratulates the Hossler family for this outstanding recognition, and thanks them for bringing this exciting opportunity to the agency. http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=8http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=8In June 2003, Stone Belt purchased the Michael O. Long Company and started the Stone Belt Leather Works division.  The purpose of the business venture was to provide an independent revenue stream to help offset Stone Belt's dependence on Medicaid funding, while providing clients with the opportunity to learn new skills associated with the production of fine, hand-made leather goods.  Stone Belt and the Long Company had long had a mutually beneficial partnership through subcontracted work, and this arrangement provided an exciting opportunity for both parties. During the nearly 5 years that Stone Belt owned and operated Leather Works, the business has been able to achieve the original goals, although on a more modest scale than initially envisioned.  Due to Stone Belt's current need to focus on core operations, the Board of Directors and management have concluded that the timing is right to conclude ownership of the Leather Works business division.  Through talks with Mike Long, it has been determined that the most appealing approach is to sell the business back to Mike while maintaining a mutually beneficial partnership for both parties.  Stone Belt will now continue to produce belts and other small leather items, some of which will incorporate client-created art designs from Stone Belt's Art & Craft product division. Mike Long will maintain his line of quality personal leather goods.  He stands ready to assist Stone Belt in the transition of the business, and has pledged to remain available to provide specialized labor on possible future products that Stone Belt may create.  The Leather Works venture brought Stone Belt many wonderful opportunities to increase capacity and open new doors for community interaction.  Stone Belt looks forward to its new relationship with Mike Long and his staff.http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=7http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=7Stone Belt's 2008 Annual Celebration will be held Monday, September 22 from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Bloomington Convention Center. We look forward to having Stone Belt consumers and staff members join us for this special event. Invitations are being sent to many community members and donors, as well as to consumers and staff. However, anyone is welcome to attend. Please join us as we celebrate the successes of our Stone Belt community! For more information or to rsvp, contact 812-332-2168 or email us.http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=5http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=5Stone Belt will continue exhibits of its unique artwork at a number of locations throughout Bloomington this fall and winter. August kicked things off with an exhibit of mosaics at Tutto Bene (213 South Rogers Street, Bloomington). One of the most popular pieces at the show was "Scream," by artist Kelly Tate. "People identify with picture because it can be a scream of frustration, happiness or fear. It is one of Art & Craft's best-selling pieces," said Larry Pejeau, Director of Art & Craft. In October the Mosaics will return to the place of their first Bloomington exhibit, The Bloomington Bagel Company (113 North Dunn, Bloomington). "We are so excited to revisit the place where we got our start," said Leslie Green, CEO. 2009 brings a selection of artistically decorated bird house and Art & Craft mosaics exhibited at Lennie's Restaurant (1805 E. Tenth Street, Bloomington) from January 5 through March 2.  As always, Stone Belt artisans' most recent mosaic work, creative greeting cards, jewelry and furniture can always be viewed and purchased at the Stone Belt Gallery (2815 E. Tenth Street, Bloomington). A holiday sale for Art & Craft is tentatively scheduled for Saturday, December 13. The new Stone Belt 2009 calendar featuring an original mosaic each month will be available at this event.     This year Stone Belt artists will once again be collaborating with Lotus organizers to create sculptures for the 2008 Festival Parade. This annual event features an eclectic mix of whimsical sculptures and marching bands and is the opening event of the kicks off the Lotus World Music and Arts Festival, an international music festival that draws large crowds to downtown Bloomington each year. The parade travels from Third Street Park to Kirkwood Avenue. It will be held October 2 at 5:45 pm. "Animal Island," Stone Belt's collaborative street sculpture created by client artists and local artist Joe LaMantia is currently being installed along the B-Line trail on Morton Street between 5th and 6th Streets in downtown Bloomington. This will be the first permanent installation to be completed along the B-Line trail and dedication ceremonies are anticipated to be held mid October.  The sculpture features four large, brightly painted, 1/4 inch plate steel poles with animal images mounted to them, whimsical weather vanes sit on top of each. Embedded in the concrete ground are four colorful mosaic stepping stones. All items are based on client drawings. "This wonderfully creative installation will surely be enjoyed by joggers and walkers along the B-Line trail for years to come," said Pejeau. New inspiration and the sharing of resources is the goal of a group traveling to San Francisco, California in September. This trip, partially funded by VSA arts of Indiana, will include Linda Wisler, VSA arts of Indiana Resident Master Artist; Leslie Green, Stone Belt CEO; Larry Pejeau, Director of Stone Belt Art & Craft; Karen Holtzclaw, Stone Belt Art Instructor; and Joe LaMantia, Stone Belt Collaborative Artist. The group will be visiting five different studios that support artists with disabilities. These include The Art of Possibility studio in Santa Clara, Creativity Explored in San Francisco, Creative Growth in Oakland, The National Institute of Art and Disability (NIAD) in Richmond and will also tour The Arc of San Francisco. Look for a full report of what was discovered and learned in the Winter issue of Touchstone. http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=6http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=6Stone Belt was among the award winners at the 2008 annual meeting of the Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce. Stone Belt received the Nancy Howard Diversity Award, recognizing those who commit to attracting a diverse workforce and who work to create an environment in which all can succeed. The presentation included the following remarks on Stone Belt's contributions to our community."For almost 50 years, Stone Belt has been making it possible for persons with disabilities to be productive citizens of our community through work and employment programs.  Currently, over 75 individuals with disabilities receive paid work training at Stone Belt's manufacturing center.  25 of these clients help create inspiring works of art which enables  them earn wages and commissions for their creations.  Stone Belt has a strong reputation in our local community for helping employers diversify their workforce.  Stone Belt employment consultants are available to help facilitate the smooth integration of persons with disabilities into various roles, and  their staff plays a key role in supporting Diversity Works, which is the business community's initiative to promote employment for individuals with disabilities." http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=34http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=34Cardinal Stage Company distributes over 200 Sound of Music tickets to Community Organizations Including Stone Belt Cardinal Stage Company is pleased to announce that 218 tickets will be distributed to 7 community organizations during the Sound of Music. These tickets are funded through Cardinal’s Outreach program, the Community Access Ticket Initiative.  Founded in 2008, the Community Access Ticket Initiative (CATI) provides free tickets to the student and underserved populations in an effort to inspire and cultivate a lifelong passion in audiences of diverse age, race, ethnic and economic background. This year, CATI will fund 1000 tickets for the 2009-2010 Cardinal Stage Company season (700 tickets were distributed in August during Inherit the Wind!).  During Cardinal’s holiday show, Sound of Music, 7 community organizations will distribute CATI tickets to their members/participants. Cardinal is partnering with Stepping Stones, Middle Way, The Rise, Stone Belt, Hannah House, Habitat for Humanity of Monroe County and Jill’s House. Cardinal extends a very warm ‘THANK YOU” to our individual and corporate supporters and The Raymond Foundation who contributed to this important initiative. CATI, a community outreach effort, succeeds because of your interest and generosity!  The Bloomington community profits and prospers because of it; Hannah House Executive Director, Tina Lampke MSW responded with her gratitude after accepting CATI tickets: “We are so grateful for your willingness to donate tickets to our clients. They will be thrilled!  I still remember the first time I watched the Sound of Music.  It was magical.  It saddens me to know how many of our clients, and their children, have no real exposure to the arts.  Programs like yours are so important.” If you would like to contribute to the Community Access Ticket Initiative or for more information please visit www.cardinalstage.org, PO Box 1253 Bloomington IN 47402 or call 812.336.7110. http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=33http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=33Stone Belt boasts a wide range of programming across 4 counties in south central Indiana.  We are happy to announce our programs and services have moved into a new space in Columbus. Located in the United Way building, the space is shared with more than 30 other community agencies, creating increased opportunities to collaborate and network with various community partners.  The new contact information is:1531 13th Street,Columbus, IN 47201812-376-7149By more than doubling our space to 9,000 square feet, we now have more appropriate program space for Day Services. In addition, the extra space will be used to grow Milestones’ programs.  Psychiatrists will visit monthly and additional counselors and behaviorists will be hired.  Stone Belt Employment Services also has new offices in the building increasing its visability and accessibility.  Our former space, which we had occupied since 2002, had become inadequate to support the numbers of clients and staff that were in the office.  Susan Russ, Director of East Regional services said, “The move at the end of July went very smooth and the clients adjusted quickly to the new space.  We are all pleased to have the needed facilities to appropriately support clients and expand our services.”return to news listings http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=31http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=31Lennie’s Celebrates its 20th Anniversary with Donations, Tastings and More!Lennie’s, a Bloomington favorite since 1989, will celebrate the beginning of its 20th year in business by hosting three nights dedicated to raising money for three cornerstone Bloomington not-for-profits.  All sales Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, November 16 – 18, will be shared between the Hoosier Hills Food Bank, Wonderlab Museum and Stone Belt.  “We will be donating 100% of every dollar that is spent at Lennie’s Restaurant and Brewpub November 16-18. Lunch sales, dinner sales, beer sales, food sales, eat in, carry out—everything. Our goal is to raise at least $5,000 for each of the three charities, but there is no limit on our donation.  It all depends on how busy we are!  Bloomington has been good to us for 20 years and we are thrilled that we can give back,” commented Lennie Busch, co-founder of the restaurant. Lennie’s has plans for other surprises to make sure guests enjoy our birthday celebration.  Make sure to stop by and enjoy Chef Fred Manion’s award-winning food, Brewer Floyd Rosenbaum’s award-winning beer and Lennie’s extensive wine-list, all for good cause, November 16-18.  Lennie’s is located at 1795 E 10th Street.  Reservations for parties of 6 or more are accepted Sunday through Thursday.  Lennie’s seats guests until 11 pm. Sunday through Thursday, and until Midnight Friday and Saturday.  The Pub is open one hour later daily. For more information, contact Development Director Amy Jackson at 812.332.2169 ext. 314 or email Amy. http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=30http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=30Due to recent changes in the Stone Belt Arc, Inc. bylaws, it is necessary for us to revise our Articles of Incorporation. You can find a copy of the revised articles here: REVISED ARTICLES OF INCORPORATIONThe revisions have been bolded or marked through. In accordance with our bylaws, a meeting of the membership must be held so that members can vote on the revisions. We will be holding our membership meeting on November 16, 2009 from 7:00 to 7:15 pm. The meeting will be held in the Main Conference Room of our main facility located at 2815 E 10th Street, Bloomington.For more information, contact Stone Belt Organizational Effectiveness Coordinator Michele Shepherd at 812.332.2169 ext. 283 or email Michele at mshepher@stonebelt.org. http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=29http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=29Marking 50 years of providing exceptional supports in our community, this year's Annual Celebration took on a new format. The event began with a catered reception, followed by an auditorium-style awards ceremony during which excellence in staff, clients, volunteers and community partners  were recognized. In addition to the awards, there were also several surprises throughout the evening. Bloomington Mayor Mark Kruzan and United Way Directory Barry Lessow spoke passionately of Stone Belt's impact on the greater community. Stone Belt CEO Leslie Green led the event and reminded attendees of Stone Belt's rich history and future endeavors. Past President of the Stone Belt Board of Directors Phil Meyer and his Dancing with Celebrities partner Mary Alice Powell were also on hand to perform a dance from their award-winning number. The winning team of STone Belt's 50 for 50 Weight Loss Challenge was also recognized. To top it all off, the Stone Belt wrapped City of Bloomington bus also made a special appearance. Thank you to all who joined us for this wonderful opportunity for our entire Stone Belt community and many other friends, to celebrate our achievements throughout the past year. Award Categories The Self-Determination Award Self Determination is an expression of independence, confidence, and a desire to direct one’s own life.  It is a core principle for Stone Belt, and our belief in it guides all of the important work that we do.  This evening we recognize two individuals – one client and one staff – who embody self-determination. THE CLIENT SELF-DETERMINATION AWARDThe winner of this award was nominated because he has demonstrated perseverance in seeing that his professional and personal dreams come true.  He has worked for the same company, Wal-Mart, for more than one year.  There have been times that he has felt as though he should quit his position.  However, no matter the challenges, he has made the decision to stick it out and not give up.  He goes to work week in and week out, showing a great work ethic.  In the last year of this individual’s life, his residential staffing hours have been greatly reduced because of his determination to become more independent.  He has been working extremely hard to keep his finances stable and to earn a salary that allows for the greatest amount of independence possible; he is now even able to finish his bank statements with only a small amount of staff support.  Through all of the challenges that this amazing individual faces, he has demonstrated great determination, and a vision for what his independent life could and should look like.  He is a role model for expressing ever greater levels of self-determination as he moves forward.  For all of these reasons, I am honored to present the Client Self-Determination Award to Billy Setser. THE STAFF SELF-DETERMINATION AWARDThe 2009 staff award for Self-Determination for a staff highlights the good that can come from a simple act.  As one of nine agencies participating in Phase One of a statewide training initiative, Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) from Stone Belt have had the opportunity to participate in free classes through Ivy Tech to gain a certification in human services.  To obtain this certification, employees had to complete 5 on-line classes. The recipient of this award is one of Stone Belt’s graduates from the program.  Since originally joining Stone Belt in January 2005, this DSP has worked in both our supported living and group home programs.  The simple act comes from a story she related during her graduation from the Ivy Tech Program.  A client she supports was loading the dishwasher.  As the client began to get frustrated that something would not fit, our nominee referred back to something she had learned in one of her courses and simply said, “Try another way.”  The client did so and then moved along with the rest of the loading.  This was just one of the many small things and big things learned through her coursework that even all of her previous experience had not provided.  It is her dedication to the field that has improved the lives and increased the self-determination of everyone she works with.  The Empowered Learning Award We are all life-long learners.  We learn through traditional models, we learn through experience, and we learn from others and along side others.  And we become empowered learners when we actively choose learning to help us grow as individuals, and then use that learning to help others to also reach their fullest potential.  Tonight we honor a client and a staff member who exemplify empowered learning. THE CLIENT EMPOWERED LEARNING AWARD With encouraging supports, the individual we honor today is capable of almost anything he puts his mind to. He proved this in the last year, a period of time when, more than ever, he needed to educate himself toward changing his life. After a medication change, this individual had the adverse side affect of significant weight increase.  Exercise and healthy eating were not a part of his lifestyle, and therefore weight loss seemed an uphill battle; and one we were not sure he would be able to take on.  After speaking with his doctor, this award winner recognized the severity of his health, and become committed to the changes that needed to be made. With strict resolution, he changed his diet and started to pay attention to nutrition labels. He focused on a low fat, low sugar diet, walked several miles every day, and quit fast food cold turkey. Gradually, he started to lose about a pound each week, but he didn't stop there because he wanted to get back to the weight that was (incorrectly, mind you!) listed on his state I.D. After a year and a half of strict dieting and exercising almost daily, this individual lost a grand total of 80 pounds and is now as fit and healthy as any 52 year could be. He feels great, looks great, and has a renewed sense of empowerment that he can truly achieve anything he puts his mind to. His accomplishment may be looked upon as something that had to be done for his health, but this downplays the dedication involved in his achievement. Other people try for decades to do what this inspirational person managed to accomplish in a year and a half, and he would never once mention this to anyone unless they asked first.  He did not require any special recognition because he did this for himself, through perseverance and through education.  He is an amazing person and a role model to anyone striving toward a goal. He has improved his quality of life and his physical opportunities have never been greater.  For these reasons, I am pleased to present Phillip Smith with the empowered learning award. THE STAFF EMPOWERED LEARNING AWARDThe Empowered Learning Award for staff has several potential avenues for a nomination.  It can go to an individual who has supported a client in gaining new knowledge or skills; one who has taken the initiative to gain new knowledge or skills; or one who has supported a staff member to gain new knowledge or skills.  It is this last one we feature today! Our recipient of the Empowered Learning award touches the lives of virtually all of the staff and clients of Stone Belt.  Her focus on completing her job is very mission-centric, ensuring that those we serve have the very best staff to prepare, empower, and support them.  During this last year, Stone Belt has witnessed a dramatic drop in turnover and an increase in the engagement level of our employees.  This points to better hiring upfront, great supervisory support, and having a program to on-board new direct support professionals in the most effective way.  Our award winner has also been integral to the coordination of all of our training programs, insuring that all of our new hires – as well as many veteran staff seeking continued learning opportunities – receive the very best educational footing as they begin work in this field.  Dedication to learning in our field is truly lived by the 2009 award recipient for Empowered Learning, Stone Belt’s New Hire Coordinator, Megan Folley.. The Outstanding Contributions Award Each one of us has skills, talents, interests, passions and time to contribute to making our community a better place.  Stone Belt believes in the power of helping people discover the ways that they can make outstanding contributions.  Tonight we honor two individuals - a client and a staff - whose contributions touch people and change lives. THE CLIENT OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTIONS AWARD To make a difference in someone’s life is perhaps the best contribution a person can make.  This client award winner has been brightening the day of a local citizen in a very meaningful way for many months.   She has developed a special relationship with Dorothy, an 89 year old community member who is still able to live in her home of 40 years.  One of the supports that Dorothy has to promote her independence is the Meals on Wheels Program operated by Area 10 Agency on Aging.   Stone Belt clients have participated in this program as the food deliverers for almost 15 years, bringing hot delicious meals to elderly residents every week-day.   Tonight we are honoring one of these clients for the special relationship she has made with Dorothy.  Because of this client’s outgoing personality and kind concern for others, Dorothy has come to think of her as almost family.  Dorothy was especially touched by receiving a written note from this client that she considers suitable for framing.  When this client brings Dorothy her meal, she is always quick to ask how she is doing, to ask about her dog and to give her a friendly pat on the back.  Dorothy’s daughter Lila feels that the visits from her friend, and the other clients who assist with the food delivery, is truly one of the highlights of her mother’s day.  In addition to this friendship with Dorothy, it is also notable that this client has been one of the most successful artists in the Art and Craft studio.  Her famous “scream” adorns many a desk or wall as a whimsical reminder of what it feels like to vocally release our tension on “one of those days.”  Because of this person’s kindness, friendship and creativity, the social network of Monroe County is just a little bit stronger.  Please join me in congratulating Kelly Tate for this award for outstanding contributions.  THE STAFF OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTIONS AWARDThe staff member we honor for outstanding contributions has only been a clinical therapist in our Milestones Division for about one year; however in that time she has brought to our agency a resurgence in offering Group Therapy services to our adolescent and children clients. Her energy and passion for learning new therapy approaches is contagious to interns and other therapists alike.  When called upon to take on projects or new, high-needs clients she can be counted on to step up to the plate. It probably helps that she has non-stop energy and is massively creative in her intervention techniques.  Ethical professional practice is always an important component to her therapy treatment and in her interaction with other professionals. In supervision she uses her time well in bringing appropriate topics to be discussed, and she is open to feedback and follows through on suggestions and direction well.  This award winner is a true asset to this organization, and for this she has been selected for the staff Outstanding Contributions Award.  Congratulations to Milestones Therapist, Deb Mishler! The Home Life Award A happy home – what could be more important at the end of a long day?  Home is the place where we each have the opportunity to take control; to create a space that brings us joy, comfort, and security.  Tonight we honor a client who has been empowered to direct his home setting, and a staff member who helps make a house a home while supporting clients to do the same. THE CLIENT HOME LIFE AWARDThis award is given to someone who has taken control, made choices, found his voice, and put himself in the driver’s seat of his own life.  Our award recipient lived in a nursing care facility for 10 years prior to picking up the phone and calling Stone Belt, literally daily, to arrange for his move into his own home in October of last year.  He told us about his family, his love of birds and flowers, and his desire to attend church.  He made us work hard to figure things out for his move.  Moving day came and his things were packed and taken to the home where he now lives.  Our award winner was asked if he wanted to go shopping to pick out his sheets, towels and personal items.  He was surprised about this and obviously nervous.  But with some reassurance and support he headed for Wal-mart.  What an exciting day, and the first of many shopping experiences with him in control.  He attends church, works in his yard, feeds the birds, attends closely to his own medical care, oversees his finances, and of course, goes shopping frequently. He started off with some fear of this new found freedom and control of his life, not sure if he could handle it and not sure he really wanted what he had been seeking.  There were times when he expressed that he thought he should move back to the nursing facility.  With some encouragement he would take another step forward and soon put those thoughts behind him.  Our award winner knows how much money he has.  He knows exactly what his bills are.  He is learning to manage his spending and still have the best flower garden and bird sanctuary in the neighborhood!  He talks about his past, but is mostly focused on the future.  He has dreams that he shares with his team and is insistent that he have the opportunity to try things and go where he wants to go.  Everyone who knows our award recipient - and that number grows daily! – knows that he’s in control of his own life.  Congratulations to Archie Herron, our client winner for the Self-Directed Home Life Award. STAFF HOME LIFE AWARD Our staff award winner this evening is truly special.  Since becoming the manager of one of our group homes a number of months ago, she has gone beyond her job description duties to keep the home not only running as smoothly as possible, but also to create an environment that is welcoming, comfortable and energized with activity. Her greatest gift, but certainly not her only one, is her true dedication to the happiness, welfare and self-expression of the wonderful women she supports. She is always very respectful, encouraging and willing to take all the time necessary to help them make their lives better. If this means coming in earlier or staying later, there is no complaining. She just wants everyone to reach their goals and will go out of her way to help them do so.  And she truly wants this residence to be a home, their home, and one they are glad to live in. She keeps a level head when dealing with challenges, and most of the time the crisis is defused or even averted, because of her calmness and ability to understand the feelings of others.  Our award winner is an extremely caring individual, and this shows on the faces of all clients, staff and community members who come into contact with her.  For all of these reasons and many more, I am honored to present tonight’s Staff Home Life Award to Debra Higham. The Positive Supports Award Supportive words, unspoken encouragement, a cheerleader behind the scenes and an advocate on the front lines.  All of these are expressions of positive supports that enable an individual to reach his or her full potential.  Tonight we honor two outstanding women who exemplify the power of positive supports and the impact that they can have on all of our lives. THE CLIENT POSITIVE SUPPORTS AWARDThe individual selected for this award demonstrates tremendous compassion and support for her peers and classmates.  I’d like to read directly from the nomination written about our award winner, because these words so beautifully capture why she has been selected.  Our nominator said: “As an instructor, I am so appreciative that this individual always reminds me to include everyone.  When someone is having a rough day, she is usually the first one to point it out and then offers to sit next to that person in order to cheer them up.  She will hold their hands, talk gently with them, and often times the upset person will eventually smile.  When I thank this individual for being such a good friend, she usually responds "I'm just trying to help you out, buddy!" with a big smile on her face.  When there is an art project going on in class, she prefers to help other client artists with their work before she dives in for herself.  As she is working on her art, she will talk to her friends she is helping out, letting them know what she is doing with her project as she is doing it.  Seeing this individual act this way towards others makes me stop as a staff person and try to do my job better.  I really admire her.”  It is because of all of these reasons and more that tonight we award the Client Positive Supports Award to Denise Hillenberg. THE STAFF POSITIVE SUPPORTS AWARDThis evening we present the staff award for positive supports to an individual who goes above and beyond to make sure the wants and needs of the clients she supports are being met.  She insures all of the clients get out of the house every week for an activity of their choice. She's always willing to listen to each client express him or herself, and she keeps all of the clients with whom she works very involved in experiential activities.  She recently designed an exercise program, which the clients just love.  Our award winner handles situations professionally at all times, modeling best practices for her colleagues.  She takes great pride in her job responsibilities and the value system of the agency.  She respects those she supervises, and encourages their input and leadership development.  Most importantly, our award winner has one of the most positive attitudes around – this rubs off on everyone she comes into contact with.  Always with a smile on her face, and never with a complaint, she demonstrates flexibility and a belief in doing what needs to be done to create a warm, welcoming and safe home environment.  Her attitude is infectious, as she provides positive supports to both clients and staff.  Congratulations to the manager of Wedge Wood group home, Jana Banks, on winning the Positive Supports award. The Employment Award Employment is a fundamental part of adult life.  In our society, our identities are often intimately tied to how we spend our days.  We believe that all adults have the right – as well as the skills and talents – to be employed, to earn a wage, and to contribute to the building of the economy. THE CLIENT EMPLOYMENT AWARD The client we honor this evening has been working in his place of employment for 8 years now, but very recently he demonstrated his true worth to his company. Starting last year during the holiday season, our award winner was asked to work extended and early hours, which he did without complaint. Oftentimes he would have to be at his job at 5am and stay until noon. Other times, he would be scheduled to come in at 7pm and stay until midnight. To add to this challenging schedule, two of his co-workers had recently left the job, leaving him as the senior housekeeper. Rather than let his co-worker deficit and lack of sleep hinder his work performance, our winner did what few people are capable of doing alone at those early morning and late night hours. He worked harder and put in more effort than he ever had before, and his workplace benefited immensely as a result. The business where he works, Macy’s, had never been as clean, and he had never received a higher work performance score from his employer.  Our award winner is a testament to all those who have grown tired or bored with their job. He found something to work for, a renewed sense of loyalty to the business that had employed him for eight years, and he harnessed that energy and put it to work.  Our nominee is an incredibly hard working man, and he deserves recognition for his efforts that have gone well above and beyond the call of duty, literally.  Congratulations to Mike Griffth, our client Employment Award winner. THE STAFF EMPLOYMENT AWARDWonderful employees come to Stone Belt, and then sometimes for reasons beyond their control and our control, they have to leave us.  This is always a loss for our agency, especially when someone has made a true impact.  The staff member we honor tonight is someone who had to leave Stone Belt for a period of time, in order to care for an ailing family member.  We were so pleased when she recently rejoined our Stone Belt community.  She picked up immediately where she left off, and it’s as though she never left us.  Our award winner is part of our employment staff, and she works with tremendous diligence and care to find the right fit for our clients in community employment positions.  The connections she’s made in the community make her a true asset, and we couldn’t ask for a better agency representative to the community.  She insures that not only our clients – But Stone Belt itself – are central to the success of the community.  We are so happy to have welcomed her back; we know there’s no telling what she will accomplish in the years to come. Congratulations to Patty Rocco for winning this year’s Staff Employment Award. The Quality of Life Award So many things go into creating our quality of life – our health, our family and friends, the way we impact others and the impacts that others have on us.  Although there is not one way to evaluate the level of quality of life someone experiences, it is definitely possible to recognize when quality experience and quality supports are on display.  Tonight I’m pleased to honor two members of our Stone Belt community who exemplify quality of life in practice. THE CLIENT QUALITY OF LIFE AWARDThe client we honor tonight with the Quality of Life Award has had many struggles and hurdles with her health in the past year.  She has improved so much, and this is greatly owed to her positive attitude towards life.  She has come a long way – she previously required the assistance of two staff whenever she needed to get out of her wheelchair.  Through perseverance and hard work, she now only requires support from one person.  Our award winner has become quite active, going to Bingo every Monday Night, and regularly going to Starbucks.  And we should point out that at Starbucks EVERY staff knows her name.  She even knows the manager, and that most certainly has its own perks – she receives t-shirts and other free goodies from the staff there; something that we’d ALL love to experience!  Our award winner has a goal – she says that she is soon going to be able to dance in her wheel chair.  With her incredibly positive attitude, and the great strides she has made in adding to the quality of her own life, I suspect she’ll soon be out dancing us all. It is my pleasure to present this year’s client Quality of Life award to Betty Jo Terrill. THE STAFF QUALITY OF LIFE AWARDIt is my pleasure to present some information about the nominee and winner of this year’s staff Quality of Life Award.  The nominator of this individual has said, “She always gives 100% to the clients we support.  She has an open relationship with all of her team members and she always insures that staff are well informed with regards to the clients.  She keeps in contact on her days off, and is always available should an emergency arise.” Our award winner creates myriad opportunities for the clients she supports to thoroughly enjoy their home life – this often entails trips AWAY from home.  On numerous occasions our award winner has shared her entire weekend to take not only the clients she supports but also other clients on getaways to Indianapolis and other fun cities.  She meets the needs of the individuals she supports and she beautifully handles unpredictable challenges that arise daily… always with patience and thoughtful solutions. Our nominator also said, “I know that the clients of our group home would agree 100% with that this nominee has helped turn a house into a home, and a work environment into a pleasurable place to be.  She deserves this recognition in honor of all that she does for her teammates, for Stone Belt, and most importantly for the clients that she supports and loves.” It is our honor to present the staff Quality of Life Award to Patricia Sebree. Community Partner Award Stone Belt’s mission statement is a powerful expression of our vision for exceptional supports for individuals with disabilities.  It is not a coincidence or an after thought that our mission very clearly states that we do our work “in partnership with the community.”  Were it not for businesses, organizations and individuals in the community who embrace our purpose and join us in promoting our principles, truly we could not be as successful as we are in preparing, empowering and supporting people with disabilities to fully participate in the life of the community.  We are honored this evening to recognize four outstanding community partners who have enabled Stone Belt to reach toward excellence: LENNIE'S RESTAURANT AND BREW PUBSince 2007, Stone Belt has had an outstanding partner in the Community, Lennie’s Restaurant and Brew Pub in Bloomington.  Lennie’s has demonstrated in numerous ways its dedication to supporting Stone Belt in achieving its mission.  Twice now Lennie’s has organized exhibits of original art by Stone Belt artists.  In addition to displaying the art work and facilitating purchases by restaurant patrons, Lennie’s has also hosted exhibit opening receptions.  These exhibits and gatherings have allowed our clients to demonstrate their unique talents.  In addition, Lennie’s regularly holds “dining to donate” nights, when patrons are encouraged to eat at the restaurant and donate a portion of their ticket to Stone Belt.  And Lennie’s has now partnered with Stone Belt three years in a row to provide event sponsorship for Stone Belt’s 5K fund raiser.  Recently, Lennie’s Brew Pub took a giant step in its active partnership with Stone Belt by supporting its Manager, Michael Fox, in becoming a member of Stone Belt’s board of directors.  We greatly look forward to a continued relationship with Lennie’s for many years to come, and are happy to present them with this community partner award this evening. MT. PLEASANT CHRISTIAN CHURCHMt. Pleasant Christian Church in Bedford has been selected as a Community Partner because of its members’ support for individuals with disabilities to be included in their congregation.  Mt. Pleasant provides fellowship to Stone Belt clients from three Bedford group homes and to other individuals with disabilities, as well.  The manner in which church members with disabilities has been embraced by the church community is quite outstanding. This involves many church activities such as offering Sunday School with adaptive materials, including everyone in church socials, arranging field trips to places of interest in the region and most especially an annual Christmas party, complete with gifts for each person.  Strong relationships have been developed over the many years that the group homes have participated in the church.  Stone Belt truly values the importance of relationships and the need for individuals with disabilities to have a place of belonging in the community.  We want to recognize Mt. Pleasant Christian Church for creating this place for so many individuals that we also support. STATE REPRESENTATIVE PEGGY WELCHPeggy Welch serves as state representative for the citizens of Indiana House District 60, which encompasses portions of Monroe, Greene, and Brown Counties.  Peggy was first elected in 1998. She has continuously served on the House Ways & Means Committee and is currently the Vice Chair of the Budget Subcommittee of the House Ways & Means Committee. Peggy also serves as the Vice Chair of the House Public Health Committee and as a member of the Indiana House Family, Children, & Human Affairs Committee. Peggy has been honored over the years by numerous organizations for her work on issues impacting safety, senior citizens, military personnel, home health and small businesses. She is a frequent speaker at schools, civic clubs, and associations.  This year, Stone Belt has chosen to recognize Peggy for her ongoing commitment to supporting individuals with disabilities.  In her key role in the Ways and Means committee, she has been a staunch supporter of legislation that provides and protects funding for developmental disability services.  She has been a State leader in advocacy efforts to demand improvements in the Medicaid Eligibility Modernization that has left many citizens confused, frustrated and unable to access their benefits.  And in the closing hours of the special session this summer, Peggy helped to champion and restore language in the budget bill that allows developmental disability centers to receive funding from their local counties.  Peggy has long been a friend to Stone Belt, The Arc, and the people we support.  We are indeed fortunate to have her representation at the Indiana State House.  Thank you, Representative Welch, for the many, many ways you help Hoosiers with disabilities to live successfully in their communities. RURAL TRANSITRural Transit has been a great community partner to Stone Belt for almost 20 years.  The organization provides transportation services for everyone at a reasonable rate, no matter age or ability, across Monroe, Lawrence and Owen Counties.  It has been essential to supporting working clients within Stone Belt programs, often providing transportation to and from home and work, both within a county and across county lines.  Rural Transit has also worked with Stone Belt to provide contracted routes to bring clients to and from our facilities every day.  For our clients living in rural areas, this transportation is essential for them to access services. Rural Transit has always worked very cooperatively with Stone Belt, adding clients quickly when they enter services or get a new job, even when this means adjusting or adding routes to its already busy schedule.  Most recently, Rural Transit truly showed their cooperation and coordination skills when it quickly added 2 routes as we reorganized our life sciences manufacturing services from Owen County to Monroe County during a brief window of time.  We were so grateful for Rural Transit’s flexibility and quick response that led to a smooth transition.  For its long-standing dedication to Stone Belt and the clients we support, we honor Rural Transit as a community partner award winner this year.. Outstanding Volunteer Volunteers add a special touch to everything we do at Stone Belt – they bring energy, dedication and social opportunities to our clients in ways that truly touch lives.  We are honored tonight to recognize not only ONE volunteer, but a whole HOME of volunteers (and a very big home, at that!), who have come into our Stone Belt family and made a very big difference in the lives of us all. 3 years ago, Stone Belt was approached by the Indiana University chapter of Pi Kappa Phi fraternity with an offer to establish an on-going relationship.  They expressed a desire to really get to know Stone Belt and to make Stone Belt the recipient of their local philanthropic and volunteer efforts.  They now coordinate and host Stone Belt’s annual Fall-o-Ween gathering.  They also provide all of the volunteer effort needed for Stone Belt’s annual RUN WITH ME 5K fundraiser, including pre event publicity and staffing of the event itself.  The men of IU Pi Kappa Phi host dinner-dances each semester at their home for Stone Belt clients.  Each semester they welcome dozens of individuals with disabilities into their home for food, games, dancing and general socializing.  They also attend client dances held at Stone Belt, keeping people energized and on their feet by providing dance partners and all of the musical entertainment. The members of Pi Kappa Phi hold fundraisers each year to support Stone Belt, and in addition to holding their own events, their members support Stone Belt fundraising efforts by attending and staffing our fund raisers.   Pi Kappa Phi at Indiana University has dedicated itself to remaining involved with Stone Belt programming and Stone Belt clients into the future.  The enthusiasm and sincere enjoyment that they bring to their interactions with clients is infectious.  Through their participation in Stone Belt’s events, the gatherings they organize for Stone Belt clients, and the many additional ways that they engage in volunteer efforts with our agency, the men of Pi Kappa Phi have contributed thousands of hours to help Stone Belt advance its mission.  At a time in their lives when it would be easy to focus strictly on academic and social pursuits, the men of Pi Kappa Phi have instead demonstrated their commitment to helping individuals with disabilities fully participate in the life of the community.  Pi Kappa Phi is a role model for its peers, setting the highest standards of year-round involvement, linking its efforts to public awareness, demonstrating a long-term dedication and sharing their gifts of time, talent and creativity.  Thank you, Pi Kappa Phi! Visionary Leadership Award This award is presented to a Stone Belt employee in a supervisory or management position who embodies the spirit of Stone Belt's mission, empowers those around him/her, has made exceptional contributions toward Stone Belt's Leadership agenda, and has gone above and beyond the call of duty to help clients, staff, or the community. Steve Warren Hero Award This award is presented to a Stone Belt employee or client who took truly heroic actions that saved somebody’s life. It was named in honor of Steve Warren, a Stone Belt staff member who was responsible for a very expedient decision that ultimately saved a client’s life. Elbert Johns Self-Advocacy Award This award is presented to a client who has demonstrated commitment to advocating for him/herself to receive supports needed for success in life. This award was named to honor the memory of Elbert Johns, the second Executive Director of Stone Belt, who believed in the essential value of preparing individuals to advocate for their needs and wants. Thomas Middleton Award This award is presented to an individual who has demonstrated a high level of compassion, caring, and volunteerism. This award was named in memory of Thomas Middleton, a physician who gave generously of his time and talent to Stone Belt. People selected for thsi award art truly special. They have donated significant time and talent to Stone Belt and its clients over an extended period. http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=28http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=28This year Stone Belt celebrates 50 years of improving lives and building the community. It is largely because of the valuable contributions made by clients, staff, volunteers and community partners that Stone Belt remains at the forefront of our field. Join us in celebrating the tremendous successes of the Stone Belt community. MONDAY, AUGUST 10 Catered Reception @ 4:30 pmAWARDS @ 5:30 pmBloomington High School North Auditorium3901 North Kinser Pike, Bloomington Help us make this event a success!Give a gift today$insertDonateFormFor Further Information Contact:  Amy Jackson, Development Director812.332.2168, ext. 314 • ajackson@stonebelt.org Award Categories The Self-Determination Award CLIENT: An individual who has demonstrated self-determination, leading to an increase in choice and responsibility.STAFF: An individual who has supported a client to achieve self-determination, leading to the client having increased choice and responsibility. The Empowered Learning Award CLIENT: An individual who, through gaining new knowledge or skills, has increased their quality of life and has expanded their opportunities.STAFF: An individual who has: supported a client in gaining new knowledge or skills; or taken the initiative to gain new knowledge or skills; or has supported a staff member to gain new knowledge or skills. The Outstanding Contributions Award CLIENT: An individual who has made outstanding contributions to the community with his/her own gifts, skills and talents.STAFF: An individual who has made outstanding contributions to the agency with his/her own gifts, skills and talents. The Home Life Award CLIENT: An individual who has demonstrated that he/she has taken an active role in designing his/her home life.STAFF: An individual who has insured that client home supports are both flexible and individually tailored, and also meet the wants and needs of the residents. The Positive Supports Award CLIENT: An individual who has: utilized postive supports; or provided his/her peers with positive supports to help them overcome challenges or achieve goals.STAFF: An individual who has: helped clients overcome challenges or achieve goals; or provided an employee with support; or provided support to the overall effectiveness of the agency. The Employment Award CLIENT: An individual who has experienced success in community and/or Stone Belt manufacturing employment.STAFF: An individual who has fostered greater employment opportunities for clients; or who supports clients in their current employment experiences; or who supports Stone Belt employees in demonstrating best practices. The Quality of Life Award CLIENT: An individual who has built personal relationships outside of the agency that have positively impacted his/her life.STAFF: An individual who has ensured that relationships are built among and between clients and their communities. Community Partner Award This award is presented to an individual or organization (including service organizations, members of the media or legislature, additional service providers for individuals with disabilities, or others) for their partnerships with Stone Belt in supporting people with disabilities in their efforts to be independent, active members of our community. Outstanding Volunteer This award is presented to an individual volunteer or group of volunteers who have made the most outstanding contribution in the lives of clients or to the agency as a whole during the previous year. Visionary Leadership Award This award is presented to a Stone Belt employee in a supervisory or management position who embodies the spirit of Stone Belt's mission, empowers those around him/her, has made exceptional contributions toward Stone Belt's Leadership agenda, and has gone above and beyond the call of duty to help clients, staff, or the community. Steve Warren Hero Award This award is presented to a Stone Belt employee or client who took truly heroic actions that saved somebody’s life. It was named in honor of Steve Warren, a Stone Belt staff member who was responsible for a very expedient decision that ultimately saved a client’s life. Elbert Johns Self-Advocacy Award This award is presented to a client who has demonstrated commitment to advocating for him/herself to receive supports needed for success in life. This award was named to honor the memory of Elbert Johns, the second Executive Director of Stone Belt, who believed in the essential value of preparing individuals to advocate for their needs and wants. Thomas Middleton Award This award is presented to an individual who has demonstrated a high level of compassion, caring, and volunteerism. This award was named in memory of Thomas Middleton, a physician who gave generously of his time and talent to Stone Belt. People selected for thsi award art truly special. They have donated significant time and talent to Stone Belt and its clients over an extended period. http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=27http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=27TRINITY LIGHT & LIFE GALLERY EXHIBITTrinity Episcopal Church has invited artists from Stone Belt to inaugurate its new fine arts gallery with a holiday-inspired exhibit of original art pieces. Artists have spent the last several months exploring "light" from different perspectives, in honor of the holidays.  Trinity Episcopal Church111 South Grant Street, BloomingtonExhibit: November 19 through January 31Opening Reception & Meet the Artists: Thursday, November 19, 5-7 pm GALLERY HOLIDAY SALEBrowse an array of unique Art & Craft products, created by Stone Belt artists. Mixed-media mosaics, watercolors, handmade cards, holiday-themed figurines and much more will be showcased. Come early to find the perfect gift for that special person on your holiday list. Take advantage of your last chance to get items at 2009 prices. Stone Belt Cafeteria2815 East Tenth Street, BloomingtonSale: Friday, December 11, 4:30 to 6:30 pmSaturday, December 12, 10 am to 6 pm For more information, contact Director of Community Engagement Amy Jackson at 812.332.2169 ext. 314 or email Amy http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=26http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=26Belt Out Laughing is an evening of comedy celebrating Stone Belt’s 50 years in the community. JOIN US . . . Thursday, October 15 @ 7:30 pmBuskirk-Chumley Theater114 E Kirkwood Avenue, BloomingtonOpening Act by Local Comedy Favorite, Brad Wilhelm LIMITED SEATING, PRE-SHOW DINNER . . .Thursday, October 15 @ 5:30 pmUptown Cafe102 E Kirkwood Avenue, BloomingtonTickets are $25 per person for the optional pre-show dinner and $25 per person for the comedy event. Tickets go on sale Tuesday, September 1 at the Sunrise Box Office. ORDER ONLINE!  About Josh Blue Perhaps best known as the comedian who puts the cerebral in Cerebral Palsy, Josh Blue exploded onto the national comedy scene by capturing the attention and endearment of the country as the winner of NBC’s “Last Comic Standing” Season 4, which aired May through August 2006.  Having already established himself as one of the most sought after comedians on the college circuit, his weekly appearances on “Last Comic” in the summer of 2006 expanded his fan base exponentially. Blue riveted audiences on the fourth season of the NBC reality series, usually garnering standing ovations after each brief set. Blue appeared on Last Comic Standing to “make people aware of the fact that people with disabilities can make an impact.”  He coined the term “palsy punch” during his final set of the final round of the show, when he said that the palsy punch is effective in a fight because “first of all, they don’t know where the punch is coming from and second of all, neither do I.”  He also joked that signing an autograph takes 45 minutes and that to write down his phone number he has to find a big stack of paper. Possessed with an undeniable likeability and comedic timing that belies his youthfulness, Josh continues to break down stereotypes of people with disabilities one laugh at a time.  He helps listeners laugh at their own stereotypes and corrects misconceptions about individuals with disabilities.  His stand-up routine is in a constant state of evolution and his off-the-cuff improvisational skills guarantee that no two shows are exactly alike.  Josh has also become a hit on the internet with his top two YouTube videos receiving well over 1 million plays.  “I have the common sense to know that my disability is what makes me stand out,” the 26-year-old explains. “But I don’t want to be thought of as just ‘the comic with cerebral palsy.’ I want people to think I’m funny, and I want to make them laugh. A lot of my set is about having CP, but it’s not like I can’t address it -- plus, most comics do a lot of talking about themselves. If I didn’t talk about it, it would be uncomfortable and weird for everyone.” Blue got his start in comedy doing open mic sets while attending Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington.  Audiences reacted enthusiastically to his self-deprecating humor and Blue started making a name for himself on the comedy circuit. Josh has appeared as a regular guest star on Comedy Central’s “Mind of Mencia” and his story has been featured on Fox, CBS, ABC, and MSNBC.  He was the first comedian to perform stand-up on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show”, was named Best Winning Reality Show Guest for his appearance on “Live with Regis and Kelly”, and made a standout guest appearance on “Comics Unleashed”.  He became the first comic to debut a stand-up special on the big screen when “7 More Days in the Tank” was shown in theatres across the country.  Portions of the performance also aired on Bravo Network as a half-hour comedy special.  Josh is a repeat guest on such nationally syndicated radio programs as NPR’s “Talk of the Nation” and “The Mancow Show” and has been featured in numerous print publications including “People Magazine” and “The New York Times”.  Josh has also performed at the prestigious HBO-Aspen Comedy Festival and Comedy Central’s South Beach Comedy Festival.  He also appeared in the 2009 low budget horror film, “Feast 3:  The Happy Finish.” Outside of comedy, Blue is also known for his skills in soccer, which included traveling to Athens in 2004 as part of the U.S. Paralympics soccer team.  He is also an artist and has created several sculptures and paintings, which he currently sells.  One particular piece he sells at an extremely high price, because, as he said on his appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, “I nearly died making it.” Blue was born in Cameroon, where his father, Walter Blue, a professor or romance languages from Hamline University, was teaching in a mission.  Blue grew up in St. Paul, Minnesotra and currently resides in Denver with his fiancé, Yuko, and their baby boy, Simon. http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=25http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=25Congratulations to Stone Belt for winning Dancing with the Celebrities! Thanks to the generosity of donors – including many clients and staff – Stone Belt raised the most dollars and therefore was awarded the Overall Winner trophy. In Dancing with the Celebrities, six Bloomington personalities each dance in support of one area agency in an annual competition that is much like Dancing with the Stars. This year, Stone Belt was selected as one of the agencies.  During the four months leading up to the event (which was held this past Saturday at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater in Bloomington), Stone Belt worked to bring in donations. Every dollar counted as a vote for Phil Meyer - our celebrity - as well as for Stone Belt. Phil, station manager for WTIU, did an outstanding job mastering 3 challenging dance routines with his professional dance instructor from the Arthur Murray Dance Studio. He was an excellent performer at the event.  The points he received from the judges were combined with the “votes” (dollars) that Stone Belt raised. Stone Belt raised $20,430 to support our programs of excellence, and was declared the winner on Saturday night. Thanks to all who contributed to this great fundraising effort, and a special thanks to Phil for the hundreds of hours he put into learning and mastering his routines. It was a great night for Stone Belt!   http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=24http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=24The City of Bloomington will host a picnic in the park Sunday, June 7 at the Bryan Park Playground Shelter in Bloomington from 1-3 pm to celebrate Stone Belt’s 50th Anniversary and Monroe County United Ministeries’ 70th Anniversary.  We invite the community to bring a picnic lunch and join us for cake, crafts and fun.  For more information contact Amy Jackson at 332-2168, ext. 314 / email.http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=23http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=23On April 21, 2009, WTIU -- in conjunction with the City of Bloomington Volunteer Network, the Community Foundation of Bloomington and Monroe county, and the United Way of Monroe County -- presented the Be More Awards at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater. An audience of approximately 600 people filled the theater to applaud the efforts of the 9 recipients and 102 nominees for this year's awards. Stone Belt is proud to have been recognized in two categories:Hand in Hand, a Stone Belt ProjectThe Hand in Hand Project was awarded teh Be More Collaborative Award (the group/family award), for the impact their volunteers, who are Stone Belt clients with developmental disabilities, have on teh Community Kitchen of Monroe County. In 2008 alone, these volunteers collected almost 10,000 food items from throughout the community accounting for 16% of Community Kitchen's in-kind food donations. Learn more about Stone Belt's Hand in Hand program.Michelle DavenportMichelle Davenport, an IU student studying theater and therapeutic recreation, was presented the Be More Creative Award for her work creating the I AM YOU Monologue Performance featuring clients from Stone Belt. About Be More AwardsEach organization for which the recipients volunteered received a $500 prize.  This is the Be More Awards’ first year. The name is a trademark of the Public Broadcasting Service, but stations across the nation are picking up the idea and partnering with communities to do different awards events.  The Be More Awards are sponsored by the City of Bloomington Volunteer Network.  The goal of this program is to honor and applaud the outstanding, but often unrecognized efforts of our community volunteers.  Over 100 volunteers (groups and individuals) were nominated this year.http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=22http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=22   > View the complete CARF Report CARF–CCAC announced that Stone Belt has been awarded a three-year term of accreditation. This latest accreditation is the 7th consecutive 3-year accreditation that CARF–CCAC has been awarded to Stone Belt. An organization receiving a three-year term of accreditation has voluntarily put itself through a rigorous peer review process and demonstrated to a team of surveyors during an on-site survey that it is committed to conforming to CARF–CCAC’s accreditation conditions and standards. Furthermore, an organization that earns CARF–CCAC accreditation is commended on its quest for quality programs and services. The Continuing Care Accreditation Commission (CCAC) was founded in 1985 as the nation’s only accrediting body for continuing care retirement communities and similar organizations. In January 2003, CCAC merged with the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF), a nonprofit accreditor founded in 1966 that touches close to 6 million individuals served in a wide range of human service organizations. For more information about the accreditation process, please visit the CARF website at www.carf.org, the CARF–CCAC website at www.carf.org/aging, or the CARF Canada website at www.carfcanada.ca. Survey Summary The following Survey Summary is from the 2009 Accrediation Report provided by CARF-CCAC.Stone Belt Arc, Inc., has strengths in many areas. The board of directors is capable and mission focused. It is evident that members of the board work hard, take their responsibilies very seriously, understand their purpose in setting policies and providing guidance, and are committed to the well-being of personnel and the persons receiving services. A board self-evaluation is conducted annually and is effectively utilized for continuous improvement. The executive director has significant longevity with the organization and held many roles before becoming the executive director. This provides her with a thorough understanding of the challenges and realities associated with optimizing services with limited resources. She is well known and highly regarded in the region and is respected for her leadership, vision, and commitment to Stone Belt Arc by teh persons served and funding and referral sources. Her involvement in local and sate-wide advocacy efforts is noteworthy. The organization is commended for its efforts to seek input and be responsive to the individuals served and other stakeholders. It is abundantly clear that personnel are available to and communicate regularly with stakeholders. Stone Belt Arc has in place the essential elements of an effective health and safety program, including management commitment, employee involvement, training, and hazard prevention and control. It is evident that the organization's health and safety program goes beyond mere compliance with regulatory requirements and provides an environment that protects the health and safety of persons served, personnel, and visitors. The organization is involved in a wide variety of community activities to promote its mission, vision and values. Particularly impressive is the Hand in Hand program that provides persons served the opportunity to contribute to their community through meaningful volunteer activities. Another noteworthy project was the "I Am You" event, which featured an evening of monologues from individuals served by Stone Belt Arc. These types of projects offer individuals with disabilities the chance to contribute to their communities and display their talents in unique and empowering ways. The organization is commended for its human resources program. It is evident that personnel are involved and engaged in the success of Stone Belt Arc and the persons they serve. The organization works extremely hard to recruit and retain qualified personnel. Through careful planning and adherence to sound fiscal practices, the organization operates in a financially responsible manner. The monthly financial reports prepared for the board of directors are extremely thorough but readily understandable and give readers a clear picture of the financial standing of the organization. Commendation is due to the organization for its development of Principles of Service. These principles provide guidance for the organization and are clearly core elements of the organization's culture. The employment services staff members are highly motivated and dedicated professionals who are willing to take on any task to assist the persons served in meeting their goals. They are commended for developing work sites that allow for a variety of vocational options, with sites matching the person's identified preferences, strengths, and needs. The organizational employment program benefits from a medial supply NISH contract. This contract provdes a variety of work opportunities based on the level of skills needed to complete each project. Organizational personnel do an excellent job of identifying risk and planning with persons and families to minimize risk factors as they progress to community-based work settings. There is good collaboration throughout the organization to maximize the benefits to be gained by each person served regardless of obstacles that are presented. Stone Belt Arc provides excellent, individualized training services to individuals who want to develop and/or enhance their employment skills. The enthusiasm with which staff members do their work is impressive and infectious. The longevity of so many personnel and their commitment to the mission clearly show that Stone Belt Arc has a positive influence in the lives of staff members, which ultimately leads to successful service delivery and outcomes for all stakeholders. The organization is especiallty proactive in developing and maintaining relationships within the community for purposes of advocating for the individuals served. The organization also has a very strong and active self-advocacy group that has representatives on boards at the local, regional and state levels. Communication at the organization is very open, and it is apparent that the communication flows interchangeably between direct support staff and management of the organization. The organization makes extra efforts to keep all of its employees informed. Referral sources state that Stone Belt Arc personnel work in a cooperative and collaborative manner and that staff members are friendly, respectful and knowledgeable. They appreciate the organization's ability to meet the behavioral health needs in the community by developing the Milestones program. Referral sources also complimented Stone Belt Arc on its experience and willingness to work in a creative manner with participants who are difficult to serve. The organization is commended for its active involvement in Association of Persons in Supported Employment (APSE). Employers and participants have been the recipients of Indiana awards over the years. Employment staff and managers are active participants in local advisory boards, coalitions, and councils and are thoroughly familiar with local community resources. The result of its community involvement is the creation of effective partnerships and collaborative relationships with a variety of agencies and organizations throughout the community and service area. Stone Belt Arc provides consumers with excellent materials, especially a thorough and attractive consumer handbook. It is also complimented for being willing to accept persons who are considered difficult to serve. Stone Belt Arc is to be commended for its excellent transition planning. The learning center, located in a classroom at a local community college, enables students to experience inclusion prior to exiting high school. Collaborative job development is conducted with some of the high schools in the service area, and other students are involved with the organization through work study programs. The organization has recently been awarded a Project Search grant. This grant will afford the organization another effective opportunity to assist students in transition. The organization is recognized for the strong behavioral support programs that are provided. The program plans are very comprehensive and address the many needs of the consumers served. It is impressive that the organization has two psychiatrists on staff. Feedback from both the persons served and their families along with feedback from the community stakeholders indicated a high level of appreciation for this fine service. In the following areas Stone Belt Arc demonstrates exemplary conformance to the standards. Commendation is due Stone Belt Arc for the excellent strategic plan that it has created. Thsi document articulates the organization's vision and values and includes a series of action plans to achieve the vision while adhering to those values. The plan provides a sense of direction and helps Stone Belt Arc to assume a proactive posture for the future. An impressive feature of the document is that it offers standards of accountability for personnel, programs, and allocated resources. Stone Belt Arc is commended for the comprehensive risk management plan it has developed. Thsi plan foresees the variety of risks that the organization faces and creates response plans to mitigate them. Organizational personnel periodically review the plan in order to avoid having the analysis becoem stale and not reflective of potential project risks. Stone Belt Arc is commended for its excellent art program. This program is multifaceted and provides an opportunity for individuals to express their individuality through various art forms, provides a revenue source for the organization, and has also become a well-known and vital part of the Bloomington community. Stone Belt Arc has been commissioned to do mosaic portraits of city officials and has been commissioned to do artwork that is permanently placed in city parks and the recently revitalized downtown area. Stone Belt Arc should seek improvement in the areas identified by the recommendations in the report. Consultation given does not indicate nonconformance to standards but is offered as a suggestion for further quality improvement. On balance, Stone Belt Arc is generally in conformance to the standards. This organization has strong and experienced leadership and personnel who are highly motivated and work diligently to achieve positive outcomes for the individuals served. The organization is greatly respected by funders and referral sources and enjoys the confidence of the persons served and family members. Stone Belt Arc is involved in extensive planning efforts on a number of fronts, all designed to enhance the quality of services and secure the future of the organization. Most of the recommendations contained in this report are in the behavioral health outpatient program, a new service for the organization, for which it is seeking accreditation for the first time. As noted in the body of this report, the majority of these recommendations occurred because of the organization's failure to put its service plans into writing. The organizations recognizes the importance of documenting its service plans, and it appears that the organization has both the capability and desire to quickly address these recommendations. The organization has established a pattern of responding positively to recommendations and consultation in previous CARF surveys. This receptivity to recommendations, consultation, and suggestions instills confidence that the organization will use this survey report to further improve organizational and service quality. Stone Belt Arc, Inc., has earned a Three-Year Accreditation. Congratulations are extended to the staff members, executive team, and the board of directors on this accomplishment. Encouragement is given to the organization to continue to use the CARF standards as a blueprint for the development of further services and to promote continuous quality improvement. http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=21http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=21 This local “Dancing with the Stars” event supports six area charities. The event will be held at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater in Bloomington on May 23 at 8 p.m.  This year, Phil Meyer – Stone Belt past board president and the station manager of WTIU – will be dancing on behalf of Stone Belt’s 50th Anniversary.  All dollars raised through contributions to Stone Belt will go to support programs of excellence.  Every dollar equals a vote for Phil!  Contributions are 100% tax deductible. $insertDonateForm All online donations made now through May 23 will be a gift to Stone Belt's general fund, as well as a vote for Phil. Use this downloadable form to make a donation via mail. INTERESTED IN TICKETS TO THE EVENT?Have other questions? Contact Stone Belt Development Director Amy Jackson at: 812-332-2168, ext. 314 / email. Tickets may also be purchased at the Sunrise Box Office located at 114 E Kirkwood Ave., Bloomington, IN 47408. Or, purchase tickets online now!return to news listings  http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=20http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=20Stone Belt Art & Craft has recently been featured in a WFIU segment by Yaël Ksander on February 24th, 2009. The piece highlights the work of the Art & Craft division including interviews with Stone Belt leadership and client artists. Click here to listen to the audio. http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=19http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=19A group of 24 people including clients, staff and Stone Belt board member Amy Marie Travis-Lucas went to The Indiana State House on Thursday, February 12 to meet with legislators and give them Valentines with the message "Fill Your Heart with Respect."  They also were able to meet Governor Mitch Daniels, who greeted them outside of his office.  Stone Belt appeared to have the largest group participating in this state-wide activity sponsored by The Arc of Indiana Collectively the group was able to personally deliver Valentines and treat bags to nine legislators representing the districts in which Stone Belt operates services as well as to the Governor and Lieutenant Governor Becky Skillman, making it a highly successful day.  This is the fourth year that Stone Belt has participating in the Valentines Day event.  It has come to be highly anticipated and appreciated by the legislators.   The Valentines were handmade in art classes in various Stone Belt locations. http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=18http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=18Stone Belt Art Opening ReceptionTUESDAY, JANUARY 13, 20095 - 7 p.m.  |  Lennie’s Brewery1795 E 10th St, Bloomington, INJoin us for a reception and benefit for Stone Belt Art & Craft.  Enjoy complimentary appetizers and a cash bar while viewing the newest pieces in our collection.  In addition to browsing artwork, support Stone Belt through Lennie's Supper for Stone Belt program.  To participate in the benefit opportunity:present an exclusive Lennie’s Supper Certificate on Monday, January 12 or Tuesday, January 13 after 4 pm 20% of your meal will be donated to Stone Belt Bring friends & family to dinner with you to maximize the gift possibilitiesA limited number of certificates are available.  Call Amy Jackson at 812-332-2168 ext. 314 to reserve yours today.  Stone Belt artwork will be exhibited at Lennie’s Restaurant through March.  http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=17http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=17 View a slide show from our Open House and Ribbon Cutting Ceremony Stone Belt is pleased to announce the opening of our expanded Life Sciences Manufacturing Area. For over 25 years Stone Belt clients have been involved in the production of biomedical devices utilized around the globe. We are pleased to launch the next phase of our manufacturing program, featuring the installation of 4,000 square feet of environmentally controlled space, more than tripling the capacity Stone Belt has available for life sciences manufacturing. THE FACTS ABOUT STONE BELT'S MANUFACTURING FACILITY:• 15,000+ square feet of manufacturing space• 4,000+ square feet of new environmentally controlled space• $150,000 capital investment in facility improvements• 100+ individuals with disabilities employed• 25+ years in Life Sciences industry• Certified "Dock to Stock" vendor for local life sciences businesses• 60,000+ hours worked on medical products in 2008 • $200,000 in total payroll to for medical manufacturing completed in 2008The following article appeared in the Bloomington Herald-Times newspaper: Stone Belt's Life Sciences Facility Expands By J.J. Alcantara, Herald-Times Reporter Misty Lawyer said she loves her job, and without Stone Belt, it may have never been possible. Lawyer, 24, has worked for Stone Belt for more than a year now, and after the recent expansion of the life sciences manufacturing area, Lawyer has more opportunities to work. Stone Belt celebrated the expansion Thursday at its Bloomington headquarters on 10th Street, welcoming employees, their families, the community and local officials for a chance to see the new facility and what these individuals do. Stone Belt’s manufacturing services help people with developmental disabilities have an opportunity to work and acquire skills while providing subcontract manufacturing to businesses. Stone Belt CEO Leslie Green said the expansion allowed the company to create an environmentally controlled clean space with the added potential for increased services. Employees who work at the facility assemble and build medical equipment used in various procedures. “So much of the manufacturing base is moving toward the life sciences, and with companies that are here in town and the things Indiana University is doing in technological development, we wanted to be a part of that,” Green said. “We’re concentrating our energy and attention to that sector of manufacturing.” Bloomington Mayor Mark Kruzan, who was at the ceremony, said Stone Belt has become an important part of the Bloomington community. “Stone Belt is often an underestimated economic factor in Bloomington,” he said. “Don’t underestimate your role in this.” Jason Carnes, field representative for U.S. Rep. Baron Hill, said that with the losses in the manufacturing industry, it’s vital to find new, innovative ways to help the economy. “And Stone Belt is a prime example of that,” he said. Barry Lessow, executive director of United Way of Monroe County, said the expansion celebration marks a tremendous day for Bloomington and Monroe County. “(Stone Belt) shows us how to live united,” Lessow said. Stone Belt employs more than 70 individuals with developmental disabilities in their manufacturing services and more than 200 in businesses all over the community, Green said. The expansion allowed Stone Belt to move facilities in Bedford and Spencer to Bloomington. “We found out we’re not going to have the use of the facility in Owen County,” Green said. “We looked at what our resources were, and the best move was to move it to Bloomington.” The facility took about four months to complete at a cost of about $140,000. “We ran into a situtation where we needed a quick turnaround, and we needed to make that happen,” Green said. Stone Belt was founded in 1958 by nine families who wanted to provide educational opportunities for their children with disabilities. Stacey Ryner, Stone Belt communications manager, said that around the late 1970s, when more children with disabilities were undergoing transition into public schools, the company made a move to help adults become a part of the community.   http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=16http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=16Stone Belt has received an allocation of $16,690 in tax credits for 2009-2010 from the State of Indiana, establishing a fundraising goal of $31,380.  Here's how NAP tax credits work: By making a donation to Stone Belt ($100 or greater), you will be able to utilize Neighborhood Assistance Program Tax Credits - allowing you to get half of your contribution back as a TAX CREDIT on your Indiana taxes next spring, with the option of also claiming the entire gift as a deduction on your itemized federal tax return.  Not only will you get a great break on your taxes next April; you'll provide funding for a much-needed program within the agency.  This means that your gift will be worth more than twice as much as it actually costs you. Here's an example - if you give a gift of $100, you will make a check out to Stone Belt for that whole amount.  Along with the contribution, you'll complete some paperwork that we will send into the state on your behalf.  Several weeks later, the state will send you a letter that indicates you have a tax credit for $50 (or half of whatever you have donated over $100).  That means, when it comes time to pay your state taxes next April, you will get to pay $50 less; or if you don't owe anything, you'll get $50 back!  The important thing is to hold onto the paper from the state, and file it with your tax return.  If you also file an itemized federal tax return, you can also then claim a deductible contribution of the entire $100, which will save you even more.  So your $100 gift will actually only cost you $50 or LESS. Stone Belt utilizes the donations from the NAP tax credit program to support additional clinical hours at Milestones.  Because many people with developmental disabilities have difficulty expressing themselves verbally, traditional modes of therapy and counseling are not as effective as therapy provided by professionals trained to work with the unique challenges of people with developmental disabilities. Stone Belt's Milestones Clinical and Health Resources fill a gap in providing psychological and psychiatric services to these individuals.  Through NAP, our Milestones Services will be able to provide approximately 2,000 more hours of clinical service to people with developmental disabilities within the next year. As you know, the individuals who benefit from Milestones would not otherwise have access to specialized psychological or psychiatric services. Their participation will enhance their efforts to become more independent and active community members. If you are interested in participating in giving to Stone Belt through the NAP program, please email Amy Jackson, Development Director, or call 812-332-2168, ext. 314.http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=15http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=15Access to Stone Belt's 10th Street facility will be directly impacted by the upcoming construction of Indiana University's new life science and technology incubator within the 10th and the Bypass complex.  There will be various disruptions and closings throughout the project, scheduled to run from November 1, 2008 through mid 2009. The first closing of the parking lot drive (next to the University Gym) will start on Monday November 10.  This closing is expected to be about 2 weeks in duration.  All traffic in and out of Stone Belt will need to pass through Stone Belt's back entrance off of 10th Street (about 150 yards East of the main entrance) and then proceed around the building to access the parking area and front drive. We have taken steps to improve the flow and visibility to maximize safety for those we serve as well as those using this back of the building access. This area will remain very congested and we ask that low speed and great caution be exercised when passing through the area. Thank you in advance for your patience during this first closing.  Please contact us by phone at 812/332-2168 Ext. 274 or by e-mail should you have any questions or need additional information.http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=70http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=70Join Stone Belt for the 2011 Empowered Learning Series, designed to educate the community about disability issues.  Most sessions are held at the IU Innovation Center (2719 East Tenth Street, Bloomington), and are free and open to the public.  The Financial Planning seminar will be held at St. Mark’s United Methodist Church (100 North State Road 46 Bypass Bloomington).To find out more about the series, email the Stone Belt Community Engagement Department or call 812.332.2168, ext. 269.Click here to download the schedule postcard in PDF version.http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=67http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=67 Stone Belt client Jerry Zumpe was one of six individuals honored for making Bloomington more accessible to individuals with disabilities at the annual City of Bloomington Council for Community Accessibility (CCA) Awards.Zumpe received the Self-Advocacy Award.  He has been involved with both the Self-Advocates of Monroe County and the Self-Advocates of Indiana for several years, and has served as the treasurer of Self-Advocates of Monroe County for the past four years.Other awardees include:Business Service Award, sponsored by Cook Group Inc.: Arby’s Restaurant on West Third Street, which has made a concerted effort to support and facilitate the growth of persons with disabilities. Professional and Community Service Award: Theresa Dovenbarger, Continuing Education Options team manager for Options, for going far above and beyond her job duties by leading efforts to organize self-advocates. Special Recognition: Randy Paul, an advocate for people with disabilities and a volunteer with many community groups. Kristin Willison Volunteer Service Award: Bill Embry, who has helped organize fishing tournaments to provide recreation for many people with disabilities and others and to raise funds for many organizations. Mayor’s Award, sponsored by Ivy Tech Community College: Lynne Argent, executive director of Abilities Unlimited, who has been a steadfast guardian of and provider for people with disabilities in need of a vast array of customized services. “I congratulate all the award nominees and recipients and thank them for their significant contributions to making life a little easier for people with disabilities,” said Mayor Mark Kruzan, who presented the Mayor’s Award to Lynne Argent at the ceremony at Chapman’s Restaurant recently. “Their actions and spirit enrich our entire community.” The ceremony was sponsored by Bloomington’s Community and Family Resources Department and Human Rights Commission, Bloomington Hospital; Chapman’s; Cook Group; Indiana University Credit Union; Ivy Tech Community College; Kiwanis Club, Bloomington; Barbara McKinney, human rights attorney for the city of Bloomington; Oliver Winery; Options; Southern Indiana Center for Independent Living; and Stone Belt. http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=72http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=72 Stone Belt Supported Living program client Rhonda Haley has worked at Baxter Pharmaceuticals for more than 10 years. This year Baxter participated in the local Bowl for Kids’ Sake fundraiser and Rhonda was the largest fundraiser on the company’s team. For her efforts, her department was given a trophy and Rhonda was given a $50 card to the Cheesecake Factory restaurant. She celebrated this achievement by traveling to the Cheesecake Factory in Greenwood with a group of friends.  See photo below. Bowl for Kids’ Sake is the largest annual fundraising campaign of Big Brothers Big Sisters of South Central Indiana. The campaign culminates in community-wide bowling events. http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=61http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=61The Stone Belt Empowered Learning Series will present a seminar on disability resources Thursday, November 18@ the Indiana University Innovation Center2719 East 10th Street, Bloomingtonoffered twice10 am to noon5:30 to 7:30 pmLearn about supports that exist for individuals throughout their lifespan.Understand when and how connections should be made to fully utilize resources.Hear from experts representing early intervention, school age, adult and behavioral health programs.The knowledgeable panel of experts includes:Shirley Stumpner, South Central Community Action Program (SCCAP)Teresa Grossi, Indiana Institute on Disability and Community (IIDC)Jill Ginn, Arc NetworkMaureen Gahan, Milestones Clinical and Health Resources Space is limited.  This event is free and open to the public.  For more information or to reserve a space for the seminar contact the Stone Belt Community Engagement Department @ 812-332-2168, ext. 269 / or email us. Download the event poster http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=60http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=60Stone Belt’s Principles of Service provided a perfect theme to this year’s Annual Celebration.The August 9 event began with a catered reception, followed by an auditorium-style awards ceremony during which excellence in staff, clients, volunteers and community partners were recognized. In addition to the awards, there were also several surprises throughout the evening.Stone Belt Board President Margaret Gilbride led the event and guided attendees through an evening filled with live performances and multimedia presentations. Local celebrity Gladys DeVane and her Dancing With The Celebrities partner Todd Leininger were also on hand to perform a dance from their award winning number. Five performers from this year’s I AM YOU monologues were featured in video vignettes created from their participation in the event. Bloomington Mayor Mark Kruzan and United Way Director Barry Lessow also appeared and spoke passionately of Stone Belt’s impact on the greater community. Thank you to all who joined us for this wonderful opportunity for our entire Stone Belt community and many other friends, to celebrate our achievements throughout the past year.Congratulations to all of of the outstanding award winners honored at last night's 2010 Annual Celebration:Self-Determination AwardsJustin RichardsonRoe SimmermanLearning Creates Empowerment AwardsMisty LawyerBobbi WigleyContributions Award David WertzCheryl PaulPositive Supports AwardsLindle WickleShawna ArnesenHome Life AwardsMufson-King-Grubb HomeRyan PerryEmployment AwardsJeff StrausserSheryl MyersSocial Life AwardsAnn MapleJoe HattonElbert Johns Self-Advocacy AwardSelf-Advocates: Building a Future Lawrence CountyCommunity Partners AwardsTheatre of the PeopleTexas Roadhouse ColumbusVolunteer of the YearBrandon DuncanSteve Warren Hero AwardSarah GinascolVisionary Leader AwardKaren Freeman http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=57http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=57To: Consumers and Families of Stone Belt ServicesFrom: Leslie Green, Stone Belt CEORe: East Region Management ChangesDate: July 1, 2010Greetings all.  This letter is to inform you of some recent management changes in our Columbus and Seymour (East) operations.  Effective June 21, Ilese Sablehaus has transferred to the position of East Regional Director.  She is now responsible for Stone Belt residential and day services offered in Columbus and Seymour.  This position has been held by Susan Russ for the past 5 years.  Some of you may remember Ilese from the time she served as the East Region Associate Director.  Since 2008 Ilese has been fulfilling other roles within the agency, but now makes her return to our Columbus headquarters.  Ilese lives in North Vernon and will certainly enjoy a shorter commute than she had driving to Bloomington daily.  Click here to email Ilese or contact her by phone at 812-376-7149 or toll free at 866-569-9120.  Susan Russ will now oversee the day services operations in the Bloomington Central Region in addition to her role as director of the Bedford South Region.  Susan was the first Stone Belt staff to start offering services to consumers in the Columbus area and has been involved there in some way ever since 1997.  We appreciate all that Susan has done to build the excellent programs in Columbus and Seymour.  She will continue to serve as a resource to Ilese, other staff and consumers of the East Region.  Click here to email Susan or contact her by phone at 888-332-2168 ext. 290.  We are certainly experiencing challenging times due to reduced state funding and increased regulations. This management change allows us to fully use the expertise of both of these senior leaders and to reduce the time they each were spending on the road.  We believe this change will improve our management efficiency while continuing to provide excellent support to clients and staff alike.  Click here to email me with any questions you may have or contact me by phone 1-888-332-2168 ext. 249.   I hope your summer is filled with happy and productive times.  We enjoy the opportunity to provide supports and services to you.   Best Regards,Leslie GreenCEO   http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=56http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=56To: Consumers and Families of Stone Belt ServicesFrom: Leslie Green, Stone Belt CEORe: Important Information on Changes in the Medicaid WaiverDate: July 1, 2010 Pre-Vocational Services Time LimitsThere is a new state rule that clients who receive Medicaid Waiver funded services will have time limits on how long they can receive pre-vocational services.  This limit will be applied at the time of each person’s annual plan/budget renewal beginning October 1, 2011.  Therefore, if the person has received 24 months or more of pre-vocational services at the time of his/her annual budget renewal, the service will no longer be authorized and alternative services will need to be chosen.  At that point, paid work opportunities within a facility program will no longer be possible. We have expressed our concern about this to the officials at the Department of Disability and Rehabilitation Services, and are trying to help find solutions to prevent this; but it appears likely that this rule will stay in effect.  Stone Belt is currently developing plans for alternative services in our Lifelong Learning program.  Classroom and community-based programs will be offered as individual budgets allow.  Later this summer, we will have information and will schedule meetings to tell you more about what will be available.  Please let us know your ideas for classes and activities that you would like us to offer.  In addition, we highly encourage anyone who is not already employed to pursue a job in the community.  This will provide you with a paycheck and a way to make new friends.  To do this, you must call the Vocational Rehabilitation office at 812-332-7331 or toll free at 1-877-847-9893.  Your case manager or Stone Belt coordinator can help to refer you as well.  Once you begin working with an employment coach, he/she can work with you to determine what kind of a job you would like to find and will provide support as you learn your new job.  It is important that you start this now, so you will have the most time possible to find a good job before the time limits on your prevocational services expire.   Supported Employment Follow-alongYou may be hearing that Medicaid Waiver services currently have a limit of 18 months of supported employment follow-along, which is the support that a job coach gives you at your community job.  Indiana officials have told us they will be eliminating this rule in the future. Instead there will be a mandatory review of any person in the program more than 18 months to determine if they still need the service. We will keep you updated on this important information.  We feel it is very important for people in supported employment to have this extra help for as long as it is necessary so they can continue to be successful on the job.If you have further questions, please contact me at 812-332-2168 ext. 249. Or you may call your Stone Belt coordinator or program director.  The Monroe County number is 812-332-2168 and Lawrence County number is 812-279-3229.   http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=55http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=55Milestones Clinical & Health Resources, a division of Stone Belt, has been awarded the 2010 Indiana Association of Play Therapists (IAPT) "Vivian Thompson Award for outstanding play therapy services.  The award will be presented during the group's June 25 annual membership luncheon in Carmel, Indiana. Special congratulations to Milestones Play Therapists Bree Russo, Rosie Falls, Lynda Ransburg and Claudia Dominik for their superb clinical work and their continued efforts to increase their education, improve their skills and reach official play therapist certification. The Vivian Thompson Award is given to individuals or organizations that have made outstanding contributions in the field of play therapy over a period of at least 5 years.  This award is named in memory of an extraordinary child therapist, social worker and supervisor.  Milestones Director Maureen Gahan had the privilege of working with the Award's namesake, Vivian Thompson for 3 years while she was studying for her degree in family therapy. Congratulations to Milestones and its Therapists on this honor. http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=51http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=51 Join Project SEARCH Indiana to celebrate a successful beginning to this internship program. Learn more about this innovative partnership. Meet the participants and hear stories of their professional accomplishments.  Wednesday, June 233 to 5 pmIndiana Center for the Life Sciences501 North Profile ParkwayBloomington, IndianaRSVP to Bitta DeWees atbdewees@stonebelt.org812-335-3507, ext. 273Meet the ParticipantsTour the FacilityLearn about the ProgramProject SEARCH Indiana.  Training and education today for young adults with disabilities.Preparing individuals for successful employment in the future. Click here to learn more about the program.   http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=50http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=50 Stone Belt's Amy Jackson, Community Engagement Director joined six other local women as the recipients of the first ever Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce's Women Excel Bloomington award.Amy is responsible for facilitating the building of relationships between Stone Belt and the community.  Her responsibilities include fundraising, marketing, public relations and the oversight of Stone Belt's service learning and volunteer programs.  Joining Stone Belt in 2006, Amy first served as the agency's Development Director.  Prior to joining Stone Belt, she served in professional positions in various non-profits.The award was designed to honor women who contribute to their organizations and the community at large. Other winners included:Nancy Baldwin, executive officer, Monroe County Building Association Helen “Lennie” Busch, co-founder and CEO, One World Enterprises Roberta Kelzer, executive director, Monroe County YMCA Felisha Legette-Jack, coach, Indiana University Women’s Basketball Darby McCarty, president and CEO, Smithville Telephone Co. Marilyn Skirvin, vice president of administration, Bloomington Economic Development Corp. http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=49http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=49The entire Stone Belt community - including clients, staff, family members and friends - has been invited to come to a special IU Softball game in our honor on Saturday, May 15!  It will officially be "Stone Belt Day!" at the field, and tickets are free and unlimited.  This is a great opportunity to get clients out into the community on a beautiful spring day.  Mark your calendars with these details: Saturday, May 151 pm IU Softball field (See directions below)FREE and open to the public - everyone is welcome!Parking is available for free at the field Directions to IU Softball Field – From Stone Belt 10th StreetTurn right onto the Bypass (heading toward Walnut and campus), turn left onto 17th Street, turn left onto Fee Lane (stop light), take the first left into the drive in front of Foster Quad and then the second left beside the baseball field. Parking is allowed in the grassy field in between baseball and softball. Parking is free, along with admission. No need to RSVP - just join the fun.http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=48http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=48In preparation for the Stone Belt Annual Celebration, we are seeking nominations for agency-wide awards.  We are accepting nominations from all areas of Stone Belt services, and we encourage you to participate in this wonderful opportunity to recognize contributions and achievements from throughout the agency. Please take a few moments to nominate a deserving individual or group. All Stone Belt Arc members, clients and staff are eligible to submit nominations. There are 7 general categories for both client and staff awards that integrate our Principles of Service. Additionally, there are 6 special award categories.  Descriptions for all awards have been provided below to help you select the most appropriate category. Please select only one category when nominating an individual or group for an award; if you wish to nominate an individual for more than one award, please complete a separate form for each nomination. Award winners will be selected based on the most compelling case made by the nominator for the specific nomination category. Awards in all categories will be presented at Stone Belt’s agency-wide Annual Celebration to be held Monay, August 9 at the Bloomington High School North Auditorium.  All award winners will be publicly recognized; in addition, staff winners will receive a certificate for 2 paid vacation days, and client winners will receive a cash prize of $50. NOMINATE SOMEONE TODAY USING THE ONLINE FORM AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE. Or, download and complete the form and return to Director of HR, Brad GalinStone Belt 10th Street (2815 E. 10th Street, Bloomington, IN 47408 or fax to 812.323.4610). DEADLINE FOR NOMINATIONS:  5 pm on Friday, June 25.  All fields are required. Award Categories The Self-Determination Award CLIENT: An individual who has demonstrated self-determination, leading to an increase in choice and responsibility.STAFF: An individual who has supported a client to achieve self-determination, leading to the client having increased choice and responsibility. The Empowered Learning Award CLIENT: An individual who, through gaining new knowledge or skills, has increased their quality of life and has expanded their opportunities.STAFF: An individual who has: supported a client in gaining new knowledge or skills; or taken the initiative to gain new knowledge or skills; or has supported a staff member to gain new knowledge or skills. The Outstanding Contributions Award CLIENT: An individual who has made outstanding contributions to the community with his/her own gifts, skills and talents.STAFF: An individual who has made outstanding contributions to the agency with his/her own gifts, skills and talents. The Home Life Award CLIENT: An individual who has demonstrated that he/she has taken an active role in designing his/her home life.STAFF: An individual who has insured that client home supports are both flexible and individually tailored, and also meet the wants and needs of the residents. The Positive Supports Award CLIENT: An individual who has: utilized positive supports; or provided his/her peers with positive supports to help them overcome challenges or achieve goals.STAFF: An individual who has: helped clients overcome challenges or achieve goals; or provided an employee with support; or provided support to the overall effectiveness of the agency. The Employment Award CLIENT: An individual who has experienced success in community and/or Stone Belt manufacturing employment.STAFF: An individual who has fostered greater employment opportunities for clients; or who supports clients in their current employment experiences; or who supports Stone Belt employees in demonstrating best practices. The Quality of Life Award CLIENT: An individual who has built personal relationships outside of the agency that have positively impacted his/her life.STAFF: An individual who has ensured that relationships are built among and between clients and their communities. Community Partner Award This award is presented to an individual or organization (including service organizations, members of the media or legislature, additional service providers for individuals with disabilities, or others) for their partnerships with Stone Belt in supporting people with disabilities in their efforts to be independent, active members of our community. Outstanding Volunteer This award is presented to an individual volunteer or group of volunteers who have made the most outstanding contribution in the lives of clients or to the agency as a whole during the previous year. Visionary Leadership Award This award is presented to a Stone Belt employee in a supervisory or management position who embodies the spirit of Stone Belt's mission, empowers those around him/her, has made exceptional contributions toward Stone Belt's Leadership agenda, and has gone above and beyond the call of duty to help clients, staff, or the community. Steve Warren Hero Award This award is presented to a Stone Belt employee or client who took truly heroic actions that saved somebody’s life. It was named in honor of Steve Warren, a Stone Belt staff member who was responsible for a very expedient decision that ultimately saved a client’s life. Elbert Johns Self-Advocacy Award This award is presented to a client who has demonstrated commitment to advocating for him/herself to receive supports needed for success in life. This award was named to honor the memory of Elbert Johns, the second Executive Director of Stone Belt, who believed in the essential value of preparing individuals to advocate for their needs and wants. Thomas Middleton Award This award is presented to an individual who has demonstrated a high level of compassion, caring, and volunteerism. This award was named in memory of Thomas Middleton, a physician who gave generously of his time and talent to Stone Belt. People selected for thsi award art truly special. They have donated significant time and talent to Stone Belt and its clients over an extended period. Nomination Form http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=47http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=47(updated July, 2010)Currently, there is significant Indiana University construction taking place adjacent to Stone Belt's Central Region Headquarters at 2815 East 10th Street in Bloomington.  Please utilize the below directions to access this Stone Belt facility, until further notice:• Vehicles may enter the campus of buildings from either entrance off of 10th Street; there is one entrance that accesses the front of Stone Belt via 10th Street, and one entrace that accesses the back of Stone Belt via 10th Street.  The entrance to the campus of buildings formerly off the Bypass is no longer in operation.• Stone Belt vans should not be parked on the side of the building and should be parked in the lower parking area in front. This allows more room for traffic to move through safely.• Parking is available in the lower lot directly in front of Stone Belt's main entrance, and in the new upper lot to the north of the lower lot.  Stone Belt parking permits, along with Indiana University A,C and E permits, are permissable.  Guests to Stone Belt must request a temporary parking permit from the front desk to place on their vehicle dash boards.  There is limited parking in the back of the Stone Belt property.   • Remember - do not park on the grass.It is essential that all traffic moving around and behind the building not go too fast.  Remember we serve many people with mobility restrictions and others who have no concept of self-safety.  Please be careful!  Please share this information with clients, families, partner organizations, and others who may need to know. For more information, email Stone Belt's Senior Director of Human Resources and Corporate Compliance, Brad Galin.  Brad can also be reached at 812-332-2168, ext. 274.http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=46http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=46Channel 6 News in Indianapolis reports on how funding changes for supported employment follow along and pre-vocational services may impact people with developmental disabilities.  John Dickerson, Executive Director of the Arc of Indiana, was interviewed for the report, and a client and his brother from Noble of Indiana were also interviewed.  Click here to read the story and watch a video highlight.http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=45http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=45Stone Belt hosted its annual Awards for Excellence Ceremony, March 24, at KRC Catering in Bloomington.  Five employees who have made outstanding contributions to the agency in five categories were recognized at the event.  “It’s the work of our dedicated employees that gives Stone Belt the success it has today.  It is a pleasure to recognize some of our truly outstanding employees with these awards,” said Stone Belt CEO, Leslie Green.Award recipients were chosen through an internal nomination process by Stone Belt employees and board members.  A team consisting of Stone Belt CEO Leslie Green, Stone Belt Human Resources Director Brad Galin, Board President Beth Gazley and Board Vice President Margaret Gilbride then determined the winners.  Senior Management was not eligible.Recipients will receive a $1,000 award and will be assigned as a “reverse” mentor to a member of the senior management team.  Their purpose as a mentor will be to provide ongoing insight to the executives on the employee’s perspective, the quality of services and opportunities for organizational improvement.  This arrangement will last for one year.This event is funded through Stone Belt’s development activities.  The categories and winners are as follows:   Katie Floerke:  Quality of Service Katie, an 11-year veteran of Stone Belt, is a Consumer Support Coordinator in the South Region. She is responsible for Stone Belt’s group homes and day programs and works out of the LARC offices in Bedford.  Katie is the driving force in helping staff stay focused on the long-term outcomes for clients.  Her motivation is always what’s best for clients and improvement in their quality of life. David Furr:  Resource Efficiency David, a 4-year veteran of Stone Belt, holds two positions at Stone Belt.  He works part-time as a Fiscal Intern and part-time as a Direct Support Professional (DSP). In the Financial Services office, David continually tries to find better, easier, faster ways for operations to run as efficiently as possible.  As a DSP, he is an outspoken advocate, and supports clients to reach their fullest potential both at home and in the community. Cricket Rea:  Operational Excellence Cricket, a 5-year veteran of Stone Belt, is a Day Program Team Leader in the East Region, where she works out of the Columbus offices.  After the recent United Way fire in Columbus, Cricket lit her own fire and began her plan to reopen day services.  Clients missed only four days before operations began in another location.  The growth in the East day program is a direct result of her dedication, leadership and energy.  Steve Warren:  Community Outreach Steve, an 8-year veteran of Stone Belt, is an Employment Consultant in the Central Region.  Advocacy is Steve’s forte.  He strongly believes all clients can and will make a vital contribution to the workforce.  He works tirelessly to empower them to become successfully employed.  Building long-lasting partnerships with employers throughout the community is a crucial part of his success strategy. Rose Dickerson:  Positive Client Outcomes Rose, a 6-year veteran of Stone Belt, is a Supported Living Site Supervisor in the Central Region.  Rose supports the clients she works with in making major lifestyle changes that increase their independence.  Success stories abound.  One client is no longer insulin-dependent due to changes in diet and exercise, while another has increased his social network and now holds monthly game nights.http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=44http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=44The Diversity Works Steering Committee -- a partnership between Stone Belt, Options, WorkOne and Vocational Rehabilitation -- recognized 10 local businesses that have made outstanding contributions to the employment of individuals with disabilities at a ceremony, Tuesday, March 9, 2010. The event was held at KRC Catering in Bloomington. The awards were presented during national Disabilities Awareness Month to recognize outstanding contributions in promoting employment opportunities for persons with disabilities.  Mayor Mark Kruzan will attend the event to read a proclamation declaring March 9 as Disability Awareness Day for the City of Bloomington. During the event, award recipients will discuss their employment experiences. The following businesses were recognized: Monroe Hospital  IU Memorial Union Market PlaceO’Charley’sBabb’s Super ValuIU Student Recreational Sports CenterThe PourHouseIU Instructional Systems TechnologyGoodwill EastIU Center for Evaluation & Education PolicyCook Urological "We are fortunate to have employers who understand that hiring individuals with disabilities makes good business sense, in addition to helping those individuals achieve independence and inclusion in the community and contribute to the work force and economy,” said Daniel Grundman, Director of Employee Services for the City of Bloomington and lead business leader of Diversity Works.  “Many businesses in our community recognize that an individual's skills and abilities, and not a disability, define her or him as a good employee and an asset to the organization." The goal of Diversity Works is to increase employment of people with disabilities in south central Indiana by improving the awareness among businesses of the resources for and the benefits of hiring people with disabilities and linking employers to information. http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=42http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=42I AM YOU is a joint fundraiser for Stone Belt and the Bloomington Playwrights Project (BPP).  There will be two performances of this year’s I AM YOU monologues at the BPP located at 107 W 9th Street, Bloomington, IN.  Join us:Saturday, March 6 @ 8 pmSunday, March 7 @ 2 pmTickets are $20 and will be available for purchase through the Buskirk-Chumley Theater (BCT) Box Office. In Person:  114 E Kirkwood Avenue, BloomingtonBy Phone:  812-323-3020Online:  www.buskirkchumley.orgFor more information call 812-332-2168, ext. 314 or email us. Download a PDF of the event poster.What do you get when you combine four dynamic volunteer directors, fourteen energized and creative performers, and three dedicated community partners?  Stone Belt’s original theatrical production, I AM YOU!Now in its second season, I AM YOU was originally the brainchild of Michelle Davenport, a former Indiana University student volunteer who worked with clients in 2008 to write and perform stories of their lives.  The first production of I AM YOU featured nine individuals sharing their stories, along with a powerful slide show and outstanding musical accompaniment provided by a client musician.  The performance took place in November of 2008 at the Bloomington Playwrights Project, a local professional theatre with a mission to encourage playwriting in the community.  The sold-out show drew a crowd of more than 100 audience members, with several dozen unfortunately turned away at the door once the theatre had reached capacity.Audience members heard stories that touched on the whole gamut of the human experience – love, loss, independence, work ethic, family dynamics.  There was a tremendous range of emotion shared, from great sadness to joyful humor.  Performers invited the audience to learn about their lives, and to understand who they are as multi-faceted, self-determined individuals with many interests, goals, and accomplishments.  The evening was an inspirational success, and the agency immediately recognized the powerful possibilities of sharing this program annually with the community.In October of this year, Stone Belt began working with four new volunteer directors for I AM YOU.  Two of the directors joined the project via Theatre of the People, a new inclusive theatre company located in Bloomington.  Hannah Moss and David Nosko bring great knowledge and experience to the project, having worked both in front and behind the curtain in many theatrical productions.  With the establishment of Theatre of the People, their goal is to create theatre that is accessible to everyone, including actors and audience members.  Joining Hannah and David are two Indiana University students, Jami Patton and Sara Rebmann, who were recruited by outgoing volunteer director, Davenport.  They bring wonderful background in creative writing and programming for individuals with disabilities.  Performing in the second season of I AM YOU will be fourteen individuals who utilize Stone Belt services, representing all facets of the agency’s programs, including educational programs, residential life, and community employment; and performers represent all of our service areas, including Bedford, Columbus and Bloomington.  The agency is thrilled to have such a broad representation of individuals in the production.Client performers and directors will spend 15 weeks working together to craft their monologues and work on the dramatics.  They will then take the stage for two performances of I AM YOU in March of 2010.Partnering once again with Stone Belt this year is the Bloomington Playwrights Project (BPP).  The Theatre was very pleased with the professional production last year, and was eager to invite Stone Belt back for a return engagement.  They have extended an entire weekend to Stone Belt for performances, allowing the production to have both a Saturday night show and a Sunday matinee the first weekend of March.  In addition to the partnership with the BPP, Stone Belt is honored to be collaborating this year with both the Theatre of the People (providing volunteer direction), and Trinity Episcopal Church, which is providing all rehearsal space.  Working with three supportive community partners on this production strengthens Stone Belt’s outreach and educational efforts.I AM YOU provides individuals with disabilities with the opportunity to share their stories and showcase their talents.  Participation in a professional theatre production is an exciting chance to demonstrate to the community that all individuals have impactful stories to share, and that all people have artistic skills, dreams and aspirations. Audience members will surely be moved by the experience, and will come away with a greater understanding of the ways in which all people contribute to the building of community. Stone Belt is a not-for-profit organization that provides education and support for individuals with disabilities. Established in 1958, we are the oldest and largest agency of our kind in south central Indiana. We offer educational, residential, employment support and clinical and health services for over 1,300 clients in Monroe, Lawrence, Owen, Bartholomew, and surrounding counties. It is our mission, in partnership with the community, to prepare, empower and support persons with developmental disabilities and their families to participate fully in the life of the community. The Bloomington Playwrights Project (BPP) is a nonprofit theatre company that strives to be a leading artistic force in the production and encouragement of new American plays and playwrights. The BPP provides opportunities for development, education, and production for promising and established writers and theatre artists in a professional atmosphere. http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=40http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=40Stone Belt's services in Columbus are back up and running after a fire heavily damaged our offices in the United Way Building on Thursday, December 24. Stone Belt's Day Program/Life Skills Enrichment, Supported Living, Employment Services and Milestones programs have reopened in the new Columbus United Way Center located in the Cummins Plant, Building #40. To get there, enter the Cummins property at the caution light on Central Avenue between Third and Seventh Streets and follow the signs. Click here for a map.The contact information is as follows:Stone Belt EastPO Box 1667Columbus, IN 47202Office:  812.376.7149Fax:  812.376.7165MilestonesPO Box 1667Columbus, IN 47202Office:  812.376.6501Fax:  812.376.6551We greatly appreciate everyone's patience as we move forward in light of the challenges posed by this loss.  We are dedicated to continuing and growing our services and programs in Columbus.  The Stone Belt community sends positive wishes to all of the social service agencies in Columbus that were impacted by the fire, and expresses its appreciation to Cummins for their kindness and generosity in sharing this temporary space. http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=39http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=39Stone Belt is pleased to participate for the second consecutive year in this community fundraising phenomenon.  In 2009, our agency and celebrity dancer Phil Meyer (Station Manager of WTIU), took the grand prize by raising the most philanthropic dollars - over $21,000!This local “Dancing with the Stars” event supports six area charities. The event will be held at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater in Bloomington on May 22 at 8 pm.  This year, Gladys DeVane – acclaimed local actor – will be dancing on behalf of Stone Belt.  All dollars raised through contributions to Stone Belt will go to support programs of excellence.  Every dollar equals a vote for Gladys.  Contributions are 100% tax deductible. Interested in tickets to the event?  Need more information?  Contact Amy Jackson, Stone Belt Community Engagement Director at 812-332-2168, ext. 314 / email. Tickets to the event are slated to go on sale in April. All online donations made now through May 22 will be a gift to Stone Belt's general fund, as well as a vote for Gladys. Click the button below to go to our online donation page or use the downloadable form below to make a donation via mail.http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=38http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=38 Congratulations to dancer Gladys DeVane and Stone Belt for being crowned champions in this year's Dancing with the Celebrities competition for the second consecutive year! Thanks to the generosity of our many donors, Stone Belt raised the most dollars and therefore was awarded the Overall Winner trophy. In Dancing with the Celebrities, six Bloomington personalities each dance in support of one area agency in an annual competition that is much like the TV hit, Dancing with the Stars. This year, Stone Belt was once again selected as one of the agencies.  During the four months leading up to the event (which was held Saturday, May 22 at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater in Bloomington), Stone Belt worked to bring in donations. Every dollar counted as a vote for Gladys DeVane - our celebrity - as well as for Stone Belt.  At the event Gladys, an acclaimed local actor, did an outstanding job mastering 3 challenging dance routines with Todd Lininger, her trained professional dance instructor from the Arthur Murray Dance Studio (Gladys and Todd are pictured above). She was an excellent performer at the event, which boasted an audience of 600+.  The points she received from the judges were combined with the “votes” (dollars) that Stone Belt raised. Stone Belt raised close to $25,000 to support our programs of excellence, and was declared the winner of the event.Between the 6 non profits participating in the event, more than $92,000 was raised to support important work in the community.  And through the exceptional partnership that Stone Belt had with Gladys over the past 4 months, our agency was once again crowned the WINNER for a SECOND YEAR IN A ROW by raising the most philanthropic dollars - $24,640!!!!  These dollars have been put immediately toward supporting programs of excellence throughout our agency.Stone Belt thanks the organizers of the Dancing with the Celebrities event, which has provided us with two great years of fundraising opportunity.  And a VERY SPECIAL thanks to Gladys DeVane for all of her efforts this year.  http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=37http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=37Diversity Theatre, a program of the City of Bloomington Community and Family Resources Department, is presenting the 3rd MOSAIC Film Festival, beginning Saturday, February 27 at the Monroe County Public Library auditorium at 11 a.m., and continuing throughout the week at various locations through Saturday, March 6.  Films to be shown at the Kirkwood branch of the library on February 27 will highlight poverty and homelessness. Additional showings of selected films will take place on Tuesday, March 2 at Rhino’s beginning at 7 pm, and on Wednesday, March 3 at Rachel’s Café beginning at 7 pm. Films for children focusing on disability and accepting differences will be shown on Saturday, March 6 at the Ellettsville Branch of the Monroe County Public Library, beginning at 1 p.m. Included among films for children is one by Bachelor Middle School students.  All MOSAIC events are free and open to the public. For a complete listing of shows and further details visit http://bloomington.in.gov/mosaic.Participants will have the opportunity to discuss the movies and the issues they highlight with some of the filmmakers and with representatives of local agencies which are co-sponsoring MOSAIC and which provide services in the areas of poverty, homelessness and disability.  Additional sponsors include several departments and programs at Indiana University. Detailed information on the films will be posted on the City of Bloomington’s MOSAIC Film Festival web site, www.bloomington.in.gov/mosaic.  Below is a list of some films to be featured:    What’s Going On? Poverty in America  28 minutes (Zenger Media) Actor Tim Robbins sees poverty and homelessness in New York City. Meet Jessica, who cares for siblings while her dad works long hours for low pay, and J.R., who thinks shelter life is like being in prison. Fast and Reliable       8 minutes ( Media that Matters) Documentary about a formerly homeless man who runs a bike messenger business in New York City.   Almost Home    25 minutes (Fanlight Productions)A raw and unsentimental look at the lives of children in a homeless shelter.The film “Homelessness in the U.S.” was filmed by students at Batchelor Middle School and won a prize at a festival of films by children in Hollywood, California.  The film “Hard Life” documents the journey of three men from this area from homelessness to recovery.                      Agencies partnering with Diversity Theatre for the MOSAIC Festival include the Shalom Community Center, Stone Belt Arc, Centerstone, and others. Joel Rekas, director of the Shalom Community Center, will be one of the discussants. Others will be announced later. Stone Belt is honored to have been asked to be a community sponsor for this important event.  For more information, email Audrey Heller or call Stacee Evans at 855-7867. http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=36http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=36The Stone Belt Empowered Learning Series will present a seminar on disability guardianship Thursday, August 26@ the Indiana University Innovation Center2719 East 10th Street, Bloomingtonoffered twice10 am to noon5:30 to 7:30 pmWhat is guardianship and how is it different from other legal representative roles?When is guardianship beneficial and who best serves as a guardian?What are the steps to establishing guardianship for your loved ones?The knowledgeable panel of experts includes:• Becky Pryor, State Project Coordinator, Indiana Adult Guardianship Services• Janet Stavropoulos, Attorney• Trish Ierino, Family Guardian• Chris Meadows, Lawrence County Director, Indiana Adult Guardianship Services Space is limited.  This event is free and open to the public.  For more information or to reserve a space for the seminar contact the Stone Belt Community Engagement Department @ 812-332-2168, ext. 314 / or email us. Download the event poster http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=98http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=98The Bloomington Community Council on Accessibility presented its annual awards to individuals and groups that have made contributions to people with disabilities.  We are extremely pleased that two individuals from the Stone Belt community were honored by the Council. Eric Ford, Lifelong Learning Coordinator in Bloomington was awarded the Professional Achievement Award for his outstanding work in providing direct supports and team leadership to Stone Belt clients.  He was especially recognized for his leadership and coordination of the Hand in Hand food collection program.  Eric was surrounded by his co-workers and his lovely family in receiving his award.   Lennon Beasley an employment services client was also recognized for Outstanding Personal Achievement. Lennon is quite active in the community with two jobs at Bloomington Hardware and McDonald's East, but has become quite well known for his talent as a prolific film maker for Bloomington's Community Access Television.  Lennon was surrounded by his friends and his employer Vickie Temple Davidson in receiving his award.Congratulations Lennon and Eric!http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=97http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=97http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=94http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=94Push America's Journey of Hope made it's annual stop at Stone Belt to partake in a fun day with many of the clients. The day began with the arrival of the cyclists at Stone Belt followed by a lunch. The lunch was hosted by local philanthropic sorority, Kappa Kappa Sigma. After lunch, Stone Belt clients and Push America cyclists enjoyed a relaxing day of games and socialization.Push America is a philanthropic wing of the Pi Kappa Phi fraternity. Push America has raised over $15 million to benefit people with disabilities and organizations dedicated to their service. Locally, Indiana University's Pi Kappa Phi fraternity has developed a strong volunteer relationship with Stone Belt. Stone Belt was first introduced to Pi Kappa Phi through Push America and was later approached about an ongoing volunteer relationship by the students of Pi Kappa Phi.The Push America Journey of Hope is an annual philanthropic ride by Pi Kappa Phi members that spans 4,000+ miles beginning in San Francisco and ending in Washington D.C.. The Journey of Hope routes through Bloomington for an annual stop at Stone Belt. As part of the ride, Push America annually provides Stone Belt a $750.00 grant that funds the purchase of physical education equipment used by the Lifelong Learning program (ping-pong table, Wii Fit, etc.). To date, Push America has raised over $4,500 dollars for Stone Belt. for more information on Push America's Journey of Hope visit please contact Amy Jackson, Director of Community Engagement at:812.332.2168 ext. 314 | email http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=92http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=92Monday, August 22, Stone Belt celebrated it's 52nd year of excellence. More than 500 clients, staff and community members attended for a delicious dinner, great friends, and inspiring award winner stories. The air was filled with celebration as client and staff award winners across functions and regions accepted awards to which they were nominated.  Under each Principle of Service award category, the first name listed is the staff winner, and the second name is the client winner.  Congratulations to all of these deserving individuals and groups!Community PartnersArthur Murray Dance StudioIndiana University Office of Service Learning Volunteer of the YearMaribeth Mooney Self-DeterminationJulia Sink Lyle Freeman Empowered LearningMary McKinney Jonathan Hendrix Positive SupportsBart FortnerSheena Abbs Outstanding ContributionsDixie Jenkins Mark Summitt Home LifeJosh JacksonGina Goodwin  EmploymentAshley ThomasenJoe Tamewitz  Quality of LifeRyan Peek Lennon Beasley Elbert Johns Self Advocate AwardPolly Scroggins Visionary LeaderWard Brownhttp://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=91http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=91Fifty years ago, President Kennedy called on the nation to bring people living with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) “out of the shadows,” to give them opportunities to lead productive, quality lives. Sadly, new data released today from The Arc’s Families and Individual Needs for Disability Support (FINDS) survey shows efforts have plateaued and not nearly enough progress has been made to create these opportunities. While budget cuts and economic strain have hurt all Americans, the 7 million living with I/DD and their families are among the hardest hit, with access to needed services drastically reduced.  In fact, 62 percent of caregivers reported a decrease in services for their family member with a disability.  Meanwhile, budget proposals in Congress threaten to dismantle Medicaid, making it even harder for people with I/DD and their families to achieve.   The Arc, the nation’s largest and oldest human rights organization for the I/DD community serving more than a million individuals and their families, conducted a national survey of nearly 5,000 respondents on educational, housing, employment and support needs.  The results of this landmark survey are being released in a report today, “Still in the Shadows with Their Future Uncertain.”     According to the FINDS survey, one-third of parents and caregivers (potentially 1 million families) reported that they are on waiting lists for government funded services, with the average wait more than five years.  The survey also found that the promise of integrated, community-based employment is not being met.  In fact, 85 percent of families reported that their adult family members with I/DD are not employed at all.  Opportunities for inclusive education, a pre-requisite for employment, are also not being met.  Too few students are completing high school – in fact, 52 percent of families reported that their family member with I/DD left school without receiving a high school diploma.   FINDS found more than 75 percent of families report problems accessing non-institutional community care, trained reliable homecare providers, services and resources.  Families are shouldering tremendous financial strain as they’ve had to assume the financial and day-to-day support of their loved ones; many have even had to quit their jobs to stay home and provide care.   FINDS also revealed:  1 out of 5 families (20 percent) report that someone in the family had to quit a job to stay at home and support the needs of a family member.  More than 80 percent of families reported not having enough retirement savings for their future as a result of using personal funds to compensate for the lack of services available to their loved ones. 62 percent of parents and caregivers don’t have a plan for where the person they support will live when the parent/caregiver gets older.     As a result of the report, The Arc is calling for more activism by people with I/DD and their families, launching a new effort to organize 1 million people to come out of the shadows and make their needs and concerns an issue in the 2012 elections.   To raise awareness surrounding the barriers those with I/DD face and how the organization can help individuals and families fully participate in society, The Arc has partnered with Lauren Potter, star of the hit FOX show “Glee.”  As a successful actress with Down syndrome who is achieving her dreams, Lauren represents the spirit of The Arc’s work.  Today, The Arc and Potter will kick off a public service announcement television campaign.   The Arc “Achieve with Us” Contest To encourage people with I/DD to share their stories of achievement, The Arc is conducting a national contest via their Facebook fan page.   Starting today until July 14, entrants can share a story and a photo highlighting the accomplishments of an individual with I/DD for the chance to receive a trip for two to Washington, D.C.  For more information about the “Achieve with Us” contest, please visit www.facebook.com/thearcus.For more information, or to see additional survey results, please visit thearc.org.   About the FINDS Survey The web-based FINDS survey was conducted from July 22, 2010, through October 31, 2010. The survey was completed by 4,962 caregivers of people with disabilities.  Families from all 50 states and Washington, DC completed the survey.You can view the full survey in PDF format by clicking here. http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=90http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=90Each year, Stone Belt hosts an Annual Awards Celebration.  This is a wonderful opportunity for our entire Stone Belt community to gather together to celebrate our community.  At this event, the agency presents a series of awards, recognizing the tremendous gifts and accomplishments of members of our Stone Belt community.  All staff, clients and family members are encouraged to nominate employees, clients, volunteers and community partners for Stone Belt's 2011 Annual Awards.  The client and staff awards categories are as follows:  The Self-Determination Award Client:  an individual who has demonstrated self-determination, leading to an increase in choice and responsibility Staff:  an individual who has supported a client to achieve self-determination, leading to the client having increased choice and responsibility   The Empowered Learning Award Client: an individual who, through gaining new knowledge or skills, has increased the quality of his/her life and has expanded his/her opportunities Staff: an individual who has supported a client in gaining new knowledge or skills, or an individual who has taken the initiative to gain new knowledge or skills, or an individual who has supported a staff member to gain new knowledge or skill   The Outstanding Contributions Award Client: an individual who has made outstanding contributions to the community with his/her own gifts, skills and talents Staff: an individual who has made outstanding contributions to the agency with his/her own gifts, skills and talents   The Self-Directed Home Life Award Client: an individual who has demonstrated that he/she has taken an active role in designing his/her home life Staff:  an individual or support team who has/have insured that client home supports are both flexible and individually tailored, and also meet the wants and needs of the residents   The Positive Supports Award Client: an individual who has provided his/her peers with positive supports, in order to help them overcome challenges and achieve their goals Staff: an individual who has used positive supports to help clients overcome challenges or achieve goals, or an individual who has provided an employee with outstanding support, or an individual who provides outstanding support to the overall effectiveness of the agency   The Employment Award Client: an individual who has experienced success in community and/or Stone Belt manufacturing employment Staff:  an individual who fosters greater employment opportunities for clients, or who supports clients in their current employment experiences, or who supports Stone Belt employees in demonstrating best practices   The Quality of Life Award Client:  an individual who has built personal relationships outside of the agency that have positively impacted his/her life Staff: an individual who ensures that relationships are built among and between clients and their communities   Special Awards   Community Partner This award is presented to an individual or organization (including service organizations, members of the media or legislature, additional service providers for people with disabilities, or others) for their partnerships with Stone Belt in supporting people with disabilities in their efforts to be independent, active members of our community.    Outstanding Volunteer This award is presented to the volunteer who has made the most outstanding contribution in the lives of clients or to the agency as a whole during the previous year   Visionary Leadership Award This award is presented to a Stone Belt employee in a supervisory or management position who embodies the spirit of Stone Belt’s mission, empowers those around him/her, has made exceptional contributions toward Stone Belt’s Leadership agenda, and has gone above and beyond the call of duty to help clients, staff, or the community.   Thomas Middleton Award This award is presented to an individual who has demonstrated an extraordinarily high level of compassion, caring, and volunteerism.  This award was named to honor the memory of Thomas Middleton, a physician who gave willingly and unstintingly of his time and talent to Stone Belt Arc, Inc.  People selected for this award are truly special volunteers. They have donated significant time and talent to Stone Belt and its clients over an extended period.   Elbert Johns Self-Advocacy Award This award is presented to a client who has demonstrated commitment to advocating for him/herself to receive supports needed for success in life.  This award was named to honor the memory of Elbert Johns, the second Executive Director of Stone Belt, who believed in the essential value of preparing individuals to advocate for their needs and wants.    Steve Warren Hero Award This award is presented to a Stone Belt employee or client who took truly heroic actions that saved somebody’s life.  To Nominate..... Nominations may be submitted electronically by clicking on this link, or manually by downloading this PDF and returning it to Brad Galin, Director of Human Resources located at Stone Belt's 10th Street headquarters.  Hard copies of the nomination forms can also be picked up at each of Stone Belt's regional offices.  Remember, all hard copies of the nominations must be turned in to Brad. The nomination deadline is Wednedsay, July 27. Questions? Call Brad Galin at 812.332.2168 ext. 274 or Emailhttp://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=87http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=87Two members of the Stone Belt community have received the 2011 Be More Awards. Henry Upper and the Pi Kappa Phi fraternity. Henry has touched and impacted thousands upon thousands of lives through his work with Stone Belt, First United Methodist Church (and by extension Shalom Center, the Interfaith Winter Shelter, and Habitat for Humanity) and the Friends of Music. The men of Pi Kappa Phi have also demonstrated their commitment to helping individuals with disabilities fully participate in the life of the community. Volunteers of Pi Kappa Phi have dedicated much of their time to hosting, participating, and promoting various events for the clients of Stone Belt throughout the years. With over 80 nominations, ten volunteers in nine categories were awarded Be More Awards and $500 cash for their volunteer organization. The goal of the Be More Awards is to honor and applaud the outstanding, but often unrecognized efforts of our community volunteers. The Be More Awards have been an integral part of Bloomington for more than 30 years, beginning in 1980. The recipients are decided by a panel of judges and remain a secret until they are announced at the award’s ceremony. This year’s Be More Awards was held at the Buskirk-Chumley Theatre. Henry Upper is the longest serving Stone Belt Board Member. Mr. Upper is also on the Board of Directors for Jacobs Music School at Indiana University, as well as being the retired Associate Dean of External Relations. Henry’s lifelong dedication to music and service are truly an inspiration. Pi Kappa Phi is more than a century old nationwide and has been on campus since 1947. In the past couple of years Pi Kappa Phi has become heavily involved with Stone Belt and volunteered countless hours to serve people with disabilities. Pi Kappa Phi has been an invaluable resource for Stone Belt.Follow us on Facebook! http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=88http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=88 http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=86http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=86March 15, 2011For more information, please contact:Katie Herron, Chair of Council for Community Accessibility, City ofBloomington, 333.2074Craig Brenner, Community & Family Resources Special ProjectsCoordinator, City of Bloomington, 349.3471Jared Schlemmer, Communications Director, City of Bloomington,349.3406, schlemmj@bloomington.in.govBloomington Celebrates Disability Awareness and AccessibilityAwareness Months in March and AprilBloomington, IN -- To help our community better understand and beaware of disability-related issues, the state of Indiana has declaredMarch as Disability Awareness Month. Locally, the City of Bloomingtonencourages increased awareness during both March and April."The Americans with Disabilities Act guarantees and protects therights of people with disabilities and makes discrimination based on aperson’s disability illegal,” said Mayor Mark Kruzan "At the City, wework hard to ensure equality among all our employees and allBloomington’s residents. We are drawing attention to the ADA andencouraging businesses to become aware of accessible opportunities andhindrances, and to remove those hindrances in order to create a betterenvironment for everyone."During March, Bloomington and communities across Indiana celebrateDisability Awareness Month, and the City of Bloomington’s Council forCommunity Accessibility celebrates Accessibility Awareness Month intoApril. Individuals with disabilities and their family members, serviceproviders, faculty and other community members are encouraged toparticipate in the many events taking place across the community inMarch and April. A condensed calendar of events is listed below. For afull list of events in March and April, visithttp://bloomington.in.gov/disabilityawarenessmonth.MARCH DISABILITY AWARENESS MONTH ACTIVITIESMarch 22    Disability Awareness FairIUB’s Office of Disability Services is sponsoring an interactive eventexploring disabilities and resources available at IU and in thecommunity. The Fair will feature information displays, student art andwritings, adaptive technology demos and more! The Fair will be held inthe lobby of the Wells Library from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. For informationcontact Dorothy Lenard at dorwells@indiana.edu or 855-7578.March 22        Josh Bleill Presentation: “One Step at a Time”Josh Bleill, Marine veteran from the Iraq war, is a double-amputeeveteran now working for the Indianapolis Colts as a communityspokesperson. He will share his experiences and insights as he madethe journey from enlistment, active duty in Fallujah, two years ofrehab, and ultimately to his job speaking for the Colts. Audienceshave been inspired by his undying enthusiasm, infectious joy and senseof humor as he relates how he came to understand that life begins whenwe embrace our bad days and keep going forward, one step at a time.His presentation will be at the Indiana Memorial Union – State RoomEast from 6 – 8 p.m. After his talk, he will have a book signing forhis newly-released book, One Step at a Time. For information contactJennifer Skulski at jskulski@indiana.edu or 856-4428.March 23        Accessible University:  “Student Perspectives on Accessibility”This is a monthly presentation hosted by IU’s Disability Roundtable.This session will feature voices of students with disabilitiesdiscussing life on campus, academically and socially. Members of thestudent panel will highlight IU’s successes in creating a morewelcoming environment on campus, as well as bring to light continuingconcerns about accommodations and accessibility. The presentation willbe held in the Oak Room of the Indiana Memorial Union from noon – 1:30p.m. For information contact Vicki Pappas at adainfo@indiana.edu or855-6508.March 25 - March 31                        Ivy Tech Bloomington:"Cultivate Inclusion"Disability Awareness Month activities will take place in the 2nd floorrotunda at Ivy Tech Community College, 200 Daniels Way, from March 25through 31. This year’s theme features people of different ages,ethnicities and abilities working together to plant a colorful urbanflower garden. The text encourages everyone to contribute to not onlya beautiful community, but an inclusive community, by being open tothe unique gifts of others. This year’s materials are sponsored byDuke Energy and resources are provided by Ivy Tech Bloomingtonstudents. The public is invited to this free event. For informationcontact Sue Gauck at sgauck@ivytech.edu or 330-6046.March 26        Celebrating Abilities Resource FairCelebrate Disability Awareness as the Down Syndrome Family Connectiongoes "On Safari" for its third annual fair, from 9:30 a.m. – noon atSherwood Oaks Christian Church. This event will feature live animalentertainment and other safari fun and more than 40 exhibitors withproducts and services for persons with disabilities. There will alsobe breakout sessions and door prizes. Fun for the whole family, thefair is free and open to the public; attendees are invited to bringanimal care products as donations (pet food, treats, giftcertificates, aquariums, cotton balls, etc.). For information contactCyndi Johnson at info@downsyndromefamilyconnection.org or812-720-9603.March 29   Jump Starting Your Career: Putting Disability to Work in Today’s JobUnion Street Center, 445 North Union St., Room C112. At 7:30 p.m.education experts will share information on disability law in thecareer setting. Alumni speakers will share personal experiences, tipsand tactics for developing effective job search strategies andpreparing for a job interview. Sponsored by IU Career DevelopmentCenter and Disability Services. For information contact Dorothy Lenardat dorwells@indiana.edu or 855-7578.APRIL ACCESSIBILITY AWARENESS MONTH ACTIVITIESApril 5            Be More Awards CelebrationThe Be More Awards honor and applaud the outstanding, but oftenunrecognized, efforts of our community volunteers at theBuskirk-Chumley Theater, 114 East Kirkwood Ave., 7 p.m.; presented bythe City of Bloomington Volunteer Network, the Community Foundation ofBloomington and Monroe County, the IU Credit Union, the United Way ofMonroe County and WTIU Public Television. This free event is open tothe public.April 10          Homeward Bound Walk: “Fighting Homelessness One Stepat a Time”Homeward Bound Indiana, a project of the Indiana Association forCommunity Economic Development (IACED), is a series of annual walks incommunities throughout Indiana. Bloomingon’s walk begins at ThirdStreet Park at 11:30 a.m. For information contact Kathy Meyer,349-3467 or mayerk@bloomington.in.gov or Warren Wade, AssistantDirector, Stepping Stones, 339-9771 or wwade@steppingstones-inc.org.April 12          ADA and Transportation Webinar: “No-Shows in ADA Paratransit”The DOT ADA regulation allows transit agencies to suspend, for areasonable period of time, the provision of paratransit service toriders who establish a pattern or practice of missing scheduled trips,also known as no-shows. The session will discuss not counting no-showsbeyond the rider's control, using a proportion of no-shows rather thanan absolute number, alerting the rider of no-shows, suspensions andthe appeal process, how financial penalties may be optional in lieu ofa suspension, recommended no-show procedures, strategies for reducingno-shows, and late cancellations. Presenter will be Marilyn Golden,Policy Analyst at the Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund(DREDF). The free webinar will be held from 2 – 3:30 p.m.; you mustregister at: http://www.adaconferences.org/Transportation/. Forinformation contact Matt Norris or Vicki Pappas at adainfo@indiana.eduor 855-6508.April 13          Monroe/Owen County Transition Council Annual Transition FairThe Monroe/Owen County Transition Council annual Transition Fair is atIvy Tech-Bloomington, 200 Daniel Way, from 4:30 - 7 p.m. Forinformation contact Kathy Bruner, 330-7700, Ext. 50007 or SuzieRimstidt, Monroe County Outreach Coordinator for SICIL (Southern INCenter for Independent Living) at 332-1916.April 16          Celebration of Families FestivalThe Celebration of Families Festival will be held on Saturday, April16 from noon – 3 p.m. in Third Street Park, S. Washington and 3rdStreets. The Festival will provide information about activities,events and opportunities from local organizations, agencies, andbusinesses. Booths will offer interactive activities (ring toss,floating ducks, basketball, face painting etc.) as well as prizes andgive-away items. A food trailer will provide free food. In case ofinclement weather, the Festival will be held at Girls Inc., 1108 West8th Street. For information contact Liz Franklin atfranklinliz08@gmail.com.April 19   ADA Audio Conference: “Are My Recreational FacilitiesAccessible? Where Do We Start?”This session will provide an overview of what are considered“Recreational Facilities” under the Americans with Disabilities Act(ADA). The presenter will cover the new ADA regulations and standardsfrom the U.S. Department of Justice and suggest best practices forinsuring accessibility and compliance with the ADA. This free audioconference will be held at the Indiana Institute on Disability andCommunity, Building L from 2 – 3:30 p.m. For information contact MattNorris or Vicki Pappas at adainfo@indiana.edu or 855-6508.April 19          “Career Accessibility:  Strategies for Aligning YourStrengths with Employment”Geared for Ivy Tech students and graduates with disabilities who arepursuing careers based upon their interests, values and competencies,the focus will be on career decision-making using a variety ofresources to consider best fit, job analysis, potential advancementand employment outlook. The presentation is free and open to all IvyTech students, graduates and friends of Ivy Tech CommunityCollege-Bloomington. The presentation will be held from 4 - 5:30 p.m.at Ivy Tech, Room B-214. Please RSVP to Katie Anderson atkanderso@ivytech.edu.April 27          Bloomington/Monroe County Metropolitan PlanningOrganization – Citizens Advisory Committee MeetingInterested citizens are invited to be part of the local transportationplanning process. The Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC) fosterscitizen awareness of transportation policy and planning. At monthlymeetings the CAC reviews transportation projects and policies andmakes recommendations to the Policy Committee of the MetropolitanPlanning Organization. This meeting will be held at 6:30 – 8 p.m. inthe McCloskey Room, Suite 135, City Hall, 401 N. Morton Street. Toparticipate or for information contact Raymond Hess at 349-3423 orhttp://bloomington.in.gov/mpo.April 28          Stone Belt Empowered Learning Series PresentsFinancial Planning for Families with Special NeedsThis session is designed to educate the community about disabilityissues and features a certified financial planner who specializing inplanning for special needs; the panel also includes an attorneyspecializing in the establishment of special needs trusts. Topicsinclude wills, trusts, guardianship, life insurance and retirementbeneficiaries and more. Indiana University Innovation Center, 2719 E.10th Street, Bloomington, Main Conference Room, 10 a.m. - noon. Thisevent is free and open to the public, but space is limited. RSVP tocommunityengagement@stonebelt.org or 332-2168, ext. 269.For more information about Disability Awareness Month or AccessibilityAwareness Month, contact Craig Brenner, brennerc@bloomington.in.gov or349-3471.http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=85http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=85Shannon Gilbert is one of the two 2011 Costa N. Miller Scholarship recipients. Shannon was awarded a $1000 scholarship to pursue a college education.The Costa N. Miller Scholarship pays tribute to Mr. Costa N. Miller's lifelong dedication to serving individuals with disabilities.Cindi Winegardner has been recognized as the Region 6 Social Worker of the Year!Region 6 is comprised of Monroe, Brown, Lawrence, Jackson, Orange, Washington, Clark, Crawford, Harrison and Floyd Counties.This year's Awards for Excellence recipients are:Jenny Austin -- Project SEARCH Leader -- Community OutreachCassie Mix -- Employment Consultant East Region -- Positive Consumer OutcomesEmily Morgan -- SLP Manager Central Region -- Organizational EffectivenessMichele Shepherd -- HR Benefits Manager -- Resource EfficiencyBobbi Wigley -- Milestones Nurse -- Quality of Service Stone Belt clients received the Outstanding Volunteer Service Award from Community Kitchen in Bloomington, because of their hundreds of 2010 volunteer hours contributed through the Hand in Hand Project (534.5 to be exact!)Congratulations everyone! http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=84http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=84Have you created a will or trust which leaves funds to support a dependent with special needs? Have you identified a caregiver for the future needs of your dependent? Have you named your dependent as the beneficiary of life insurance or a retirement plan? Join Stone Belt for an informational session led by respected Certified Financial Planner Nancy Cunning and respected attorney specializing in trust establishment, Lance Like. The session will cover how decisions you have made or will make in the future will impact your loved ones with special needs.  We'll be discussing the basics of: > Government Benefit Eligibility> Guardianship> Wills & Trusts> Life Insurance Policies> Retirement Accounts Thursday, April 28@ St. Marks United Methodist Church100 North State Road 46 Bypass10 am - noonFree and open to the public. For more information or to reserve a space for the seminar, please contact Stone Belt Community Engagement Associate Yolanda Toschlog @ 812.332.2168, ext. 269 or email.Follow us on Facebook!Tweethttp://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=83http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=83Stone Belt has been awarded Praesidium Accreditation by Praesidium, Inc., the leader in risk management. Praesidium Accreditation is a prestigious honor that publicly demonstrates to clients--and insurance underwriters--that Stone Belt has worked to achieve the highest industry standards in abuse prevention. To attain accreditation, Stone Belt underwent a rigorous risk assessment to review and scrutinize eight primary operational areas within their business including: policies, screening and selection, training, monitoring and supervision, client participation, feedback systems, responding and administrative systems. Their assessment results were benchmarked against The Safety Equation--800 best practice standards and empirically based data collection methods. Stone Belt will be accredited for three years, and during this time will uphold fundamental organizational values and stringent safety practices that demonstrate their commitment to protecting those they support. Praesidium Accreditation provides solid proof of sound risk management practices and the honor distinguishes Stone Belt from others in the industry. "We are pleased to send the message that we will not compromise the safety of those we support--for any reason," said Leslie Green CEO. "As an entire organization, we are dedicated and committed to proactively keeping those we support safe." Praesidium, Inc. is an international leader in abuse risk management and has helped thousands of organizations over the last two decades. More information about Praesidium Accreditation is available at www.PraesidiumInc.com or by calling 800.743.6354 http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=82http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=82Stone Belt is pleased to participate for the third consecutive year in this community fundraising phenomenon.  In 2009, our agency and celebrity dancer Phil Meyer (Station Manager of WTIU), took the grand prize by raising the most philanthropic dollars - over $21,000!  And we did it again in 2010 with talented celebrity dancer, Gladys DeVane - raising close to $25,000!This local “Dancing with the Stars” event supports six area charities. The event will be held at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater in Bloomington on May 21 at 8 pm.  This year, Michael Fox – general manager of beloved Lennie's Restaurant and Brewpub – will be dancing on behalf of Stone Belt.  All dollars raised through contributions to Stone Belt will go to support programs of excellence.  Every dollar equals a vote for Michael.Interested in tickets to the event?  Need more information? Please email our Community Engagement Director, Amy Jackson, or call 812.332.2168, ext. 314.Tickets to the event are slated to go on sale in April.All online donations made now through May 21 will be a gift to Stone Belt's general fund, as well as a vote for Michael. Click the button below to go to our online donation page or mail in your contribution today - marked "DWTC" in the memo slot - to Stone Belt(Attention: DWTC) / 2815 East 10th Street / Bloomington, IN / 47408 Tweet http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=78http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=78The Arc of Indiana is partnering with regional Arc chapters to host gatherings for input, suggestions and new ideas from families, self-advocates and providers on the five key initiatives of the Arc's "Pathways to Empowerment Campaign." Stone Belt will be partnering with the Arc of Indiana to host a local forum: Thursday, March 10, 6:00-8:30 pmIvy Tech Bloomington (200 Daniels Way)Lampkins Hall, with childcare in room C124 Join the Arc of Indiana and Stone Belt for an informational and input gathering session on the Pathways to Empowerment Campaign. Light refreshments and childcare will be provided. This event is free and open to the public; no rsvp is necessary. If you have any questions, please contact Mark Kevitt at the Arc of Indiana (by email or call 317-977-2386, 800-382-9100). http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=73http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=73Stone Belt’s East Region services (Milestones, Lifelong Learning, Community Employment, Supported Living offices) have moved (back) into their original location at the Columbus United Way Center. Last Christmas Eve our office suite at this location was destroyed by a fire; for the past year, services have been operating out of a temporary donated space at the Cummins Plant in Columbus. The contact information for both offices is as follows: Stone Belt of Bartholomew County Columbus United Way Center 1531 13th Street, Columbus, IN 47201 Tel: 812.376.7149 Toll Free: 866.569.9120 Fax: 812.376.7165 Milestones Clinical & Health Resources of Bartholomew County Columbus United Way Center 1531 13th Street, Columbus, IN 47201 Tel: 812.376.6501 Fax: 812.376.6551 Website:  www.milestonesclinic.org Please use the free parking lot in front of the building. After entering the building through the main door, proceed through the lobby and up the staircase (there is also an elevator available). To reach Milestones, make your first right, then first left turn, the office suite will be the first you reach on the right side. To reach Stone Belt Employment and Lifelong Learning programs, make your first left. Employment will be the first door on your left and Lifelong Learning will be the first door on your right. Look for signs posted throughout the building to help direct you or ask the receptionist at the building’s front desk. We look forward to seeing you and showing off our new space! http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=76http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=76Indy PBS show, "Need to Know," recently featured a story about the state-wide crisis in services for individuals with developmental disabilities.  John Dickerson, Director of the Arc of Indiana, spoke on the show.  Show's Topic: "DEVELOPMENTALLY DISABLED ADULTS AND THEIR PARENTS: Need to Know looks at the challenges parents face as they struggle to get services for children with developmental disabilities who are becoming adults at a time when states are strapped and budgets are being cut. Maria Hinojosa reports from Indianapolis, Indiana."The show aired Friday, 1/21 but can be viewed online at http://www.pbs.org/wnet/need-to-know/. http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=111http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=111Stone Belt awarded Three-Year CARF Accreditation  BlOOMINGTON, IN  — May 5, 2012 — CARF International announced that Stone Belt has been accredited for a period of three years for its programs of excellence. The latest accreditation is the 7th consecutive Three-Year Accreditation that the international accrediting body, CARF, has awarded to Stone Belt. This accreditation decision represents the highest level of accreditation that can be awarded to an organization and shows the organization’s substantial conformance to the CARF standards. An organization receiving a Three-Year Accreditation has put itself through a rigorous peer review process. It has demonstrated to a team of surveyors during an on-site visit its commitment to offering programs and services that are measurable, accountable, and of the highest quality.  Stone Belt is one of the oldest and largest service providers for individuals with developmental disabilities in south central Indiana. Stone Belt is committed to quality services, and invites the entire community to play a role in preparing, empowering and supporting individuals with developmental disabilities to fully participate in the life of the community. Stone Belt's tradition of excellence and leadership in the field is founded on its belief that everyone deserves dignity, self-worth and the right to self-determination. CARF is an independent, nonprofit accrediting body whose mission is to promote the quality, value, and optimal outcomes of services through a consultative accreditation process that centers on enhancing the lives of the persons served. Founded in 1966 as the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities, and now known as CARF International, the accrediting body establishes consumer-focused standards to help organizations measure and improve the quality of their programs and services. For more information about the accreditation process, please visit the CARF website at www.carf.org. For additional information, contact Leslie Green, Stone Belt CEO at 812.332.2168 ext. 249 or emailClick here to view the full report. http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=110http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=110On April 28, the city of Bloomington and Indiana University became the temporary home to 22 enormous, anatomically correct fiberglass brains – each designed by a different community artist. This project is the brain-child of one of Time Magazine’s “100 most influential people,” Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor of Indiana University. Stone Belt has been centrally involved in this unique and extraordinary project.  Taylor, IU neuroanatomist (brain scientist), knows a thing or two about brains. Taylor suffered a rare massive stroke 16 years ago during which she endured life changing, “out-of-body” experiences. It took Taylor more than 8 years to reconstruct her brain functionality. Since Taylor’s recovery, she has expanded her strategies for brain education to include art and recreation. Taylor’s current project, The Brain Extravaganza!, has now descended upon Bloomington and the Indiana University Campus. Sponsored by Taylor’s BRAINS, Inc. – an organization which promotes brain awareness, appreciation, and education about the brain – The Brain Extravaganza! celebrates the idea that the more people understand the workings of the brain, the more people will be inclined to take care of it.This one-of-a-kind project involves the creation of huge artistic renderings, each one reflecting one perspective of the beauty and purpose of the brain.  The project has been supported through sponsorship by local businesses.  Artists – selected through a comprehensive application and vetting process – have worked for months to create close to two dozen gigantic, fiberglass brains for both indoor and outdoor display from now through October 2012.  Stone Belt was approached by Dr. Taylor several months ago to participate in The Brain Extravaganza! in two special ways: First, Stone Belt was asked to be the home of the creative process.  During the last four months, dozens of community artists have utilized Stone Belt’s workshop space for their mental masterpieces. In addition, because of the reputation of our clients as talented community artists, they were invited to create one of the brains.  Stone Belt’s hosting of the project has provided client artists with the opportunity to work side by side with community members, and has allowed the entire community to have greater insight into the lives (and brains) of individuals with developmental disabilities.Stone Belt clients have worked in partnership with collaborative local artist, Joe Lamantia, to create a dynamic brain for placement inside Jordan Hall on the IU Campus. WTIU serves as the corporate sponsor of the Stone Belt brain.  The Stone Belt brain is as unique as the artists that developed and created it. The brain is covered in the same material as the highly-regarded Stone Belt mixed-media mosaics, including wallpaper swatches, various yarns and other repurposed materials.  The brain also includes quotes from the client artists themselves. The base of each piece in the project includes a plaque which provides educational facts about the human brain. Community members can visit a website for a map outlining the location of each brain, information on both the artists and sponsors, and details of on-going community celebrations for the project.  The website also provides a downloadable interactive smart phone application which highlights project information, and allows users to create their own “brain art.” The Brain Extravaganza! is a wonderful new community project for the Stone Belt client artists, adding to the lengthy list of public exhibits of their works which can be found in various parks, area businesses, local non profits, the set of a public television program, to name just a few.  In addition to the permanent Stone Belt Art Gallery in downtown Bloomington, these public displays educate people on the role individuals with disabilities play in beautifying the community.The Stone Belt Arts Program provides opportunities for individuals with disabilities to expand their capacity for self-expression, develop new life skills and work professionally in the arts. Creative exploration provides an outlet for self expression, identity transformation and the sharing of one’s personal story. Stone Belt envisions “the arts” very broadly – including visual, performing and culinary arts – and strives to provide a diverse offering of experiences through its education programming.  The goal of Stone Belt’s art exploration programming is to bring individuals with disabilities together with talented community members for in-depth learning and collaboration. The Brain Extravaganza! has been yet another excellent opportunity for Stone Belt clients to be fully involved in their community. http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=109http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=109Service Charities Seek Ways to Help Their Lowest-Paid Employees Get By April 29, 2012By Nicole WallaceReposted with the permission of The Chronicle of Philanthropy As a certified nursing assistant at a nonprofit rehabilitation center in central Maine, Helen Hanson helps patients with basic activities healthy people take for granted­—eating, dressing, bathing, and going to the bathroom. Because the 46-year-old aide works second shift, she earns $10.80 an hour, a dollar more than the base pay for a nursing assistant at the center, and she often picks up extra hours on weekends when wages rise to $12 an hour. Still, Ms. Hanson says that after she pays the bills each month, she barely has enough money left for groceries and gas, let alone to put money aside for an emergency. “I keep crossing my fingers that nothing drastic happens with the house,” she says. “I just don’t have the money to do the repairs.” Across the country tens of thousands of nursing assistants, child-care employees, home-health aides, group-home employees, people who work at after-school programs, and others provide vital services at health-care and human-services charities. The work is physically and emotionally taxing, yet because wages are so low, these employees face many of the same financial challenges as the people they serve. Nonprofit employers say they want to pay frontline workers more but can’t because of low government-reimbursement rates and the challenge of raising money from donors to improve wages. With the economy so troubled in the last several years, recruiting and retaining low-wage workers has gotten easier for organizations. But some nonprofit officials worry that if the recovery picks up steam, finding people to fill demanding service jobs will become increasingly difficult at a time when more help is needed because the number of older Americans is growing so rapidly. “At that wage level, you’re up against the fast-food industry,” says Angela King, senior vice president for aging and disability services at Volunteers of America. “You’re asking someone to provide compassionate, intensive personal care for the lady in the nursing home at the same rate that you’re asking somebody to take your order at the drive-through at the McDonald’s.” Unearthing Benefits Nonprofit employers are constrained by marketplace forces they don’t control, says Irv Katz, chief executive of the National Human Services Assembly, an umbrella group for social-service charities. “If XYZ Nursing Home run by a nonprofit were to say, You know what, I’m going to increase our low-wage workers’ wages by 25 percent to bring them up to a living wage, they would have to cut services to do that,” he says. “So how many fewer patients are you willing to serve?” Instead, the assembly has started a new program that helps charities aid low-wage workers by educating them about government benefits. Bridging the Gap features an online system that human-resource departments can use to screen whether employees and their families are eligible for the earned-income tax credit, children’s health-insurance programs, food stamps, or other government assistance. Affiliates of Catholic Charities USA, Goodwill Industries International, and United Neighborhood Centers of America are now testing the program in four cities. So far, 220 employees have requested screenings, which have identified $100,000 in benefits for which they qualify. Mr. Katz acknowledges that helping workers apply for government benefits is potentially controversial in the current political climate, but he says the benefits exist for people to use them, and people who qualify should get them. Sheltering Arms Early Education and Family Centers, which provides child-care and support services to low-income families at 16 centers in metropolitan Atlanta, already provides that kind of assistance informally. The organization emphasizes professional development for all its employees. For example, when assistant teachers who start with only a high-school diploma earn their child-development associate credential through the group’s training program, their wages increase from $7.50 an hour to $8.50. But Elaine Draeger, the organization’s chief executive, acknowledges that it’s still not much money. “We help them get their CDA, and then we help them get food stamps,” she says ruefully. Family-support coordinators at each center who help parents apply for aid programs are also available to staff members. During tax season, for example, the group pushed to make sure both families and employees understood what the earned-income tax credit was and how to determine if they qualified. Says Ms. Draeger: “Anything that we would do for our families, we would also do for our staff.” 2-Percent Bonus Health-care and social-service nonprofits rely heavily on government contracts. Charity officials say the main reason they can’t pay workers more is low reimbursement rates—which, in recent years, have declined or remained flat, due to state budget gaps. Volunteers of America Greater New Orleans employs more than 160 personal-care attendants who provide services that allow people with intellectual disabilities to live on their own. The average wage for those positions is $8.70 an hour. In 2006, Louisiana increased its Medicaid reimbursement rate to $16 an hour, which allowed the charity to increase wages to their current rate, says Jim LeBlanc, head of Volunteers of America Greater New Orleans. But the state has since lowered the rate to $14.68. In addition to covering the attendants’ wages, the charity uses the reimbursement to pay for workers’ compensation and liability insurance, supervisors to oversee the attendants, and other program costs. Workers do not currently receive health insurance, but Mr. LeBlanc is already anticipating that the charity may have to provide it in 2014 under the new federal health-care law. “The social worker part of me says, 'Well, we need to be able to provide the health-care benefit,’” he says. “The businessman part of me says, 'How in the world am I going to do that? We can barely cover our costs now.’” Some charities have experimented with bonuses as a way to increase employees’ take-home pay without committing to permanent wage increases. In 2010, Cedar Sinai Park, a charity in Portland, Ore., that runs a nursing home and an assisted-living facility as well as providing other services for older people, didn’t feel confident enough in the economy to provide annual raises. Instead, the nonprofit said that if it met its quarterly financial goals, all employees would receive a 2-percent bonus. “It wasn’t huge,” says David Fuks, chief executive of Cedar Sinai Park. “But the reality is if that 2-percent bonus for a low-wage worker turns into an extra $300 or $400 at the end of a quarter, that’s a very nice thing to have happen.”   Nonprofits have long struggled to recruit and retain low-wage employees, but during the recession that pressure eased. In an uncertain economy, workers were reluctant to leave their jobs. Now some charities are starting to see signs that the reprieve is coming to an end. “One of my indicators that the economy is getting better is our turnover is going back up,” says Brad Galin, senior director of human resources at Stone Belt, in Bloomington, Ind. “People are able to get positions that are paying more.” Disruption for Clients Out of the 500 people who work for Stone Belt, roughly 420 are hourly workers; most provide assistance to people with disabilities. Wages range from $8 to $12 an hour. In 2010, the organization’s turnover rate was about 24 percent, but it is now approaching 30 percent. The number of applications for open positions has also declined. Higher turnover translates into additional hiring and training costs for the charity and disruption for clients, says Leslie Green, Stone Belt’s chief executive. “One of the major indications of quality services for the client is the relationship with that direct-support person, someone who knows them well, who understands their likes and dislikes and their skills and abilities,” she says. “When a person turns over, that new individual has to come in and start over again establishing that relationship with the client.” Five years ago, Goodwill Industries of the Chesapeake, which often hires people who graduate from its job-training programs, started a drive to make the nonprofit a better place to work—and try to cut a 70 percent turnover rate. In addition to offering tuition benefits and starting a wellness program, the Baltimore charity hired two financial counselors who help employees navigate debt management, household budgets, retirement planning, and how to avoid foreclosure. Goodwill Industries of the Chesapeake credits the new efforts with bringing its turnover rate down to 29 percent. The nonprofit recently hired a talent-development manager to work with all employees to create professional-development plans to help them move up. “Turnover is very expensive,” says Lisa Rusyniak, the group’s chief executive. “We want people to continue to grow within the organization so that we have bench strength.” http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=107http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=107HeraldTimesOnline.com Label me happy: Growing pet food company adds work for Stone Belt clients By Marcela Creps 331-4375 | mcreps@heraldt.comApril 27, 2012 BEDFORD — Begun with the simple act of trying to feed a dog, Mister Buck’s Genuinely Good Pet Food Co. has grown exponentially. Since the company started as an online business, it has grown from doing $25,000 in gross sales in 2010 to projected sales of more than $1 million this year. And for the small pet food company based out of Bloomfield, the growth means jobs for clients at Stone Belt in Bedford, which recently partnered with Mister Buck’s to label its products, as well as increased donations to local animal welfare organizations that receive a portion of every sale. Mister Buck’s Jon Kitto said the pet food company is his fifth and most successful business. He admitted the prior four companies were started in an effort to garner money or fame. “This one I did because I wanted to make good food for my dog, and this one works,” Kitto said. In the beginning, Kitto, business partner Zach Robinson and company administrator Alonso Saldivar did all the work. Robinson did a lot of research on pet food ingredients and didn’t like what he saw. Many dog foods contain fillers or animal byproducts. “It just makes the food a lot less expensive,” he said. Initially the goal was to feed Gigi, who’d lost her sense of smell, so Kitto mixed up the stinkiest combination of food to get her to eat. Working with rescue greyhounds, Kitto soon took in more dogs and the idea to create dog food was born. Mister Buck’s pet foods are 100 percent “holistic,” with natural ingredients. Label and delivery Once the company started to produce its dog food, Kitto, Robinson and Saldivar worked to label and distribute the food. There were times that Saldivar’s Jeep was loaded with product as he headed off to IU for class. Then, after class, he’d deliver the dog food. At that time, Kitto and Robinson did all the labeling, with Kitto printing the self-adhesive labels. There were a few times that Kitto would print them on the wrong side of the sheet. However, no one seemed too concerned if the label had a ink blotch or if it was applied crooked or wrinkled. “That’s what people expect of us,” Kitto said. But the recent partnership with Stone Belt rid the trio of the task of labeling. Stone Belt also takes care of small orders that Kitto and Robinson used to handle. Robinson had the idea of partnering with Stone Belt. He had seen Stone Belt’s dog treats and thought about offering them through Mister Buck’s. Even though that didn’t work out, Robinson kept trying to think of ways the two companies could work together. Eventually, the idea came to have Stone Belt clients label the food — a move that would improve the quality of labeling of the products. The workers at Stone Belt are a little more oriented to detail than the owners had been. The labels are now on a large roll that an employee cuts with precision. The label is then perfectly applied to the pet food by hand. During a recent visit to Stone Belt in Bedford, where the labeling is done, Kitto was asked a few quality control questions. He admitted that he wasn’t too concerned if the labels were perfect or not — but they are all applied perfectly now. That was not an acceptable attitude for Stone Belt manufacturing director Karen Freeman. “I had trouble with that,” she said, and it’s not the way things are done at Stone Belt. At Stone Belt, workers are trained to take pride in their work — something that seems to be lost in some businesses, Freeman said. Despite Kitto’s insistence that labels don’t need to be perfect, they are. Saldivar watched the workers as they labeled the food and came away impressed with such attention to detail. “It says something about the company,” he said. Company benefits The additional work has been a windfall for Stone Belt in Bedford. When the two companies first talked, Freeman asked Kitto if the work could be done in Bedford. The Bloomington Stone Belt has plenty of work thanks to Cook Medical, but times have been tougher in Bedford. “The economy has just really killed the work prospects in a small community like Bedford,” Freeman said. And it looks like the work will be steady. Sales for 2012 are looking up as Mister Buck’s products will soon be on the shelves of all 88 Marsh Supermarkets. And the company recently added cat food and treats to its line of products. As Mister Buck’s prepares to add Marsh to its client list, Freeman said Stone Belt is ready, willing and able to take on the extra work, as well as the additional distribution work. With 40 clients, the additional business will mean more work for the clients. Mister Buck’s is still working on expanding and adding its products into more stores, and Freeman is confident Stone Belt clients will be able to meet the company’s demands. “If it’s possible, we’ll figure out a way to be a part of the plan,” Freeman said. Along with the added work for Stone Belt, the company’s growth will also benefit local humane associations. Mister Buck’s donates a portion of every sale to an animal welfare organization in the county where the product is sold. As the company grows, Kitto is happy that local animal welfare groups and clients at Stone Belt will be along for the ride. “It’s just a win-win-win,” he said. A memorial Mr. Buck was one of the rescued greyhounds that Zach Robinson and Alonso Saldivar kept. They decided to name their dog food product after him following the dog’s death. Tonya Ballard cuts labels for Mister Buck’s dog food cans at the Stone Belt center in Bedford. Stone Belt now applies labels to dog food cans for the growing Mister Buck’s company, based in Bloomfield. Pete Schreiner | Times-MailShannon McCoy applies labels to cans of Mister Buck’s dog food. Stone Belt stresses precision with its workers. Pete Schreiner | Times-MailWhen they applied the labels themselves to their cans it was OK, thought Jon Kitto, a partner in local dog food company Mister Buck’s, if there were a few that were not quite perfect — that is, a bit askew on the can. But with the application of Stone Belt’s own strict quality control standards for the work it takes on, that’s no longer an option. All labels are neat and straight. Pete Schreiner | Times Mail Copyright: HeraldTimesOnline.com 2012 - Reprinted with permission from The Bloomington Herald-Times.http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=105http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=105Program helping the hungry also provides learning opportunity for Stone Belt clients By Dann Denny 331-4350 | ddenny@heraldt.com March 12, 2012 Jonathan Hossler is a 27-year-old Bloomington man with severe autism, but each weekday he collects food for the needy through Stone Belt’s Hand in Hand program. “He has no concept that he is doing something for the greater good, but it expands his world,” said his mother, Carol-Anne Hossler. “Instead of being at home or at Stone Belt, it gets him out every day and helps fill his day. He also gets to interact with people, which helps him bridge some of his social challenges.” In 2004, when Jonathan was a special education student at Bloomington High School North, Carol-Anne wanted to find something significant for him to do with his free time, so she brainstormed with David Sutherlin, his special ed teacher. The two of them came up with a novel idea. They would arrange for Jonathan to pick up donated food left in special bags outside peoples’ homes. That idea grew into the Hand in Hand program, which involves 10 Stone Belt clients who pick up food at 107 households in Monroe County. Participating residents agree to place non-perishable food items into specially marked red-and-white bags outside their homes on specified days. Stone Belt clients, with staff supervision, pick up the bags Monday through Friday and take them to the Community Kitchen. The program, which supplies the Kitchen with 14 percent of its annual food donations, received a Community Kitchen volunteer award last week for putting in 520 hours of volunteer service in 2011 — resulting in the delivery of 9,000 items of food. “One of the biggest benefits of this program is the building of relationships between the Community Kitchen staff and our clients,” said Eric Ford, Stone Belt’s lifelong learning coordinator. Ford said if someone in the program forgets to leave out food items, the Stone Belt client leaves a card stating the next pick-up date near the front door as a reminder. “Not everyone is aware of this program,” Ford said. “Sometimes neighbors call the police and report that people are taking food off peoples’ porches.” Ford said the program can use more participants, each of whom agrees to donate food one day a week. Those interested can email handinhand@stonebelt.org. The donated items most needed are coffee, canned meats and boxed macaroni and cheese. Carol-Anne Hossler said the program helps not only Jonathan and the community, but herself as well. “Every parent wants to be able to brag about their kids, but when you have a child facing the kind of challenges Jonathan faces, it’s hard to find things to brag about,” she said. “But one of his brothers recently said something that made me feel so proud. He said, ‘Mom, when I think about how Jonathan spends his day, he’s probably giving back more to the community than I am.’” Reprint from The Herald-Times March 12, 2012 newspaperhttp://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=106http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=106Stone Belt is pleased to announce the 2012 recipients of Stone Belt's Awards of Excellence.  They are:   Quality of Service - DeeDee Bordeleau - Instructor in Bedford's Lifelong Learning program Community Outreach - Josh Jackson - Home Manager in Bloomington SLP Postive Community Supports - Mary Kate Bristow - Behavior Specialist at Milestones Operational Excellence - Shawna Arnesen  - Lifelong Learning Coordinator in Bloomington Resource Efficiency - KyongGe Williams - Records Manager   These five (5) individuals will be honored on March 28th and will also be featured and profiled in upcoming agency publications.  Stone Belt is a better place because of their work and daily contributions to the organization and the clients we serve.   Congratulations to the 2012 Awards for Excellence Winners!http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=104http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=1042010 I AM YOU performer Crystal Pitts (left) and Stone Belt CEO Leslie Green (right.)Stone Belt theater project tickets going fast‘I Am You,’ a series of monologues written and performed by people with disabilities, set for March 10 and 11 By Dann Denny331-4350 | ddenny@heraldt.com March 2, 2012 If you want a ticket to “I Am You,” a series of original monologues written and performed by people with disabilities, you had better get moving. The 90-minute event, a joint production of Stone Belt and the Bloomington Playwrights Project, sold out in its inaugural year in 2008, filling the BPP theater to capacity with 100 people. The event expanded to two performances in 2010, both of which sold out quickly. “Each of those years we had people show up at the door, but were unable to get tickets,” said Amy Jackson, Stone Belt’s community engagement director. “I suspect that will happen again this year.” “I Am You” will be performed at 7 p.m. March 10 and 2:30 p.m. March 11 at the Bloomington Playwrights Project, 107 W. Ninth St. in Bloomington. Tickets for Saturday’s performance are $20, which will include a reception and a session in which audience members can ask questions of the director and performers. Tickets for Sunday’s performance are $15. Tickets for both shows are available at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater Box Office at 114 E. Kirkwood Ave., or by calling 812-323-3020 or visiting www.buskirkchumley.org. The monologues, each of which will range in length from 1 to 10 minutes, will be directed by Stone Belt’s Michelle Davenport, a certified drama therapist. Nine performers will be involved either in live individual and group monologues, or monologues recorded on video — and all will be making their first “I Am You” performance. The nine performers are Sarah Fox, Richelle Hartman and Betsy Higgins of Bloomington; Nancy Vibart, Vicky Smith, Troy Stewart and Jonathon Hendrix of Bedford; and Janna Watts and Chris Rohrig of Columbus. Jackson said the event is named “I Am You” because “we want the audience to understand and appreciate that the stories of our clients’ lives mirror the whole of human experience. Our clients will share stories of love, loss, friendship, work, passion and family, and the audience will see they have the same hopes and dreams we have. Individuals with disabilities are not anomalies. They are human beings like the rest of us.” So far the “I Am You” monologues have raised a total of $4,000, which was split between Stone Belt and the BPP, but Jackson said the event is not primarily about fundraising but about “awareness building and promoting the lives of our clients as creative, artistic, inspirational human beings.” Bloomington Playwrights Project is a local professional theater with a mission to encourage playwriting in the community.Reprinted with the permission of the Bloomington Herald Times Copyright: HeraldTimesOnline.com 2012http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=101http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=101 Stone Belt and the Bloomington Playwrights Project present I AM YOU monologuesAlso, see Herald Times article about I AM YOU.(Bloomington, IN)  Stone Belt and the Bloomington Playwrights Project present I AM YOU, a powerful and unique experience of monologues written and performed by individuals with developmental disabilities.  I AM YOU will have a limited run of two performances on Saturday, March 10 at 7pm and Sunday, March 11 at 2:30pm at the Bloomington Playwrights Project (107 W Ninth Street, Bloomington.)  Tickets for Saturday’s performance will be $20, which includes a talk-back session and a reception to follow the performance. Sunday’s performance will be $15.  Tickets for both shows are available for purchase through the Buskirk-Chumley Theatre (BCT) Box Office. To get tickets in person: 114 E Kirkwood Avenue, Bloomington, by phone: 812-323-3020 or  online:  www.buskirkchumley.org.   Nine of Stone Belt’s inspiring clients will perform this year’s I AM YOU: Sarah Fox, Richelle Hartman, and Betsy Higgins of Bloomington, Nancy Vibart, Vicky Smith, Troy Stewart, and Jonathon Hendrix of Bedford, Janna Watts, and Chris Rohrig of Columbus.  Now in its third season, I AM YOU was originally crafted by Michelle Davenport, a former Indiana University student volunteer who worked with Stone Belt clients in 2008 and 2010 to write and perform stories of their lives.  The first production of I AM YOU featured nine individuals sharing their stories, along with a powerful slide show and outstanding musical accompaniment provided by a client musician.  The first and second seasons took place in 2008 and 2010 at the Bloomington Playwrights Project, a local professional theatre with a mission to encourage playwriting in the community.  “The BPP is ecstatic to be working with Stone Belt once again on I AM YOU.  Our work here at the BPP is built upon collaboration, and we can’t think of a more mutually beneficial collaboration than the one we have with Stone Belt” said Gabe Golden, BPP Managing Director.  The sold-out show during the first season of I AM YOU drew a crowd of more than 100 audience members.  In order to accommodate the demand for this extraordinary art, Stone Belt and the BPP decided to showcase two performances for the second season in 2010.  Once again, both nights’ performances sold out, with several dozen unfortunately turned away at the door once the theatre had reached capacity.   “Not only does I AM YOU empower the performers, but it entertains audiences while staying true to the BPP’s mission: the production of new theatre.” I AM YOU features a series of inspirational monologues which capture the whole scope of the human condition through self-determination, love, friendship, loss, hopes, and dreams.  Audience members will experience a whole range of emotion shared, from great sadness to jubilant humor.  Performers invite the audience to learn about their lives, and demonstrate their abilities, contributions, and self-determination as members of the community.    I AM YOU provides individuals with disabilities with the opportunity to share their stories and showcase their talents.  Michelle Davenport, Stone Belt Lifelong Learning Curriculum Developer and Trainer, commented that, “I learn so much from all of the actors, and during our workshops I find how similar we all are to one another. The goal of these performances is for people who have never met, or who don't know much about individuals with disabilities, to develop a greater understanding and for us to begin to break down the stereotypes. I know every time I hear a story, I get a greater understanding of people in general, and I also learn more about myself.” The Bloomington Playwrights Project (BPP) is a non-profit theatre company that strives to be a leading artistic force in the production and encouragement of new American plays and playwrights. The BPP provides opportunities for development, education, and production for promising and established writers and theatre artists in a professional atmosphere.  Find out more online at www.newplays.org.  The oldest and largest agency of its kind in south central Indiana, Stone Belt has been providing innovative supports and education to individuals with disabilities since 1959.  Begun by nine visionary families wishing to create educational opportunities for their school-age children, Stone Belt has grown to include residential programs, employment resources, life skills and vocational training, a professional art studio and clinical services, all of which enable individuals with disabilities to live self-directed lives of significance and meaning.  Find out more online at www.stonebelt.org.  http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=102http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=102 Project SEARCH celebrates the completion of its third rotation of internships for young adults with developmental disabilities.  A collaborative initiative of Stone Belt Arc, Cook Inc, Ivy Tech, Indiana Family and Social Services Administrative Office of Vocational Rehabilitation, and the Indiana Institute on Disability and Community, Project SEARCH provides adults ages 18-24 with quality paid and unpaid real world internship experiences.  Through Project SEARCH, participants experience innovative employment and career development opportunities. Project SEARCH was modeled off a nationally recognized program for teens out of Cincinnati Children’s Hospital.  Through the program, young adults with developmental disabilities spend eight months engaging in professional internship employment, as well as pre-vocational classroom experience, to best prepare them for entering the working world.  Project SEARCH was initiated through a 2009 grant received by Stone Belt Arc – the oldest and largest local provider of disability services.  Stone Belt provides the educational and administrative components of the program, with a variety of internship rotations then coordinated by both Cook Inc and Ivy Tech Community College.  The cornerstone of Project SEARCH is total immersion, hands-on experience in a large business setting. In its three years of Bloomington operation, Project SEARCH has supported close to two dozen young adults in completing the educational internship experience.  Many of them have gone on to secure employment with the employer of their choice.  Participants have gained specific job skills, the ability to respond to employer expectations, interview and work place social skills, and self-confidence.  Upon completion of the program, participants leave Project SEARCH with a detailed portfolio of their work experience and a support team to assist them in obtaining employment.  Participating employers value the dedication and quality of work that individuals with disabilities bring to their workplaces.  As a result, interns are accepted, nurtured and challenged to learn and to do more in their jobs.  Project SEARCH is part of Stone Belt’s Community Employment Program, which partners with more than 100 local businesses and supports over 200 clients. The program works with employers to determine their hiring needs, and then confers with people seeking employment to determine their interests and abilities.  The Community Employment Program helps make successful employment matches between the two. Clients who are currently involved with Stone Belt’s program have been employed for an average of 4.5 years, demonstrating their outstanding work ethic and dependability.  Their tenure allows for myriad opportunities to increase their earning potential and expand job responsibilities.  Project SEARCH will celebrate completion of its third rotation of interns on Wednesday, February 1, with an open house and reception from 4-6 pm at the Ivy Tech Center for Life Sciences, 501 North Profile Parkway in Bloomington.  Attendees will be treated to multi-media presentations prepared by each of the interns.  The entire community is invited to attend.  The Project SEARCH collaborative partners congratulate this year’s interns:  Keegan Burk, Kyle Chapman, Corey Gabbard, Jacob Langham, Katie Lykins, Sarah Massey, and Cayla Wrightsman. Learn more about Project SEARCH and Stone Belt’s Community Employment Program at www.stonebelt.org  or contact Bitta DeWees 812.335.3507 ext. 273  |  email Bitta   http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=103http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=103Project SEARCH Indiana teaches people with developmental disabilities job skills By Dann Denny 331-4350 | ddenny@heraldt.comJanuary 27, 2012 Corey Gabbard, a 20-year-old man with a learning disability, has just arrived at Ivy Tech Community College, and he’s eager to get to work. He promptly picks up some cardboard boxes, takes them outside and tosses them into a recycling dumpster. Then he wheels a blue cart loaded with cleaning supplies, a broom and toilet plunger into a men’s bathroom — where he slips on a pair of latex gloves and begins scrubbing the sinks and counters. “I really like having a job,” said Gabbard, who lives with his parents and two brothers in Ellettsville. “It’s my first job since high school. I really like the people I work with.” Gabbard is one of 17 young adults with disabilities who have completed Project SEARCH Indiana, a program in which adults age 18-24 with developmental disabilities spend seven months working in professional internships and learning job-preparation skills in a classroom to prepare them for long-term employment. Since its inception three years ago, the program has helped eight young adults find full or part-time jobs at Cook Inc., Ivy Tech, Lennie’s, KRC Catering, Indiana Memorial Union, and McDonald’s — doing everything from custodial work to food service. Gabbard works 20 hours a week at Ivy Tech, and likes having a regular paycheck, which he uses to buy such things as music CDs and gifts for his family. “His work ethic is remarkable,” said Doug Mattick, who as Ivy Tech’s director of facilities is Gabbard’s boss. “He’s like a Boy Scout — very quiet and hard-working, and he follows instructions very well. He’s a pleasure to have around.” Bitta DeWees, the program’s director, said that while the goal of the program is to help participants find employment, it often produces other dividends. “One of the most powerful things I see is the change in their confidence level and self-esteem,” she said. “Many of them begin the program shy and lacking confidence, but by the end of the program they’re able to stand up and give a PowerPoint presentation about what they’ve learned.” Christina Montiville, the program’s instructor, said she “has seen these young adults grow beyond the labels placed on their lives.” Montiville said Gabbard told her that he had grown discouraged during his first year out of high school, as he watched his friends and two brothers get jobs. He said when he landed a job himself, it was “like a dream come true.” Project SEARCH Indiana was initiated in 2009 with a grant received by Stone Belt Arc, a not-for-profit organization that offers education and support for individuals with disabilities. Stone Belt provides the educational and administrative components of the program, and Cook Inc. and Ivy Tech Community College provide the internships. DeWees said the classroom sessions teach participants interview, job and social skills designed to prepare them to get and keep a job. “We do mock interviews and team-building skills in the class,” she said. “It’s all designed to give them a leg up when it comes to getting a job.” DeWees said each participant completes three separate 8-week internships. She said the internships, whether paid or unpaid, help participants build their resume and self-confidence. “We start actively seeking employment for them before they complete the program,” she said. “Participants leave the program with a detailed portfolio of their work experience and a support team to assist them in obtaining employment. Our goal is for all of them to have a job when they finish.” She said upon completion of the program, each participant is also offered a free college course from Ivy Tech, which they can use to further their education in a particular area. Project SEARCH Indiana is a collaborative initiative of Stone Belt Arc, Cook Inc., Ivy Tech, Indiana Family and Social Services Administrative Office of Vocational Rehabilitation, and Indiana Institute on Disability and Community. The next round of internships will begin in March, and those interested in learning more about the program can contact DeWees at 335-3507 (ext. 273) or bdewees@stonebelt.org. Open house and reception planned There will be an open house and reception celebrating seven young adults with disabilities who have recently completed their Project SEARCH Indiana internships from 4-6 p.m. Feb. 1 at the Ivy Tech Center for Life Sciences, 501 North Profile Parkway in Bloomington. At the event, which is free and open to the public, attendees will watch multimedia presentations prepared by each of the interns. The participants to be honored are Keagan Burk, Kyle Chapman, Corey Gabbard, Jacob Langham, Katie Lykins, Sarah Massey and Cayla Wrightsman. Corey Gabbard recycles a cardboard box at Ivy Tech. He works part time at the college after completing the Project SEARCH Indiana program. Jeremy Hogan | Herald-TimesCorey Gabbard cleans a restroom at Ivy Tech. Jeremy Hogan | Herald-Times Copyright: HeraldTimesOnline.com 2012. reprinted with permission from The Herald-Times.Click here to learn more about Project SEARCH.http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=89http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=89  >click here to to download and share this poster with others.Mark your calendars for future Empowered Learning Series sessions designed to educate the community about disability issues.Financial Planning for Families with Special Needs, Thursday, November 29Sessions will be held at the IU Innovation Center (on the campus of Indiana University) and via video-conference at the Doug Otto United Way Center in Columbus, unless otherwise denoted in promotional materials.For more information on future events contact Amy Jackson: 812.332.2168, ext. 314 | email http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=93http://www.stonebelt.org/index.php?pageId=58&newsId=93In October 2011, Stone Belt opened its new Art Gallery in the lobby of the Bloomington Playwrights Project (BPP) in the BEAD Downtown district of Bloomington.  This exciting opportunity provides the agency with a permanent exhibit space to showcase extraordinary artworks created by our clients from all regions of the agency.  The lobby space is outstanding, and features 6 wall spaces which hold up to 40 artworks at a time.  We will be hosting 6 new exhibits in each year, along with an expanded holiday sale.   We are tremendously grateful to the BPP for reaching out to Stone Belt for this outstanding partnership.  Stone Belt already has an substantive partnership with the BPP as co-sponsor of our bi-annual I AM YOU monologue performance, which will take place once again during the second week of March, 2012.  Having a permanent professional gallery in the BPP's lobby solidifies the partnership relationship even further.   The Stone Belt Art Gallery (located at the BPP) resides within the BEAD District, making it an arts destination as designated by the City of Bloomington.  In addition, the gallery is part of the downtown Gallery Walk, which takes place on the first Fridays of each month.  During these special Friday nights, all of the participating galleries, including ours, feature refreshments, entertainment, a meet-n-greet with artists, and extended evening hours.  We look forward to sharing information about the Gallery Walk and the gallery in general as they unfold.  Congratulations to all of our artists, who will now be able to showcase and sell their pieces on a regular basis! Click here for a map to the Bloomington Playwright's Project / Stone Belt Art Gallery For more information contact Amy Jackson, Stone Belt Community Engagement Director812.332.2168 ext. 314 | or email