Keeping in Touch
A Touch of Understanding,
Inc.
Fall 2003
Mission Statement
To encourage acceptance and respect for all individuals and to minimize the discrimination and misunderstanding experienced by people with disabilities.
Board of
Directors:
Mike Wilson,
President
Darlene
Dusseau, Vice President
Ruby Rodina,
Treasurer
Joyce Beeman,
Marge Hayes, Annmarie Mallo,
William Walker,
Georgene Waterman
Staff:
Leslie DeDora,
Executive Director
Edward Ennis,
Assistant Director
Jeanne Culhane,
Graphics
From the President….…….…..2
Volunteer Tribute..…………....3
Photo Gallery………….……4-5
Success Story…………….....…6
Volunteer Spotlight……...….…7
Participating School
Districts...8
Program Sponsors……..……...8
This has been an incredible year of growth for A Touch of Understanding, Inc. The demand for our program doubled. More than 3,500 students participated in our hands-on disability awareness program. Our message of acceptance and respect for all individuals is touching lives. We’ve received hundreds of letters from children thanking us for the experience and their new understanding. Some letters have come from children with disabilities thanking us for educating their classmates.
A
Touch of Understanding often moves beyond the classroom. Some of the students with disabilities have
begun writing to our volunteers and friendships are forming. How wonderful for these children to be a
part of our team and become comfortable educating their peers.
Thankfully,
with the growth in demand for the program, new volunteers have joined our
team. They’ve brought with them new
energy, insight and enthusiasm. The
ages of our volunteers range from 18 to 81!
And we’re always looking for new team members!
This
coming year, we anticipate new opportunities.
The increasing demand for A Touch of Understanding locally and the
national demand expressed following an article in the Family Circle Magazine,
has caused us to develop a docent-training program. This program is scheduled
be piloted in the Dry Creek Joint Elementary School District this coming school
year.
Our
approach this year will be two-fold.
Our present team of volunteers will continue to provide presentations
directly to students locally, while we also train adults to serve in our
docent-training program. This will
allow us to serve the schools that have participated for years, while reaching
many more students through “training the trainers.” By training docents, we will be sending our message into their
communities, their families, businesses and social circles.
To
accomplish our plans this year, we need additional dedicated, enthusiastic
individuals to join our team:
·
Board
members who will bring their professional or business expertise
·
Speakers
with disabilities who will share their insight and experience with the students
·
Activity
instructors who will help students in the activity stations
·
Docent
trainees to bring the program into their own school districts
·
Fundraisers
who help us through these tough economic times to ensure that children in
future classrooms will be able to experience A Touch of Understanding.
Please contact us if you
would like to join this incredible team!
A
Touch of Understanding has directly touched the lives of over 12,500 children through
our presentations to date. The ripple
effects of this experience continue as these children interact with others
showing respect, empathy and new understanding.
Thank
you for being a part of this mission, and here’s to the children who will participate
in our 2003-2004 presentations!
Leslie
DeDora
This has been an extraordinary year for ATOU. We have doubled the amount of presentations given over the past year. We have also been fortunate to gain the services of a number of wonderful new volunteers. However, this has also been an extraordinary year for the State of California. The State budget has risen to a record deficit while cities and counties are struggling with reduced revenues. The private sector has also generally seen a precipitous drop in income. Therefore, the bottom line is that the level of charitable giving has also dropped significantly.
The consequence of today’s financial situation is that we, as an organization, are trying to do more with less. Several past and some new corporate and charitable donors have been able to provide us with funds this year, while many others who have contributed to ATOU in the past were financially unable to do so this year. Therefore, in order for ATOU to continue to grow and provide our unique service to school children and other groups we have to come up with alternative sources of funding as well as new ways of providing our service (i.e. a docent program).
Our
first priority is funding, to allow ATOU to continue, and hopefully grow over
the next year. To that end, we will be
partnering with the Rotary Club of Granite Bay on a Crab Feed with half the
proceeds going directly to ATOU. We
will be holding our Crab Feed on Saturday, January 31, 2004 in
Johnson Hall on the Placer County Fairgrounds.
We hope to draw between 300 and 400 people at what we know will be a fun
event. In addition to the crab, we will be having a raffle and a live band for
your listening and dancing pleasure.
Although
we know that the proceeds from this event will only provide a supplement to our
financial needs we hope this will be an annual event, which will also provide
greater exposure to our organization. Don’t
forget to mark your calendars for January 31, 2004! Tickets will be available in late September. For more information please call ATOU at
(916) 791-4146 or Michael Wilson @ (916) 791-3596.
We
are also establishing a donor group called “Friends of A Touch of
Understanding.” Please see the last
page for additional information on this group and consider becoming a
member. You will know that your
contributions are making it possible for children to experience A Touch of
Understanding.
I
would like to thank the many volunteers for their tireless on behalf of ATOU
and, to the many donors who have provided financial support to further the
growth of this amazing organization.
Thank you! Home Again Medical, Inc.
Home Again Medical, Inc. has been a sponsor of A Touch of
Understanding since before our incorporation as a nonprofit agency. Each school year, they provide, free of
charge, the use of wheelchairs and other equipment for the students
participating in the presentations.
They have also designated A Touch of Understanding to receive their
financial support. Thank you, Doug and
Natalie Olson and the staff of Home Again Medical, Inc. We couldn’t do it without you!!
Page 2
Tribute to Charleen
Schroeder
This past year, our ATOU family lost a dear member. Charleen Schroeder, a devoted volunteer, passed away on December 8, 2002. Charleen was a member of our Board of Directors and a presentation speaker. She shared her expertise as an attorney as a Board member and her experience as a person dealing with blindness and multiple sclerosis when she spoke with the children. She actually spoke at a presentation two days before passing away, sharing her humor, insight and honesty. She said that she had finally found out what she wanted to do with her life and it was to be involved with A Touch of Understanding. We are so thankful for the time she shared with our ATOU family, and the many children with whom she spoke. Thank you Charleen, we miss you.
Thank You! Cook’s Truck Body
Last year, local benefactor, Ted Mitchell, generously donated a van equipped with a wheelchair lift. We have used this to transport all of our equipment to the school sites. The only things missing were a steel partition to ensure that the equipment stayed in the back of the van, and a ramp to assist in load and unloading. Cindy Diamond, owner of Cooks Truck Body Mfg., Inc. heard of our need and donated the fabrication and installation.
Cindy, thank you for understanding the value of A Touch of Understanding and for your valuable donation to our program.
Page 3
Photo Gallery Comments
“Thank you for helping me learn that people have disabilities. Before you and your team, I thought disability people were weird. I now know how disability people have to work extra hard. Thank you so much!” 3rd grade student
Now I understand how people with disabilities feel when people stare at them.” 4th grade student
“At first I was a little bit nervous, but after a while I was ok. I learned how hard it is to be blind and how much technology we have and anything could happen whether you’re old or young. It doesn’t matter whether you don’t have arms or if you’re in a wheelchair and you’re mute. We’re not different species, we’re just different looking. I think it was a great assembly.” 4th grade student
Page 4
“I really think that A Touch of Understanding is a great program, especially for kids who make fun of kids with disabilities. I learned a ton of stuff. The hardest thing for me was the learning disability, but it is still my favorite. 4th grade student
“I learned that when I see people with disabilities I should not be mean to them or laugh at them. My cousin has Downs Syndrome. Now I know how people with disabilities feel.” 4th grade student
“I learned that people with disabilities could do a lot. People with disabilities can be your friends.” 4th grade student
Page 5
Success Story by Darlene Dusseau
I recently had the privilege of volunteering to speak to a group of third graders at a local elementary school in Placer County. I’m not sure what I expected from the experience, it was my first time to participate, but I could not have anticipated the affect the experience had on me.
We had been told that one of the students to whom we would be speaking was a little girl named Beth and that she was blind. I can’t describe how those few words struck me through the heart. You see, I’m also blind and to think of all the hardships and challenges that I face everyday as a blind adult, my heart was overwhelmed for those few moments to think that a child must face those same challenges. When my associate, Mike Penketh, and I entered the classroom where the talks were to take place, I immediately but quietly asked the children’s teacher if Beth would like to come and sit in the front row, in order to help her to feel more involved in the presentation. Beth declined so she would not call any unnecessary attention to herself. For this reason, I asked the teacher to guide to the back of the room where Beth was sitting. As Mike began his presentation, I introduced myself to Beth. I was instantly struck by her cheery and somewhat giggly, disposition. We whispered back and forth so we would not interfere with Mike’s video. Mike also told the children about his best friend and canine companion, Magy, a beautiful Golden Retriever. I leaned over and took Beth’s hand and whispered to her that Magy was a soft, loving dog who helped Mike do some of the things he couldn’t do for himself and what a big help she was to him. Beth reconfirmed what her teacher had told us earlier, that she was extremely afraid of dogs. As his talk was winding down and my time to speak to the children drew near, I told Beth I was going to have to walk back up to the front of the class when it was my turn to speak.
Then came my introduction, and it dawned on me that I was at the back of a room that I did not know the layout. How was I going to make my way through the hodgepodge of desks and kids to the front of the room without knowing where I was going? To my delight and amazement, Beth held onto my hand and told me that she would guide me to the front of the room. I know, this is where you can’t help but form the words in your mind, “the blind leading the blind.” It’s all right, because I went there too. There we were, hand in hand, winding through the desks and tables and children all of whom were misplaced and out of order to better accommodate two classes fitting into one room. Beth and I bumped and wound our way forward. The children were all participating in our quest. There were hints to “Go-more-to-the-left, keep-going, watch-out that’s-a-desk, more-to-the right,” as they gave encouragement. At one point, when I though we were nearing our destination, one little boy shouted out that we were headed for the library door. “Ah Beth, what do you say we check out a book at another time?” I said. Beth laughed along with the other kids. When we finally made it to the front of the room, I made a “Ta-Da” sound and grand gesture. We were applauded. It was a great way to demonstrate that, although Beth and I had to do things a little differently than the sighted folks in the room, we still were able to do them. I had not even begun my presentation, and yet I felt at that moment that we had already achieved so much together.
This brave little girl, who had just fearlessly lead me to the front of the room, in front of all her peers, was about to surprise us all once again. Because there waiting at the front of the room was Magy, Mike’s canine companion. Beth and I approached still holding each other’s hands. I introduced Beth to Mike and then to Magy. With the help of her teacher, the support of her classmates and the guidance of Mike’s gentle words of encouragement, Beth reached down and stroked Magy’s back. “She’s soft, she’s really soft.” Beth said softly. I could hear the smile in her voice and the pride. Again, Beth was cheered on by her peers, who had been quietly rooting for their friend. Everyone breathed a collective sign of relief, and we proceeded with the presentation. I was pleased when Beth jumped right in and supported my descriptions of what it was like to live as a blind person. The children asked wonderful questions and demonstrated how very comfortable they all were with the presentations of the day.
I originally volunteered to work with A Touch of
Understanding, because I wanted to help children and make a difference in their
lives. Little did I know, that no
matter how often or how long I will do this, I could never give as much as I
receive from the honesty and understanding of the children. What a difference just a touch of
understanding makes!
Page 6
Volunteer Spotlight
ATOU Founding Board Member
and Presentation Volunteer
Ruby Rodina has done it all. When A Touch of Understanding was born at Greenhills Elementary School, Ruby was in the delivery room. While “Walk a Mile in my Shoes”, as the ATOU presentation was first called, was taking form in a second grade classroom, Ruby was helping it grown up. As the school Resource Coordinator, who recognized the value of ATOU to the students, she supported the project and rallied the support of other staff members. Ruby Rodina, Ann Mallo, second grade teacher; Linda Otley, Special Education teacher, and first President of our Board, formed the nucleus of the original Board of Directors.
When Ruby retired, she joined ATOU as an activity instructor thereby wearing two hats, both volunteer and Board member. Ruby has recruited more long-term volunteers and board members than any other individual associated with ATOU. Her natural enthusiasm and her winning ways are irresistible. Ruby Rodina is an outstanding example of the exceptional team members who help open the eyes and hearts of students of all ages who experience A Touch of Understanding.
A Comment from Judy
Grayson, Special Education-Inclusion Coordinator, Heritage Oak Elementary
School, Roseville
“Today I was able to participate in an outstanding disability awareness program… This program provided a new awareness to the 3rd grade students and teachers and provided a fun and interesting way to recognize the accomplishments and challenges of individuals with disabilities…. We have had several disability awareness programs here at Heritage Oak to promote awareness to the staff and students. However, this was the only program to allow the students and staff to actually experience the disability first-hand. It had such an impact on the students that many of them were talking about their experience throughout the day. Several teachers expressed to me that this was “the best” and “the most outstanding: program they had ever seen. Many comments that they would like to see the same demonstrations shared with all the classes at all grade levels. As the teacher of full inclusion students, I believe that we should encourage the future generation to tolerate differences and celebrate diversity with respect and gratitude. A Touch of Understanding is an exemplary program and should be shared with everyone.”
Thank you to the following School Districts, who in addition to their commitment to high academic achievement, also foster the development of well-rounded, compassionate individuals by providing students the opportunities and experiences to learn about others through A Touch of Understanding:
Dry Creek Joint Elementary School District
Eureka Union School District
Rocklin Unified School District
Elk Grove Unified School District
Roseville City School District
San Juan Unified School District
Robla Elementary School District
Sacramento City Unified School District
Foresthill Union Elementary School District
UC Davis Early Academic Outreach Program
Folsom Cordova Unified School District
Esparto Unified School District
Yocha-De-He Preparatory School
Dixon Unified School District
Page 7
In Memory of Chad Mallo
Carolsue and Stan Acres
Susan Bell
Robert and Linda Bradley
Ronald and Carol Brown
Bev and Duane Bruce
Anne and Gary Casagrande
Greg and Maria Collins
Jamela Coss
Ron and Ulla Cowger
Diana Davis
Robert and Mary Ann Dean
Joanne and Bill Devine
Lauris and Ed Ennis
Diane and Peter Filice
Jim and Paula Golson
Dr. William and Diane Guenther
M. Christine Schacker Hennessy
Kelly and Sean Holiday
Beverly Houston
Jim and Kitty Jack
Ken and Suzie Johnstone
Barry and Lynda Keller
David and Carol Lawson
Julie and David Long
Lynn Lucia
Cindi and Rick Marment
Susan and John McVay
Thomas and Sharon Merchant
Lynn and Sidney Morris
Stanley and Janis Ohara
Monica and Morgan Otis
Linda and Jack Otley
Dennis and Gayle Peterson
Michael and Dee Ann Phillips
Ruby and John Rodina
Demetrio and Belinda Sanchez
Mark and Tish Santor
John and Jackie Sawicky
Liane and Kazunori Sekigawa
Kenneth and Lora Shipley
Holli and Adam Tamas
Clara and Dan Taylor
Dana and Jim Wallace
Edwin and Francisca Wolf
D.K. Young
Donors
Christine Anderson
Jim Bell
Mathew Bodourian
Ronee Broughman
Douglas Burnett
J Callahan
Dennis Chu
Gloria Coutts
N. Dodge
Jeffrey Ecklund
Laura Farren
N. Geller
Marge Gengler
Barbara Gnirk
Scott Grady
M. Holstien
Bobbie Hooker
Judy Howes
C. Josephson
Ms. Kazer
Donna Kent
Jennifer Kuzman
Eugene Lagman
Jim Lane
Judy Licuanan
Kam Melzer-Coveyou
Rush Nash
Joanne Neider
Mike Penketh
T. Pool
K. Price
Linda Rich
Syed Rizvi
S. Rogers
Karen Routon
K. Sheets
Beverly Taylor
Erlinda Tena
Annetta Unrun
Irene Valli
Mary Walton
J. Walker
Keri Joy Walker
Georgene Waterman
Michael Wilson
Shu Xu
James Yarrow
T. Young
Roseville
Sunrise Lions Club
Kiwanis
Club of Granite Bay
Optimist
Club of Sacramento
Sacramento
County Association of Reserve Deputy Sheriffs
Citrus
Heights Police Service Center
River
Cats Foundation
USAA
Foundation, A Charitable Trust
Sierra
Sacramento Valley Medical Society Alliance
Give
Something Back
Rumsey
Community Fund
California
Endowment
City
of Roseville Citizen’s Benefit Fund
Home
Again Medical
United Way
Roseville Transmission
Cook’s Truck Body, Mfg.
Wijit/Supersquad LLC
Costco
Sam’s Club
Roseville Auto Mall Association
Ralph’s
Safeway
Raley’s