Keeping in Touch A Touch of Understanding, Inc Fall 2004 Mission Statement To encourage acceptance and respect for all individuals and to minimize the discrimination and misunderstanding experienced by people with disabilities. Inside From the President.....Page 2 Success Story.....Page 3 Photo Gallery.....Pages 4 & 5 Volunteer Tribute.....Page 6 Volunteer Spotlight.....Page 7 Participating School Districts.....Page 8 Program Sponsors ATOU Reaches Benchmark By Leslie DeDora, Executive Director I would like to write to you on a very personal level. A Touch of Understanding (ATOU) is a personal dream of mine. I am so thankful this dream is shared by my family and now by the team of incredible volunteers. History shows that it takes about ten years to move from a grassroots non-profit organization, dependent upon one or two individuals for sustainability, to a viable organization with its own identity. This year, ATOU passed that benchmark. It is said that a person is like a teabag, you find out how strong it is when you put it in hot water. It turns out to be true of an organization as well. That’s what happened to ATOU in 2004. My father and I, who founded ATOU and had participated in almost all presentations, had to be gone for two months due to my mother’s terminal illness. I was uncertain as to how to handle the many presentation commitments we had. The team assured me they would continue without interruption and my program coordination continued from the hospital room. In those two months, the team spoke with 550 students. During one of these presentations, our volunteer team members returned to a local school and were greeted by enthusiastic staff members eager to share a success story. During our presentation the previous year, a third grade boy with cerebral palsy, stood up alongside ATOU volunteers and shared his “story” with his classmates. He gave information about the limited use of his legs and the surgery the doctors planned. He shared his frustration and impatience to have it all done. He also said he wished the other kids would know he was just like them, but walked a little differently and really couldn’t run. Following the presentation, the teacher sent our volunteer team a letter saying that AOU had not only made his day but had made his day, but had made his year. This year, upon the return of our team, the teachers shared that this young boy’s attitude had become much more positive after ATOU. He had willingly gone through the surgery and was excelling socially. A Touch of Understanding allowed him to move from the child who was a little bit different and needed some extra help, to become a member of a team of individuals who face special challenges and deserve respect and admiration. This move took place not only in the eyes of his classmates, but more importantly, in his own eyes. As I look back over the past year, I am thankful for many things. •We have many life changing stories to share with you. •This team of volunteers has taken what started as a personal dream and made it their own. •Many of you have chosen to become partners with financial support, in this mission of respect for all people. I hope this newsletter helps you to see and appreciate the impact your partnership makes in the lives of the children who participate in a Touch of Understanding. Page 1 From the President of the Board, Mike Wilson Once again, we have experienced a dramatic year for ATOU. We have felt the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. But the organization no only grew, it thrived! We maintained the amount of presentations given over the past year, with much less revenue coming in. We have also been fortunate to gain the services of a number of wonderful new volunteers and that is a testament to our mission. Our persistent need however, is funding. As we have seen over the past few years the sate, counties, and cities are continuing to struggle with budget shortfalls and the private sector level of charitable giving is still low. What that means is a large group of worthy programs are vying for less and less money. Several 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 again this year. Therefore, in order for ATOU to continue to grow and provide our unique service to school children and other groups we are continuing to search for alternative sources of funding. We have taken a proactive approach to help make ends meet. We are again partnering with the Rotary Club of Granite to host our 2nd Annual Crab feed on January 22, 2005 in Johnson Hall on the Placer County Fairgrounds. Last years Crab Feed was a huge success, netting both organizations over $9,000. We drew a sold out crowd of nearly 500 people and had a great time doing it. The evenings events were kept at a lively pace with our wonderful MC, Paul Robins of Y92’s Paul and Phil Show. We look forward to providing the same level of great food, fun and prizes this year! We will again be having a huge raffle, silent auction and live band for your dancing pleasure. In addition to our acquisition of great prizes, we are seeking corporate sponsors to help underwrite this year’s event. We have prepared 4 levels of sponsorship (Event Sponsorship, Gold Sponsorship, Silver Sponsorship and Granite Sponsorship). At each level of sponsorships we will be providing on-site advertising through event signage and a multi-media presentation during the event as well. Although we know that the proceeds from this event only provide a supplement to our financial needs, the event provides great exposure to our organization. We have also established a donor group called “Friends of A Touch of Understanding” which has been very successful. 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. We have begun to partner with local grocery stores in their paperless scrip program. To date, Raleys and Ralphs will donate a percent of every dollar you spend to A touch of Understanding. We will be signing up with others in the coming weeks. If you have not yet gotten involved, please call Leslie at (916) 791-4146 to sign up. It’s painless, easy way to support our program without any “out-of-pocket” expense. We are also participating in the LLC Car Donation Program. If you have a vehicle you no longer use and would like to be able to make a tax-deductible donation, please call our office to make arrangements. Lyon Real Estate has a corporate giving program. (Please see ad on page 3) In addition, one of their very generous agents, Steve Shapiro, has offered to donate 25% of his commission to A Touch of Understanding for anyone who uses his services to either buy or sell their house. We’ve included an insert if you live locally. Thank you, Steve. I would like to thank the many volunteers for their tireless work on behalf of ATOU and, to the many donors who have provided financial support to further the growth of this amazing organization. Don’t forget to mark your calendars for January 22, 2005. We sold out last year’s Crab Feed and expect to sell out again. Crab Feed tickets are available now. For more information regarding tickets or corporate sponsorship please all ATOU at (916) 791-4146 or Michael Wilson @ (916) 791-3596. Board of Directors: Mike Wilson, President Darlene Dusseau, Vice President Ruby Rodina, Treasurer Joyce Beeman, Marge Hayes, Georgene Water Staff: Leslie DeDora, Executive Director Edward Ennis, Assistant Director Jeanne Culhane, Graphics Photography: Jeanne Culhane, Frank Burgett, Barbara Mesmer Page 2 Success Story We’ve Come Full Circle A Touch of Understanding has been in existence long enough to see the fruits of our labor. Kyle Curtain was a third grade student when we first met him. His mom called us, concerned that Kyle was spending his recesses behind the garbage dumpster to avoid the teasing and taunting of his classmates. Kyle has muscular dystrophy and was losing the ability to walk. While his classmates were getting stronger and faster, the opposite was happening to Kyle. The other children did not understand, and their actions and words were less than kind. A Touch of Understanding visited Kyle’s class and provided a chance for Kyle’s classmates to understand his challenges and those of other disabled individuals. Through the years, Kyle’s mom, Ann, has kept in contact with A Touch of Understanding, updating us on Kyle’s activities and working to get ATOU into his schools on a regular basis. Fast forward to 2004; Kyle is now a senior in high school. He uses a wheelchair fulltime. He is getting ready to graduate, looking forward to the future, confident his career will involve computers. Again, A Touch of Understanding was invited to his school, but this time, Kyle was a speaker with the ATOU team. He took his place with the other individuals who have disabilities and spoke to his fellow students. He shared his challenges, his plans, and his dreams. He has become a strong self-advocate. According to his mom, this experience was a definite moment in Kyle’s life. A letter we received from a classmate of Kyle’s said, “Now I talk with Kyle. He is in my Spanish class and I say ‘Hi’ when I see him. Now I know what he has to go through to be at school that day and every day.” We met Kyle as an eight-year old boy, and now we’ve seen him as a young man. He is strong, confident and capable. It has been a privilege to play a small part in his life and we will look forward to hearing news of his new accomplishments. Congratulations, Kyle! Thank you to Allstate Insurance Company who helped sponsor A Touch of Understanding for Crestmont Elementary School in Roseville, CA. If you, your business or service group would like to sponsor one or more classes, please call ATOU. 916-791-4146. Lyon Real Estate and A Touch of Understanding have partnered to provide a new benefit to YOU. Effective immediately, through Lyon’s Community Connections program, buys and sellers in the Greater Sacramento Metropolitan Region will receive: • CASH BACK AT CLOSING based on the purchase and/or sale price of their home. • A FREE APPRAISAL through Vitek mortgage ($450) value. • PRIORITY SERVICE via a corporate consultant. • A complimentary one-year subscription to SACRAMENTO MAGAZINE. Best of all Lyon will donate a generous portion of the profit generated by your transaction to A Touch of Understanding – funds that will help to inspire respect, tolerance and understanding for those with special needs without our community. Buy and sell your next home with the Lyon Community Connections Program – you’ll get money back AND help raise funds for special needs education and awareness. Call 916.978.4211 or email Undertanding@CoLyon.com You must contact Lyon’s Community connections Program by phone or email to receive these exceptional benefits and ensure donations back to A Touch of Understanding! Direct inquiries to Lyon real estate agents will not qualify. Page 3 Our Circle of Volunteers Provides Students with A Touch of Understanding Student Comments “I used to simply see people with disabilities as social outcasts, but now my whole outlook has changed.” High school student “I used to be the kid that made fun of the disabled, but now I will be more tolerant of them, seeing how they live and what they go through.” High school student “I learned not to think about what people who have disabilities can’t do, but what they can.” Elementary student “I learned that some problems you can see and some you can’t.” Elementary student Page 4 “I learned that when you look at someone, don’t see the chair, you should see the person.” Elementary student “I feel that a Touch of Understanding made me a better person and taught me how to support individuals who have disabilities and to admire their accomplishments.” High school student “There is a girl at our school with one hand and she is a cheerleader. Before you people came, I use to laugh at her. But after you guys came and talked, I have a whole new meaning on life. I can start being more sociable with disabled people.” High school student “I know see distinct faces on the handicapped rather than faceless crowds of…faces. I hope this program continues to inspire more minds everyday.” High school student Page 5 A Tribute to Lauris Ennis by Leslie DeDora A Touch of Understanding is part of the loving legacy left by Lauris Ennis, my mother and the loving wife of my dad, Edward Ennis. Her influence has been felt from the important lesson of respect for everyone that she taught me as a child (which I share with the students during presentations) to the ongoing support and behind the scenes work she did for ATOU until just before her passing. Lauris’ life exemplified helping those who could use an extra hand for any reason. Her support for ATOU began well before she herself became disabled. Lauris was disabled the last seven years of her life due to a neck muscle myopathy. She got so much inspiration from the many ATOU speakers who also deal with disabling conditions daily, as they did from her. Lauris, like our volunteers, considered the limitations and pain to be an inconvenience she worked around to the best of her ability, continuing many activities and always sharing time with family and friends. Her attitude and strength were inspirational during her life and continue to be in the hearts and minds of those who knew her. Thank you, Mom! ATOU VOLUNTEERS LEARN FROM ONE ANOTHER Volunteers, Mike Penketh and JDD Doran-Jammer, share a moment of understanding. Mike removed his myoelectric arm to allow JDD, who is blind, to feel his artificial hand and residual limb. This helped JDD understand the challenges Mike faces and the tools he uses to meet those challenges. WE NEED YOUR HELP! A Touch of Understanding exists to break down barriers, and build bridges. We are looking for ideas that we will make available to administrators, teachers, parents, and children, to improve social interactions. If you are disabled or have a loved one who is, we would appreciate your input. Please respond to the following questions using the address on the last page of the newsletter. (Please also let us know if you give permission to use your name.) *Why is a program like A Touch of Understanding important to you? *Do you have suggestions for parents or teachers as to how they might improve the social experience for their disabled children? *What is the best thing someone (teacher, parent, friends, other) ever did to help you or your loved one feel valued and included? *What was the worst situation you or your love done dealt with in regards to the disability? If you have been able to improve the situation, what would you have done? How could it have been handled in a more positive way? *What is the most important message you think a program like A Touch of Understanding should share with the students? Page 6 Volunteer Spotlight Rebecca (Becky) Hensley by Edward Ennis Becky Hensley, in 1998, was a 16 year-old high school student with a health problem. She had fibromyalgia and, during frequent outbreaks of severe pain, found it necessary to use a wheelchair. Some of her fellow students, not understanding the intermittent aspects of the disease, accused her of faking it. Becky spent much of those school years in independent study, to escape the lack of emotional maturity of her peers. In 1998, Becky read a newspaper article about A Touch of Understanding and its mission of combating the ignorance that surrounds disabilities. She was enduring first hand the absence of that understanding in her own classmates. Becky is not the passive victim type, and decided to act, not only on her own behalf, but also on behalf of others. She called Leslie DeDora and became ATOU’s first teen-age volunteer. Since then, Becky has served as a principal speaker and activity instructor at ATOU’s presentations. She has often assisted the Executive Director in administrative tasks, coordinated events by phone and manned our booths at health fairs. She’s done all this, besides taking classes at Sierra College and working, seasonally, at California Canoe and Kayak. Becky has done all these things on good days and bad, despite her health problems. ATOU, and the children we serve, continue to benefit from her warmth and her generous and unyielding spirit. We are in desperate need of a donation of a reliable, late model or new PASSENGER VAN to provide transportation for our volunteers to the presentations! And we need an enclosed TRAILER in excellent conditions to haul the ATOU presentation equipment to the schools. Can you help us??? Please call 916-791-4146 Thanks 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: School Districts/Organizations represented in the past year: Advocacy, Resources & Choices, Roseville Dixon Unified School District Dry Creek Joint Elementary School District Elk Grove Unified School District Esparto Unified School District Eureka Union School District Folsom-Cordova Unified School District Foresthill Union School District Robla Elementary School District Rocklin Unified (Twin Oaks) Roseville City School District Sacramento City Unified School District San Juan Unified School District UC Davis Early Academic outreach Program Yocha-DeHe Preparatory School, Brooks NEW CATEGORY OF DONATIONS We all have much to be thankful for. A Touch of Understanding has added a new category of contributions. In addition to memorial contributions and honoring contributions, we are adding GRATITUDE CONTRIBUTIONS! When you choose to donate to ATOU in honor of someone you would like to thank, three things will happen: • You will receive notification of your tax-deductible donation. • The person you are thanking with your gratitude donation will receive a letter and certificate acknowledging this honor. • This honor will be included in our next newsletter. Please consider this opportunity the next time you would like to say “Thank you!” Page 7 Memorial Donations In memory of Chad Mallo: Christopher and Shannon Quinn In memory of Lauris Ennis: Edward and Joan Benedict Pam Berry Gary and Anne Casagrande John DeDora Barbara and Devina Dubnick Robert Ennis Norma and Charles Fries Chester and Barbara Gnirk Richard and Donna Gundersen June and Reg Jensen Lyn Johnsen Betty Kruppenbacher John and Alva McCann Richard and Olga MacGarva Ron and Sharon Middlekauff Tammy Ranta John and Ruby Rodina Michele and John Skinner Susan Gaire and Erik Stavrand Grace and Erik Stavrand Georgene Waterman In Memory of Robert Johnson: Grace and Erik Stavrand Honoring Donations In Honor of the Marriage of Jane and Joseph Ryan: Carolyn and Steven Cooper The Guardino Family Boyce and lee Luckett Patricia Prince Donors Foundation/Corporate Donors Give Something Back Community Fund Kaiser Permanente Foundation PASCO Scientific Foundation Rumsey Community Fund Sam’s Club, Roseville USAA Foundation, A Charitable Trust Inkind Donations Joyce Beeman, Auburn COSTCO, Roseville Jeanne Culhane, Granite Bay Paul Ennis, Granite Bay Home Again Medical, Inc., Roseville Ralph’s, Granite Bay Raley’s, Granite Bay Roseville Transmission, Roseville Safeway, Roseville Sam’s Club, Roseville Patricia and Dave Sherman, Granite Bay Thomas Cox The entire ATOU Volunteer Team The Crab Feed Volunteers New category! Gratitude Donations In gratitude to Leo Angel, DDS.: for his kindness shown to Lauris Ennis, by Edward Ennis Friends of ATOU Gold Jeffrey Ecklund Soroptimists International of Roseville Silver L J Duncanson Home Again Medical, Inc., Roseville Barbara and Chester Gnirk Duane and Denise Gragg Kelly Grunder D A Holstein Andrew and Gertrude Howe S G Kazer Kiwanis Club of Granite Bay Eugene Lagman The Marasso Family Laura Martinez K A Melzercoveyou Russel and Kimberly Nash Jo Ann Neider Jim and Patty Nelligan The Nolasco Family T L Pool O’Brien Painting, Petaluma Roseville Termite and Pest Control S N Rogers K A Sheets Susan Gaire and Erik Stavrand Krishnan Swaminathan Michael and Deborah Ziegler Bronze American Leak Detection, Millville Laura Beeman James and Karen Bell N D Black John DeDora Arlene and Joe DeBiase Richard Gadberry N Geller Marge Gengler Maureen Graves Dorothy Hurley Dona Kent Tomislav and Jennifer Kuzman Richard and Dianne Penney K A Price Robert and Betty Lou Schultz Ellen Stevens Mary Walton T D Young Leave A Legacy A Touch of Understanding is participating in the Leave A Legacy Program in Placer County. As a 501 ( c ) ( 3 ), non-for-profit corporation, organized under the laws of the State of California, we can be the recipient of your deferred gift and/or a legal receiver in your Estate Plan. We encourage you to consider A Touch of Understanding, Inc. for a remembrance that will help us fulfill its mission. Please call Ed Ennis at (916) 797-7649 for information, with absolutely no obligation. Become a FRIEND OF A TOUCH OF UNDERSTANDING! Thank you to all of you who have become Friends of A Touch of Understanding! If you haven’t yet done so, please consider joining us today! Up to $99: Bronze, $100-$499: Silver, $500-$999: Gold, $1,000 and above: Platinum Any and all contributions are gratefully received and acknowledged. Donors will receive recognition honoring their contribution. A Touch of Understanding Sponsorship Form *Federal I.D. Number 68-0389777 I would like to help a touch of Understanding touch hearts and open minds. Here’s my tax-deductible donation of: $10____ $25____ $50____ $____ (up to $99-Bronze. $____ (up to $499-Silver) $____ up to $999-Gold) $____(over $1000-Platinum) Please make checks payable to: a Touch of Understanding, Inc. A Touch of Understanding, PMB, 4120 Douglas Blvd., #306, Granite Bay, CA 95746 (916) 791-4146 or www.touchofunderstanding.org Name_______________________________ Address_____________________________ ______________________________ Phone #_____________________________ Email_______________________________ I would like to: ___Find out more about volunteer opportunities ___Discuss a sponsorship opportunity ___Receive the newsletter by mail ___Be notified by email when the newsletter is updated on the website ___Be a guest at an ATOU presentation ___Be contacted Page 8