Community Recreation for Young Athletes

Looking for a fun way to get young athletes with disabilities involved in physical recreation? TOPSoccer is a community-based program for athletes with disabilities; both physical and cognitive. The program is designed to bring the opportunity of learning, playing, and falling in love with soccer to any player (age 8 and older) who has a disability. The goal is to enable the thousands of young athletes with disabilities to become successful members of US Youth Soccer, Indiana Soccer, and Cutters Soccer Club families.

On Monday, October 10th from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m., a TOPSoccer event will take place at Karst Farm Park in Bloomington on Field 2. Directions to the park and a map can be found at: http://www.karstfarmpark.com/.

TOPSOCCER ATHLETES -  any players (age 8 and older), which have a mental or physical disability. Print out and complete Registration Packet (online at the Indiana Soccer website  http://www.soccerindiana.org/programs/topsoccer.aspx). Be sure to wear soccer equipment - cleats (or tennis shoes), shin guards, water bottle, and a WHITE shirt.

TOPSOCCER BUDDIES - volunteers age 12 and older, will help the athletes to understand concepts, activities, and encourage them through the session. To register email or call Joshua Budd at 812-630-5528 or joshua.budd@yahoo.com. Buddies should wear soccer clothes, cleats, and a RED shirt (preferably Cutters if you have one).

Questions? Contact Joshua Budd at 812-630-5528 or joshua.budd@yahoo.com

Ralph Braun Foundation

Need some help purchasing a mobility product? Now through the end of November, applications are being accepted by the Ralph Braun Foundation to help cover the cost of purchasing an accessible vehicle.

Applicants must have already been through evaluation and have targeted the appropriate mobility product to best meet their needs. When pricing has been established and the individual is able to produce most of the purchase amount but still remains short of the total amount necessary for the purchase, the Foundation will entertain proposals written by an applicant in conjunction with his/her mobility dealer for up to $5000. The mobility dealer must be a member in good standing of the National Mobility Equipment Dealers Association.

For more information, visit: http://ralphbraunfoundation.org/

Public Invited to Awards Ceremony and Workshop

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
October 3, 2011

For more information, please contact:
Craig Brenner, Special Projects Coordinator, Community and Family Resources, City of Bloomington, 812.349.3471, brennerc@bloomington.in.gov
Jared Schlemmer, Communications Director, City of Bloomington, 812.349.3406, schlemmj@bloomington.in.gov


City Council for Community Accessibility Invites Public Invited to Awards Ceremony and Workshop

Bloomington, IN -- Mayor Mark Kruzan and the City of Bloomington Council for Community Accessibility (CCA) is sponsoring an awards ceremony on Wednesday, Nov. 2, 2011, from 7 to 9 p.m. at St. Mark's United Methodist Church, 100 N. State Road 46 Bypass. The ceremony, which is open to the public, recognizes individuals and groups in Bloomington who make our community a better place for people with disabilities.

The program includes light desserts, live music, and keynote and annual awards presentations. Sally Conway, director of Americans with Disabilities Act Technical Assistance with the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice, will give the keynote address. The awards ceremony will begin at 8 p.m. and will include the Mayor's Award presented by Kruzan and sponsored by Ivy Tech Community College.

Those planning to attend or needing accessibility accommodations should RSVP to Craig Brenner by Friday, Oct. 28 by calling 812-349-3471 or e-mailing brennerc@bloomington.in.gov.

In addition to the awards ceremony, the CCA is sponsoring a free workshop on Thursday, Nov. 3 from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at St. Mark's United Methodist Church. Conway will give a talk entitled, "The ADA: How the New Accessibility Regulations Affect You!" and she will highlight recent and upcoming changes in ADA regulations regarding governmental organizations and public accommodations. People who have disabilities or who advocate for those with disabilities, people who work for governmental organizations, and business owners and employees should all be familiar with the new regulations.

Workshop participants will learn about the new definition of service animal, new requirements for accessible seating and ticketing, new definitions of wheelchairs and powered mobility devices, and how the ADA applies to new communications technologies. Barbara McKinney, director of the City of Bloomington Human Rights Commission, will talk about local accessibility issues. The workshop will include a continental breakfast.

Major underwriters for the ceremony and workshop include Ivy Tech Community College and Cook, Inc. Sponsors include Indiana Institute on Disability and Community, IU Health, Options, Southern Indiana Center for Independent Living and Stone Belt Arc, Inc, and the IU Credit Union.

For more information and to RSVP or to request accessibility accommodations, contact Craig Brenner, Special Projects Coordinator, Community and Family Resources, at 812.349.3471 or brennerc@bloomington.in.gov.

Look2Learn

Looking for an app to help with communication? Try Look2Learn. This app uses pictures to express wants and needs. With features such as the ability to adjust picture sizes and a vocal output that is not the typical robotic speech, this app assists individuals with fine motor and /or visual impairments in addition to those with a speech and language disorder.

Want to know more? Visit: http://itunes.apple.com/app/look2learn-aac/id319600029?mt=8