Friday, April 30, 2010

Fun Fair & Stick Rodeo!!



Remember to wear your runners or your rubber boots!!!

Autism Awareness Event Saturday

posted on Pembina Valley Online April 30 2010

A family living with autism can have many struggles.

The South Central Autism Spectrum Disorder family support group and Keen Ridge Equine centre are helping these families.

They are joining for an autism awareness fun fair tomorrow.

The Keen Ridge Centre has an indoor riding arena in which they hold an equine assisted learning program.

Co-owner Brenda Seward says the day will be filled with games for kids where kids will take home a prize, and they will hold a silent auction.

The event takes place in the riding arena, so rain or shine it will take place.

Seward says the event takes place at Keen Ridge Equine Centre which is three miles south of Darlingford.

Entry fees are $25 per family, or $5 per person.

All money raised will go to the South Central A.S.D. family support group.

This is the first year the two organizations have attempted this event, and Seward says she hopes it is a success so they continue the tradition for years to come.

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Week-long series takes an in-depth look at autism


Beginning Monday, April 26, CTV's Canada AM launches a week-long special series on autism.

Each day, Canada AM will examine different issues, treatments, perspectives and resources for Canadian families. Canada AM airs Monday – Friday beginning at 6 a.m. ET on CTV.

(if you click on the title, it will take you to the Canada AM site to watch the video clip aired that day)

Monday, April 26 – The Value of Early Diagnosis

Today Canada AM introduces Canadians to a family who believes that an early diagnosis changed the course of their son's autism. Beverly Thomson and Seamus O'Regan sit down with top experts for tips on how early to have your child assessed, signs to watch out for and why early diagnosis is crucial in an autistic child's long-term progress.

Tuesday, April 27 – Therapy

Today Canada AM focuses on a Montreal father who began communicating with his non-verbal son, through drawings. He has now broadened out his ‘discovery,' teaching his method to other autistic children and their families. In studio, Thomson and O'Regan speak with a behavioural therapist to talk about mainstream autism therapy, and a renowned autism researcher, who will cover alternative treatments and therapy, to focus on what works and why for children who are part of the autism spectrum.

Wednesday, April 28 - Day in the Life

Today Canada AM follows a family with an autistic daughter, from morning until night for a first-hand look at the challenges and the small daily triumphs each day brings, for a family living with autism. Thomson and O'Regan host a panel of parents from across the country – each with a different perspective on how an autism diagnosis changed their lives and how they cope with the challenges of raising autistic children.
(the mom's point of view)

Thursday, April 29 – Adults with Autism

Today Canada AM looks at the issue of adults living with autism, profiling a 30- year-old man, his boss and his co-worker. In studio, Canada AM will interview his parents and an expert on adults living with autism, to discuss the lack of support and resources for families and why so many Autistic adults seem to fall through the cracks when they leave high school. We will also cover the emerging trend of adult-diagnosis of Asperger's.

Friday, April 30 – Canada a Leader in Autism Research

Today Canada AM profiles Dr. Stephen Scherer, currently a world leader in autism research, relating to genetics. Thomson and O'Regan sit down with Scherer and his colleague Dr. Peter Szatmari, to talk about their pioneering research, which could lead to a diagnostic test for Autism. They will also announce the results of what they say is a major discovery regarding Autism and genetics, based on their latest research.

In addition, CanadaAM.ctv.ca will provide additional resources for parents/families including links to support groups, different types of therapy available in Canada, a province by province breakdown of funding, and an interactive element where Canadian families can send in photos of their families and share their stories about living with autism.

Monday, April 26, 2010

Rodeo & Bowling Sponsors!

You need to check out the amazing list of sponsors we have for the bowling family fun night and the Fun Fair and Stick Rodeo. If you go to our website some of the logos are links to the sponsors web pages, so you can check them out as well! Please, check it out, it is so worth it! and, the list is growing, so keep looking!!!!

Thank you to all the sponsors, your generosity is truly appreciated!

Sunday, April 25, 2010

Rodeo in support of South Central ASD

Grab the bull by the horns, pack up the kids and head off to Keen Ridge Equine Center on Saturday, May 1 from 1 to 4 p.m. A Fun Fair and Stick Horse Rodeo is scheduled to take place at their arena in support of South Central ASD Family Support Group.

Many fundraisers are going on, but this one will be especially exciting since it includes a desire to help others in need, the love of children and of animals, and the element of fun. You and your family can enjoy an afternoon of fun with events like Stick Horse Rodeo, Games, and Farmer’s Fix. Everyone takes home a prize.

Dress up for the event or choose a costume available at the Dress-Up Center on site. Photos of the memorable moment will be available for you. Grab a snack from the concession and you’re on your way.

Stick Horse Rodeo events include barrel racing for 10 and over, musical sack races and regular sack races. Egg and spoon races and toilet paper races will keep you in stitches. And then there’s Jack Benny. What is Jack Benny, you ask?...that’s our secret.

If rodeo is not your specialty, the games will definitely grab your interest. They will include Eggs in the Haystack, Farm Yard Dunkin’, Chore Time, Wild Cow Milking, Cow Patty Toss and Farm Fix includes Tie That Dogie, Rope that Dogie and Ride Blueberry. Featured as well will be a craft table, face painting and a petting zoo.
Keen Ridge Center is a great choice for an event such as this. It has been proven that animals are very therapeutic with special needs children. Here horses do the teaching, with Brenda Seward and Terry Keen acting as certified, equine-assisted specialists and talented facilitators. Using the ‘Building Block’ program, they maximize the progressive learning potential and focus on developing individual skills for each child.

All funds raised at the rodeo will go to the South Central ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) Family Support Group. The group’s area is large: from the Canada-USA border at the south to as far north as Treherne, and west from Crystal City as far east as Morris and St. Jean. To learn about this disorder visit their blog at southcentralasd.blogspot.com. E-mail them at southcentralasd@yahoo.ca for more information or to provide support. If you are a newly diagnosed family, attend one of their meetings at Boundary Trails Health Centre on the first Tuesday of every month.

Keen Ridge Equine Center is asking your help. Dress-up clothes are needed for this event. If you can provide these items, wish to donate time to this event, or provide support by way of cash donation, call Brenda Seward at 242-2101 or Dianne Munroe at 822-4587.

Keen Ridge Center is located 3 miles south of Darlingford on Highway 31 and 2 ½ miles west on Mile 10. Watch for directional signs to get you to a centre of fun for the entire family.

Saturday, April 24, 2010

Group marks autism awareness month

as seen in the April 23 2010 Winkler Times and on the Winkler Times website!


A recently formed organization is helping to support families impacted by Autism Spectrum Disorder.

The South Central ASD family support group involves people from all over south central Manitoba and meets the first Tuesday of each month at the Boundary Trails Health Centre.

The month of April is autism awareness month, and the group is planning a couple of events in conjunction with April 24 to 30 as autism awareness week.

The first is a family fun night with bowling at Valley Bowling lanes tomorrow. That will be followed by a fun fair and stick rodeo in conjunction with the Keen Ridge Equine Center May 1.

Everyone is welcome with all proceeds going to the South Central ASD family support group.

For more information, contact Celeste at 331-3357, Michelle at 822-5908 or Dianne at 822-4587 or e-mail southcentralasd@yahoo.ca. You can also go to their website at southcentralasd.intuitwebsites.com.

Their goal is to support, improve and enhance the lives of ASD children and their families in the Pembina Valley through information sharing, education, awareness and proactively supporting each other.

Autism is a developmental disability that affects a person's verbal and non-verbal communication, understanding of language, and socialization with peers. Other characteristics include: engagement in repetitive activities, resistance to environmental change and unusual responses to sensory experiences.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is an increasingly popular term that refers to a broad definition of autism including the classic form of the disorder as well as closely related disabilities that share many of the core characteristics.

Article ID# 2546148

Thursday, April 22, 2010

Autism Portage Support Group

The upcoming Autism Portage support meeting will be held on Monday, April 26th, 7pm.

We are thrilled to have the opportunity to tour the Sensory Room at Portage Collegiate Institute. Albert Krynski, Lifeskills teacher, will give us an overview of the program, then introduce us to the Sensory Room. This room has been a tremendous asset to students in the Portage la Prairie School Division. Many students, including those with autism spectrum disorders, have found benefits from the features in this room, which includes fibre-optics, bubble columns and much more.

We will meet in Room 72 in the Prince Charles Building, Saskatchewan Avenue at 3rd Street SW. A link to a map of the EPCS building can be found on the Autism Portage website.

This tour and presentation will be of benefit to parents, educators and professionals working with children with sensory issues, not limited to autism spectrum disorders. Please feel free to invite anyone who may be interested in this tour to attend.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Group aims to raise awareness, support for autism

as seen in the April 23 2010 Morden Times and on the Morden Times website!

Posted By Lorne Stelmach


A non-profit group recently formed in the region to support families impacted by Autism Spectrum Disorder.

The South Central ASD family support group involves people from all over south central Manitoba and meets the first Tuesday of each month at the Boundary Trails Health Centre.

The month of April is autism awareness month, and the group is planning a couple of events in conjunction with April 24 to 30 as autism awareness week.

The first is a family fun night with bowling at the Winkler bowling lanes this Saturday (April 24) then a fun fair and stick rodeo in conjunction with the Keen Ridge Equine Center May 1.

Everyone is welcome with all proceeds going to the South Central ASD family support group.

For more information, contact Celeste at 331-3357, Michelle at 822-5908 or Dianne at 822-4587 or e-mail southcentralasd@yahoo.ca. You can also go to their website at southcentralasd.intuitwebsites.com/

Their goal is to support, improve and enhance the lives of ASD children and their families in the Pembina Valley through information sharing, education, awareness and proactively supporting each other.

Autism is a developmental disability that affects a person's verbal and non-verbal communication, understanding of language, and socialization with peers. Other characteristics include: engagement in repetitive activities, resistance to environmental change and unusual responses to sensory experiences.

The range of severity can be from extremely mild to severe.

Autism is a behavioral disorder, not an illness or disease. It typically appears by age three and is a lifelong condition. There is no known cure, although there are documented cases of symptoms being reduced and even some children losing their diagnosis alltogether.

Although autism affects the functions of the brain, the specific cause is not known.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is an increasingly popular term that refers to a broad definition of autism including the classic form of the disorder as well as closely related disabilities that share many of the core characteristics.

Although the classic form of autism can be readily distinguished from other forms of ASD, the terms autism and ASD are often used interchangeably.

Article ID# 2545984




Thank you to the Morden Town Council & Mayor for signing a proclamation declaring April 24th to 30th as Autism Awareness Week!

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

May 4th 2010

Mark your calendars, as Anne Kresta from Community Living Manitoba is coming to guest speak for our local group on May 4 2010.

Monday, April 19, 2010

Don't forget about our bowling night!



Please let us know if you can make it, as we have little bags for all the kids and I rather have too much than not enough!!

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

telehealth April 14 2010

Cancelled

The next ASM/MB Telehealth session will be held on Wednesday, May 12th. This session will feature the "Panel of Experts, Vol. 2" - the parents of the young participants of the March session will share their experiences and answer questions.

Monday, April 5, 2010

April 6th 2010



**We will be in the board room



and:

a message from our minister of health:

World Autism Awareness Day
April 2, 2010

As Minister of Health, I am pleased that Canada is joining other countries in recognizing April 2nd as World Autism Awareness Day. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Autism Society of Canada and all autism organizations across the country for their tireless work in creating awareness about Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and providing support to those affected by this condition.

ASD affects people from all walks of life, as well as their families, friends and caregivers. Roughly one out of every 150 Canadian children is affected by ASD. While there has been progress in research, care and education, we need to learn more about the causes of ASD and the most effective treatments and interventions.

The Government of Canada recognizes that autism is an important health and social issue which presents challenges for many Canadian families. We are committed to supporting research and raising awareness. The Canadian Institutes of Health Research has provided approximately $35.3 million for research related to autism since 2000.

I would like to express my sincere appreciation to every autism organization in Canada for their continued dedication to improving the lives of Canadians living with ASD.

Leona Aglukkaq
Minister of Health
Government of Canada

Autism Awareness Conference in Winnipeg

September 23 & 24, 2010 Winnipeg, MB

Learn practical skills that can be immediately implemented into existing curriculum and training programs, at home or in school!
Delta Winnipeg Hotel
350 St. Mary Ave, Winnipeg, MB
Deadline for Early Bird Registrations September 13, 2010


Who Should Attend?
•Educators
•Parents
•Speech/Language Pathologists
•Consultants
•Occupational Therapists
•Others who live or work with children who have Autism Spectrum Disorder or other Developmental Disabilities. Learn practical skills that can be immediately implemented into existing curriculum and training programs, at home or in school!

Conference Description:

Thursday, September 23
Catherine Faherty


A Practical Approach to Improve Communication Between Individuals with ASD or Asperger’s and their Neurotypical Communication Partners: Contract for Communication

Target Audience: Family members and professionals working or living with verbal individuals with ASD of all ages; and verbal adults with high functioning ASD or Asperger’s. This day is for those who desire mutual understanding, and are willing to learn to use new strategies to achieve that goal.

Catherine asks us to think of ourselves as “communication partners.” Each of us have people with whom we communicate, and we have unspoken assumptions about how, why, and when we communicate. She promotes a subtle but essential fact that the autistic style of communicating is different from –not inferior nor superior to the widespread, more familiar communication style that most family members, friends, teachers, therapists, co-workers, and other neurotypical (NT) communicators expect. Catherine proposes that both members of the relationship – the one with ASD, and his or her NT communication partner – make new agreements about HOW each person will communicate. These new agreements require knowledge about what is different about each communication style, and modification in each person’s natural way of communicating. She proposes the Contract for Communication as a way to help make this happen.

After today’s presentation, the neurotypical participants (family members, teachers, etc.) will be able to:

1.Become aware of their unspoken expectations about communication.
2.Be a better listener and clearer communicator with their family member/student/client with ASD.
3.Use visual methods of providing information for their family member/student/client with ASD.
4.Create and use specific and practical methods to help their child, student, spouse, or client with ASD express themselves effectively and authentically, including using Communication Forms.
5.List five “new agreements” that could improve their communication with their students, family member, client, co-worker, etc. with ASD.

After today’s presentation, the adult participants with ASD will be able to:

1.Choose, from a list of options, a preferred method of communicating, in any given situation.
2.Be introduced to, and/or become more familiar with, and/or skilled at self-advocacy.
3.Be introduced to, and/or become more familiar with the experience and expression of gratitude.
4.Have greater understanding/rationale for authentic self-expression.
5.List five “new agreements” that could improve their communication with their neurotypical family members, teachers, friends, therapists, co-workers, etc.
Catherine Faherty works with children and adults on the autism spectrum through the well-renowned TEACCH program in North Carolina. She is also a parent consultant and child therapist, consults to school programs, trains teachers and other professionals locally, nationally, and internationally, and runs social groups for children and adults with autism. She has written manuals used in TEACCH trainings, developed training models, and is the author of these 3 books - Understanding Death and Illness and What They Teach Us About Life, Asperger's...What Does It Mean to Me? and Contract for Communication, (to be published in the spring of 2010 by Future Horizons).

Friday, September 24
John Clements


Thoughts, Feelings and Behaviour: Empathy and Analysis in Working Through the Behavioural and Emotional Difficulties of Children with ASD

The course will argue for identifying our concerns in terms of thoughts, feelings and behavior rather than just behavior on its own. From this starting point the contributors to these challenges will be identified – those to do with autism, those to do with the environment and those to do with the interaction between the two. There will be consideration of three important but often obscured drivers of behavior:

1.Lack of social engagement
2.Lack of personal well being
3.Person-Environment fit
Approaches to assessment will be considered and an assessment aide provided.

From this base approaches to intervention will be examined. These will be considered first in terms of some of the common flashpoints such as requests and denials. Practical interventions for these situations will be presented and their use illustrated by case studies. The intervention implication of the ‘obscured drivers’ will then be detailed.

It is intended that as a result of the day’s work participants will:

1.Gain greater understanding of the drivers behind the behavioral difficulties that give rise to concern, particularly a wide range of antecedent conditions
2.Have an enhanced ability to assess these difficulties
3.Take away specific intervention ideas for the people with ASD that they support, in whatever capacity

John Clements is a British Clinical Psychologist, specializing for over 35 years in the field of developmental disabilities in general and autism in particular. After holding senior posts in the UK health and university systems, he established with Ewa Zarkowska the UK’s first independent psychological consultancy dedicated to people with developmental disabilities. In 1996 John emigrated to the USA and worked for the next 10 years as a behavior consultant in the great state of California, returning to the UK in 2006. John is the author of 7 books, (one entitled Assessing Behaviours Regarded as Problematic for People with Developmental Disabilities) and over 100 other publications. He retains a persistent delusion that he is a member of the Rolling Stones (not really!!)

Contact Autism Awareness Centre Inc. for more information on the Autism Awareness Centre, to register for upcoming conferences or to receive our Quarterly Newsletter, please contact us at:

Ph: 780-474-8355 or Toll Free: 1-866-724-2224
Email: vharris@shaw.ca

For Books and Resources or To Display a Product or Service at an AACI Event, please contact:

Maureen Bennie:
Phone: 403-640-2710
maureen.aaci@shaw.ca

For more information, registration fees, schedules or to sign up for the conference, please go to the Autism Awareness Centre site.