Community Options exists to help people live individually and be active in their community. November 2018 Volume 5 Issue 11

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1 Community Options exists to help people live individually and be active in their community. November 2018 Volume 5 Issue 11 INSIDE THIS ISSUE Thanksgiving Facts Shining Star/DD Thanksgiving Day Thought...4 Epilepsy Awareness Month....5 Success Stories Life with CP/Milestone....7 Fill the Truck Food/Toy Drive..8 Toy Request/Trunk &Treat...9 Wheels for Work 10 Ask HR 11 Offices CLOSED Nov. 22 and 23 Thanksgiving Day Facts Happy Thanksgiving! Taken from Crossway.org, 10 Things You Should Know About Thanksgiving Nov. 18, 2017 written by Nathan A. Finn George Washington was the first American president to call for an official Thanksgiving holiday. Congress called for several days of thanksgiving during the Revolutionary era and the years shortly thereafter. Often, these days also emphasized the need for prayer and humiliation (repentance). In 1789, George Washington proclaimed November 26 to be the first official Thanksgiving holiday. Abraham Lincoln made Thanksgiving an ongoing federal holiday was arguably the most important year of the Civil War. The Emancipation Proclamation was issued on the first day of that year and the battles of Gettysburg and Vicksburg were fought that summer. President Lincoln called for a Thanksgiving holiday to be celebrated on the last Thursday in November, harkening back to Washington s first Thanksgiving holiday at the same time of year. It has been celebrated annually ever since.

2 The Pilgrims celebrated the first Thanksgiving in America- sort of. Thanksgiving calls back to an Autumn harvest feast celebrated by the Pilgrims who colonized Plymouth Plantation (now part of Massachusetts) and the local Wampanoag tribe in The Wampanoag had helped the Pilgrims to survive by sharing food with them during the latter s first winter in New England. Squanto, a Patuxet man who lived with the Wampanoag, was as an advocate for the Pilgrims and served as an intermediary between them and the Wampanoag. It s possible that Squanto was a convert to Christianity and that his faith was partly responsible for his kind disposition to the Pilgrims, even though he had previously been kidnapped and briefly enslaved by other English explorers. How Americans have thought about that first Thanksgiving has changed over time. As Robert Tracy McKenzie shows in his book The First Thanksgiving, the meaning of Thanksgiving has evolved over time. First of all, Americans mostly forgot about the Pilgrim-Wampanoag meal for over 200 years. From the mid-1800s on, Americans looked back to the first Thanksgiving as a defining moment in early American history. By the early twentieth century, the Pilgrims were considered America s founders and all sorts of elaborate pageants and traditions emerged to commemorate their first Thanksgiving. The Pilgrims themselves became the most important icon for the real meaning of Thanksgiving, even as that meaning developed over time. The President pardons a turkey every year at Thanksgiving. There are many stories of Presidents pardoning turkeys in honor of Thanksgiving, dating at least to the Truman Administration. However, Ronald Reagan offered the first official pardon in In 1989, President George H.W. Bush made the turkey pardoning an annual tradition. Most years, the pardoned turkey is donated to a petting zoo or farm. Americans eat a lot of turkey at Thanksgiving. According to the website Turkey Facts as much as 88% of Americans eat turkey at Thanksgiving. Around 46 million turkeys are eaten at Thanksgiving, which is about twice as much turkey as is eaten at Christmas. Over 730 million pounds of turkey are consumed annually and around 250 million turkeys are raised in the USA in any given year. Americans also love football at Thanksgiving. Football games have been played at Thanksgiving since the late-1800s. The Detroit Lions have hosted a Thanksgiving Day game almost every year since 1934, with the exception of World War II. The Dallas Cowboys have hosted a game nearly every year since Numerous college football teams play on or immediately after Thanksgiving, and the long weekend is especially identified with rivalry games. Informally, many communities host Turkey Bowls where amateurs from schools, churches, or civic groups compete in a football game, often to raise money for charitable causes. Numerous nations celebrate a Thanksgiving holiday. Many Americans consider Thanksgiving to be the quintessentially American holiday. It marks the beginning of our holiday season, a period that lasts into Christmas and through New Year s Day. But many nations celebrate a Thanksgiving holiday, including Canada, Germany, and Japan. The Canadian Thanksgiving is influenced in many ways by the American version of the holiday.

3 SHINING STARS Janet Walcott - Bismarck Day Hab Janet has recently had her 1:1 customer move away and has been willing and has shown flexibility in getting trained on other customers. Janet is willing to be a team player and takes the time to work with the customers to help them meet their goals. Recently Janet has assisted helping a non-verbal customer who has very limited signing skills learn sign language. She has demonstrated commitment, patience and dedication to ensuring this customer can understand her and is learning the signs that help with her communication. Now, with Janet s help, she is communicating and being understood. Gratitude turns what we have into enough. Anonymous DD Certifications Kitty Franchuk, DSP- Res Hab, Bismarck Stacy Munga, DSP Dickinson

5 Epilepsy by the Numbers November is Epilepsy Awareness Month FACTS & STATS 3.4 million people and their families are affected by epilepsy in the United States. 1 in 26 people will be diagnosed with epilepsy during their lifetime. 1 in 10 people will have a seizure during their lifetime. 30 percent of people with epilepsy do not gain full control of their seizures and continue to struggle day-to-day with the threat of imminent seizures Epilepsy is a disorder of the brain with different causes, such as head trauma, genetics, inflammation, infection, brain malformation, stroke, birth injury and more. Epilepsy is a Neurological Disorder Epilepsy is a disorder of the brain with different causes, such as head trauma, genetics, inflammation, infection, brain malformation, stroke, birth injury and more. Epilepsy is the underlying tendency of the brain to produce sudden abnormal bursts of electrical energy that disrupt other brain functions and cause seizures. Seizures come from the brain and are symptoms of epilepsy. Any brain can have a seizure. There are different types of seizures. Some are convulsive seizures and some are non-convulsive and can be as brief as a staring spell or a myoclonic jerk. Many people can find seizure control with medication(s), dietary therapies, surgical treatments, lifestyle changes and/or implanted devices or a combination of these. Epilepsy Foundation Impact by the Numbers 508,534 school, community and first responder personnel trained in epilepsy recognition and seizure first aid since 2011 under CDC-funded programs. 108,522 people have been assisted through the 24/7 Helpline since 2014 when it started. 50 local chapters and affiliates make up the broad Epilepsy Foundation s nationwide network. 12+ million people around the word are helped annually on Epilepsy.com.

6 Success Stories Driving Through the Crossroads By Abigale Williams I GOT MY DRIVING PERMIT! As soon as I turned 16, I was eager to get my driving permit. I achieved my success by studying every day and praying to God to help me accomplish this goal. I also tried to stay clam while taking my written exam. I passed my written exam after much encouragement from Sarah at Community Options. Sarah encouraged me to get my permit, no matter how many times it took me, she continued to tell me to stay calm and read the questions carefully. Sarah always told me I could do it, so I think her words of encouragement kept me trying for my goal! I am now only a couple of steps away from getting my driving license, so I can help my family get to and from work and school and also help me and my daughter get where we need to be without assistance from friends or taxi. Community Options offices will be closed on Nov. 22nd and 23rd to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday. Happy Thanksgiving Everyone! We re grateful for YOU!

7 vice 15 Life with Cerebral Palsy By: Seth Christianson Ever Since I was a kid, my favorite holiday has been Halloween. I ll admit when I was a kid I LOVED Halloween for the candy, however now I LOVE Halloween because of the eeriness and because you can dress up in costumes. As someone who has a HUGE imagination I m all for dressing up. However, when you re in a wheelchair because you have cerebral palsy Halloween can be WAY COOLER since the wheelchair can be a part of the costume. For example in 1st grade I was Baloo from Tail Spin and my mom turned my wheelchair into his airplane, The Sea Duck. Another Halloween that my wheelchair was part of my costume was back in either 2002 or 2003 when I was Spongebob Squarepants and my wheelchair became part of my square frame. Both times my wheelchair was a part of my costume it made my Halloween EVEN COOLER because I felt normal instead of feeling like I was Baloo and Spongebob in a wheelchair. This has been Seth Christianson reporting on life with Cerebral Palsy. Bye guys! MILESTONE ANNIVERSARIES Carol R., FSM, Bismarck 15 years Danielle C., SDC, Bismarck 10 years Cynthia G., DSP, Bismarck 10 years Samantha G., OS, Grand Forks 5 years Judith T., DSP, Dickinson 5 years Brenda H., DSP, Bismarck 5 years Melissa H., MT-RN, Devils Lake 3 years Gail B., DSP, Dickinson 3 years Margo M., DSP, Bismarck 3 years John G., DSP, Bismarck 3 years

8 Fill the Truck Annual Food and Toy Drive For the 4 th year in a row, Cedric Theel Toyota in Bismarck is collecting food, diapers and household goods for the Love Your Neighbor Food Pantry throughout the month of November and will also be collecting new toys in December for the annual Community Options Holiday gift giveaway event. Something to Consider.. When donating food for any food pantry, don t just grab the weird, random items from the back of your cupboard that you never use. If an item is something you don t use/eat, needy individuals don t use it either! Food pantries need quality, nutritious foods from which complete meals can be made. Think about donating food items which contain protein such as canned meats and beans, complete meal products, soups/stews, whole grain products and nut butters and always donate canned fruits and vegetables! When you find a good deal or have a coupon for quality food items, pick up extras to donate to a food pantry. As the holidays are approaching and you are thinking about giving gifts to family and friends, think about giving a donation of food or money to a non-profit organization in the name of the person you are honoring. As we express our gratitude, we must never forget, that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them. ~John F. Kennedy

9 Now until December 17th Donate new or gently used unwrapped toys to bring a smile to a special child this season! Newborn - board books, bath toys, teething items, etc. Toddler to 12 yr. old - stuffed toys, action figures, puzzles, board games, etc. 13 yr. old+ - hair supplies, nail polish, make-up, cologne, hoodies, used video games, movies, etc. *New and gently used clothing will also be accepted. Drop off your donations at: Community Options, 4909 Shelburne St. Bismarck Cedric Theel Toyota, 3955 Trenton Dr, Bismarck For more information contact : Trunk or Treat On October 27th, Community Options Employment staff participated along with 31 other vendors in the Family Voices -Trunk or Treat held at the Gateway Mall parking lot. It was most definitely a land of candy!

10 BISMARCK Wheels for Work Update: The Wheels for Work program has successfully matched 8 families with donated vehicles and financially assisted in over 30 repairs so far in Unfortunately, the number of donated vehicles has been down, but there are still a couple months before the end of the year! For the entire month of November, Dvorak Motors in Bismarck is promoting the Wheels for Work program and sponsoring the Pay it Forward event at their business. This is one of the biggest promotional events for Wheels for Work and usually results in donated vehicles. If you would like more information about how to donate, please contact Sarah Carlson, Executive Director at CCO. She can be reached at sarahcarlson.cco@gmail.com.

11 JUST ASK HR November 2018 Is FMLA only for full-time staff? No. FMLA is available to either full-time or part-time staff if they meet the FMLA eligibility requirements. Individuals requesting FMLA must be employed with the company for at least 1 year and have worked at least 1,250 hours in the previous 12 months. Remember FMLA only applies to certain types of leave. If you are unsure whether you meet the eligibility requirements or if your leave qualifies for FMLA, contact the Human Resources Department. I am planning on taking some time off from work. How do I know if I need to complete leave of absence paperwork? If you are missing 4 days or more of work due to a medical reason, you will need to fill out medical leave paperwork. Depending on your situation, this can either be FMLA, or non-fmla leave. If your time away from work is not for medical reasons, you may need to fill out paperwork for your personal leave. If your time away is for a vacation and covered by PLT for the entire time away, that is not a leave of absence. A leave of absence must only be declared if the leave time is unpaid in that case. Here is a good rule of thumb to follow regarding leave of absences: if you will not have a weekly timesheet to turn in, the appropriate leave paperwork will probably need to be completed unless it is a vacation covered by PLT. To determine what type of leave you qualify for, contact the Human Resources Department. If I request a leave of absence, do I have to use my PLT? Yes. Anytime you take personal time off from work for a leave of absence, and you have PLT, you must use it to cover the hours that you miss from work. What if I am a student that comes back for Holidays? You should fill out Non-FMLA leave paperwork if you are going to school for an extended period of time. If you fill in shifts during holidays and school vacations, you could change your status to PRN status while at school, but you must work at least one shift every 2 months. Discuss with the Human Resources Department for further clarification. If you have a question you would like to ask HR, please submit it to BradW@coresinc.org.

Community Options exists to help people live individually and be active in their community. December 2017 Volume 4 Issue 12

Community Options exists to help people live individually and be active in their community. December 2017 Volume 4 Issue 12 Merry Christmas & Happy New Year! INSIDE THIS ISSUE What does Christmas mean