Donna Gets An Early Birthday Present

This post came to us during a visit and conversation with some of the residents at the Bob and Judy Charles SmartHome. Donna’s birthday isn’t until next Monday, the 24th, but her husband Gerald couldn't wait and gave her an early birthday present, this lovely bracelet Donna is showing off.

Teens With Disabilities Using Social Media To Connect

There was an interesting article recently in the Huffington Post about how teenagers with disabilities are using social media to meet friends, flirt, and find dates. We think this is a great example of how technology is breaking down barriers for individuals with disabilities, just like we are trying to do with our SmartHomes.

Check out the story here.

SmartHome Residents To Display Talents At Art Show and Performance This Friday

Imagine! clients in CORE/Labor Source art, music, dance, and creative writing classes, including SmartHome residents, have an art show and performance this Friday, June 21, at The Dairy Center for the Arts at 2590 Walnut Street in Boulder. The art opening and reception begin at 5:30 pm, and the performance begins at 7:00 pm. Admission is free.

Pictured below are Gerald and Donna rocking out at last year’s performance.

Rebecca Loves Science Class

One of the classes Imagine!’s CORE/Labor Source department offers to Imagine! clients is a Science Discovery class. One of the projects in the class is a liquid lab. Some of the liquid lab experiments the class has performed are mixing: oil and water; oil and vinegar; oil, vinegar, and baking soda; and oil and a bubble solution. In the photo, Hannah, the instructor for the class, is assisting SmartHome resident Rebecca in creating a liquid lab.

Anthony Likes His Job At Amcon

This post came to us during a face to face conversation with Anthony, who lives at the Charles Family SmartHome in Longmont. He takes great pride in being gainfully employed, and told us about his job at Amcon in Longmont. Anthony is a member of a work crew through Imagine!’s CORE/Labor Source supported employment program.

Here is what Anthony shared with us. “I work at Amcon every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. We are making car seat covers. We put a cloth cover over yellow and black foam so the seat is more comfortable.”

Anthony's reliability and positive attitude has made him a valued employee with CORE/Labor Source for many years. Anthony is always ready to “be on the clock” if help is needed. Even with his remarkable work ethic, he keeps things in perspective and makes sure that helping out his family is the most important thing is his life.

Guess Who’s Touring The SmartHomes?

Excited to learn today that organizers of the 13th Annual New Partners for Smart Growth: Building Safe, Healthy, Equitable and Prosperous Communities Conference are proposing that attendees be able to tour Imagine!’s SmartHome as part of their conference experience. We’ll keep you posted!

John's Softball Game Photos

This blog post is a photo album taken at John’s softball game last Tuesday evening. John is in a Unified Softball League through the City of Boulder's Parks and Recreation EXPAND program in which teams are comprised of people with and without developmental disabilities.

John is a resident at Imagine!'s Bob and Judy Charles SmartHome and had invited the photographer to the game in an audio email last week. Residents at that SmartHome have access to an email program that allows people with limited writing and/or typing skills to send audio emails to their friends and family.

John getting a hit.

John throws the ball to his coach Jill, who works for Imagine!'s
Innovations department and is a volunteer for the
EXPAND program's Unified Softball League.

John plays first base while opposing player Lou Ella, who works
in Imagine!'s Innovations department and is a volunteer for the
EXPAND program's Unified Softball League, stands on third base.

John uses perfect form getting his glove down to field this ball.
John's coach Jill, behind him, had just been instructing John to put his
glove all the way to the ground on ground balls and John
shows he knows how to play shortstop.

John and his coach Jill are pots of gold at the end of the rainbow.