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B2 THE OAKVILLE BEAVER Wednesday, February 2,2000 E X P E R IE N C E C n g ia n t London, Oxford, Herstmonceux Castle E a r n a « e d it ! Z 000 Inform ation Sessions: 7:00 pm OAC: English, History, Writer's Craft Grade 12: English, Dramatic Arts Feb. 8 th Oakville Trafalgar HS, 1460 D evon R d, O akville Grade 11 Biology, English, and Mathematics Feb 9'h The Bishop Strachan School, 298 Lonsdale Rd, Toronto Photo by Peter J. Thompson Elaine Darling, chair of the March of Dimes' DesignAbility chapter in Oakville, shows some design options for leash clips for client Piera Giese and her special skills dog Flair. Tor $tvic{&nt$ 416 483-7533 - try where. 1 800 813-4509 - For m ore inform ation contact: Georgia Hardy Tours Inc. cherylftfghardytours.com wAvw.ghardytours.com DesignAbility adapts products for physically disabled people B y T ita Z ie r e r SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER Preparing children for the next millennium through academic excellence Junior Kindergarten to Grade Eight Transportation available If necessity is the mother of inven tion, then the Ontario March of Dimes' DesignAbility Program has as its prog eny a lot of great ideals -- and gadgets. Addressing the specific, individual needs of people with physical disabili ties, DesignAbility fills a unique niche in service provision. Powered almost .> > completely by a small group of volun teers, the committee has taken on the All inclusive enriched, task of adapting everyday products to accelerated and challenging meet the needs of what may be only curriculum providing a solid one consumer -- something that indus foundation in the basics of try leaders producing assistive devices Language Arts and for people with disabilities could not mathematics and including afford to do. science, geography, history, physical education, computer The customization of household science, music, art and french. items and recreational tools -- from exercise bikes to ski poles -- will like Computer Resource Centre as well as ly never need to reach mass production computers in each classroom levels. Yet such a highly individualized Fully Multimedia approach makes it possible for people with physical disabilities to engage in Music program including individual and sports or leisure activities they haven't small ensemble playing, performing choirs participated in for years -- or ever. Good work habits and study skills taught DesignAbility is only one of many Education-related field trips March of Dimes programs and is fund Up-to-date resources available in our library ed in part by the organization's annual door-to-door fundraising campaign. As and classrooms o f Jan. 1st, volunteers across the Gymnasium province aim to raise over $1.3 million Year-round extra-curricular activities offered toward services benefiting people with School newspaper physical disabilities. Parental involvement encouraged "Basically, we are a group o f volun teers who like to tinker -- we have Hot and healthy lunches retired engineers, people who like to Before and after school supervision provided make gadgets, as well as clients with Assessments arranged as necessary disabilities all participating in the process. We are creative problemsolvers," says Elaine Darling, chair of the Oakville-based chapter of Saturday, February 12* 10am- lpm DesignAbility. An industrial designer by trade, For more information or to book a tour call < 1 Darling enjoys the challenge of brain storming with the other committee members to find a solution which will 1884 Lakeshore Road West, best meet each individual's situation. "It's fun and it's so rewarding," she Mississauga, ON says of the committee's task. "It's OPEN HOUSE EJ (905) 855-0563 amazing how a simple gadget can change someone's life." Past projects have included adding a custom grip to a pair of women's ski poles to accommodate the shape of her hand and modifying an exercise bike for another who needed assistance keeping his foot on the pedal. Clients have also enjoyed a custom -m ade `page-turning' device which allows the user to engage in independent reading. An artist's sling, which supports the user's arm so that he or she can paint, has also been created by the DesignAbility committee. Occasionally, commercial solutions may be available in specialty cata logues but such options are usually "incredibly expensive," says Darling. "We don't try to compete with the mar ket -- we may make a referral or we might try to come up with a simpler, less expensive solution," she explained. "There are some commercial products out there, but we deal with each person as an individual -- it is rare that one product will help lots of people." More often, the envisioned product simply does not exist in the market place, like the combination wheel chair/walker for the client whose unique disability was best assisted by a highly customized solution. And notes Darling, "meeting the needs of people with disabilities can be inspiring for everyone." She cites as her example the increasingly popular usage of levers instead of more traditional fix tures in the bathroom. "Making a prod uct easier to use results in a better prod uct for everyone, including the ablebodied user," she says. The Oakville chapter of DesignAbility meets once a month to discuss new applications, modify and brainstorm ongoing projects, and to discuss the work of others inthe highly specialized field. Ontario March of Dimes alone co-ordinates eight such committees across the province. Projects can last as long as a year, depending on the solutions available and the possibility of the clients' needs changing. Not all of the almost 15 vol unteers are involved in project design. Darling also points out the need for people with expertise in marketing their customized service. March of Dimes provides funding for many of the parts required for the customized projects, as well as admin istrative support in the form of OMOD staff Melissa Duguid, support services manager, in Oakville's Jean & Howard Caine supportive living centre. She vets applications for assistance and also co ordinates the monthly meetings. Duguid emphasizes that the meetings are only part of the time required to adequately meet a client's needs. At or after the meeting, volunteers work indi vidually on making the needed project modifications. She describes the time put into each of the close to 20 projects completed so far as "awe-inspiring." "These volunteers are really dedicat ed," says Duguid, of the DesignAbility committee members. "They come out month after month and they are really focused on helping people," she says. "They spend a lot of time discussing the best way to help someone -- the drawbacks and the positive aspects of going one way or another with a partic ular project. Where you put the handle on a customized ski pole makes a big difference in whether you are going to help and not hurt the person's wrist." DesignAbility is just one service offered by Ontario March of Dimes which assists adults with disabilities across the province. Other services include Outreach Attendant Services and the Assistive Devices Program that reach thousands more. All programs are funded in part by the annual door-todoor campaign; this year over 17,000 volunteers will be canvassing. To volunteer, donate, or for more information call Lorraine MacMaster at 333-3777. Tita Zierer is a freelance writer and consultant fo r the Ontario March o f Dimes. Memorial service for Baha'i leader A U IT A ilA M m rov tm m C A H fA f M A JU H r M A C f 2 for 1 B U Y ONE DINNER BUFFET AND TW O B EV ER A G ES AND R EC EIV E ONE DINNER fro m M o n d a y - Th u rs d a y F R ID A Y -S A T U R D A Y -S U N D A Y Oakville Baha'is will be joining communities across Canada and around the world in holding a memorial service for a pre-eminent worldwide Baha'i leader and Canadian, Madame Ruhiyyih Rabbani. A memorial service will be held this Friday, Feb. 4th, at the Le Dome, North Service Road East, at 7:30 p.m. The service is open to the public. Madame Rabbani died in her 90th year on Jan. 19th in Haifa, Israel, where the Baha'i World Centre is located. She has lived there since her marriage in 1937 to the world head of the Baha'i Faith, Shoghi Effendi. Madame Rabbani held senior positions in the Baha'i faith and played a major role in the devel opment of the Baha'i communi ty to its current membership of over 5 million in 185 countries. Originally from M ontreal, where she was called Mary Maxwell, she was the single child of renown Canadian archi tect William Sutherland Maxwell and Mary Bolles. M adame Rabbani always rem em bered her Canadian roots, visiting Montreal fre quently during her travels to 185 countries, promoting world peace and an end to all forms of discrimination. She was also a writer and poet, having published several books including The Priceless Pearl and Prescription fo r Living. She has also produced two documentary films, one about the Baha'i World Centre in Haifa, and another about her travels through South America along the Amazon. Look for our Raffle winners Front Row Centre held its annual Raffle in December. The draw was held at The Oakville Centre for the Performing Arts after the last presenta tion of Scrooge. The winners were as follows: 1st: Bette Gardin - one round trip ticket to anywhere in Canada or the continental United States, courtesy of Air Canada. 2nd: June Best - one weekend get away package, courtesy of the new Holiday Inn Express in Oakville. 3rd: Marg Horwood - Anne of Green Gables Doll and a set of four tickets to The Oakville Centre. Front Row Centre sold all 3,000 tickets and raised $3,404 to go towards its fundraising for the Centre. The group's next fundraising event is a Bridge Party on April 17th. Tickets are $10 each, or table for four at $40. The event will include coffee and dessert, and prizes. Call 338-4161 and ask for Front Row Centre. Grand Opening F ly e r in Today's Oakville Beaver (selected areas only if you did not receive a flyer call 337-9885) B U Y O N E D IN N E R B U FFET A N D G E T O N E H A LF PRICE Valid prom otion with this coupon only. Expires Feb. 12, 2 0 0 0 C h ild r e n p a y $ 2 . 0 0 - 5 y e a r s a n d u n d e r 905 337-7026 DATS AMORE Oakville QEW \ Place Oakville Family Chiropractic Grand Opening Saturday, Feb 5, 9: a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Dr. Paul B. Zmiyiwsky 150 Randal Street, Suite #101 Oakville, Ontario Phone (905) 337-9885 165 Cross Ave. Oakville .J I I