By Terry Nowak
Cresteramics Chatter
Cresteramics members and staff have survived the hot, dry summer and are getting ready to start some new programs in the fall. These new programs are developed as the members express a desire to try new things and as businesses and agencies in the community ask for our help. In September each member’s plan is reviewed with them, their caregivers and the staff. Changes are made as needed, new activities are tried out and scheduling adjustments are made. This is a huge task considering it involves approximately forty clients, twenty staff, thirty work or volunteer sites and one van. Watching this process of discussion, cooperation and adaptation always puts me in awe of the staff and administration. They know the members well, their abilities, favorite activities, their need for specific supports, the people they like to be with and after a very long day a schedule for all involved appears. Magic!
Our mission statement, Support + Respect + Inclusion = Equality, is really what this is all about. Equality for persons with disabilities can be achieved when they receive the support they require, the respect everyone deserves and the opportunity to be included. Creston is a wonderful place for our members to live because here they have opportunities to be included and respected. They work for many businesses doing tasks that make the businesses run more smoothly. They volunteer, along with Cresteramics staff, at community agencies, schools and other programs and fill a need that these agencies have. At our storefront on Canyon Street our members are included in every aspect of running the store. We share this site with master goldsmith Ron Hurry and display the products of twenty-eight different artists. Come in, have a visit and see the amazing items for sale.
Our youth summer program has come to an end for another year and we thank the staff who supported these teens through learning and volunteering activities and days of fun. Their final activity was a car wash scheduled to coincide with the ending of the Shambhala Music Festival and many dusty cars. Support for Cresteramics was again shown by local businesses who readily donated all that we needed to hold this event. Skyway Auto donated space in their yard, Comfort Welding gave us safety vests and bags of rags, Home Hardware and Lordco supplied soap and sponges, Overwaitea and Extra Foods donated much needed pop and water, North Town Rental lent us a large tent for shade and between TIGZ Designs and Tim’s Fish and Chips we had plenty of ice tea and ice. This support was given quickly and willingly, with smiles and wishes for good luck. If there are other communities where this support is so abundant then those communities are as lucky as we are. Thank you to all who helped with this project, the teens continue to learn what Equality feels like.