Morgan at the Juno Awards

Posted on By Communications Team

Back in February, we told you about how Morgan from our PACE team had earned the opportunity to volunteer at the Juno Awards Gala on April 2, 2016. Here’s what she had to say about the experience:

My experience was amazing! It was my first time ever at the Juno Awards, and it was an experience of a lifetime. I was a volunteer welcoming the guests and celebrities as they entered the reception and ceremony. After I finished volunteering, I got to watch the ceremony from backstage with Kim [Community Resource Worker]. Before the Juno Awards, I had to go to two meetings to learn about the rules. My favourite part was when Justin Bieber won the Fan Choice Award.

Meet Our Team Leaders: Doug Tryon

Posted on By Communications Team

IMG_3134We’re pleased to introduce you to our Northwest Team Leader, Doug Tryon. The Northwest Team is one of our four community-based teams for Career and Leisure Services (CLS), which provides part-time and full-time support to adults with developmental disabilities in their communities.

When did you start at the DDRC?

I did a “government grant” position in 1986, and in 1987 I was offered a permanent position.

What made you want to work here?

I enjoyed working with the people at DDRC when I did the government grant position. I wanted to return so I could assist people to learn skills, and help them be the best they could be.

What’s the best thing about being a Team Leader?

I feel being able to share my skills and knowledge with others has been one of the best parts of being a Team Leader, but I must say also that learning new things from clients, families, and CRWs has been a growth experience for me.

Can you share a recent success story from the Northwest Team?

A client was having difficulty taking the initiative to work on his goals. Over time, with support and encouragement, one day he took the initiative to approach an employer for work. He was offered a part-time position doing recycling, which is an area he was interested in working in.

Tell us about a hidden talent that you have.

As I have gotten older, I am discovering talents I did not know I had. We’re renovating our house, and I have been enjoying drawing up the plans for it. I am actually doing the woodwork and using power tools, which I used to be terrified of.

New Ability Fund Increases Community Involvement

Posted on By Communications Team

The DDRC’s 2015 Winter Fundraising Campaign has come to a close, and we are proud to announce that together, 127 donors were able to raise $22,483 for the Ability Fund. This new initiative helps to remove financial barriers and promotes community participation for our clients in a variety of ways.

The Ability Fund supports DDRC clients by covering the cost of joining a new club, attending a conference, taking a course, purchasing supplies, transportation expenses, or participating in a community activity.

We have already successfully used the Ability Fund to get our clients involved in the community. Thanks to our generous donors, nine DDRC clients were able to attend a workshop on greener living. Our clients learned how to reduce waste, and had discussions about the importance of reusing and the meaning of social responsibility.

Picture This...Film FestivalWe were also able to purchase a block of tickets for DDRC clients to attend the Picture This…Film Festival (PTFF). This festival showcases films that are about disability as well as films that were produced, directed or written by people with disabilities. With over 43 films of various lengths and topics, there is something for everyone.

The PTFF is held at Calgary SCOPE Society and runs from March 16 to 18, 2016.  More information about the festival and tickets for this year’s screenings can be found at http://www.ptff.org/.

 

Dancing at the DDRC

Posted on By Communications Team

Madison sharing her skillsMadison Fleming loves to dance. In fact, some may even say it’s in her blood. Her great-grandmother was a dancer, and Madison has used her natural talent to explore different styles of dance over the years.

Though she focused on taking ballet lessons for three years, she always wanted to learn how to belly dance. For Madison, the moves looked challenging but fun, and she says she was drawn to the beautiful costumes: “[They] make everything look bigger. If you look at yourself and you’re not doing the moves right, when you have the costume on you think, ‘Oh my gosh, I’m awesome at this!'”

Madison began taking lessons nearly a year ago and has already moved up to level four. Her goal is to work her way up to the troupe level, which is made up of senior dancers who can be hired to perform. “I’d like to someday maybe do it as a profession,” she shared with a smile.

DDRC clients and staff belly dancing. During the month of February, Madison hosted five belly dancing workshops at the DDRC because she wanted to share her knowledge with other clients and staff. “It was a lot easier because I know everybody and [they] caught on really well,” Madison said. “I also have a really good instructor who explains it to me really well, so I was able to explain it to them.”

Though she enjoyed passing on her skills during the workshops, Madison would ultimately prefer to create her own set of instructional DVDs rather than become a teacher. She loves talking to the camera and describing the different moves. “Not a lot of people know what belly dance is,” she explained. “They just see it and [think] it looks difficult. But the moves become very fun and easy once you get it.”

One of her favourite parts about her classes is that she also learns about the history of belly dancing. Her instructor often has the students watch old Egyptian and Arabic films on YouTube, so Madison is discovering more about the culture in these countries.

Madison highly recommends that people try belly dancing for themselves to discover how unique and fun it can be. “What I like about belly dance – and dance [in general] – is how you can express yourself,” she shared. “It’s a really good stress reliever!”

 

Join Team DDRC at the Calgary Marathon!

Posted on By Communications Team

albumPhotoIt’s that time of year again. The DDRC is pleased to say that we will be participating in the Scotiabank Calgary Marathon for the fourth year in a row!

We would love it if you joined Team DDRC this year! There are race distances for every fitness level, ranging from a 5 km walk all the way up to a 50 km run. If walking or running isn’t your thing, there are other ways you can join – you can come down to the Stampede grounds on May 29th to cheer everyone on, or you can support us with a financial donation.

Interested in joining Team DDRC by signing up for a race? Here’s how:

  1. albumPhoto2Visit www.calgarymarathon.com and click the “register” button on the top right hand corner of the home page.
  2. Scroll down until you reach the “Events.com” heading. Click the highlighted “here” link.
  3. Select the race distance you would like to participate in and click “register now.”
  4. Enter your personal information and click the check box to accept the waiver.
  5. Enter your payment information at the bottom of the page and click “submit order.”

That’s all there is to it. We can’t wait to see you at the starting line on May 29th!