NEXT FUNDRAISING EVENT A BICYCLE MAINTENANCE CLINIC

Members of the Chatham-Kent Community Cycling Group (CKCG) are raising $3,600 to purchase a special adapted bicycle for the Freedom Riders program at the Children’s Treatment Centre of Chatham-Kent.  The group held a successful chili cook-off as their first event and raised $500 toward the cause.  They followed that with an All-You-Can-Eat Ribs Night held at Big Shots Billiards in Chatham on January 31, which raised an additional $520. 

There are several different types of adapted bicycles, for children of various ages, sizes and abilities.  The Centre purchased several a few years ago with a grant from Ronald McDonald Children’s Charities, and added an additional bicycle with funds raised during last year’s Fitness Fun for ALL Kids! adapted sports campaign.

The CKCG’s next fundraiser is a two-hour Bicycle Maintenance Clinic this coming Saturday at Smith Cycle & More in Chatham, which is booked solid.  Demand has been so strong that a second clinic has been scheduled for 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. on March 17, 2012.  Cost is $40 which includes a bicycle maintenance manual.  To register, call Smith Cycle & More at 519-351-5588.

 If you would like to make a donation to this fundraising campaign, contact Ann McKenzie, communications disorders assistant at the Children’s Treatment Centre.  Ann can be contacted at.519-365-0340 or by email at sydkneeca@gmail.com.

Mini Discovery Adapted Bicycle

COMMUNITY LIVING WALLACEBURG’S YOUTH PROGRAMS TO BENEFIT ALSO

On March 17th, 2012, at 8 p.m., “Mama Kins Rocks” will storm the stage at downtown Chatham’s Capitol Theatre.  This all-live tribute to Aerosmith, the Boston-based rockers that formed in 1970 and went on to become America’s answer to the Rolling Stones, is the next show in the Pattern Energy “Concerts for the Kids!” series, supporting the Children’s Treatment Centre Foundation of Chatham-Kent and, in this case, the youth programs offered by Community Living Wallaceburg. 

Sue Bechard, Joe Mares and Adam Vandermey, three leading local advisors with Sun Life Financial offices in Chatham and Blenheim, have joined us as the Event Sponsor for this electric evening of classic rock. 

“Mama Kin Rocks” has extensively toured North America and is considered one of the premier Aerosmith tribute acts.  And they play all the band’s mega-hits, including Sweet Emotion, Dream On, Walk This Way, Train Kept a Rollin’, I Don’t Wanna Miss a Thing, Back in the Saddle, Cryin’, Jaded, Draw the Line, and so on. 

Tickets are available now in three price ranges …. $39, $49 and $59 …. and are available at www.chathamcapitoltheatre.com and www.cktickets.com.   To see more about the band, go to www.mamakinrocks.com.

No matter the season, there’s always lots of activities going on at the Children’s Treatment Centre of Chatham-Kent.  Click here for a link to our Winter 2012 Recreation Program Guide:

Winter 2012 Recreation Program Guide

ONLY CHATHAM-KENT CHARITY AMONG 120 PROJECTS SUPPORTED

Farm Credit Canada (FCC) has announced the recipients of grants through its 2011 FCC AgriSpirit Fund.  FCC made available a total of $1 million and has allocated it among 120 capital projects across rural Canada.  Now in its eighth year, the FCC AgriSpirit Fund received 1,146 applications nationally in 2011.

The Children’s Treatment Centre of Chatham-Kent is receiving $11,000 toward its “Child’s Play” campaign to raise $125,000 to install the municipality’s first accessible therapy playground.  This project was the only one within Chatham-Kent supported.  To see the entire list of recipients, go to www.agrispirit.ca.

As Canada’s leading agriculture lender, FCC is advancing the business of agriculture.  FCC provides financing, insurance, software, learning programs and other business services to producer, agribusinesses and agri-food operations.

More than 60 client children enjoyed the 26th Annual Children’s Christmas Party held in the lobby of the Children’s Treatment Centre on December 15.  Foundation director Adam Vandermey of the Blenheim office of Sun Life Financial generously sponsored the event, providing a gift of a book to each child in attendance.  Entertainment featured the Centre’s very own Jingle Bell Rockers.  Santa was once again the star of the show, proven by the selection of photos of happy faces below.

Representatives of RBC Foundation and RBC Royal Bank have presented donations totaling $20,000 to the Children’s Treatment Centre of Chatham-Kent and its charitable foundation, continuing a multi-year partnership between the financial institution and the local organization that provides therapy services to children with developmental disabilities.  

Now in its fifth year of support, the RBC Foundation is donating $15,000 in support of the Centre’s “Family Care PAK”.  In addition, RBC Royal Bank’s local branches presented funds totaling $5,000, the proceeds from this past summer’s 4^th Annual RBC Royal Bank Golf Tournament, earmarked for the Children’s Treatment Centre Foundation’s “Express Yourself” campaign for adapted arts and music therapy programming.

“Family Care PAK, consisting of our Triple P – Positive Parenting Program, behavioral therapy and psychology testing, assists parent of special needs children by providing advice, tools and strategies to deal with their child’s diagnosis, determine appropriate expectations, manage behaviour, and promote confidence and self-esteem in both the parent and child,” said Donna Litwin-Makey, Executive Director of the Children’s Treatment Centre of Chatham-Kent.  “RBC Foundation’s support directly keeps this program available to our families.”

“We here at the Children’s Treatment Centre Foundation have enjoyed a long-standing relationship with RBC Royal Bank and we appreciate the continuing commitment of their employees to support our various fundraising campaigns,” said Art Stirling, the Foundation’s Executive Director.

While presenting the donations, Nicole Piette, RBC Community Branch Manager for the King Streetand Keil Avenuelocations, said, “The Royal Bank has taken great pride in supporting the Children’s Treatment Centre. We were humbled to raise $5,000 from our annual golf tournament this year and we eagerly anticipate increasing that amount next year. We have seen the difference this Centre has made in the lives of those in our community so, on behalf of Michael Caverly, Regional Vice President, and the entire RBC team, I could not be more thrilled to present this donation.”

The Children’s Treatment Centre of Chatham-Kent focuses on the needs of children and youth from birth through to 19 years of age with physical, developmental or communication needs.   The Centre has served the community for more than 60 years, now offering physiotherapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy services, as well as many other programs, at their Lark Street location in Chatham and through the Best Start Hubs in communities across Chatham-Kent.

Left to Right: Michael Caverly, RBC Regional Vice-President – Lambton/Kent; Russell Kopke, RBC Manager and Nicole Piette, RBC Community Branch Manager, present a cheque for $20,000 to client parent Monica McLean and her four children, Joshua, Sarah, Rebecca and Rachel; Janice Seney, Social Worker, and Donna Litwin-Makey, Executive Director, Children’s Treatment Centre of Chatham-Kent. The funds are for the Centre’s Positive Parenting Program and its adapted arts and music therapy services.

CHATHAM-KENT CHILDREN’S SAFETY VILLAGE OUR CHARITY PARTNER

The next performance in the Pattern Energy “Concerts for the Kids” series occurs on January 21, 2012 when performers take to the stage at the Chatham Capitol Theatre and pay tribute to many of today’s hottest young musical artists.  Sponsored by TekSavvy Solutions Inc. and with two shows, 2:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., “Stars of Pop” is a high energy tribute to Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber, Selena Gomez and more.  Proceeds will be shared between the Children’s Treatment Centre Foundation of Chatham-Kent and the Chatham-Kent Children’s Safety Village.  Makes a great Christmas gift for children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews.  Tickets are priced between $39 and $59 and are available at www.chathamcapitoltheatre.com or www.cktickets.com. 

CONCERT INFORMATION:  The Chatham Capitol Theatre is the ONLY place where you’ll see Justin Bieber, Selena Gomez, Katy Perry, Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga and Miley Cyrus all on the same stage … or at least you’ll think you did.  “Stars of Pop” features multiple tributes to all the big name acts you hear on the radio today.  These amazing artists look, sound and perform just like the real entertainers, performing hit after hit of some of today’s hottest songs with live vocals and music.  This is a family-friendly show that the whole family will enjoy.  Makes a great Christmas gift for those hard to buy for ‘tweens and teens.

Close to 80 people enjoyed the 3rd Annual Mosaic Art Gala on Thursday evening, September 29, and raised more than $19,000 for the Express Yourself campaign in support of adapted arts programs and music therapy services at the Children’s Treatment Centre of Chatham-Kent.  The Centre was transformed into a glittering art auction house, flamenco guitarist Darryl Orr entertained, and delicious hors d’oeuvres and desserts were served.  The highlights of the evening included a flash mob dance routine involving several client children and, of course, the live auction of artwork created by client children at art camps this past summer and many donated works of art from local professional artists.  

A special thanks to the following:

• Tracy Bultje, who without her time, talent and energy, none of this would have been remotely possible
• Thompsons Limited of Blenheim for being our Masterpiece Sponsor 
• Susan Aarssen for her amazing photographic and design skills 
• Betty Anne McGeorge, Becky Fixter Vagners, Andrea Vuletin, Vanessa Cornell, John Lyons, Laurie Langford, Christy DeKoning, Rob Bajer, Linda Van de Bovenkamp and Janos Gardonyi for their generous donations of time, talent or both
• Jennifer Dunn for her donation of a piece of artisan jewelry for auction
• All of our child artists and photographers, and their families 
• Downies of Blenheim for their generous donations of framing and matting 
• Greg Hetherington for his auctioneering skills 
• Melanie Freeman and Happy Endings Cupcakes for the donation of delectable desserts 
• Keith Hindmarsh of Harvest Moon Catering 
• Jason Gillett, for his information technology wizardry once again 
• Katy Uher for her emceeing talents 
• Our Centre dancers, greeters and servers 
• Mike and Paula Grail 
• Darrin Canniff 
• Our friends at ARTspace for displaying the children’s artwork 
• Douglas Desmond of Ridgetown for co-ordinating the donation of items from his juried exhibition 
• Staff at the Children’s Treatment Centre for always stepping up to do what it takes 
• Heather Sarson for her extra effort in setting up and promoting the Mosaic Art and Photography Campsyours today.

 In the three years of the Mosaic Art Gala event, more than $76,000 has been raised by patrons, donors and sponsors to go toward valuable programming and services provided to children from across Chatham-Kent with developmental challenges.

EVERY KID MATTERS

As a proud member of the Ontario Association of Children’s Rehabilitation Services (OACRS), the Children’s Treatment Centre of Chatham-Kent believes that Every Kid Matters.

OACRS and its members are committed to:

• maximizing the potential of kids to be the best they can be;
• making a difference in the quality of life for families;
• recognizing and building upon the unique differences and needs of children,  youth and their families;
• providing holistic family-centred services;
• striving for excellence in service provision;
• advocating for equitable access to services across Ontario.

The positive results are evident:

• greater developmental and educational gains;
• improved impact on family functioning and adaptability;
• lowered family stress and negative outcomes;
• greater post-secondary and employment opportunities;
• reduced demands on health and education costs due to early intervention;
• lower life cost associated with disability.

To build the best possible future for children and families, OACRS members seek:

• equitable access to vital rehabilitation services throughout Ontario;
• stable and equitable funding for children’s services
• local flexibility to address children’s needs;
• access to specialized services throughout Ontario.

OACRS unites 20 children’s treatment centres who provide vital rehabilitation services to young Ontarians with physical, developmental and communication needs.  Each year, 65,000 children, youth and families seek the professional services of OACRS’ members.

FOCUSING ON THERAPY PLAYGROUND, ADAPTED ARTS AND MUSIC THERAPY

The Children’s Treatment Centre Foundation of Chatham-Kent is taking the unprecedented step of launching two new fundraising campaigns simultaneously. 

“The demand from families across Chatham-Kent for our Centre’s programs and services has never been greater and we have several valued programs and facilities in need of additional financial resources,” saysArt Stirling, Foundation executive director.  “Quite frankly, when my board recently considered fundraising priorities, we couldn’t decide between these two.  They are equally important.” 

With a goal of $125,000, the “Child’s Play” campaign will support the installation of an accessible therapy playground.  Designed by a team of Centre therapists, this playground, featuring specialized pieces selected to align with the developmental needs of children, will be unlike any other playground in Chatham-Kent.  Available to the general public as well as our client families, visitors will enjoy ‘giant insect’ themed equipment that will excite and stimulate the imagination.  It will replace an aging and previously vandalized playground structure and will ensure the Centre continues to meet safety and accessibility codes.

The Municipality of Chatham-Kent recently approved a $50,000 grant from its 2011 Recreation/Parks Partnership Program toward this accessible therapy playground, and an additional $30,000 has been earmarked for this project from the proceeds of the 2011 Festival of Giving.

Click here for PDF of “Child’s Play” campaign brochure.

Recognizing the expressive and therapeutic power of creativity for children with developmental challenges, the “Express Yourself” campaign will provide $75,000 to sustain and grow the Centre’s adapted arts programming and music therapy services.  These programs are a vital extension of the more traditional therapies offered at the Centre but are not supported through its core ministry funding.

The 3^rd annual Mosaic Art Gala, scheduled for September 29 and featuring live and silent auctions of artwork created by client children and local professional artists, will raise funds for the Express Yourself campaign, as will upcoming Pattern Energy “Concerts for the Kids’ tribute shows at the Chatham Capitol Theatre and featuring the music of Elton John/Billy Joel on September 24 and U2 on November 5.

Click here for PDF of “Express Yourself” campaign brochure.

For more than 60 years, staff with the Children’s Treatment Centre of Chatham-Kent has been providing quality therapy services to children with a broad range of developmental challenges and needs.  These services, including physiotherapy, occupational therapy and speech language therapy, are offered from the organization’s Lark Street facility in Chatham as well as through Best Start hubs in communities across the municipality.  The Foundation was established in 2007 to create awareness and raise funds for the Centre and its programs.