A4A Spokane on KXLY Radio 920 am!

Sunday morning, May 20, at 5:30 a.m., Deb Wolfer, Spokane County’s Accessible Community Advisory Committee Chair, and Dave Reynolds, Access 4 All Spokane Coordinator, will be featured on “Breaking Through”, a brand-spanking new talk radio show hosted by Don Gillespie from Northwest Center in the Spokane Valley.

Click here to listen to live streaming on KXLY 920.

For those of you who will not be able to listen to the show on KXLY or the website — for whatever reason — we will post the transcript next week.

 

Help us spread disability-friendliness here at home — Jan 19 or Jan 22

You have two more chances this month to help
Access 4 All Spokane
spread disability
friendliness across Spokane County.

“Making Welcome” is Access 4 All Spokane’s 3-hour interactive session on how to interact confidently with people that have disabilities, particularly in customer service situations.

The class is FREE! We’ll bring snacks, cool water, hot coffee and maybe even some cocoa. So you can just relax and join our conversation.

Jan. 19 (Friday) 6pm-9pm; West Central Community Center, Newton Lounge (1603 N. Belt); OR
Jan. 22 (Monday) 8am-11am; St. Luke’s Rehabilitation Rm. # 200 (711 S. Cowley)

* You might be surprised at the number of people with disabilities (tens of thousands, really) who live, work, learn, worship, play, shop, dine and spend their money in our area.
* You’ll learn why many people feel ‘awkward’ when interacting with customers that have disabilities.
* We’ll discuss how disability-friendly customer service is a “win-win” for customers, visitors, business, public services, and our entire community.
* And you’ll leave with the nuts & bolts about disability-aware etiquette, respectful language, and customer service tips — from local experts who really know their stuff.

To RSVP or request accommodations:
Dave Reynolds, Coordinator
Access 4 All Spokane
509-216-2611
Dave@Access4AllSpokane.org

PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD THROUGH YOUR NETWORKS!.

And thank you for all you do to make our area more accessible and welcoming to people with disabilities.

This Access 4 All Spokane project is possible through funding from Spokane County
and the Governor’s Committee on Disability Issues and Employment

Access 4 All
Spokane

320 E. Second Avenue
Spokane, Washington 99202
Phone: 509-216-2611
Dave@Access4AllSpokane.org
Dave
Reynolds, Coordinator

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Is Access 4 All Spokane on your Giving Tuesday list?

The Arc of Spokane (a 501c3 non-profit) is the fiscal agent for Access 4 All Spokane. Your financial contributions are tax-deductible.

There are two ways to financially support Access 4 All Spokane:

1) BY MAIL
Send a check or money order. Be sure to write “Access 4 All Spokane” on the memo line. Mail your gift to:

The Arc of Spokane
attn: Access 4 All Spokane
320 E. 2nd Ave.
Spokane, WA  99202-1402

2) ON-LINE**
Click here to donate with a credit or debit card through The Arc of Spokane’s data-secure portal.
**Important!!! Under “Designation” be sure to select “Access 4 All Spokane” from the drop-down list! This way your contribution will go directly to Access 4 All Spokane.

Thank you for supporting our efforts to celebrate and encourage accessible and disability-friendly places, services and events in our area!

Access 4 All Spokane — Nov. 16 Agenda

Access 4 All Spokane logo

MEETING AGENDA 

Date: November 16, 2017
1:30 pm — 3:00 pm
1206 & 1212 N. Howard St., Spokane, WA 99201
Nexus Inland NW/Lilac Services for the Blind Conference Room

Mission: To celebrate and encourage accessible and disability-friendly places, services and events across Spokane County

  1. Introduction of members and guests
  2. Reading of preamble and ground rules
  3. Timekeeper, Microphone runner
  4. Guest Speakers
  5. Review of October 26th meeting minutes
  6. Committee reports:
    – Parks Accessibility Workgroup
    – WorkSource Accessibility Workgroup
    – Grand and 31st/32nd accessibility/safety concern
  7. Coordinator Report
  8. Old business
  9. New business
  10. Announcements (time permitting)
  11. Adjourn

NOTICE: Because of coming Christmas celebration, our next monthly meeting is scheduled for Thursday, January 25, 2018, 1:00 to 3:00 pm, same location. May you all enjoy your Thanksgiving, Christmas and Happy New Year and come back with a renewed spirit to continue promoting our mission!

For the comfort and health of others, please refrain from using perfume, cologne, and other fragrances. We make every effort to have our meetings be accessible to all members and guests. Please let us know as early in advance as possible if you need specific accommodations to participate in this meeting. Contact Dave Reynolds at 509-789-8779

Open letter to businesses re: snow removal

Hello,

We are asking for your help to make the Spokane area safer and more disability-friendly to tens of thousands of residents, visitors and customers that have physical disabilities.

Our message: Please pay extra attention this season to making sure parking spaces reserved for motorists with disabilities are fully cleared of snow and ice.

You’d be surprised how many parking lots last winter actually had snow piled onto those blue or white wheelchair symbols and access stripes! Some had dangerous patches of ice in those spaces and on the sidewalks going into the buildings.

Chances are you and your business has been working hard to keep snow and ice out of those (formerly known as ‘handicapped’) spaces and walkways.

If you have been, thank you so much for doing that.

Access 4 All Spokane is a team of local individuals and organizations that work together to celebrate and encourage accessibility and welcomeness for people with all sorts of disabilities and ages.

We want you to know we pay attention and we appreciate your thoughtfulness and efforts.

Gratefully,

Access 4 All Spokane

“Celebrating and encouraging accessible and disability-friendly places, services, and events across Spokane County”
www.Access4AllSpokane.org

2018 Accessible Community Advisory Committee — Applications open through October 16

The Spokane County Accessible Community Advisory Committee (ACAC) is seeking applications through October 16 to fill four positions for a three-year term (starting December 2017).

PURPOSE:
“The ACAC’s purpose is to promote greater awareness of disability issues and to improve access for and inclusion and acceptance of persons with disabilities in Spokane County.”

MEMBER DUTIES:
In compliance with RCW 36.01.310, it shall be the duty of the ACAC to:
1. Advise the Spokane County Board of County Commissioners on addressing the needs of persons with disabilities in emergency plans;
2. Advise the county and other local governments within the county on access to programs, services and activities, new construction or renovation projects, sidewalks, other pedestrian routes of travel, and disability parking enforcement;
3. Develop local initiatives and activities to promote greater awareness of disability issues, and acceptance, involvement, and access of persons with disabilities within the community;
4. Conduct public hearings and other investigations to determine the needs and priorities of county residents with disabilities;
5. Carry out other duties that the Spokane County Board of County Commissioners may request under the provisions of the State of Washington.

DETAILS: Appointments of members shall be made from a list of applicants, including interested persons with a diverse range of disabilities who are knowledgeable in identifying and eliminating attitudinal, programmatic, communication, and physical barriers encountered by persons with disabilities. The list may also include family members, advocates, representatives from local disability-related organizations or educational institutions, and other individuals who are interested in promoting greater awareness of disability issues, and acceptance, involvement, and access of persons with disabilities within the community.

Members will meet at least 4 times per year.

If you are interested in applying, download and fill out one of the attached applications.
Then mail to Lynn Kimball, Aging & Long Term Care of Eastern Washington, 1222 N Post St, Spokane, WA 99201.
Or FAX to (509) 458-2003.

Questions? Contact Lynn Kimball at (509) 458-2509 or kimbala@dshs.wa.gov

Applications will be reviewed by the current ACAC on October 18. Their list of recommendations will go to the Spokane County Board of County Commissioners to consider for appointment.

For more information, visit the ACAC’s webpage:
http://www.spokanecounty.org/1128/Accessible-Communities-Advisory-Committee

SCACAC_applicationPDF

SCACAC_applicationWordDOC

Jena Jauchius presents “Landscaping for Autism” Sept. 28

We are excited to have Jena P. Jauchius, Landscape Architect from SPVV Landscape Architects, join our next Access 4 All Spokane meeting! Jena’s presentation is entitled “Landscaping for Autism”.

While Jena’s presentation is particularly valuable for children with autism and the people that love and support them, much of her work on ‘nature-based play and learning environments’ can benefit children of all abilities and ages.

Thursday, September 28, 2017, 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm at 1206 & 1212 N. Howard Street, Spokane.

ASL interpretation and an assistive listening loop system are available at all of our meetings.

Please contact Dave Reynolds, A4A Spokane coordinator at 509-789-8779 or dreynolds@arc-spokane.org for more information.

Here’s more info on Jena:

http://www.spvv.com/staff/jena-jauchius.html

A4A at Unity in the Community, Parade

Saturday, August 19, from 10:00 to 4:00, Access 4 All Spokane will have an information booth at the annual Unity in the Community celebration in Riverfront Park!

You’ll find us on the south edge of the Clock Tower lawn, near the river walkway (Booth # H9).

Come downtown by 9:00 in the morning to celebrate along with the first Unity Parade. This is being expanded from the Disability Parade that was started last year.

See you there!