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Our Current Quarterly Newsletter

February Events: Printer-Friendly Version

Note: The Family Support Network of Central Carolina does not endorse any particular service providers, agencies, or events other than those offered through our own organization. Events offered by FSNCC are marked with our logo. Listings are provided for informational purposes only.

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Help FSNCC win $5000 in gas cards to share with families who are travelling long distances to be with their babies in the NICU. Please click on the link above to cast your vote for us daily through February 9th. THANK YOU!!

2/2: FSNCC Moms' Group. Members old and new are welcome to our support group for mothers with children of any age, with any type of special needs. Meetings take place on the 1st Thursday evening of the month from September-May. This month we're getting together at the home of Angie Lang, 1608 Staley Road in High Point, at 7:00 p.m. Click here for a flyer with all the details!

2/2: Sibling focus group at Tristan's Quest. The staff at Tristan's Quest is exploring the possibility of creating new support groups for siblings of children with special needs. Groups will be held February 2nd from 6:30-8:00 p.m., and February 11th from 1:30-3:00, at the Tristan's Quest offices, 115 S. Walnut Circle in Greensboro. Parents and children will meet separately to discuss needs and ideas for ongoing groups. Click here for further information. To read about Tristan's Quest's many Spring programs for children with behavioral/emotional or mental health challenges, please click here.

2/5: DSNGG's Moms' Night Out. Join the Moms of the Down Syndrome Network of Greater Greensboro for an informal evening out. Come for dinner, or just to hang out with other understanding Moms. PF Chang's, Shoppes at Friendly Center, Greensboro, 6:30 p.m. For more information, contact Lauri Lyn Hodges at nickelhodges@yahoo.com.

2/7: Alamance County's Incredible Years Bi-Monthly Support Group Meeting. These meetings are for parents who have completed the Incredible Years coursework (see Alamance page for more details). Upcoming meetings will be held on February 7th and 21st from 6:00-7:30 p.m. Support groups offer a wonderful opportunity to be together with others in a caring and understanding environment. Feel free to come out, ask questions, and get straight answers from people who have been there. Share a few creative and caring problem solving techniques and caregiving ideas, and discover that you are not alone in the way you feel. Childcare and light refreshments will be provided. Please RSVP by 2/6/12 and 2/20/12 so that we can plan accordingly for attendees. NEW Location: LifeSpan Enrichment Center, 919 Stokes Street, Burlington. For more information and future meeting dates, contact Melisa Madden by email at Melisa@fsncc.org or phone (336) 513-0063 ext. 122. Click here for a flyer.

2/11: ASNC's "The Hangout." The Hangout is a respite program that allows families the opportunity to enjoy some time away while their son/daughter with Autism Spectrum Disorder receives supports from qualified staff. This program will accept individuals aged 3-22 who are on the autism spectrum. Siblings are also welcome to join in on the fun. The Hangout offers structured activities, arts & crafts, games, movies, and more. Drop off time is 6:00 PM to 6:15 PM (the doors will lock promptly at 6:15 PM) and pick up time is from 9:45 PM to 10:00 PM. Click here for more information.

2/11: Sibling focus group at Tristan's Quest. (Please see notes for February 2nd event.)

2/11: Free Online Conference for Parents of People with Autism. Autism College, in partnership with the National Autism Association (NAA), is presenting a free on-line conference on Autism Safety and Crisis Prevention. Topics to be addressed are sexual abuse risk reduction, bullying prevention, suicide risk, wandering, and preventing the use of restraints and seclusion. This conference will be held over several days in February with presentations by experts in the field of autism and safety issues and broaches sensitive topics with real life strategies. There will be a question and answer session moderated by Chantal Sicile-Kira following each presentation. Don’t miss the opportunity to learn how to help support the emotional and physical health and safety of your loved one affected by autism. Conference Schedule:
* Saturday, February 11
8:15am- 9:45am PST, Dr. Nora Baladerian, Ph.D. will present “How Can Parents Reduce the Risk of Sexual Abuse of Their Child or Young Adult?”.
10:00am-11:30am PST, Dr. Lori Ernsperger will discuss “The 3 R’s to Bullying Prevention for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders: Recognize, Respond, and Report”.
* Wednesday, February 15
6:00pm-7:30pm PST, Dr. Joshua Feder will discuss “The Problem of Depression and Suicidal Ideation in Autism and Related Disorders”.
* Saturday, February 18
8:15am-9:45am PST, Wendy Fournier of the NAA will discuss Wandering .
10:00am- 11:30,am PST, Pat Amos, M.A. will discuss Preventing and Eliminating the Use of Restraints and Seclusion.
For those unable to attend live, there will be transcripts available for purchase. Register here.

2/14: NEW Daytime Moms’ Support Group, Alamance County. Sit back...relax…enjoy refreshments...connect with friends old and new...and share the strength of other Moms who have children with special needs. FSNCC’s Alamance Daytime Moms’ Group welcomes you to our monthly gathering. Our next meeting takes place Tuesday, February 14th, 10:00 a.m., at Panera Bread, 422 Huffman Mill Road in Burlington. Children are welcome. For more information and future meeting dates, contact Melisa Madden by email at melisa@fsncc.org or phone (336) 513-0063 ext. 122. Click here for a flyer.

2/16: Alamance County Parent Support Group. If you have a child with special needs, you’ve probably discovered that the best support often comes from others who have “been there.” Please join us for a FREE parent support group just for Alamance county families. This is an informal group designed to give families a chance to share their stories, exchange advice, and make new friends. Meetings are held on the 3rd Thursday of each month from 5:30-6:30 p.m. at Lifespan, located at 919 Stokes Street, Burlington (note new location). Light refreshments will be served. For further information, please contact Melisa Madden at 513-0063, Ext. 122 or melisa@fsncc.org. Click here for a flyer.

2/16-2/17: NC Augmentative Communication Association Annual Conference. This year's topic: "AAC and Autism: Solving the Puzzle Together." Durham Convention Center, Durham, NC. Keynote speaker: Billy T. Ogletree, Professor and Head of the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at Western Carolina University. To learn more and register, please visit www.ncaca.info/conference.

2/17: Sibshops. It's time once again for FSNCC's special series for brothers and sisters of children with special needs! Sibshops serves kids in grades 2-6, and meets from 6:00-8:30 p.m. at St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church, 2715 Horse Pen Creek Rd. in Greensboro. PLEASE NOTE: This year's Sibshops sessions are now full. If you are not currently registered and want to be placed on a waiting list for the remainder of this year, or to receive the packet for next year, please email us at support@fsncc.org and ask to be added to the wait list. For those who have registered in advance, please remember to RSVP before each session to confirm whether or not your child will attend.

2/17: Autism Society of NC, Guilford County Chapter, Monthly meeting. Join the ASNC-GC for an informal opportunity to connect with other parents of children with autism spectrum disorders. On-site respite care available with RSVP; send an e-mail or call Chris Hocker at 336-854-9497 to reserve a spot for your child. This month's meeting will offer an informal chance to talk and network with other parents over some tasty desserts! 6:30 p.m., ASNC Triad Regional Office, 9 Oak Branch Drive, Greensboro.

2/18: Fun with Friends at The Independence Place. An opportunity for elementary-age children with autism and their siblings to participate in fun, social-skills building activities, including games, field trips, and much more. 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. For more information, please click here or contact Melanie Hanson, Ed.D, LPC at drmelanieh@aol.com or 336-327-7525. Other TIP programs include Moving Up, TIP's Friday night program for high school students with autism spectrum disorders, and Learning Without Limits, TIP's after-school program which includes homework help and social skills development.

2/18: Wood-Turning at Tristan's Quest. TQ will be hosting its second Wood Turning Opportunity on February 18, 2012. Click here if you would be interested in learning a new skill and walking away with your own customized wood-turned ball point pen!!! Barry Lewis, a professional woodworker and a TQ dad, will be bringing in 2 mini-lathes to Tristan’s Quest. Participants can choose the kind of wood they want and get started on learning a new skill –woodturning. At the end of your session, you will have created a unique one-of-a-kind- pen! This is a parent-child activity. Moms or Dads, if your student finishes their pen with time to spare, you have the opportunity to make one for yourself. Four time slots will be offered between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Registration is first come- first served! If you have questions, please call Dr. Jean or Ellison at 336-547-7460.

2/20: FSNCC Dads' Group. Welcoming fathers with children of any age, with any type of special needs for a fun and relaxing night out with other guys who “get it.” New members are always welcome! Meets on the 3rd Monday evening of each month. This month: Kick Back Jack's, 1600 Battleground Ave., GSO. 7-9 p.m. Come to dine or just hang out. Reservation is under Family Support Network. Click here for more information.

2/21: Alamance County's Incredible Years Bi-Monthly Support Group Meeting. Please see notes for 2/7. Click here for a flyer.

2/23: Alamance-Burlington School System's ECPAC and SEPTA meetings. SEPTA is the brainchild of the ABSS Exceptional Child Parent Advisory Council (ECPAC). You can find the ECPAC information on the Alamance Burlington School System's website under the Exceptional Children link. You may also find the link to the ECPAC page on the SEPTA website at www.absssepta.org/. These groups hold regular meetings offering valuable information and support to Alamance county parents. February 23rd: SEPTA, 6-7 p.m / ECPAC, 7-8 p.m. Meeting topics TBA. Meetings are held at 1712 Vaughn Road in Burlington. To learn more, visit www.absssepta.org/ or e-mail abss.septa@gmail.com.

2/26: DSNGG's Tumblebees Gymnastics Family Event. Join the Down Syndrome Network of Greater Greensboro from 4-6pm. For some bigtime fun at Tumblebee's! The entire gym will be reserved for DSNGG families; a pizza dinner will be served afterwards. Tumblebees Gym is located at 6904 Down Wind Rd at corner of W. Friendly and W. Market Street. Reach them by phone at 336-665-0662. This event is FREE for the whole family, but please RSVP soon to Lauri Lyn Hodges at 336-856-8968 or e-mail nickelhodges@yahoo.com.