Guest guest Posted October 21, 2005 Report Share Posted October 21, 2005 Michele, How wonderful!!! The agency has done the best thing ever by hiring you!!! good luck and keep us posted ! congratulations. pam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 21, 2005 Report Share Posted October 21, 2005 YAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY! Way to go Michele; perfect job for you.... Home: lisaweir@... Work: lisa.weir@... Phone: Web: http://ca.geocities.com/weirfamilyrogers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 21, 2005 Report Share Posted October 21, 2005 Michele, I am absolutely thrilled for you. Please fill me/us in on all the details. I'm downright hooting for you! Martha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 21, 2005 Report Share Posted October 21, 2005 Michele- Congratulations to you and to all the lives you will touch ~ Hurrah!!! love, yuka Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 21, 2005 Report Share Posted October 21, 2005 Yeah for Michele, Yeah for downstate IL, Yeah for CHARGE, and of course YEAH for Aubrie and the rest of the family! Kim > I got the position of Downstate Advocacy Coordinator with the Family Support > Network in IL! I am so thrilled! I will finally be doing some real work > towards empowering people with disabilities and their families to make policy > changes that will work for their needs. Of course, everything I learn in this > job will help me to be a better CHARGE advocate as well. > > Thanks for all of you for the silent but strong support I always know is there > behind me. > > > > > Michele Westmaas > mom to Aubrie 7 yrs CHaRgE and 13 yrs, wife to DJ > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 21, 2005 Report Share Posted October 21, 2005 Martha- Thanks for the hoots! I'm still on cloud 9. I will be the Downstate Advocacy Coordinator for the Family Support Network in IL. They are an agency that is now under the umbrella of the ARC of IL although we still act independently. The website is familysupportnetwork.org. I'm not certain of all of the details, but I will be covering the lower half of the state. This is a 20 hr/wk home office position with some travel. We provide one-day advocacy conferences on Saturdays throughout the state by request. The hope is that, with 2 new employees- me and one upstate, we will now be able to follow-up after those conferences to enable and empower people to form their own grassroots organizations which will advocate for people with disabililities. Basically, the purpose is the enable, empower, and facilitate people with disabilities and their families to advocate for themselves and create policy change. The goal is to have policy be family- and person-driven with supports available that are accessible and individualized to each family's needs. I will do those conferences on ocassion (we don't expect more than one per month), and represent the Family Support Network by attending state agency meetings, working with legislators, and presenting at various organizations by their request (like parent groups, schools, etc). I cannot tell you how excited I am. I remember when an advocate came to help us thru the maze of services and bureacracy when Aubrie was a baby. I clearly recall saying to him, " I want to be you when I grow up. " And here's my chance. I will continue to do trainings for family child care providers (this has been tapering off anyway). I will stay on staff at Hearing and Vision Connections (through the School for the Deaf) as a trainer and consultant. I will also keep Chelendipity as a home business just keeping up with my regular customers -- like commemorative plates I do for the Abe Lincoln Project each year. But I will close the shop as of the end of the year and scale back Chelendipity quite a bit. So... there you have it! A major career change in absolutely the direction I have been working towards. The next few months will be interesting as I make the transition. I will be in training for most of that time and will gradually work up to 20 hrs/wk so it works well with phasing out Chelendipity but still getting my holiday orders completed. What a great birthday present, huh?? I just can't believe that this is finally coming to fruition. I have been trying to work in this direction for such a long time wondering if I would really achieve what I had in my mind. Now, let's hope this is what I am expecting and that I am what they are expecting. As DJ said, even if it turns out not to be something I like or something that works out long term, it's sure to lead to something else. Miss Happy Pants, Michele W Love chele lewcap@... wrote: Michele, I am absolutely thrilled for you. Please fill me/us in on all the details. I'm downright hooting for you! Martha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 21, 2005 Report Share Posted October 21, 2005 Michele, I am so thrilled for you! Fill us in on all of the details! I'm going to email you privately tomorrow or so. Our is hooked on her U. of Chicago Anthropology of Disability course, and I think you might be able to help her. This is sort of mind-boggling to me since her prof has an Anthropology of Disability PhD (didn't know there was such a thing) from Berkeley and a law degree from the U. of Chicago, and I have visions of our going broke. That said, I am so happy that she is so wrapped up in something. More tomorrow. Until then, I've sending fabulous vibes your way! Martha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 21, 2005 Report Share Posted October 21, 2005 Yea Michele you are going to be such an asset to the state of Il. Congrats a mom to 8yr CHARGEr and Quintin 5yr --- Michele Westmaas wrote: > I got the position of Downstate Advocacy Coordinator > with the Family Support Network in IL! I am so > thrilled! I will finally be doing some real work > towards empowering people with disabilities and > their families to make policy changes that will work > for their needs. Of course, everything I learn in > this job will help me to be a better CHARGE advocate > as well. > > Thanks for all of you for the silent but strong > support I always know is there behind me. > > > > > Michele Westmaas > mom to Aubrie 7 yrs CHaRgE and 13 yrs, wife > to DJ > > [Non-text portions of this message have been > removed] > > __________________________________ Yahoo! Mail - PC Magazine Editors' Choice 2005 http://mail.yahoo.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 21, 2005 Report Share Posted October 21, 2005 ok, " Miss Happy Pants " and Martha hooting--I may now have seen/heard/read everything! pam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 21, 2005 Report Share Posted October 21, 2005 Pam- You know there's more to come... You've never seen or heard everything! Michele W pam.ryan@... wrote: ok, " Miss Happy Pants " and Martha hooting--I may now have seen/heard/read everything! pam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 21, 2005 Report Share Posted October 21, 2005 YAY!!!!!!!!!! Congrats! Chantelle (CHARGE) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 21, 2005 Report Share Posted October 21, 2005 Michele, YEA!!! Congratulations to you. I know you will be absolutely wonderful. And I know you are going to make a positive change for all people. I couldn't be more happy for you. YEA! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 21, 2005 Report Share Posted October 21, 2005 Hello, I know of a family in IL going through a terrible time with multiple family crisis's at the same time. They have a CHARGE'r who is 20 (I think) and the services are very sub par and she is at home MOST of the time with nothing to do. I hear this MORE and MORE and it is very troubling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 21, 2005 Report Share Posted October 21, 2005 yaayyyyyyyyyyyyyyy you know now youve got fesh thoughts coming to my head you could come to our aus confrence next year and help just visit www.auscharge.com <http://www.auscharge.com> adn that has details of the confrence itd be great if you could hugs ellen > > Michele- > > Congratulations to you and to all the lives you will touch ~ > > Hurrah!!! > > love, > > yuka > > > > > Membership of this email support groups does not constitute membership in > the CHARGE Syndrome Foundation or CHARGE Syndrome Canada. > For information about the CHARGE Syndrome > Foundation or to become a member (and get the newsletter), > please contact marion@... or visit > the web site at http://www.chargesyndrome.org - for CHARGE Syndrome Canada > information and membership, please visit http://www.chargesyndrome.ca or > email info@... . > 8th International > CHARGE Syndrome Conference, July, 2007. Information will be available at > www.chargesyndrome.org <http://www.chargesyndrome.org> or by calling > 1-. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 21, 2005 Report Share Posted October 21, 2005 WTG congratualations... from australia I got the position of Downstate Advocacy Coordinator with the Family > Support Network in IL! I am so thrilled! I will finally be doing some > real work towards empowering people with disabilities and their families > to make policy changes that will work for their needs. Of course, > everything I learn in this job will help me to be a better CHARGE advocate > as well. > > Thanks for all of you for the silent but strong support I always know is > there behind me. > > > > > Michele Westmaas > mom to Aubrie 7 yrs CHaRgE and 13 yrs, wife to DJ > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 21, 2005 Report Share Posted October 21, 2005 a;y niclole u arent on msn y is that lol how is haley isnt today the op or wasnt it its the 21st lol ellen > > WTG congratualations... > > from australia > > I got the position of Downstate Advocacy Coordinator with the Family > > Support Network in IL! I am so thrilled! I will finally be doing some > > real work towards empowering people with disabilities and their families > > to make policy changes that will work for their needs. Of course, > > everything I learn in this job will help me to be a better CHARGE > advocate > > as well. > > > > Thanks for all of you for the silent but strong support I always know is > > there behind me. > > > > > > > > > > Michele Westmaas > > mom to Aubrie 7 yrs CHaRgE and 13 yrs, wife to DJ > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 21, 2005 Report Share Posted October 21, 2005 Wow, great news Michele. Congratulations. Get a sitter and go out for a nice dinner with DJ this weekend. Jeanie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 21, 2005 Report Share Posted October 21, 2005 CONGRATS, MICHELE!!! WAY TO GO!!! ;-D Pat - > >Reply-To: CHARGE >To: CHARGE List <CHARGE > >Subject: I got the job! >Date: Thu, 20 Oct 2005 17:47:59 -0700 (PDT) > >I got the position of Downstate Advocacy Coordinator with the Family >Support Network in IL! I am so thrilled! I will finally be doing some >real work towards empowering people with disabilities and their families to >make policy changes that will work for their needs. Of course, everything >I learn in this job will help me to be a better CHARGE advocate as well. > >Thanks for all of you for the silent but strong support I always know is >there behind me. > > > > >Michele Westmaas >mom to Aubrie 7 yrs CHaRgE and 13 yrs, wife to DJ > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 21, 2005 Report Share Posted October 21, 2005 Ellen- I would love to come to Australia and bring the whole family -- but I'm sure it's too far out of my southern Illinois territory to get any funding! Perhaps some day we'll get there... Michele W ellen howe wrote: yaayyyyyyyyyyyyyyy you know now youve got fesh thoughts coming to my head you could come to our aus confrence next year and help just visit www.auscharge.com adn that has details of the confrence itd be great if you could hugs ellen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 21, 2005 Report Share Posted October 21, 2005 - Give that family my email info. I may not be able to help now, but perhaps down the road I will. Michele W KAV427@... wrote: Hello, I know of a family in IL going through a terrible time with multiple family crisis's at the same time. They have a CHARGE'r who is 20 (I think) and the services are very sub par and she is at home MOST of the time with nothing to do. I hear this MORE and MORE and it is very troubling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 21, 2005 Report Share Posted October 21, 2005 hahahaha pam > ---------- > From: CHARGE on behalf of Michele Westmaas > Reply To: CHARGE > Sent: Thursday, October 20, 2005 11:32 PM > To: CHARGE > Subject: RE: I got the job! > > Pam- > You know there's more to come... You've never seen or heard everything! > > Michele W > > pam.ryan@... wrote: > ok, > " Miss Happy Pants " and Martha hooting--I may now have seen/heard/read everything! > pam > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 21, 2005 Report Share Posted October 21, 2005 Michele, Well done you I'm sure you will be very good in this role and a great help to many. Elaine, mum to Elise (13yrs) & Jack (8yrs) CHaRGE Scotland Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 21, 2005 Report Share Posted October 21, 2005 Michele, That's great news! Although I've not been posting mch recently I've been following all the emails. I know you'll do a great job in this role. Those are lucky families who get you as their advocate! CONGRATULATIONS! is (Mum to , UK) > > I got the position of Downstate Advocacy Coordinator with the Family > Support Network in IL! I am so thrilled! I will finally be doing some real > work towards empowering people with disabilities and their families to make > policy changes that will work for their needs. Of course, everything I learn > in this job will help me to be a better CHARGE advocate as well. > > Thanks for all of you for the silent but strong support I always know is > there behind me. > > > > > Michele Westmaas > mom to Aubrie 7 yrs CHaRgE and 13 yrs, wife to DJ > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 22, 2005 Report Share Posted October 22, 2005 Michele, Congratulations! That is wonderful news! Sharon from W Oz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 23, 2005 Report Share Posted October 23, 2005 Congratulations Chele... i just had a feeling Cole > > Martha- > Thanks for the hoots! I'm still on cloud 9. I will be the Downstate > Advocacy Coordinator for the Family Support Network in IL. They are an > agency that is now under the umbrella of the ARC of IL although we still act > independently. The website is familysupportnetwork.org<http://familysupportnetwork.org/>. > > > I'm not certain of all of the details, but I will be covering the lower > half of the state. This is a 20 hr/wk home office position with some travel. > We provide one-day advocacy conferences on Saturdays throughout the state by > request. The hope is that, with 2 new employees- me and one upstate, we will > now be able to follow-up after those conferences to enable and empower > people to form their own grassroots organizations which will advocate for > people with disabililities. Basically, the purpose is the enable, empower, > and facilitate people with disabilities and their families to advocate for > themselves and create policy change. The goal is to have policy be family- > and person-driven with supports available that are accessible and > individualized to each family's needs. > > I will do those conferences on ocassion (we don't expect more than one per > month), and represent the Family Support Network by attending state agency > meetings, working with legislators, and presenting at various organizations > by their request (like parent groups, schools, etc). > > I cannot tell you how excited I am. I remember when an advocate came to > help us thru the maze of services and bureacracy when Aubrie was a baby. I > clearly recall saying to him, " I want to be you when I grow up. " And here's > my chance. > > I will continue to do trainings for family child care providers (this has > been tapering off anyway). I will stay on staff at Hearing and Vision > Connections (through the School for the Deaf) as a trainer and consultant. I > will also keep Chelendipity as a home business just keeping up with my > regular customers -- like commemorative plates I do for the Abe Lincoln > Project each year. But I will close the shop as of the end of the year and > scale back Chelendipity quite a bit. So... there you have it! A major career > change in absolutely the direction I have been working towards. > > The next few months will be interesting as I make the transition. I will > be in training for most of that time and will gradually work up to 20 hrs/wk > so it works well with phasing out Chelendipity but still getting my holiday > orders completed. > > What a great birthday present, huh?? I just can't believe that this is > finally coming to fruition. I have been trying to work in this direction for > such a long time wondering if I would really achieve what I had in my mind. > Now, let's hope this is what I am expecting and that I am what they are > expecting. As DJ said, even if it turns out not to be something I like or > something that works out long term, it's sure to lead to something else. > > Miss Happy Pants, Michele W > > Love > chele > > lewcap@... wrote: > Michele, I am absolutely thrilled for you. Please fill me/us in on all the > > details. I'm downright hooting for you! Martha > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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