DSA|OC Blog

For several months now, Paige Peplow, DSAOC’s Ballet Class instructor, has been working with a great group of young girls on their dance routine to prepare them for their big day:  The Ballet Recital.

It was all about “Sunshine, Lollipops and Rainbows” in late June when the girls got dressed up in their colorful costumes, did their stretches and prepared to WOW the audience with their talents.

With oversized lollipops in their hands and the colors of the rainbow displayed all around them, they won over the hearts of the audience with their performance.

Congratulations Paige, and all the girls in the Ballet program, for another wonderful recital!

This wonderful website has been created to celebrate the 40^th anniversary of the establishment of the Down Syndrome Program at the University of Washington College of Education. 

Explore and contribute to the site and see where programs we are very familiar with have come from, and the pioneering work of Dmitriev and Oelwein.  People with Down syndrome being avid readers was no accident!

Check it out at: https://www.anewera4ds.org/

Friday, July 29 from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. in Anaheim.

Download Informational Flyer

DSAOC is providing this information as a resource to our families.  This is a non-DSAOC sponsored event.

Thank you for taking the time to participate in this valuable survey.

For the fifth year in a row, the owner of Bella’s Kitchen in Orange, Joe D’Angelo, opened up his restaurant on a Saturday just for DSAOC families.

Teens & Adults, along with their younger siblings, topped their own personal sized pizzas and then went back to the kitchen to see how they are cooked to perfection!  The rest of the family members in attendance got to enjoy delicious pizzas prepared by the chef.

If you couldn’t join us this year, watch your DSAOC Fridge Post and e-mails for next year’s Bella’s Kitchen event.

Brothers, Robert and Cody, show support for their little brother Ayden.

On a beautiful Saturday this past May, brothers Robert and Cody, along with their little brother Ayden who has Down syndrome, sat outside their home from 7:30 a.m. until 3 p.m. selling adorable dancing solar flowers to their neighbors and passers by.

The sign read, “Support for Down Syndrome”, with all the proceeds benefitting the Down Syndrome Association of Orange County (DSAOC).

DSAOC was thrilled to receive $136 from their efforts, but moreover, we were thrilled to see the love and brotherly bond that exists between them.

Thank you, Robert, Cody and Ayden! 

Monday, June 13, 2011

We look forward to seeing all of you that have registered for golf and/or the “After Golf” party on Monday, June 13!  Be sure to pull out your luau attire (optional) and we will see you at Los Coyotes Country Club, 8888 Los Coyotes Drive, Buena Park 90621.

Banquet festivities on the terrace begin at 4:30 p.m.  The Banquet doors open at 6 p.m.  Your dinner ticket includes light hors d’oeuvres, cash bar, and live entertainment on the terrace provided by the Vince, Bob & Buddy Band.  You will have access to the exciting auctions led by comedian, Robert G. Lee, and enjoy a delicious Hawaiian themed dinner – all while supporting the mission of DSAOC.

The Down Syndrome Association of Orange County would like to extend a special THANK YOU to all of our generous sponsors this year:

Jane Lynch and Lauren Potter participated in a PSA to help “Spread the Word to End the Word (R-word).”

The 30 second PSA shows an African-American man, a Latina woman, a Chinese-American woman, a homosexual man, and a Jewish-American man saying, “It’s not acceptable to call me [insert derogatory slang].”

At the end of the PSA, Becky (Lauren Potter) says, “It’s not acceptable to call me or call yourself or your friends retarded” and Sue (Jane Lynch) says, “The R-word is the same as every minority slur. Treat it that way and don’t use it.”

The article/PSA link is below.  This PSA contains mature language.  As pointed out by the Spread the Word to End the Word Campaign, this is the same language that kids use everyday in school, so why shouldn’t it be used to address the problem – by specifically pointing it out.

Read article/View PSA

The Down Syndrome Association of Orange County (DSAOC) would like to thank Sandra and Sean McElwee for thier valuable volunteer time and professional representation of DSAOC at Saddleback Church’s Community Forum, held on Saturday, May 14.

With such a small staff, DSAOC relies heavily upon families and supporters to help promote the organization’s mission at community events like this one, that we were thrilled to be invited to participate in at Saddleback.

If you know of a community event in your area that you feel DSAOC needs to be represented, and you are willing to host our table (we provide all materials) or if you would like to volunteer for community events like this and host our table, please contact Kristin Abbas at kabbas@dsaoc.org.

Thursday, May 12 at 7 p.m. at the Dodge College of Film and Media Arts, Folio Theatre, 283 N. Cypress St. Orange CA 92866

DSAOC is excited to partner with Chapman University and their “Community Voices” program to bring the documentary, “Hold My Hand” to our community. 

 “Hold My Hand” is a film about a 20 year old woman named Eliza who has Down syndrome.  Eliza has been raised under the principle of inclusion during her life; in school and in the community.  Naturally, she wanted to follow what her peers and brothers were doing, which included college. 

In this short documentary you will hear Eliza in her own words as she tries to comprehend all that is going on around her, including rejection.

Join other families for a viewing of six films being shown in partnership with local organizations, one of which is DSAOC for “Hold My Hand”.  The screening starts at 7pm, doors open at 6:45 p.m.  This is a FREE community event.

Community Voices Screening information

My Great Story: Mother’s Day Section

Throughout the month of April, everyone was invited to share stories with NDSS about the moms in their lives.  The “My Great Story – Mother’s Day” section has been devoted to telling stories about mothers, grandmothers, wives, sisters, aunts, cousins or friends who have sons or daughters with Down syndrome.

Congratulations to self-advocate Jennifer Hinds from Orange County, whose story received the most votes in the Mother’s Day section!

View Jennifer’s Mother’s Day story in NDSS’ Newsletter – story in section 11

A wonderful story in honor of our approaching Educator of the Year nomination deadline (April 28) in which you can recognize an individual educator or a team of educators who have made a positive impact on your child’s life.  

This story is about Allison who has Mosaic Down syndrome and is making her way through life, undaunted by challenges, and changing perceptions.

Read story

My Great Story: Stories of the Month

Each month NDSS highlights the two stories with the most votes on the My Great Story site and they are featured as the Stories of the Month. The votes are reset at the end of each month.

The top voted story this month is, I Know I Can, by Jennifer Hinds from Laguna Hills, California.  Her story was already featured in NDSS’ e-newsletter in September, 2010. Click here to view Jennifer’s story, which can be found on page seven.

To add your own story, or to vote or comment on others, visit the NDSS My Great Story website.

This past weekend, several families from the Down Syndrome Association of Orange County and United Cerebral Palsy – Orange County enjoyed another Surf Day hosted by our friends with Best Day Foundation.

Best Day Foundation helps children with special needs build confidence and self-esteem through safe, fun, adventure activities like surfing, bodyboarding, kayaking, snow sports, and more.

Pictures from this past weekend will be posted on their website soon at www.bestdayfoundation.org. 

Check out the article and photos from Surf Day last November with Best Day Foundation.  Future Surf Day’s will be announced soon.

Thank you Best Day!

Pictured to the left is Josh Brocard, enjoying his BEST DAY at the beach!

Research has shown that little progress has been made in the quality of a physicians’ delivery of a diagnoses of Down syndrome.  All too often, inaccurate information is being provided to expectant or new parents.  Typically, only the challenges of raising a child with Down syndrome are presented, and the positive aspects of how people with Down syndrome can live full lives and moreover enrich our lives and communities are not given.

Left to Right (Back Row) Sandra McElwee (Committee Chairperson), Steven Hill, Danielle Trombino, Amy Braun (Front Row) Judi Gollette, Mercedes Wagner, Lisa Zemenak, Carol Magarino (Not pictured areLori Cassady, Lisa Lilienthal, Nicole Hwozdek, Cathy Tiquia and Jesse Powell)

Our Hospital Outreach Volunteer Committee visits hospitals throughout greater Orange County, providing materials and support to hospital staff and social workers, to the offices of genetic counselors, and OB/GYNs, educating them on the potential of people with Down syndrome and assisting them with resources so that they can more comfortably and accurately deliver a diagnosis.  This information also provides a line to help and information after the news is given. 

The volunteer work performed by this important committee positively impacts so very many people; from the social workers and families to the professionals who are delivering the diagnosis. 

To our volunteers:  Your efforts are recognized, and DSAOC appreciates you!

If you are interested in being part of this volunteer committee, please contact Kellie Perez at kperez@dsaoc.org.

Sisters, Paige and Emma Peplow, give their valuable time and talents to DSAOC and the families we serve.  We are so happy the Daily Pilot put their story in the news.

Read story

The “Behr Cares” team donates their colorful talents to the Down Syndrome Association of Orange County.

“Behr Cares”, the community service group made up of Behr employees from the Behr Paint Processing Corporation in Santa Ana, not only donated paint and painting supplies to DSAOC, they also gave their time and talents!

Spring is here, and it’s the perfect time to do some cleaning and add some color to white walls, which is exactly what DSAOC had planned to do when it reached out to a parent that is connected to the organization and also works for Behr.  Not only did DSAOC get the donated paint, they received the great news that the “Behr Cares” team would come to the DSAOC Center and add some color and excitement to the activity center.

On Friday, March 11, the transformation began.  The “Behr Cares” team designed and painted a fun ‘Orange County themed’ mural in the activity center for our families to enjoy.

Check out the time lapse video created by Behr

Special thanks to Hector Perez, Jeanne Duncan, Doug Dow, Eric and all who took part in the Behr Cares painting project at DSAOC.  We hope this story will prompt other great company’s to pay it forward by helping their local non-profits in any way they can.

Becca, Alex, Sean and Shanel - Showing off the new mural at DSAOC!

Landon Bell:  Landon has taught us how to enjoy every step of a child’s development.  He takes joy in the simplest of activities and helps us to be the best parents we can be.  It is our hope that he will help to educate others about compassion, differences, and Down syndrome just by continuing to be himself.

Gavin McDonald:  We love you, Gavin!!

Sydney Taylor:  Sydney is 28, single and works as a Courtesy Clerk for Ralph’s Portola Plaza supermarket in MV, CA.  Sydney is also a volunteer at the South County Outreach (food pantry) on Wednesday afternoons.  SCO serves many homeless as well as struggling families in the south Orange County area.  Sydney serves within the Newport Beach Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (LDS) temple.  She LOVES singing with the choir in the Aliso Creek ward, is a great dancer, and enjoys skiing at the National Ability Center (NAC) in Park City, Utah.  She loves using her computer to learn via Wikipedia and to stay in touch with friends with e-mails and facebook.

Paul Kim:  My son, Paul Kim, is 26 years old.  He enjoys life and makes people happy.  He loves to wear different kinds of costumes.  Paul has a girl friend named Yeo Young.

They talk about getting married someday…