Winter 2005 - Down Syndrome Association of Wisconsin
Transcription
Winter 2005 - Down Syndrome Association of Wisconsin
THE ON UP WINTER 2005 VOLUME 15 WITH DOWN SYNDROME ISSUE 1 A Publication of the Down Syndrome Association of Wisconsin, Inc. WHAT A GIFT! By Carole Shafer, Newsletter Editor Results of a new study published in the journal Pediatrics (January 2005) reported that the approach in which medical professionals provide family members news of the diagnosis of Down syndrome affects the family’s perception of the disorder. Despite advancements in prenatal testing, most families learn that their baby has Down syndrome right after birth. Many reported receiving the news separately from their spouse with them then responsible for informing the family. Others reported that medical professionals provided little or no information on the disorder, summarized their baby’s future in a negative light and offered the family nothing in the way of future assistance. Recommendations from the study included giving parents up to date printed information on the condition, offering them a link to local support groups and talking about the possibilities and potentials for their child’s future. YAAAAHOOOO! It’s about time! It seems silly to think that scientists actually need to study this fact, one which seems so simple to the families of those that have loved ones with Down syndrome. That is why DSAW is here. That is why we have developed new parent packets with up to date information and links to additional information. That is what the DSAW Community Outreach Committee has been doing by speaking to hospital personnel thereby providing information and personal perspective. That is what the "On the Up with Down Syndrome" newsletter strives to provide. That is what we have to share, see the potential. Every child is a gift. I was at a loss as to what to write about for the front page article of this edition of the newsletter when two pieces of mail reached me simultaneously. Both were notes written by grandparents of a child with Down syndrome. One written by a grandmother in Watertown shared a song she wrote for her granddaughter with Down syndrome, Katherine, to assist her with speech development and concentration. An excerpt is below. A Singing Cheer Elsie G. Devonshire@ 2004 We’re gonna live, live, live We’re gonna love, love, love And try to laugh, laugh, laugh Every day-ay In every way – ay Then we can learn, learn, learn And take our turn, turn, turn When we play –ay every day –ay While we live and we love And we laugh and we learn TODAY – Hooray!!! What a gift! I love both my boys desperately but I never thought, nor took the time, to write a song just for them. I think the lyrics to the song are marvelous. How lucky Katherine is to have a grandmother that talented and giving. The second letter to reach me that day was from Tom and Marlene Freckmann of Menomonee Falls introducing their granddaughter, Madeline Rose, Madie for short. They wrote that they like to call her the "I can do it" girl. They say, as only grandparents can, that she has spunk. They spoke of her wonderful siblings and her compassion for the elderly. "Madie is so very pleased when she is able to help in any way, just by conversing or pushing a wheel chair. We are truly blessed!" What a gift! I wish every child, regardless as to whether they have a disability or not, had grandparents who could see the special gift that child brings into the world. Pictures of Madie sharing her artwork and practicing the piano accompany this article. What these two letters have in common is my hope for all this New Year and beyond. Take the time to see the true gifts you have in your family and share them with others. By doing so, you will make the difference. DSAW B OARD OF Thank Yo u ! D IRECTORS Ron Irwin, Board President Angie Fech, Vice President Kevin Fech, Treasurer Carole Shafer, Newsletter Editor Nancy Heltemes, Member-At-Large Heidi Dauer, Member-At-Large Jon Reetz, Member-At-Large A DVISORY B OARD FOR NEW MEMBERS THANKS FOR JOINING US! Scott & Irene Geske Chris & Joanne Offutt Brian & Monica Rausch Roger & Sarah Sandell Al & Sharon Schroeder Matt & Lana Spranger Maria Steeneporte John & Barbara Sweeney Brian & Jodi Tweeden, Jared and Nathan Bob & Cheryl Tweeden James & Johanna Tweeden DSAW Abbotsford. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Karen Gunderson Antigo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dawn Darr Appleton. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Terry Wadel Eau Claire. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Anne Gainey Fox Valley Area . . . . . . . . . . Steve & Judy Frey Green Bay. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Nancy Lancelle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Samantha Platkowski LaCrosse. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pamela Kane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chuck & Robin Malayter Madison. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Andrea Wipperfurth Marshfield . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Colleen Kelly Northwest WI. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lynn Schauls Platteville. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Connie Powers Prairie Du Chien . . . . . . . . . . . . Wendy Garrity Two Rivers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Brenda Buda Walworth County . . . . . . . . . Naomi Gregornik Wausau. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dorothy Balthazor West Bend . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bob & Karen Neja . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sandy Zopf D ONATIONS I N M EMORY O F : Laurien Lausier from Michael & Shelley Jean Joan Barbara Lingford from Gerald & Judy Lyrenmann Paulyne A. (Cernicky) Walish from Michael & Mary Paule Kalz T O O U R G E N E RO U S D O N O R S : Aurora Health Care GMO Charities, Inc. J.P. Morgan Chase Foundation Matching Gift & Volunteer Program Knights of Columbus Bishop Leo J. Brust Council #3702 Ladish Company Foundation Professional Asbestos Removal and Survey Services Corporation TAP Pharmaceutical Products, Inc. United Way Vilter Foundation, Inc. Waukesha County Community Foundation/ Wauwatosa Savings Bank Fund Wisconsin State Knights of Columbus Northern Ozaukee Council #11657 2 GHOULISH GOOD TIME AT DSAW’S FIRST HALLOWEEN PARTY D S AW B R A G B O O K Dear Friends, This year at our family picnic, we had an auction to raise money for DSAW as well as for Alzheimer’s disease. We would like the money to be used for research. We will continue this auction every year and hope that it will grow and we will be able to continue to support DSAW. We had a blast and we did pretty well for the first year raising $160 for each organization. An issue that had been brought to the attention of DSAW recently was the lack of social activities available for teenagers and young adults with Down syndrome within our community. With the help of Bank One’s Mary Ann Mlodzik and Pam Albrecht, who coordinated volunteers and decorations, as well as a grant provided by JP Morgan Chase, DSAW hosted its first Halloween Bash for Teens and Tweens in October. It was an awesome success and a ghoulish good time was had by all who attended! Jeremy Servin is 11 years old and has Down syndrome. He lives in Ladysmith, Wisconsin. Jeremy has changed the lives of all our family and we hope we can make even a small difference in the research. Sincerely, The family of Jeremy Servin (Editors note: DSAW was very proud and happy to forward that money to the Waisman Center in Madison, where they are conducting Down syndrome research.) Our Halloween Bash was held at the Easter Seals Recreation Building on Milwaukee’s south side. Great music was provided by Duane Burdette & Fabian of DB Jammin. In addition to dancing, there were craft activities available and a light lunch offered courtesy of US FoodService. No Halloween Party would be complete without a costume contest and first prize was awarded to Chase Koenecke who came as Elvis. Congratulations Chase! But no one left empty handed. Every attendee received either a Burger King or a Blockbuster Video gift certificate, water bottle from Bank One, and goody bag filled with candy. Dear DSAW, I am returning this New Parent Video. My daughter will be 4 in one week and I apologize for holding onto it for so long. It gave me hope and comfort at a very bleak time in my life, and I thank you for such a service. I am enclosing a picture of my daughter, who is the joy of my life, and in my mother’s words "blesses everyone she meets". Thank you for the kindness and the good work you do. Sincerely, Kelly Miller, Newark, California A special thank you goes to moms Jeri Koenecke, for donating candy and Burger King coupons, and Chris Breihan, for donating snacks. Thanks ladies for going the extra mile to help make this party a treat! If anyone has other ideas or suggestions you would like to see DSAW work on, please call the office (414) 327-3729 or email us at [email protected]. Our Board Members continues to strive in making DSAW the "Member’s Organization". 3 8TH ANNUAL BUDDY WALK CONTINUES TO EXCEED EXPECTATIONS By Angie Fech, Buddy Walk Committee Chair The 2004 Buddy Walk Committee would like to say THANK YOU to all who participated this year’s Buddy Walk. Every year that I have been involved in this event it has not only been a learning experience, but a fulfilling one as well. I’ve had the opportunity to meet many wonderful, talented people who opened their hearts as well as their wallets. I believe we measure success not only by the dollars we raise, but also by the hearts we touch. Each participant involved, whether it was someone who gave you a personal donation, a vendor or corporate donor, an individual walker or team, a community member who placed a sign in their yard, a volunteer on the committee or one that worked on that day, or one of the many talented entertainers that donated their time and energy, each contributed to the success of Buddy Walk held on September 26th. Having said that, I would like to extend a very special thank you to each and every one of you, for without you there would be no Buddy Walk and there would be no DSAW. With the 2003 Buddy Walk’s amazing grand total raised of over $30,000, it is with absolute awe that I announce this year’s Buddy Walk grand total, after expenses, came in at just over $38,000! And of that $38,000, half of it was raised by our TOP 10 fund raisers! Kudos go to our number one fund raising team, Sam Mayer and his family! Sam’s parents, Jeff & Sue Mayer, were the recipients of round trip airfare for two on America West Airlines. Way to go Mayer family!! We have forged some wonderful corporate relationships and it is with their assistance that we are able to produce this extraordinary event. We would like to thank US FoodService for providing a scrumptious lunch and Jewel-Osco for providing the delectable desserts. Thanks to Tosa East Key Club and BankOne for providing volunteers, as well as our tried and true DSAW volunteers who always come through when they are asked. DSAW is grateful to Tom Pipines, who again was able to join us and rally the troops as he led over 600 walkers on a beautiful, sunny day through Hart Park and downtown Wauwatosa. Our entertainment ranged from comedy to jazz throughout the day. ComedySportz put on an interactive performance with kids from the audience and put smiles on the faces of all who watched before the walk. We kicked off the walk with two songs sung by "The Edge", a local barbershop quartet whose hearts carry an even sweeter tune than their voices. "Local Talent" provided the smoky sounds of an extremely talented jazz quartet who was just as delightful to listen to. And anyone that stuck around after lunch & the raffle prizes was treated to watching the Green Bay Packers play the Colts, courtesy of Russ Ulland and NEL Frequency Controls. We were also the recipients of a balloon decorator’s generosity. Christine Plewa, owner of Balloon Decor & More, was at Hart Park decorating another event being held at the Pavilion that day and returned with balloon decorations to us celebrate the Buddy Walk. Thank you Christine for the kindhearted and thoughtful gesture. It did not go unnoticed and greatly enhanced the festive mood of the day! Those of you that attended noticed some fresh, new things that were added to this year’s event like the "Bake For A Buddy" Sale. This was a bake sale in which all the baked goods were donated by local bakeries. The delectable delights were provided by Greg’s Soup-Er Desserts, Canfora European Bakeries and Roma Italian Bakery & Deli. The first "Bake For A Buddy" Sale was so successful that it will definitely be back for Buddy Walk 2005! Look for even more scrumptious delights then. We had our first Silent Auction with items such as a Ride Along Certificate with the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Department and an autographed, framed picture of Lance Armstrong to name just a few. We also offered our Raffle and Super Raffle Prize drawings, too. This year was the first year that we created "DSAW’s Market Place". Items that were included and made available for sale were T-shirts from past events - $3-$20, Entertainment Books $35, Pocket Peelers - $10, "Katy’s Personalized DSAW Christmas Ornaments" - $5, Collector’s Edition Angel Pins - $2 and DSAW Baseball Caps $12. If you are interested in purchasing any of these items, they are available for order through the DSAW office. They make great gifts for any occasion and all proceeds benefit DSAW. Look for a DSAW Market Place page, complete with pictures, coming soon to the DSAW website. Planning for Buddy Walk 2005 is just around the corner. If you are interested in joining the Planning Committee, would like to volunteer the day of the event or have suggestions that could benefit the Buddy Walk, please call the DSAW office at (414) 327-3729. We welcome new ideas and fresh faces! Don’t forget to mark Sunday, September 25th, 2005 at Hart Park, Wauwatosa for the 9th Annual Buddy Walk! 4 DSAW AND THE 2004 BUDDY WALK COMMITTEE WOULD LIKE TO THANK ALL OF OUR SPONSORS FOR THEIR PARTICIPATION IN MAKING THE 8TH ANNUAL BUDDY WALK AN ENORMOUS SUCCESS!!! AMERICA WEST CARGO TOM PIPINES, COURTESY OF FOX-6 TV WAUKESHA COUNTY COMMUNITY FOUNDATION VETRO WINERY MARTIN FORD SALES, INC. WM. SWANTZ BUILDERS, INC. R & R INSURANCE SERVICES, INC. STONE CREEK COFFEE SIGMA ROOFING & RENOVATIONS TEK SYSTEMS VIKING LAND MOVILE COMMUNICATIONS, INC. DAVID HOBBS HONDA LOCAL TALENT JAZZ QUARTET MOHAMMAD AMINI MARY DETERMAN, M.S.W. LLC WISCONSIN ATHLETIC CLUB MILWAUKEE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA PRIME QUARTER STEAKHOUSE SYBARIS POOL SUITES LANA’S LOOKS HAIR SALON HAUKE’S FLORAL ‘ N MORE BETTY BRINN CHILDREN’S MUSEUM COMEDYSPORTZ DISCOVERY WORLD MUSEUM OLD WORLD WISCONSIN KRISPY KREME DONUTS JERRY’S OLD TOWNE RESTAURANT LAKE SUPERIOR BIG TOP CHAUTAUQUA 2005 INDIAN SUMMER FESTIVAL BEST WESTERN HARBOR SHORES, LAKE GENEVA GAIL ALBRECHTSON, AUTHOR, "JADE’S STORY" BARTOLOTTA RESTAURANT GROUP TUMBLEWEED BAR & GRILL YMCA WEST SUBURBAN BRANCH MARY ANN RANKIN, CONSULTANT TASTEFULLY SIMPLE GIFT BASKET, ANGIE FECH, CONSULTANT EAST SHORE SPECIALTY FOODS NOODLES & COMPANY SAZ’S STATE HOUSE CHASON’S SALON JAKE’S RESTAURANT TONY & TINA’S WEDDING, CHICAGO MILWAUKEE COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPT. FRONT ROW GRILL, MILLER PARK JOE & ELLEN MAYER CIRCLE INC. RACINE DENTAL GROUP KATY ZANONI & KATY’S ORNAMENTS BANK ONE US FOODSERVICE LAMAR OUTDOOR ADVERTISING WAUWATOSA SAVINGS BANK FUND TRI CITY NATIONAL BANK NURTURING BALANCE MASSAGE THERAPIST ROZGA PLUMBING & HEATING CORP. CUSTOM COUNTERTOP FABRICATION, INC. JEWEL-OSCO ECONOGRAPHIX "THE EDGE" BARBERSHOP QUARTET EMPLOYEE BENEFIT SERVICES SOLID ENCOUNTERS, INC. KENNETH S. ARONSON - CPA CHASE INDUSTRIES, INC. IN LOVING MEMORY OF JOHN & CLARA DAUER TIME WARNER CABLE SERVICE MILWAUKEE BALLET COMPANY SHEDD AQUARIUM, CHICAGO SUNSET PLAYHOUSE WI MARITIME MUSEUM CAVE OF THE MOUNDS HARLEY-DAVIDSON MOTORCYCLE CO. COUNTRY VILLAGE DECORATING CENTER EAST TROY ELECTRIC RAILROAD PETTIT NATIONAL ICE CENTER PANERA BREADS CIRCUS WORLD MUSEUM, BARABOO, WI MILWAUKEE ART MUSEUM MILWAUKEE COUNTY ZOO LYNNE’S SCIZZORY MILWAUKEE ADMIRALS SWIMTASTIC SCHLITZ AUDUBON NATURE CENTER AVON GIFT BASKET, MILWAUKEE PUBLIC MUSEUM FIRST STAGE CHILDREN’S THEATRE BOB OCHOWICZ MILWAUKEE BREWERS BASEBALL CLUB ELKHART LAKE ROAD AMERICA LAKE MICHIGAN CARFERRY BARNES BED & BREAKFAST, HALES CORNERS GENEVA LAKES GREYHOUND TRACK THE MICHLIG & NELSON FAMILIES THE ULLAND FAMILY PALMEN CHEVROLET RETTKO LAW OFFICE S.C. TOSA EAST HIGH SCHOOL KEY CLUB NEL FREQUENCY CONTROLS 5 SANTA AND HIS ELVES ONCE AGAIN HOST AN AFFAIR TO REMEMBER Santa flew in for an early appearance at DSAW’s Annual Holiday Party on Saturday, December 4th, 2004 held at Western Lakes Country Club. We would like to take this time to extend a very special thank you to Western Lakes Country Club and General Manager, Chris Wright, for donating the beautiful banquet facility and for the use of your kitchen and staff for our event. All of the help you provided greatly contributed to the festivities. Lunch was also furnished, in part, by one of our DSAW members, Bob Dess, and Windsor Frozen Foods. Santa’s elves were hard at work passing out gifts for all of DSAW’s good little girls and boys. Thanks go to Pam Albrecht for her "Energizer Bunny" personality in all that she has done and continues to do for DSAW. Also, thanks to Pam for coordinating Bank One’s elves every year who take a very special interest in DSAW’s kids when they purchase gifts for Santa to hand out. Thank you also to Bank One’s Mary Ann Mlodzik who recruited volunteers! Without the help of Mary Ann and her volunteer elves, the party would not have run as smoothly as it did. As we all know, Santa has many appointments but he always seems to make time for us. DSAW is incredibly appreciative of our Santa, Terry Martin, and his wife and helper, Diane, who came to share of their time and their very special talents the last two years. Thank you Terry and Diane. We, at DSAW, can’t even put into words the joy that you bring to our families and the hearts that you touch. Each child that attended DSAW’s Holiday Party not only received a gift from Santa, the families got their pictures taken with him and were able to take the photo home in a special Christmas frame. All were treated to a hot lunch and Christmas cookies. Throughout the party everyone enjoyed listening and dancing to the sweet sounds of Christmas. Santa sent some very special DJ’s to us. Michael Breitbach and his sidekick, Roy of "Best Friends Traveling Sound Show" have provided the music for our holiday party the last couple of years. Thank you Michael & Roy for sharing your magical and musical talents during this busy holiday season! DSAW loves and appreciates all of our volunteers; however, there are always several individuals that go the extra mile. DSAW is the beneficiary of the talents of a very special couple. That couple is Joe and Ellen Mayer. Ellen came out of retirement to become DSAW’s office manager when she saw there was a need. Her husband Joe, who is also retired, has become DSAW’s "behind the scenes, errand running, last minute detail" guy and the both of them are at almost every DSAW sponsored event with smiling faces. If not physically at the event, then they get the thankless jobs of preparing for and the clean up afterward. They don’t usually receive a lot of help or praise before and/or after DSAW events. So, thank you Joe and Ellen for all that you do and for your tireless efforts. Please remember that without the generosity of our members and corporate friends, we would not be able to produce the quality events that DSAW members have enjoyed over the past few years. Please remember to patronize our sponsors if you can. M AY EVERYONE HAVE A HEALTHY, HAPPY N EW Y EAR 6 FILLED WITH MUCH GOOD FORTUNE AND JOY ! W E H EARD YOU – S TEP U P ! DSAW has received repeated requests to organize an adults-only dinner dance for our members. The DSAW Board agrees that this is an absolutely wonderful idea. However, DSAW has a seven member board. Each member of the Board has the responsibility to Chair and successfully run a DSAW event or member service, in addition to their general Board of Director duties. There are only 7 of us. We have no one to Chair this event. If no one comes forward to take on this responsibility, as Dinner Dance Chairperson, this event simply will not occur. I know that our membership includes those who have event planning experience. Grab your friends or co-workers together and help make this happen. You don’t have to drive anywhere to do it. Meet at your home or work. DSAW would provide assistance, logistical and monetary, as requested and approved. Call or email the office and volunteer to help us make this event a reality. You could make the difference! MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR THESE UPCOMING EVENTS January 29, 2005 DSAW Membership Meeting to be held at 9 a.m., Children’s Hospital Clinic Building, 5th Floor, Education Services Classroom. Discussion topic will be Estate Planning for Persons with Disabilities. Guest speaker will be Atty. Dianne Cauble of Davis & Kuelthau. Ms. Cauble heads the Estate Planning group at her law firm and is current President of the ARC Milwaukee Board of Directors. Please join us for this important discussion. DSAW is constantly struggling with the difficulty of being a state wide organization and yet providing value added service to all its members. Please join the group we have formed online in the hope that it will be another avenue of support and information for our Wisconsin members. To join, login at http://groups.yahoo.com. You will be asked if you wish to join a group. The Down Syndrome Association of Wisconsin group name is DSAWconnects. Please note that the group name is case sensitive, so DSAW must be capitalized. Join the group, post a question or brag about your child’s milestone. With your participation, this online group could be a fast and easy way to get connected with other DSAW members to receive information or encouragement from others in our DSAW community. If you have any questions, email Carole Shafer at [email protected]. July 7 – July 10, 2005 National Down Syndrome Society will hold its annual national conference in Chicago. The 2005 conference will be held in partnership with the National Association of Down Syndrome and will bring together parents, professionals as well as teens and adults with Down syndrome from across the county. Call NADS for more info at (800)221-4602. August 15, 2005 DSAW Tom Pipines Golf Classic to be held at Western Lakes Golf Course in Pewaukee, WI. The Down Syndrome Association of Wisconsin receives a donation each time someone uses their Pick ‘N Save Advantage Card…. providing that DSAW is the designated charity of choice. All Pick ‘N Save donations to DSAW are used to support the services provided by DSAW. One of these services is to furnish New Parent Packets. These packets COMMUNITY DOLLAR include valuable PROGRAM resource information to hospitals across the state and to new parents while they are still in the hospital. September 25, 2005 9th Annual DSAW Buddy Walk to be held at Hart Park, Wauwatosa, WI. H AS YOUR CHILD E VER B EEN D IAGNOSED W ITH L EUKEMIA ? Researchers at the Medical College of Wisconsin are trying to estimate how many children with Down syndrome living in our area have at some point in their lives been diagnosed with transient leukemia (commonly seen in newborns), myeloproliferative disorder or acute leukemia (AML or ALL). Examining this information can help identify genetic changes that make children with Down syndrome more susceptible to leukemia. If your child has been diagnosed with some form of leukemia in the past, you are invited to contact the Down Syndrome Clinic of Wisconsin and answer a few questions. The information you provide will not be used for research purposes right now but can help estimate the number of children affected by leukemia in our area and determine if further research should be done. For more information contact Terri Couwenhoven at the Down Syndrome Clinic of Wisconsin by phone (414) 266-6259 or e-mail: [email protected] or [email protected]. ® Next time you are at Pick ‘N Save, please visit the customer service counter and tell them you want to designate DSAW as one of your Advantage Card charities (if you haven’t already done so). Then give them the DSAW number - 175315. It is that simple! Don’t forget to tell your friends & relatives that shop at Pick ‘N Save, too. 7 ❏ New Member ❏ Renewal ❏ Gift Membership Membership Application Name __________________________________________________________ Address _________________________________________________________ City ____________________________________________________________ State ________________ Zip _____________________________________ Phone __________________________________________________________ E-Mail Address ___________________________________________________ ❏ Parent ❏ Grandparent ❏ Aunt / Uncle ❏ Sibling ❏ Other If this is a gift membership, list recipient's information above and write your name here: _________________________________________________ MEMBERSHIP LEVEL ❏ $15 one year ❏ $25 two years Additional Donation enclosed: $ _______________________________________ Please enclose any names and addresses of others who may be interested in helping DSAW achieve its goals. Mail this application with your check to: DSAW • 9401 West Beloit Road, Suite 112, Milwaukee, WI 53227 ON THE UP W ITH DOWN SYNDROME Newsletter is published quarterly by the Down Syndrome Association of Wisconsin, Inc. DSAW’s mission is to provide support to families and individuals with Down syndrome through education, information, and the exchange of ideas and experiences. The vision of the Down Syndrome Association of Wisconsin, Inc. is the understanding of the value of people with Down syndrome in our lives and the community. We will continue to strive towards full acceptance, full access, full life and full potential. The policy of the Down Syndrome Association of Wisconsin, Inc. is not to endorse any medical, therapeutic or special education alternatives. The Down Syndrome Association of Wisconsin, Inc. is a volunteer group consisting of people who wish to create an optimistic outlook about Down syndrome for our families and others. The purpose of this newsletter is to provide a source of information to the community and members on issues related to Down syndrome. DSAW Office is located at 9401 West Beloit Road, Suite 112, Milwaukee, WI 53227 Phone: (414) 327-3729 or (866) 327-DSAW Fax: (414) 327-1329 E-Mail: [email protected] Web Site: www.dsaw.org Thanks to I NDEX P RINTING for their hard work that goes into the production of the newsletter. 9401 West Beloit Road, Suite 112, Milwaukee, WI 53227 DSAW IS A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION PLEASE CHECK YOUR MAILING LABEL. IF THERE IS A NUMBER AT THE END OF YOUR NAME, THAT IS YOUR MEMBERSHIP EXPIRATION DATE. IF THERE IS NO NUMBER, YOUR MEMBERSHIP HAS EXPIRED . . . PLEASE RENEW! IF YOU HAVE NOT YET JOINED DSAW, PLEASE DO SO TODAY . . . WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT! Quality Printing, Signs, Banners & Graphics For all of Your Business Communication Needs 414-228-1875