All Posts – Page 22 – The Big Sky Centre for Learning and Being Astonished Inc.

Big Hero 6

May 25, 2015/0 Comments/in Social Club

An animated movie, really, are we going to watch an animated movie about a plus-sized inflatable robot Baymax, and prodigy Hiro Hamada, who team up with a group of friends to form a band of high-tech heroes? I expected to be bored; instead I was fascinated, both by the movie and by the group of us watching the movie.

The A! Social Club event ‘Lunch and a Movie’ turned out to be a perfect mirror of audience and movie. In both the movie and the audience we witnessed trust, courage, humour, and friendship. You might not think it takes courage and trust for lunch and a movie. But both are often required when you have a complex physical disAbility and you’re going to have lunch with others. A complex physical disAbility can impact a person’s ability to chew and swallow with ease. Eating together can be stressful. But this doesn’t stop the Astonished! Core Members and their friends from getting together for lunch and a movie. Like the friends in Big Hero 6 we trust each other to get it right, and when it doesn’t quite work the way we thought it would, we trust each other to find a different approach.

Oh yes, we could have also used the help of a high-tech hero to fix some of the quirks in two power chairs. Calling all high-tech heroes!

Three cheers for Rebekah Lindenbach!

May 19, 2015/5 Comments/in Social Club

A tribute to Rebekah Lindenbach from the A! Leadership Team:

Let’s have three cheers for Rebekah Lindenbach! This hard worker and all around great lady has just completed her final contract as a member of the A! Leadership Team. While on this team, Rebekah enthusiastically planned and implemented many fantastic monthly events for the A! community. Rebekah is a true leader and she worked hard at each event to ensure that all A! Core Members had lots of fun and were able to fully participate in whatever activity that was taking place. And she did (and continues to do) it all with a big and bright smile on her face. Rebekah, your diligent effort and joking ways will be truly missed on the team and we hope, no we expect, to continue to see you out at many future events. Now though, you will able to take it easy and soak up all of the well-deserved fun as an honoured guest. Although we continue to welcome any suggestions from you that will help to keep us in line. 🙂

True to her passion for planning and hosting events, Rebekah threw a lovely spring BBQ to celebrate her work with her team. A big thank you for having us, Rebekah and a big THANK YOU for your great work over the past 5 (WOW, 5!) years. We will see you around very soon! Hip hip hooray!

Staying Connected

May 5, 2015/0 Comments/in E-newsletter

University of Regina Social Work practicum student, Jessica Trevors, and A! Student Researcher, Kelsey Culbert, were photographed by A! Student Researcher, Rebekah Lindenbach, as part of a workshop on creating great photos with your iPad. At Astonished! we are using technology to tell our stories, to learn from others, to connect with the wider world, and to have fun. One way to stay connected with Astonished! is through our e-newsletter. Our May e-newsletter focuses on ways we are Making a Difference. You can check it out here….. Subscribing to our bi-monthly (6 times a year) free e-newsletter is easy. If you are not already a subscriber please click here to subscribe.

Pascal Erickson – Rocking with Nickelback

April 27, 2015/0 Comments/in Core Member

Pascal Erickson – Just Saying…….
I graduated from Campbell Collegiate in 2005. Since April 12th 2007 I have been conducting my life from Wascana Rehabilitation Centre in Regina. People say I am an excellent conductor, organizing and scheduling things I want in my life. I love music, especially country and rock. My dad and I are regulars at the Craven Country Music Jamboree. Recently, my sister Jennifer and I rocked at the Nickelback concert in Saskatoon (photo of Jennifer and Pascal).

Some of my favourite things are chocolate, photography, painting, reading medical text books, researching on the web, visiting with friends, Camp Easter Seal, playing cribbage, Astonished! events, and the Saskatchewan Roughriders. I have a serious case of ‘Rider Pride’. I keep connected to my family and friends, my music, and my Internet research though my iPad and iPhone. They are always on my chair tray.

Some of my favourite Astonished! events include the Halloween Howl and the annual Fundraising event. Both have great food, drink, and music, all things I love.

Because I spend a long time in my power chair, and this can be uncomfortable, my perfect day begins between 9:30 and 10:00 with breakfast in bed. With the assistance of Wascana staff I get ready for my day. I need this support but adjusting to the lack of privacy in a large institution can be challenging. I find it frustrating when staff and other residents think they know everything about me.

I am currently working with the recreation coordinator at Wascana to come up with a volunteer placement that would bring together several of my interests.

I often say ‘just saying’ and several people in the Astonished! community have adopted this phrase.

Congratulations

April 25, 2015/2 Comments/in News

The Next Chapter Book Club Facilitators, Morgan Campbell, Courtney Keith, Ashelee Longmore, Ella McIntyre, Janelle Thompson and Lindsay Torrie accept the Circle of Friends Award a the YWCA Women of Distinction Awards gala. (Photo: CTV)

Congratulations to Ella McIntyre, A! program staff, for recognition of her volunteer work with the Regina and District Association for Community Living Next Chapter Book Club. Ella is one of six women, book club facilitators, who received the YWCA Women of Distinction award in the Circle of Friends category. To read more

Much Ado About Nothing

April 14, 2015/0 Comments/in Events

It is amazing how much chaos you can create through lies, deceit, and not checking your facts. Astonished! Core Members and friends witnessed just such chaos first hand. As guests of the Regina Little Theatre, they attended the dress rehearsal of Much Ado About Nothing. This was William Shakespeare with a twist. It is mind boggling to even begin to learn all your lines for such a performance and the actors carried it off without a hitch. Thank you to the Regina Little Theatre for sharing the evening with us.

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