All Posts – Page 25 – The Big Sky Centre for Learning and Being Astonished Inc.

Susan Sorensen

March 25, 2015/0 Comments/in Donor of the Month

Edges and horizons have always fascinated me, lines that divide and lines that define. I live near the edge of the Astonished community. Long time friends have been midwives of this amazing vision. I listen from afar, and occasionally visit to receive stories of the struggles, the joys, the spirit and energy of this movement.

The Big Sky Centre for Learning and Being Astonished! How I love this name. Born from fierce love and passionate justice-making, Astonished continues to inspire awe and wonder. With a deep desire to create life-giving community, work and play for adult young people with complex physical disAbilities, this inclusive community is flourishing. It is enabling edges and horizons to shift and move and dance. The spirit shines in the photos on the website, the blogs, the stories online. It is abundantly clear that “dreams are being dreamed, strengths are being explored and the young adults with complex physical disAbilities are leading us all to a more authentically inclusive society”.

In the being/ the faces of all involved, but especially those of the core members, there is such an expression of groundedness and purpose. It is such a basic human need to know our place, to take our place and be affirmed in it. This is happening! And everyone who has been touched by Astonished is being encouraged to push edges, expand horizons and go further and deeper than we could ever have imagined.

This is why I have been a supporter of Astonished and will continue to be a cheerleader of this beautiful community.

Devising Inclusive Theatre

March 16, 2015/2 Comments/in Student Researchers

Kelsey Culbert, Astonished! Student Researcher is one of five students in the class “Devising Inclusive Theatre”. The University of Regina course is meant to teach people with disAbilities how to express themselves through theatre. It is a first for the University of Regina and a first for Kelsey. The class will have a performance on April 2 at the Shubox Theatre at the University of Regina. The students collectively wrote the piece that will be performed. To read more and listen to a CBC interview with some of the students please click here.

Oh What a Night

March 10, 2015/0 Comments/in Events

March 7th 2015 was full of fun and firsts. Our 3rd Annual fundraiser, Wings on Our Wheels ~ Astonished in Flight flew in on what seemed like the wings of spring. Guests arrived with happy greetings to one another; the vocal sounds of songstress Rebecca Lascue filled the room like a summer breeze; the children’s play space was a hum of activity; and everyone took to the silent auction tables like bees to nectar. The appetizers were both beautiful and delicious; the cupcakes were an art form. We were thrilled to launch the Astonished! Legacy Funds; special thank you to Barbara and Doug Mader, Rebekah Lindenbach, and Harvey Wagner for your part in launching these Funds. Check out the wonderful event photos by Tanys Rae Photography.

Thank you to everyone who made this evening such a great success.

Winter Games Rock

March 4, 2015/0 Comments/in Events

The Astonished Winter Games took on a creative flair under the leadership of sisters Sara and Sam Illerbrun, Kinesiology Students at the University of Regina. The gym was filled with laughter, as participants played crazy games like shaking ping pong balls out of a empty Kleenex box. Oh did we mention the Kleenex box was taped to the players waist like a fanny pack. Oh yes, and the fanny back Kleenex box was on the back, not the front! Some people had a real knack for the shake that was required to get the ping pong balls to fly out. It is great to team with the various University of Regina students who volunteer with Astonished.

Fabulous Partnerships

February 23, 2015/0 Comments/in E-newsletter

Think about some of your best times, your most creative endeavours, your daily life. Who comes to mind? Often we have fabulous partners who help to make our best times, our most creative endeavours, our daily life possible. In this February 2015 e-newsletter we want to introduce you to some of our fabulous partners at Astonished! You might want to begin by looking in the mirror because you are one of our fabulous partners. Thank You. Read More…

Sue Bland

February 4, 2015/0 Comments/in Donor of the Month

There are a multitude of reasons I want to donate to Astonished!
Here are the first two that came to mind:
I worked at a school for a number of years with a diversity of children. I noticed how our culture excludes many groups of people for a variety of reasons – they are inconvenient, they don’t fit the mold, we haven’t taken the time to get to know them.
It occurred to me that many of those we marginalize have many rich gifts to offer us- in many cases getting to know these individuals better might just the medicine our culture needs. This is true of young adults with complex physical disAabilities and with many other groups as well. Inclusion enriches us all with wisdom and light we might not otherwise have.
One of my daughters has always hummed loudly when happy with the world and what she is up to. I know that she is humming because all is right with her world at that moment. Something like a cat purring. Astonished! gives many young adults opportunities to “hum” – to experience a sense of well-being, belonging and joy. I am inspired by the many people who work to make the Astonished dream a reality. Here’s to Astonished!

You can check out Sue Bland’s art and play shops at Poached Egg Woman

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