We conduct this survey every two years to assess your level of satisfaction with the PDD-funded services available to your family member or the person whom you represent. Your responses are very important and help us to better understand your needs and expectations. This year, you can either complete the paper survey included in your package or the online survey at the URL identified in your package.

Please send in your survey by October 10, 2008.

Click here for more information.

The Employer of Choice Initiative gives the Community Disability Service sector an opportunity to be recognized and valued as a profession and, equally important, empowers employees to be the best they can be to provide world class customer service for each and every individual the sector supports.

The participating agencies comprise a team of 1,000 employees who are resourceful, empowered, passionate and enthusiastic and who will begin the journey to become the Employer’s of Choice for Community Disability Services. We invite any person(s), group and/or organization to contact a the HUB Council Member to schedule a presentation of the successful initiatives to date. We value your input, hope to hear from you very soon.

Click here for more information.

The deadline for submission of films is fast approaching! All films must be postmarked by September 30th. For more information, visit www.ptff.org or contact:

S. Lenthall
Picture This...Film Festival
Calgary Scope Society
Suite 211, 2323 - 32 Ave NE
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
T2E 6ZE

Nominations are now being accepted for the 2008 Norm McLeod Community Inclusion Awards. Nominating an individual or group you admire is an excellent way to honour Albertans who are dedicated to involving adults with developmental disabilities in community life.

Nominations will be accepted until September 19, 2008.

Click here for more information.

Calgary Region Community Board Persons with Developmental Disabilities (PDD) has temporarily moved to:

Rocky Mountain Plaza
15th Floor, 615 Macleod Trail SE
Calgary, AB T2G 4T8 

We will stay at Rocky Mountain Plaza until the Fall of 2008.

It is my pleasure to welcome two new members who have been appointed by Minister Mary Anne Jablonski to the Calgary Region Community Board. I look forward to working with new Board members, Dr. Keith Seel, Dr. Deborah Sword, returning Board members and Administration in achieving the Board’s vision of “An Alberta that honours and respects the dignity and equal worth of persons with developmental disabilities.”

Dr. Keith Seel comes to us with extensive experience as the Director of the Institute for Nonprofit Studies at Mount Royal College where he designed Canada’s first Bachelor’s degree in Applied Nonprofit Studies. Dr. Seel is the past Chair of the Calgary Service Provider’s Chairs Council, which is an association of the Chairs of 45 service provider agencies.

As a parent of a daughter with Down Syndrome, Dr. Seel looks forward to applying his wide range of work and volunteer experience to further improve services to adults with developmental disabilities.

Dr. Deborah Sword, the daughter of parents with disabilities, brings to her role as a new Board member, experience in Board governance and teaching disability management facilitation for an international service provider. Dr. Sword’s background as a lawyer and in cross-cultural and diversity training will certainly provide valuable insight as our Board moves ahead with future goals.

With these two new appointments comes the departure of two of our longest serving Board members. On behalf of the Calgary Region Community Board Persons with Developmental Disabilities, I would like to express our appreciation to Kathy Clarke and Dick Cochrane.

Kathy has given tirelessly to the Board for the last eight years in various committee roles, culminating in her serving as Board Vice – Chair.

Dick Cochrane has been a steadfast contributor to those with special needs for over 25 years, including serving on numerous PDD committees. Dick brought a perspective of the individual’s needs to our discussions.

Our best wishes to Kathy and Dick and our sincere appreciation for their role on the Board in supporting people with developmental disabilities.

I am pleased that there is a continuity of current Board members as Irene McEachern, Pam Crosby, Jean Fraser, and Jerry Muelaner will carry on to serve as Board members. Our Board will build on what has been achieved and we look forward to working together with Dr. Alex Hillyard, CEO and all stakeholders as we address the opportunities and challenges facing our region today and in the future.

Congratulations on a Spectacular Speak Out 10 – Learning Festival

Click here to view photographs of the festival!

Thanks to everyone who helped make this week of celebrating, learning, talking, parading, and dancing a fantastic experience!

This is what participants said about making their creative voice louder and prouder!

“I received an invitation in the mail and I decided to come to the cabaret. This is the first time that I have been to anything like this outside of my little town. It was really fun and I met some really cool people. Now I have their email addresses to keep in touch.”

“Making a film was really exciting, especially when we were able to work with such great film makers.”

“As a person from across the world, I want to tell you that Calgary is really an exciting place to visit and you should be very proud to live here.”

“I won two prizes in the art contest – really.”

“I made a banner and I carried it in the parade. Even though it was raining it really made feel really proud.”

“I was part of a dance group for the first time and the final show was really fun.”

“I came to Calgary and made my way around. It was a good way to make new friends. I think next year’s Festival will be really fun too.”

“It feels really good to know that we could come together as a community and make this all happen. It has been awesome, really.”

“Louder and Prouder - I will remember all the jazz hands and stomping feet, the smiles and the jokes and just how it made me feel.”