Informer

Informer
THE WIAIH QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER WINTER 2016 • VOL. 29, ISSUE #1
Art by Elizabeth Laing at the Arts & Crafts Recreation Program, 2016
FASHION SHOW CASTING CALL • SUMMER RECREATION REGISTRATION INFO
FOR THE FUTURE FINANCIAL PLANNING INITIATIVE • GOLF TOURNEY AT SUMMERLEA

111 Donegani, Pointe-Claire, QC H9R 2W3
Monday to Friday, 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM
Please note: WIAIH is closed for lunch between 12 PM and 1 PM.
WEB:
www.wiaih.qc.ca
TELEPHONE: 514-694-7090
FAX: 514-694-5839
EMAIL: info@wiaih.qc.ca
t
Informer
Contributors
Terrie Bélanger Ardron, Liam Chapman, Natalie Chapman, Lyne Charlebois, Nicole de Mone,
Haydee Gabrielli, Joanne Giacomini, Michael Gray, Franca Kesic, Natalie Heron,
Stacey McFatridge, Natalie Miyake, Mary Rainville, Alison Rollins, Tracy Wrench, Valeria Szabo
The Informer Team
Franca Kesic
Liam Chapman
Natalie Chapman
Manon Gervais
Valeria Szabo
INFORMER Coordinator / Community & Volunteer Relations
Editing, Graphics, Layout, Printing and Online Publishing
Editing, Executive Director
Editing and Translation
Editing and Translation
Translators
Pierre Bourgeois, Linda McNicol, Diane Trempe

A word from the Executive Director by Natalie Chapman
When my kids were young, Raffi lived at our house. As a children’s singer/songwriter his
lyrics and music on the stereo were instant calls to dance and sing and jiggle. Who could
resist the sounds of Baby Beluga or Rise and Shine? All Raffi’s songs had a deeper message of
love for each other and the world, wrapped up in catchy irresistible music. Aer 50 years of
being Canada’s minstrel and
thoughtfully entertaining millions of
children, Raffi Cavoukian has taken up
the cause of children in a more formal
way.
His Centre for Child Honouring was set
up to promote a vision by which
societies can re-order their priorities
to become sustainable, peace-making cultures - www.childhonouring.org. His
Covenant sets out an integrated vision for simultaneously restoring our planet and building
community with the child at its heart. It is a positive vision that stresses “the primacy of
early years” as key to activating the powerful potential of our species. Raffi continues to
inspire us to care for the children and work toward a better world through his words and
actions as well as through the wonderful songs that still have the power to move us.
WIAIH is working on a de ning project to build the KIZMET Centre. Over the many years,
we have known that supporting and respecting the individual rhythms of children is key to
unlocking their potential. Sharing our resources and the experience WIAIH has gained over
the years with the West Island community reminds me of a Raffi song:
It’s mine but you can have some.
With you I’d like to share it.
Cause if I share it with you, you’ll have some too.
Raffi’s words not only con rm the direction in which KIZMET will take us, but will serve to
guide our practice for many years to come.
centrekizmet
@centrekizmet
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MARK YOUR CALENDAR
Questions? Contact Franca at 514-694-7090 #214 or email assistance@wiaih.qc.ca
CoffeeBreak Daytime Support Group
Mornings: the first Friday of each month from 9:30 - 11:30 AM at WIAIH, 111 Donegani, Pointe-Claire
www.wiaih.qc.ca/node/70
Come join other moms and dads for a coffee in a
relaxing environment, learn about the network of
resources available in the community and what
interventions are bene tting parents and children,
share ideas, and at the same time meet other parents
or grandparents who may be facing similar
challenges.
Don’t miss this opportunity to share your
questions, concerns or knowledge with others. Come late or leave early. We are very
exible and everyone is welcome! Dads, you are welcome too!
Babysitting is available free of charge but a reservation is required one week in
advance! Contact Franca at 514-694-7090 #214 or email assistance@wiaih.qc.ca.
A friendship social skills group for parents!
Last Tuesday of each month from 7 - 9 PM at WIAIH, 111 Donegani, Pointe-Claire
is group will offer support and guidance for parents following e Science of Making
Friends, a book by Dr. Elizabeth Laugeson. e book offers concrete steps on how to achieve
the skills that lead toward meeting and maintaining friendships for teens and young adults
with social challenges. ere is no cost and no commitment. Please note, this monthly
group is for parents/caregivers only.
Registration is required. Contact Franca at 514-694-7090 #214 or
assistance@wiaih.qc.ca
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PEERS 14-week social skills training
Thursdays, March 10 - June 9, at WIAIH, 111 Donegani, Pointe-Claire
e 14-week social skills training program will begin in March 2016. For
more information or to register please contact WIAIH or use the links below.
Info: www.facebook.com/PEERSMONTREAL or peersmontreal@gmail.com
Fashion & Variety Show casting call!
WIAIH and WIC (West Island College) will soon be
gearing up for this year's great show, set to be held on
Saturday May 7, 2016 at WIC. Contact us if your son or
daughter (ages 4 and older) would like to participate! We
look forward to another great show this year.
Call Nat at 514-694-7090 #221 or email her at n.heron@wiaih.qc.ca
Saturday March 19 at 5 PM
at Sarto Desnoyers Community Centre, 1355 chemin Bord-du-Lac, Dorval
$7 per ticket · $5 for kids aged 5 to 12 · Free for kids aged 4 and under
Come out with your family, put on your dancing
shoes and don’t forget to dress in green!
We will be celebrating St. Patrick’s Day. Come and
enjoy a superb meal and lots of great company!
Dinner is served. All you have to do is bring your
favourite nger dessert like squares, brownies,
cookies or fruit.
To RSVP, call Franca at 514-694-7090 #214
or email assistance@wiaih.qc.ca
Marcel Morin Community Centre, 14068 Gouin West, Pierrefonds
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Golf Classic moves to Summerlea Golf Club!
Wednesday, June 8 at Summerlea Golf & Country Club, 1000 Route de Lotbinière, Vaudreuil-Dorion, QC J7V 8P2
Although to many of us it seems that winter has just begun, we have already started
planning for the 23rd Annual WIAIH-Richard Held Golf Classic, which will for the rst
time play out in June at the exquisite Summerlea Golf & Country Club!
We need auction and raffle prize donations, so if anyone knows of any person or business
who would be willing to contribute, please let us know so we can get in touch. is annual
tournament is one of WIAIH's major fundraising events which helps us to continue to
provide essential services for you, our members. We are also looking for people to join
our golf committee to help with the planning.
For more information please call Valeria at 514-694-7090 or golf@wiaih.qc.ca
FREE INFO SESSIONS AT WIAIH
Reservation is required for the following sessions.
Contact Lindsay Giberson at 514-694-7090 or at stagiere@wiaih.qc.ca
Jeremy Hampson, a senior investment advisor from Assante Wealth
Management, will animate this FREE information session for parents or legal
guardians of children and adults living with an intellectual disability or autism.
Financial Planning for Your Child
With an Intellectual Disability or Autism
Wednesday, February 10, 2016 from 7 - 9 PM at WIAIH - 111 Donegani, Pointe Claire
Jeremy will explain the 3 basic steps of Financial Planning for a special needs family
and the key tools available. He will explain the ‘Henson Trust’ in basic terms and when
to use a Trust company. Finally, he will touch on strategies that can improve your
current tax situation and make sure there is money le behind for your child.
The Registered Disability Savings Plan (RDSP)
Wednesday, March 16, 2016 from 7 - 9 PM at WIAIH - 111 Donegani, Pointe Claire
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e Registered Disability Savings Plan (RDSP) is a long-term savings plan that is
designed to allow families to save for the nancial security of a loved one living with a
disability. e plan allows contributed funds to grow tax-free until withdrawal.

WHAT’S ON IN THE COMMUNITY
The RÉCRÉ-O-BUS has arrived in Pierrefonds-Roxboro!
In winter as in summer, the Récré O Bus will visit the
Borough’s parks from East to West in order to offer
sporting, recreational and cultural activities. Children
from different neighbourhoods will have the chance to
practice all kinds of free activities under the supervision
of a responsible animator. e activities offered during the winter season are: hockey,
ringuette, skating, snow shoeing, bobsleighing and snow igloo. e schedule may change
according to weather conditions.
RÉCRÉ-O-BUS Schedule
Brook Chalet: Feb. 13, 20 & 27 1:30 from to 3:30 PM
Parc De la Rive-Boisée: Feb. 14, 21 & 28 from 1:30 to 3:30 PM
Visit www.ow.ly/WILBO or call 514-624-1100 for more information.
Bowling Social Nights
Everyone is welcome to participate, however if a participant is not
autonomous, they must be accompanied by an adult.
At Valois Lanes, 62 Donegani, Pointe-Claire. $7 per person.
For more information please call 514-804-4396 after 4 PM.
McGILL UNIVERSITY RESEARCH STUDY
Sleep for Thought study
Are you interested in learning about your child's sleep?
is study provides a great opportunity and you will receive a summary describing
your child’s sleep patterns and habits. is study is for children with or without ADHD
aged 8-11 years, enrolled in elementary school.
Info: The McGill Behaviour and Sleep Laboratory,
514-761-6131 #2050 or
sleepforthought@gmail.com
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y Lyne Charlebois · photos by PRDC staff & Liam Chapman
Halloween 2015
Holidays are always an excuse for making new and
original art! Hallowe’en was the perfect occasion to
experiment with gluing leaves, painting pumpkins
and – why not – make a Q-tip skeleton?
On Halloween day, Hagen employees got to dress up
for a special cause : PRDC! A special thanks to
Hagen for their $380 donation, $10 for each of their
employees who wore a costume to work that day!
Holiday
parties!
Our little house was vibrant with energy and laughter as
parachute play and conga lines came to life during our
holiday celebrations on December 21 and 22. Of course,
the jingling bells announcing Santa’s visit can always
rouse a crowd! He had surprises for every child in his
bag and cheerfully gathered them on his lap for a pose,
when they were eager to collaborate, of course!
Good food, good friends, like Margaret LaCouvée,
Madelane Riley, Marilyn and Jacques Dubuc of the
Lakeshore Kiwanis Club and Nick di Tomaso (longtime
friend of WIAIH), joined staff and families for a
yummy lunch and all the fun.
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Our warmest thanks to the Kiwanians for the donation
of toys and buffet, as well as to Ann Ross and Madelane
Riley for the knitted mittens and hats. ank you to
two special men, WIAIH Board members Pierre
Frégeau and Ken Ingram, for their special appearances
as the man of the hour, Santa Claus.

It’s time to register for the summertime!
If you have not yet received the Summer brochure by mail or
email, download the info at www.goo.gl/McewtA or call
Tracy at 514-694-6531 #218 as soon as possible.
Registration is done by postal mail only and will be
accepted between February 15 and 26. Please note: Your
registration confirmation and receipt will be mailed by
March 15.
Places available for Weekend Away camp
A few spaces are still available for participants between the ages of 15 and 25 for our
Weekend Away camp, from April 22 to 24 at Notre-Dame-de-Fatima (Île-Perrot) e cost is
$200 and transport is included.
Contact Tracy at 514-694-6531 #218 or at recreation@wiaih.qc.ca for details.
Snowy memories
Enjoy these photos from our Weekend Away camp at Bon Départ the weekend of January 16.
Me Too! Daycare Integration
by Irena Wisniowski
A sparkly activity!
Harvesting mint leaves
Playing with magic sand
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WIAIH notepad
by Franca Kesic
The heart of our Association
PHOTO: LIAM CHAPMAN
810
Here is our permanent staff in
their new WIAIH vests and
just half of our huge team of
recreation animators. Our
strength is certainly found in
these extraordinary people!
Corporate Kindness
Corporate volunteers from Great West Life,
Pharmascience, P zer, Cummins, Janssen, UPS,
and Frégeau and Associates took time out of their
busy days to lend us a hand with various project
at WIAIH, the Pat Roberts Developmental Centre
and the Angelman Respite Centre. ank you!
A new home for my son!
We are pleased to
welcome Lindsay
Giberson to our
team at WIAIH.
Lindsay is a
student from
Concordia
University studying Human
Relations. She will be doing her
stage here at WIAIH for the next
few months! Welcome aboard!
by Haydee Gabrielli
For a long time, I have wanted to express my
gratitude to WIAIH and all their wonderful staff.
Aer another positive (and very important)
experience, it is time to express how I feel!
The lovely & talented Nat Heron
Pfizer volunteers
My son Fernando, who is 52 years old and has always
lived with me, has moved into the Valois Residence. With the help of the
wonderful staff, the transition to his new home was made with ease. e
Residence Coordinator, Mary, was very attentive to Fernando's needs and to
my concerns. She has a great heart and a wonderful sense of humour, and the
very caring staff welcomed us with open arms and warm hearts. ank you
all for your patience, caring and, above all, the love – you are what make the
residence “a home.”
ank you to Don MacDougall and his
team for organizing an evening in support of
local charities, WIAIH being one of them. A
donation of $2,500 was received for which
we are very grateful!
Welcome!
by Mary Rainville
Haydee has been a longtime supporter of WIAIH as well as one of our dedicated
volunteers. Fernando and his family are well known to us! Welcome to the Valois
Residence, we are happy to have you as a part of the ‘Valois Family.’

TIPS TO SHARE
compiled
Worthwhile reading
by
Franca Kesic
Joanne Giacomini is a writer, editor, speaker and blogger of Exceptional
Mom/Exceptional Child - www.exceptionalmomchild.com - where she reveals
how, in a way, her son with autism is raising her! She writes about parenting
and autism on many other sites as well, and is thrilled to be published in The
Informer. WIAIH has a special place in her heart! You can follow her on
Twitter @exceptmomchild.
Winter is finally here!
Now those were words I’d never thought I’d hear myself say, out loud or on
paper! For a parent of a special needs child through, active play is as important
as any other therapy. What kind of activities should you/could you do with your
child? Here are some that work for our family.
5 GREAT WINTER ACTIVITIES TO DO WITH YOUR SPECIAL NEEDS CHILD
1. Sledding
A chariot, smaller sleigh or tube and a nice hill of whatever size is all you need,
so you and your child can whiz down at top speed and have the time of your
lives! And best of all, it’s a fun and free activity!
2. Public skating indoor or outdoor
It’s fun and economical if you go to your local community center. We pay $2 for
the two of us to skate. It’s free on the outdoor rinks.
3. Build a snow fort or snowman
Works on gross motor skills and creativity.
4. Walking
A short walk to the park... with the promise of hot chocolate back home.
5. Skiing
Once you rent or own the gear, it’s great family fun with exercise and fresh air.
Have fun with the VATL
Sign up for the Leisure and Companion Sticker and benefit from
150 tourist and leisure activities in Montreal. The program
allows the companion of a person who requires assistance to
have free admission to a wide variety leisure or tourist activities.
Visit www.vatl.org/formulaire.php to access the sign-up form.
For more information please contact vatl@altergo.ca
or 514-933-2739 #400
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The Angelman Respite Centre
by Alison Rollins, Coordinator, Active-Action Day Program for Seniors, Angelman Respite Centre
We are happy to welcome the New Year with the opening of our Respite Centre.
It has been a long time coming and is the result of tireless efforts to be able to offer a muchneeded
service to our community.
We have begun hosting tours for potential guests and their families. We intend on opening
for occasional respite in the very near future (evening and daytime weekend blocks
available) followed by our weekend respite program.
Please contact Alison at angelman@wiaih.qc.ca or 514-316-9017 #101 for more
info or to book a tour.
New sensory room installed!
Months of planning, preparing and
fundraising have paid off! We now have a
fully equipped sensory room to offer our
guests. Our sensory room is out tted with
a bubble tube, in nity tunnel,
beroptics, a waterbed, a projector and
much more! We are eager to put this room
to good use as we are con dent that our
guests will greatly bene t from this
opportunity, along with everything that
our facility and team has to offer.
PARENTS’ CORNER
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A liquid lunch? by Irena Wisniowski
As Jonathan recently turned 21 years old, I felt it was time to
increase his responsibilities at home, so I decided he could begin by
packing his own lunch. He was very excited to oblige. I helped by
packaging the carrots and cookies. He then selected other items and
worked hard to get them to t into his lunch box.... Sigh.

WIAIH Board member, Mike Gray, is now reviewing materials that we purchase for
our resource centre. These books & DVDs are available for lending from
the Resource Centre! www.wiaih.qc.ca/node/57
NEW ARRIVALS AT
WIAIH’S RESOURCE CENTRE
by Mike Gray
Sur le chemin d’autisme: vecu des parents suite a l’annonce du diagnostic
DVD (32 minutes): par CECOM de l’Hôpital Rivière-des-Prairies
is short French-language lm shows different
parents and professionals discussing their reactions
to the discovery that their child is on the autism
spectrum. It vividly points out the need for support
of other parents, professionals, and perhaps most of
all, the search for a public understanding of their
situation by the community at large. All parents,
when confronted with such a diagnosis, wonder about their child’s prospects for a
happy life. While each parent in the room is dealing with a diagnosis which is
different from that of another parent, one common thread runs through each parent’s
experience: their need for guidance. is is a lm which gives hope.
Feeding Challenges in Young Children: Strategies and Specialized Interventions for Success
by Deborah A. Burns and Stacy D. Thompson. 318 pages.
is is an evidence-based guide for both parents which
outlines the various challenges they may oen face with
respect to the feeding of their children. e authors
begin by explaining the entire process of feeding
development from birth. Topics covered are variations
in feeding contexts across cultures, screening and
assessment procedures, individualized plans for
particular children, collaboration with professionals, as
well as monitoring progress across time and in a variety
of situations. At the back of the book there is a CD
ROM which includes 50 pages of tools and handouts to
be used in conjunction with the book.
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VOLUNTEER NEWS
by Nat Heron
For more info about volunteering, contact Nat at 514-694-7090 #221 or n.heron@wiaih.qc.ca
McGill Nursing students’ community project
is fall we had a fresh, young and enthusiastic group of McGill Nursing students who
created promotional material for the Angelman Respite Centre. ey visited all of WIAIH’s
programs and started volunteering regularly with the Active-Action Seniors Day Program.
Aer developing some wonderful relationships with the participants, learning more about
the Angelman Respite Centre and visiting WIAIH’s Coffee Break daytime support group,
they discovered the importance of respite and the role it can play in keeping a family
healthy and strong.
ey presented their work, which includes a poster, brochure and guide designed for
respite guests to some members and staff. All agreed that they learned a lot and produced
some very useful material.
For more details on the respite guide the students created, contact Alison at 514-316-9017 #101 or
angelman@wiaih.qc.ca
Pfizer’s Elves, Cooks & Painters
I am really enjoying working at
WIAIH and loving my position as
Volunteer Coordinator. I have
been on the job for just 5 months
and in that time have become
struck by the wonderful generosity
of people in the West Island. is
fall, WIAIH had the good fortune to welcome 3 groups of volunteers from P zer who
have donated their time and energy with smiles and open hearts.
Two groups from P zer’s Legal Department came and volunteered with us in November.
One group walked in the door and transformed into elves when they entered our Board
Room to wrap gis for our Holiday Brunch. e second group came to the Angelman
Respite Centre and contributed their wonderful cooking skills to prepare lasagna, casseroles,
soups and homemade chicken ngers. Now we have some meals ready to go!
In December, a group from P zer’s Medical Information Department transformed the
office in the basement of the Valois Residence with a long overdue coat of paint!
A big thank you to the wonderful people at P zer for their open hearts and hard work.
eir volunteer hours brought warmth, comfort and joy!
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NEW WIAIH INITIATIVE
For the Future: a tool to help parents plan
In the next few weeks, we will be
launching a future planning
program for families. For the
Future will supply parents or
siblings with the tools necessary to
create a plan for their loved one
that will lay out the care that
should be provided when parents,
caregivers or siblings are no longer able to do it themselves.
is will be a three-tiered program that will offer families peace of mind, guidance and the
possibility of having WIAIH ensure that their plans are carried out. e dependant must
have a private protective regime (tutorship or curatorship) to participate.
e rst tier of the program will develop the Life Care Plan (LCP). is process will span 3
meetings and will cost $1,000. e rst meeting will bring together the family, their
dependant, a WIAIH staff member and a lawyer and/or a nancial planner to determine
the needs of the dependant, and to start creating the LCP. A second meeting between
WIAIH and the family will iron out details; a third meeting will bring the whole team
together to present, nalize and sign off on the LCP, which will then be the property of the
family to use as they desire. en, if families choose to proceed with the second tier of the
program, WIAIH would be contracted to monitor the LCP. In the third tier of the program,
WIAIH would become one of the trustees and oversee the needs and comfort of the
dependant aer the death of the parents.
is winter, we will begin testing the rst tier of For the Future and we look forward to
meeting the evolving needs of our members. We thank Me. Pierre Frégeau, Me. Crystal
Corrente and Me. David Egyes as well as Mr. Jeremy Hampson, CFP, CLU for their
expertise and guidance to bring this project to fruition.
Thanks for the generous financial support
WIAIH receives from these organizations:
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WIAIH’S HOLIDAY BRUNCH
Smiles all around!
What a great kick off to the Ho-
Ho-Holiday Season! We swung
into action and put on a great show
on Sunday November 29 at the
Marcel Morin Community Centre in
Pierrefonds. e annual brunch
kicked off the Holiday season for
about 150 guests; all of them came
ready to party. e food was
by Franca Kesic
fantastic and tasty. anks to all the volunteers (Gracias to the team of Spanish-speaking
ladies) who worked in the kitchen to prepare the main course and desserts for serving.
Families brought many different and delicious dishes, and many volunteers set up the room
and welcomed guests. e music was wonderful and was donated by DJ Extraordinaire,
Yvan Caro of Exclusive Events. Everyone was in a holiday mood and there was ample time
to dance to the great music chosen by Yvan. Of course, Santa Claus arrived with gis galore
and a hearty Ho! Ho! Ho! anks to his elves who helped him organize the gis for
everyone. A big thank you goes to the Borough of Pierrefonds-Roxboro, to staff, to the
volunteers, donors and everyone who came to have fun.
PARENT’S CORNER
A heart full of gratitude
by Terrie Bélanger Ardron
My dear Alrica decided to initiate some leaf-raking, as she had noticed on our calendar that on
the city would be doing a special pick up later that week. At one point I heard her talking
(despite our windows being closed) and noticed that she was conversing in French. I peeped out
the window, wondering if she was talking to someone on the street, or to herself, and lo and
behold the teenager from across the street was talking AND raking leaves with Alrica.
It's a touch bittersweet because for most people, this would be more
or less a natural occurrence, but with my girls, it's somewhat rare and
so very special when someone extends their friendship in this way.
Alrica then entered the house, all energized, asks for another bag and
says "I'm speaking French, Mom, just like you want me to, and aer
we are done with our leaves, I'm going to her house to help her out
with theirs."
So now this mama heart-of-mine is bursting even more with pride
and there's this quiet hope that these kinds of natural exchanges will
occur more oen!