Marlee Matlin, the Oscar®-winning actress who starred in television shows such as "The West Wing" and "The L Word" joins this season of ABC's "Dancing With the Stars."
Using her whole body, minimal hearing and relying heavily on her new dance partner, Fabian Sanchez, she relies on her sense of feeling to sense the bass in the music.
"In a dance studio, I like the music to be turned up loud so I can follow along the bass line," Matlin told the New York Post via e-mail. "But mostly, it's about that rhythm I have inside me. I've got groove because my heart beats just like everyone else's. The trick for me is to use what I've got to synch up with the music that comes through my dance partner's moves. In the end, it sounds complicated, but it's really not a big deal. Just ask... other deaf and hard of hearing Americans, and they'll say the same thing. There's music out there but a lot of it is about the music you have inside."
Last season Heather Mills, former wife of Paul McCartney, danced with a prosthetic leg and won audiences over with her triumphant story that proved anything is possible. She transcended attitudes and beliefs about disabilities. This season looks to be even more promising for the community of people with disabilities.
About 30 million Americans have some degree of hearing loss. They represent a wide range — those born profoundly deaf and others who suffered hearing loss as a result of illness or age. This causes a great disparity amongst the hearing impaired community in identifying with one another. Yet, by watching "Dancing with the Stars," this community has something to identify with as they cheer Matlin on — living "Life without Limits."
In fact, dance groups at two of the largest universities that serve the deaf and hearing impaired — Gallaudet in Washington, D.C. and Rochester Institute for Technology in New York — have been around for decades, performing to music for both hearing and nonhearing audiences.
For more information on Marlee Matlin, please see these other stories:
Have you ever read a children's book about disabilities that was such a sensation that you think the world should know about? Please share it with us. Lara Terrell, National Information and Referral Specialist, is looking for children's books about people with disabilities for the 2008 Believable Hope Conference.
If you have a good candidate for this request, please contact Lara Terrell at (202) 973-7105.
Grant Writing Best Practices, It's Grant-Tastic!
Karen Eber Davis Consulting provided UCP Grant-tastic! 121 Expert Tips on Writing and Winning Grants for Your Nonprofit a book with many helpful best practices. We hope you find some of these tips helpful:
Tip 7. A specific activity for each request, e.g., your answer to the question, "How will you spend this money?" For example, instead of asking for shoes for homeless children, your request includes details about purchasing 100 pairs of shoes in 14 sizes and 3 widths. It explains the shoes will provide children who come to your shelter with footwear for six months. Remember that the activity you choose must be consistent with your mission, history and goals.
Tip 24.The Foundation Center, offers a large searchable database of foundations with categories like donor location, assets and interest areas. Many large libraries subscribe to it.
Tip 30. To find smaller sources, scan the databases of your local newspapers. Newspapers often publish award lists or press releases from organizations that receive grants. By using keywords like "grant," "trust" and "foundation," you will uncover potential donors to investigate. Also, review newspapers and their databases to scan for service groups, like women's leagues and neighborhood groups that award grants.
Tip 42. To determine if the donor funds new organziations, review several years of awards. If they haven't funded anyone new in three years, your organization is an unlikely to make the cut.
Tip 72. In your application, seek to answer these donor questions:
» Why should we fund you? Your answer includes your organization's history; who it serves and how many; and several recent achievements. Use the final achievement to show success in your project's area.
» Why now? Provide facts, statistitcs, stories and quotes about the need. Create urgency. Why is this funding needed now?
» What will you do? Remember the journalist's five Ws and on H? Include Who, What, Where, When, Why and How. The "how" includes how you will prove the activity worked, i.e., your methods of evaluating your success.
» Why are you approaching us? Remind donors of your relationship, or if it's a government grant, how you serve their constituency.
» How much? Provide a budget with detailed activity costs.
Excerpted with permission from Karen Eber Davis' Grant-tastic! 121 Expert Tips on Writing and Winning Grants for Your Nonprofit. Want more tips on how you can win grants for your nonprofit? Visit http://www.kedconsult.com/.
Recently, UCPeople reported about the successful Barstool Open event in Illinois. We have found more information about another event that we would like to share with you.
Jenny Hoefener, Community Relations Representative for United Cerebral Palsy of Nebraska, reported that their affiliate held two Barstool Opens this year; one in Omaha, Nebraska, on February 9th and one in Lincoln, Nebraska, on February 23rd.
Altogether, 14 bars participated in Omaha and 29 bars participated in Lincoln. Hoefener said, "We had a total of 520 teams this year, which, in turn netted $62,000. The Barstool Open has really been a great event to get the UCP name out there in the state of Nebraska." It was broadcast on Q 98.5 in Omaha and 104.1 The Blaze, making it a hugely successful event.
For more information on this event, please contact UCP of Nebraska.
2008 Believable Hope Conference Update: A Special Appearance
Making a special appearance at the 2008 Believable Hope Conference is Gina Incandela, a child with autism. Gina has undergone years of intensive therapy to help her develop her language and social skills. About a year ago, Gina's parents noticed her singing skills emerge after Gina repeated the lyrics of the National Anthem sung by country singer, Leann Rimes. In fact, Gina's vocal coach and piano teacher said that of all her students, Gina has enough talent to start singing on Broadway. Conference attendees will be fortunate enough to hear Gina's beautiful voice on Thursday. Read more about Gina Incandela in an Orlando Sentinel article.
Some program topics:
» Similarities and Differences: A Global Perspective from Disability Service Providers
» Health Care That Works for You, Newt Gingrich
» UCP Membership Meeting
» "Twilight Monument Tour"
» And More!
Are you participating in the Hill visits on Wednesday, June 18th? Please contact Trevor DaRin at (202) 973-7168.
Don't Delay - Register today for the 2008 Believable Hope Conference, sponsored by United Cerebral Palsy.
» The National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) will hold a national video conference to solicit remarks regarding NIDRR's long-range plan for fiscal years 2010-2014. (March 19, 2008)
» The Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America (RESNA): Conference on Technology and Disability (Washington, D.C., June 26-30, 2008)
» The Grant Institute: Grants 101: Professional Grant Proposal Writing Workshop. All participants will receive certification in professional grant writing from the Institute. (Northern Arizona University - DuBois Center, Flagstaff, Arizona, March 12-14, 2008)
Prep Baseball: Just one of the guys North County Times, 3/8/08 Jim Matthews is a longtime volunteer of United Cerebral Palsy of San Diego County and a past president of the organization.
This year, with Charlie on stage with him, Jim was given the UCP Community Spirit Award at the Padres' annual awards dinner.
Guest commentary: New wheelchair, communication device Fond Du Lac Reporter, 3/7/08 In August, I had an evaluation done at the UCP (United Cerebral Palsy) Center in Green Bay for a new communication device. Thanks to my friend Brad, I had an idea of what I wanted. They had a rep from Prentke Romich (the company that makes a lot of the devices) there to show me the Eco-14 and the updated version on the Pathfinder, which is what I have.
March is developmental disabilities awareness month Kansas City Star, 3/7/08 When Colin Garrison asked Northland officials to renew a job-shadowing grant from the Platte County Board of Services for the Developmentally Disabled, he knew the good the program did.
Acoustic showcase helps people with disabilities The Arkansas Traveler, 3/7/08 "Our mission is to support people with disabilities and involve them directly in community events," said ASN CEO Keith Vire, who will also serve as the Acoustic Music Showcase's opening act. "[They] deserve the chance to experience everything the community has to offer."
Sugar, Spice And Everything Nice Garden City News, 3/6/08 Our "Sugar & Spice" luncheon will have everything nice again this year. Garden City's "Tri-town Auxiliary" chapter of United Cerebral Palsy Association of Nassau County is proudly presenting its 4th annual fundraiser on April 6, 2008.
Guidebook to Chicagoland for people with disabilities ABC7 Chicago, 3/6/08 (Interactive) Putting together a guide highlighting specific accessibility features was not easy, especially in a city with so much to offer.
Germantown boy with multiple severe disabilities will receive national award Germantown News, 3/5/08 Thomas Ostric, 12, who has numerous disabilities including Tourette syndrome and obsessive compulsive disorder, has succeeded academically, earning all A's & B's, and has won more than 20 awards for his accomplishments. Because of his achievements, Thomas will receive a Yes I Can! Award from the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) in April.
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