2019 DSNWK News

VISTA Volunteers recognize first responders

9/11/19

A large crowd of First Responders filed into DSNWK’s Schoepner Room at the Administrative Offices on September 11th as DSNWK hosted a luncheon in appreciation for their dedication and service.

VISTA Volunteers Tom Fuhrmann and Sami Montgomery coordinated the event as an opportunity to say thank you. “We thought the anniversary of 9-11 was the perfect time to thank these local heroes for their service to the Hays community,” stated Montgomery.

This is the second year that the VISTA Volunteers coordinated a special event to recognize First Responders in the area.

DSNWK receives grants to renovate, expand group home

7/11/19

A $279,000 grant from the Dane G. Hansen Foundation and a $50,000 grant from the Robert E. and Patricia Schmidt Foundation will help Developmental Services of Northwest Kansas make needed repairs and improvements, the most costly being the renovation and expansion of an Ellis County group home.

The renovation and expansion of the home will allow for needed updates, and increase the service capacity from 5 to 7 individuals. This group home is one of 15 in DSNWK’s residential services.

The grant from the Dane G. Hansen Foundation will also go towards replacing parts of the roof at Frontier Developmental Center in Norton, and at the DSNWK administrative offices in Hays. All the grant money from the Robert E. and Patricia Schmidt Foundation will go towards the group home renovation.

These grants further the efforts of DSNWK’s Stronger Forever Together campaign. One of the priority areas of the campaign is to make needed repairs and improvements to aging facilities.

In addition, DSNWK received grants from Heartland Community Foundation to sustain the Collaborative Art Project, and Norton County Community Foundation to purchase a portable body lift system and shower chair.

DSNWK is a 501(c)3 Non-profit serving those with intellectual and developmental disabilities in the 18 most northwestern Kansas counties. Visit www.dsnwk.org to learn more about services and ways to support.

Biggest crowd yet to support Dash 4 Disabilities

6/24/19

The 8th Annual Dash 4 Disabilities Run/Walk held on June 15 has its highest turnout yet! This Run/Walk was created in order to help minimize costs for participants in the many programs that Hays Recreation Commission offers for individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities. Programs include: arts/crafts, bingo nights, movie nights, putt-putt, bowling, gross-motor activities, gardening classes, and cooking classes. Hays Recreation works with DSNWK to provide community classes as well. These include: chair yoga, fitness activities, gross-motor games, leisure activities, and an open gym class every Friday morning. Individuals also have the opportunity to attend social events such as, picnics, dances, and an annual Halloween Party. With proceeds from Dash 4 Disabilities, most class costs are $1-$3 and some classes and social events, such as bingo and the Halloween Party, are even completely free! Haley Nixon, Program Director of Adult & Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities Leisure of Hays Recreation Commission, shares, “I cannot thank my sponsors enough for helping make this event what it is! I love being able to keep program costs very minimal in hopes that I can reach more persons served and better their quality of life through leisure activities. We had a lot of individuals served participate in this year’s Dash! It was so much fun to watch them come through the finish line, always encouraging each other and enjoying themselves.”

Crowd turns out to support benefit sale

6/18/19

Employment Connections just had their big annual Benefit Sale on June 7-8. The back area of Employment Connections was completely full with furniture, books, kitchenware, and a multitude of different items. Over $2000 worth of these items was sold. An additional $600 worth was sold of EC Custom Creations. LaVonne Geiss, Employment Services Manager of Employment Connections, shared, “I think the biggest impact for me was getting our EC creations out there more for people to see and continue to look for ways to increase ways for the community to know about this project. The response was overwhelming on what everyone thought of the work.” The proceeds from the sale go towards appreciation events for the individuals employed by Employment Connections. One of their biggest events is the annual Christmas party held for the individuals.

The Collaborative Art Project featured in FHSU’s ROAR Magazine

6/13/19

DSNWK -- The growing art program between Developmental Services and Northwest Kansas, and Fort Hays State University, called The Collaborative Art Project, is a featured story in the spring/summer 2019 edition of FHSU’s ROAR Magazine.

The featured story is titled Communicating in a Different Way and starts on page 12. An online version of the magazine is available.

Employment Connections Benefit Sale

660 Commerce Parkway

5/13/19

We are having our annual sale on June 7th and 8th. The sale will be from 7 am to 7 pm on Friday and 8 am to 12 pm on Saturday. We have lots of nice items for sale. Many new and collectible items!! We will be adding items throughout the day. We have furniture, books, household items, decorating items, holiday decorations, kids items and many many more too numerous to mention!! The money made from the sale is used to benefit those with disabilities. Thank You!!

Ribbon cutting held for The Collaborative Art Project

4/26/19

A large crowd gathered at DSNWK’s Employment Connections location in Hays for a special ribbon cutting ceremony for the collaborative art project between Fort Hays State University students and individuals served by Developmental Services of Northwest Kansas. The event, which took place on April 23rd, included several speakers including FHSU President Tisa Mason.

The project which was started by Amy Schmierbach, FHSU professor of art and design is based on the model of Socially Engaged Art. This model is designed to create art with communities for their benefit and for the benefit of public arts.

Schmierbach and FHSU students collaborate and create art with individuals served by DSNWK, providing workshops for structured art experiences revolving around weaving, drawing and photography. The project has provided opportunities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities to work with college students all while enjoying the arts and creating something beautiful.

The artwork is now on display at the Hays Public Library library with some of the completed projects for sale. Funds from the sale of the artwork will go toward the continuation of the collaborative effort between Fort Hays State and DSNWK.

Dash 4 Disabilities is June 15th

4/22/19

DSNWK is proud to sponsor the 7th Annual Dash for Disabilities Fun Run. The event is scheduled for Saturday, June 15th at 8:00 a.m. on the West side of the Hays Aquatic Park (4th and Main). Registration will begin at 7:15 a.m. Entry fee is $10.00 on or before June 14th and $12.00 fee after the deadline. This run will consist of your choice of a 1 mile run/walk or a 5K run/walk.

The run is for people of all abilities, will not be timed, and the proceeds will go to help support the programs coordinated by the Hays Recreation Commission that support people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The run helps make the programs free or inexpensive for participants.

For a registration form, map of the course, or any other information, contact Steve Keil at steve_keil@mydsnwk.org or Haley Nixon at haley@haysrec.org.

Pizza Hut raises money for Kid-Link

4/3/19

On two separate nights, Kid-Link and Pizza Hut worked together to raise over $850 to support children across the area. Several area Pizza Huts donated 15 percent of their proceeds to DSNWK’s Kid-Link program. The Pizza Hut locations that participated were; Russell, Phillipsburg, Norton, Smith Center Plainville, Osborne and Stockton. DSNWK would like to thank Pizza Hut for their support of the services provided by Kid-Link.

Kid-Link provides full early intervention services to children ages birth through two years in their natural living environment. These services are for those who have a diagnosed disability, are delayed in two or more developmental areas, or are at risk of developmental delay. Services are offered in six north-central counties; Norton, Osborne, Phillips, Rooks, Russell and Smith.

For more information contact: Steve Keil, Director of Development (785) 625-5678

DSNWK's PDC receives grant from Atwood's 2nd Century Fund

3/21/19

Prairie Developmental Center in Atwood secured a grant for $2,000 from the 2nd Century Fund to purchase and install new vinyl laminate flooring for the kitchen area for their Community Room. The kitchen flooring that is currently being used is the original flooring from when the community room was constructed in 1994. The community room is a heavy utilized space in the Atwood community. DSNWK utilizes the space daily for instruction and classes for our College for Living program. Several Atwood organizations also use the room for various meetings and events, as well as, families who access the room for gatherings and reunions. DSNWK would like to thank the 2nd Century Fund for its continued support and generosity of PDC.

United Way of Ellis County supports DSNWK's Employment Connections program

3/18/19

Developmental Services of Northwest Kansas is proud to announce that The United Way of Ellis County has allocated $23,000 for the DSNWK Employment Connections program for job placement follow-along for 2020. Follow-along services are provided to all individuals who complete DSNWK's Job Placement program for support to maintain employment and for additional training in the future. Follow-along can intervene before the individual loses his or her employment and reduces the dollars spent on job procurement, training new employees, and unemployment or disability payments. DSNWK would like to thank the United Way of Ellis County for their continuous support of people with developmental disabilities.

Practice dates for Dancing Together for DSNWK 2019

by FHSU Leadership 310 & Styles Dance Center

2/18/19

Practice Days: 2/18/19 & 3/20/19

1:30-2:30 at SDC, 1501 Main St, Hays, KS 67601

Performance: 4/7/19, 3 PM at Beach/Schmidt at FHSU

Dancers will need to arrive early, more information will be coming out soon. Please contact Kaitlyn Wagle or Tammy Dreiling to sign up. There are new release forms that Kaitlyn & Tammy have available for each individual or guardian to sign. There will be Dancing With DSNWK T-Shirts available for purchase for staff and can be ordered through Kaitlyn & Tammy.

DSNWK’s receives grant from Hays Lions Club

1/2/19

Developmental Services of Northwest Kansas is proud to announce that they have received a $500.00 grant award from The Hays Lions Club for the vision needs of the people they serve who have developmental disabilities. The grant will go to support DSNWK's Consumer Medical Fund which assists individuals with the cost of medical items and care that are not covered by Medicaid such as eye glasses and other vision needs. DSNWK would like to thank the Hays Lions Club for their continuous support of people with developmental disabilities. DSNWK is a 501c3 non-profit serving individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities in 18 northwest Kansas counties since 1967.