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To the Editor:
Just a few short decades ago, when a child was born with mental retarda-tion or related developmental disabilities, parents had very few options available. Most were forced to place their children in institutional care.
For more than 50 years, the Arc movement has been, and continues to be, a collection of dreams and efforts to pave the way to a better life for people with developmental disabilities and their families throughout their lives.
Last year, United Way of Minneapolis Area funded a new collaboration between the Arcs of Hennepin and Carver counties. This collaboration was so successful that the boards of directors from both organizations chose to move forward with plans to merge the organizations into one agency, to better serve the needs of both Hennepin and Carver counties.
In Carver County alone, there are an estimated 3,000 families that include a member with mental retardation or related disability. This new initiative to merge the two Arcs will support the efforts to reach out to families in a more effective and efficient way.
This newly merged organization expands Arc Hennepin-Carver's ser-vice area to 1,000 square miles, providing individuals with disabilities and their families with greater access to information and referrals, offering new opportunities and programs for sib-lings, and increasing opportunities for individual and family advocacy. Now community members from both counties can simply call one phone number to get the answers and support they need. The number is 952-920-0855.
Kim Keprios, Executive Director
Arc Hennepin-Carver
To the Editor:
We moved to Victoria just over one year ago and didn't know much about the town or the people. And then our neighbor invited us to a meeting of the North of the River Gang, Victoria's very own chapter of Toastmaster's International.
If you've never heard of Toast-masters, it's an international organiza-tion with clubs throughout the world focusing on public speaking and com-munication.
We ended up joining the North of he River Gang and have made new friends, as well as learned about various new subjects and improved our communication skills. We meet every other week, and meetings are limited to one hour in the evening. Our meetings re formal meeting practices, and the atmosphere is lighthearted and open.
We wanted to share this with the people of Victoria and the surrounding community. If you're looking for something fun to do that will also help you improve your communication skills, no matter if you're an expert speaker or have never spoken in public before, come sit in as a guest at one of our meetings.
Meetings are held at the Lake Auburn Moravian Church every other Thursday evening from 7 to 8 o'clock. The next two meetings will be held on February 8th and 22nd. Check out www.toastmasters.org for more information.
Sara Jefferson and Tanya Bedore
Victoria, Minnesota
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