It’s Official!
A grand Grand Opening success it was. On Wednesday afternoon, May 13, beginning at 4PM and ending at 8PM a stream of 130 plus people stopped by our new office. A few stopped by for a short visit while many others stayed till the very end. There was food and beverages for everyone as all enjoyed the wonderful background music of Bob Barnett of the Mellonheads.
ECNV Board President Lee Jones welcomed everyone to the Ribbon Cutting and told how it took a great portion of the previous year to finally find a fitting location that would be Metro accessible and fit the needs of ECNV’s programs.
Executive Director David Burds explained how the previous ECNV location was ground level, window front office space that now ten years later had become prime retail space and that if ECNV had not relocated, it would have meant an exorbitant rent increase. He said that our new location may miss some of the previous conveniences but will serve our consumers very well.
The evening program also honored our friend and former Board President, Larry Pelkey, who died this past December. Larry’s family had requested that the conference room have state-of-the-art audio-visual equipment and that it would be funded by his family and friends.
Larry had also been a previous chairperson for the Warren G. Stambaugh Memorial Foundation that helps fund disability related projects. The foundation presented ECNV with a check for $7,500 toward the equipment. In turn ECNV has honored his memory by dedicating the conference room as the Lawrence E. Pelkey Conference Room. A plaque and his picture are now prominently hanged for all to see as they enter the room.
Picture top: Frank O’Leary (Treasurer of Arlington County ), Dave Burds (Executive Director of ECNV), Lee Jones (President of the ECNV Board of Directors), and Jim Rothrock (Commissioner of the Virginia Department of Rehabilitative Services) cut the ribbon to officially open ECNV’s new office.
Picture bottom: Frank O’Leary (Chairman of the Warren G. Stambaugh Foundation) presents a check to Dave Burds (Executive Director of ECNV) to help fund the increased accessibility of the new Lawrence E. Pelkey Conference Room at ECNV. Looking on are Nancy Dawson of Arlington County and Lee Jones of the ECNV Board of Directors.
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From the Editor
The Open House and Dedication of the Lawrence E. Pelkey Conference Room was a smashing success! We had quite a number of people here including local politicians. There was plenty of food donated by local restaurants. There was musical entertainment. A good time was had by all!
Be sure to notice that ECNV is hiring for a new Peer Counselor.
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From the New Board President
I look forward to ECNV continuing its relentless pursuit to assist people with disabilities to achieve the future they desire. We took another step in making this a reality with our Open House ribbon cutting at our new office space at 2300 Clarendon Boulevard. It’s at this event that we officially declared that ECNV is present and will continue its exemplary service to the community.
The Board performed its duties well and I would like to particularly recognize the Planning Committee for the time and effort it put into that the event was memorable; they succeeded! I want to note that if not for ECNV’s fine staff none of this would have been possible. In the name of the Board I would like to congratulate and thank Dave Burds and the entire ECNV staff for their hard work at this event and more importantly the great work they do on a daily basis at ECNV.
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From the Executive Director
Now that we have officially opened the door with our ribbon cutting ceremony many more of you know where we are. We also anticipate having much more activity taking place as more programs will soon be in place.
I say this because we will be recipients of the two year stimulus money coming from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act that will help us enhance programs and add to staff. I foresee a greater outreach to our high school students with disabilities who may need assistance with transitioning to the “real world,” for example: learning to independently travel by bus and Metro; accessibility awareness in higher educational settings; assistance navigating the Virginia State Vocational Rehabilitation programs; and better knowledge of Medicaid Waivers and Social Security entitlements.
I’d like to see greater outreach to the underserved communities of Hispanic people with disabilities and other minorities.
ECNV will become a Transition Coordinator with the Money Follows the Person (MFP) Demonstration project which is designed to create a system of long-term services and supports that better enable individuals to transition from certain long-term care institutions and back to the community.
We already touch upon each of these programs, but I hope that within the next two years we will be able to fuel them so that more northern Virginians with disabilities will easily see the impact we can have on their lives.
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ECNV Open House Business Sponsors
ECNV thanks our Business Sponsors for
their contortions to our Open House!
BJ’s
Delhi Dhaba
Harris Teeter
The Italian Store
Johnnie Rockets
Mister Days
The Perfect Pita
Rí Rá
Safeway
Shoppers
The Toscana Grill
Trader Joe's
Wegmans
Whole Foods Market
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And Now It’s LEND’s Turn!
LEND celebrates it ’s new office with ribbon-cutting ceremony from 3:30-5:30 on Thursday June 4!
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Alphabet Soup
There is no question that there are an awful lot of acronyms involved in the lives of people with disabilities. So from time to time, ECNV will devote part of the Declaration to defining some common acronyms. No list of acronyms will ever be exhaustive, these are just ones that we (and you) are likely to see on daily basis.
Us
- ECNV – ENDependence Center of Northern Virginia
- LEND – Loudoun ENDependence Center
General
- AT – Assistive Technology
- I&R – Information and Referral
- DRS – Dep’t of Rehabilitative Services
- CIL – Center for Independent Living
- DME - Durable Medical Equipment
- MFP – Money Follows the Person
- PERS – Personal Emergency Response System
- SCI – Spinal Cord Injury
- SSI – Supplemental Security Income
- SSDI – Social Security Disability Insurance
Virginia and Local
- ACDAC – Arlington County Disability Advisory Commission
- ACPD – Alexandria Commission on Persons with Disabilities
- ATLFA – Assistive Technology Loan Fund Authority
- DBVI – Dep’t for the Blind and Vision Impaired
- DMAS – Dep’t of Medical Assistance Services
- FA-DSB – Fairfax Area Disability Services Board
- FAMIS – Family Access and Medical Security Plan
- LCDSB – Loudoun County Disability Services Board
- LMEC – Laurie Mitchell Employment Center
- NVRC – Northern Virginia Resource Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
- TANF – Temporary Assistance for Needy Families
- VACIL – Virginia Association of Centers for Independent Living
- VASILC – Virginia Statewide Independent Living Council
- VBPD – Virginia Board for People with Disabilities
- VDDHH – Virginia Dep’t for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
- VEC – Virginia Employment Commission
- VOPA – Virginia Office for Protection and Advocacy
- VATS – Virginia Assistive Technology System
- WWRC – Woodrow Wilson Rehabilitation Center
These are just a few of the acronyms we see on a daily basis here at ECNV. If there are any specific acronyms you’ve ever wondered about, just let us know and we’ll try to help you figure it out.
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Securement on ART Buses
Arlington County’s policy is that all wheelchairs & scooters must be secured before the bus proceeds. The rationale behind this policy is that in case the bus stops suddenly, the wheelchair/scooter could leave the securement area and cause injury to the driver or passengers. This policy is needed to ensure the safety of ART riders and personnel. If the rider refuses to have his conveyance secured, then the driver is obliged to refuse to transport that rider as per Federal Transit Admin. regulations as stated in Sect. 37.165, Lift and Securement Use. Signage to this effect has been posted in the buses.
Riders are offered the opportunity to use the lap belt and shoulder belt, should they choose to do so.
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Becky, we hardly knew ya.
Becky Cadwell moved from Florida to Virginia just last summer with her husband who was transferred under a contract position with the Pentagon.
Becky took a position at ECNV as a Peer Counselor in September, but now due to her husband receiving a promotion they will be moving back to Florida in June.
Although we are sad to see her leave, we are happy that she will again be close to her children and their families. We wish Becky the very best.
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Peer Counselor Wanted
Applications for a new ECNV Peer Counselor are being accepted by email & fax only. No phone calls please.
info@ecnv.org (email)
703-525-3585 (Fax)
For more info: www.ecnv.org (homepage)
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