The Citizen, 2010-12-16, Page 27THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2010. PAGE 27. Club 21 is looking to get its name
out and raise some funds with a
calendar for 2010-2011.
The group is formed of individuals
and families who have the
chromosomal condition Downs
Syndrome. The name for the club is
derived from the scientific name for
the condition, trisomy 21.
The group exists to bring people
together who live with Downs
Syndrome so they can compare
notes, share experiences and be there
for one another.
Jennifer Black, an Auburn-area
resident, her husband Wayne and
their daughter Amiera, who has
Downs Syndrome, formed the group
due to complications with a larger
club from London that they were a
part of.
“Most of us were part of a group in
London, and I made similar
calendars for them,” Black
explained. “And the group was a
great one to be a part of, but it was
just too far away.”
Black stated that she had tried to
form a satellite club to be run within
the London group, but the fundsthey raised didn’t make their wayback to Huron County.“We raised a lot of funds, but we
weren’t getting the services because
of the concentration of members in
London,” she said.
Black said she, and several other
members of the group, decided to
strike out on their own to control the
services and activities that they
would provide, and have all the
funds for Club 21 used for and by
the members.
“We’re in the process of getting
our own charitable registry right
now,” Black said. “But we’ve started
the group, and we’re grateful for all
the support we’ve received thus far.”
There are currently 12 member
families in the group, with several
more interested in joining.
Black explained that the
calendar’s purpose is three-fold; to
advertise the group, raise funds to
start the group and to honour Luke
Douglas, a Goderich resident who
suffered from Downs Syndrome
until he passed away in 2009 due to
complications with H1N1.
“Luke’s mom was one of the first
to help us with the satellite group,”
Black said. “We felt it was importantto remember him.”Black said that Huron County isfully represented by the group, with
members from Gorrie, Goderich,
Seaforth, Auburn, Exeter and
everywhere in between. She also
said that the group has members
with the chromosomal condition
from all age groups, with the
youngest member being two years
old and the oldest being 36.
The calendar resembles a year-
book, with each month being
dedicated to one member of the
group.
“[My daughter] Amiera is Miss
May,” Black said, adding that the
reason for the layout was so that
people see the group members as
people, and get to know them.
The group is hoping that the
calendar will help other people know
that there are groups out there to
help support them if they, or a family
member, have Downs Syndrome.
“We want to find other kids and
families locally,” Black said. “So
parents can meet parents, Downs
Syndrome children can meet each
other and so siblings can compare
experiences.”
Black said that, due to privacy
laws, it is difficult to find other
members, and that information is
really only given if people ask for it
and at the hospital if a child is born
with Downs Syndrome.
The group is important, according
to Black, because it reminds
everyone involved that they aren’t
the only people dealing with the
condition.
“I love inclusion in school, but Iwant [Amiera] to know that she isn’tthe only person [who has thecondition],” she said. “Having
friends who face similar challenges
is important.”
The calendar was launched at the
group’s Nov. 20 Christmas party
launch. They started with 500, and,
in less than a month, have only about
120 left.
“The response has been great
considering that we’re mostly selling
through group members,” Black
said, adding that Carlow Mercantile
in Carlow also sells them.
The calendars have received
recognition from outside Huron
County as well, as a father from
Guelph, who has a son with Downs
Syndrome, contacted Blackinterested in both a calendar and ingetting involved with the group.“The man cottages here, so he
would like to be a part of the group,”
she said.
Black attempted to find a printer
locally, but couldn’t find one able to
handle the size and stock she was
hoping for.
Original prices for the calendar
were high, so Black began searching
for advertisers.
Advertising, as well as a reduced
printing fee from Data Solutions in
London, offset the price of
producing the calendar and resulted
in the final cost of the calender
being $15, all of which goes to the
group.
Fri., Dec. 17, 2010 to
Sun., Jan. 2, 2011
Sun. - Thurs. 10 am to 11 pm
Fri. & Sat. 10 am to 1 am
FIRST 20 Guests before 11am
ENJOY ALL-U-CAN-BOWL for
only...$9.99 shoes included
NEW YEAR’S EVE 1pm to 1am
1 1/2 Hours of Bowling
starting
at... $9.99
shoes included
524-BOWL (2695)
www.littlebowl.ca
1 1/2 hours of bowling
Forthcoming
Marriage
Ernest and Yvonne Dow
are pleased to announce
the forthcoming marriage
of their daughter
Meredith Claire Dow
to
Davies Chilufya Mpinga
Saturday, December 18, 2010
at Huron Chapel EMC,
Auburn
“Love flashes like fire,
the brightest kind of flame.”
Happy Birthday
Amy and Jason
Crawford Twins
30/30
Love Mom and Dad
By Denny ScottThe CitizenClub 21 group raises awareness, funds with calendar
Bust a move
Dancing was certainly an encouraged aspect of last week’s
Brussels Public School Christmas concert and Matthew
Young was more than happy to oblige, tending to a stuffed
animal and a sled while
getting his groove on.
(Shawn Loughlin photo)
DEC. 31ST, 2010 9PM-1AM
B.M.&G. COMMUNITY CENTRE
$15 /PERSO
N
$25 /COUPL
E
LUNCH AND PARTY FAVOURS PROVIDED!
NEW YEAR’SEVE DANCE !
MUSIC BY DJ
For tickets contact Susan at 519-525-0119
or by email susanjvv@tcc.on.ca
Ring New Year