- The IDDI Rockets Bowling team has ventured into a new realm this season….we are now a competitive bowling league. Our bowlers compete against some excellent bowlers from Life Stream in New Bedford. Weekly, the league meets at Holiday Lanes in Somerset for fun, friendship and, of course, to compete. At the end of the season, IDDI will host the league banquet and award all of our bowlers with a delicious luncheon. Of course, we cannot forget the top players who will receive trophies.
- January brings our annual ‘Aaron H. Gurian Self-Determination Award’. Aaron was a gentleman who was the quintessential role model of self-determination. He bravely fought against adversity most of his life, the final battle being cancer. Through the love and support of family and friends, he was encouraged to always be the best he could. To honor his memory, this award is given each year to an individual who has met the challenges of life ‘head on’. On January 16, 2009, Renee Cambray was the recipient of this prestigious award. Renee also received a trophy and a check for $100.00. Along with Renee, ten other individuals were nominated and recognized with a certificate.
- Each year parents and friends are invited to attend our annual Human Rights Awareness Day. The day provides an open discussion and question/answer session for everyone in attendance. Materials such as talking picture boos, flashcards and audio tapes were available for viewing. Those are the same items available to individuals within each residential home, and are consistent in defining each individual’s right – Liberty, Equality, Privacy, Expression, Association and Property. These rights are the defining principles that ensure each person receives an exceptional quality of life at IDDI. The materials used provide examples of how each of the rights is fully exercised on a daily basis. Human Rights Awareness Days are now a fun, interactive training and information session held four times per calendar year. The Human Rights Officers (HROs) have created a panel discussion focusing on each individual’s rights – Liberty, Equality, Privacy, Expression, Association and Property. The HROs then test their audience’s knowledge with a fun, yet challenging game of Human Rights Jeopardy. Friends, families and peers are encouraged to attend this event.
- Another exciting breakout in the area of Human Rights has been the bi-annual Human Rights Newsletter, entitled One Mission. The HROs are solely responsible for the development and implementation of this informative newsletter, sent out to all individuals, families, guardians, staff and other interested parties. The newsletter focuses on a specific area of Human Rights, while offering other interesting facts.
Check back on our site for more information in the upcoming months.