Monthly News &Updates

June 2024

2024 People First Conference

The 2024 People First of WV Conference will be held on September 4th, 5th, and 6th, 2024. The conference will be held at WVU Jackson’s Mill in Jane Lew, WV. The conference theme is Live It! Learn It! Love It!. Erin Thompson is our keynote speaker.

The registration form will go out June 1st, 2024 online and through the mail. The deadline for registration forms to be in is July 26th, 2024 by 4:30pm. If you need yours sent via mail please contact Alexis Ullmann at alexis.ullmann@thearcmov.org or 304-422-3151 Ext 114 or Morgan Spicer at morgan.spicer@thearcmov.org or 304-422-3151 Ext 129. You can also
Click Here
for the online
form.

Mid-Year Training Recap

On May 15th, 2024 we had our Mid-Year Training held at Jackson’s Mill. Self-advocates received training on Internet Safety from Detective Daniel Miller from the Parkersburg Police Department.

During the advisory board meeting self-advocates voted on the final t-shirt design and the 15 classes for conference. Sarah Brown won the t-shirt contest, she will receive a free t-shirt with her design and a $25 gift card to a restaurant of her choice. Below is the final t-shirt design and the class list.

Final T-Shirt Design and Color

Here is the final t-shirt design created by Sarah Brown from People First of Harrison County. The design is a red heart outline and in the center is Self-Advocacy for Life in black. Around the heart is Live It in blue, Learn It in green, and Love It in red. On the back of the shirt will be the People First of WV logo. The color that was voted on during the advisory board meeting in May was light pink. The photo to the left is a mock up and the final result may vary but this give you an idea of what it will look like.

Classes for Conference

This list of classes was voted on during the Advisory Board meeting in May

  1. Cooking
  2. Self-Defense
  3. Emergency Preparedness
  4. How to Deal with Loss
  5. Gardening
  6. Independence
  7. WVAble Program
  8. Overcoming Fears, Depression, and Anxiety
  9. First Aid
  10. Living Wills, Last Wills, and Guardianship
  11. Healthy Relationships
  12. Planning and Resources as I Get Older
  13. Organizing your Home
  14. People First Growth
  15. Making Music

National Safety Month

June is National Safety Month, a time to focus on preventing injuries and accidents. Safety is everyone’s responsibility, whether at home or in the workplace. To stay safe at home, check smoke detectors, keep electrical cords and hazardous items out of reach, and ensure appliances are in good condition. Employers should provide proper training and regularly inspect equipment and facilities in the workplace. Let’s all take simple steps to prevent accidents and injuries and create a safer environment for ourselves and those around us.

When it comes to home safety, you can do a few easy things to keep your family protected. Check your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors to ensure they’re working properly. Keep electrical cords and appliances in good condition, and store any potentially dangerous items like cleaning supplies and medications out of reach of children.

National Safety Month is a great time to think about how we can all do our part to create a safer environment for ourselves and those around us. By following simple safety guidelines and being aware of potential hazards, we can make sure everyone stays healthy and happy.

May’s Legislative Matters Now!

Don’t miss a new episode of Legislative Matters Now! In this episode, Morgan spoke with West Virginia Birth to Three and founder of TOTally SC member Trina Clark from Ripley, West Virginia! TOTally SC is an organization that provides quality Service Coordination to families receiving services through West Virginia Birth to Three! If you would like more information on TOTally SC you can email Trina at
trina@totallyscinc.com

If you have a legislative topic you would like covered on a future episode, do not hesitate to reach out to Morgan! He can be reached at
morgan.spicer@thearcmov.org
! You can also call The Arc at (304) 422-3151 x:129!

The new episode is available on the People First of West Virginia Facebook page and the People First of West Virginia YouTube page!
Click Here
to watch it!

People First of WV Meetings and Events:

Meetings are held in person and on Zoom.

Click Here
for a list of meetings.

Check the
People First Facebook
page for last minute changes.

Webinars:

Each month, several organizations provide online webinars.

AAIDD:
Click Here

Additude Mag:

Click Here

AUCD:

Click Here

PACER:

Click Here

WVABLE:

Click Here

WVU CED:

Click Here

US Senators:
Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R):
Senator Joe Manchin, III (D):

US House of Representatives:

Carol Miller (R) – District 1: 

Click Here

Alex Mooney (R) – District 2:

Click Here

To find your State Representatives:

Click Here
 for members of the State Senate

Click Here
 for members of the House of Delegates

For more information, log on to  www.peoplefirstwv.org

or use the contact information below:

Contact Information:

*********************

The Arc of West Virginia

People First of West Virginia

1917 Dudley Avenue

Parkersburg, WV 26101

Phone: 304-422-3151

Toll-Free: 877-334-6581

Fax: 304-865-2072

Email:
 
info@peoplefirstwv.org