My name is Jill Egle and I intern part time a few days weekly at the National Arc of the United States in the District of Columbia located on 1660 L Street NW Washington DC. I do various tasks at the National Arc of the United States. I am always flexible in to trying new skills and tasks. One thing I am working on is going to each state and looking through the disaffiliated files and putting the chapter number the name along with the month and year that is disaffiliated meaning no longer at the national arc of the united states. I love this opportunity. I along with my local chapter staff will be attending the National Arc of the United States 60^th convention in Orlando Florida

Les Bon Temps Roule’

The Arc kick – off with WBNA and Mystics

Jill Egle Co Executive Director, The Arc of Northern Virginia

My name is Jill Erin Egle’ and I am a co – executive director of a non – profit and a self advocate leader intern for The Arc of USA. I am so thrilled to be here tonight as we kick off The Arc night with the Women’s NBA. On behalf of The Arc, I want to take this opportunity to thank the WBNA for making people with disabilities a priority and partner as we raise awareness about what it takes to live “A Life like Yours”. I also would like to give a special thank you to Maria Giovannetti of the Mystics, the staff members at The Arc of USA and the chapters from around the area for making this night so wonderful for everyone who attends the game.

As a woman with an intellectual disability I have faced many obstacles and challenges in my lifetime___ often times I felt like, no matter how hard I tried, I could not make that basket from the foul line. But with the support of my family friends The Arc and now the WBNA – today I stand before you and feel as if I can make every basket I shoot for__ because with the support of a good team I…no…anyone can reach his/her dreams. Go Mystics!!!

Why should the community attend the Arc of VA state convention in Charlottesville VA?

I Jill Erin Egle am on the planning committee for the Arc 2009 state convention. It’s a lot of work to strategically plan a state convention; people from all over Virginia are working to make this a success. First, the Omni hotel in Charlottesville VA is fantastic. You may ask why location is very important. Well here are a couple of reasons. The Omni hotel sits right on an outdoor mall that has an indoor ice skating rink, hundreds of shops, and restaurants bars and a convention center for concerts and festivals. The hotel has an indoor and outdoor pool and they are putting a lift in the pool to make it more accessible. The hotel staffs are excited about getting trained to served the IDD community.

Second there will be lots of learning opportunities. John Agosta will becoming back to help self advocates develop our message and strengthen our voices. The Arc Of Indiana will becoming to share how they close there state operated institution, and teach us how we can do it. There will be a different variety of workshops on Autism, Person Centered planning, housing options, saving for our future dating marriage relationships working with the schools… Everything it takes to live a life like yours.

Lee Covington and his Charlottesville chapter of the Arc has promised to make these three days memorable and fun regardless of our ability.

Does it ever get easier to say goodbye to the Interns when they leave? (No)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

We just quit saying goodbye and instead say see you around.

The reality is once you are a part of the Arc you never ever leave the Arc.

“It Couldn’t Be DoneSomebody said that it couldn’t be done,
But he with a chuckle replied
That “maybe it couldn’t,” but he would be one
Who wouldn’t say so till he’d tried.
So he buckled right in with the trace of a grin
On his face. If he worried he hid it.
He started to sing as he tackled the thing
That couldn’t be done, and he did it.Somebody scoffed: “Oh, you’ll never do that;
At least no one ever has done it”;
But he took off his coat and he took off his hat,
And the first thing we knew he’d begun it.
With a lift of his chin and a bit of a grin,
Without any doubting or quiddit,
He started to sing as he tackled the thing
That couldn’t be done, and he did it.

There are thousands to tell you it cannot be done,
There are thousands to prophesy failure;
There are thousands to point out to you, one by one,
The dangers that wait to assail you.
But just buckle in with a bit of a grin,
Just take off your coat and go to it;
Just start to sing as you tackle the thing
That “cannot be done,” and you’ll do it.”

 Dear friends,

Last evening the co-executive directors attende the “Imagine the possABILITIES” event held at the Vienna Lofty Salon. (Many thanks to Mona and her team it was a beautiful setting.) The night was about exploring the options for businesses in the communtiy to hire people of all Abilities.  David Egan, a self advocate and employee of Booze Allen Hamilton did a great job sharing his personal story about his career–and how “with the right supports” all people can enjoy a wonderful career as well… Eric Lachteran and his Boss from the San Vito Restaurant shared stories about their working relationship. What was nice to hear was the fact that “At first a person may be hired and the employer may see his/her disability…but when they work together over time the disability disappears and a mutual respect is left in its place.

Diane and Toni from the Chamber as well as a handful of other guests were moved by these stories. Nancy and myself even had a chance to share a little. I was moved by a poem that Diane shared with me at the end of the night. She approached me and said, “My mind is working fast imagining the possAbilities and how the Vienna Tysons Chamber can embrace this idea.” And then she said the poem I have above –reminded her of Me (I  was honored)! To be honest the poem reminds me of all of us–regardless of our abilities.

 Dear Friends of my blog–I would like to extend an invitation from my good friend John Agosta, Ph.D. of Oregon. He and some of his friends from around the country including Julie Petty, former President and colleague from SABE, will be hosting a national dialogue on the state of the country in terms of investing in A Life Like Yours!  I have pasted the invitation below. There are three dates, March 2, 2009, April 6, 2009 and May 4, 2009. I would like to invite you to join us here at The Arc on March 2, 2009 at 2:30 to join inon the call–and help shape the direction of our country!  thanks Jill

Hi there to all of you!You are invited to join us in a National Conversation on the State of the States’ Budgets! Sign up now to participate in three teleconferences featuring real talk between self-advocates and state Directors of developmental disability services. The national economy is in trouble. Every day we hear news about people losing their jobs and people spending less. This will reduce state budgets which will affect disability services. We are already hearing about cuts to services.  This is not a good thing. And so we must act!  Self-advocates and State Directors need to talk about things and work together to reduce the impact of these cuts on people’s lives.  But first, we must work together to come up with some common solutions.  After all…  self-advocates say “Nothing About Us Without Us!”There are 3 teleconferences, each lasting 90 minutes.  Each teleconference will start at 3pm EASTERN TIME.  Each will be facilitated by Julie Petty of HSRI, a nationally respected self-advocate.  Each time our speakers will have time to talk with one another and then will answer questions from you and others across the nation.  The first one, on March 2,  will give state directors a chance to explain to self-advocates what is going on around the country and why.  Three state directors will lead the discussion.  They include Mary Lee Fay from Oregon, Steve Hall from Georgia and Max Chamura from New York. The second one, on April 6, will focus on self-advocate opinions about what to do about it.  Three self-advocates will lead that discussion.  They include Mike Rogers of Washington, Chester Finn of New York and one other.The third one, on May 4, will give state directors and self-advocates a chance to talk about what they can do together during these troubled times.  It important for self-advocates and state directors to work together!The registration fee for each teleconference is $25.  If you register for all three the cost is $60.  You can listen on your own or bring people together around a speaker phone.  This is a GREAT WAY for self-advocates to hear about what is going on and to join with others nationally.  Parents and staff are invited too!Don’t miss out.  REGISTER NOW!  Go here for more information:  www.theriotrocks.org and follow the links on the Home page.And PLEASE…  pass this email on to your friends!If you have any questions, give us a call.  Call us at HSRI.  Talk to Jennifer Negus at 503-924-3783 x 10.John  ___________________________John Agosta Ph.D.Human Services Research Institute7420 SW Bridgeport Road (#210)Portland  OR  97224JAgosta@hsri.org503-924-3783 (ext 11)503-910-4530 (cell) 

There is a lot going on

First, advocates it is important to know these are tough budget times, What does that mean? People all over the country are losing there houses, Jobs, savings, and services. Things don’t look good here in Virginia either. I’ve been to Richmond and regional meetings in Fairfax. We are facings one very serious service cuts.

I tell you we are always 24/7 are working for A Life Like Yours in the community, but these cuts are going to hurt our chance to make this happen.

First, it is important to understand that President Obama passed the stimulus package of 825 million dollars. He giving money to each state to help stimulate the economy… So we can have jobs, services, and homes. Virginia will get some of this money but it will not be enough to fund A Life Like Yours in the Community. Virginia needs to find money. One way to do this would be to raise taxes, but this is not a popular idea. Governor Tim Kaine proposed a sixty cent cigarette tax. This money would be used to help fund services in the community. We need you to contact your legislators and ask them to support cigarette tax this session. We don’t want to see A Life Like Yours go up in smoke.

Hello is Universal

Here the transcript of a recent Reston times connection article about a personal speech I gave at Langston Hughes Middle School. 

Hello is Universal

Jill Egle is 32 years old, an executive director of a non profit and has created a popular you tube video. She travels the country and, perhaps most importantly, she likes herself and so do many others.

I can’t help but think if my classmates had been open to understanding me when I was 13 or 14 years old, perhaps I would have started my wonderful life a little sooner, Egle said.

Growing up in Louisiana, Egle was labeled a retard in school and diagnosed with mild mental retardation. The nonprofit she leads when first established 45 years ago was called the Association of Retarded Citizens. The world has changed somewhat and now Egle has an Intellectual Developmental Disability and directs the Arc of Northern VA. Egle’s Video, “Can We Talk Ben Stiller”, made the rounds across the country.

I did not have a great time in junior high or high school, Egle told an assembly of about 100 Langston Hughes Middle School students Thursday morning December 4^th I was called a retard, made fun of and ignored, she said. Egle urged the Langston Hughes students to stop using the word retard, to sit with someone eating lunch alone, invite someone without many peers to an event and be open to understanding that everyone has a lot of gifts to offer.