AGENCY
NEWS.......at Ottawa Friendship House
* Twin Fund Raisers
Thanks to recent fundraisers in our community, over 5000 dollars was raised for Friendship House. Albertos Restaruant hosted a gourmet four course Italian Dinner on July 17th, which raised $2,945. On the following day, D'Antonio Hair Design held a hair cutting event to benefit the agency, which raised $2,600. Friendship House greatly appriciates the efforts of these businesses for providing valuable assistance to people with developmental disabilities in our community.
|
|
* Faith in Action
Twenty 7th and 8th graders from New Community Christian Church in Morris, and Village Christain Church in Minooka volunteered at Friendship House for their second summer. In spite of the heat, they were able to tackle a list of projects, and paint the picnic tables and shed. A special thanks to the youth pastors for cordinating this event and their positive leadership.
 |
 |
 |
* Upcoming Events
July 17th at 5:30
Alberto's Restaurant Ottawa
Four Course Italian Dinner with table wines
$65.00 per person, all proceeds to Benefit Ottawa Friendship House
Call 1 815 431-1272 for reservations /
summer attire
July 18th
D'Antonio's Hair Design / 504 West Madison Street Ottawa
Consult and Cut and Style for $25.00 donation to Ottawa Friendship House
7 of Chicago's top Hair Designers
Call to schedule an appointment:1 815 431-1272
Food and beverages available for general public starting at 11:30 for a donation
August 8
Monte's Riverside Inn
Cook out to benefit Ottawa Friendship House
More details to be announced
Saturday August 21 5:30
Chicago Brass Quintet
Ravina Style bring your picnic basket and enjoy
At: Ottawa Friendship House by Covel Creek Bluffs /
More details to follow
* Friendship House honored by Ottawa Chamber of Commerce
On May 12, 2010 Ottawa Friendship House received the highest award given to an individual or agency by Ottawa Area Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The Leo Parkerson Award is given in recognition of significant contribution of time, effort, and resources to enhance the Ottawa area. This award reflects a strong rich history of support from the community in the mission of the agency. It was truly an honor to be chosen by such a fine group of business people as the recipient of the this prestigious award. |
 |
* Friendship House participates in 100th anniverary of Scouting in America
 |
 |
 |
| Ottawa Friendship House hosted Boy Scouts from throughout the State of Illinois during the 100 year celebration of the founding of the Boy Scouts. The Boy Scout Homecoming and camping at Friendship is June 9 - 13th for the troops. The scouts enjoyed the camping next to covel creek and reported they spotted deer close to their campsites. The scouts also participated in activities in Ottawa celebrating the anniversary of Scouting. Ottawa is the home of WD Boyce, the founder of the Boy Scouts in America. |
* SABIC Plastics workers volunteer at Friendship House
 |
 |
 |
| On Friday June 4, 2010 volunteers from SABIC plastics of Ottawa painted the exterior doors and patio fences of the residential housing. They also stained the picnic shelters and bell tower by the chapel. Just before the rain arrived, they were able to finish painting the doors on the storage shed. A huge THANK YOU to all the volunteers and SABIC for sponsoring this great day! |
* Friendship House Consumers at It's My Life Meeting
 |
 |
 |
| Nine of the consumers attended the It's My Life celebration at Utica on May 21, 2010 presented by the Alliance of Illinois. Over 80 consumers attended the event from North Central Illinois. It was a fun filled day, empowering all of us to advocate for services through consumer choice. |
Ottawa Friendship House |
Annie’s Hide-A-Way |
Jeremy Johnson |
* Regional Basketball Champions
On Sunday January 31st, the Ottawa Friendship House Basketball team defeated the Gateway Gladiators from Princeton to win the Regional Special Olympic Championship, and a chance to compete in the State Special Olympics at Bloomington. The team's journey would have ended then due to the lack of funding from state budget cuts; but Sean Fuchs and Benny Davis wanted to support the team by raising $579 at a special event held on December 19th at Jeremiah Joes Coffee in Ottawa. The two organized a music event featuring their band, Stray bullet, with Sean as the lead singer, Benny lead guitar, Ray Marshall rhythm guitar, John Nicoli Bass guitar and Kevin Farrell on the drums. The night also included performances by High Water, Liquid Blues Project, and Mark Piecha soloist and acoustic guitar. With the support of the community, and special thanks to all the performers and Jeremiah Joes, the OFH Basketball team will be able to go for the gold! |
|
|
* RICES Grant update
On January 19 and 20, service recipients and employees of Streator Unlimited, Horizon House of Peru, and Friendship House of Ottawa attended a training session as part of the Rural Illinois Customized Employment Sustainability Project (RICES). This statewide initiative is an investment of the Illinois Council on Developmental Disabilities (ICDD) and a collaborative venture between Health & Disability Advocates, Griffin-Hammis Associates, LLC, and Marc Gold & Associates. The three local organizations have the opportunity to learn from and be mentored by the current national and international forerunners in the field of customized employment services.
Over the next 18 months, Streator Unlimited, Horizon House and Friendship House will work with the national level consultants to master the process of customized employment while assisting participants with developmental disabilities to find jobs or develop their own businesses. Customized employment is a cutting-edge process of building on the skills and strengths of people with developmental disabilities while leveraging funding to meet both capital and personnel needs of businesses in a unique and individualized manner.
Sandy McBride’s son Anthony will graduate from Streator High School this spring and is a participant in this project. “Anthony’s friend Andy worked with Stephanie at Streator Unlimited to get a dream job in the parts department at Bill Walsh.” Anthony’s teacher, Cheri French, noted, “we’re trying to work together so that students with developmental disabilities will be able to go right into jobs following graduation.”
This county-wide approach includes a number of partners: the LaSalle-Peru Division of Rehabilitation Services, Streator High School, Work Incentives Planning and Assistance Program, Illinois Association of Microboards and Cooperatives and local businesses who will benefit from this process. Training sessions and mentoring will continue throughout the calendar year. The goal of the project is to make a local impact on people with developmental disabilities and business while generating policy recommendations at the state level to assure funding and regulations support the process. For further information, contact Stephanie Harcharik at Streator Unlimited.
* Gift from Mussallem family commemorates the life of Bob Schwerdtfeger
Members of the Schwerdtfeger family, Linda and Mike Mussalem, board members, residents, staff, and good friends gathered on December 27 to attend the dedication of the dining room of the Developmental Training Building, in honor of Linda’s brother, Bob Schwerdefeger. Bob was one of the first to attend ECHO School, which was spearheaded by Bob’s mother Jane McCormick and other families who had a dream that their children would have a special place to learn, work, and have social and recreational opportunities. In 1966 this dream became a reality; and with a building on Ottawa’s south side loaned by the UAW, Friendship House was born.
Bob was certainly a pioneer in the development of support for children and adults with disabilities. Bob also was one of the first to move into our residential program in 1978. The ceremony was a tribute to his memory, and celebrated his courage to blaze the trail for people with disabilities in LaSalle County. Bob will always be remembered, as his life achievements are acknowledged in a plaque near the Training Center dining room.
Michael and Linda Mussallem are recognized as Benefactors of Highest Distinction, for which the level of giving ranges from $50,000 to over $ 200,000.
Their generous support paid for the dining and kitchen area of the Training Center, which was constructed in 2001. This Training Center serves as a programming area for over 40 adults, providing life skills training, as well as social, educational and recreational opportunities.
 |
 |
| Members of the family of Bob Schwerdtfeger, Francis and Jane McCormick, Mike and Linda Mussallem, and Gary and Donna Schwerdtfreger. |
Linda Mussallam displays the plaque honoring her brother, Bob Schwerdtfeger. |
* IIP Gift to Friendship House
| Consumers Lance, Amanda, and Stan, along with Beth Mangold, Executive Director, stopped at Insurance and Investment Planning (IIP) to thank Pete McGrath and Jay Bottarini for the agency's generous donation of $1000 to Ottawa Friendship House. |  |
* Making Dreams Come True donors recognized.
| Donors to the Making Dreams Come True capital campaign, which ran from 2002 - 2005, are now recognized by a permanant display at Friendship House. The recognition wall was dedicated in the fall of 2009, and contains the names of the over 100 major contributors to the campaign. The display is located in the lobby of the Administration Building. The highly successful drive provided revenue to fund the Training Center, which was constructed in 2001, and provides daily programming for 40 adults. |  |
