I'm Back and it's Fall!

Hello everyone! This is Sean Waters, I haven't been here in a long time because Michelle, my job coach and I haven't been working together in a while. I have a new job coach, his name is John and he works with me on Tues and Fri because I got a job at The Mustard Seed Cafe in Waymart, washing dishes!! I started this past summer and I love it! The Cafe is closed today and John is on vacation so Michelle is working with me and I wanted to work on my blog to catch up with everyone.

Fall is almost here and the leaves are changing which made me think about the things i like to do in the Fall. I am going to list them and maybe you will like to do some too?



RAKING LEAVES
I love to rake leaves in the fall in my backyard, I pile them up and lay on top of them and look up at the sky. After I pile the up I put them in the wheelbarrow and take them to the edge of our property and dump them.



SPLITTING FIREWOOD
I help my Uncle Gary with splitting firewood at his house, to keep his house warm.  He has a log splitter and I help by handing the wood to him one at a time, we spend the whole day doing this and stack it in the back yard. Uncle Gary pays me for helping him too!

HAYRIDE AND PUMPKIN PICKING
I love to go on hayrides with my friends at Happy Trails in Waymart. I usually go with my Autism group in the evening and we go when it's dark and usually everyone gets scared. After the ride we have hot chocolate and cookies

My mom and I like to go pumpkin picking at Robas. I usually get 2 pumpkins and carve them both into funny faces and put them on the porch . We scoop out the seeds and roast them in the oven and eat them.











TRICK OR TREATING
Of course the Fall means Trick or Treating. I love to dress up for Halloween. I am not sure yet what I am going to be this year but I am thinking about it now. I like to go out and get candy more than I like to hand out candy. I trick or treat on my road in Waymart while my mom hands out candy at our house. I then go to a block party in Waymart at the park, I eat hot dogs and buy baked goods.

So there are some of my favorite things to do in the Fall, what are your favorite things to do?

SPECIAL OLYMPICS BOCCE TOURNAMENT

On November 4, 2016 I went to a Special Olympics Bocce Tournament at Villanova University. I went with our coach Kim, my friends Charlie, Alex, James and Jeffrey. We left early on Friday around 3:00 and we got there around 5:00. We went to our rooms right away. I shared a room with Alex and he and I watched TV until it was time for us to play bocce. At 8:00 Kim took us to the tournament and we played against Bucks County two times and we won both times! After we played we ate pizza and wings back at our hotel room, it was late so I showered and went right to bed.

Saturday we got up and went to breakfast at the school cafeteria. I had sausage, eggs and french toast with maple syrup. During breakfast Kim gave us a pep talk about the day and the bocce competition she told us to do our best. After we ate we got ready for the tournament which started at 12:00 when we got to the tournament we were able to chat with people and I saw friends I have made through other Special Olympics events. Alex and I were team mates and we had to play against Bucks County again, this time they won 2 games and we won 2 games. After these games we played against Columbia County, we played 2 games and they won both of them. Next was Monroe County, we played 3 games against them and they won 2 of them, we won one game. Because we didn't win against them we were done playing and we sat in the bleachers and cheered for our other friends that were still competing. We watched Charlie and Jeff play and they won a gold medal! I was super proud of them!

Sunday at 10 was the awards ceremony; Alex and I got a 4th place medal and Charlie an Jeff got a gold medal. After the ceremony we headed home, we did stop at the Plaza to eat, I had pizza and a stromboli. We finally got home around 9:30-10:00. it was a long day of driving I took a nap on the way home so I wasn't that sleepy I unpacked my stuff and then went to bed.

It was a great weekend and I really enjoyed myself and was happy about Charlie and Jeffrey winning a gold medal. I will compete again next year.

I'M AN UNCLE!!!

On Tuesday July 19, 2016 at 11:25 am, I became an uncle for the first time. My niece Arly was born at Holy Spirit Hospital weighing 6 lbs 14ozs and 20 inches long. I was at the hospital with my family in the waiting room, waiting for Arly to be born. I was so excited I was going to be an uncle! We couldn't go in the room with Erin so we stayed in the waiting room and watched TV and I talked with my family. We were there from midnight waiting,  then my brother-in-law; Ben, and a nurse came out and told us it was a baby girl. I stood up and said "Is she ok?" Meaning my sister Erin, I was nervous for her, they told me "yes" she was ok. We then went upstairs to see Erin and Arly.

When we got in the room and I saw Arly for the first time, I turned to my mom and said: "Was I ever that small?" My Mom got to hold Arly first, then my Dad, Benn's parents, then I finally got to hold Arly. I was sitting when I first held her and it was a great feeling, I was amazed! I loved her the minute I held her. She was cranky and hungry- she's just like her uncle Sean!!! LOL!! I only held her for a few minutes because I was scared I would drop her, so I handed her back to my mom. We visited with Erin for a while and brought Arly a stuffed giraffe. Then we went to the cafeteria and ate chicken and french fries!!

I CAN'T BELIEVE I'M AN UNCLE!!!!!

SPECIAL OLYMPICS: SUMMER GAMES 2016

Hi this is Sean, I haven't been here in awhile, I've been busy volunteering at Park Street Cafe and learning food prep, baking cookies,making salads, swimming at the YMCA, working out, volunteering at Fair Hill Farms and just enjoying my summer.

I decided to stop in today to my blog to talk about what went on with me this summer and specifically the Special Olympics games.

On June 2nd and 3rd my fellow Special Olympics team mates from Area P, and I, went to Penn State Main Campus to compete in the track and field events at the Special Olympics Summer Games.

Me and my friends; Charlie, Kyle, Wayne and Joe stayed on campus in the dorms where we hung out in the rooms, we ate pizza and wings and had soda with our coaches Kim and Debbie

At 8:30 on Friday, we had a dance for all the athletes from the games. I did a lot of dancing and it tired me out! I danced with a pretty girl: Christina, that I knew from Adams County. It was nice to chat with her and catch up. We then went back to our dorms to get some sleep because we had a big day ahead of us, competing in the summer games.

Saturday was the big day for competition. I ran the 200 meters and 400 meters. When I ran, I wasn't nervous at all on the starting line. I liked hearing the people cheering for us as we were running. I felt very excellent and proud as I was running, and I came in second place!!! After my race I sat on the bleachers with my friends and cheered for the people that were still competing.

After resting for awhile, it was time for the 400 meter race. I didn't know anyone I was running with. I felt nervous on this race because it was one time around the whole track as fast as you can run.  I ran with 9 other people and I came in 5th place! After this race I went back to our area's tent, where we rested and ate.

My next event was the shot put. I like this event and I am pretty good at it. There were a lot of other people in this event. You pick up the shot put and throw it as hard as you can over your head and away from you. I got a 4th place medal in this event and I am proud of myself. After that event we got together with our coaches. At the end of the day, it was announced who could leave by county and we went back to campus.

When we got back to campus we had pizza and strombolis, we watched TV and then went to bed. The next day we got up early and went home. I got a little bored on the ride so I took some notes about food and then fell asleep the rest of the way home.

I really enjoy Special Olympics and competing in the games. I really like winning medals too!

Here I am getting my medal for the 400 meters

My friend Charlie getting his medal

For the 400 meters

Medal for the 200 meters

PARK STREET CAFE

Hi everyone. I haven't been posting in awhile because I have been busy volunteering at the Aging Office kitchen to help with meals for senior citizens and I have started volunteering at Park Street Complex.

My friend Sydney took these pictures of some of the cafe:

I am learning skills at the cafe to help me find a job. Here are some of the things I do:

1. Cleaning: I make sure the cafe is clean and there are no messes. I wipe down the tables and all the stainless steel in the kitchen.

2. Prep food for the lunches that are served here. I cut vegetables and make things like salad. I also made grilled cheese

3. Bake things. I helped make cookies I am learning how to measure the ingredients, put them all together and mix the dough and putting them on a cookie sheet (Heather said it's called a 'half sheet') and put them in the oven. The cookies came out really good and we sell a lot of them at the cafe.

I am learning things like you always have to wash your hands before you start working you have to sing "Happy Birthday to Me" two times and then you are good.

I like working at the cafe because I like working with Heather and Michelle and seeing some of my friends I don't get to see, like Regina, Charlie and Matt.

I like learning new skills, this will help me find a job.

Sean



**Side Note: Hi this is Michelle, Sean's job coach and friend. I help him write the blog. I just wanted to add a little about Park Street Cafe, most do not know about this hidden treasure but we are working hard to get the word out.

Park Street Cafe is located in the Park Street Offices where the old Stourbridge Primary School was located. Community Vocational Services and it's consumers are utilizing the kitchen at the Park Street Complex on Monday, Wednesdays and Fridays as a training ground for our consumers to learn restaurant skills. Skills such as food prep, serving, cleaning and menu development are just a few of the things they are learning.

The Cafe is open M,W,F from 11:00-1:00 for lunch and offer a variety of lunch foods as well as serving the senior menu in cooperation with the Aging Office. Consumers work from 9:00-2:00 learning skills.

Feel free to stop by and have a bite to eat with us!

Michelle

On the Hunt....

....for a new job!

Right now I am not working, I have been volunteering a lot though. I volunteer at Fair Hill Farm and the Wayne County Office on Aging kitchen. I like both of these places, but I would really like a paying job.

I feel like I am ready for a paying job because I have learned a lot of work skills in the last 2 years, since I have been volunteering. Some of the things I am good at are:

1. Cleaning out stalls in the barn, and general cleaning.
2. Following directions, when I am given them one at a time.
3. Good with animals.
4. Good with children.
5. I am friendly, polite and like to meet lots of new people. I work very well with the public.
6. I can wash dishes and run a commercial dishwasher. 
7. I can do basic food prep.
8. I am strong and able to lift hay bales and other heavy objects.
9. I can operate some equipment like a golf cart, lawn mower and household appliances.
10. I can do general line assembly work.

I would like a paying job to earn money. It makes me feel happy when I am earning money, I would feel like a grown up and a responsible person if I had a paycheck. I would use my money wisely, I would put it in my savings account because I want to live in my own apartment some day.  I want to be like like Ben Goldberg and have a job that I help people, it makes me feel good when I help people.

Please keep your eyes out for any type of "Help Wanted" that you think that I could do. Contact me or my job coach; Michelle Erbach, if you happen to see anything. 

I love that Ben Goldberg!!

I sorted plastics at the Wayne County Recycling Center

Me doing my work at Fair Hill Farm

5th Annual Bowling for Autism

Hi this is Sean, I apologize I haven't been here in awhile I have been busy volunteering, going to HRC, swimming at the YMCA and doing Special Olympics basketball and now track and field.

On Sat April 9, 2016 from 12-5 is the 5th annual Bowling For Autism event at Gravity Alley in Honesdale. My sister Kelly organizes the event and all the proceeds this year are going to Dyberry Day Camp in Honesdale, PA. Kelly works hard to organize this event and to get donations, raffle baskets and items to raffle off. I am proud of Kelly for all the hard work she does for autism awareness.

Here are some of my favorites things about Bowling For Autism:
* I get to be talkative and socialize with a lot of different people.
* I get to tell jokes.
* I like getting to bowl and knocking the pins down.
* I like seeing all the raffle items and people winning them.
* I love all the accessible food that is there and I get to eat it!!
* I like to see people laughing, smiling and having fun.
* I like the music and the dancing.

Here are some details about the day (from my sister's website)

Tickets are $20 a person and include games, shoes and food. Tickets can be purchased ahead of time or at the door.

 

There will be three time slots for bowling from 12-1:30, 1:30-3 and 3-4:30. Groups of 5 or more must pre-register to guarantee a spot on the lanes together. You can sign up for multiple time slots but there will be an additional cost of $20 per person.

 

A raffle will also be taking place. There are many items up for grabs including gift certificates from area businesses, themed baskets and even homemade items. Tickets are $5 an arm's length.

 

There will also be a bake sale with delicious goodies. Don't be afraid to stop by!

 

There will also be a grand prize of a$600 Weber SP 320 Propane Grill, which is being donated by Honesdale Agway!!!! Dave's Super Duper is donating a meat package to go along with the grill with a value of $150. This brings the total value of the grand prize to $750!!!! Separate tickets will be sold for this prize at $5 apiece.

 

DJ Nicky Nick from Triple "S" DJ Service will be providing entertainment throughout the day.

 

Kiddie kartunes...caricatures for all occasions will also be present to do drawings. A portion of those proceeds will be donated to the cause.

I would like to share some of the links to things from the event in case you want to check them out.

Bowling For Autism on Facebook  Please like our page!

Bowling For Autism on the Web  My sister just started a website!

Gravity Bowling Alley  Check out where we hold our event

DJ Nicky Nick  He will be providing the awesome music for dancing!

Dyberry Daycamp  They will be receiving the proceeds this year Check out their website.

Dyberry Daycamp  Their Facebook page


I'm really excited about the event and I hope to see you there!!