Springtime often awakens our desires of trying something new,blazing untried paths and fulfilling dreams wondered about in winter. Why not take a tip from Betty Ann Marshall and Jean McGuire and try a new spin on your vacation plans.
      Introduced to them by their care provider Sharon Crosby, Betty Ann and Jean decided to take a “Make-A-Movie” 5 day vacation with Sprout, a private non-profit organization which arranges vacations and custom-designed trips for people with developmental disabilities. The movie entitled “Never the Same Again” is a takeoff on the 1960’s TV show, “ The Twilight Zone” and turns a honeymoon in New York City into your worst nightmare! Betty Ann and Jean held special screenings of the movie at their home in early March and those who attended were so impressed we decided to share their experience with you.

Jean: At the end of last October - Halloween week, Kathy May took us to New York City and helped us go into the place where we began our “Make a Movie” vacation. I felt scared but I went in anyway. I almost came back home but everybody said “Stay!” and I did!

Betty Ann: I wasn’t nervous because I’ve done trips like this before. I went to a Dude ranch, to Nova Scotia, Pennsylvania Dutch country and Hawaii.

Jean: After everybody got there, we went out for Chinese food and they (Sprout staff) helped us get into the hotel. It was nice.

Betty Ann: The people were courteous. They came to our room and told us not to be nervous. Another staff person came in to talk about the film.

Jean: We started acting that night!

Betty Ann: The people helped us learn our lines.                                     

African American Family Outreach Project Hires Family Advocate

The African American Family Outreach Project, a grassroots family outreach project involved in reaching out to families of color who have a family member with a disability, has hired a part-time Family Advocate. LaVerne Robinson-Peters will be the Family Advocate of African American Family Outreach Project at BCARC.

Prior to moving to the Berkshires, LaVerne worked for ten years at the Rockland Psychiatric Center where she assisted children and adults with varied disabilities. In 1988 LaVerne came to work at BCARC and has