Personally, I’m thankful for my wonderful family, my health, my spouse, my caring co-workers, my two dogs and many many other things. I urge you to think about what you are thankful for and to let those people (and pets!) know how much you appreciate them.

As a company, we here at LoJack SafetyNet sincerely appreciate our close nit community. Our customers, followers and supporters have played a massive role in our growth and we truly appreciate and want to thank all of you.

It’s a great feeling for us when we hear about success stories like this and this, which proves our efforts to bring loved ones back home with our SafetyNet service really do work and we are in fact saving lives.

As the Thanksgiving holiday comes closer, here are some links that may be helpful to you:

Thanksgiving Travel Tips:
http://www.foxnews.com/travel/2010/11/12/dont-turkey-follow-thanksgiving-travel-tips/

Thanksgiving Cooking and Safety Tips:
http://www.catalogs.com/info/kitchen/thanksgiving-cooking-tips.html

http://www.safetyathome.com/seasonal-safety/holiday-safety-articles/thanksgiving-cooking-tips-serving-up-a-side-of-safety/

Thanksgiving Events – Family and Black Friday:
http://www.fchornet.com/2.2211/a-beginners-guide-to-shopping-black-friday-1.2704947#.TsaEiGPfdWA

http://www.wafb.com/story/16074437/best-buys-worst-buys-on-black-friday-2011

http://dfw.cbslocal.com/guide/family-guide-to-thanksgiving-volunteering/

http://fatherhoodchannel.com/2010/10/29/thanksgiving-family-survival-guide-2010/

Thank you for reading and we look forward to a prosperous 2012 and beyond.

Stay safe!

Jason at LoJack SafetyNet

As you know, caring for a loved one who could potentially wander at any moment carries a considerable responsibility, and nothing could be more frightening than the thought of them wandering and becoming lost.

Our proven SafetyNet technology can help public safety agencies quickly find and bring loved ones home, providing an additional layer of protection and peace of mind to keep loved ones safe.

Should a loved one go missing, a caregiver would simply call their local public safety agency. Participating SafetyNet public safety agencies are all trained and certified on electronic search and rescue procedures. They would use our SafetyNet tracking equipment to locate and follow the Radio Frequency signal being emitted from the SafetyNet Bracelet on your loved one’s wrist or ankle.

6 Months Free!

You can find full details on the giveaway and SafetyNet’s availability on: http://bit.ly/LoJackSafetyNet

*This offer only valid in the LoJack SafetyNet service area.

Where do deaf and disabled students find enrichment after they age out of public schools?

That’s the question Liz Disney said bothered her for months. As her 21-year-old special-needs daughter, Micaela, nears the cutoff for high school students, the mother wondered how disabled adults found social lives and stimulating education beyond the classroom.

“There’s a great need for students aging out of the system at 22. Their options are limited as to where they go after that,” Disney said. “I think it’s a common fear for parents with special needs. The community doesn’t exactly have fulfillment with jobs.”

As program director of the Cooper City-based nonprofit Schott Communities, Disney works daily with deaf and disabled adults craving life skills after graduation. To help special-needs students integrate from school into successful social lives, she’s launching a COMPASS program this September.

Stemming from a pilot program Schott created in January 2010, she said COMPASS builds character through classes ranging from ballroom dancing to speech therapy. The special needs-championing agency currently offers the class on Saturdays, which includes arts and crafts projects, a yoga course, field trips and “specials,” or specialized classes where guest speakers teach life skills.

via Schott Communities launch school for special-needs adults – South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com.

Her parents, James and Malkanthie McCormick, both physicians, never treated her any differently than her five older brothers and sisters though, a fact she credits with helping her graduate high school in 2007 with a 3.75 grade point average, and give her the confidence to enroll in Bluegrass Community and Technical College in Lexington.

“It’s hard, but I’m pushing on,” said the 22-year-old, who so far is earning As and Bs, and is focused on becoming a certified occupational therapy assistant.

McCormick said her success is due in part to a program run by the University of Kentucky’s Human Development Institute called the Postsecondary Inclusion Partnership. The program provides support for individuals with intellectual and related developmental disabilities to attend regular college classes at postsecondary institutions around the state. Those disabilities can range from Down syndrome to autism, and also can include individuals who have experienced brain injuries.

via Program helps developmentally disabled succeed in college | courier-journal.com | The Courier-Journal.

Majewski, a graduate of Newton North High School, is in his first semester at Massachusetts Bay Community College’s Wellesley Hills campus, taking a psychology class in career and life planning, getting tutoring, going to the gym, and making new friends.

“I got a buddy here, he has Down syndrome, he’s a veteran around here,’’ Majewski said. “He’s showing me the ropes, teaching me where everything is, and helping me meet new people.’’

Higher education used to be out of the question for students with intellectual disabilities such as Down syndrome or autism spectrum disorders, but now, there are increasing opportunities for such students to go to college in part because of a recent infusion of state and federal funds. In Massachusetts, the Inclusive Current Enrollment Initiative, a partnership between public high schools and seven community colleges that started in 2007, is helping students ages 18 to 22 with intellectual disabilities pursue higher education.

via Opportunities grow for students with disabilities – The Boston Globe.

On Tuesday, the Coventry Fire Department demonstrated the new LoJack SafetyNet system.

“If you think about the LoJack system on automobiles that are stolen, this is the same type of concept,” explains Fire Chief Robert Seltzer. “But this is for at risk populations, people who may wander off, get lost.”

Designed for people with Alzhheimer’s Disease, autism, or other cognitive disorders, the SafetyNet system comes with a transmitter that the patient wears on their wrist. If the person goes missing, the fire department can usually locate them within a matter of minutes.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=97u6tPiwc-U

via Coventry using LoJack technology to find missing people | WPRI.com.

That’s the message one Taunton mother is bringing to young students, educators and the community at large.

Rebecca Volpe organized the School Buddy Campaign, a fundraising and awareness initiative at Barnum Preschool in Taunton, which ran throughout the month of October. She gave several presentations about Down syndrome at the preschool, which is attended by her five-year-old daughter, Julia, and worked with teachers and students to collect coins for the Massachusetts Down Syndrome Congress, a Down syndrome advocacy group.

via Taunton mother starts coin drive, raises Down syndrome awareness – Taunton, MA – The Taunton Gazette.

Hockey is big in New England – from the Boston Bruins to youth hockey teams. Boys and girls with autism, Down syndrome and  developmental disabilities get their time on the ice, too.

This news video is about a team in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, part of the Pawtucket Pirates Youth Hockey Association.

The Boston Bear Cubs will host the Special Hockey International 2011 tournament in Marlboro, Massachusetts, April 28-30.

Organizers would like to see Buddy Up Tennis go national. Sounds like a good idea!

YouTube – Buddy Up Tennis for Down Syndrome – NBC 4 News.

Claire asked: I guess what I want to ask is, how can I (and my family) support you and other families that have a child with DS? What can we do to help? How can we get involved in raising awareness?

And then Christine asked: What can we do to support families who have someone with DS? And are there unintentional things we might ask or say that are offensive or unsupportive?

Okay Claire and Christine, I am going to let you in on a little DS secret. When somebody says to me, “Oh, I knew someone with Down Syndrome and they were just so sweet and joyful.” (and it happens often) I diplomatically smile and nod but really I want to say, “That may or may not be true and quite frankly, I have bigger plans for my daughter than being sweet- that’s what tootsies rolls are for.” So how can you help? Treat people with DS with all the same respect and intellect that you would treat anyone else. They all may appear to have the same cover, but the book contents are completely different. Did you know that some individuals with DS are married, have jobs and live completely independent lives? Practically speaking, if you know a family with a child with DS, rest and understanding is huge. We are investing 24/7 like other parents but in much more intentional ways – surgeries, therapy, exercises, speech, ot, physio, the list goes on. Those around us need to know it is a major part of our lives and it isn’t going away so we need to talk about it….a lot and we need time to rest.

Financially speaking there are many ways. The CDSS acts as Canada’s number one voice for individuals with DS. They fight for inclusion, equal opportunities and advocacy. Local organizations like Ups and Downs, provide community and education to families in their areas, and an organization like PREP focuses on education, speech and occupational therapy for kids with DS. All of which need financial support. Another way, is Reece’s Rainbow. DS kids need families to love them! And give them the support they need, but most of these kids are institutionalized by the age of 4. You can sponsor a child, which adds to the grant available to the parents that adopt them. See their Angel Tree on the side of my blog.

via One Beautiful Life: Answers.