Highlights is a 30 minute weekly TV show featuring organizations, events, grass-roots efforts and people who move our state and community forward in a positive way.
The show is a collaboration with Kanawha County Schools, Suddenlink Communications and Jim Strawn & Company.
The show airs daily at 8:30 a.m. and 8:30 p.m. on Suddenlink’s channel 17.
The show airing February 10, 2020 – February 17, 2020 highlights the new program, On Purpose Project.
We interviewed Angie Breenen and Katie Arbaugh, co-coordinators of On Purpose Project. Angie explained their mission and purpose. This program increases opportunities for people with developmental disabilities to participate in community improvement projects with their non disabled peers. The City of St. Albans, where the project is located, will demonstrate how people with developmental disabilities are assets that can make valuable contributions to civic life, improve their own relationships and build the resilience and trust that is the foundation of a strong community. This project aims to increase the capacity of the St. Albans community to be inclusive of citizens with developmental disabilities and to develop products that can be used by various stakeholders to accomplish similar objectives across West Virginia.
Katie discussed her background and why this program means so much to her. People with developmental disabilities are assets that can make valuable contributions to civic life and help build the resilience and trust that is the foundation of a strong community. Join us to explore how we can be connected, inclusive , stronger and better, together. The On Purpose Project is a plan to improve Saint Albans through partnerships between people with developmental disabilities and other community members. They link participants who want to become more involved in their community with people or groups who share the same interests. These partnerships will help participants achieve their goals of volunteering, creating something new, or becoming a supportive member of the Saint Albans community.
On February 27th at 6:00 p.m. they are have a Community Connection at the Coal River Coffee Company on Old Main Street in St. Albans. All welcome. No charge to attend.
We also interviewed Renee Chapman and Kelsey Chapman. Renee is on the Board of the Intellectual Developmental Disabilities Waiver Program. And Kelsey, who is a volunteer with On Purpose, is her daughter.
Renee discussed the waiver program. The West Virginia I/DD Waiver is a federally/ state funded program for individuals with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities. The West Virginia I/DD Waiver program reimburses for services to instruct, train, support, supervise and assist individuals to achieve their highest level of independence possible.
Kelsey explained that she is a voluteer at the Riverside Nursing Home in St. Albans. Her role is to read stories and books to the residents there. She loves it and they love her. Kelsey is an excellent reader.
For more information on the On Purpose Project, call them at 304-400-5609 or visit their web at www.OnPurposeSA.com.
If you would like to learn more about the Highlights TV Show, contact Host and Executive Producer Jim Strawn at 304-541-4756.
