Thanksgiving is the traditional occasion that we think about our many blessings, including family, special friends, collegial acquaintances, shelter, food on the table, educational opportunities, employment, and other people, resources, and opportunities that add richness to our lives. Personally, I am thankful for all of these, and all the unique experiences that I have had, since retiring from the educational institutions that employed me for 30+ years.
While my children were young and living at home, and I was employed full time, our family found time to volunteer in many capacities throughout the community. Not unlike many, I was active in PTAs, my place of worship, and local food kitchens, while my spouse and children found their own worthwhile causes to support with their time and energy.
Now that my children are grown, independent, and finding new causes to support, I am one of the lucky ones, upon retirement, to follow my passion of working with adolescents, young adults, and families, as a self-employed business owner. In pursing the business of finding good fit colleges or technical schools for many of my clients, I have become involved in many community organizations, volunteering my services where they fit.
I hope that many of my clients can take advantage of some of the worthwhile educational and advocacy groups that are in our community. One such group is the Learning Disabilities Association of America (LDA), and its many affiliates. Our local affiliate group, LDAMC (Montgomery County, MD) is extremely active, benefitting the community in numerous ways. Check out their website at http://www.ldamc.org. This group sponsors workshops for parents, educators, and people with learning disabilities, inviting well-known professionals in the field to speak or lead discussions, local agencies to present on current issues, or professionals to teach about educational processes and procedures. One of their unique alliances is the Hangout Hive, a social network and support group for young people with learning disabilities. Another distinctive group is the Parent Connection, a peer-support group for parents of students with learning disabilities. Members have access to the latest current information through the LDAMC Hotline. Their website offers a list of local resources that include tutors, educational consultants, counselors, coaches, diagnostic professionals, and much more. Members also have access to a monthly newsletter, filled with tips, articles, a listing of all upcoming events, and much more.
I am active in this outreach group, which is always looking for new approaches to inform the public about issues surrounding the field of learning disabilities. They are a caring and passionate group of people. I am thankful for the advocacy of LDAMC and encourage you to add one more blessing to your list, by attending one of their many events in the coming year, making a donation to support the cause, or offering your own services by becoming active in LDAMC. Happy Thanksgiving!
