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Networks >
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Kelly's Network
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Kelly has a new facilitator, Tiffany! Here he is
at his Network meeting in April, 2007. His first facilitator,
Stacey, had a baby last summer and decided to just be a member
of the Network for a while. |
Kelly’s mom Sue goes way back with LifeSPAN – she actually first
heard about this idea in the early 1990’s when Vickie Cammack and Al
Etmanski, co-founders of PLAN in Canada, presented in Seattle and
talked about their organization’s values concerning relationships
and contribution, and personal networks of support. She longed for a
similar organization here! – so when a PLAN model was started in
this area in 2000 Sue knew it was time to get in gear, and joined
LifeSPAN as a founding Board member. Although the concept of safety
and security for Kelly after her death was important, Sue’s most
immediate desire was just to enrich Kelly’s life and keep isolation
at bay. By this time, Kelly had graduated high school, moved into an
adult family home, and begun employment at a sheltered workshop. His
adult life looked good, but Sue wanted him to have as full a life as
possible.
Kelly’s network was LifeSPAN’s second, and Sue had been thinking
for years about people to include. She was pleased and touched by
those invited to attend the first meeting who did show up, and who
came on board as network members. (This can be a surprising and
affirming thing for families!) Kelly has an active family group
including mom and stepdad Dan, dad and stepmom Katherine, brothers
Shawn and Tracy and Tracy’s wife Robin. In addition the network
includes a former high school teacher, a high school classmate, a
SkiForAll coach, and the husband of a good friend of Sue’s just
because she thought he and Kelly would click.
Kelly’s first facilitator, Stacey, launched the network and led
it for three years and we have now had a smooth transition to a new
facilitator, Tiffany – one of two new network members in the last
few years. Network activities have centered around things that Kelly
enjoys, like Mariners games or hanging out together to grill some
burgers. The group has also enjoyed meeting at places special to its
members – like the Museum of Flight where sister-in-law Robin works,
or the Woodland Park Zoo, where Tiffany works on enrichment
activities with the gorillas. Our goal is not just to network around
Kelly, but to get to know each other and strengthen the web of the
network.
A network is dynamic, and Kelly’s has been a good example of that
over these last 3 ½ years. We’ve weathered a facilitator change,
which was anxiety-producing but which worked out just fine. We’ve
been frivolous together (for some reason, totally unknown, Kelly
likes to joke about chickens. . . his network is called “Kelly’s
Coop” and we like to bring chickens into the conversation and listen
to network member Kevin do some top-of-the line chicken sounds), and
have also discussed serious subjects like Kelly’s in-process
transition from employment in a sheltered workshop, to community
employment.
Life is a journey, and a personal network is a great example. Sue
is very glad she went to that first presentation by PLAN. . . to the
2000 organizational meeting . . . to all those LifeSPAN Board
meetings since. Kelly loves his network, and his network members
have learned from him about leading a good life. Sue thinks often
about PLAN’s statement that “Planning for the future. . . changes
the present.”
Kelly and Stacey at Kelly’s first
network meeting.
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