HAPPY NEW YEAR, COOL GABE!

Gabe and I were scheduled to write his weekly blog this morning.  Well, it turns out he didn't come in to ARC today because his mother wanted to spend the day with him because she has the day off from her job.  Enjoy your day with mom! 

While talking with Gabe's classroom teachers, Jacque and Barbara, this morning about how Gabe never misses a day of work, we talked about how excited we are for you to have the whole day today to spend some quality time with your mom.  We decided "the blog will go on" this once without you!

Gabe, we want you to know that you have been teaching us some valuable lessons about life, about our attitudes towards life, and about the time we have to spend together with family and friends.  Every morning when you and your classmates are going outside and I hear you working to get my attention so we can talk about our game plan for your blog, you make me smile. 

You communicate so well!  Every time when you are in your classroom across the hall from my office and you hear my voice when I'm talking with someone and you start working to get my attention, I'm listening to you.  Whether it is the way you communicate with sign language or with your eyes or with your voice, we are all listening to you.  Your faith in God is great and we are all listening to you.  Your smile is contagious and we are all listening to you.  

We all have a purpose in life.  Gabe, we are so grateful to know you and to have you in our lives because you have become our teacher.  I know 2012 will bring bigger and better things for you.  Thank you for allowing me to help you bring your voice to the world through this blog.  I see your blog as just the first of many new tools to come into your life. 

Happy New Year to Cool Gabe from all of us at ARC of Indian River County!

"GABE, YOU INSPIRE US"

Your friend,
Nancy Heinrich

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Hello World, 

We're expecting a high of 80 degrees here in beautiful Vero Beach, Florida today as we anxiously wait for Santa Claus to start his trip around the world tomorrow night.  It is Christmas in the tropics and here I am at ARC of Indian River County in shorts, a t-shirt and my Santa hat! 

Today is a busy day at ARC.  I'm in the 9 A.M. cooking class and we're making Christmas Salad.  I heard the greens we're having are from Veggies of Vero! 

In the kitchen with my cooking teacher, Miss Nancy

Later this morning is our annual Christmas party.  We're having subs from Subway, Christmas music, and dancing (my favorite part).



Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas (at ARC with my teachers, Miss Jacque and Miss Barbara)



Cool Gabe enjoying the tropical weather on December 23rd!

I'd like to wish a special Merry Christmas to my mother and my sister.  I'm looking forward to a great Christmas Eve and Christmas Day together with you!

Merry Christmas, everyone! 
Your friend,
Cool Gabe

COOL GABE GOES TO TARA PLANTATION

Hello World,

This week I went on a field trip to a Vero Beach tradition.  Several classes from ARC of Indian River County visited the offices of Grall Glenn and Grall yesterday. 

This is not your normal law office.  First, it's located in a sprawling office named Tara Plantation in Vero Beach.  Mr. Bernard Grall, Jr. is not your everyday run-of-the-mill attorney.  For the past 21 years, he and his wife have created Christmas displays inside Tara Plantation's many rooms and on the grounds.  Christmas at Tara Plantation has become a Vero Beach tradition.  Mr. Grall opens up his law offices to the public and to groups like ARC.  We made our annual pilgrimage to Tara Plantation yesterday to get into the Christmas spirit.  (This was my second trip there!) 

I am now officially in the Christmas spirit and you will be, too, when you see the pictures below. 

The sad part is this is the last Christmas when the inside of Tara Plantation will be open to the public.  I feel so special to have experienced the love and care that goes into creating the beautiful rooms filled with Christmas trains, trees, and angels.   Thank you to Tara Plantation and to Mr. Grall and his family for sharing this tradition with me and  my friends and teachers at ARC.  Merry Christmas, Mr. Grall!




Cool Gabe being very cool at the Christmas village. 





Here I am in front of my favorite Christmas tree at Tara Plantation.



Merry Christmas, my friends! 
Cool Gabe

PS - If you need a special gift to inspire someone, you can call Sandy Gaunt at ARC (772-562-6854, extension 217) for a copy of my book, The Adventures of Cool Gabe.





GETTING ON YOUR CHRISTMAS GROOVE

Hello World! 

My favorite holiday is fast approaching.   I'm really enjoying seeing my neighbors' Christmas decorations going up.  The lights, the decorations, the Christmas songs on the radio, the smell of the Christmas tree in my house - this is what makes December my favorite time of the year. 

I want to do a SHOUT OUT to Mark.  Thank you for getting me safely to and from ARC of Indian River County every day.  It's always a great ride when you do the driving!

Tomorrow is a big day for me.  My new ride arrives!  This is the last day for my yellow wheels.  It's almost like Christmas! 

Your friend,

Cool Gabe

READY FOR THE NEW RIDE

Hello World,
It was a great Thanksgiving at the Caldwell house in Sebastian, Florida.  We had great food to share with great friends and great family.  Speaking of great friends, my neighbor, Miss Vic, was over for dinner.  Miss Vic, who is 80 years young, is a great cook and she makes the best rice pudding in the world.  She made her homemade gravy and mac, as she calls it, and everyone loved it.  We had lots of family in for Thanksgiving, including my Aunt Cindy who also lives in Sebastian.  My sister, Taylor, was a great help to Mom  to get Thanksgiving dinner on the table.  The best part of the day was when our Christmas tree was delivered to our house after dinner! 
You may recall an earlier blog where I wrote about my yellow chair.  Well, this may be the last week for riding around in my yellow chair because my new wheelchair has arrived and I can't wait to get it!  So the next time you see me, you may also be seeing the new Gabemobile!



Good-bye, yellow bus!

 

Have a great weekend!  If you're in Indian River County, tonight's the 23rd Annual Light Up Night in Sebastian and tomorrow are the Christmas parades in Vero Beach and Sebastian.  Have a great weekend! 

Your friend,
Cool Gabe
Author, The Adventures of Cool Gabe

Happy Thanksgiving from Cool Gabe

Hey World!

Last week, I went on a field trip with some of my peers from ARC of Indian River County to see the annual Festival of Trees at the Riverside Children's Theatre.  It was awesome to see all the decorated trees.  My favorite was the Beatles-theme tree. 

It's starting to get busy at my house with all the cooking and cleaning to be done before Turkey Day gets here this Thursday.  As you know, I have a large family and I am looking forward to seeing family members this week.  Some will be staying at our house, so i imagine we won't be getting much sleep. 

In sign language class at ARC, Patricia has been teaching us how to sign "turkey" and other signs related to Thanksgiving.  In the picture below I am demonstrating the sign for "turkey".  There will be plenty of turkey at my house. 

Here I am with my ARC teachers, Miss Barbara (left) and Miss Jacque (right), demonstrating the sign for turkey

To quote Cool Gabe, "HAVE A FUN TURKEY DAY!" 

As we all prepare for Thanksgiving, please remember that this is a special time to give thanks for the lives we have, the love of our family and friends, and gratitude for those whose service to America protects our freedoms.  I am especially grateful for all that my mother does for me each and every day.  Love you, Mom! 

To all my friends around the world, this is Cool Gabe saying, "Happy Thanksgiving!"

Stay safe and be healthy!
Cool Gabe

Citizen Journalism at 2011 Youth Service Institute

Hello World,

You may have noticed I did not write a blog last week.  Well, here's what happened.  My blog friend at ARC, Nancy, took time off to attend the Youth Service Instititue (YSI) in Philadelphia.  She told me about a session she attended about Citizen Journalism.  Check out this definition from Wikipedia:

Citizen journalism (also known as "public", "participatory", "democratic",^[1] "guerrilla"^[2] or "street journalism"^[3]) is the concept of members of the public "playing an active role in the process of collecting, reporting, analyzing and disseminating news and information," according to the seminal 2003 report We Media: How Audiences are Shaping the Future of News and Information.^[4] Authors Bowman and Willis say: "The intent of this participation is to provide independent, reliable, accurate, wide-ranging and relevant information that a democracy requires."

When Nancy told me about her "citizen journalism" workshop, I was excited because this describes what I am doing with the Cool Gabe blog  -  bringing accurate and relevant information from my perspective to make the world a better place for other people with and without disabilities.  Recording my observations helps me explore the world and reach people who are ready to be inspired. 

As you know from my previous blogs, I attend the Adult Day Training program at Abilities Resource Center of Indian River County and have access its new computer lab plus the computer where I write this blog with assistance from able-bodied staff.  Having access to a computer has greatly expanded my world (did you notice that I can use Wikipedia?) and I'm just getting started.  Having this computer access has inspired me to continue writing this blog because it is fun to do and it gives me new things to think about!




Nancy (with blue scarf) at YSI promoting Cool Gabe's "Citizen Journalism."

 
















Photo credit:  Diane Palm, Harris County Juvenile Probation Office, Houston, Texas

This photo is of people from all over the United States attending the Citizen Journalism workshop at YSI.  The message from the presenters was to be inclusive of all youth, including those with disabilities, when recording your surroundings.  Nancy shared with them what I am doing with my blog. 

Thank you to everyone at the Youth Service Institute for giving a shout-out to me and http://www.coolgabe.blogspot.com/.  Thank you, Diane Palm - I love the picture you took! 

Please take my inspirations and share them with  someone in your own community.  Help someone discover their ability to become a citizen journalist just like me!

Your friend,
Cool Gabe