QUARTERLY REPORT October 2011

Issue: 4

Being handicapped is not a life-sentence, but rather a life-style

Our Future is Filled with Opportunity....

You know, I always thought that Albert Einstein put it best, “There are only two ways to live your life – one as though nothing is a miracle and the other as though everything is a miracle.”

That just about sums up our mantra at Cortney’s Place. We have an opportunity to start our day as though it is a new chance, a new beginning and the possibilities are endless. With that in mind, I am so very pleased to share with you some wonderful and exciting news.

» In July, we changed our name from Cortney’s Foundation to Cortney’s Place! We have chosen to do this because Cortney’s Place defines who we are: a destination program for those young adults with Special Needs. We provide a safe, warm, loving and educational environment for those who are less able to take care of themselves and we help these indi-viduals grow, improve and flourish. » On behalf of the Board Of Directors, we are thrilled to announce the addition of

Donnette Hermes to our leadership team at Cortney’s Place. Donnette is the Chief Operat-ing Officer and comes with over 20 years of non-profit experience at both the YMCA and the Chamber of Commerce. Donnette brings a variety of professional skills to our organi-zation and will be assisting in transitioning from a solid start-up operation to one with long term sustainability. » Our Board unanimously appointed Benée Hilton-Spiegel as Chairman of the Board.

Benée has been involved with Cortney’s Place from the very beginning. She is a long- standing and honored member of the community who has served on various boards, and a tireless champion who works to ensure that those individuals with Special Needs are given opportunities through quality programs and services. Benée, along with the entire Board of Directors are committed to making Cortney’s Place a fixture in Maricopa County, giving way for years to come so that no one is forgotten or left behind. » Benée, Donnette, the Board of Directors and I will work with our amazing “Circle of

Friends” to keep the organization on track to serve more students and build awareness in the community for those with Special Needs. Our Circle of Friends includes four very important individuals who continue to support Cortney’s Place. They are: Former PGA Tour Player of the Year and Captain of the Ryder Cup Tom Lehman, President of Fry’s Food Stores John Flora, former MLB World Series Champion Tony Phillips and Host “Good Morn-ing Arizona” 3TV Tara Hitchcock. These wonderful people donate their time to Cortney’s Place and speak on our behalf whenever they have the chance. » Our next endeavor involves the upcoming expansion where we will be doubling the size

of our facility to serve more students. We only have $50,000 left to raise and we are now seeking the remaining funds needed to move forward on this exhilarating growth initiative. We have room-naming and program-naming opportunities available so please call me to be a part of our upcoming expansion. With your support we can begin providing more pro-grams for those with Special Needs very soon. Special thanks to Mark Coble of Coble Construction, our Architect Dean Washicheck, and Interior Designer Kim Creamer for all their work in association with this expansion.

Board of DirectorsCindy Carpenter President

Jim Carpenter Vice-Chairman

Vincent BurkeSecretary

Pamela Covella, Esq. Counsel of Record

Benée Hilton – SpiegelChairman of the Board

Rob CimatoDirector

Melissa LehmanDirector

Justin OgburnDirector

Michael PradiaDirector

Staff

Donnette HermesChief Operating Officer

Circle Of Friends

Tom LehmanPGA Tour Professional Jon Flora, PresidentFry’s Food Stores

Tony PhillipsRetired MLB Player

Tara Hitchcock, Host“Good Morning Arizona”3TV

CORTNEY’S PLACE

Making A Difference

Cindy Carpenter, President & Founder

As medical technology becomes more advanced, those with disabilities are living longer. With that in mind, we hope to give opportunities to provide for fuller, and richer lives. The only way to do that however, is by providing more sustainable programs that are committed to specialized, individualized and supportive enviornments for those with Special Needs. And that’s just what Cortney’s Place is all about: our programming reflects the unique and individualized attention to the needs of a young adult with disabilities. Facilities like Cortney’s Place are vital in the community to assist our Special Needs population in the development of skills required to live an enriched lifestyle. What makes us so distinctively different is that our goals focus on enriching people’s lives, build-ing upon their individual skills, knowledge, and unique abilities and strengths. We are committed to providing specialized support (use of adaptive equipment, communication devices, multi-sen-sory equipment, etc.) and training (self-advocacy, life skills, etc.) in order to assist people on their journey to experience life to their fullest personal potential. And that’s what makes Cortney’s Place stand out- we are keenly attuned to seeing that each individual is provided with individualized attention, because that way, personal goals and achievements are truly possible.

As a result of more high school students and parents becoming aware of our mission and high standard of services, they are planning in advance to have their son/daughter with Special Needs enrolled at Cortney’s Place. Several of the students and parents have requested to be put on a “wait list” for services - these demands for services increase our initiatives for expansion.

However, as we experience growth, we are also faced with an era of less funding from the state with substantial budget cuts in addition to the previous 10% reduction. It is unbelievable to think- our Special Needs individuals who require more medical, behavior intervention, and specialized training, have less funds to take of their basic needs. Cortney’s Place is not willing to surrender the quality of a program to the lack of funds. We are motivated and committed to provide the resources necessary for people with disabilities to sustain the lifestyle they deserve.

Cortney’s Place: Keenly Attuned to our CommunityOur Program’s

Value Statements

• We support each

individual to actively

participate in community

enriched experiences as part

of his/her daily life.

• We ensure that families are

actively engaged with the

program in support of the

individual.

•We provide individuals with

a modern innovative

environment providing

stimulation in order to

procure growth and

development.

• We empower the

individuals to have control

over their environment.

• We create a positive and

nurturing environment where

individuals are treated with

compassion.

• We focus on the desires,

preferences, strengths and

choices of each individual

first and foremost.

By Terry Wideman, Program Manager

As a resident of Arizona for over 18 years, I have witnessed many changes regarding the growth and development of services for our community and it’s population. However, there exists a fundamen-tal component to also provide for those with Special Needs through programs, community outreach and services. Cortney’s Place does just that; giving those young adults with Special Needs a daily program specifically tailored to their personal abilities, and I am proud to be part of such an organization that makes such a distinctive difference for someone’s life.

Fifteen years ago, I met a very special person; Cindy Carpenter, the founder of this organization. She opened my eyes to a level of commit-ment and perseverance that I had rarely seen from any young woman.

Cindy taught me about living, she showed me things I had NEVER seen, and for that, I will be forever grateful as it has truly changed my life.

Cortney’s Place is a beautiful organization that is made up of special friends, wonderful teach-ers, and caring individuals. It is a program where each individual student can achieve his or her own unique potential. Cortney’s Place has no limits. Our mission is to allow our young adults with Special Needs to go above and beyond their dreams.

As Chairman of the Board, my hope is to have many more adults at our wonderful program and give those less –abled more chances to live fuller and more enriched lives. However, we can only do this by raising funds and public awareness and having all of our community involved. I hope that you will join me and all of the Board members as we move forward to assist in sustaining Cortney’s Place for future generations to come.

A Note from The Chairman of The BoardBy Benée Hilton – Spiegel

Calendar Highlights

Our Program’s Value Statements

• We encourage

individuals to build

relationships with

family, peers, friends, and

community.

•We support and

encourage individuals to

discover new interests and

activities and to try new

skills.

• We celebrate selfworth

and individualized

accomplishment.

•We maintain an ongoing

awareness of the evolving

individual needs of those

with disabilities.

•We support the rights,

worth and dignity of all

individuals.

•We support each individual

to achieve their highest level

of personal independence.

Events, special destinations, activities and more… all make our program, at Cortney’s Place unique and well rounded for our young adults. It’s all about life experiences and inclusion which builds fuller and richer lives. The students have been really busy and enjoyed :

• As You Wish Ceramic Studio• Movie Viewing of “Cars 2”• Lunched at Paradise Bakery & Café• Attended The Arizona Science Center• Hawaiian Cultural Day and Luau

Hydrotherapy Makes a Splash!Once a week our students at Cortney’s Place have an opportunity to be with Zane Arters a certified Hydro Therapist (Theraputic Aquatic Concepts) of the Aqua Safe Swim School held at the McDowell Mountain Ranch Pool Center. In order to see that each student gets the individ-ual attention so deserving and important for the therapy program, our young adults at Cortney’s Place alternate attendance so that every other week they are receiving Hydrotherapy.

Aquatic therapy consists of an exercise program that is performed in the water. It is a beneficial form of therapy which is useful for a variety of medical conditions. Since water supports the body, stress to the joints is greatly reduced, and so therefore, those with Special Needs can be moved and exer-cised with the least amount of physical resistance. While submerged in water, buoyancy assists in sup-porting the weight of the patient. This decreases the amount of weight bearing which reduces the force of stress placed on the joints.

In addition, Aquatic therapy also utilizes hydrostatic pressure to decrease swelling and improve joint position awareness. Those who are wheelchair bound or with limited movement can find long term benefits through this therapy program, providing strength, muscle relaxation, and increasing blood flow to the muscles and joints. Our students are ecstatic about being in the water, and we know that having Aquatic therapy is an important and integral part of meeting the necessities of those with Special Needs.

• Mexico Cultural Day• Amazing Jakes theme park in Mesa• Lunch at Ono’s Hawaiian BBQ Restaurant • The Museum of Natural History in Mesa.

Visit our website at www.CortneysPlace.org to register & find out more!

REGISTER NOW!Questions or Information, contact Cindy Carpenter at: 602-363-0500

A Perfect Blend&

“Supporting nonprofits has always been part of Fry’s Food Stores culture,” says Fry’s President Jon Flora. “Our company believes in supporting the communities where we work and raise our families.”

“The first time I visited Cortney’s Place, I was deeply touched at the array of services provided and the caring staff. The young adults tugged at my heart and I walked away with a happy grin on my face and wanting to do more,” adds Jon. After that first visit, Jon became a friend and advocate for Cortney’s Place.

“I especially like the nonprofit’s approach to customizing programs to meet the special needs of its partici-pants,” says Jon. “Additionally, each person is treated with respect and dignity – all in a warm, friendly envi-ronment. Today, I am proud to belong to Cortney’s Circle of Friends and personally know how important it is to support Cortney’s Place. I consider Cortney’s Place one of the most rewarding investments an individual or corporation can make.”

Fry’s quickly realized Cortney’s Place provides an unmet need in our com-munity. The company supports Cortney’s Place with leadership, funds and opportunities for persons with disabilities to accomplish individual goals and enjoy activities such as Suns Games or a trip to the Arizona Science Center. For the past two years, Fry’s also provides Cortney’s Place par-ticipants with a cake-decorating event, which brings a smile to everyone’s face.

“Fry’s realizes the full potential of Cortney’s Place and urges others to get involved,” says Jon. “Your contributions count and can help Cortney’s grow and reach more individuals needing a hand up. Cortney’s Place is an important part of our community.”

Issue: 4 October 2011

Please Accept My DonationTogether We Can Make A Difference

Name:

Credit Card #:

Expiration Date:

Signature:

Address:

City: State: Zip:

Phone: Email:

Detach and Mail to: Cortney’s Place • 7000 E. Shea Blvd. Suite #1430 • Scottsdale, AZ 85254

Cortney’s Place

is a 501 (c)3 not for profit charity.

Tax id #42-1745079

Phone: 480-419-5852

Fax: 480-451-1506

www.CortneysPlace.org

Facebook.com/CortneysPlace

Twitter.com/CortneysPlace

Tyler Ludwig:Design

Contributors:Kay Ziplow:Editor

Karen LaDouceur:Photographer

Check Out Cortney’s Place!September Talent Show- A Major Hit

In September, everyone had the pleasure of enjoying our talent show at the program center. Julile Murillo, the music therapist spearheaded the event, engaging all our students where

they performed with musical instruments, had a ‘camp-fire’ sing-along, and gave solo perfor-mances as well involving dancing and jokes, just to name a few. Attendees included the

families and friends of Cortney’s Place who also enjoyed homemade s’mores and punch. As you can see from the photos; everyone had a blast!

$100 o $250 o $500o

$1000 o $5000 o Other o

o In Honor Of o In Memory Of Donation:

Cortney’s Place 7000 E. Shea Blvd. Suite #1430Scottsdale, AZ 85254

Inside this Issue

What is Cortney’sPlace?

Cortney’s Place is dedicated to providing physically & mentally challenged persons an

array of opportunities through education and programs for life.

~ Our Future is Filled with Opportunity by Cindy Carpenter President and Founder~ Cortney’s Place: Keenly Attuned to Our Community By Terry Wideman, Program Manager

~ Hydrotherapy Makes a Splash!

~ Calendar Highlights

~ A Perfect Blend! Fry’s & Cortney’s Place Interview with Jon Flora, President

~ A Note from The Chairman of The Board, Benée Hilton – Spiegel

~ SAVE THE DATE! Play Like a Star Golf Event Nov.7th Register Online Today or Call!

Your Support Makes All the Difference!