Sensory Santa Brings Joy to Ruffcut Ministries

Ruffcut Ministries was filled with holiday cheer as Santa Claus made a special appearance. The event, known as Sensory Santa, was designed to be a calming and sensory-friendly space for children to experience the holiday season. During the event, children had the chance to spend some quality time with Santa in a relaxed atmosphere, where they could share their Christmas wishes, snap a photo, and participate in fun crafts. Parents were delighted with the event's success, as it provided their children with a rare opportunity to enjoy a sensory-friendly Santa visit. Community Inclusion Ambassadors Inc. is excited to host another Sensory Santa event on December 2nd at Sugar Creek Christian Church in Washington County, Indiana. We are offering several open visit times for families with children who may need a calmer environment. Don't miss out on registering your child today by visiting https://forms.gle/PqJhvRx2rLtBzDjk8.

The Magic of Sensory Santa

 

The Magic of Sensory Santa

In the fall of 2015, a group of families in French Lick, Indiana, gathered to discuss their experiences raising children with disabilities. They shared their stories of trying to have their children meet Santa Claus, and how difficult it could be in a crowded and noisy environment.

One mother, whose son had autism, shared her idea for a local "sensory-friendly" Santa event, where children with sensory sensitivities could meet Santa in a calm and supportive environment. The other families were thrilled with the idea, and the wheels started to turn.

That December, the first Sensory Santa event was held at Moores Ridge Church in French Lick. It was a small event, but it was a huge success. Families from all over the area came to meet Santa in a welcoming and inclusive environment.

Over the next few years, the Sensory Santa event grew in popularity. The organizers, a group of dedicated volunteers, started a non-profit organization called Community Inclusion Ambassadors Inc., to support the event and other programs for children with disabilities.

This year, Sensory Santa events will be held at two locations in southern Indiana:

November 25th at Ruff Cut Ministries in Mitchell, Indiana

December 2nd at Sugar Creek Christian Church in Campbellsburg, Indiana

The events are free for all families, and include a variety of sensory-friendly accommodations, such as dimmed lights, soft music, and noise-canceling headphones. Children will also be able to meet Santa and take a free photo with him.

The Sensory Santa event is a special tradition for many families in the area. It is a chance for children with disabilities to experience the magic of Christmas in a way that is safe and comfortable for them.

If you are interested in learning more about Sensory Santa 2023 please visit https://forms.gle/Jr9WWbXRX95rec6e8

Orleans Dogwood Parade 2023

 Thank you Billy Chaplin for helping with the float. Ruth and Greg for the autism matters sign.. We are lined up next to the blue tent by the high school waiting to start the parade.

Update: Thank you to everyone that helped to make taking part in the parade possible. The kids had fun and we got to get the new autism rate of 1 in 36 children shared over the PA system as we passed the bandstand. Thank Walmart Paoli Old National Bank Amazon.com for your support.

Thank Orleans Chamber of Commerce & Orleans Dogwood Festival for doing the Dogwood Festival.

Parent Concerns at Salem Developmental Preschool Lead to  Indiana Department of Education Investigation.  

Today we received the findings report from the Indiana Department of Education office of Special Education. They have found that Salem Community Schools was in violation of 511 IAC 7-36-3 but by the time of the investigation that the school implemented self-corrective measures. 

We do thank the families that came forward to share their concerns in the Salem developmental classroom. As soon as we received these concerns we started our review of facts and found that the concerns was supported. At that time our non-profit filled a report with the Indiana Department of Education requesting that they follow up with their investigation.  (Finding of that investigation are below) 

Community Inclusion Ambassadors has a area Special Education Monitoring Program and families can report concerns to the program at: https://www.ourcia.org/p/special-education-advocacy.html

 

Thank you to the families that took the time to notify us of their concerns.

Patrick Underwood 

Board President & Lead Volunteer Special Education Advocate 

Community Inclusion Ambassadors Inc is a 501c3 non-profit and our works are only made possible by community support.