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URI Students Engineer Devices to Help West Bay Resident Start Greeting Card Company

Rebecca Beaton is in the business of designing and selling greeting cards. Recently, Rebecca - a West Bay resident - was offered a mini grant from the Rhode Island Developmental Disabilities Council to assist in her entrepreneurial efforts.

While reviewing her business opportunities, Rebecca realized that in order to expand her business there was one obstacle in the way - time.

Looking for better ways to speed up the process, Deb Duke, Case Manager at West Bay introduced Rebecca to Dr. Ying Sun, an engineering professor at URI. Despite already being somewhat proficient in using a computer, as well as having unique access to a special helmet to aid her, Rebecca recognized that there had to be other ways to make her interaction with the computer more efficient to design her cards.

Rebecca can only control the movement of her head and neck due to the effects of celebral palsy. Dr. Ying Sun and students from URI were eager to help Rebecca, creating assistive devices that will enable Rebecca to operate a computer, paint, draw and use an iPad and smart phone.

URI students, Chelsea Meier, Brooke McCarthy, Christopher DeSanto, Gemma Downey, Vanessa Landes, Christina Liese and Tanya Wang created a lightweight helmet, with attached flexible copper rod that could be used as a pointer or adapted to grip a pencil, paintbrush or other tools. In addition, a wheelchair armrest, keyboard overlay and modified headstick were designed for Rebecca.

"Rebecca has been great to work with, and she's been extremely helpful with her feedback," said URI student Chelsea Meier.

"The collaboration has created a beneficial relationship for both Rebecca and the URI students," said Kathy Millard, Assistant Director at West Bay. "The feedback from the students, was one of inspiration. Students were so excited to see the impact their design has had on Rebecca, that they have offered to design additional customized devices for other West Bay residents."

"We're delighted to have the students here," added Penny Merris, activities director at West Bay. "The devices are really making a huge difference."

West Bay Knights Participate in 2011 Special Olympics Program

In 2011, for the first time ever, participants from West Bay came together to create their own team to compete in the Rhode Island Special Olympics. While it was not the first time many residents participated in the Special Olympics, it was West Bay's first time creating an independent team named, "The West Bay Knights," with 43 athletes participating.

The Knights participated in the Southern Area games, held at Bishop Hendricken High School in April and the State Summer games held at the University of Rhode Island, June 3 - 5.

The Knights team participated in several events, including the softball throw, turbojav, 100 meter dash, 50 meter dash, 25 meter race and 10 meter race.

West Bay's participation was spearheaded by Jodi Simas, a Case Manager at West Bay. Kathy Millard, Assistant Director at West Bay, expressed her enthusiasm for the athletes and staff that participated, "We were so thrilled to have our residents participate in this year's competition and could not have been more proud of them. Thankfully, Jodi Simas, a Case Manager recognized what a great experience it would be for our residents, and we cannot thank her enough for taking the lead on coordinating our involvement."

Congratulations to all Special Olympics participants for their hard work and efforts in the 2011 season, so far! Many of the Knights athletes were awarded gold, silver and bronze metals, as well as ribbons, for their outstanding efforts.

Numerous Special Olympics competitions and games are held annually. West Bay is looking forward to participating in the Special Olympics in 2012 and hopes to add Unified Bowling to their list of sports. Unified teams combine people with intellectual disabilities and those without intellectual disabilities (called partners) on sports teams for training and competition.

The Knights team was coached by Erin Savage, Brian Anderson, Joe Rogers, Jarren Zucchi and Dennis Albino. Special thanks to Elmwood Sports of Cranston for providing low-cost prices for new team uniforms.

West Bay Participates in Shape Up RI for Third Consecutive Year

For the past three years, West Bay has participated in Shape Up RI, a 12-week get fit challenge. The team-based fitness and healthy eating competition is designed to help individuals lead a healthy lifestyle. Nine teams made up of 81 participants accepted this year's challenge.

The teams competed in one to four categories including: pedometer steps, exercise minutes, weight loss and fruit and vegetable tracking. Winning teams were awarded certificates, which are now posted prominently in the West Bay office and on the website.

Teams crafted unique and amusing team names such as - Butt Busters, e-LEMON-ators and the Crushing Crew. The Day Program Disintegrators monopolized all four categories. The Day Program Disintegrators ranked between number 1 & 3 positions on a statewide level throughout the entire competition in the Exercise Minute category. 

Additionally, the Crushing Crew rose through the ranks within the final week as top contenders in the Pedometer Steps category.

Congratulations to everyone who participated - we look forward to the 2012 challenge!