WisconSibs Teen Sib Leaders were honored with the Fox Cities Youth Alliance volunteer group of the year award. The hours of volunteerism these young leaders have devoted has made a large impact! These young leaders represent the often untold stories of so many, many siblings who take on adversity and become resilient, courageous, compassionate, and wise leaders. Embrace your strength. Never apologize for not accepting things the way they are. Hold on to one another as you overcome barriers for yourself, your siblings with disabilities, and others who go unnoticed or unregarded. Lead. Thrive. Celebrate.
WOW!! The Peeps really came out in force this spring! More than 30 entries in our recent Sibs Are My Peeps photo contest. This annual awareness raising event brings out the most creative, most fun-loving peeps. See the results!
Congratulations to our finalists:
Taelyn, Gia, and Maribel from Brillion for “Peep on Swimming”
Glenbrook Elementary School – Mrs. Rettler’s class for “Go Peeps Go”
Anna & Analiese from New London/Hortonville, WI for “Peeps Grand Cinema”
Leah Quinn from Neenah for “Peep Yoga Studio”
The staff and clients of CP Fox Cities for “Party on Peepabago”
A2Z Design from Appleton for “Peeps Be Chillin'”
Elise from Appleton for “Peepin’ Around the Farm”
Penelope from Hortonville for “Peeps Cabin”
and honorable mention from entries by Denmark High School Photography students.
It is estimated that in Wisconsin, 549,000 caregivers are providing 588,000 million hours of care to loved ones annually, valued at nearly $6 billion dollars.[1] MORE INFO
Making up a significant portion of those caregivers are siblings caring for their aging parents AND their siblings with disabilities, often while caring for their own growing children!
To recognize the care providers, both paid and unpaid, who provide personal cares of all types to people with disabilities, older adults and other family members and friends who require support to remain healthy and living in their homes and communities, we celebrate National Caregiver Day on February 15, 2019 (3rd Friday of February).
Many of the siblings, usually sisters, caring for family members are also employees and often challenged to juggle the needs of their family members with job requirements. Often they must choose to either remain employed or leave to care for their family. Employers are feeling the effects.
Wisconsin employers recently confirmed the impact of caregiving on the Wisconsin workforce in a survey sponsored by the Wisconsin Family and Caregiver Support Alliance (WFACSA). WisconSibs is an active member of WFACSA.
I’m so pleased to be presenting at an upcoming Caregiver Conference hosted by the Waupaca County Caregiver Coalition. The main reason I’m so pleased is that they recognize that one of the many important roles of siblings of people with disabilities is that of a caregiver.
Whether that role is taking their sibling to appointments, to go shopping, acting as their guardian, or being a reliable companion and ready listener, SIBLINGS ARE CAREGIVERS, often at very young ages.
This conference will focus on Resiliency in Caregiving. So regardless who you may be caring for, consider attending.
In preparation for National Caregiver Month (November), WisconSibs, Inc is participating in the Wisconsin Family and Caregiver Support Alliance (WFACSA) You Might Be a Caregiver If… campaign to raise awareness of the needs of caregivers.
Click ‘Upload image’ in upper right hand corner with a little cloud icon and select a picture from your computer to upload
Click the yellow box that says “Click here or drag an image here” and select the picture you just uploaded.
In the “Top Text” box, type in “You Might Be A Caregiver When”
In the “Bottom Text” box, type in your response
Then click the green box that states “Make the Meme”
Then right click and select either ‘copy image’ and paste in email and send to me; or select “save image as” and save to your computer, then attach it to an email and send it to [email protected]
This Special Anniversary Edition of SibNews features Ben and his sister, Amanda. Ben has been active with WisconSibs since practically the beginning and shares how the organization and the siblings he’s met has made a difference in his life.
Plus, LOTS OF PHOTOS from our 20th Anniversary Celebration and some of the amazing treasures found in the Time Capsule that siblings created 20 years ago at one of the first Sibshops.
At least that’s how these kids seem to feel. While its the long and hot “Dog Days of Summer” for the rest of Wisconsin, these WisconSibs ages 6-12 and their teen/young adult counselors, all (but 2) having siblings with disabilities, are having a blast at the “SibDays of Summer”.
Learn more about their week of activities and growth by downloading their SibDaily News issues.
WisconSibs Teen Sib Leaders were honored with the Fox Cities Youth Alliance volunteer group of the year award. The hours of volunteerism these young leaders have devoted has made a large impact! These young leaders represent the often untold stories of so many, many siblings who take on adversity and become resilient, courageous, compassionate, and wise leaders. Embrace your strength. Never apologize for not accepting things the way they are. Hold on to one another as you overcome barriers for yourself, your siblings with disabilities, and others who go unnoticed or unregarded. Lead. Thrive. Celebrate.
This Special Anniversary Edition of SibNews features Ben and his sister, Amanda. Ben has been active with WisconSibs since practically the beginning and shares how the organization and the siblings he’s met has made a difference in his life.