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Help Send Someone to Camp this Summer
Remember the fun you had at summer camp? Help us make summer camp a reality for everyone at MILESTONE by adopting a camper.
For $100 you can sponsor a camper for a week at Camp Albrecht in Iowa
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For $65 you can sponsor a camper at Camp Winnebago, a program designed for our medically fragile individuals who need specialized attention and care.
Call the Resource Development department at 639-2965 for more information .
Milestone's iPad and Sensory program exceed expectations
Milestone Industries began a "Technology Upgrade Project", last
year funded by generous grants from the C.W. B. Foundation, and Alpine
Kiwanis. The upgade included the purchase of iPads to be used for vocational
training. The results have surpassed all expectations.
Individuals who are able to work independently on a task related to a job
has increased by 25%.
Currently over 200 individuals are receiving a pay check for their work at
Milestone Industries.
The use of iPads at RocVale Children's Home has also been successful.
Staff has seen significant improvements in many of the non-verbal children's
communication skills of many of the children who are non verbal.The iPads
have also helped many children with autism learn appropriate social skills
and facial/emotion recognition.
Milestone's Sensory Integration program also has exceeded expectations.
Approximately 21% of the individuals at Milestone's Elmwood Heights and
Elmwood East facilities have experienced a reduction in problematic
behaviors since the program began.
Five individuals have been taken off of behavior modification medication as
a result of the program, and 10 children at RocVale have had their
medications reduced.
Hilander helps Milestone this holiday season
Customers at the Highlander on North Mulford can help Milestone buy taking an ornament off their giving tree, purchasing the item and returning to Hilander with it. Each ornament has the name of an item needed to help make this holiday season a bit brighter for everyone at Milestone. Hilander employees will deliver all items collected at the giving tree a few days before Christmas.
Two area organizations are helped by Milestone Boy Scout working to become and Eagle Scout
Shad’s goal since he joined the Milestone Boy Scout troop has been to become an Eagle Scout, the highest rank attainable in the Boy Scouts of America program. The requirements are many, including the earning of 21 merit badges, and the demonstration of the Scout Spirit through a service project that the scout plans, organizes and manages.
Shad wanted to help Milestone and one other area non profit by designing and building picnic tables. He completed 6 for his project, 4 for Milestone and Rocvale, and the other 2 were donated to Klehm Arboretum for their Children’s Garden.
Milestone's Commonwealth Apartments Now Open!
Milestone’s Commonwealth apartments in Loves Park, are open, and Individuals and Staff have been busy packing, and moving.
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The new building was made possible through a grant from HUD for a supportive living project for people with disabilities.
There are 8 apartments in the new location, a community room, patio, office and 1 managers unit.
A New Look for Elmwood Heights
Proceeds from the “Twilight in the Garden” event
At Klehm Arboretum & Botanic Garden will be used to improve the landscaping at MILESTONE’s Elmwood Heights facility. The landscape plan was designed & planted as a donation. “Thank you to Klehm for choosing MILESTONE for this partnership.
RVCU donates $3,500 
Rock Valley Credit Union President and CEO Mike Rosek, and RVCU Director of Marketing, Lori Perkins, presented a $3,500 check to Milestone's President and CEO Shawn Way for the organization's "Adopt A Camper" program.
RVCU held several events to raise the money including a silent auction at their main location that included several items donated by local business partners including Dental Dimensions, Maverick Media, 13WREX, Cumulus Broadcasting, Clodious Jewelers, Interiors, ESPN 1380 and even Milestone residents donated some hand-made items. Members were asked to donate money by voting for their favorite team The Bears or The Packers and to add to the excitement Rosek , an avid Packers fan, agreed to wear the colors of the winning team while washing the window's of member's cars as they drove through the drive through.
Fishing, swimming and cooking out over a camp fire are just a few of the activities enjoyed by MILESTONE individuals at summer camp. The Adopt A Camper program helps many individuals from MILESTONE's Adult group Homes , Elmwood Heights facility, and RocVale Children's Home attend Camp Albrecht Acres in Iowa for a week or Camp Winnebago for 4 days.
The Adopt A Camper program also helps the children at RocVale attend many different Rockford Park District Day Camp programs.
Althlete of the Year
Milestone athlete Dick S. was named Outstanding Athlete of the Year at this year’s Northwest Illinois Special Olympics Track and Field Competition. Dick was one of 1,000 athletes who took part in this year’s competition.
Save the Date “Twilight in the Garden”
Date: Saturday, September 8, 2012
6pm – 11pm
Klehm Arboretum & Botanic Garden, 2715 S. Main Street, Rockford
Help Milestone while enjoying cocktails and dinner in Klehm’s beautiful Fountain Garden. This year’s theme is ‘Best of the West’ so don your cowboy boots, hat and best jeans. Live entertainment provided by “Smokin’ Gunz”.
Proceeds from the event will provide the funding for a landscaping project at a Milestone facility.
For more information please click here
Helping the Rockford Dance Company
Individuals from Milestone Industries raised money and presented a check to the Rockford Dance Company. To raise the money, the group planned, cooked and served a spaghetti lunch for $5 a person. Last year the Rockford Dance Company taught Creative Expression Dance to the individuals at Milestone Industries.
Two Community Leaders join the Milestone Board
Ben Holmstrom, President/CEO of William Charles Construction and Carol Hartline, an Attorney with Williams and McCarthy, have joined the Board of Directors for Milestone, Inc.
Holmstrom, has been involved with numerous nonprofit organizations in the Rockford Community and has been part of William Charles since 1998, and was name President/CEO of the Construction Division in 2005. William Charles Construction is one of the largest construction firms in Northern Illinois. Holmstrom is a Rockford native, who graduated from Guilford High School and Illinois State University.
Hartline specializes in workers’ compensation defense and is also involved with both the Illinois and Winnebago County Bar Associations. Hartline is a Sycamore native, and earned her B.A. from the University of Illinois, and her law degree from Northern Illinois University.
Advances in Digital Technology help Milestone Individuals
An updated computer lab at Milestone Industries combined with the applications available for iPads have provided new opportunities for the individuals Milestone serves.
Thanks to the Computers for Schools program, the Individuals at Milestone Industries are learning new ways to search for information, look for job possibilities and learn new life skills. The upgraded computers in the 
computer lab allow more individuals to utilize the digital technology that is available.
Currently Milestone also has 2 iPads in use and the staff is having success using them in both group setting and one on one settings. One example involves a lady who is very hesitant to take part in an educational game that involved reading outloud, however she will read to the group if the information is on an iPad.
In other cases the iPads aid in interaction and communication between the staff and the individuals during one on one sessions. The iPads are invaluable for our non verbal individuals because they have given them a new and more efficient way to communicate. There are literally thousands of visual icons that can be downloaded onto the iPad, which gives the individual a new way to communicate with the staff. Because an iPad is portable it can easily be taken anywhere which allows the person to live more independently.
Retiring Board Member Honored
Milestone’s Board of Directors honored Tom Sandquist for his years of dedicated service to Milestone. Tom retired from the board after a long tenure that started with being a Board member for RocVale Children’s home before the merger with Milestone. Every at Milestone jins the board in wishing Tom well and thanking him for his years of service.
Volunteers from Lowes Paint a Group Home
Volunteers from the Machesney park Lowe's store painted the outside of one of Milestone's adult group homes. They also hung new blinds in the living and dining room.
Volunteers from Ticomix Paint Playground Equipment
Volunteer's from Tricomix spent an evening repainting the playground equipment at RocVale Children's Home. The group said they select a couple of non profit organization in the Rockford area each year to help.
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Special Olympics Torch Run
Each year, for the past 25 years, members of the Law Enforcement community run the Special Olympics torch from the Wisconsin-Illinois Border to Normal Illinois for the state 
competition.
This year Eva, an athlete from RocVale joined the members of the Loves Park Police Department for part of the run.
Making Christmas special for 20 years
The 20th Annual Harmony Hall Christmas Party for the individuals at Milestone, sponsored by The Rockford Association of Clubs & the Illinois Licensed Beverage Association was held on December 12th.
Each year the group provides lunch, gifts, music and plenty of fun for the individuals from Milestone’s Elmwood Heights and Elmwood East facilities.
This year Milestone’s CEO, Shawn Way, made a special presentation to the sponsors to mark the 20 year anniversary, and to say thank you for the ongoing support of the groups.
