F.E.A.T. - Chattanooga
NEWSLETTER

PO Box 23731
Chattanooga, TN 37422
(423) 296-0092
http://www.featchatt.org/

Volume I
Issue 7
June/July 1999

Upcoming Meetings

July 13, 1999 -
   No speaker - Open format
   Topic: Questions/comments about our kids

August 10, 1999 - Board Elections
   Guest Speaker: Shirley Lewis
   Topic: Parents Encouraging Parents

September 14, 1999 -
   Guest Speaker: To Be Announced

Meeting Time and Place
Second Tuesday of Each Month
 6:30 pm   Room 140
Massoud Pediatric Building
 T. C. Thompson
Children's Hospital

 (see our Group Information Page)

This Space Available

We need your information for the newsletter. Please fax, email or mail your submission to Phillip Deal prior to the 25th of each month.

Fax: 778-6837
Email: featchatt@aol.com
Mail: PO Box 23731
Chatt, TN 37422

Welcome Packets

Welcome Packets are available at all meetings. If you have not received yours yet and are unable to attend the next meeting, please call our FEAT-Chattanooga phone number and leave your name and mailing address and we will send one to you.

FEAT Board
Nominations and Elections

At the July meeting, nominations will be taken for the 3 to 5 positions available on the FEAT Board. Elections will be held in August. Listed below are the board members that will continue to serve and the years left in their terms:

Henry (2 years)   Valerie (2 years)
Phil (1 year)   Tami (1 year).
After the new board members are elected, the board will then elect officers according to our bylaws.

Free STEP Basic Law Workshop -
   including the New Regulations

A BASIC Rights workshop, provided by STEP (Support and Training for Exceptional Parents) will be held on Saturday,
August 21, 1999    10 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Location to be determined.

This workshop is designed for parents of children in special education and parents of children who might need special education. If you have previously attended a  Basic Law Workshop, you may want to attend this workshop as it will cover the newly published 1997 IDEA Ammendments, the new IEP forms and instructions for their use, and information on new components of the law. Come and learn about Special Education rights so that you can be an informed, prepared participant in the development of your child's IEP. To register or for more information, call 800-280-STEP.

Thanks to everyone that made the first annual 'Lunch in the Outback' so successful. Because of several hard working members and our generous sponsors, our group was able to raise over $2,600 for our efforts to help families with autistic children.

Special thanks to the following sponsors: Outback Steakhouse, T&T Produce, NewsChannel9, Costello, Strain & Company, P.C., Bernardi & Associates and Healthsouth Rehabilitation Hospital - Chattanooga.
The following radio stations provided public service announcements for our event: Kicks FM
Love 98, LiteMix 105, and US101.

Committee Members Needed

A Our FEAT-Chattanooga chapter has grown in the last few months. For those members of FEAT who would like to know what they can do to help our chapter, how about joining a committee? Below is a list of committees for you to choose which best suits your unique talents and ideas.

Welcome: Welcome to new families to our group.
Outreach and Publicity: Works to educate the community about autism and the activities of our group through the mass media and mailings.
Advocacy: Educate members about their legal rights as parents and the rights of their children under IDEA, 504, and ADA.
Fund Raising: Organize fundraising events.
Newsletter: Write, edit, and distribute our monthly newsletter.
Internet: Maintain our web site and provide information from the web to those who do not have access.
Lending Library: Obtain, maintain, and loan out materials, books, articles, and videos amongst our members.
Hospitality: Provide refreshments for each meeting.
Phone: Call and remind people of upcoming meetings and other special events or projects.
Social: Plan and organize fun times for all FEAT families.
Speakers: Find individuals that can provide information or training to help our members and their children.

America Online Autism Spectrum Chat

PSWNKiann hosts this chat that can only be reached if you have AOL. Saturdays at 9 pm Eastern Time in Parent Soup's PS Live Events Room.

Open Chat about anything regarding Autism.

Mrs. United States Pageant

Pamela Kibby, FEAT-Chattanooga Board Member and reigning Mrs. Tennessee,
United States, will represent Tennessee at the National Mrs. United States pageant the week of August 9 - 14, 1999 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Pam will also appear locally on the Channel 3 Morning Show with Jed Mescon on July 20 at 6:30 a.m.

Pam's platform is autism awareness and advocating early diagnosis and intervention for children with autism. We wish Pam the best of luck in her upcoming competition.

[FEAT-Chattanooga Ex-officio Board Member]
Susan Speraw, Ph.D.

Announces the Relocation of her office;
Behavioral Health Associates, P.C.
6236-A   Airpark Drive
Chattanooga, TN   37421
(near Lee Hwy & Hwy 153)
(423) 899-0024
As of Tuesday July 6, 1999
Specializing in :
Health Psychology
Developmental Psychology
Family, Child, & Adolescent Psychology
Psychological & Psychoeducational Assessments

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