Events for people with disabilities

Aspire of Western New York, in conjunction with Southeast Works, is sponsoring an all-day conference, “Aging with Developmental Disabilities,” from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Thursday at the Millennium Hotel, 2040 Walden Ave., Cheektowaga. Regional experts will discuss issues related to the aging of developmentally disabled adults, current medical thinking, behavioral strategies for caregivers, and end-of-life issues. The invited speakers are Drs. Colin McMahon, medical director, Aspire of WNY; Kenneth Garbarino, gerontologist, Kaleida Health; Sanjay Gupta, adult and geriatric psychiatry; Kathleen Grimm, Center for Hospice and Palliative Care; Patricia Bomba, vice president and medical director, Geriatrics at Excellus BlueCross BlueShield. The cost is $30 and includes lunch. To register, mail payment to Peggie Giambra, Aspire of Western New York, 2356 North Forest Road, Getzville. For more information, call 505-5505.

Niagara Frontier Radio Reading Service is hosting a “Book and Media Super Sale” fundraiser at 8 a.m. Friday and Saturday at 1199 Harlem Road, Cheektowaga. For sale will be books, books-on-tape/CDs, videos, DVDs, CDs and cassettes. Donations for the sale can be dropped off at the same location. Proceeds will benefit the Niagara Frontier Radio Reading Service, which broadcasts daily readings of newspapers, magazines, books and other printed matter to area print-handicapped people, who are given “reading radios.” For more information, call 821-5555.

Parent Network of Western New York is offering a free workshop, “Valued Outcomes,” for Medicaid service coordinators and habilitation providers, from 9 a.m. to noon Wednesday at its offices at 1000 Main St. Participants will learn about valued outcomes and their importance. Group discussion and activities are included. Staff workers responsible for writing residential and daily habilitation plans are encouraged to attend. For more information or to register, call 332-4170 or visit www.parentnetworkwny.org.

Native American Community Services, 1005 Grant St., provides assistance to developmentally disabled individuals and their families in both Erie and Niagara counties through the Medicaid Services Coordination Program. Services can be provided to off-reservation Native Americans as well as other Western New York community members. For more information, call 874-4460.

Aspire of Western New York is hosting its 23rd annual “Going for the Green” golf tournament fundraiser from 12:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Monday at Brookfield Country Club, 5120 Shimerville Road, Clarence. For details about sponsorship opportunities, call Megan Babirad at 505-5514 or email mbabirad@aspirewny.org.

Western New York Independent Living Inc. is offering “Freedom Through Art,” a support group, at noon every first Tuesday of the month at its offices, 3108 Main St. The group will explore cultures, traditions and inspirations through eclectic art forms to discover more about self-identity and others. It is open to the public, people with disabilities, and to family members and friends of people with disabilities. For more information, call Jeff and Megan Ostrowski at 836-0822, Ext. 114; Ivan Ortiz, Ext. 145; or Pat Petrosino, Ext. 165.

The Mental Health Association of Erie County will host an obsessive-compulsive disorder support group from 1 to 3 p.m. Thursday at 999 Delaware Ave. Also available are support groups for depression, anxiety, panic disorder, pain management and female trauma survivors. Groups are free. For more information, call 886-1242.

Headway of Western New York will offer support groups Tuesday in its offices at 976 Delaware Ave. The Life Support Group for people with brain injury and their families will meet from 1 to 2:30 p.m.; Peer Support Group and Caregivers Support Group will both meet from 6:30 to 8 p.m. For more information, call 408-3100 or visit www.headwayofwny.org.

Cantalician Center Community Services, 665 Hertel Ave., provides employment, vocational training, evaluations, social programming and Medicaid service coordination for people with developmental disabilities. For more information, call 874-0913.

Items of timely events may be submitted by fax, 856-5150 or by mail to City Desk, Events for People with Disabilities, The Buffalo News, P.O. Box 100, Buffalo, NY 14240.