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We are excited about our new partnership with in Littleton. Martial Arts has long been a part of our Independence Training Program (ITP), and we’ve included classes in our Summer Youth and Senior Programs as well.

Like everything we teach and do at the Center, it really comes down to confidence, but of course there are other benefits – fitness, balance, awareness of one’s surroundings and learning to recognize where you are in relation to others and objects.

Our first class with Karate Denver started up and will meet for six Tuesdays in our gym. We appreciate Jason and Rachel coming to the Center every week to work with our students.

Just watch those kicks if you go into the gym!

Haylee might have been a little stressed out as she approached her graduation day, but to all outward appearances, she made it all look seamless, right down to her quick change of outfits prior to giving a polished and well-researched speech after cooking all day.

Haylee first came to the Center for our summer program in 2014, just after her high school graduation. Always a bundle of fun – riding her skate board, shooting baskets, and a mean goal baller – she wasn’t crazy about carrying a white cane at first.

“Haylee has always taken my arm when we went places together,” her sister Kaitlynd told us at the Bell Ceremony. “But the first time I came to visit her here I said ‘Take my arm,’” and she said “No, I have my cane and I’ll just walk with you.”

Cynthia finished her final weeks in the Independence Training Program (ITP) while working her new part-time job. Thus she finished things out in a slightly unusual order, cooking a delightful grad meal on a Thursday, then finishing her woodshop project before her last requirement – giving a speech to the entire Center the next week.

Hailing from Oklahoma, she decided to stay in Colorado. Not only does she have her new job, but her own apartment as well.

So it was with a special sense of pride for her achievements that we ate her final meal, checked out the lovely bookshelf she built and heard her final speech on “How to get a job.”

“You are one of the kindest, most caring people Cynthia,” Julie said at Cynthia’s bell ceremony. “You’ve mentored so many students while you’ve been here.”

We were delighted to host six staff members from the , which provides services for Older individuals who are ������ across Wyoming for a two-day professional training on blindness. Duncan, Wayne, Anahit and Petr gave a thorough overview of blindness and aging, as well as technology, Braille, cane travel and cooking – all of it under sleep shades.

WIL has offices across the state, and this group represented all four corners of our neighbor to the north – including Laramie, Gillette, Wheatland, Casper and Cheyenne. Every one of them is a good hand, and blind seniors in the far-flung corners of the Cowboy State are lucky to work with any one of them.

“This was a very committed and engaged group,” said Duncan.

The Center’s Senior Services staff coordinates and presents our and training sessions can be customized for each group.

They had both kitchens to themselves on Tuesday as ������ Management staff took other students on shopping trips in advance of the NFB of Colorado convention next week. Daniel and Marcus spread out and did their work – both preparing for their mini-meals, which is the second of three major meal requirements in ������ Management.

They’ve been cooking for fifteen and, as with all of the required meals they must find the recipes for three dishes, calculate the portions and the shopping list, and then do the shopping – all within the allotted budget.

Daniel’s meal was served on Wednesday and it was an all-vegan triumph of a black bean and tortilla casserole featuring homemade tortilla chips, a vegan sour cream-substitute, and a peach cobbler for dessert.

Marcus went another direction. His meal served Thursday was barbecue ribs with a homemade barbecue sauce, a salad with a homemade dressing and apple cheesecake.

“I’m doing Montana proud,” said the student from the Big Sky.

And that is a true statement!

Both of them did it proud for the guys.

Members of the Tuesday Senior group listen intently to the discussion at a recent meeting. While the three ladies use the familiar over-the-ear headphones, John is wearing a single earphone.

A couple of weeks ago Student and Senior Services Specialist Wayne Marshall presented this question to our Independence Training Program (ITP) students as part of Wayne’s Wednesday Word of the Week:

Hey, there’s something in the air today, the first day of October!

It’s coming from the kitchens here at the Center.

Here’s the menu of what students are preparing this morning … and it’s just the morning class:

• Spaghetti bolognese
• ravioli with chorizo sauce & garlic bread
• ������made pepperoni lovers pizza
• broiled lemon prawns with mediterranean salad
• chicken fried steak and homemade mac and cheese

Do ya think it smells great around here?