The last day to order roses from the 24th annual rose sale will be March 22.

Pick-up and delivery day is Tuesday, April 9. Roses can be picked-up or be delivered between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.

Let someone know that you care and support the work of LIFE Mower County, “Where Promise Lives, Hope Blossoms,”  by supporting the sale.  All proceeds from LIFE Mower County’s rose sale benefits children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities including down syndrome, cerebral palsy, autism and epilepsy.

One in 10 families has a member with a disability.  Your participation in LIFE’s Rose Sale provides critical funding for programs and services.  Print an order form or register to volunteer on April 9 at www.lifemowercounty.org/rose-sale.

Celebrating an anniversary

Dawn Helgeson’s 30th anniversary open house is from 4-6 p.m. on Monday, March 18.

Dawn started working at The Arc Mower County on March 7, 1989, as the bookkeeper/office manager and became the executive director in 1995. Join us to celebrate Dawn’s 30th anniversary and have some cake and light refreshments.

Taste of Mower County

Mark your calendars for the 9th annual Taste of Mower County on Sunday, April 28, 2019.

Enjoy unlimited tastings of signature items from the finest home and restaurant chefs in Mower County and the surrounding area. The event includes food tastings by area home and restaurant chefs, wine and craft beer tastings, live and silent auctions, entertainment, door prizes and cash bar.

Become a chef, sponsor or donate to the live/silent auction at www.lifemowercounty.org/tomc2019. Tickets are on sale now at www.lifemowercounty.org/tomc2019.

Trump Administration 2019 budget request: old ideas and big cuts

On March 11, 2019, the Trump administration released a budget request that if passed by Congress, would put the lives of people with disabilities at risk.

The proposal includes deep cuts to Medicaid, the core program providing access to health care and home and community-based services for people with disabilities.  The cuts come in the same form as those included in the 2017 proposals to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and cut and cap the Medicaid program.

Congress rejected this in 2017, but the administration proposed budget includes replacing both the Medicaid expansion and ACA subsidies with a block grant, and converting the rest of Medicaid into a per capita cap which would deeply cut the program and cap the amount of funding available.

If enacted, states would receive less federal support to administer Medicaid, resulting in restricting eligibility, cuts to services, and growing waiting lists.  Furthermore, it would not adjust to changes in health care, drug costs, aging of the population, or emergencies.

Not only would both a block grant or per capita cap harm people with disabilities, but the proposal also includes applying controversial and harmful work requirements across the country.  Arkansas is the first state in the nation to take health care coverage away from people who don’t meet a work requirement.  In the first seven months of implementation, more than 1 in 5 people subject to the policy lost their health care coverage.

Applying this policy nationally, as the budget proposal would do, would have devastating effects on health care coverage — particularly for people with complex health care needs, and likely many people with disabilities.

Upcoming Events

• Dawn’s 30th Anniversary Open House: Monday
• Movie and Munchies: Tuesday
• Special Olympics Bowling Rock and Bowl: Wednesday
• Kitchen Creations: Thursday
• Spring Birthday Bash: Friday
• Leroy Dinner Theater: March 23
• People First Aktion Club Meeting: March 26
• Open Center: March 27
• Creative Arts: March 28
• Harlem Globetrotters: March 29