This weekend athletes from Annandale Village joined over 1,800 fellow participants and competed in the Special Olympics State Summer Games at Emory University. Demonstrating excellent teamwork and perseverance our Annandale Aces after five consecutive wins brought home gold in volleyball. Congratulations to Dylan E., Larry H., Eddie M., Diane M., Lenny G., Kim B., Harry F., Frances G., Scott B., and their coach Jeff Jansma on their success.

In swimming, Lisa D. earned a first place finish in the 50 meter freestyle and 5^th place in the 50 meter backstroke. Jay N. finished third in a very close 50 meter freestyle heat, and earned silver in the 50 meter backstroke. Overall, a remarkable weekend for all participating athletes.

All raffle proceeds will help to provide programs and services men and women with developmental disabilities and those that have experienced a traumatic brain injury.

The all-inclusive package includes:

• Round-trip airfare for two from Atlanta to Jamaica
• Superior resort accommodations with breathtaking views of the Caribbean Sea
• Dining for all meals is provided in six unique restaurants serving the finest international cuisine with Caribbean flavors: Bayside Asian, Verandah continental cuisine, Patio Mediterranean and Italian fare, Eight Rivers Caribbean fusion, Beach Grill, Veggie Café
• Beverages are provided complimentary at four bars, including the Tower Isle bar, and Piano bar, all serving premium brand liquors, wines and champagne
• Watersports & scuba diving excursions
• Unlimited golf and tennis
• Catamaran cruises and glass-bottom boat tour
• Dunn’s River Falls tour
• Shuttle service to Downtown Ocho Rios and Island Village, home of Jimmy Buffett’s “Margaritaville”

Raffle tickets are $25 per ticket or five tickets for $100.

For additional information or to purchase raffle tickets today, CLICK HERE. 

More impressively, despite the large number of nursing homes in Georgia, The D. Scott Hudgens Center for Skilled Nursing is the only skilled nursing facility in Georgia dedicated solely to the unique needs of, or has the specialized resources to adequately care for aging adults with developmental disabilities.   Characteristically, individuals served at the Center have a primary diagnosis of an intellectual disability, autism, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, other developmental disability, or have experienced a traumatic brain injury. 

“It is, once again, an outstanding achievement for Annandale Village to receive top honors, assuring that our residents are receiving the highest level of care. The five star rating speaks not only to the quality of clinical care we provide, but to the compassion and commitment of our dedicated staff in serving adults with developmental disabilities,” said Adam Pomeranz, chief executive officer of Annandale Village. 

Options in nursing care for adults with developmental disabilities are so limited Annandale Village has operated at full-capacity for the past four years.  However, Annandale Village has boldly planned for a new decade of service to serve the expanding disability population.  Pomeranz explains, “We have recently completed the construction of a new care center, the Amy Somers Center for Continued Care, to meet the needs of individuals experiencing a decrease in independent living skills due to aging and/or characteristics of their disability.  In addition, we have begun renovation to expand the D. Scott Hudgens Center for Skilled Nursing to effectively double the number of individuals we are currently capable of serving. We anticipate being able to open the additional beds to new residents at the beginning of summer.”    

Brandi Meadows, Annandale’s newly appointed Skilled Nursing Administrator of the D. Scott Hudgens Center for Skilled Center added, “We are thrilled to be able to soon accept new admissions into our nationally recognized center.  Being able to call families that have been on our waiting list, several for years, to let them know we now have space available for their loved one is incredibly rewarding.  Knowing that our professional staff has the specialized skills to provide quality care and to meet the unique needs of men and women with disabilities is a primary factor families choose the skilled nursing center of Annandale Village to care for their loved one.”

U.S. News and World Report’s evaluation of nursing homes is based on data from Nursing Home Compare, a consumer website run by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The government agency sets and enforces standards for nursing homes (defined as facilities or portions of facilities enrolled in Medicare or Medicaid that provide 24-hour nursing care and other medical services). Homes earn an overall rating of one to five stars, as well as up to five stars in each of three underlying categories: health inspections, nurse staffing, and quality of care. U.S. News updates each nursing home’s ratings data quarterly.

To purchase online, CLICK HERE, or call us 770-932-4885 to order yours today!

FIRST PLACE TEAM:  Eddie M., Dylan E., Frances G., Phillip G., Larry H., and Ian B.

SECOND PLACE TEAM:  Scott B., Mark H., Dottie D., Brian J., Evet G., and Kim B.

FOURTH PLACE TEAM:  Lisa D., Laurie P., Joey L., Lenny G., Robert B., and Beth L.

Southern Ballet’s production is based on the favorite children’s book, “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” by Dr. Seuss. This year will mark the third anniversary of this presentation which is quickly becoming an annual favorite. New sets and costumes will be featured along with a cast of over 50 dancers, mostly from SBT’s school, the Southern Performing Arts Academy.

For more information, please call 770-932-4885.

For the past several weeks, sixteen community leaders, representing a diverse mix of businesses, community organizations and professions, have served as candidates of Annandale’s newly created fundraising and disabilities awareness program, Kiss-A-Pig: People Invested in Giving. Through this whimsical, yet important campaign, candidates have vied for “votes” by seeking to raise money to support the comprehensive programs and services of Annandale Village. Each dollar donated equals one vote. The candidate that receives the most number of votes or raises the most amount of money will be named the winner of the Kiss-A-Pig campaign.

“We have an outstanding slate of individuals that represent the best of the very best, and we could not be more thrilled with their involvement with Annandale Village and this campaign.   Through their individual efforts, each candidate has represented the true meaning of our Kiss-A-Pig program, People Invested in Giving”, Fenton added.

COMPLETE LIST OF KISS-A-PIG CANDIDATES

Susan Bacon – Palmetto Grant Consulting, Houston Bass – BB&T, Arlene Beckles – Turner Broadcasting, Elliott Brack – GwinnettForum.com, Patti Elrod-Hill – The Elrod-Hill Law Firm, Amy Greiner – Edward Jones, Wayne Hill – former Gwinnett County Chairman, Doug Ireland – Freeland Painting & Construction, Anthony Kontaxis -  Realtor and Restaurateur, Pam Ledbetter – Accent South Media, Nick Masino -  Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce, Dr. Suzanne Molock – Gwinnett Pediatrics, Rick Swan – Prudential Georgia Realty, Ed Szczesniak – Suwanee Business Alliance, Judy Waters – Community Foundation for Northeast Georgia, Greg Whitlock – The Whitlock Group

The new site, www.annandale.org, brings significant improvements in content and functionality to the general public and individuals in search of services for loved ones living with and affected by developmental disabilities.  Probably the most immediate change you’ll notice is the site’s clean, easy-to-navigate design. Between the navigation menu and a full sitemap along the bottom of the page, one can quickly access any page on the site from wherever the user happens to be. Every page also offers a field for full site search in the upper right hand corner.   Most importantly, the new website helps make clear the organization’s purpose, scope of services, and opportunities for engagement with the nationally recognized nonprofit organization.

In efforts to stay ahead of technology and better serve its audience, Annandale partnered with Veugeler Design Group for the robust rebranding and web development project.  “We conducted several interviews but selected Veugeler Design Group because we wanted the best end-product possible; we believe that their services and talented staff will result in a long-term advantage.  Among many requirements and expectations that are necessary to be a leader in our sector, the most important are an easy-to-manage web platform and an impressive brand image, Veugeler gave us exactly that”, Fenton added.

From small businesses to large corporations, Annandale Village encourages organizations to help promote the acceptance and inclusion of men and women with disabilities by “Dressing Down” at work.  Anytime of the year is a great time for a “Dress Down for Disabilities Day” fundraiser. Participating is a great way for local companies to encourage team building within their organization and boost morale, while helping people with autism, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, MR/DD, and other forms of developmental disabilities.

Here is how it works:

Simply host a “”Dress Down for Disabilities Day,” giving employees the opportunity to don their favorite casual attire for a $5 donation, with proceeds supporting Annandale Village. You choose the date, and we’ll customize a friendly flyer that you can post on walls and email to staff. We’ll even provide a set of fun stickers boasting, “I Dressed Down For Disabilities” that participants can wear in exchange for their donation.

For more information on how to organize a “Dress Down for Disabilities Day” at your place of business or organization, please contact us at (770) 932-4885.