The Strand is a busy place. Starting TONIGHT we are bringing back our Friday night Frights…..The last Friday of each month (providing there is not a live performance) we will be having a “frightfully good time” with a movie from the darker side. This Friday will be a double feature…

Not of this Earth – 1957

Doors will open at 7:30 and the movies will start at 8. Admission is only $5

On Saturday February 26th night we have a Blues Review. This will feature the music of Mark Gravely and the Top Hat Blues Review. They will be joined by Carson Diersing and The Crossfire Band. It should be a great show. This Smashed Productions is only $5, with all proceed going to benefit the Strand. Please come out and spend a great evening of live entertainment at the Strand. The concert starts at 8:00pm

On Sunday the Strand will host a concert for Shelby County Reads. This event, “Music of the 1940′s” features talent from the Shelby County Players, the Blue River Community Choir and the Shelby Community Band. The show will include a color guard and tribute to our World War II veterans. This concert is FREE and starts at 2:00pm on Sunday February 27, 2011.

This week the Strand has continued to have activities throughout the week. The theatre is in constant use. This is a great compliment to our community who comes up with new and creative ways to utilize the Strand. This week we had the Shelby County Players holding auditions for their upcoming play PICNIC on Monday and Wednesday. On Thursday there was rehearsal for the concert on Sunday. Friday movies, Saturday concert, Sunday concert…..as you can see, we filled all but Tuesday. Tuesday was the day our volunteers were in the theatre doing maintenance. This is what we hoped would happen as we started this project.

Sometimes we go too fast for our own good. This happened this week. It was a case of “I though you were doing that”. Steve Frazee scheduled our Friday night Frights. Everyone thought the other person was doing our web site and Facebook feeds. It turns out that no one did those! We fixed that in a hurry, but all the same it proves how much effort goes into content and maintenance of these sites. The Strand is very fortunate to have 100% of our web site hosting and programming donated. We have paid zero since we began on these items. For many groups, they pay thousands of dollars per year to keep a web site maintained. We sometimes take for granted the generosity we receive each and every day. Thank you to Automotive Parts Network, Inc. for providing the server space for the site, and to Shane Killgore Consulting in Sacramento California for providing the site maintenance and upgrades. Our volunteers provide content and additional programming, but when we run into trouble, Shane is always there to fix it. Thanks again!

There is something for everyone at the Strand this weekend. We hope to see you at the theatre. Thank you for everything you do! Reading these emails is an important part of keeping the Strand alive in our community. You are doing your part and for that we thank you. The constant ideas and encouragement are things that make the Strand a success. See you tonight.

Starting Friday we are bringing back our Friday night Frights…..The last Friday of each month (providing there is not a live performance) we will be having a “frightfully good time” with a movie from the darker side.  This Friday will be a double feature….

Not of this Earth – 1957

Horror Express – 1973

Doors will open at 7:30 and the movies will start at 8.  Admission is only $5

Starting Friday we are bringing back our Friday night Frights…..The last Friday of each month (providing there is not a live performance) we will be having a “frightfully good time” with a movie from the darker side.  This Friday will be a double feature….

Not of this Earth – 1957

Horror Express – 1973

Doors will open at 7:30 and the movies will start at 8.  Admission is only $5

Dana Renay, Executive director for the Autism Society of America – Indiana, will present the first in the Strand Theatre Lecture series.  She will speak on many issues surrounding autism.

Autism is a complex developmental disability, typically appearing during the first three years of life.  It is the result of a complex neurological disorder that affects the normal functioning of the brain, impacting development in the areas of social interaction and communication skills.  Both children and adults with autism typically show difficulties in verbal and non-verbal communication, social interactions, and leisure or play activities.

Autism is a spectrum disorder, meaning that although it is defined by a certain set of behaviors, children and adults with autism can exhibit any combination of these behaviors in any degree of severity.  Thus, two children with the same diagnosis may differ greatly in their behavior, their capabilities, and their needs.  Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) includes classic autism, as well as Asperger syndrome and the less specific classification of pervasive developmental disorders not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS).  For the purposes here, ASD and the more general term “autism” will be considered equivalent and used interchangeably.

While there is no single cause or cure for autism, it is treatable.  Children do not outgrow autism, but studies show that early diagnosis and intervention lead to significantly improved outcomes.

Every person diagnosed with an ASD is different, and every family has different needs.  The variety of services and resources available in Indiana is broad, including financial assistance, advocacy, parent and sibling support, education, training, and respite care.

Autism is the most common Pervasive Developmental Disorder, affecting one in 96 people annually. This translates to over 1.5 million Americans, and the numbers are growing.

The challenge is that while 10 children can be diagnosed with autism, the autism can manifest itself in many different forms. For example, some children may be higher functioning at a cognitive level, but may have very poor social skills. Some children might have strong verbal skills while others have no verbal skills whatsoever. Additionally, some people may have multiple diagnosis that include: ADHD, OCD, ADD, Bi-Polar Disorder, Downs Syndrome, or any combination of these. Because of these gross differences, it is virtually impossible for two people on the spectrum to take the same path to wellness. 

 DANA RENAY

Dana is the parent of six children, one of whom is on the Autism Spectrum.  He was diagnosed at age three and enrolled in a significant amount of early interventions including:  ABA therapy, Speech Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Hipotherapy, and Social Skills Groups.  Dana has been an advocate for families affected by autism in Indiana since the diagnosis of her son in 2005. 

Dana had worked as a volunteer for the Autism Society of America – Indiana for three years prior to advancing to the position of Executive Director.  Additionally, she consults with organizations and groups to help structure programs that work with children on the Autism Spectrum, provides training sessions, and speaks to groups of people around Indianapolis about the importance of early diagnosis and intervention. 

As the Executive Director of the Autism Society, Dana is responsible for many aspects of the organization.  Through this role, she is responsible for not only maturing the organization, but also for the Indiana State Comprehensive Plan for people with Autism Spectrum Disorder.  In this position, she is responsible for the Interagency Autism Coordinating Council, made up of key leaders from state agencies, including Dept.Of Education, FSSA, Vocational Rehabilitation, ARC of Indiana, Dept. of Corrections, Department of Child Services, and more.  She also manages a team of Contractors who are working on additional parts of the contract including development of the Autism Resource Network of Indiana (ARNI) to exchange information, Minority Outreach and Cultural Competencies, Best Practices, and the administration of all parts of the Comprehensive Plan.  Dana represents the Autism Society on several boards and committees around Indiana.

Dana has grown the organization in many ways, including creating a strategic plan to grow the organization, building the board, and fundraising. Additionally, Dana has authored several articles for distribution throughout Indiana focusing on parenting special needs children, specifically, those with Autism.

Prior to the birth of her first child, Dana’s career focused on Information Technology, specializing in telecommunications and web-based systems for companies in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Europe.  Her span of responsibilities ranged from Account Management, Project Management, Mergers and Acquisitions, Systems Development.

Dana was selected to be a part of the 2009-10 Leadership United Executive Women’s Series, and is a member of the 2010 IBJ Forty under 40 class.  She is also studying to become a Board Certified Behavior Analyst and is proud to join the 2010 Lacy Leadership Association’s LEAD class.

Smashed Productions presents

The Blues come to the Strand

Featuring Mark Gravely and the Top Hat Blues Review with Special Guest Carson Diersing. The Crossfire Band will also perform.

• February 26, 2011
• Strand Theatre
• 8:00pm
• Tickets only $5:00

The Shelby County Players present William Inge’s PICNIC.

Friday April 15, 2011 7:30pm

Saturday April 16, 2011 7:30pm

Sunday April 17, 2011 2:00pm

Tickets available on-line at www.shelbycountyplayers.com