Greatest Greeting Graphic: Rules for Submission

The EP!C Hub, our assistive technology program, is a truly impressive place.  All of the computers in the Hub are equipped with different technology that makes it easier for our individuals to use the computer.  With equipment ranging from track-ball mice and upright keyboards, to buttons that can operate the computer with a single click, this room is designed to take advantage of a person's best physical movement.  In the EP!C Hub, our individuals are able to stay in touch with friends and family through Facebook and e-mail, keep up with current events, watch videos or listen to music, play games, and most importantly, earn a paycheck.

Among many projects that our individuals complete in order to earn a paycheck, the participants in the Hub also make their own greeting cards.  These cards are truly one-of-a-kind, featuring artwork and photographs contributed by our own EP!C individuals, staff, and friends.

As more people learn about our greeting cards and they gain popularity, we'd like to provide a greater variety of cards to choose from.  This is where you come in!

For our Greatest Greeting Graphic contest, we're asking you to submit some of your coolest photographs for the chance to see your photo on the cover of our greeting cards!  These photographs do not have to be or look professional - they can be photos you took of your pets at home, on vacation, or a cool landscape shot taken in the Peoria area.

We will be collecting submissions until Monday, May 5 at 9:00 a.m.  Once we've collected the submissions, they will undergo several rounds of voting to determine the winner(s):

1.  On Facebook, where you can "vote" for your favorites with your Likes!
2.  Here at EP!C, where our individuals and staff can vote with a Penny Wars contest!
3.  In our EP!C Hub, where the individuals who make the cards can select their favorites to win!

If you win, you will not only get to see your photo immortalized on the cover of some of our greeting cards, but you'll also have the chance to win an EP!C basket filled with goodies from our various programs!  We'll reveal more about the EP!C basket throughout the contest.

If you would like to submit a photo, please abide by the following contest rules:

1.  To submit a photo, please e-mail the photo in a JPG format to Mary at mvoelker@epicpeoria.org.
2.  Photos may not contain any of the following: people, weapons, alcohol, cigarettes, political or religious symbols, use vulgar or obscene sayings or symbols, or otherwise inappropriate.  All photos will be reviewed by EP!C staff and will be accepted into the contest at our discretion.
3.  By submitting your photo, you give EP!C permission to post the photo to the EP!C Facebook page (we will give the photographer credit in the description).
4.  If your photo is selected as a winner, we will have you sign a release form that will give EP!C permission to print the photos on our greeting cards, which will be for sale, and 100% of the proceeds will benefit the EP!C Hub.
5.  For any questions or concerns, contact Mary at mvoelker@epicpeoria.org.

We can't wait to see your photos, and wish the best of luck to everyone who participates in the contest!  Stay tuned on our Facebook page in the coming weeks to see the submissions and to vote on your favorites!

Here come the EP!C Bobcats!, by Columbia McNeary

Hey, EP!C!  Here come the Bobcats!

Hi, I am Columbia McNeary and I am captain of EP!C's brand-new Special Olympics basketball team that will get underway this fall.  Check out our awesome team, pictured above!

I used to play power forward, point guard, and forward for FCRC's basketball team and thought it would be fun for everyone at EP!C to get on board and support a basketball team by coming out and watching us play.  We will be practicing this fall at a gym and will play games there too.  I heard there might be cheerleaders, too!

The coach will be Mike Cheesman.  Thanks, Mike for agreeing to be the coach and help us out.  I know you really like basketball as I do.  He will be stressing fundamentals, passing the ball, and being unselfish players.  It will be good exercise for all of us players, too.  I hope we can win it all for EP!C!

This fall, I want all of my friends to come out and have fun watching us play our games on Fridays, Saturdays, or Sundays.  When EP!C was still called PARC, we used to have a basketball team called the Pirates.  Now EP!C will have its own team, and we will be able to wear uniforms and represent all of the consumers who call the different parts of EP!C home.

Stay tuned for more information that will be coming out about the team.  Please support us!  We are all very excited!

An EP!C Collaboration: Bremer Jewelry, by Joan Paxson

EP!C and Bremer Jewelry recently collaborated on an amazing project: to design a one-of-a-kind piece of jewelry inspired by one of our own individuals, Dominique Guidi.

The necklace, created by Bremer Jewelry goldsmith A. J. Boore, was designed with inspiration from a piece of artwork created by an EP!C individual.  Dominique chose the artwork that she wanted the piece to be based on, and then she contributed her own ideas to the design.  After looking at several pieces of artwork, she chose one that reminded her of a sailboat and a bike because of the criss-crossing, white lines in the painting.  Boore was able to recreate the lines, textures, and colors into a beautiful piece of jewelry, pictured below next to the painting that inspired it.

 

He also made sure to include some pink hues in the necklace, since pink is Dominique's favorite color!  Twelve diamonds across one of the white gold bars added some sparkle to the piece.  This is a true testament to the amazing creativity and generosity of the people at Bremer.

The necklace and the artwork were both displayed at this year's Bon Appétit event so that guests could purchase raffle tickets in the hopes that they might get to take the beautiful necklace home!  At the event, Dominique also had the chance to take the microphone and share her experience with helping to design the custom piece.  Dominique was so excited to speak, and the audience loved hearing her side of the story!

Here's a picture of Dominique and her family at the event, looking beautiful in her new dress!

It's hard to say who was more proud that evening: the person who received the necklace, our friends at Bremer Jewelry who created the necklace, Dominique's family who first believed in their daughter's full potential, Dominique for being able to be a part of the opening speech, or the staff from EP!C who were cheering her on!  Overall, Bon Appétit proved to be an amazing night for EP!C and Bremer Jewelry.

Check out this awesome video to find out more about EP!C's collaboration with Bremer Jewelry and how Dominique helped to design the piece: http://bit.ly/1kR7vlD