With freedom comes responsibility. As Americans, we enjoy many hard-fought freedoms that admirably set us apart from other world nations, including the privilege to vote. We at SKIL are passionate about voting. We are thankful that, today in our country, citizens have the right to cast voting ballots for the government candidates of their choice. We should not take this right lightly, for it was not granted to us lightly.

It is your responsibility to learn about the values of the candidates and where they stand on the issues that are important to you. Voting during these times may present new challenges, so get prepared. Some counties have sent out applications for absentee ballots but if you didn’t get one, call your county clerk’s office and request one. You can also inquire about the availability of voting in person at the polls, depending upon current government restrictions.

If you have not registered to vote, do so! If you have moved, you will need to re-register. Please take all of the steps to assure that you can do your part, and vote! In the words of the father of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Justin Dart: “Vote as if your life depended on it…because it does.”

If we can help you in any part of the voting process, please do not hesitate to call us at SKIL, Monday-Friday, 8-5 p.m., at: 1-800-688-5616 or 620-421-5502.

Mark your calendar: August 4^th is the primary election and November 3^rd is the general election. VOTE! VOTE! VOTE!

Love, Shari

This July marks the 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). I am so excited about this milestone!

Each year, SKIL has a public celebration of the signing of the ADA outside of our downtown Parsons headquarters. Our annual ADA Celebrations pay tribute to this historic federal law that gave us our equality as people with disabilities.

This year, our ADA Celebration will be on July 24th. We are planning something new and memorable. Due to the Coronavirus pandemic, we have had to re-think how we can still hold this important public celebration. We are blessed to have a great team of Independent Living staff who have helped plan this event.

Please, please, please make certain that you are safe on July 24th to join us as we celebrate our great liberty, the ADA 30 years strong. This empowering law has done so much to give people with disabilities access to employment, services and hold our government entities accountable.

This is our law, and to have lived through all of the changes these past 30 years that have come into place because of the ADA is truly empowering. Please mark your calendars to join us July 24th! More info on how we intend to hold our 2020 Celebration will come soon.

Love, Shari

PRIMARY ELECTION DAY August 4th
Last day to register so you can vote in the Primary Election is July 14th.

• Here is the link to online voter registration https://www.kdor.ks.gov/Apps/VoterReg/Default.aspx
• Here is the link to a printable voter registration form with instructions and county election office addresses https://www.sos.ks.gov/forms/elections/voterregistration.pdf
• If you have changed your name, address, or party affiliation you must complete a new voter registration form. If you are unsure if you updated your voter registration, you can check it out here by entering your name and birthdate. https://myvoteinfo.voteks.org/voterview This will also give you a drop down list of your districts for all elected positions which vary each year based on whose terms are expiring. There is also a drop down list of your voting history.

We must get people registered to vote, then we will help make sure they are educated about the candidates, and then they need to vote.

ADVANCE VOTING AND PERMANENT ADVANCE VOTING APPLICATIONS:

• To apply online for an Advance Voting (so ballot will be mailed to your home) for the Primary Election and the General Election go to this link https://www.ksvotes.org/ This will mean your ballot will be mailed to you for both or either the August 4, 2020 Primary and November 3, 2020 General elections, depending which ones you check when applying. When applying for the Advance Voting ballot you will have to provide a driver’s license or State Identification card number. The following link is the Advance Voting application that you can complete and print out then sign to mail to the Kansas Secretary of State office at 120 SW 10th Ave, Topeka, KS 66612. http://www.kssos.org/forms/elections/AV1.pdf The deadline for voters to apply for the Advance Voting for the Primary Election is July 28th.
• If you have a permanent physical disability or illness or have been diagnosed as having a permanent illness, you can apply for Permanent Advance Voting Status by applying online at https://www.ksvotes.org/ and choose Permanent Advance Voting in the application. This status means that you will get a ballot mailed to you for every future election that you would complete and return by mail. This application does not require you to provide a driver’s license or State Identification number. Just like above here is a link to a Permanent Advance Voting application that you are able to print off and mail to the KS Secretary of State at the address above. http://www.sos.ks.gov/forms/Elections/AV2.pdf

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COVID-19 cases have been reported in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and multiple U.S. territories, and many of these areas have wide-spread community transmission. Because of the high risk of spread once COVID-19 enters a long-term care facility, fast action is needed to protect residents, families, and staff from serious illness, complications, and death.

CDC has launched a Long-Term Care Frontline Staff Training Webinar Series for staff who care for vulnerable residents of nursing homes and assisted living facilities. These five short webinars review basic infection prevention steps essential for preventing the spread of COVID-19:

• Sparkling Surfaces (7 min) - https://bit.ly/2yulKj2
  • Keep long-term care and nursing home residents healthy by knowing how and when to clean and disinfect environmental and equipment surfaces.
•  Clean Hands (7 min) - https://bit.ly/35JzNgH
  • Keep long-term care and nursing home residents healthy by knowing how and when to perform hand hygiene as part of preventing the spread of COVID-19.
•  Closely Monitor Residents (7 min) - https://bit.ly/3bhodKI
  • Learn the importance of recognizing new or worsening infections quickly in long-term care facilities and nursing homes. The earlier sick residents can be identified, the faster COVID-19 can be prevented from spreading throughout the facility.
•  Keep COVID-19 Out! (6 min) - https://bit.ly/2SLKzhe
  • Learn what staff, vendors, and consultants should do to protect residents and keep COVID-19 out of the facility. Understand the importance of wearing facemasks and cloth face coverings appropriately.
•  PPE Lessons (12 min) - https://bit.ly/2zn9yjQ
  • Learn what personal protective equipment (PPE) should be used in long-term care facilities and nursing homes as well as when and how to use PPE correctly to help protect yourself and residents from COVID-19.

Access the complete series on the COVID-19 Long-term Care webpage:https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/long-term-care.html

You can also watch the videos on CDC’s YouTube Channel:https://www.youtube.com/user/CDCStreamingHealth

- by Andy Rausch and Joe Reinecker

Judging from the number of Kansans walking around without masks or gloves, it would be easy for an uninformed person to believe those things are no longer needed. That, however, is far from the truth. Judging from the spikes in Covid-19 cases across the country (yesterday saw America break the single-day record for new cases with 45,557) it's clear that while many Americans are done with the pandemic, but the pandemic is not done with them.

“Clearly the numbers are showing that the pandemic is not over by any stretch of the imagination,” says Labette Health nurse practitioner Ben Cochran. “We are seeing spikes lately, so we are still encouraging people to take precautions and be safe.”

Cochran said those precautions include wearing masks in public, wearing gloves, using soap or hand sanitizer, and practicing social distancing.

There are many people who believe that wearing the mask is dangerous, but Cochran doesn't believe this. “There is not a whole lot of scientific evidence to back up claims that wearing a mask is dangerous.”

So, in short, put on those masks and take precautions, folks.