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Deal of the Week
Posted April 16, 2008
IndependenceFirst leased 40,000 square feet of space (with an option to buy) in the former Karp Bakery Warehouse at 544 S. 1st St., Milwaukee, from 544 South 1st Street LLC. IndependenceFirst is a nonprofit organization that works to help empower people with disabilities through education, advocacy, independent living services and coalition building. Kevin Armstrong and Steve White of CB Richard Ellis represented IndependenceFirst in brokering the deal. The agency will move to the building from a 30,000-square-foot space at The Tannery complex at 600 W. Virginia St., Milwaukee, in the fall.
For full story see http://www.biztimes.com/realestateweekly/2008/4/16/
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Posted May 5, 2008
Sports Day (Column Excerpt)
By Bob Wolfley
Left-handed compliment
Former major-league pitcher Jim Abbott doesn't hesitate when you ask him to name the toughest out he faced in his career during the 1990s.
"George Brett, even though he was a lefty and I was a lefty," Abbott said, referring to the former Kansas City Royals star. "He just wore me out. I did get him out on occasion. I think he single-handedly won a batting title (off me). He'd be on the DL and he would come off just as I was coming to town. In my mind early in my career he was baffling because he could cover so many different areas of the plate. And for someone who struggled a little bit throwing off-speed pitches - which was the way you really had to pitch him - every time I would wonder, 'Man, oh man, how do I get this guy out?' "
Abbott, who is scheduled to speak at the IndependenceFirst Power Lunch on Friday at the Midwest Airlines Center, did not say which catcher he worked with the best.
More often than not I felt most comfortable with second-string catchers," Abbott said. "I know that sounds funny. I can't say anyone in particular because you wouldn't recognize the names. But more often than not they were the guys who took an incredible amount of pride in their defense and the way they called the game. I like working with those kinds of catchers better than I did the more offensive-minded catchers who sometimes let their offense creep into their thinking behind the plate."
For the full story see: http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=747163
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Posted May 4, 2008
"The Drill: Q&A with Jim Abbott"
By Bob Wolfley
Sullivan Award winner. Elected to the College Baseball Hall of Fame for his play at the University of Michigan. 1988 Olympic gold medal winner. Selected No. 8 overall by the California Angels in the 1988 baseball draft. A 10-year major-league career with four teams. A no-hitter against the Cleveland Indians.
Those are impressive credentials for any athlete, but for one born without a right hand they become incredible achievements.
Former major-leaguer Jim Abbott is to be in Milwaukee as the keynote speaker at the IndependenceFirst Power Lunch at noon Friday at the Midwest Airlines Center, where he will be introduced by Commissioner Bud Selig.
<Click here for the full interview>
The Jewish Chronicle
Posted January 2008
"In Gratitude, Markoff Inspired
A Book Celebrating Caregiving"
By Leon Cohen
Milwaukeean Barbara Markoff’s grandmother, Lillian Cohen, lived in Chicago and spent the last three years of her life being cared for by Anna Dobrakowska.
For full story about IndependenceFirst's book project http://www.jewishchronicle.org/issues/20071221/localnews3.htm
Milwaukee Magazine--2008 Charitable Events Guide
Posted February 2008
The 2008 Charitable Events Guide that is produced by Milwaukee Magazine in print and online versions, features IndependenceFirst's Ricky Griffith for his dedication and powerful story of living with a disability and gifted volunteerism. He has since been hired on part-time in the Computer Recycling Program because of his great work. See pages 18 (Ricky's Story), 21 & 43 (POWER LUNCH listings) and 25 for a "nod" to our Caregiving Book! Click here to see the online version of the Guide in pdf format. http://www.milwaukeemagazine.com/ceg/ceg.pdf
Online News Sources
Posted May 6, 2008
With his playing days over, Abbott still inspires:
Q & A With Jim Abbott
By Drew Olson
During nearly a decade as a major-league player, Jim Abbott often took time away from his preparation to talk to handicapped children and their families. Now that he has been retired for almost a decade, Abbott, who was born without a right hand, works as a motivational speaker and mixes in stories from his baseball career, which included a Sullivan Award, an Olympic gold medal, a no-hitter against the Cleveland Indians and induction in the College Baseball Hall of Fame.
In 1999, he finished his career going 2-8 with a 6.91 earned run average in 20 games (15 starts) with the Brewers.
Friday afternoon, Abbott returns to Milwaukee and serves as the keynote speaker at the IndependenceFirst Power Lunch. Late last week, he spoke to OnMilwaukee.com by telephone from his California home and talked about his time his transition from player to speaker.
For the Full Interview with Jim Abbott see http://onmilwaukee.com/buzz/articles/jimabbott050608.html?15153
StoryBridge.TV
Posted January 2008
The IndependenceFirst summer adaptive waterskiing program was featured in a StoryBridge.TV video segment. To view the video, click here (WARNING: video story is NOT captioned) http://storybridge.tv/episode/029
DarynKagan.Com
Posted January 30, 2008
The IndependenceFirst Project "A Celebration of Caregiving: Portraits & Stories" was featured on national reporter and blogger Daryn Kagan's website in a video about how the book came to be. To see the video click here (WARNING: video story is NOT captioned) http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid1407432251/bclid315805030/bctid1406588814 :
DarynKagan.Com
Posted February 6, 2008
National Reporter and Blogger Daryn Kagan is at it again and did a touching video story on one of our Caregiving Stories from the book in time for Valentine's Day (warning--no captioning on video).
Check out the video http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid1407432251/bclid315805030/bctid1406588814)
A PITCHING INSPIRATION (Today's TMJ4)
Jim Abbott Speaks To IndependenceFirst
Posted May 9, 2008
By Lance Allan
In his half season with the '99 Brewers, I came away thinking Jim Abbott is more than a pitcher with a so-called disability. He's a wonderful human being.<Click here for full video> (Warning: Video is NOT captioned)
Fox6 Evening News
Milwaukee Volunteer Honored
Posted May 9, 2008
By Jennifer Reyes
Volunteer Fred Kneuppel won a national Volunteer Award in Washington DC for his work at IndependenceFirst but instead of going, he stayed to volunteer for our big event. Fox 6 did a news feature on his dedication. (Warning: Video not captioned) <click here for full story>
The Morning Blend (Today's TMJ4)
Posted April 23, 2008
Mom and author Linda Mulholland invited us to be part of a "Disability Etiquette" topic segment on The Morning Blend TV Show. Disability Rights and Senior Access Specialist Diana Sullivan from IndependenceFirst was the "expert resource" featured in this story. (Warning: Video is NOT captioned) Click here to see full segment: http://www.themorningblend.com/NewsArticle/tabid/1474/xmid/20848/Default.aspx
The Morning Blend (Today's TMJ4)
Posted January 18, 2008
StoryBridgeTV's video project featured IndependenceFirst's Adaptive Waterskiing Program and had a 10 minute segment on the show. Click here for video of their segment (warning--video is NOT captioned) http://www.themorningblend.com/NewsArticle/tabid/1474/xmid/18097/Default.aspx
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