Kathy Edwards -Cape Abilities Shared Living

Everyone who knows her agrees Kathy Edwards has made a lot of progress this year. In fact, she’s made so much progress that she was recognized in March 2010 with a state individual achievement award.
Kathy, 52, who lives with another Cape Abilities member in shared living in Cotuit, has blossomed.
“I think Cape Abilities has been a great experience for my sister, “ says her brother, Charles Edwards. “Kathy seems to be very self-reliant. She’s taken the initiative to start  projects.”
“She’s really been a happier person, reaching for the goals she wants to reach in her life.,” says Tom Quinn, shared living provider at the Cotuit home Kathy lives in.
Kathy’s efforts were recently recognized by the state. She and Quinn each received individual achievement awards from the Cape and Islands Citizens Advisory Board of the Massachusetts Department of Developmental Services.
With help from Quinn and other Cape Abilities staffers, Edwards has taken a more demanding work and social schedule.
 Kathy has increased her social outreach, Quinn says. Kathy recently made her own outfit and wore it when she sang a Karaoke version of “You Lift Me Up” before dozens of people at an Oscars party. Celtic music is also a passion of Kathy’s. She frequently goes with friends to Celtic music nights.
All of this has been encouraged by Quinn and other staff members at Cape Abilities, but Quinn said the drive has come from Kathy.
“She’s really starting to push herself,” Quinn says.
Kathy is enthusiastic. “I like living here and I like being part of Cape Abilities,” she says.
Charles Edwards says his mother, who lived with Kathy for many years, was quite meticulous about looking around for the best program for Kathy before settling on Cape Abilities.
 “It’s been very positive,” he says. “They’re very professional. They do a great job.”

Jason Chausse - Cape Abilities Farm Team Member

Jason Chausse's working life has undergone a sea change recently. A couple of years ago he was struggling to succeed in a small landscaping business with all the vagaries that odd jobs work entails. Then the 34-year-old East Falmouth resident came to work at Cape Abilities Farm in Marstons Mills.
"He's really grown on the job," says Buzz Friend (shown in photo with Jason), one of the farm's supervisors. "We've got a team out here and he's a leader, an example to the other workers."
Jason's performance has been so outstanding that he and Buzz were recently each given a Recognition Award for Individual Achievement by the Cape and Islands Citizens Advisory Board of the Massachusetts Department of Developmental Services.
 They aren't the only people who've recognized a change in Jason. His father, Bob Chausse, says he's seen "a whole attitude change" in his son, which he attributes to working with the team at the farm.
"He's a real farmer now," according to Friend.
At the Marstons Mills property, which is part of the larger Cape Abilities Farm that includes our main site on Route 6A in Dennis, Jason is in charge of small machinery. "He runs and maintains the rototiller, the cultivator, the weed whacker and the lawnmowers," Friend says. "He loves working with machinery. He takes great pride in keeping things clean and working."
"I enjoy doing what I've been trained to work on," Jason says.
Jason lives in East Falmouth with his parents. When he's not working, his favorite leisure time activity is fishing.
Friend says at Marstons Mills, he, Jason, two other workers have formed a core group to do the work.
"Jason's done a fantastic job out here," he says.

Writing About Running

Our friends at Cape Cod Broadcasting are helping to promote our annual 5K Walk/Run in Hyannis May 15. They are are also fielding a powerful team to compete in the event. Cape Cod Broadcasting personalities Shai Jackson and Michelle Lorraine are part of the team.  Click here to follow their blog about training for the race (with Emmy, the power-walking dog).

5K Walk/Run

It's just a month away. Our annual 5K Walk/Run will be held Saturday May 15 at Hyannis Green. This is a great event for runners, walkers and the whole family with lots of activities for kids and prizes worth over $2500.  Serious runners will also enjoy this run, which is wheel-measured over a flat course. Over 20 teams have signed up to participate as well as many individual runners. To join or start a team or just run (or walk) on your own, click here.

Bush Sugar Pumpkin

Good for pies. The skin is a deep orange-yellow. It is very fine-grained, sweet and sugary, and keeps well.

Table Acorn Squash

A popular squash named for its resemblance to a large ribbed acorn.  Has a firm yellow-orange flesh. Native to the Americas, the first European settlers thought squash to be a type of melon since they had never seen them before.

Ambercup Squash

This squash is very sweet with golden orange meat, fine-grained. Great stuffed or baked. Brilliant orange shell.

Harris Butternut Squash

An old favorite. It has a sweet, nutty taste. It has yellow skin and orange fleshy pulp. When ripe, it turns increasingly deep orange, and becomes sweeter and richer. 

Jarrahdale Pumpkin

This pumpkin has a deep color with a soft, melon like aroma. From the town of Jarrahdale in New Zealand

Bush Beans

Nutritionally speaking, bush beans are one of the most beneficial vegetables we can eat. Low in calories, they’re packed with vitamins A and C, calcium and iron, and contain good amounts of potassium, phosphorus and protein.