The wanderer
Published 6:27 pm Monday, November 24, 2008
For most of us, Martha Stewart is the most high-profile American to need an ankle bracelet. But for former Island resident Bruce Hemmat, it’s his six-year-old son, Isaac.
Isaac was diagnosed with autism, leading Hemmat and his family to relocate to Colorado so that Isaac could attend the Joshua School for Autism in Denver. There, Hemmat and his wife, Denise, founded the Autism Advocacy Group. Hemmat is now seeking funding for the development of a product that will allow him and other caretakers of “wanderers,” such as patients with Alzheimers or Down’s Syndrome, to better keep track of their dependents.
“Many individuals with special needs have tendencies to elope, even if just left unattended for a brief moment, and unfortunately a lot of those cases can end tragically,” Hemmat says.
The wearable device sets off an alarm when the patient goes too far, and contains pertinent medical and contact information. This is particularly important for wanderers who are non-verbal (half of those with autism), who need someone — or something — to speak for them.
Home sweet home
We’re not sure if Ms. Gaul is trying to tell us she’d rather live in a metropolis like New York City, but David Letterman, if you’re reading:
Top 10 Reasons to Live on Mercer Island
By Frances Gaul, Islander
1. Hey, if I wanted to live in ALASKA, I would have moved there.
2. Is that a MOOSE in my driveway?
3. It’s a …..snow day……power outage…….snow day……. What’s next, snow day + power outage?
4. Can you say “home schooling?”
5. How many hours did it take you to get home last night?
6. The school board is considering adding a sledding route when buses don’t run.
7. Which ice cream establishment will win today’s top sales? Baskin Robbins or Maggie Moo’s?
8. Noah’s Bagels has a new bagel on the menu: it’s white, but only offered when it snows. It’s a big hit, if you can get there. Good luck. Begin now.
9. Those 20+ degree days make those 90+ degree days seem even hotter by comparison.
And the best reason to live on Mercer Island today:
10. Plenty of free firewood from the last windstorm.
Bubble bath
There’s a reason there isn’t a swimming pool in every backyard in the Pacific Northwest. Who needs to get a shower and a bath at the same time? Rather than let it sit idle for nine months of the year, the Mercerwood Shore Club decided to go undercover with its swimming pool and put up a bubble.
What’s a bubble? According to Shore Club manager Paul Von Destinon, it’s “like Jiffy Pop popcorn after it’s been fully popped.” It shelters the outdoor pool from the elements with a protective cover so that the swimmers within can enjoy their aquatics year-round.
That also includes swim lessons for non-members, offered during school hours for youngsters, evening and weekend times for older kids. For members, there are water polo and diving, swim team, open swim sessions and rental of the entire bubble for pool parties. Showering after your swim at the pool club is a good idea, but at least it’s optional.
