European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 07, 1977, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 10 the stars and stripes wednesday september 1,1977 families get help at Berchtesgaden it s a seminar for special kids and parents Story and photo by Rudi William Berchtesgaden Germany this is a Story about tears Heartbreak frustration depression and a special kind of love. It concerns More than 700 mentally an physically handicapped american Chil Dren who live in  be Learned a lot about life that most people will never know. I get depressed a times. I go from Hope to frustration to depression. Then it hit me one Day while i was crying. You have to face the prob Lem of the Day. � take each Day As incomes said Vicki Rice the 22-year old Mother of a 17-month-old handicapped child. Rice and her husband . Edward j.,23, were one of 50 families who brought their children Here during the three one week summer seminars held for families who have children with special needs. They also brought their older son Edward 4, with them from berlin.122 children present other families came from Belgium Italy and throughout Germany. More than 50 handicapped persons from 17 months to 23years old were among the 122 children at the  is the Only place in the world where the family unit is observed As whole said Carolyn c. Haberer 33, a Spe Cial education teacher at Mannheim Amer ican elementary school. This was her ninth summer working with the program at the Alpine inn Here. We encourage the parents to bring the whole family. You can pick up Many things just seeing a family walking together she said. Haberer feels that coming from a medical family her father is a doctor As was her Grandfather and having a younger sister who is retarded help he understand the plight of parents and Chil Dren. More realistic evaluation it s rewarding to see parents come to Amore realistic evaluation of themselves and their children. It s also a Good thin when siblings realize that they re not the Only kid on the Block with a retarded sister or brother. We need More publicity about the physically and mentally handicapped so people will realize that these kids Don t bite she said. The first seminar for families with handicapped children was held in 1969.  Benjamin director of family serv ices at Usa eur and supervisor of the program said the seminars were initially started to provide parents with information to help them better care for their handicapped children and to provide More training for special education teachers. One of the things that has evolved out fit is improved assignments for people with handicapped children. The program i geared toward the parents Benjamin said. The parents go to school while the children participate in recreational activities. We bring in a paediatrician psychologist social workers special education teachers a lawyer and other aides to assist in answering  the seminars operated on a parental developed curriculum include discussions children with adult supervision enjoy a play session during one of the one week summer seminars held at Berchtesgaden. About the Legal rights of the handicapped methods of discipline causes of Handi capped conditions the need for guardian ship and estate planning insurance for the handicapped school programs and the erosion of benefits through champs. While parents attended class preschool ers were taken to the Nursery and Elemen tary and Junior High school children participated in recreational programs of arts and crafts physical education Crea Tive dramatics and Story telling at the school Here. Older siblings and teen agers took walking Tours swam and participated in crafts projects and sports. Afternoon were free for parents to have a Little time to themselves or have private conferences with the experts available. Some of the parents said this was the first time they d Ever had a vacation at All Benjamin  time lasted from after lunch to 5 30 ., then it was to dinner and Back to class from 7 to 8 30  Staff aides served As babysitters during the evening  entertained the younger children with movies games and songs while the older children participated in sports. The word retarded has a negative Conno tation to most people. Benjamin and her staff Are working to get people to treat abnormalities with  these children have the same human needs and More that we All have Benjamin said. Mental retardation should not be confused with mental illness. Mentally retarded persons simply learn slower than others and Are limited in what they can . Maj. James  and his wife Sheila have been taking their son Kurt 20, to the seminars for five years. Mrs. Goeltz said everybody who has handicapped children should come., these seminars make parents More aware of what facilities Are available and what the military is doing to help. We get new inspiration each year from people who come from different posts and Tell us what available. People can Tell you More than the booklets can she  like to come Here to be with families with the same Type of problem. We share ideas which Are helpful to All of us Goeltz  is a Way to really get to know your own problems said Shirley a. Brown of Mannheim. The children Benefit from the 500 far workers hold rally in . Washington up a Formwork ers March for human rights which started nearly 1,500 Miles away in Austin tex., ended monday in a labor Day rally on the Steps of the Lincoln memorial. About 500 members of the Texas farm workers Union fwu and their support ers gathered at the Monument to hear speakers Call for legislation giving migrant farm workers the right to organize to hold Union elections anal to bargain collectively for Union  songs in Spanish and English were mixed with the  30 marchers mostly mexican i frants who work on Large farms in the Rio Grande Valley along the  Border left Austin for Washington june 18. They walked 20 Miles a Day for 80 Days stopping for Ralles along the Way and stay ing in churches and private Homes. Speakers at the rally asked for repeal of Section 14-b of the Taft Hartley act which nullifies organizing efforts by allowing states to pass right to work Laws that ban Union shops. The fwu wants agricultural workers to earn at least the federally set minimum wage. Under current Law they Are excluded. The More hungry we Are the cheaper and harder we will work Antonio Oren Dain fwu president told the  answer to our problems is to have collecting bargaining  said the average income of the Rio Grande workers is less than $2,500. The National average is about $6,000. Orendain and his supporters will meet with labor Secretary Ray Marshall and members of  said the fwu asked to meet with president Carter but was told he was too  they declined  to meet with presidential assistant Midg Costanza citing the unproductive Ness of her previous meetings with mexican american  seminars through what the parents learn and the parents new knowledge makes it easier to accept problems and gives a better understanding of How to handle their children and what they will encounters the child grows older. I think parents who have handicapped children miss a awful lot by not  Vicki Rice summed up what All parents the world Over want for their children health and happiness. As Long As that Little Guy can look up at me and give me a smile. That s All i need. What Joey has Given me is a special kind of love. An indescribable Bond Between Parent  Benjamin said people with handicapped children who have questions concerning special types of educational programs and assignments should Call her office at Hei Delberg military 2121- 6479/6873 or write the director of family services Disper Usa eur and seventh army Apo 09403. Rudi Williams is an army photojournalist assigned to the Usa eur Public affairs office in Heidelberg philippine currency regulations tightened Manila a the Central Bank of the Philippines has declared illegal the Possession of . Dollars or other foreign currencies even by tourists if they stay in the country More than 72 hours. A new Central Bank circular says the buyer and seller of illegally held foreign Exchange can be punished with a Fine of 20, 000 pesos $2,675 and imprisonment of five years. A Central Bank spokesman said the new Rule was imposed to curb Black Market and other illegal Money dealing in the Philippines. Under the new rules a tourist intending to spend More than three Days in the Philippines must sell his foreign Exchange to an authorized Money dealer but can buy it Back when he leaves by showing the offi Cial receipt of the initial transaction