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2025 Lemonade Retreat Schedule
 

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Thank you to our
Sponsors!

Friday Night- January 31

4:00 pm Check in to your hotel room

(You can eat dinner on your own in the restaurant at the hotel)

6:30 Check in. Cash Bar open. (Bring Cash)

7:00 Welcome, and meet new friends.

8:00 Fashion Show Makeover Reveal

8:30 Comedian

9:00 DJ and Dancing

10:00 End

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Saturday- February 1

8:30 Breakfast, Sign in for those who did not attend Friday night

9:00 Welcome and Zumba (Wear comfortable clothes on Saturday)

10:00 Breakout Session #1 (choose one)

11:00 Breakout Session #2 (choose one)

12:00 Lunch

1:00-5:00 Relaxation Rounds (Massages, Crafts etc.)

5:00 Free Time, Cash Bar, Prayer Room open

6:00 Dinner

7:00 Speaker- Dr. John Gaitanis

8:00 Speaker- Honey and Vince Rinicella

9:00 Wrap up and giveaways

10:00 end.

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Makeover Team

Saturday 10:00-11:00 am
Breakout Session #1
(choose one)

Marc Panepinto

Relational Checkup 2025. Ideas to improve relations with your partner for the New Year.

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Marc Panepinto is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in private practice in Summit, NJ where he sees a variety of individuals, families and couples struggling with a wide range of emotional challenges. Marc served on a child study team for over 25 years assisting early elementary age students with special needs. Along with private practice, Marc’s clinical experience is diverse and spans from inpatient through in-home and school based services. Marc holds a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology from Rutgers University and a Masters of Social Work from New York University. Marc underwent post graduate training at the New York Institute for Modern Psychoanalysis. Professionally, Marc is particularly interested in helping couples and families manage difficult issues, while improving their interactions and deepening the bonds that exist between them.

https://www.marcpanepinto.com/

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Adams Room

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Barbara Cillo

Keeping a Chemical Free Home
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A chemical free home can reduce anxiety and stress levels, reduce hormone disrupters, reduce overall "Dis-ease" and protect the family from potentially harmful toxins. It can also lead to a cleaner indoor air quality, reducing the risk of respiratory issues and allergic reactions.

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Barbara was with us in 2023 helping set the mood for relaxation with Essential Oils. sampling. This year she will help us again, but in the morning she will share on keeping toxic chemicals out of the home. Barbara is an X-Ray Technologist, Wellness advocate andYuong Livig Essential Oils partner. She remains in a state of complete gratitude through her passion, which is to help others. She will empower you with knowledge to designa life for yourself and family to live happier, helthier and more relaxed throught lives free of chemicals in your daily routine.

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Washington Room

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Jennifer Overfield

Navigating the Adult World- Utilizing the DDD budget effectively to create a person-centered individualized program.

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Jennifer Overfield is a dedicated and experienced executive with a deep commitment to supporting individuals with developmental disabilities and autism. As the Executive Director of Evermore Lifestyle Solutions, Jennifer leads initiatives aimed at enhancing the quality of life for individuals through innovative and personalized lifestyle solutions.

Jennifer's professional journey is marked by significant achievements and a passion for advocacy. Before her current role, she served as the Chief Executive Officer of Golden Heart Advocacy, where she provided expert consultation to providers, businesses, families, and individuals across New Jersey. Her previous experience includes serving as the Director of Day Habilitation at Friends of Cyrus Inc., where she led program development, management, and supervision. She has also led Support Coordination, Residential, Center for Independent Living teams, serving thousands of individuals throughout her career in both North Carolina and New Jersey.

https://evermorelifestylesolutions.com/

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Executive Boardroom

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Denise Rekem

Your Child’s Right to Special Education in New Jersey. 
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Denise Dimson Rekem, Esq., focuses her practice on the representation of individuals with special needs and their families in the areas of early intervention, special education, transition and adult services, residential placements, guardianships, bullying and discipline. Ms. Rekem worked for several years at Weil Gotshal & Manges before
taking time off to raise her three children, one of whom is diagnosed with AD/HD and the other two with CAPD. Her experience advocating for her sons led to her interest in
advocacy for children with special educational needs. She returned to the practice of law focusing on the rights of persons with disabilities.  In 2014 Ms. Rekem became a
founding member of Parles Rekem. A passionate, persistent advocate, Ms. Rekem is committed to ensuring that the rights and protections of families and their children with
disabilities are not denied. Ms. Rekem has expertise in navigating the complexity of thefunding systems for educational and residential placements.

https://www.parlesrekem.com/

 

Jefferso​n Room

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Saturday 11:00-12:00 am
Breakout Session #2
(choose one)

Blake Baumann

Future Ready: Ensuring Your Child is Prepared For Independence
 

5 key areas that hold most autistic young adults back in their pursuit of an independent life and what you can do as a parent now, no matter your child's age, to help ensure they are launch ready.

 

Blake Baumann, PCC, CPC, ELI-MP - Autism Life and Success Coach
Blake is an internationally recognized coach specializing in helping teens and young adults with autism achieve independence and thrive in life. As a proud parent of 4 Neurodivergent young adults, and being autistic himself, he deeply understands the challenges faced by those on the spectrum and their families, offering compassionate and actionable solutions. To learn more about Blake, you can visit his website www.aspie-r.com

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Jefferson Room- Live on Zoom

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Elizabeth Girouard

Elevate Your Energy: Simple Shifts to Boost Your Energy Naturally 

Learn simple, practical shifts to naturally boost your energy, to stay revitalized throughout the day, and ditch the afternoon slump—no caffeine or sugar required!

Elizabeth Girouard is a Certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, Certified Master Workplace Wellness Ambassador, and Founder of Pure Simple Wellness. She helps women 40+ break free from yo-yo dieting, regain their energy, and feel confident in their bodies again. By addressing struggles such as emotional eating, weight loss, and low energy, she helps women create sustainable changes to improve their health, longevity, and overall well-being. With her holistic nutrition training and international business expertise, Elizabeth delivers impactful group programs, 1:1 coaching, seminars, workshops, and retreats designed to empower women to feel strong, confident, and in control of their health at any age.

https://puresimplewellness.com/

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Executive Boardroom

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Elizabeth Nader

Master Your Mindset: Finding Strength and Purpose in the Journey of Special Needs Parenting

 

This session will empower mothers to successfully deal with depression, overwhelm, and negative thoughts by providing practical tools to reframe their mindset, manage emotional stress, and approach their parenting journey with renewed strength and purpose.

 

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Elizabeth Nader is dedicated to helping people master their mindset and break free from limiting beliefs, empowering them to pursue their life’s purpose with confidence and clarity. As an accomplished author, dynamic speaker, mindset coach, and entrepreneur, she brings a passion for overcoming obstacles and uncovering personal potential. Holding a Doctorate in Theology, Elizabeth grounds her transformative insights and research in scripture, offering practical, faith-based strategies for living a more purposeful and successful life.

https://www.elizabethnader.com/

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Adams Room

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Harold Grodberg

Legal Requirements to Open the Door to DDD Services.

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Harold Grodberg, Esq., represents elderly individuals and individuals of any age with disabilities and their families in the areas of Elder Law, Medicaid eligibility, Special Needs Planning, Estate Planning, Guardianship and Probate law. Mr. Grodberg earned is BA from Emory University in 1985 and his J.D. from Rutgers University School of Law – Camden in 1989. He was
a General Editor of the Rutgers – Camden Law Journal. He is admitted to practice in New Jersey.

https://www.parlesrekem.com/

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Washington Room

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Relaxation Rounds
Saturday 1:00-5:00

Round 1-Chat Room with Marc and Patti.
Round 2-Makeup Therapy with Jeanine and Crystal.
Round 3-Essential Oils with Barbara and Massages with NJ School of Massage.
Round 4-Craft Room with Christen. 
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Jeanine Gherardi

Professional Makeup Artist

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Crystal Page

Makeup Therapy

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Patti Ramos

Special Education Teacher

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Marc Panepinto

Social Worker-Therapist

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Alice Marin

NJ School of Massage

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Barbara Cillo

Essential Oils

Keynote Speakers

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Christen Snyder

Arts and Crafts

Dr. John Gaitanis

Pediatric Neurologist

 ”Hope and Healing: Empowering Autism Through Root Cause Care”

 

This enlightening and heartfelt session will explore the critical role of addressing root causes in autism and the profound impact personalized medical treatments can have on a child’s overall health and success. With a focus on science, compassion, and hope, this presentation will provide valuable knowledge and actionable strategies to support each child’s unique journey. The goal is to offer support, unlock their full potential, and help create a brighter, healthier future.

 

Dr. Gaitanis received his medical degree from the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth and The Warren Alpert Medical School at Brown University. He completed a residency in pediatrics at Strong Memorial Hospital through the University of Rochester Medical School, as well as a residency in neurology at Boston Children's Hospital through Harvard Medical School. He completed a fellowship in epilepsy and neurophysiology at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center through Harvard Medical School.

His clinical research focuses on finding improved biomarkers and therapeutics for epilepsy, and improving EEG signal acquisition with advancements in electrode design and software processing techniques. 

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https://www.brownhealth.org/providers/john-n-gaitanis-md

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Honey& Vincent
Rinicella

Star of the Spellers Movie

“Silent Strength: Intelligence and Communication Through Spelling”

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​Through the shared journey of a non-speaking autistic individual and his mother, this lecture highlights the transformative power of spelling as a means of deep expression and connection. Together, they share personal experiences, practical strategies, and success stories to inspire parents to recognize their child’s inherent intelligence and untapped potential. This collaborative story provides tools to foster meaningful communication and a renewed sense of hope for the future; empowering children to live a life of their own choosing, while supported by their families.

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Vincent Rinicella and his mom Honey both appeare in The Spellers Movie. Vincent is a 23-year-old nonspeaker who had been a prisoner in his mind for 18 years. Fortunately, this changed when he was introduced to a newer communication method, which finally allowed him to break free from his silence. Through hard work and dedication, Vincent can now share his feelings, needs, opinions, and insight, which in turn has brought a whole new meaning and reward to his life, as well as to those he loves.

 

Vincent is a published author of poetry and short stories, creator and writer of a blog (The Unfiltered Mind of Vincent), and has become a passionate advocate for bringing forth change in our community. He believes it’s critically important to help ensure all nonspeakers are given the chance he had, so they too can break free and live a life of their own choosing.

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https://www.medmaps.org/about-us/

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https://theunfilteredmindofvincent.wordpress.com/

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