Spellingway

09/03/2026

Just one of the many frequently asked questions answered by nonspeaking autistic men who spell on a letterboard or type on a keyboard to communicate, one-letter-at-a-time.

Join us at UNMUTED for the answers!

🗓️ Thursday, September 17, 2026
⏰ 4:00–6:00 PM
📍 Kamloops Sandman Centre – KIA Lounge
🎟️ FREE EVENT — LIMITED SEATING

This special afternoon will include:
💙 A presentation about apraxia and non-speaking autism
💬 Real conversations and Q&A with Luke, Damon & Cash
🎁 Door prizes!
🥛 Refreshments provided!

Have a different question?
Send it to us at [email protected]. Sending your question before the event allows us to preplan our answers, and conserves the energy and spelling time of our 3 Spellers during the Q&A.

https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/unmuted-tickets-1993794988482?aff=oddtdtcreator

or Link in Bio.

08/31/2026

📺📣
If you're bored at lunch today, feel free to tune into the CFJC-TV Midday Show! Sandra will be on with the lovely host Tanya Cronin, promoting our upcoming UNMUTED event.

https://cfjctoday.com/live/

08/30/2026

Sandra:

Today we celebrate Michael Jackson’s birthday. He would have been 68.

Brenda Jenkyns never met Michael, attended a concert, or even knew much about him until after his passing. Yet she was deeply moved by his love for children and the millions he gave to help kids in hospitals and orphanages around the world.

Inspired by MJ, Brenda wrote a book about his life, with artwork by her friend. After listening to her, and reading her book, it made me think about how easily we form opinions about people based on what we hear, rather than what we actually know.

Isn’t that true of so many things—including autism and nonspeakers?

We talked about how the name “Michael Jackson” can evoke polarizing feelings in people.

I also think people have certain opinions about autistic people without often meeting, listening to, or taking the time to understand their journey.

Brenda reaching out to us was refreshing.

She was the first “stranger” to sincerely want to know what she could do to help. She listened. She cared. And then she took action.

She reached out to family, friends, and colleagues and raised $520.45 toward a Communication Regulation Practitioner’s certification and training—helping create more opportunities for nonspeakers to find their voices.

Luke and I were happy to finally meet Brenda in person at Caffe Francesco in Calgary. We shared lattes, treats, stories, and signed each other’s books.

Before meeting her, Luke prepared this message: “Dear Brenda, I want to thank you for your donations. Your support of nonspeakers is a powerful testament to MJ’s legacy. I promise to honour MJ as we utilize this donation. Thank you, Luke.”

Brenda was moved to tears.

Our conversation reminded me that we all have biases and assumptions. I’m working on being less “judgy” and more open. It isn’t always easy, but kindness has a funny way of creating beautiful friendships.

And now my new friend Brenda is thinking about coming to UNMUTED. I truly hope she does, so our attendees can meet her in person, too.

Come meet Luke, Damon, and Cash.

Come listen.

Come connect.

Come make some new friends.❤️

Thank you, Brenda Jenkyns!

08/29/2026

📣Chat with LUKE VERHOEFF in person at our upcoming UNMUTED event!!

Luke was born and raised in Kamloops, and found his voice at age 19 through spelling on a letterboard. He was misdiagnosed as being cognitively impaired, and the spelling communication method revealed a brilliant mind that was just trapped in an apraxic body (his mind disconnected from his body). Now that he has his voice, he wants to advocate for the 30 million other nonspeakers worldwide.

He, along with friend and fellow tv show castmate and panelist, Damon Kirsebom, are on the National Autism Network Autistic Advisory Council providing the lived experience of nonspeakers to help shape Canada’s autism strategy. Luke also was the 5th recipient of the Jim & Ginette Munson Autism Leadership Award, which he received in April in Ottawa.

🗨 Luke will be available at our event to answer any questions about his journey. His story, blog posts, poems, tv and radio interviews can be viewed on his personal website: thisisluke.ca.

Luke is passionate about poetry and advocating, loves a really good cup of coffee, a great juicy steak, and being in nature listening to the wisdom of the trees.

Luke is Vice President of our Spellingway Communication Society.

Come to our FREE event and ask Luke your questions! Learn more about spelling on a letterboard or typing on a keyboard as a communication method for nonspeaking autistics.

🗓️ Thursday, September 17, 2026
⏰ 4:00–6:00 PM
📍 Kamloops Sandman Centre – KIA Lounge
🎟️ FREE EVENT — LIMITED SEATING

This special afternoon will include:
💙 A presentation about apraxia and non-speaking autism
💬 Real conversations and Q&A with Luke, Damon & Cash
🎁 Door prizes!
🥛 Refreshments provided!

https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/unmuted-tickets-1993794988482?aff=oddtdtcreator

08/28/2026

📣We are thrilled to have CASH DENNIS on our panel at our upcoming UNMUTED event!!

Cash is a local Kamloopsian, part of a well-loved family that has lived here many years. He is the most recent fully “open” Speller who can now share his thoughts through a letterboard / keyboard, communicating with support from his amazing Communication Regulation Practitioners (CRPs): Brittney Ritchie and Alyssa Dennis (his mom).

🗨 Cash will be available to answer your questions about his journey, being trapped in his own mind, and having his voice freed through S2C (Spelling 2 Communicate). We are all over-the-moon to be able to get to know Cash, learn about his dreams, listen to his opinions, and find out what a flirt he is (he is Italian, so, of course!).

Cash and Luke are very good friends and get together 2-3x a month at our Spellingway space where they discuss books, or other intellectual topics like war, dating, cannabis, and more. Cash is also a new castmate on the CBC TV Gem show “The Assembly”, Season 2. Filming is happening now and it will air in the fall. We can’t wait to hear Cash’s questions and see him on TV, and to share “Watch Nights” with him and his family and community.

Cash is also an "Advisor" on the Spellingway Communication Society.

Come to our FREE event and ask Cash your questions! Learn more about spelling on a letterboard or typing on a keyboard as a communication method for nonspeaking autistics.

🗓️ Thursday, September 17, 2026
⏰ 4:00–6:00 PM
📍 Kamloops Sandman Centre – KIA Lounge
🎟️ FREE EVENT — LIMITED SEATING

This special afternoon will include:
💙 A presentation about apraxia and non-speaking autism
💬 Real conversations and Q&A with Luke, Damon & Cash
🎁 Door prizes!
🥛 Refreshments provided!

https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/unmuted-tickets-1993794988482?aff=oddtdtcreator

08/26/2026

📣We are excited that THE Damon Kirsebom will be coming to Kamloops to "speak" at our UNMUTED event!!

If you do not know Damon, feel free to check out his website: damonkirsebom.com and learn more about all of the autism advocating he has accomplished in his life, especially since "openly" communicating 10 years ago. He is our mentor and guide, and now types to communicate independently on a keyboard.

🗨 Watch Damon answer your questions in real time at our event. He is articulate, intelligent, completed his high school degree, and is now enrolled in university with an interest in policy and sociology (loving it and rocking it!).

Damon and Luke are very good friends, and are castmates on the CBC TV Gem show "The Assembly". Filming is happening now for Season 2, to air in the fall. Check out Damon's amazing questions by watching the show. Everyone is in awe of him, and his powerful words.

Damon is also an "Advisor" on the Spellingway Communication Society.

Come to our FREE event and ask Damon your questions! Learn more about spelling on a letterboard or typing on a keyboard as a communication method for nonspeaking autistics.

🗓️ Thursday, September 17, 2026
⏰ 4:00–6:00 PM
📍 Kamloops Sandman Centre – KIA Lounge
🎟️ FREE EVENT — LIMITED SEATING

This special afternoon will include:
💙 A presentation about apraxia and non-speaking autism
💬 Real conversations and Q&A with Luke, Damon & Cash
🎁 Door prizes!
🥛 Refreshments provided!

https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/unmuted-tickets-1993794988482?aff=oddtdtcreator

05/22/2026

05/14/2026

📣Spellingway is thrilled to announce that we have a new Director!

👏Please welcome Andrew Milivojevich as our Director at Large—Research & Impact.

Sandra and Luke met Andrew, his wife, and son Nicholas—fellow Speller—a few years ago when they took a trip to BC. Nicholas is a published children's book author... you can find his books on Amazon under “Detective Nick.”

Andrew reached out to Spellingway recently to share the incredible research he's been doing to support spelling on a letterboard for communication. Unanimously, we agreed that Andrew would be an incredible asset to our Society.

​ABOUT ANDREW:
Andrew Milivojevich brings to Spellingway a unique blend of engineering, statistics, Experimental Development, and lived commitment to supporting non-speaking autistics. As a Professional Engineer and Statistician, with extensive experience advising government, academia, and industry, Andrew has spent his career helping organizations turn complex problems into practical, evidence-informed solutions.

​His work in Experimental Development has focused on using disciplined inquiry, measurement, and iterative learning to create meaningful real-world improvement. Andrew is also the founder of the Letterboard App Project, a research-focused initiative exploring how iPad-based touch interaction data and kinematic learning methods can help better understand and support communication access for non-speaking autistic individuals.

At Spellingway, Andrew applies this same research-informed and human-centered mindset to the organization’s Research & Impact portfolio—helping connect lived experience, emerging evidence, and practical outcomes that matter to non-speaking autistics and their families.

​Andrew is deeply committed to presuming competence, expanding communication access, and ensuring that research serves people first. His leadership is grounded in both technical rigor and human empathy, with a focus on helping Spellingway demonstrate impact, build trust with donors and families, and advance a future where non-speaking autistics are recognized for their intelligence, agency, and full humanity.

Welcome, Andrew!