|
Our Inaugural Mari’s Miles of Smiles Event and Our Community
We are fewer than three weeks away from our first Mari’s Miles of Smiles 10K and Family Fun K event. The outpouring of support in our municipality to our organizational efforts has been overwhelming….but not surprising. The charitable instincts of local residents are well documented yet never cease to amaze. We have been lucky to have many volunteers who have served on many non-profit boards and committees over the years, and for their help we are eternally grateful.
The desire to give back is easy when you have been given you so much. My four year old daughter Mari has gone from having no expressive language 12 months ago to being able to speak two word phrases and adding a new vocabulary word or two almost every week. A year or so ago she and many of her classmates had trouble focusing on tasks for more than a minute or two at a time; now, I have seen them sit down, eat their meals in one sitting, take their dishes to the kitchen and clean up in ten minute sessions (the rest of my family has a hard time with that!) It was hard to envision Mari achieving these simple goals a year ago. And it wouldn’t have happened without a lot of great help from her early intervention specialists and a lot of hard work on her part (and her buddies, too!).
So, we give back. And we thank those who are running and walking and having fun with us on September 25. And for those reaching beyond what they have normally run, and are trying their first 10K, we applaud your courage. With each stride you take, from Kilometer 1 to Kilometer 10, you will be helping Mari and her buddies, and all the little kids who will come after them, reach their goals, one step at a time. Your achievement will help their achievement. That is an awesome thing, and with that inspiration we know you can do it!
Cheshire Post Article
The Meriden Record Journal publishes a weekly articles-of-interest edition entitled “The Cheshire Post.” The August 5 edition featured a great article (reprinted from July 20) under the headline “Autistic Teens Help TV Production.” The Meriden public access coordinator for Cox put together a TV program entitled “On the Spectrum”, whose technical team, including camera operators, sound technicians and producers are teens with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). It is great! Without restating the article here, prepare to be uplifted when you visit the Record Journal article here. And we are thrilled to have the Autism Spectrum Resource Center, featured prominently in the article, as guests at our Family Fun K. Staff and members will be present to share information for parents, family members and friends of kids and adults on the autism spectrum. We are thrilled that they will be with us.
Back To School
My personal favorite TV advertisement of the last ten years: the Staples offering where the overjoyed father is gleefully buying back to school supplies for his unhappy kids to the strains of “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year.” (I am laughing just typing this!) Still, putting the little ones on the bus or thinking of them doing their thing throughout the day might give you pause. To put your mind a little bit at ease, Cheshire has a great program where you can register with the Police Department the name and details of your special needs child lest she or he wander off. For example, a child with a hearing disability or, like our daughter, may not readily respond to her name will be identified to the police department as such so that, heaven forbid, they are required to assist in a search, they have as many details as possible in their possession. Please call the Town’s Director, Youth and Social Services, Michelle Piccerillo, at 203-271-6690 for details.
Good luck moms and dads, and you little princes and princesses. Go learn something!
Matt Hall, President
The Mari Hall Family Foundation, Inc.
PS: Please help us get the word out Share Us
|
