31 for 21: TEAM VADA Needs You

This Saturday is our local Down syndrome awareness walk. It'll be our third year in a row for participating and I am looking forward to going. Actually, I am giddy with excitement. Next to the Gala this walk is one of the events I look forward to all year! 

This year I made "TEAM VADA's" fundraising goal $3000.00, I think I may have over estimated things a bit but we are SO stinking close to reaching this goal!!! Currently TEAM VADA has met 89% of our goal, leaving a remainder of $328.00 to raise! Not bad, not bad at all but I still have high hopes of Raising the amount that I set out to raise and that's where you might come in. Can you help TEAM VADA? Have you donated to TEAM VADA already? We. Need. You!

Time is running out, come this Saturday they will be adding everything up to determine who raised the most in first and second place amounts. If TEAM VADA comes in for first place then Vada will have her picture on a large window of GiGi's this time! In a few months the photo from last year is coming down and I don't want to stop seeing her sweet face every time I drive by GiGi's Playhouse. I love that she gets to be one of the beauties up there changing the way people look at individuals with Down syndrome, so please, if you haven't made your donation yet, please do so now. It will make all of the difference no matter what the amount is for!

Here is a direct link to VADA's Donation Page:

http://www.active.com/donate/gigisqc/TeamVADA

Come Walk With Us

2010

It's that time of year again!!!.. It's time to walk for a wonderful cause! This October 6th come walk with "Team Vada", we'd love to have you there! Would you love to walk but live too far away? You can still register for the walk and get your 2012 Walking with GiGi's T-shirts, ill send them to you myself (If you let me know that you registered). Maybe you don't want to register but would like to donate? You can do that too. Here is the direct link to Vada's donation page http://www.active.com/donate/gigisqc/TeamVADA. You can register and or donate directly here. Make sure that you add "Team Vada" where ever it asks who you are donating for or walking with. 

Are you unfamiliar with GiGi's Playhouses,  just click on their name to read about who they are. Click here to read about how GiGi's started and where your money will go . 

And look... 

Vada may actually be walking with us this year!!!

Team Vada

We want to thank each and everyone of you who supported "Team Vada" this year. By supporting Vada you also helped support GiGi's Playhouse of the Quad Cities. We are so grateful to have a GiGi's in our area and please know that your donations have done a great deal for this organization!

Team Vada raised $1600.00 in personal donations (donations given directly to us to be used towards getting Miss V on one of the windows at GiGi's). We also raised over $1200.00 in direct donations (I am afraid that I cant give an exact amount because I just don't know). Plus, we had twenty-eight walkers (thirty-three including Justin, the girls and I), making an estimated total somewhere around  $3200.00 that was raised and fully donated to GiGi's!!!

We couldn't have done it with our you!

I'm am thrilled beyond any measure to announce that Vada's name was drawn for the girl to be on one of GiGi's of the QC windows! Can I get a "Woot! Woot!"?

GiGi's is off of John Deere Road here in Moline and it's windows face out towards John Deere Road, so soon you'll be able to drive by and see our sweet baby girls face! We'll announce when her picture does go up-- of course!

This year we are making our thanks you's and we will be sending individual cards out to all of Vada's supporters. I can't wait to show you what we've come up with for the cards. Until I get them sent out I want to Thank all of you now, here. So, in a totally random order here's  the names of those who supported our girl.... (If I left anyone out don't be shy... TELL ME because it would be unacceptable leaving people unacknowledged.)...

SSAB

Whitey's Ice Cream (The Tunberg Family)

Mudpuddle Roo's (Rhonda McKinley)
Donut Delite (Steve and Sue Lillybeck)
Jai Johnson Karate Center
Georges Classic Cleaners

Jim and Annette Wilson
Augie and Suzan Svatek
Grandma Martha Dhondt
Grandma Doris Wilson
Bruce and Michelle Wild
Larry, Kris and Amy Heiland
Chris and Lindsey Pinkerton and Family
Aaron and Calder Wilson and Family
Charlie Wilson
Bob Wilson
Ed and Becky Burr and Family
Charity Moulds and Family

Jake and Jessica Witt
David Moulds
Ricky and Desiree Gillespie and Family
Tim and Janel Miner and Family
Nate and Amy Scott and Family
Chad and Katy Chilund and Family
Craig and Jen Kronberg and Family
Denny and Carol Swenson
Kenneth Fuller

Larry E. Powell

Jon Sawyer

Ken Henkel

Jeff Ortiz

Chad Greenlee

Frank Murphy

Kenny O'Donnell

Eric Engelbrecht

Vick Miller

Howard Feeler

Mark Druien

Dan Riffner

Bryan O. Smith

Jim Ordean

Chris Anderson

Jason Row

Troy Welch

Mike Hunter

Donald Groeinger

Billy Hatton

Todd Bauamann

Mike Taylor

Rick Robinson

Nate Wagner

Shawn Gillespie

Chad Bhling

Bob Haag

Joe Costello

Ken Trobaugh

Guido Camplese

Doug Beland

Gabe Hagen

Jason Gedye

D.J. Horvath

Mike E. Geesey

Lance Dowsett

Lloyd Fulkerson

Tobin Ramson

Phil Bisbey
LLoyd Fulkerson
Greg Paetz
Bill Tallman
Lyle Stalheim
Andy Dykema
Jay Burkamper
A very special thank you to our girl Vada for blessing our nights and days with her smiles, sweet voice and constant determination!  

“You can’t have a perfect day without doing something for someone who’ll never be able to repay you.”— John Wooden

Our day was perfect because of all of you!

GiGi's Playhouse of the QCA and The 2011 Awareness Walk

Today Vada and I took a tour of our local (soon to be opened) GiGi's Playhouse. GiGi's is a Down syndrome awareness center that has a vision where individuals with Down syndrome are accepted and embraced not only by their families but from their schools and their communities. GiGi's mission is to increase positive awareness of Down syndrome by empowering individuals who have it as well as empowering their families and the communities that they live in. If you would like to read the beautiful story on how GiGi's began click here.

Today was just a quick drop in to visit with Michelle, who is the site coordinator for the QC GiGi's (and also someone that I consider a friend).  She gave us a quick tour and we discussed all of the exciting plans for the near future. I can not put into words how thrilled I am that GiGi's is here and that Vada as well as myself and my family will somehow be a part of it.

Vada was sleepy and snuggling up with Michelle.

We have less than a month (twenty-eight days to be exact) until the Quad City GiGi's is open! The Grand Opening will be on the same day as the awareness walk, just a little later in the day so it's going to be a busy one for many people.

There is still a lot left to do before GiGi's is open but it'll get done and it sounds like its going to look amazing!  It does look a little bare right now but tomorrow the stage is arriving and since every GiGi's has to have a stage, this is a huge step forward.

GiGi's offers a wide variety of programs and activities for all ages. Some of the activities that I am excited for Vada to be able to participate in are The Walkers Program- it helps strengthen the skills in children who are beginning to walk. The 2 &Under Group- it promotes positive beginnings for families with an infant or a toddler with Down syndrome. Its main focus is on ongoing support and networking for new and current families-- anyone who knows me or who has done even the slightest of reading from my blog knows that I love, love, love meeting new families and their children who shares having a bonus chromosome in common with our Vada! There is a group called Daddy and Me that I am interesting in as well, although I am not for sure on the age requirement for that particular group and I think the programs that are offered varies from one location to another depending on the groups that are participating. Anyway, Daddy and Me promotes positive interaction and social networking between children with Ds and their male role models. How cool is that? Sibling Time is another group that I am hoping to have in our QC location. Sibling Time is a group that offers a positive place to share about life with a sibling with Ds.  

With so much to offer its hard to not get excited about everything GiGi's will bring, not just for Vada but for everyone in our area. I can't wait!

One last thing that has to do with GiGi's is the Fundraising Walk that our local Down Syndrome Family Group is doing-- it's quickly approaching! The walk will be on October 1st at 10AM. In the past years we have done The Buddy Walk. However, this year we will be doing Walking on the Upside of Down Syndrome for GiGi's Playhouse of the Quad Cities (link to registration is attached). All of the money raised from the walk will be specifically for the QC GiGi's and its programming.

Last year we had almost thirty people join "Team Vada" and we would love to have any and all of our friends join us again this year. If you are interested click on the link and sign up. If you have any questions feel free to contact me. If your unable to attend the walk but would like to make a donation, contact me.

Registration for this years walk will be accepted after September 16th and even on the day of the walk. However, if you register after the 16th you will not be guaranteed a Tshirt.

Last year Vada was unable to come to the walk, this year (as long as she is not sick) were bringing her along for what we consider a great celebration of beauty, life and all of God's perfections! I really hope to see you there!