Easterseals Michigan Fall/Winter 2016
What is Easterseals? Easterseals is A grassroots community-based organization Supported by thousands of volunteers and millions of donors Helping more than one million Americans facing disability Easterseals is There for children, parents, seniors, caregivers, and veterans…day in and day out Providing training, specially designed supports, innovative services and unending encouragement Easterseals is Thousands of care centers all across the country providing vital services at home or close to home Easterseals is One of the highest rated charities in America Easterseals is Challenging America to recognize the new face of disability Taking on Autism Development delays Behavioral health challenges Employment Caregiving Changing the way the world defines and views disability… whether physical, intellectual, emotional or social by making profound, positive differences in people’s lives…everyday Easterseals is you, your family, your neighbors, your colleagues, and your friends Refusing to give up Believing that everyone with a disability can reach their potential Knowing the world can be a better place if we all work together Easterseals is you me all of us… Taking on disability together.
Event Wrap Up Thank you to all of those that made these events a success. From sponsors to volunteers, we couldn’t have done it without you!
Color Me Extraordinary Family Fun 5K Run On June 25, over 800 people joined Easterseals Michigan and the Auburn Hills Chamber of Commerce for our Color Me Extraordinary 5K through downtown Auburn Hills. The event raised over $16,000 and was a huge success. People of all ages, abilities and skill levels took part in this family fun outing.
Walk With Me This summer we held two Walk With Me events. On June 14, we held our 12th annual Grand Rapids walk at the John Ball Park and Zoo. The event was attended by over 400 people and raised over $40,000. Then on August 7, we had our 8th annual Detroit walk at the Detroit Zoo where over 1,200 people helped to raise over $40,000.
Over the Edge On September 24, we held our most extreme event of the year, Over the Edge. This white-knuckle experience allowed participants to rappel 345 feet down the side of the Plaza Towers in Grand Rapids. The event was heavily covered by the Grand Rapids media and we had close to 70 rappellers take on the massive challenge. Over $85,000 was raised for our services and we couldn’t be happier with the exposure the event got for Easterseals Michigan and our programs. Plans are already underway for 2017. Integrated Health & Wellness Fair On September 10, we held our first Integrated Health & Wellness Fair at the Southfield Pavilion. Easterseals Michigan partnered with Oakland Integrated Healthcare Network for this free event that was open for people of all ages and was well attended by members of the community. The event provided tons of resources, giveaways and activities for the community. The biggest draws were the free massages, free yoga sessions, and the bounce house.
Miracle League Concession Stand Take Me Out to Eat at the Ballgame! Easterseals has been proudly serving Michigan for nearly 100 years. We began with a focus on children with disabilities and provided numerous groundbreaking treatments that would eventually become industry standard. In an attempt to make these treatments enjoyable, we incorporated an element of play. It kept the children engaged and they had fun while also working on fine motor skill development. One of the first of these therapies was baseball, which has been part of Easterseals since the 1920s and still exists today. Several years ago we added the Miracle League of Michigan to our family of services. Easterseals Miracle League of Michigan provides children with disabilities an opportunity to play baseball as a team member in an organized league, a league that gives these individuals the opportunity to get out in the sunshine, and enjoy playing the game of baseball in its purest form.
years planning and securing funding in order to build a structure that we think will meet those needs. This building was made possible by donor dollars and private in-kind donations. In September we opened this new facility that now offers ample covered seating, public restrooms, fully accessible restrooms with motorized changing stations which offer convenience and dignity for our families, and a state of the art kitchen that is able to provide healthy food options. Thank you to all of the donors that contributed to the building and we welcome everyone to come and see your dollars at work! Learn more at www. EastersealsMichigan.com.
The baseball field is located in Southfield, Michigan. It is a custom-designed venue that incorporates a cushioned synthetic turf that accommodates wheelchairs and other walking assistance devices, while helping prevent injuries. In other words, it provides a level-playing field where individuals with disabilities can hit, run, and catch- just like the best of them. When we became involved with the league we recognized the need for a larger, more accessible facility to house the bathrooms and concessions. We spent the past couple of
Stay Stay connected connected to to Easterseals Easter SealsMichigan! Michigan!
Find sitesfor forfun funcontests, contests, heartwarming stories breaking Find us us on on these these sites heartwarming stories and and breaking ESM ESM news!news! EastersealsMichigan.com
facebook.com/EastersealsMI
twitter.com/EastersealsMI
Spotlight Spotlight On… Cassidy Cassidy was born 3 ½ months prematurely and only weighed one pound, five ounces. From the very beginning of her life she was a fighter. Due to her premature birth she has a disability that impairs her vision. She was diagnosed Cassidy as a newborn. She was slightly larger than a dollar bill. with numerous developmental disabilities and her family was told that she would have to work very hard in order to be at the same level as other children her age. To help Cassidy, her parents placed her in special education classes. It’s a good thing that Cassidy was so determined because eventually her achievement scores were so high that she tested out of her classes and no longer needed special education.
Cassidy as a toddler, working on her motor skills
Her initial diagnosis was never something that Cassidy completely embraced and soon she was challenging the diagnosis. This led to additional testing and it turned out that Cassidy was actually on the autism spectrum and had obsessive compulsive disorder. This misdiagnosis meant that Cassidy had been receiving
unnecessary treatment for a disability that she didn’t have and she hadn’t been receiving the proper treatment that could have really helped her. She explored many different options and settled on Easterseals Michigan to receive services. “Before Easterseals Michigan I felt helpless” says Cassidy, “now I don’t feel that way anymore.” Today, Cassidy is 19 years old and she has devoted her life to being a voice for others. She has made huge strides in her treatment. Last year she reached a major milestone by graduating high school and starting college; something that she never thought she would be able to do. She also started her own YouTube channel and is a very big advocate in her community where she speaks up for people with disabilities, especially individuals who have been misdiagnosed. She is a true champion for others! We are so proud of Cassidy and the accomplishments she has made. We are looking forward to seeing what she will do next!
Cassidy (right) as she is today, along with her Easterseals Michigan clinician, Nicole Nasierowski (left).
Raffle winners Thank you to everyone who participates in these raffles. Your support helps us to serve over 10,800 families every year.
Clark D. of Dallas, TX won $100,000 on June 4, 2016
Spence B. of Livonia, MI won $55,000 and his dream car on July 30, 2016.
Victoria D. of Shelby Township, MI won a 2017 Corvette and $50,000 on September 17, 2016.
The Presidents’ Council honors the generous individuals who support Easterseals Michigan with an annual gift of $1,000 or more. The companies and individuals honored below donated between January 1 and September 30, 2016. There’s still time to donate in 2016! Contact Stephanie at 248-475-6412 or sholland@essmichigan.org to learn how you can join the Presidents’ Council! Independence Level $25,000+ Amway John E. Thomas Irrevocable Trust John H. Welker Empowerment Level $10,000 - $24,900 Flagstar Bank Katherine E. Mann Trust PCE Systems UPS Foundation, Inc. Mark Waad Opportunity Level $5,000 - $9,999 Alpha Gamma Rho-Tau Chapter Delphi Foundation Galencher Nagy Foundation, Inc. Genisys Credit Union Greater Muskegon Area Women’s Pocket Billiards League Gun Lake Casino Jack’s Place For Autism Foundation Lear Corporation Michigan Farm Bureau Insurance University of Michigan Greek Week The Andersons Dignity Level $2,500 - $4,999 BorgWarner Health Alliance Plan of Michigan Kohl’s Department Stores, Inc. Marsh & McLennan Agency LLC Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine UHY Advisors Mary Beth Kiefer
Michael Kupinski Sam Pizzo Sherman Taylor David R. Vanderhovel Ability Level $1,000 - $2,499 Diamabrush, LLC Eenhoorn, LLC Epsilon Sigma Alpha Foundation ESYS Automation Fram Management Group Genesis Financial Partners George H. Fisher Estate Henniges Automotive Levine Benjamin Law Office National Christian Foundation West Michigan NBS Commercial Interiors Oak Electric Service, Inc. Our Special Needs Ronald L. Spitzley Living Trust Samuel L. Westerman Foundation Sherwin Williams Southfield Firefighters Assoc. Charity Fund The Chivery, LLC United Way for Southeastern Michigan Walmart Headquarters Dolores Ammar Diane R. Austin* Richard A. Austin Charles W. Avis Spence Babcock Duane Babinski Troy Barnhart^ Ilene Beers Richard Berkfield Jack J. Boak Thomas G. Broders Joni Brooks * Easterseals Michigan Employee
Keith W. Miller John Minnick Leo Mitchell Melissa A. Moody* Danny Moore Valissa Naganashe Peter Nagle Mindy O’Brien* Frank Pace Norb Promo* Sharon T. Riordan Ronald Rose Amy J. Ruth Christopher J. Sanchez Todd Santomauro Bruce Schuman Dwayne Seals Steve Slater Dr. Richard Solomon* Terry Spicer Neil Springer Wendy Standifer* Trison Stein Thomas E. Stephens Julia Swanson^ John R. Szlenkier Elizabeth Traver Robert Tremblay Lee Uhlig^ Matthew Van Haaren^ David Vanlangenhoven John J. Watson James Whitaker Ian Wilson^ Brent Wirth* Stephanie Wolf Hull* Michael Woods Gregory S. Wronkowicz Marisa D. Youngblood* Tsumluck A. Yu Mark Zinn
Jeffery J. Camboia* Frances E. Creveling Jackie and Bill Dangl^ Donna DeFilippo Stephen Destafano Dennis P. Dickstein Duane Dunn Denise Durkee* Bradley Ellis David Enrici Frank Ewasyshyn Dr. Samuel Flanders^ Patrick Fox Norbert Froeschke Kenneth Gabriel^ Fred L. Gibson James M. Gray Bernard Gross David Haas Juliana Harper* Leonard Hayes John H. Hiner Thomas M. Hogan Jackie Hooper* Toby L. Horner* Claire Hulleza* Mary Lou Ihrke Michael Jacobson^ Jeff Jackson Angela D. Jones Daniel Kalinowski Paul Kamps John and Elizabeth Kersten^ Carl Kolenda Donald F. Kopka Mark Kurzawa Jack Long Larry W. Markland Peter McElroy^ Terry McLaughlin* Russell McLean Nancy R. McNamara John J. Miller ^ Easterseals Michigan Board Member
This Holiday Season Create a World Better Than They Ever Imagined! For as little as $25, your contribution to Easterseals Michigan will help individuals with disabilities or special needs to successfully live, learn, work and play in their communities!
Easterseals Michigan's 2016 Child Ambassadors
Gift planning team:
248.475.6409
Norb Promo - npromo@essmichigan.org
fun ocamaraderie All for a good cause.
30th Anniversary
February 3 – February 5, 2017
For more details and to register, go to EastersealsMichigan.com
MEET ALL OF YOUR FAVORITE GRIFFINS PLAYERS
benefitting Join us on February 21, 2017 Tickets are on sale this January Like Easterseals Michigan on Facebook to get event updates. For information go to: www.EastersealsMichigan.com or call
616.942.2081
Save the Date The Cheers Gala Friday, December 2, 2016 Waterford, MI For Women Only Snowmobile Ride Friday, February 3 – Sunday, February 5, 2017 Grayling, MI Corks, Pucks and Brews Tuesday, February 21, 2017 Grand Rapids, MI
Board Updates Did you know that our board meetings are open to the public? They are! These meeting are held four times a year and take place from 6 pm – 8 pm. Our next meeting will be on December 12. This meeting will include our board elections for the coming year. Would you like to become a board member? If you are interested in becoming a board member visit www.EastersealsMichigan.com, under the Leadership section to download the application.
Learn more about these events at www.EastersealsMichigan.com.
Hang out with us at any of these fun upcoming events!
In September, board member, Jackie Dangl, went “Over the Edge” for Easterseals Michigan.
Board member, Paul Haviland, with Easterseals Michigan ambassador, Punky, and her sister, Sophia.
Go to www.EastersealsMichigan.com to learn more.
Save the date! The Cheers Gala 2016
to benefit Easterseals Michigan Friday, December 2, 2016 6:30 pm The World Heritage Air Museum Airport Hangar Oakland County International Airport • Festive Holiday Cheer • Cocktails and an Exquisite Strolling Dinner • Live Entertainment • Casino Games • Vintage Airplanes Registration is now open at www.EastersealsMichigan.com
If you would like to be removed from our mailing list, email Craig Sharum at csharum@essmichigan.org. www.EastersealsMichigan.com Easterseals Michigan 2399 E. Walton Blvd. Auburn Hills MI 48326 Non-Profit Organization U.S. Postage PAID Southfield, MI Permit No. 271