Inclusion In Action | Digital Magazine | Vol.3

A MESSAGE FROM MORGAN'S DAD

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A CELEBRATION SO BIG, WE NEED 4 DAYS!

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A MESSAGE FROM OUR PRESIDENT / CEO

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MORE DELIGHTFUL THAN FRIGHTFUL HALLOWEEN

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HEARTS OF GOLD AWARDS

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WONDERLAND CHRISTMAS

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SNOWBALL 2022

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SPORTS CORNER

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COMMUNITY BASED INSTRUCTION IS BACK

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KEEPING UP WITH CAMP

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MAKING MOVES AT THE MAC

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A CELEBRATION SO BIG, WE NEEDED 4 DAYS! This fall, we held several special events to celebrate the grand opening of our newest venue – The Multi-Assistance Center at Morgan’s Wonderland! The MAC will revolutionize healthcare for individuals with disabilities. Learn more about The Mac. Thanks to the tremendous outpouring of support from the community, we were able to raise just over $1,000,000. A new record!

September 23, 2022

Guests at our Visionary Dinner Reception were the first ever to attend an event in our new MAC facility. They were given guided tours of the building and had an opportunity to meet with Navigators, providers (MACers) and community partners that will be providing services to our members. The first-floor conference space was transformed into a ballroom for the evening where guests enjoyed an elegant dinner and program where founder, Gordon Hartman, Morgan’s Inclusion Initiative CEO, Dr. Brent Fields and MAC CEO, Allan Castro all spoke to the incredible, life-changing potential of the unique MAC care model.

October 1, 2022

We'd like to thank everyone who attended our 13th Annual Gala, "A New Day, An Inclusive Way!" in the Morgan's Wonderland Event Center this year.

Guests started the evening with a cocktail reception in our outdoor Picnic Place. KENS 5 Meteorologist, Bill Taylor, kicked of the program with a performance by the Inclusion Fusion Show Choir followed by a surprise dueling pianos segment. Remarks were delivered by Morgan’s Inclusion Initiative CEO, Dr. Brent Fields and Founder, Gordon Hartman.

Our guest speaker for the evening was Joe Mantegna, Actor & Philanthropist, of Criminal Minds fame. Joe spoke about his firsthand challenges and rewards of raising a child with autism.

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October 2, 2022

A huge thank you goes out to the San Antonio community for coming out to celebrate the grand opening celebration of The MAC! Thousands showed up to this free event to learn about this new facility and the services it will provide. The program for this monumental day was led by emcees Morgan’s Inclusion Initiative Creative Media Director, Leslie Mouton and KSAT Meteorologist, Mike Osterhage and featured speeches by Founder, Gordon Hartman; Morgan’s Inclusion Initiative CEO, Dr. Brent Fields; MAC CEO, Allan Castro; Actor, Joe Mantegna; Mayor Ron Nirenberg and Lt. Governor Dan Patrick.

After the program, guests were invited to tour the facility, visit with providers (MACers) at a Resource Fair, dance to the music of DJ Happy and enjoy great food provided by several food trucks from local restaurants.

This year’s annual TV special was dedicated to educating the public about the new Multi-Assistance Center at Morgan’s Wonderland. This one hour, commercial-free special was written, directed and hosted by Morgan’s Inclusion Initiative Creative Media Director, Leslie Mouton and aired on all 4 major networks between September 23rd – October 1.

If you missed it live on television or want to watch it again you can view by clicking on the link below to our YouTube channel.

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I started this job in November of 2021 and just want to say “thanks” for your warm hospitality, reaching out with so much kindness and support, and just helping me navigate this new space with all the grace and collaboration that I’ve heard about San Antonio.

Approaching the end of my first year with this organization, my mantra is “privileged and grateful”. I have the honor of doing work that matters, with people I enjoy, and living in this amazing community. I don’t take any of that for granted, and I feel a responsibility to not waste this opportunity.

That brings me to the great Morgan’s Wonderland mission: To improve the quality of life for individuals…of all ages and

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abilities…through initiatives that produce fully inclusive, Ultra-Accessible experiences.

Many of you know the story better than me.

It all started just over 12 years ago with the creation of a theme park…then a water park…then a sports complex…then a camp… and now a multi-assistance center! These five separate and unique nonprofit entities are each providing one-of-kind experiences that are intentional about including those living with a disability.

These five different endeavors (and more to come) are part of a larger enterprise or parent company known as Morgan’s Inclusion Initiative. It’s my honor to serve as the president of this umbrella organization

with about 100 paid staff; nearly $150m in assets; welcoming and serving millions of guests from all 50 states and 122 countries.

Benefiting the special needs community is important when you consider that 15% of the world’s population is living with a disability. That makes it the largest minority group on the planet! Said differently, 1 in every 4 adults are living with a disability and the other three are likely to experience a disability sometime in their lifetime.

But it’s not just about showing up for our friends with special needs…it’s about bringing together those with and without disabilities…and creating a space for awareness, understanding, and a shift in perspective! That’s where our vision comes into play: To spark cultural change in order to create a more inclusive world.

The Morgan’s family of endeavors began with a spark of innovation, and it continues to create cultural change…informing a different perspective about what it means to be inclusive! We’re so much more than just a place, a building/property, a service or experience. Each of our entities are demonstrations of that innovation… examples of the impact that is possible when you ignite a shift in thinking about how things can be.

Most of the places we go as a family (with my daughter Chloe, a medically fragile kid who lives with lots of disabilities) and things we do with her involve disappointment because it’s not accessible, or what is available for her is very segregated and isolated. I think about what it feels like to experience one of the Morgan’s endeavors…like it was created

with her in mind…that they “get us” …that we belong there…and we are not the only ones. Those experiences ignite me to think about the possibilities and how the world could change and be more inclusive. It sparks a belief in me that the world can and should be better…more inclusive; that these five different entities stand as shining examples of what’s possible through innovation and persistence.

For all the naysayers out there, who suggest it can’t be done, it won’t work, it’s too expensive, or that others won’t show up…these places are proof that it can be done, it has been done, and there’s so much more that must be done! We’re in the innovation business…to spark cultural change. We don’t just do parks, camps, and centers…we do innovation that makes the world a more inclusive space. We demonstrate that vision by solving real problems, creating places and experiences that people need/deserve, and in so doing we serve as a catalyst for other endeavors I don’t know about you but I’m in this to change the world. Nothing less is enough.

Thanks for being part of this journey with us and the honor of partnership together on things that matter. Together, we ARE making a difference and we’re just getting started!

Dr. Brent Fields

President/CEO, Morgan's Inclusion Initiative

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MORE DELIGHTFUL THAN FRIGHTFUL

HALLOWEEN Wear your favorite delightful-not-frightful Halloween costume for a safe night of trickor-treating surrounded by your favorite Morgan's Wonderland attractions.

Non-perishable food items per person to receive free admission for Halloween.

Bring donations Oct. 1- 30 to Morgan's Wonderland Welcome Center Monday - Saturday: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. and Sunday: 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Tickets per person available at MorgansWonderland.com.

Individuals with special needs and children 2 & under are always admitted free.

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Tickets and vouchers valid for only Oct. 31, 2022.

All donated items and a portion of the proceeds raised for this event will be donated to The San Antonio Food Bank.

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REGISTER TODAY

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Community Based Instruction Is BACK FIELD TRIPS WITH A PURPOSE

Community Based Instruction (CBI) is BACK at Morgan's Wonderland for the Fall 2022 season!

CBIs at Morgan’s Wonderland enables elementary school students to be actively engaged in learning. Students can enjoy four 25-minute lesson rotations throughout the park, all while embracing the mission of Morgan’s Wonderland – inclusion.

Our lessons were created in conjunction with Regions 1-20 Education Service Centers and Texas Education Agency. As a result, teachers will not lose teaching days when their classes are engaged in this educational experience.

To learn more about Community Based Instruction, visit us online at www.MorgansWonderland.com

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Keeping Up With Camp A WONDERFUL SUMMER This August we officially concluded our first full summer here at Morgan’s Wonderland Camp, and wow, was it jam packed with fun! We had a fantastic time welcoming over 1,800 visitors, both new and old, from all over Texas AND from 18 other states!

Even our summer staff traveled across Texas, the U.S., and 5 other countries to experience some MWC magic. Our campers had a blast soaring through the sky on our Canyon Run zipline, catching some rays while floating on our relaxing river, sharpening their archery skills at Cavalry Range, and so much more. Although the summer has come to a close, we are lucky enough to welcome groups to Camp yearround!

For more information on how to bring your group to MWC, please visit our website at morganswonderlandcamp.com or email campinfo@morganswonderland.com.

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ARTS & CRAFTS DONATIONS As camp grows and the number of smiling faces we meet increases, so does the number of arts and crafts supplies we need! Do you have leftover scrapbook supplies from past crafts, or old editions of magazines lying around? If you have materials you are no longer using we would happily accept them in an effort to reduce landfill waste, fill our crafting supply closet, and create memories that last a lifetime! A few examples of items we are looking for are magazines, beads, fabric scraps, recyclable goods (cardboard tubes and egg cartons, small glass jars). For questions about where to donate please contact mwc@morganswonderland.com.

COMING SOON SPONSOR-A-HORSE AT MWC! Starting soon, Morgan’s Wonderland Camp will offer annual “Sponsor-A-Horse” opportunities for anyone (or any group!) interested in giving back to our fourlegged friends here at Camp. By sponsoring a horse, you will have access to a private riding experience, a holiday picture with your sponsored horse, opportunities for visits to see your chosen equine, and much, much more! 2023 sponsorship spots will be available starting this November, and sponsorship will officially start in January! Availability will be limited to one individual or group per horse, so make sure to sign up for the MWC newsletter for more information and updates on our official release date by visiting morganswonderlandcamp.com.

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Making Moves At The MAC GRAND OPENING EVENT On Sunday, October 2nd, we invited the public to attend the Grand Opening Celebration of The Multi-Assistance Center (MAC) at Morgan’s Wonderland.

We hosted a variety of guest speakers, from Joe Mantegna (Criminal Minds), Mayor Ron Nirenberg, Lt. Governor Dan Patrick, the CEO of The MAC, Allan Castro, and our Founder, Gordon Hartman.

Community members took a tour of 165,000 sq. ft. facility and enjoyed a resource fair where they could learn about service providers housed at The MAC (known as MACers).

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PRACTICE WITHOUT PRESSURE Practice Without Pressure™ (PWP) is a philosophy and model of care that works with the individual, the caregiver, family, and the professionals who serve them.

Through specialized training and creating a supportive atmosphere, PWP aims to eliminate the need for sedation, anesthesia, and restraint in providing medical, dental, or personal care services to individuals with special needs and disabilities.

To contact our PWP team, please call or email our PWP Manager Tina Galindo at 210.764.4412 tina.galindo@morganswonderland.com.

HOLDING COURT WITH JUDGE VASQUEZ AT THE MAC Judge Vasquez proudly collaborates with The MAC to make Probate Court 2 more accessible and inclusive for those in Bexar County living with special needs and disabilities.

Individuals with special needs and disabilities wind up in probate court at a highly disproportionate rate. As a Judge, Veronica Vasquez worked to advocate for these groups as they navigate the court system.

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