Sunshine Today - Spring 2023

Family Time

Family traditions keep Kelly and her dad connected more than ever.

SUNSHINE

Sharing traditions one cup at a time

Kelly

is the type of girl who turns around while riding a roller coaster, to see if those behind her are having fun. She has always been courageous.

If you talk to her Sunshine friends, you will hear them describe her great laugh and her mischievousness. She loves girl talk with her friends and books with a strong female heroine. She has complex feelings and a sad song will put her in tears.

When Kelly was born, the first 20 minutes of her life were scary, she wasn’t breathing right away and had seizures. Her parents, Dave and Naomi, enrolled her in early intervention programs and became part of the local disability community. She lived at home with her family for 16 years until an opening became available at Sunshine – an organization close to home, with a good reputation.

The transition was hard for Kelly and her family but they found ways to stay close. “As a family, we all

gathered around the kitchen. We lived there more than other rooms,” said Dave. During their Sunday visits Dave would cook meals for the family while Kelly watched at the counter. He would whisk, measure, and blend soup, mimicking the shows they love from the Food Network. Kelly loved her personal cooking show.

Kelly was able to continue her family traditions at Sunshine as well. She rode horses at the barn, swam in the pool, and went on outings such as bowling, shopping, and on visits to Olive Garden with beloved staff. She also held a job delivering mail to offices.

In recent years, Kelly has leaned on her courageous spirit. She was placed on hospice for a year, but overcame her medical issues and graduated back to good health. Last year her mom, Naomi, passed away. Naomi was an incredible mom to Kelly and treated all at Sunshine as a part of their family. She made sure the house had marigolds, decorations,

ornaments with pictures of each housemate, pizza parties, and more. Their family traditions are different now but with familiar heritage. When Kelly was young they would read about the history of coffee and have tastings - smelling, grinding, and brewing the beans. These days, Dave visits Kelly daily at Sunshine and they still share a love for coffee. They may prefer Arabica beans over others, but they are adventurous in trying new ones. It brings them together and is something to look forward to. In the winter they enjoy trips to Georgette’s, where Kelly can see Sunshine friends and community members.

Kelly’s life at Sunshine has included all of the love and traditions from her relatives and Sunshine community alike. From our Sunshine family, we’re thankful to have shared these 30+ years with Kelly, and we are excited to see what she conquers next.

“Because of Sunshine she has a better and fuller life. She’s had wonderful caregivers in her life over the last 30 years with Sunshine,” said Dave.

Upcoming events

Toledo Edison gives back

AUG SEP

2 7 19 16 11 9 11

Volunteering

Islamic Food Bank of Toledo

5:30pm

Good Friday Service & Egg Hunt

Main campus

12:30pm-2:30pm

Talent Show

Courtyard stage

11:00am-2:30pm

Summer Concert Series: Arctic Clam

Boardwalk stage

6:00pm-8:00pm

Tuesdays, Trucks, and Tunes

Courtyard stage

11:30am-1:30pm

Summer Concert Series:

Skittle Bots

Boardwalk stage

6:00pm-8:00pm

26th Annual Roll and Stroll

Main campus

11:00am-2:00pm

Toledo Edison, a FirstEnergy company, supports Sunshine in multiple ways from donations to volunteering at Halloween events. The relationship formed when members of Toledo

Edison offered to help stock our Sunshine Food Pantry. Through three donations from their “Harvest for Hunger” funds, our food pantry was filled and lives impacted.

After those donations, the Toledo Edison team took their support to another level, asking for volunteer opportunities with those we support. They volunteered at outings to the zoo, Halloween, landscaping, bowling, and donated towards our holiday gift program.

Their incredible generosity and willingness led to our presentation of the “Partner of the Year” award, recognizing an outstanding organization who volunteered in 2021. “We are so grateful for this amazing partnership and we look forward to continuing that relationship for many years to come,” said Lori Richard, Director of Community Engagement, who presented the award. “Every time their volunteer group came, they always started with, ‘we’re here to help’,” said Lori.

After another year of volunteering in 2022, the FirstEnergy Foundation surprised Sunshine with $20,000 through their “Gifts of the Season” holiday campaign. “We are proud to give to Sunshine Communities with a gift that advances their mission of supporting those with developmental disabilities. They are a recognized leader within the state of Ohio and are very deserving,” said Meg Adams, Manager of Regional External Affairs at Toledo Edison. Thank you, Toledo Edison, a FirstEnergy company, for supporting our mission this year and years to come.

A whole new world

Ohio’s Technology First initiative, we are pioneering creative ways for individuals we support to benefit from technology. Jeff Popelik, who hopes to improve his posture and range of motion, is now able to try Virtual Reality (VR). Jeff uses a headset that shows him a new world where he can interact. He’s done underwater exploration, flying, and his personal favorite – a fire station simulation. He was a firefighter for a day, putting on heavy gear and sliding down the pole! Not only has Jeff found new ways to improve his strength, but gets to try new activities and spend time with others in the process.

Planned Giving

You can create a legacy benefiting Sunshine through a planned gift. There are many ways to contribute including a bequest in your estate, naming Sunshine as a beneficiary in your life insurance policy, or a charitable gift annuity. If you would like to know more about legacy giving and joining our Engler Society, please contact Shannon Bova, sbova@sunshine.org.

SUNSHINE TODAY

Sunshine’s mission is to create community among people with developmental disabilities, their families, friends, and staff. We do this by offering services that enable all of us to build relationships that enhance our lives through mutual caring and growth.

CONTACT ME

Shannon Bova

Chief CommunityRelationsOfficer

419.725.2285

sbova@sunshine.org

TO DONATE, VISIT:

www.sunshine.org/donate

Our brave community

Trying

something new takes courage, and those featured in this newsletter are nothing short of courageous. As a professional at Sunshine and a mom of a little boy with developmental disabilities, I understand the limitations of those with disabilities are often at the forefront of conversation. With that said, I appreciate a chance to focus on the courageousness of people in our community who take risks and confront opportunities they face.

Kelly was brave in getting onto a horse and going to the hospital, but furthermore entrusting the people supporting her with her safety and care. Jeff has bravely jumped into

Affiliated with Mennonite Health Services @sunshinecommunities

another reality – letting his sense of place and time be distorted to try new things. Our partner, Toledo Edison, was brave in volunteering their support in a new way – meeting new people and doing physical labor. Our community is brave, defying expectations and supporting each other along the way. Your commitment to those that we support is so appreciated. Your continued support inspires us to keep trying new things, and taking cues from our courageous brothers and sisters. Please consider a gift to Sunshine today.

Sincerely,

Shannon Bova