Letter from Maura Weis
As I write this letter, I think back to the previous evening at the Eck Rec Center. I brought Hannah to a drumming class, along with 15 other children and adults with different abilities. As I stood in the back of the room, I watched as the entire group with their parents and siblings gleefully banged on sets of drums, all having the time of their lives. In that moment, I could see how much fun they were all having and no one was staring at them, it was just people sharing in a moment of pure joy and friendship. The drumming class is just one of many programs that we’ve initiated this year. We now offer a wide array of programs for all community members with different abilities to enjoy, including yoga, cooking, music, animal club, and even hay rides, just to name a few. Our new staff member, April, coordinates the programs and works with the participants of each class. Through these programs and the love our staff has for the people with different abilities and their families, people are forming lasting bonds with one another, which I find simply amazing.
Through your donations and support, we’ve turned this small piece of land into a permanent haven for all individuals with different abilities. I realize football is what brought notoriety to Hannah and Friends, but we have grown into so much more. We are changing the community, building friendships, and improving the lives of individuals with different abilities and are doing it at a place that will be here forever thanks to your generosity and endowment. We would love to show you how tremendous of an impact you’ve had on Hannah and Friends and this community that I invite you to visit Hannah and Friends and take a tour when you are in South Bend.
I want to give special thanks to Peter Schivarelli and the band Chicago, as well as John Bongiovi of the band Jon Bon Jovi for their sizeable donations that have made it possible to purchase our first two newly-constructed residential homes. The ‘Peter Schivarelli & Chicago’ home has four wonderful ladies that are living in a beautiful home and loving their new lives. Peter has also generously donated his time and sent over many delicious treats for the ladies to enjoy, for which the ladies are very thankful to have Peter and the band Chicago in their lives. In the upcoming months, the Jon Bon Jovi home will have four gentlemen moved in and living at the residence permanently. This past March, John donated his musical talents to our event in New York for our St. Patty’s Day Celebration, as he generously offered to sing for the event without us even asking. Without question, John is an amazing person and we are very thankful to have him in our lives and that he offered his talents to Hannah and Friends. With the help of John’s performance, we were able to raise over a half-a-million dollars that evening, which is unheard of in these tough economic times. We had a great year fund raising last year, thanks to Peter, John, and all the individuals across the country who have been so generous to our mission. We especially appreciate all of the wonderful sports celebrities who donate their precious time to come to our events. We are extremely fortunate that they come to our events and make them special for everyone.
Through our Hannah’s Helping Hands grant program, we have been able to donate over $100,000 to families in need. Thanks to your support, our grant recipients have been able to go to therapeutic riding programs, YMCA programs, swim lessons, camps, purchase bicycles and sensory equipment. Also, because of the downturn in the economy, many of our grant recipients used these funds to purchase essential items of need, such as food, clothing, and school supplies. I only wish all of you could read our thank you letters, they are heartfelt and they are truly grateful. This Christmas season, we are going to host a Christmas Gift Drive with new toys and clothes for local families with low-to-moderate incomes. Families will be able to come and select gifts for their child with different abilities. Students from Notre Dame have offered to wrap these presents and give these families a Christmas, when they otherwise may have not had one. Anyone wishing to donate to this program or send in new gifts for the Christmas Gift Drive, we would be extremely grateful, as without you these programs would not be possible.
Many parents are sad when their kids go on to college and start their independent lives. I say “be happy that your child will be able to go on to college and have a life”, as there are many people with different abilities who will never have this opportunity. Individuals with different abilities are somehow forgotten in our society and we need to change this attitude, they deserve to have a life as well.
As we enter 2010, we will begin fundraising for an aquatic center, a place where families can go and enjoy a pool and water-therapy, even in the winter. It is so important to keep up a fitness program especially for people with different abilities. This aquatic center will be open all year, which will allow for many of these individuals to keep active, when most outdoor winter sports can be very difficult or prohibitive to them. We understand the economy has adversely affected many families this year, but please know that your donated dollars are always spent wisely here at Hannah and Friends. We have a small, caring staff, to keep overhead costs as minimal as possible, while keeping our mission to make the lives of people with disabilities a better one. We find ourselves very fortunate to have Sharon, April, Mike, Wes, Kathy and our special volunteer Allison with us to help further our mission.
As I close this letter, I am often reminded of all the lessons that God’s special people have taught us: love one another, do not judge, be a kind person, have a smile on your face, and bring happiness to other people. This is what they do, they are born with the lessons already instilled within them and this is their special gift to all of us. They are truly God’s special people, and He sent them here to teach us. They are our special angels amongst us. We just need to keep ourselves open and embrace their different abilities. God bless you all for helping them live their lives with the respect and the dignity that they deserve. Thanks again for everything you do for Hannah and Friends, and we wish you a wonderful Holiday Season.
Warm Regards,
Maura Weis and the Weis Family
