Help make the kids of the Broward Children’s Center rock stars!

Through the generosity of the Starlight Children’s Foundation, the Broward Children’s Center was notified that they are donating a Rock Band kiosk(pictured) fully loaded with a plama TV, XBox 360 and full Rock Band gear. The Starlight Children’s Foundation helps seriously ill children and their families cope with their pain, fear and isolation through entertainment, education and family activities. What a great entertainment device for the children of our center to enjoy!

Many of the children at the Broward Children’s Center use assistive technology to function in their daily lives.  I started hunting around the internet and found an adaptive guitar that allows us to tie devices such as sip-and-puff technology into the gaming system opening the door to even MORE of our kids and providing them with ability to enjoy this wonderful donation as well.

I ended up finding a device called AT-Play from Compusult to accomplish exactly what I was looking for.  As described on their website:

AT-Play allows physically disabled persons to independently play the Rock Band 2 video game for Xbox 360. Guitar strumming and chords can be controlled with your preferred arrangement of switches, including sip-and-puff devices, buttons, and foot pedals.

This same company has provided us with proven technologies in the past and are a very highly respected company.  They are also the makers of the Jouse 2 product which is their version of sip-and-puff technology.  Several of our kids at the Broward Children’s Center utilize this equipment every single day.

So with the kiosk on its way to our facility and the adaptive and assistive technology at our fingertips, I am trying to raise funds to help pay for this modified equipment.  To make a donation, no matter how  much, all you have to do is CLICK HERE. All donations will be processed through First Giving and donated directly to the Broward Children’s Center.  You can also click on the “widget” in the right hand column of this blog to make a donation.

If you would like to see this technology in action, I have included the video from Compusult below.  If you fast forward to about 3:00 into the video, you will see this modified technology in action.  Once we have this entire setup in place I am hoping to get some video of the kids at the center enjoying this great new addition!

Once again, I am asking for your help to raise funds for the adaptive part of the setup.  Donate Now to bring a smile to their face and help make the kids at the Broward Children’s Center a Rock Star!

Broward Children’s Center Kids – In Our Own Words

This heart warming video highlights some of our kids at the Broward Children’s Center… in their own words.  If you think life is tough for you, make sure you watch this video to bring your life into perspective.

It also gives you a good idea of the children that we serve at the BCC and the challenges that we have to overcome both medically as well as technologically.

The World’s First Ultra Accessible Family Fun Park

Anybody living near San Antonio, TX needs to check out this park that will be opening up for kids that have disabilities.  This is the first accessible family fun park!  Here is some more information about this fantastic new opportunity for families.

The Gordon Hartman Family Foundation believes that a real need exists to create a special place for special friends . . . to provide an oasis for those needing a safe place to relax and enjoy the outdoors. Millions of children and adults who suffer from cognitive and physical special needs generally do not have access to facilities specifically established to assist them in enjoying outdoor activities.  Currently, less than 10% of those with special needs participate in daily outdoor recreation. The Morgan’s Wonderland story began with a desire to re-imagine the possibilities of what an inclusive park could be . . . if everyone were free to soar. The creation of this new 25 acre special needs park will serve as a haven not only for those with special needs, but also for their families, caregivers and invited friends.

In 2007, Sports Outdoor And Recreation (SOAR) was created as a 501 (c) (3) non profit organization to A) raise the funds necessary to create the park and B) to insure that the park is professionally managed and maintained.  The SOAR Board of Directors chose to develop this one-of-a-kind park on the former site of the Longhorn Quarry in San Antonio, Texas.  To encourage the idea of inclusive recreation where individuals of all abilities can play side by side, Morgan’s Wonderland will be part of a larger 106 acre sports complex that will feature 14 fully lit, tournament quality soccer fields. In an exciting collaboration with SOAR, the North East Independent School District (NEISD) is also building their new 11,000 seat stadium, baseball complex and track & field facilities directly adjacent to the park. The construction of Morgan’s Wonderland and the soccer complex is underway and will be open for fun, friendship and new experiences in early 2010.

The funding for Morgan’s Wonderland began with an initial $1,000,000 donation from Gordon and Maggie Hartman inspired by the love of their daughter Morgan.  The park’s fundraising campaign has been bolstered by financial commitments from the City of San Antonio ($7,250,000), Bexar County ($5,000,000) and the State of Texas ($5,500,000). That total of $17.75 million, along with up to $10 million of additional funds to be raised from local foundations, corporations and individuals, will be used to complete the development of the park.

Upon completion, Morgan’s Wonderland will be the largest park of its kind in the world specifically designed for the recreation and enjoyment of individuals with special needs. Our vision for Morgan’s Wonderland is to play an instrumental role in helping to establish more Ultra Accessible Family Fun Parks throughout the country, thus establishing San Antonio as a national leader in the promotion of family-oriented outdoor activity and fun for these beloved members of our community.  Thank you again for helping us make this dream a reality and for caring enough to make a difference and change lives . . . one special friend at a time.

The mission of Morgan’s Wonderland is to set a new standard for excellence in providing outdoor recreational opportunities for individuals with disabilities. We believe that there is a real need for a special place for special people, one that provides an oasis for people with disabilities, their families and caregivers who need facilities specifically designed to assist them in enjoying outdoor activities.

via Morgan’s Wonderland – The World’s First Ultra Accessible Family Fun Park.

Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation

Check out Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation for Childhood Cancer

Alex at her front yard lemonade standAlex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation (ALSF) for Childhood Cancer is committed to finding a cure for all children with cancer. The foundation operates on the principle introduced by our founder Alexandra “Alex” Scott – “when life hands you lemons, make lemonade.”

Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation first began in 2000, when a then 4-year-old cancer patient named Alex voiced a simple wish – she wanted to hold a lemonade stand to raise money to help “her doctors” find a cure for all kids with cancer. The idea was put into action when Alex held her very first lemonade stand on her family’s front lawn in July of that same year. For the next four years, despite her deteriorating health, Alex held an annual lemonade stand to raise money for childhood cancer research. Alex raised a great deal of money through her annual stands, but in the early months of 2004, she set what to some seemed like an unreachable goal – Alex wanted to raised $1 million. Though her health was failing, Alex was determined to reach her goal, and when her parents asked how she would do it, she just said – “if people all around the country hold lemonade stands and send in their money, I think I can do it.” Alex was right, and during the weekend of her last lemonade stand in her neighborhood, thousands of volunteers of all ages from all corners of the country held lemonade stands, propelling Alex and her cause to reach $1 million. Shortly following, on August 1, 2004 Alex ultimately lost her life to childhood cancer, but her legacy of hope continues to live on through volunteers young and old.

Since Alex held her first front yard lemonade stand, the foundation bearing her name, Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation, has raised over $25 million, with nearly half of the funds originating from front yard lemonade stands like Alex’s. The money raised has been utilized to fund over 100 cutting-edge research projects, create a travel program to assist families who need to travel for treatment, and develop resources to help everyone touched by childhood cancer.

Our Mission

* To raise money and awareness of childhood cancer causes, primarily research into new treatments and cures.

* To encourage and educate others, especially children, to raise money for childhood cancer by holding their own Alex’s Lemonade Stands.

* To expedite the process of finding new cures and bringing them to children with cancer now.

Our Vision

* Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation shares the vision of its founder and creator, Alexandra “Alex” Scott – a cure for all children with cancer.

via About Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation for Childhood Cancer | Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation.