Walk with Brad

Brad has made the trek from Spokane to attend Camp Stand By Me for over twenty years. Now 28, he has been diagnosed with Rubstein Taybi syndrome, a genetic disorder that delays physical and cognitive development. Because of Camp Stand By Me’s unique facilities and expertise serving people with disabilities, Brad is able to participate in all activities at Camp Stand By Me, improving his self esteem, physical fitness, and social skills. His favorite things to do at camp are fishing, singing around the campfire, horseback riding, splashing in the pool and completing the obstacle course. Every time Brad’s mom picks him up at camp, there’s a smile on his face and he’s already looking forward to next year’s session.

Walk with Jake

Jake, now 30 years old, grew up like many of us did. He played school sports, graduated from high school, and pursued a career in construction. Two years ago, Jake broke his vertebra in an accident, leaving him paralyzed from the waist down. He not only had to relearn how to do things that were once easy, but also had to find a new way to make a living. Jake sought out Easter Seals Washington to help him create a new career path. He enrolled in computer classes at Easter Seals Washington’s Assistive Technology Center, using assistive technology software and his teachers’ expertise to earn his certification in computer repair. Now he looks forward to being self sufficient and making a living on his own.

Walk with Paul

Paul has Cerebral Palsy, and originally came to Easter Seals Washington with a goal of communicating his thoughts and feelings to the outside world. An Easter Seals AT Specialist outfitted him with software that translated his toe movements into Morse code and translated the code into a digital voice. For the first time in his life, Paul could speak and communicate clearly with others, and the resulting change in his life was dramatic. He earned his High School diploma, Bachelors Degree, and eventually a Masters of Social Work. He’s now a public speaker and serves on the Easter Seals Washington Advisory Council. Last year, he traveled to Washington, D.C. to speak to a delegation of United States Senators on behalf of people with disabilities!

Walk with Kelly

Kelly raises five children on her own. As a single parent, maintaining employment and managing a household was an overwhelming prospect for her. Kelly knew that the difficulties she faced put not just her, but her entire family, at risk. She enrolled in Easter Seals Community Services’ Project Self Respect program, which provides parental education to help single mothers like Kelly learn to find solutions to the unique problems they face. Kelly graduated from Project Self Respect in December, and is using the skills she learned to become a confident and capable mother, providing a stable environment for her children while developing her own life prospects as well. She is now furthering her education and developing career goals with a renewed sense of optimism.

Walk with Thurman

Kelly’s challenges have been more difficult because her 5th grade son Thurman has disabilities. Thurman has been diagnosed with learning disabilities that make it difficult for him to fully comprehend reading, writing, and science concepts in the same way as his peers. Like many single parents, Kelly lacked the resources to send Thurman to special education where his disabilities could be addressed on a daily basis. Fortunately, Easter Seals Community Services was there to help. Thurman used a computer provided by the Assistive Technology Center equipped with adaptive educational programs, which helped him better understand his school subjects. His class performance has already improved, and he’s well on his way to achieving his goal of passing the 5th grade with his friends and classmates.