What kind of husband would I be if I didn’t support the efforts of my wife—efforts to raise money for a free special needs summer camp, based on Broadway musicals, no less!?! A terrible one, that’s what.
If you’ve read any of my books then you know I think of my wife as a saint and her profession as one of the most touching and needed occupations in our world. She’s a Music Therapist and uses music, sound, and musicality to help individuals with special needs, Autism, Alzheimer’s, brain trauma and other learning and physical disabilities to regain or develop skills for an overall better sense of well being. At present she splits her time between hospital and clinical settings, and private practice where she primarily works with children and adults with Autism.
Every summer she puts on a free music camp for special needs children. Sadly, many kids with special needs don’t get to participate in the extra curricular functions that normal functioning individuals do. They dont get a chance to go to camp, play instruments, or horse around for a few hours away from their parents. Those events that are geared towards special needs individuals are few and far between, and many of them are so expensive to produce that most families with special needs members —due to the increased financial burden connected to the medical, diet, and learning demands of that family member— can’t afford to participate.
The Groovy Garfoose Broadway summer camp does have it’s costs, but our goal is to drive that cost down to zero by asking for donations. Putting on this camp not only provides a wonderful experience for special needs individuals— a chance to play instruments, dance, sing, do art, and interact with others— it also provides the parents with a mini summer vacation! Every donation we receive takes a chip off the financial burden that could be passed on to the camp goers. And if you donate, you’ll get something for your kindness: Signed cards, books, CDs, AN IPAD!!!, and thank you’s from the Groovy Garfoose (my wife, Bonnie) and Myself.
You can find out more about exactly what my wife does, the camp event, how to donate, and the power of Music Therapy by going to her site The Groovy Garfoose
Below is an example of the kids in action.
[youtube height=”360″ width=”640″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvSSQ36iy5A&feature=youtu.be[/youtube]