It is a gorgeous day here in Dallas today, so I took the boys down to the trail by our house to start our training and conditioning for the mud run. They should be in pretty good shape already since they all play soccer 3 times a week and two of them swim twice a week. Other than some walking on the treadmill occasionally I haven't done any hard workouts since before I was pregnant with Luke (and that was in the summer of 2009!). We ran/walked about 4 miles and stopped in the middle to run some hills. It was a great workout for all of us! Nick and I led the pack, while Zack and Michael brought up the rear. They were worn out by the time we got back to the house. I guess when they are not pumped with adrenaline like they are during soccer games, they are not quite as motivated to keep going when they are tired. But their mud run is only 1 mile, so they will do fine.
Amy
2011 Houston Mud Run Fundraiser for Jeremy and His Roommates The Munstermans and Moores have decided to get together for a good cause and raise some money for Jeremy and his fellow roommates in Louisiana. You can help by praying for our efforts. We are grateful for any amount of money that you are able to donate! There is a link to donate below after our story.
The Why and How by Todd Moore:
“Blessed with a Brother”
My brother Matt called me about a month ago and said he was looking for a way to get motivated to get in shape. He came across the Houston Mud Run on-line and asked me if I wanted to do it with him. Of course, I did not hesitate and said let’s do it! The Mud Run is a physically challenging 6 mile run with 25-30 obstacles along the way through mud and water. A day or two after he asked me about the Mud Run the thought crossed my mind that this would be a great chance to get our family and friends together to raise some money to help support Jeremy, our brother with Down syndrome, his home, “Range House” and the amazing people who care for many fortunate mentally challenged adults, Hammond Strawberry Fields, Inc.
About a year ago my mom mentioned to me that their state and federal funds were being cut and they were struggling to keep up with the day to day cost of running and operating their group homes. The idea of helping Jeremy and his friends easily became the motivation needed for Matt and I to start training for the Mud Run on May 28. Wren, Susan, Amy, Matt, Josh, Hanna, and I have played a part in organizing the fundraiser for Hammond Strawberry Fields. Our goal is to raise as much money as possible to help Hammond Strawberry Fields provide the best possible life for Jeremy and other adults with intellectual disabilities. What started as a simple Mud Run for Matt and I to get in shape, has turned into great opportunity for us donate to a cause close to our hearts. I think I speak for the whole family when I say growing up with Jeremy as part of our lives has taught us some incredible life lessons.
For our friends and family that don’t know, Jeremy lives in a group home in Hammond, Louisiana, under the operation of Hammond Strawberry Fields, Inc.
Hammond Strawberry Fields, Inc. is a non profit corporation established in 1988 to provide residential and day program services to mentally handicapped individuals. In January 1989 the first clients were admitted to Jake Drive Community Home. The Strawberry Patch, a day program, began operating at the same time. From there it has expanded to serve individuals in four community homes, the day program, and supervised living. It has always been a goal to remain small currently serving 36 clients.
The philosophy is one of respect for each person entrusted to the care of Hammond Strawberry Fields. Activities and routine are very important to the clients and a variety of daily activities are offered to meet the needs of each individual. Facilities are licensed through the Department of Health and Hospitals in Louisiana. The Department does on site visits annually in addition to annual life safety and health inspections. Another goal is to provide a loving environment that will insure success and happiness for each client.
Clients are vital members of the community and many are known by name because of their active participation in the many sporting events, festivals and jobs held in the community over the past 22 years.
Hammond Strawberry Fields does not sponsor large fund raisers and does not have a paid development director. They have an agreement with the state of Louisiana to provide services through the Medicaid program. Many family members and friends give donations on a regular basis. HSF are amazed and grateful for the generosity of all who donate.
“Blessed with a Brother”
My brother Matt called me about a month ago and said he was looking for a way to get motivated to get in shape. He came across the Houston Mud Run on-line and asked me if I wanted to do it with him. Of course, I did not hesitate and said let’s do it! The Mud Run is a physically challenging 6 mile run with 25-30 obstacles along the way through mud and water. A day or two after he asked me about the Mud Run the thought crossed my mind that this would be a great chance to get our family and friends together to raise some money to help support Jeremy, our brother with Down syndrome, his home, “Range House” and the amazing people who care for many fortunate mentally challenged adults, Hammond Strawberry Fields, Inc.
About a year ago my mom mentioned to me that their state and federal funds were being cut and they were struggling to keep up with the day to day cost of running and operating their group homes. The idea of helping Jeremy and his friends easily became the motivation needed for Matt and I to start training for the Mud Run on May 28. Wren, Susan, Amy, Matt, Josh, Hanna, and I have played a part in organizing the fundraiser for Hammond Strawberry Fields. Our goal is to raise as much money as possible to help Hammond Strawberry Fields provide the best possible life for Jeremy and other adults with intellectual disabilities. What started as a simple Mud Run for Matt and I to get in shape, has turned into great opportunity for us donate to a cause close to our hearts. I think I speak for the whole family when I say growing up with Jeremy as part of our lives has taught us some incredible life lessons.
For our friends and family that don’t know, Jeremy lives in a group home in Hammond, Louisiana, under the operation of Hammond Strawberry Fields, Inc.
Hammond Strawberry Fields, Inc. is a non profit corporation established in 1988 to provide residential and day program services to mentally handicapped individuals. In January 1989 the first clients were admitted to Jake Drive Community Home. The Strawberry Patch, a day program, began operating at the same time. From there it has expanded to serve individuals in four community homes, the day program, and supervised living. It has always been a goal to remain small currently serving 36 clients.
The philosophy is one of respect for each person entrusted to the care of Hammond Strawberry Fields. Activities and routine are very important to the clients and a variety of daily activities are offered to meet the needs of each individual. Facilities are licensed through the Department of Health and Hospitals in Louisiana. The Department does on site visits annually in addition to annual life safety and health inspections. Another goal is to provide a loving environment that will insure success and happiness for each client.
Clients are vital members of the community and many are known by name because of their active participation in the many sporting events, festivals and jobs held in the community over the past 22 years.
Hammond Strawberry Fields does not sponsor large fund raisers and does not have a paid development director. They have an agreement with the state of Louisiana to provide services through the Medicaid program. Many family members and friends give donations on a regular basis. HSF are amazed and grateful for the generosity of all who donate.
Jeremy
The Moores and Munstermans
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Good for all of you!!!! Keep it up!!!
ReplyDeleteAnd Amy, it will get better!
Thoughts of raising Jeremy:
ReplyDeleteA Trip to Holland
By Emily Perl Kingsley
I am often asked to describe the experience of raising a child with a disability – to
try to help people who have not shared that unique experience to understand it,
to imagine how it would feel. It’s like this…
When you’re going to have a baby, it’s like planning a fabulous vacation trip to
Italy. You buy a bunch of guide books and make your wonderful plans…the
Coliseum, the Sistine Chapel, Gondolas. You may learn some handy phrases in
Italian. It’s all very exciting. After several months of eager anticipation, the day
finally arrives. You pack your bags and off you go.
Several hours later, the plane lands. The stewardess comes in and says,
“Welcome to Holland!” “Holland?” you say. “What do you mean, Holland? I
signed up for Italy. I’m supposed to be in Italy. All my life I’ve dreamed of going
to Italy.” But there’s been a change in the flight plan. They’ve landed in Holland
and there you must stay.
The important thing is that they haven’t taken you to a horrible, disgusting, filthy
place full of pestilence, famine, and disease. It’s just a different place.
So, you must go out and buy new guidebooks. And you must learn a whole new
language. And you will meet a whole new group of people you would never have
met. It’s just a different place. It’s slower paced than Italy, less flashy than Italy.
But after you’ve been there for a while and you catch your breath, you look
around. You begin to notice that Holland has windmills. Holland has tulips. And
Holland even has Rembrandts. But everyone you know is busy coming and
going from Italy, and they’re all bragging about what a wonderful time they had
there. And for the rest of your life you will say, “Yes, that’s where I was
supposed to go. That’s what I had planned.” And the pain of that experience will
never, ever, ever, go away. The loss of that dream is a very significant loss.
But if you spend your life mourning the fact that you didn’t get to Italy, you may
never be free to enjoy the very special, the very lovely things about Holland.