Gratitude To and From

Blessed with Volunteers

At the Madonna School we are blessed to have many volunteers help in a wide variety of areas. From assisting in the classrooms to the kitchen, from working with the students individually to promoting the mission in the community, the Madonna School and Workshop meets the needs of its students and clients with the help of valuable volunteers.

There are also many special events, like the Golf Classic and the Celebration Event, that require volunteers to spend many hours preparing and promoting in order to raise the funds necessary for the mission: empowering with education the Madonna School students and adults.

“There are two kinds of gratitude: The sudden kind we feel for what we receive, and the larger kind we feel for what we give.” --Edward Arlington Robinson

Not surprisingly, there is often feedback from our volunteers about how grateful they are to the Madonna staff and students as well.

Somehow, it always comes back to gratitude...

February 11, blogger Cassy Fiano shared much of another anonymous blogger’s opinion in the on-line article, “Is there a wrong answer to terminating a baby with Down syndrome?”

The anonymous blogger began:  I was so late in pregnancy, there seemed not to be time to meet with a genetic counselor so I did my own research on Down syndrome. I concluded it was a grey diagnosis where best case was hard and worst case terrible. I could envision handling the early years, but not the long term.

She goes on to explain how, though she chose to terminate this pregnancy, she will always think of and love her son with T21. In fact she says, I loved him just as much as the kids I have living here with me today, and how she is a better mother now to her other children from this experience. Also, according to her blog: The parents (of children with Down syndrome) have suffered. The kids have suffered too. I didn’t want that future for my son or for my family.

As for me…wow.

Great Late Breaking News!

This week we’ve focused on the live auction items. It’s been fun, hasn’t it? So here we are only 48 hours from the event and I’ve got some great late-breaking news. 

"Is it that the 'Party!' Now includes a case of wine,

54 pints of Stella, a beautiful wooden cooler and more?"

 

Well, that is good news but not what I’m thinking of.

"Is it that the 'Coast with the Most' trip now also includes two tickets to Ellen?"

Why we look forward to Celebration

This Guest Blog is from our Celebration Honorary Chairs: Mike & Beth Jareske

We always look forward to attending the Madonna dinner.  Why?  Because we know that those who are there, have hearts of gold. 

We love being surrounded by these good people who appreciate and support the special mission undertaken by Madonna. It is an evening to celebrate a fine school and a wonderful staff. 

It is an evening to count our blessings and to rejoice in the big and little steps that are made everyday at Madonna.  And all who are there, count these students as great blessings from God.  Our favorite part of the evening

Hope for the future

This week’s blog is shared by Madonna Parent Jayne Klein

Lane hasn’t always gone to the Madonna School. He had great teachers and experiences in his elementary school. When it became time to transition into middle school I worried because academics become more important and classes get harder. But sixth grade went well, again with a good school with good teachers. There were still “Lane meltdowns” but he learned the ropes pretty quickly.


Seventh grade turned not so good. Lane had a harder time fitting in and disrupted classes more often. My sister-in-law is a special-ed consultant in Omaha so I called her when nearing my wits end, very stressed out and looking for advice, ideas I could bring to the school, new things to try for Lane, etc. She set up a couple appointments for me to observe classrooms to get ideas.

My first appointment was at Madonna School but still a week away. On a very stressful Thursday because Lane had another meltdown at school, I called Madonna and asked if I could visit the next day.

We interrupt our previously scheduled programming…

Just over a week ago I wrote A Rightful Life, A letter to Omaha. It began:


Dear Omaha,


Have you ever had one of those days when you realize just how blessed you are? Sometimes that realization comes amidst the strangest of circumstances, like today when I read the article about the Levy family of Portland, Oregon.


Ariel and Deborah Levy won a $2.9 million lawsuit on Friday, March 9th, for what is being coined as “wrongful life.” The problem is, in a nutshell, their daughter was born (with Down Syndrome). Had the prenatal testing done its “job,” Levy’s daughter never would have been born.

The folks at the Omaha World Herald blogsite Momaha showed an interest in my editorial and pursued it further. I was excited and passionate about this subject which focused not on the Levy’s so much, but more on our community and the Madonna School. My article went on to share that:

In two separate articles, OregonLive.com reported that “Professionals have told the Levys that she (their daughter) will likely never be able to live independently, or earn a living.” And also that the Levy’s worry she won’t get the attention she needs in school.


It’s a shame for the Levys (and maybe even the insurance company) that they don’t live in Omaha, Nebraska. Because in Omaha we have a variety of resources for families with special needs children, particularly one called the Madonna School and Workshop. The Madonna School’s mission is to help each child become as independent as possible, from the youngest child still learning to communicate to the high-schooler starting in the life skills programs. And the transition program works with students, families, and businesses to develop job skills and facilitate placement of the Madonna students in safe and productive work environments.

The following 250 words or so talked about my son, about the Madonna School’s influence, and about how I feel sorry for the Levys who see their daughter’s birth as “wrong” because I am sure there is nothing wrong about the life of their four year old.

Things went well between the editor and myself, a publication time was set and final edits were made and then I got an email that said:

“I showed the piece to my editor and We worry it doesn't give enough details about your life. Could you tell us the ups-and-downs of having a special needs child? When did you find out? Were you tested? What was your initial reaction? When do you get most happy/frustrated? Insight into your life I think will help the readers understand the struggles and joys of parenting?”

My head spun a few times. Are they serious? Sure! I’ll just sum up these complex issues and emotions and drop them in with a few key phrases into this piece. Sigh. Welcome to publication and editors.

So the next few days involved another re-write by me, further questions about Marcus, and a further writing done by the editor until finally - we have a guest blog! Whew. It is a bit off the path from my original intention, but I do trust the editors that it will serve a greater audience (and thus a greater purpose) with the revisions.

SO - the final work is here: http://www.omaha.com/article/20120326/NEWS01/120329724#why-do-some-see-my-son-s-life-as-wrongful

Thank you to the Omaha World Herald for giving this attention. 

I hope you check it out and feel free to comment or share on the Momaha site. This is your opportunity to share your Madonna experiences with the city of Omaha.