M4M Updates
Steven is off to Camp!
June, 2024
We are so happy to have presented Steven and his family with one of our Easterseals Rocky Mountain Village Scholarships!
Attending the summer camp at Easter Seals Rocky Mountain Village has been a beloved annual tradition for Steven since his high school years. This camp provides him with a safe, supportive environment to enjoy independence, form lasting friendships, and continue developing essential life skills. The specialized programming tailored for individuals with differing abilities allows Steven to flourish while engaging in recreational activities he loves. Beyond this camp, Steven is very active in our Douglas County community, volunteering, and participating in many groups and sports.
We are so happy to help Steven make even more memories at camp this year!
Inclusive Park Groundbreaking
April, 2024On April 3rd we celebrated the groundbreaking of the first inclusive park in Sterling Ranch. This was a great day with a ton of community involvement, and we were honored to be a part of the event. Miles 4 Madison has played a big role in the development of this park. It was our early advocacy that ensured this park would be inclusive. To guarantee this, we worked with the developer and Douglas County to secure matching funds from our county commissioners to make sure that this inclusive park was built right.
More recently, we have been actively involved in the design process, sharing our expertise and personal experience. Our research drove the design, identifying unique needs that must be accommodated in this park but also finding a balance of features to encourage parallel play across different ages and ability levels. We know that this design will allow all kids to play together and provide a better experience for all groups.
This will be the first inclusive park in our community, however, as was shared by our founder, Cal Reynolds during the groundbreaking, we are doing everything we can to make all future parks in Sterling Ranch inclusive, in line with our all parks inclusive campaign. By making a park inclusive we not only allow children with disabilities to play, we build an environment where all kids, no matter their ability, can play together. When they play together, they develop and grow together reinforcing the idea that this community is being built for everyone.
This was a major achievement for our organization and we would like to thank all of you for your support!
Easterseals Participant | Amanda
March, 2024We were thrilled to partner with Easterseals in late 2023 to establish a Miles 4 Madison. Currently this scholarship allows 3 Douglas County individuals to attend a multi-day camp at the Easterseals Rocky Mountain Village. At these inclusive camps, participants are empowered to step outside their comfort zones, learn new skills, and discover their passions in a joyful, supportive environment. Separated from their parents, often for the first time, campers gain a sense of independence as they navigate new social situations, test their problem-solving abilities, and form lifelong friendships with peers who share their experiences. We know exactly how impactful these experiences can be, as Madison attended these camps over multiple summers. We are thrilled to be able to expand this opportunity to more families who have been financially prohibited from attending in the past.
We are overjoyed to announce that our first scholarship recipient is Miranda, a 21-year-old with Down Syndrome and autism. Miranda has been attending Rocky Mountain Village camp for many years, where she delights in activities like rock climbing, swimming, and bonding with her dear friend Emily, a camp counselor who has been by her side. The camp experience has been truly transformative for Miranda, allowing her to develop critical life skills, embrace her interests and talents, and most importantly, feel a deep sense of belonging.
Our Easterseals scholarship will ensure Miranda can continue creating special memories at Rocky Mountain Village for years to come. We cannot wait to see the incredible impact this opportunity will have on Miranda's life, and we look forward to supporting more deserving individuals through this scholarship in the future.
2023 Was a huge success, and we have much more planned for 2024, we hope you are able to join us as we start a new campaign to make sure every child has access to a playground that fits their needs!
Thank you all for a fantastic 2022. Please read about the past year and see what we have planned for the next year!
Joshua Early Childhood Center
December, 2022Last month we were able to deliver over $1,000 worth of new playground equipment to the Joshua Early Childhood Center in Centennial Colorado. We hope the kids are able to play with this new equipment for years to come! Thank you to the Joshua Early Childhood Center for all the great work you do in our community. We hope that we can continue to work with you in the future!
Dia De Los Muertos
November, 2022We are so excited to have attended the Douglas County Community Foundation's Dia De Los Muertos Gala. It was a great opportunity to share Madison's story, connect with other nonprofits in our area and understand what a positive impact the DCCF has on our community (We also won some items at the live auction). We are looking forward to working more with the DCCF!