resources: Easter Seals
Article By Heather Hawkins, Journey Intern

Several years ago, Nancy Baker watched a 12-year-old girl pull herself across Clear Creek on a rope. The incredible look of joy on the girl's face has been in Nancy's mind ever since.

The girl, who now works at the British Treasury in London, has cerebral palsy. She is one of the many indomitable people that Nancy has met through Easter Seals Colorado, one of 80 national affiliates that provide services for people with disabilities.

“She is an extremely bright gal, she just happens to be in a wheelchair,” said Nancy, a director of Easter Seals Colorado and the western regional liaison for national Easter Seals. “She just bubbles. I am awestruck by her every time I see her.”

In northern Colorado, more than one in five people will be touched by a disability in their lifetime. Many times, they aren't disabled themselves, but they are the caregivers for a parent, child, sibling or friend. Easter Seals not only helps people with disabilities, but also provides services to their families and caregivers.

“We do not discriminate against age, disease process or disability,” said Nancy, who began working with Easter Seals more than 25 years ago after attending a disorganized Easter Seals barbecue that her mother-in-law planned.

“Easter Seals has a tendency to serve the people who kind of fall through the cracks,” Nancy said. “They're the people who are better off than the Medicaid people but really don't have enough money to pay for a lot of services on their own. I see a lot of very active, bright minds that would go to waste (without Easter Seals).”

All money raised in northern Colorado for Easter Seals stays in northern Colorado. Last year, $103,000 was raised at the Anheuser Busch Golf Classic. In addition to grants, government assistance and private donations, the money from the golf tournament helped more than 565 people in northern Colorado through direct services and nearly 400,000 people through education, outreach and resource referral.

Victor, a 19-year-old Greeley West High School student with cerebral palsy, said Easter Seals is like a family.

“It doesn't matter what your disability is; it doesn't matter who you are,” he said. “You don't feel like you have a disability. You feel 'normal.'”

Easter Seals Colorado provides a variety of programs and services, including post-polio and stroke support groups, employment services, physical rehabilitation and assistive technology. Easter Seals also supports AgrAbility a program designed to increase the independence of farmers and ranchers with injuries or illnesses.

Another Easter Seals program is Rocky Mountain Village, one of eight camps in the country designed for people with disabilities. Last year, more than 1,000 people from around the globe attended the camp, 100 of them were from northern Colorado. Campers swim, fish, camp, hike, horseback ride, participate in a ropes course, attend dances and make art projects.

Victor has gone to Rocky Mountain Village since the second grade. His 15-year-old sister and 12-year-old brother have also gone as siblings.

 “It's fun to forget about your disability and be a kid for once,” Victor said. “You have to grow up really fast when you have a disability because you have to go to the hospital all the time and to doctors. Easter Seals has helped me be a kid.”

For more information, visit http://www.eastersealscolorado.org. For more information about the 2008 Anheuser Busch Easter Seals Golf Classic, call 482-7644.

Unsure of where to turn? Unfortunately at some point in all of our lives, either we or someone we know will be in need of one of these resources we're so fortunate to have in our community.

• Project Self-Sufficiency assists low-income, single parents in their efforts to build and maintain strong, healthy families; achieve economic independence and become free from community and government assistance.
  635-5912 / www.ps-s.org
• Meals on Wheels provides nutritious noon meals and social contact to homebound clients in the area. 484-6325
• Hospice of Larimer County honors every moment of life by providing specialized, compassionate care for anyone affected by an advanced medical condition and support to those who are grieving. 663-3500 / www.hlchospice.org
• The SAVA (Sexual Assault Victim Advocate) Center's mission is to reduce sexual violence in Larimer County through community outreach, prevention/education, advocacy and support, and crisis intervention. 472-4204 / www.savacenter.org
• Crossroads Safehouse works toward elimination of domestic violence through education, advocacy/support services, and promotion of social change. 482-3535

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