ApplaUSe For A Cause

How Easter Seals Made A Difference For Me

English: Easter seals of the U.S.A., 1930s, created to support crippled children Русский: Пасхальные виньетки США в поддержку детей-инвалидов, 1930-е годы (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

When I was little, for some reason, I didn't crawl or walk(by myself) until I was nearly four years old. Other than my balance due to minimal cerebral palsy, doctors could not figure out why I was not yet walking by myself. My dad was in retail business(we moved a lot) and we were living in South Florida, so I went to The Miami Children's Hospital for testing, everything from head to toe was examined and they still didn't know. Luckily at the time, we lived in a one level home, so I could scoot or use a toy giraffe on wheels for a while, but my parents were concerned.

Soon, I was enrolled in a nursery school run by the Easter Seals organization. in Southwestern Florida. I began intense physical therapy, and probably a little play time. I think (I'm in my early 40's, so my memory may not be exactly right, LOL) I first learned how to fall, using a large earth ball; and with braces(ouch) on my legs, I began to walk. My parents and the therapists weaned me off of holding their hands, down from 5 five fingers to 1, and then I took my first solo steps. My older brother says that he'd never seen my dad cry but once, and that was the day I took my first solo steps down the aisle of the W.T. Grant's Department Store where my dad was manager. I also had Play Dough therapy with my hands.

Other than having my picture taken while I sat on a pony, I can remember one fun activity the Easter Seal nursery school did with us. On one Halloween,, we trick or treated in the Easter Seal office. I wore a witch's costume and the teacher gave us buttons with our names and a little drawing of our costumes. I had my button for ages.

After moving 7 times (all within the southeastern US from birth to 14 years old), I lost touch with the center. I recently needed their records to add to my medical records, but I guess they''d gotten lost over the years, and they couldn't find mine. I guess it was in an old file or something, but that doesn't matter; but because of them, I can walk on most days(except when my lymphedema flares up, but that's another story)! So that's how the Easter Seals made a difference for me! Wherever you are located, I hope you will consider them next time you want to give a few pennies to several dollars-whatever you can.

For more info on Easter Seals, please visit Easter Seals.com or
Easter Seals (U.S.) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Easter Seals : 2010 Seal Art Contest

In addition to the links above; you might be interested in The Drop Zone- a cool fundraiser that some generous people in Canada do every year for their Easter Seals program. Each volunteer raises thousands of dollars for the Easter Seals camps for children, then they have a day when they rappel down the sides of buildings(several skyscrapers). Now, that's commitment to a cause, and maybe a little crazy, too( but they are trained and have safety gear)!!! Still, I applaud their efforts. If you are on Facebook , The Drop Zone has a page there as well for their fans;The Drop Zone on Facebook
>>

P.S. Now that I shared my story, will you please share information about a favorite charity and why you think it is important? Check out the rules and guidelines in my first entry, linked here and then post a comment below or send an email to applause4acause@comcast.net . Thanks!

Plinky prompt-"Here, have a million dollars "

Plinky asks this hypothetical question:"You have to give away a million dollars. How and why?" 1. I'd give at least 25 K to church-because God asks for at least 10 percent.

2. I'd give about 25 K to my family and friends-especially the ones in direst need-because charity begins at home.

3. The rest would be divided among 2 or so favorite local, national or international charities,
ones that I've researched and know are honest and deserving(for example the Bubel Aiken Foundation and UNICEF), because it's the right thing to do. I'd love to be able to give it all to one charity or some to a lot of charities, but at least this way it would be evenly divided and you'd do the most good for the most people and organizations, without neglecting home and church.

So, what's your answer?

Clay Aiken Offers Free Music On The "Honor" System

Image via Wikipedia

This is still true, even though the quoted entry from Clay was posted this April.
You can get a free song download-but Clay asks that we give a donation
in return to The Bubel Aiken Foundation
Here's what Clay posted on his fan club page ;

"Honor system
04/24/09

What an interesting afternoon! You have kept my attention longer than I thought possible. If only my homework in high school had held my attention as long, huh?

Lots of interesting questions today and lots of energy. One question in particular got me (and Jaymes) to thinking. "Clay, will you ever record ... Just You?"

Well folks... truth is.. . I did. Long ago. As a matter of fact It was one of the first songs we recorded for the album A Thousand Different Ways. It was recorded before the label asked me to do the album of cover love songs and before the budget was officially approved, so I actually paid for it myself. Then, as I recall, when the decision was made to do the cover album, the label opened a budget for the album, but it did not include reimbursing me for songs I had recorded that did not fit the concept. So, here I have had this song all along that, to my knowledge, I own the only copy of. What to do with it.. what to do? Well, this evening (with some encouragement from Jaymes) I decided.... let's just give it to them. Why not? We do have plans (which we will tell you about eventually) to be back in the studio and record in the near future, but until then... you might as well get a bit of something you haven't been able to hear in a while. "New" music.

Now... here's the deal. I want to give it to you because you deserve it. You've stuck by me and been patient for a long time. But, also, I really have to give it to you. Since I didn't write it or produce it, I can't sell it to you... but I hate to encourage getting music for free. You all have always been SOOOO ethical when it has come to downloading music. I know my fans are probably some of the most scrupulous in the country and I believe that you never steal music. That said... We are gonna do this on the "honor system"... Go ahead.... download the song. It's yours. Share it with your friends. It's free. But... I want to make it count for someone... so let's make it count for tens of thousands of children in the US with developmental disabilities If you can't afford anything for it.. then don't pay... but... if you can... I encourage you... I ask of you... that you make a donation to the Bubel/Aiken Foundation for how ever much you feel the song is worth. If you want to give $1... great. If you want to give $1000... GREAT... if you can only give $.05 ... that's fine too. It's a tough time we're living through nowadays, and non-profits are hurting more than ever as well. BAF (which will soon be known by a different name) has had amazing success in fulfilling it's mission, and is embarking on a long term plan to continue including kids in every aspect of life. But, it will continue to need help from all of us in order to make that possible.

Consider this track a "charity recording" .... donate whatever you can or whatever you are willing to... and accept our thanks.

click here for Sendspace-Just You file page

The song is for you...JUST YOU... from me.

c "

Here are some videos about Clay's charity work with Unicef & The Bubel Aiken Foundation;