Via West Gives Back this Holiday Season!

During the glorious Winter Wonderland weekend at Via West on December 2-4, our 64 participants created wellness bags for women and children affected by domestic violence. Rather than stuffing stockings full of goodies for themselves, our teens and adults selected products to promote health, including toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap, deodorant and lip balm. An outgrowth of the Health Self Management Across the Lifespan program funded by The Valley Foundation, this activity provided a very real sense of accomplishment and sharing during the holiday season.

Allie Keefe and her mom Sandy, Via West’s associate director, delivered the bags to Next Door, a non-profit agency that provides safety for battered women and their children through emergency shelter; multiple points of entry for victims; individuals, system and institutional advocacy; crisis intervention; education for victims and the community; and the changing of community norms through prevention activities. Staff members appreciated the thoughtful nature of the gifts, and snapped this photo of Allie.

 Happy Holidays to everyone from the Via West Campus and Via Services!!

Please help Via Services support children like Nicky and Gino

 Dear Families Who Care,

My name is Gino and I am a sixth grader. I have a brother with special needs and he goes to Via West Camp. Nicky is a great brother but he has some things about him that make it hard for Nick to have the same kind of life and fun as other kids. He doesn't always understand how to play games, or be a regular friend. My family loves him so much but sometimes it is difficult for him and difficult for us to have a regular day.

Gino (left) and Nicky (right)

This is why Via West Camp is so important to him!! At camp, Nicky is just himself. He is with a bunch of other kids just like him and it is like he is at home. When he gets to Camp, he runs, jumps and laughs as soon as we get out of the car. My brother loves that camp so much and it makes me and my family feel good to see him really happy like that. That is where we get a little break from Nick and he gets to have a break from us.    

He also learns many things at camp, like how to ride a horse, how to eat good foods, and do crafts, get along with others, and be in a talent show! He has made real friends there.

When I went to the camp last year it was really sad to see there were not very many kids. My mom explained that because there is not enough money in the government to help families with children like my brother, only families with extra money can afford the camp. This seems really unfair. If you don't have the money you would need the break even more because you would be working harder to pay your bills and to live. And you might not have any money for help at home with your special- needs child.

So I am asking you to please help Via West Camp. I have and so has my family, but we need more help so more special- needs kids can go there. You should see how much they all love it! That is why I am doing this and writing this letter.

Thank you!!

Sincerely,

GINO

Won't you help people like Nicky enjoy their favorite week of the year?  Please donate to Via Services and help us serve even more children, teens, and adults with disabilities and special needs.  By donating $50 this holiday season, you will be ensuring that Via West Campus serves more children, teens, and adults with disabilities and special needs.  

 Thank you and Happy Holidays from Via Services.

Via West Enjoyed a Private Booth at Sharks Game!

Last Tuesday, December 6th, 7 Via West participants and a parent were invited to attend the Sharks vs. Minesota game in a PRIVATE SUITE!!  This event was made possible on behalf of Sharks forward Martin Havlat #9, and the Sharks Foundation. 

Our Via West participants who came were Steve Erickson and his dad Chip, Connor Dalzell and his mom Deidre, Galina Griffy and her dad David, Sander Roat-Shumway and his dad Dale, Julie Paulson and Charlie Colby (Counselors In Training) and Allie Keefe with her mom Sandy. The suite was lovely, with complimentary popcorn, honey-roasted peanuts and potato chips with dip. The group could see out across the entire arena either from comfortable sofas or chairs on the balcony. The Sharks lost 2-1 to top-ranked Minnesota Wild, so the action was cut-throat and we were all glued to the edges of our seats. Sharkie, the Sharks’ mascot, circled the ice several times, to cheers from the group.

At one point, the cameras and announcers panned to the Via West suite, identifying us as “Havlat’s Heroes” after Marty Havlat, the player who donated the suite. All the participants wrote him a lot of thank you notes on Via Services stationery, and the concierge promised to place them in a notebook for Marty to review at the end of the season.

For many of the Via West participants, it was their first Sharks game ever, and they appreciated the new experience. The group stayed engaged for the entire game, and talked all the way back to the main Via office about the novelty and excitement.

Thank you Martin Havlat and the Sharks Foundation for this wonderful experience!!

Give the Gift of Happiness This Year!!

A Child's Happiness is a Gift Like No other.  

By donating to Via Services, you help children, teens and adults with disabilities and special needs experience the gift of a richer, fuller life. Via Services relies on your support to continue serving these individuals. And it relies on your generosity to allow us to reach even more people through our Via West Campus and First Step Early Intervention Program.

 These programs serve not only children and adults with disabilities, but their families as well.  By donating to Via Services this holiday season, you help give the gift of time by taking pressure off family members who provide nearly full-time care for loved ones.   

There is no one better suited to describe how important Via Services is than someone who directly benefits from our programs. Gino Palatella is 11 years old.  His brother, Nicky, attends Via West Campus. Gino tells us in his own words how important this program is:

 Dear Families Who Care,

My name is Gino and I am a sixth grader. I have a brother with special needs and he goes to Via West Camp. Nicky is a great brother but he has some things about him that make it hard for Nick to have the same kind of life and fun as other kids. He doesn't always understand how to play games, or be a regular friend. My family loves him so much but sometimes it is difficult for him and difficult for us to have a regular day.

Gino (left) and Nicky (right)

This is why Via West Camp is so important to him!! At camp, Nicky is just himself. He is with a bunch of other kids just like him and it is like he is at home. When he gets to Camp, he runs, jumps and laughs as soon as we get out of the car. My brother loves that camp so much and it makes me and my family feel good to see him really happy like that. That is where we get a little break from Nick and he gets to have a break from us.    

He also learns many things at camp, like how to ride a horse, how to eat good foods, and do crafts, get along with others, and be in a talent show! He has made real friends there.

When I went to the camp last year it was really sad to see there were not very many kids. My mom explained that because there is not enough money in the government to help families with children like my brother, only families with extra money can afford the camp. This seems really unfair. If you don't have the money you would need the break even more because you would be working harder to pay your bills and to live. And you might not have any money for help at home with your special- needs child.

So I am asking you to please help Via West Camp. I have and so has my family, but we need more help so more special- needs kids can go there. You should see how much they all love it! That is why I am doing this and writing this letter.

Thank you!!

Sincerely,

GINO

Won't you help people like Nicky enjoy their favorite week of the year?  Please donate to Via Services and help us serve even more children, teens, and adults with disabilities and special needs.

 Thank you and Happy Holidays from Via Services.

Video Contest!!! Videos received until December 9th!

From our friends at NDSC:

The plus15 campaign has launched a "One of Them is My Sib" video contest for siblings who want to show the world what their sisters and brothers with Down syndrome are capable of.  We started receiving videos November 14 and will accept them until December 9.  You can see some of the early contest participants on Facebook or our Youtube Channel. 

Two prizes will be awarded: People's Choice award, for those with the most "likes" on their videos, and a "Judge's Choice" award, which will be determined by a panel of judges from the Down syndrome community!  Winners in both of these categories will receive gift certificates to Amazon.com!   Find out more HERE and SPREAD THE WORD! 

Are YOU going to make a movie??? If so, let us know and we will show it on our YouTube and Facebook Pages too!!!

Via West Gives Thanks During Joyful Respite Session

Via West had its third respite session of the season this past weekend, which was Thanksgiving themed.  Participants had a chance to experience all aspects of Thanksgiving, starting with shopping for a traditional dinner.  Our "Via West Market", complete with baskets and food prices, allowed our participants to gather and pay for all the components for the dinner.

Later in the weekend, using a traditional recipe that incorporated fresh herbs, our participants made the stuffing for dinner and even took turns stuffing the turkey!  Participants chopped, sauteed, and measured ingredients safely and efficiently.  Everyone also had a chance to bake mini-pumpkin loaves which were warm and delicious. To top it all off, everyone got to take home a cookbook and apron as a memento!

Finally the time came for the feast, and everyone's hard work was apparent in the beautiful decorations, table settings, and food.  Everyone participated in the decoration and set up of the banquet tables, and to make a good evening great, all participants shared with the group what they were most thankful for.

It was such a wonderful weekend! Check out all the pictures on our Facebook Page!

Operation Snowflake at Via West Campus December 3rd and 10th!!!

The Cupertino Rotary supported "Operation Snowflake" day has become a tradition at Via West Campus!

For our adult "Winter Wonderland" session December 2-4th, Rotarians will donate materials to Via West and run afternoon rotations with our counselors.   Activities such as tree decorating (the tree will be delivered by an antique firetruck and 4 firemen!!), elf hat making, and creating gift bags with wellness products for the homeless will be just a taste of the weekend!  Other activities include decorating Via West inside and out and a Holiday Banquet. It will be quite the festive weekend.

Then.. for our children's "Visions of Sugarplums" weekend, the Rotarians will be back, along with volunteers from Stevens Creek Quarry, Rolling Thunder Motorcycle Club, the Almaden School and many others to execute "Operation Snowflake"! This day will start with our participants going to rest after lunch at Via West Campus... and waking up in a snow covered wonderland!!  Cupertino Rotary and the Stevens Creek Quarry will have brought 10 tons of snow to Via West and volunteers will have transformed the lower campsite into a sled run and the main lawn into a snow play zone!!  Top that off with stocking making, cookies and cider, a sing-a-long, and that special man in red (SANTA!!!) will be making an appearance for photos. 

We can't wait for these wonderful weekends!!