Santa and his special guest, Mrs. Claus, visited Wendell Foster on December 2nd for our annual Close-Ups with the Clauses event, and a jolly good time was had by all! 🎅🤶 The Clauses heard lots of requests, from Barbie Dreamhouses to Nerf accessories...their elves better get to work back in Santa's workshop! ❄️

Before heading back home in their sleigh, Santa and Mrs. Claus made sure to tell us that every boy and girl (or pup!) they met that day was on the nice list. They can't wait to return to our campus for next year's event! Wendell Foster is so honored to host this event and spread Christmas cheer to our community. Thank you to all the families who attended, and a special thank you to the Clauses for making the long journey to Owensboro all the way from the North Pole! ❤️

Wendell Foster received the best Christmas surprise this year! We are honored to be the recipient of a $29,000 grant from Southern Star Cares to support our new Aquatic Therapy Center project. Because our current pool is 40 years old, several maintenance issues are preventing crucial therapy appointments from taking place. The new Aquatic Therapy Center will be a state-of-the-art, functional space located in our Latham Outpatient Therapy Facility.

Wendell Foster was thrilled to be chosen as a finalist for the inaugural Southern Star Cares grant. The process to be chosen as a finalist included a site visit from a focus group, and a presentation detailing the Aquatic Therapy Center project. Following the grant presentations, Southern Star team members who contributed to the Southern Star Cares fundraising campaign voted to determine the grant recipients. Thanks to their generosity, over $100,000 was awarded to local-area nonprofits! We are so thankful for the opportunity to participate in the first-ever Southern Star Cares grant, and to be one of the grant winners! We can't wait to see how this new Aquatic Therapy Center will impact the lives of those we serve!

If you have an interest in learning more about our Aquatic Therapy project and how you can get involved, please contact Kara Howard, Vice President of Development and Community Engagement, at (270) 852-1458 or by email at khoward@wendellfoster.org.

Thank you to all those that took a chance! 🥃

By participating in our Bourbon Raffle and all of our fundraising events, you join many others in supporting our mission to empower people with disabilities to realize their dreams and potential.

Winners were announced on December 12th, at 12:00 pm CST via Facebook Live.

If you missed the live Raffle Drawing, check out the recap HERE.

Kentucky Charitable Gaming License: ORG0001656

For questions, please contact Kara Howard, Vice President of Development and Community Engagement, at (270) 852-1458 or at khoward@wendellfoster.org.

What is your biggest dream in life? For some, it may be going on a dream vacation. For others, it could be a promotion at work, or maybe the chance at meeting a favorite celebrity. For Lauren, a resident at Wendell Foster, her dream was to one day see her favorite musical, Hamilton, live in Chicago.

Katie, a DSP in Lauren's cottage (and her favorite staff member) said she doesn't remember a time when Lauren wasn't listening to the Hamilton soundtrack. Day in and day out, Lauren was rocking out to the music. After watching Lauren's love for Hamilton grow, Wendell Foster's staff knew they had to make Lauren's dream a reality.

Wendell Foster's Recreation Team began the planning stages of Lauren's trip to Chicago to see Hamilton. Because of Katie and Lauren's special bond, they knew it was a non-negotiable that Katie would also attend the trip! The only problem was Katie had never flown on a plane before! The 45-minute plane ride from Owensboro to Chicago was nerve-wracking for Katie, but Lauren was unfazed. She gazed out the window during the trip and laughed as Katie gripped her seat. "I think it's neat that Katie conquered her first flight with Lauren," explained Angie Bumpus, Recreation Nurse at Wendell Foster. "Lauren helped Katie get over her fear of flying."

Once in Chicago, the group enjoyed the sights on the Navy Pier, but Lauren was ready to see Hamilton! The night of the show, Lauren was decked out in her Hamilton costume as she patiently waited for the cast to come out on stage. When the music started playing, Lauren was instantly mesmerized. As she moved to the music in her wheelchair, other theatre patrons noticed and felt the joy radiating from Lauren. They knew they were witnessing something unforgettable! "People were amazed watching her," said Angie. "They knew this was her moment." Katie agreed. "It was great that I got to experience one of her dreams with her, and it came true because of the Recreation Department."

Lauren outside the James M. Nederlander Theatre in Chicago. She couldn't wait to see Hamilton!

At Wendell Foster, we believe that every individual, regardless of disability, has the right to fulfill their dreams. With the help of our generous supporters and staff, we can make these once-in-a-lifetime experiences happen for Lauren and those we serve. We'd like to send our appreciation to Wendell Foster's Recreation staff for their hard work and dedication in planning these special trips for our residents. Thank you for being Wendell Foster Difference Makers!

To learn more about how Lauren's Yes! Moment came to life, check out this video from our Recreation Team! 💙

Oh, what fun we've had celebrating the holidays at Wendell Foster...with lots of sweet treats, festive outfits, elf hunting, cookie decorating, and even a surprise appearance from the Grinch! 🎄❄️🎁

With the new year fast approaching, this is the perfect time to start training for the Wendell Foster Half Marathon & 5K! Why not make running (or walking) the race one of your New Year's Resolutions? We've made registering for the race even easier with this promo code for 10% off! Click the button below and use the promo code PRESENT to save on your registration. Consider this our Christmas gift to you! 🎁 This code is valid until December 29th at 11:59 PM CST. Get to running, Rudolph!

Happy Holidays!

Wow, 2023 has been such a fantastic year for Wendell Foster! As this year draws to a close, I would like to thank our wonderful supporters (and readers of this newsletter) who helped make this year a success.

For me, Wendell Foster's proudest accomplishment in 2023 was the passing of House Bill 334. I was honored to be in attendance for the signing of the bill on December 21st, 2023. With this bill, Wendell Foster will have the opportunity to expand the crucial services we provide in the ICF. We look forward to another year of advocating for individuals with disabilities.

Take a look at some of our favorite moments from 2023...and stay tuned to see what we have in store for 2024! Thank you for being a Wendell Foster Difference Maker!

Wendell Foster CEO Doug Hoyt, along with State Representative DJ Johnson, attended the signing of House Bill 334 by Governor Andy Beshear on December 21st, 2023 in Frankfort.

(1) We announced the addition of the new Steps Division of our Half Marathon and 5K race to promote inclusion. We have some awesome Steps Ambassadors, like Peyton!

(2) Steve and Elizabeth Wampler were the guest speakers for March's Rooster Booster Breakfast, sponsored by Wendell Foster. The Wamplers inspired more than 300 of our local community leaders with their story.

(3) Bryant was invited to serve as a judge in Owensboro's Burger Week! He was a natural as a judge, and loved all the burgers!

(4) Gary developed his relationship with a good friend, Officer Goddard! The two spent time together eating cheeseburgers (Gary’s favorite), touring the station, and playing Uno!

(5) The Aktion Club had a busy year volunteering around Owensboro! They spent time installing flags for the Walk of Honor, ringing the bell for The Salvation Army, purchasing Halloween costumes for local elementary school children, and so much more!

(6) Three residents from Wendell Foster’s ICF competed in the Henderson County Fair Pageant. All were winners and even made the news!

(7) Wendell Foster held its annual First Responder’s BBQ, joining forces with Chamber Young Professionals this year. Celebrating our local heroes was a huge success and so much fun!

(8) We awarded Representative DJ Johnson the inaugural Difference Maker of the Year Award at the Forever a Difference Maker Gala & Auction! DJ sponsored and worked to pass House Bill 334, which will allow Wendell Foster the opportunity to increase the number of people served in our Intermediate Care Facility.

(9) A group of residents received the VIP treatment when they had the chance to participate in a meet and greet with the Air Force Thunderbirds at the Owensboro Air Show.

Thank you to all who supported Wendell Foster in 2023! You are #WFDifferenceMakers! 💙