Greetings!
It has become a custom for people to give High School students the Dr. Suess book
“Oh the places you’ll go” as they graduate. I do not think the good Dr. thought to write a book for those in my situation but if he did, I think he would have titled it “Oh the Places You’ve Been”. Given that glaring oversight, I am going to write a very personal version, with apologies to Dr. Suess.
Oh, the places I have been on behalf of our kids and adult family members. Initially when I arrived at the Center in December of 1998 the Director Linda Harmon had an initiative providing “Autism Explained “to students at Elementary Schools. We trained other parents and collectively we presented the curriculum to thousands of Students. First using the slippery overhead pages on an overhead projector, we explained autism to kids in 45 minutes. Yes, we kept it simple. Later we graduated to using a PowerPoint which made things much simpler. The schools started asking for a Kindergarten version and we went to work and created a 20-minute session using a story book. We also trained thousands of teachers in professional development days. That presentation became the base for presentations for Junior and Senior High School students expanding our reach and increasing the depth of understanding for the peers of kids on the spectrum. Oh I've been to so may schools and talked to so many students.
When the local chapter of the Mass Nurses Association reached out and asked me to present to their chapter I went to work. I was in my glory, once again discussing patient care with a twist of autism. with my nursing colleagues. It was well received, and soon other areas were calling. I presented to 500 nurses at ADDP’s conference one year and my compensation was donated to the Center, and then I traveled to Holyoke, Danvers, Canton and Bourne to present, each time donating the honorarium to the Center. This was a boon to our budget those years allowing us to do more for all of you! Later when the Mass College of Pharmacy and Health Services reached out asking for training for students, I was ready and taught two years’ worth of students before covid hit. It did my heart good to know that at least some young nurses would know more about autism than I did as a graduate nurse in1976! College students, Direct Care Providers all were part of those we educated through the years.
Boston – Can we talk about the hundreds of trips I have made to Boston to increase autism awareness and meet with my own legislators? Twenty plus years’ worth of trips. First as a Center Director and later as we got more organized as part of AFAM’s Executive Committee. Then there were the years I served on the Governors Autism Commission, again traveling to Boston to meet with the Leaders of the Autism Community to discuss and make recommendations to get legislation passed to benefit people on the Spectrum.
I traveled to Waltham to participate in AFAM meetings and to Brandeis University serve on the Statewide Advisory Committee to DDS. Bringing back information to the Citizens Advisory Board in North Central where I live and serve on that board. All of these were gratifying experiences, knowing I was helping to make a difference. Yes it was work, but it is also my passion.
Oh the places I went to play. Initially my role at the Center was the Family Coordinator. I planned and organized activities out in the community so that families could take their children on the spectrum and their siblings out to recreational activities in a supportive environment. Oh, what fun we had, Trips to places to play mini-golf, bowling, swimming, movies that were sensory friendly long before theaters offered this as an option, plays in Boston, and helping the Hanover adapt The Christmas Carol for an audience of kids on the Spectrum. And Pizza, always pizza and then GFCF pizza. Holiday parties where families could go and dress up and have fun. Our party grew from a drop in to see Santa at our office, to a dinner at a restaurant and a visit with Santa, dancing and karaoke Thanks to DJ Greg.
We began Teen activities when it became apparent that we needed to. Twice The Fun! A Prom was held in response to Alicia Z’s lament as she watched her older sister getting dressed for Prom “When will Alicia get a pretty dress?” Bridget, her mom, called the Center and we pulled together and held our 1st Spring fling. The Halloween Costume Ball became the place where kids who were not ready to give up wearing a costume for Halloween could dress up and have fun with peers. I danced many nights away with the kids and staff enjoyed planning a theme for all our costumes .I guess we are just big kids too!
A New Year’s Eve Eve Dinner Dance seemed to be just the right thing for those teens who had outgrown Santa. Cid, who had volunteered for years at Family Fun Days at Camp joined us when I, as Director, could no longer cover doing all the activities. She is the face of the Center for so many families and has the same dedication to our cause as I do. She'll continue her good work .
Always at camp and events, in the background, doing the work needed to make things run smoothly was Kris who was an Autism Waiver Broker but became my right hand. We think alike and we have worked together effectively. Kris has been the details person while I was busy connecting with the larger Autism Community. We've seen the Autism Waiver grow and now we have three brokers and a waiver supervisor. Kris created the autism waiver team that is I believe the best in the state.
As the kids grew so did the Center, we had activities for everyone and with the addition of Dianne Crossley, we began having activities for adults on the spectrum. Those toddlers who were with us in 1998 have become adults and the need for support never ends for many families.
In 2000 I suggested we have a Community Walk for Autism Awareness after reading about a similar event in southeast Massachusetts. And we started hoping to raise $10,000. To our surprise we raised $16,000 and the walk grew to a huge yearly event and fueled the growth of the Center. Cheryl Chan resigned from our Steering Committee but volunteered to stay on as Walk chair. Under her guidance we saw the walk grow and adding an online platform for walkers to receive donations exploded the revenue to $108.000. Cheryl came on board as a staff member and our development position was born. We added a 5K run and the Daly’s volunteered to spearhead that part of the event. The walk changed from Autism Awareness to Autism Acceptance and then to the Autism Superhero 5K
We had several Event Coordinators over the years, but the real powerhouse was the Walk Committee made of dedicated parents and the families who came and participated. Golf Committees and Wine tasting committees also gave the Center their all and helped grow those events. With Covid we've struggled, a virtual event simply does not have the same draw. I am hoping that we will all be together next year "Live and in Person!" Our Walk/Run Chairs Pat McDonald and Heidi Marlboro have worked so hard and are so dedicated they deserve a good year (don’t we all?) And yes, I will be there, I am only retiring from a paid position, I will support this Center as a parent to the day I die! I'm not going away.
The Mother's Retreat, what can I say? Nothing. Because what happens in Gardner stays in Gardner, Right Ladies? But oh the friendships born at the retreat and memories made. Priceless, Thank You my sisters.
And so here I am at the end of my time at the Center. Oh, the places I went!
Temple Grandin has said.
"I don’t want my thoughts to die with me, I want to have done something. I’m not interested in power, or piles of money. I want to leave something behind. I want to make a positive contribution - know that my life has meaning.”
I have had the honor and the privilege to be the Director of OUR Center, this has allowed me to make a positive contribution and has given my life meaning. I want to thank HMEA for the support, trust and freedom I was given to craft the Center to meet the needs of our families. I need to thank ALL the people who have served on our Family Steering Committee, Family Advisory Board and now our Advisory Council. I could not have done a tenth of what we have accomplished without them.
Another thank you to all the people who have spent some time here as staff I have been blessed to have some incredible people help build our Center. You are the best and I know you will continue to be the best.
Last of all I want to thank all of you, who came to get support but stayed on to make our Center THE Center of the Autism Community. I have been supported by all of you as well as I navigated what was needed to make my son's life a good life. Thank you
You have supported me and my family through some of the hardest days of our lives.
I have loved your children, cheered each small step they made and enjoyed seeing them blossom into young adults. Their brothers and sisters have made me equally proud, Sibshops were a delight.
Please know that we need YOU to make the center run. Rest assured that under Kris’s guidance the Center will continue to grow and thrive and will be responsive to your needs. It has been an amazing experience and I thank you all, for letting me be part of your lives and for traveling with me to the places I've been.
All the best,
