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Cerebral Palsy - Back to News Menu
United Cerebral Palsy quilt honors loved ones who've passed away
Good Things Happening
Fred Brown irons a photo of his late brother, Carl, onto the memorial quilt now on display at United Cerebral Palsy of Greater Cincinnati.
Lost loved ones are being honored through a memorial quilt prepared by people with physical disabilities at United Cerebral Palsy of Greater Cincinnati.
Seven people in the UCP's Life Enrichment weekday program developed the idea.
They provided to volunteers and staff photographs of loved ones they had lost. The pictures were scanned and transferred to paper. The photos were then ironed onto quilt squares made of fabrics and colors.
Volunteer quilter Kay Cockshutt spent three days hand-stitching together the memorial squares.
The result was a piece of artwork in remembrance of mothers, fathers, family and friends who have died.
The memorial quilt was completed in time to coincide with the 40th anniversary celebration of the Alfred J. Rendigs Memorial Center at UCP on May 23.
"We have not had a formal presentation of the quilt, but it is hanging in the hallway of our building for public viewing," said Dawn Campbell Giesman, development and communication officer for UCP. "It is a beautiful piece of artwork. Everyone is proud of what it means."
Visitors may view the quilt on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 3601 Victory Parkway.
The center houses the adult weekday life enrichment and independent living program.
For more information, call (513)-221-4606
Center gets leftover food
Give Back Cincinnati, a young professional organization, used 10 volunteers to visit 45 food booths at the conclusion of the 25th anniversary Taste of Cincinnati to collect food for the Drop-In Center.
Ex-Bengals helping St. Jude
Former Bengals Anthony Munoz, Isaac Curtis and Louis Breeden are helping to spearhead the St. Jude Dream Home Giveaway.
The Anthony Munoz Foundation will buy the first raffle ticket. Breeden and Curtis are serving as chairmen. Tickets are on sale for $100 each and a limit of 7,500 will be sold.
The tickets are sold for a chance to win a $370,000 home being raffled to benefit St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.
Fischer Homes is spearheading construction of the St. Jude Dream Home, being built on a lot donated by Great Traditions Land & Development Company, Ryan Homes and Zaring Premier Homes in the Lexington Run Community in Batavia.
Other sponsors are Radio Station B-105.1, WUBE, Hancock Fabrics and Riemeier Lumber.
Tickets are available at the customer-service desk of all Cincinnati-area Meijer stores and Hancock Fabrics. For more information, call (800) 537-1735 or visit www.stjudedreamhome.org.
Madisonville hosts cornhole
The Madisonville Education and Assistance Center will host its first Eastside Cornhole Tournament today, beginning at 11 a.m., to raise money for needy families in the area.
For more information, call (513)-505-4796.
The tournament will be in the Fifth Third Madisonville Campus parking lot, 5001 Kingsley Dr., Madisonville.
Boy, 6, inspires cerebral palsy benefit
Waverly athletes pay to participate in 24-hour event
By Hugh Leach
Lansing State Journal
Cheering: Six-year-old Cole Wallace celebrates a goal Saturday during a soccer match that was part of the 24-hour Juggle-a-thon to benefit United Cerebral Palsy of Michigan at Waverly High School in Delta Township. Cole, who has cerebral palsy, inspired the fundraiser, which had raised more than $3,000 by Saturday afternoon.
DELTA TWP. - June 19, 2005 - It didn't matter to 6-year-old Cole Wallace that nearly every other player on the field was at least twice as tall as him and more than twice as old.
The youngster was having fun as he and the other players raced up and down the Waverly High School soccer field Saturday afternoon.
It was in large part because of Cole, who has cerebral palsy, that about 40 Waverly soccer players raised $75 each to allow them to participate in a 24-hour event that started at 7 p.m. Friday.
It was originally supposed to be an overnight campout for players on the field, but it evolved into a fundraiser for United Cerebral Palsy.
"I thought it was so awesome that the kids wanted to do this," said Terra Dodds, who coaches the Waverly varsity girls and junior varsity boys soccer teams.
Although the outing was conceived by Matt Hill, 16, it was his friend Chris Wallace - Cole's brother - who suggested using it as a fundraiser.
"I've seen what Cole goes through," said Chris, 17.
"His cerebral palsy is a mild form. A lot of people have it much worse."
In addition to soccer, features of the event included volleyball, poker, horseshoe and other tournaments, and donated food.
Chris's mother, Laurie Wallace, said she was surprised when she learned where the money would go.
"I'm very proud of him for thinking of his little brother," she said.
Part of the event involved groups of two or three students, working in half-hour shifts, trying to keep a soccer ball in the air for the entire 24 hours.
"It was extremely difficult," said Juggle-a-thon participant Kori Jackson, 16.
"Chris and Matt are a lot better at it."
It's difficult even for advanced players, Chris said: "But it's fun and you don't need a lot of room to do it."
United Cerebral Palsy Michigan Executive Director Linda Potter, who was at the event both days, said events of this type are vital.
The organization relies on fundraising and donations for about 30 percent of its $841,000 annual budget.
As of 3 p.m. Saturday, the Waverly event had raised more than $3,000.
A silent auction later in the day was expected to boost the total considerably.
Contact Hugh Leach at 377-1119 or hleach@lsj.com.
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Cerebral palsy
• What it is: Cerebral palsy is a term used to describe a group of chronic conditions affecting body movement and muscle coordination. It is caused by damage to the brain, usually occurring during fetal development, birth or infancy.
• What it does: Depending on which areas of the brain are damaged, the following could occur: muscle tightness or spasm; involuntary movement; disturbance in gait and mobility, abnormal sensation and perception; impairment of sight, hearing or speech; and seizures. Other problems that may arise are difficulties in feeding, bladder and bowel control, and learning disabilities. For any individual, symptoms may be mild or severe.
• People with cerebral palsy: About 500,000 in the United States, including about 35,000 in Michigan.
• Prognosis: Cerebral palsy itself does not get worse. Although it is not "curable," training and therapy can help improve function. People with cerebral palsy can and do live full active lives.
Source: United Cerebral Palsy Michigan Inc.
On the Web
• United Cerebral Palsy Michigan: www.ucp.org/ucp_local.cfm/87
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