Western DuPage

Special Recreation Association

Providing engaging community-based recreational programs and inclusion services for children, teens and adults with special needs.

www.wdsra.com

News You Can Use December 2, 2015

In This Issue

Thank YOU for Giving

Thank You to The Coleman Foundation

Thank YOU for Bringing the Vision to Life

No One Should Ever Feel Invisible

How You Can Help

Hear from Our Families and Participants

Annual Report Offers Year in Review

Wanted: Wine & Spirit Pull Donations

Bringing Saturday Date Night Back

Special Needs Screening: The Good Dinosaur

Thank YOU for Giving From Your Heart!

Where Does Your Donation Go?

Donations create scholarships for families in need, purchase sensory tools and toys to comfort and calm participants especially those with Autism, provide inclusions services, and help keep programs affordable for families.

Tweet Us @WeAreWDSRA

You can now get all the latest updates on programs, events, staffing and more at @WeAreWDSRA!

Did you miss the #teamwdsra campaign on Facebook and Twitter? Catch a glimpse of the fun side of the WDSRA staff.

Some Favorites from 2015

Sherri making art

Holiday Shopping Online?

Shop online for WDSRA

1. Log on through

smile.amazon.com
or fundin co.org.

2. Select WDSRA as your charity.

3. SHOP!

Both will make a contribution based on your purchase to WDSRA. There is no cost to you. So...get shopping!

Spread the News!

Know someone who might benefit from WDSRA programs and services? Invite them to view the WDSRA video here.

Hear why one parent calls WDSRA 'exceptional and rare'.

News You Can Use Archive

Looking for something you saw in a past News You Can Use? Visit our archive at

www.wdsra.com.

WDSRA on WONC!

Catch us LIVE on WONC FM89.1 Tues at 4:30pm.

Follow Us

Thank YOU for GIVING!

We want to thank every one who showed their support of WDSRA by donating on Giving Tuesday.

YOU opened your hearts and gave ... generously!

YOU share our vision ...strongly!

We are so very grateful for YOU!

We are still tabulating the results from Giving Tuesday. Because of the overwhelming response, it will take some time to determine which transactions are eligible for the matching opportunity offered through The Coleman Foundation. But here is what we know so far:

Preliminary 2015 Giving Tuesday Results

131 donations were made online on Dec. 1st
$20,835 donations were recorded (does not reflect matching opportunity)
20% more donors than last year
26% increase in donations made on Giving Tuesday last year

We are humbled by the results so far. Once the final tabulations are made and the results of the match are included, we expect our numbers will be even higher.

Thank YOU for your contribution and support!

Thank YOU to

The Coleman Foundation!

We want to extend a HUGE thanks to The Coleman Foundation whose partnership made this match possible. For the third consecutive year they have offered WDSRA a matching grant specifically around the Giving Tuesday movement. They have challenged us to increase our giving, focus on online giving and increase our social media exposure. This year their challenge was to target incremental increases in gifts from individuals. They continue to raise the bar in giving and we are genuinely grateful for their support.

Thank YOU for your vision and partnership!

Thank YOU for

Bringing the Vision to Life!

Annual Appeal cover

Thank YOU for giving from your heart. The warmth, compassion and kindness that comes with you gift touches the lives of every child, adult and family member we serve. Because of that, we are truly grateful for your support and thank YOU from the bottom of our hearts!

We thank YOU for bringing our vision of Equal Fun for Everyone to life each and every day. Because of your support every individual at WDSRA has access to affordable quality programming and choices in they way they want to recreate. Everyone has the opportunity to enjoy life to the fullest through recreational experiences regardless of their disability.

With grateful hearts, we thank YOU!

No One Should Ever Feel Invisible

"Our daughter Samantha often describes herself as 'invisible' to others in this world. At WDSRA,

Sam is never 'invisible' because she is treated as an equal. WDSRA's mission of Equal Fun for Everyone has made a profound difference in her life. WDSRA has meant social connections, self-confidence and the opportunity to pursue her passions."

Bud and Liz Rein WDSRA parents

You Can Make Sure No Child Or Adult Ever Feels Invisible

During this holiday season, we are asking for your help in making sure that no child or adult with special needs ever feels invisible. WDSRA programs and staff will always provide a place for Sam and others to feel anything but invisible.

This is an important time of giving for WDSRA and the families we serve. If you gave on Giving Tuesday--we THANK YOU! If not, please remember that our Annual Appeal is going on now through the end of December.

Will you look into your heart and make WDSRA part of your charitable end-of-year giving? Your gift will touch the lives of our friends and neighbors, like Sam, with special needs.

Donations can be made through the mail or online at www.wdsra.com anytime.

Thank YOU for making WDSRA

part of your charitable giving!

Why Give to WDSRA?

Hear directly from our participants and families:

For ballet, friends, dancing in front of the tv and Christy!

For friends whispering in your ear, avoiding becoming a couch potato and Anna and Jesse!

Annual Report Offers Year in Review

See the impact your donations have made over the past year. Guided by a clear vision and the steadfast support of partners, like YOU, our focus and commitment has led us to:

Initiate new projects that will allow us to better serve our current families
Connect with families who are new to special recreation
Renew our efforts of bringing the WDSRA vision to life for everyone we serve

We invite you to take a look at the entire year in review our FY14-15 Annual Report.

Wanted--Wine & Craft Beers for Spirit Pull

As you head out to pick up those holiday spirits, please consider picking up an extra bottle of your favorite wine or a pack of your favorite craft brew for the WDSRA Wine & Spirit Pull!

This is one of the most popular items at The Black & Red Bash. But we can't do it without your help. We are looking for great tasting spirits (minimum value $10 please)! Donations can be dropped off at the WDSRA offices attn: Dori.

For more information please contact Dori at dorin@wdsra.com or 630-681-0962 ext569.

Featured Program

Parents of Children & Teen 10-16 --Bring Back Saturday Date Night!

Here is your opportunity to enjoy Saturday date night while your child/teen enjoys Saturday evenings with friends!

Sign up for Out & About, the Saturday evening social club for children and teens ages 10-16. There is something new planned every week! Maybe it's dinner at the latest cool spot, attending a local sporting event, heading to a popular play/movie, or hanging out for game night. The best part is that your child/teen is hanging out with friends and having fun. Makes Saturday date night guilt free for you!

Details for all three programs can be found on page 11 of the Winter/Spring program brochure.

Community Programs

Special Needs Screening--The Good Dinosaur

An epic journey into the world of dinosaurs where an Apatosaurus named Arlo makes an unlikely human friend.

The Good Dinosaur

Saturday, 12/5 at 11am

Studio Movie Grill (SMG)
301 Rice Lake Square, Wheaton

Special needs children & their siblings are FREE. All other guests are $6/ticket.

We are pleased to sponsor this private screening as part of our partnership with www.studiomoviegrill.com . The SMG Special

Needs Screenings for children with special needs and their siblings features family-friendly movies. Movies are shown with the lights up, the volume lowered and children are free to move around, talk or even dance in the aisles during the movie. Plus, order any menu item marked with the SMG Chefs for Charity badge and SMG will donate 5% of the proceeds to WDSRA.

WDSRA is committed to providing quality recreational programs, dedicated and trained staff, specialized equipment, and much needed scholarships. Your support provides the financial support needed to ensure that the cost of programs remains affordable throughout the year.

Western DuPage Special Recreation Association (WDSRA)

116 N. Schmale Road, Carol Stream, IL 60188-2103

P: 630-681-0962 | F: 630-681-1262 |