News From the Heart June 2013

News from the Heart
June 2013

^4th

Annual Back to the

'80s Scavenger Hunt and Pub Crawl Fundraiser"

Thank you to everyone who supported the

4^th Annual Back to the '80s Scavenger Hunt and Pub Crawl
fundraiser on Saturday, May 18, 2013! The weather was beautiful, the music was nostalgic, and the costumes were awesome! Supporters raised almost $2,000 to help FND serve families with disabilities!

Attendance was a little lighter than in years past, so each of our five fabulous sponsors (we really do refer to them as the Fab Five) donated $100 to FND to make the event even more successful!

We are so grateful to:

The Chic a Boom Room

Flanagan's Irish Pub

The Dunedin Smokehouse

Dunedin Brewery

Rosie's Tavern

If you live in this area, we ask that you show your support to these community-based establishments where the food, drink, and hospitality are unparalleled.

Shout-outs also to the many supporters who donated prizes for the Scavenger Hunt and costume contest winners:

Papa John's

Portrait Innovations

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Congo River Golf

Red Lobster

Weeki Wachee Springs

State Park

Dunedin Stirling Links

The Florida Aquarium

Tamp Bay Grand Prix

Jet's Pizza

Rayz Tanning

Awaken Organic

Skincare & Boutique

Soho Tanning Spa

Glazer Children's Museum

Tampa Bay Rays

Tampa Improv Comedy

Theatre

Stirling Tropical

Wines & Gifts

Outback Steakhouse

Hooter's

Ruth Eckerd Hall

Art from the Heart Café

Side Splitters Comedy

Club

Tampa Bay Lightning

Splitsville

Tina Tapa's

Special Needs Prom

5^th Annual

Arabian Nights Prom

Last month, we told you about the
5^th Annual Arabian Nights Prom
put together by Night with the Stars in conjunction with Family Network on Disabilities and Woodland Community Church. The prom was held on April 26 and was attended by almost 700 people! This annual prom is available free to all residents with disabilities age 16 and up in Sarasota and Manatee counties through generous donations from the community.

2196 Main St

Dunedin, Florida

800-825-5736

Calendar of Events

Arts for Students with Disabilities

VSA Florida acts as the "glue" that joins the arts experience with individuals with disabilities and their family and friends. They shared a perfect example with us recently. A mother wrote about the personal impact on her child participating in a VSA Palm Beach performing arts program. "The acting and singing opportunities my child has received through the auspices of VSA has had a significant effect on personal growth. Being part of a group has helped my child's social skills and specifically allowed my child to understand the way collective action can increase positive results. And more importantly, how much fun that action can be! Being part of the group has increased my child's motivation to practice with the group and as well as alone- so as not to disappoint the group and be relied upon. My child's willingness to help individuals who may require it has been another benefit as well as the confidence created by each successful performance."

Family Network on Disabilities had the opportunity to witness firsthand the positive effects of the arts on students with disabilities during a recent scholarship presentation (also in Palm Beach County) for Fazida Yathali.

Fazida is a recipient of the Jan La Belle Scholarship Program, which is awarded annually to individuals between the ages of 16 and 24 who have a disability and who are pursuing higher education as a first-time student at any institution of higher learning, whether academic or vocational. FND presented the $10,000 award at the Class of 2013 Senior Awards Ceremony at Alexander W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts in West Palm Beach.

Fazida wants to earn a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree so that she can work as an exhibiting artist while teaching at an art school to teach children how to express themselves with artwork. She was diagnosed with Specific Learning Disability and Language Impaired in 2001. Fazida has had a passion for art since she was a small child. She used art as a way to express herself and desires to help others do that as well.

For more information on VSA Florida, please
click here.

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