Awareness
A Move In The Right Direction
BY: The Axtell Family GiGi’s Playhouse has been an irreplaceable bee hive of activities for our 47-year-old son Mark after our recent move from the Seattle, Washington area. Our stressful cross-country move was one of those “had-to-do things” to get Mark near his beloved sister as we aging parents who are both in our 80’s…
Read MoreReflections on the Road
By Joan Peddicord I’ve been part of the GiGi’s Annapolis family since May, 2018, when I volunteered for the Literacy summer pilot and then the Fall program. A few years earlier, I had learned about GiGi’s from a segment on the national news and knew I wanted to volunteer. Fast forward to retirement, and I…
Read MoreDrum Roll Please! Raymond’s “Best of All”
We have been planning to bring drumming to our Playhouse for some time but were not having any luck finding drums and a leader. One day we spotted a video on Facebook of Raymond, our Playhouse participant, drumming in a Washington, D.C. street concert and saw his amazing talent! Now we knew exactly who could…
Read MoreFinding a Treasure with GiGi’s Playhouse
By: Doni Dondero “Being introduced to GiGi’s Playhouse has been an amazing experience for our family,” says Lily’s mom. “Our daughter Lily is 9, soon to be 10, as she tells everyone.” She is going into 4th grade at her home school in Glen Burnie where she participates in an altered curriculum class so that…
Read MoreExciting Fall Session Programs!
LMNOP (Birth-3 years) LMNOP is an interactive and engaging program designed to guide parents and young children through learning basic sign language and other forms of communication using music and language-based activities. We recommend this program for ages Birth-3 Years. Tuesdays: RSVP for Sept. 17, 10-11 am RSVP for Sept. 24, 10-11 am Saturday: RSVP…
Read More“From My Heart” to GiGi’s Playhouse
Joan Blum has found another perfect location to volunteer!!! As a retired Anne Arundel County teacher with 24 years in the classroom and a volunteer in a Baltimore inner-city school, she wanted to continue her commitment to helping young people. When she heard about GiGi’s Playhouse in Annapolis (literally 3 miles from her home), she…
Read MoreGiGi’s Playhouse: An Answered Prayer
By Lisa Custer To say that GiGi’s Playhouse Annapolis has made a difference in my daughter’s life is the quintessential understatement. I would call GiGi’s Playhouse a literal “Godsend.” In September of 2016, our family dynamic drastically changed. Suddenly I was a single parent. My daughter, Valerie was in her sixth season of living her…
Read MoreGiGi’s Playhouse & Teen Volunteers = Friends in the Community
Every parent has probably observed a child losing touch with friends as different sports interests, clubs, activities or going to a different school take people in different directions. As children grow up, most make new friends in those new activities. Sometimes, however, it is not that easy. A “lost” friend is one who may not…
Read MoreAdvocacy and Activism Squelch “R” Word from Government Language
By: Doni Dondero If your child has Down Syndrome, you have heard of Rosa’s Law, but did you know Rosa is one of GiGi’s Playhouse Annapolis participants? Rosa was the inspirations for the law that carries her name and stamped out the term “mental retardation” and “retarded” in Maryland state and federal government documents. Mom…
Read MoreThe Power of “THE”
Emily is a local teacher and served as a volunteer tutor at GiGi’s Playhouse Annapolis. She worked one-on-one with Tim during the Fall Literacy 10-week session. Tim has completed high school and currently works part time stocking shelves in a grocery store which he really enjoys. At the beginning of the tutoring session, Tim’s mom…
Read More