Posts by Candi Medeiros

GiGi’s Playhouse is a Down Syndrome Achievement Center that celebrates a “Best of All” philosophy. But that’s not limited to achievements inside our facility. And 21-year-old Madisyn (“Maddz”) gives us plenty to celebrate outside of it. Maddz was recently named Junior Iowa Miss Amazing at a pageant held in Urbandale. Her talent? Singing and cooking.…

Last week, I learned that the mother of a great volunteer of ours found the perfect Christmas Gift for her daughter: a very generous donation to GiGi’s Playhouse made in her honor. After a bit of research into the many GiGi’s Programs that her daughter led, the mother and I agreed on how we would…

This is 46-year-old Joel. He is one of the first participants I met at GiGi’s Playhouse. He participates in four different programs: GiGi’s Kitchen, Music Makers, Fantastic Friends and one-on-one tutoring. He is as gentle, kind and caring a soul as you will ever meet. At our Fantastic Friends Halloween Party, he dressed as his…

When the City of Windsor Heights approves our own “Hollywood Walk of Fame”, I have an idea of the first star that will be immortalized on it. It will be to honor a man about whom I heard many stories before I finally met him at an afternoon of GiGi’s Music Makers this Fall: 48-year-old…

Anyone who sets out to write a blog in the month of November undoubtedly feels an obligation to make it about giving thanks. Call it a seasonal thing. But honestly, I find myself writing about thanks less because of the Thanksgiving decorations that are on display all around me and more about how I am…

For this Blog, I’m going to steal a feature from my personal social media posts that I call “New Friend Friday”, where I introduce a GiGi’s participant to my personal network. I do that to give my family, friends and professional acquaintances an idea of the impact that we make on the Down syndrome community,…

I’ll never forget my interview with the team from GiGi’s Playhouse, and the first impression that this place gave me.  Even though it was quiet with no activity on site, the beauty and whimsical atmosphere of the Playhouse “had me at hello”. I could only imagine how different the welcome area, performance stage, gym, art…