Meet Addi!

This is seven-year-old Addi. It took this picture of her at GiGi’s with Sam Addi’s Aunt Natalie. Addi is the first GiGi’s Participant that I ever met — on a day of several other firsts.

It was my FIRST day on the job, my FIRST GiGi’s event (the annual Friends of GiGi’s Golf Outing at Jester Park Golf Course) and a most awesome FIRST impression. I met great sponsors and supporters that day, all united to have fun and to celebrate the fantastic work of our Down syndrome achievement center.

Addi was a hit, as she and her mom Patty drove around the course meeting all the golfers, thanking them for being part of the event.

But whereas that day was all about fun, the day I took this photo was it was about getting down to business. You see, Addi comes here every Wednesday afternoon to meet with Sam for literacy tutoring. Sam doesn’t have a background in education, but that’s not a prerequisite here. What is a prerequisite, though, is what Sam has plenty of: caring, patience and a desire to work at Addi’s level to continually challenge and encourage her to reach her “Best of All” each day.

But to say that it’s all about “getting down to business” when Addi comes here on Wednesdays would be a lie. She enjoys the GiGi’s indoor playground, too, but as a reward AFTER she and Sam conclude their tutoring “business”.

Addi’s family is fully committed to GiGi’s – her mom, Patty, is a Board Member, her mom Lisa is owner of Addi’s Lawn Care – a big business supporter of ours — and Addi herself is a fantastic ambassador. She even has a bigger-than-life “Glamour shot” of herself displayed on the window of our Playhouse! Have you seen it? You should stop by and take a look. And then stop inside for a tour. I’d love to show you around.