Posts by Bethany Wells
Volunteer Spotlight: Demetris Stewart!
Demetris is a phenomenal woman with many talents and interests! In the summer of 2021, she began volunteering at GiGi’s Playhouse Detroit, and has been the inspiring and enthusiastic leader of our Art Explosion program ever since! She identifies as an Artist through & through, and is dedicated to sharing her passion while positively impacting…
Read MoreProgram Spotlight: Art Explosion
Art is all around us, …even if we’re not always aware of it. From observing a painting in a museum or street art in the community, to funky clothing, creative hairstyles, or the sky’s colors unfolding at sunset, art is a beautiful and critical part of life. The benefits of making art are…
Read MoreA Sibling’s Reflection: “Never Knew a World without Down Syndrome”
Guest post by Tamara Fobare I am #7 of 10 kids. My oldest sister lived one day. The next child, Winston, was born with Down syndrome. When he was very young, he had heart surgery to save his life. The doctors told my parents, “Don’t expect him to live past 9 years old,” and “There…
Read MoreWhat’s in a Name? A Mother’s Story of Hope
Guest post by Shannon Blaeske Twelve years ago, the only thing keeping me from succumbing to fear was hope. Enter: Fiona Hope. Her first name was decided before we knew anything about our baby other than a biological gender. A few weeks later we learned she had Down syndrome along with some life-threatening medical concerns.…
Read MoreVolunteer Spotlight: Rachel Eckert
Interview by Aria Kim Allow us to introduce you to our fabulous volunteer, Rachel Eckert! Rachel has been a blessing to the GiGi’s Playhouse community as the leader of our adult class called Friends, Fun & Fitness. Rachel embodies the welcoming energy, positivity, and enthusiasm we strive to have here, and her passion for raising…
Read MoreProgram Spotlight: Friends, Fun & Fitness
Friends, Fun, and Fitness is a group program for teens and adults, led by Rachel Eckert. Rachel does a fantastic job motivating participants to increase their physical activity levels and healthy lifestyle choices through this purposeful program. We asked Rachel how she would describe her class. Here is what she said: Most of the folks…
Read MoreSpotlight on Luke Tyrrell, a Bright and Talented Freshman at Calvin University
Guest Post by Yamna Bukhari We are excited to share that GiGi’s Playhouse Detroit’s very own Luke Tyrrell began his journey in tertiary education this 2022-23 academic year! Luke is a part of the Ready for Life program at Calvin University in Grand Rapids, and a proud recipient of a Ruby’s Rainbow scholarship. I had…
Read MoreVolunteer Spotlight: Sue Rokosz
Sue Rokosz has volunteered as a Math Tutor for GiGi’s Detroit since June of 2021. After a 39-year career with Ford Motor Company, Sue retired from the position of Senior Environmental Engineer and thankfully, brought her brilliant mind and generous heart to our Playhouse the following summer. When it comes to tutoring, Sue always goes…
Read MoreProgram Spotlight: LMNOP
LMNOP = Language, Music, ‘N’ Our Peeps! All babies know how to communicate; cry if you want something, continue to cry until someone figures it out. As they get a little older, their behavior and means of communication expand. If they want something, they’ll reach, point, or maybe even throw a tantrum for it. As…
Read MoreAlong for the Journey: Having a Sister with Down Syndrome
Guest post by Aria Kim My youngest sister Elena (13) has Down syndrome. In many ways, Elena is the best thing that has ever happened to my family. There are a lot of misconceptions out there about Down syndrome; many people assume that raising a child with a disability is challenging. As Elena’s older sister,…
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