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Volunteer Spotlight: Marquette University Occupational Therapy Dept.
Students from Marquette University’s College of Health Sciences in the area of Occupational Therapy (OT) facilitated our Fall 2023 GiGi Prep program with an emphasis on building communication skills, money management, customer service skills, team building, health, and personal wellness. Both the participants and volunteers voiced their enthusiasm and appreciation for the program with the…
Read MoreCommunity Connection – Brillant DPI
On Nov. 16, 2023, GiGi’s Playhouse Milwaukee had new pictures applied to the Welcome Windows greeting everyone as they walk past and enter GiGi’s. The company applying the new pictures was Brillant DPI and owner Chris Sherman was leading the application. Chris, who happens to be a good friend to a family that attends GiGi’s…
Read MoreVolunteer Spotlight: Tyler Madoche – Empowering Inclusivity while getting participants GiGiFIT!
We say goodbye this month to Tyler Madoche – our long-time GiGiFIT instructor at Balance Fitness, who came to us in August 2021 and quickly became the heart and soul behind our Adult fitness program. As a certified fitness instructor, Tyler combined his fitness know-how with his warm and welcoming vibe, to create an awesome supportive…
Read MoreThe Power of Inclusion: Celebrating Local Individuals with Down Syndrome in Swimming
At first glance, swimming may seem like a simple recreational activity or sport, but for individuals with Down syndrome, there is more to it than that. The joys and challenges of swimming on a team also shows the importance of integration and inclusion in sporting activities. It is still not commonplace to see our friends…
Read MoreParticipant Best of All: Luke
Luke has been making strides in his sight-word reading with his tutor Marissa over the past two sessions of 1:1 Literacy Tutoring. Marissa collaborated with our Program and Volunteer Coordinator to create literacy instruction activities that center around movement and Luke’s sporting interests. This connection has improved his attentiveness during lessons and he has been…
Read MoreParticipant Best of All: Beatrix
Beatrix attended the Noon Year’s Eve Party with her family. When Lauren said hello to her, she looked her in the eyes and said ‘hi’ back right away. This special moment is an indicator of growth for Bea this “simple” interaction is really so much more! This event signifies Bea’s comfort with Lauren, a relatively…
Read MoreParent Perspective, What does GiGi’s mean to me?
Hi, my name is Becky Archibald. My husband Dave and I have a daughter named Caroline who is almost 2 1/2 years old. The first time that we went to GiGi’s was last year for cookies with Santa. I will never forget the first time that we went in. As soon as we walked in,…
Read MoreWe Make the Change Together!
“When there is something you enjoy doing there is nothing more fun than sharing that love with others!” -GiGi’s Playhouse belief This is why we share GiGi’s mission to build a world that embraces Down syndrome and each person’s strengths and uniqueness to truly CHANGE THE WORLD! Each of our board members and staff members…
Read MoreSara was presented with the Generation G Award!
The Generation G Award is given to an individual or Playhouse who leverages Generation G to change the way the world views Down syndrome! Congrats Sara!!! These people are generous with their time and their heart and most importantly they are givers and achievers! The #GenerationG community will stand up for others and sees the…
Read MoreVolunteer Spotlight: Danielle
Volunteer Spotlight: Danielle is one of our Teen Tastic leaders who has taken charge of coordinating the weekly program. She comes prepared to each program and collaborates with other leaders to create age-appropriate activities based on the themes chosen by the group. This past week was an animal theme and she modeled handwriting with the…
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