NYC Marathon, the Hudson River and a bird house

A Riddle for Playhouse Fans

What do the NYC Marathon, the Hudson River, the tail end of winter and a birdhouse have in common?  Answer:  the GiGi’s Playhouse-NYC 2014 i-have-a-voice Gala! Here’s why:

This year we invite you to join the GiGi’s family on board the elegant Hornblower Hybrid for a moonlit cruise.  Save the date of March 1, 2014!  There will be three hundred of us sailing from Pier 40, along with our guest of honor, Jimmy Jenson, who recently delighted the world by being the first person with Down syndrome to complete the New York City Marathon!  Our local Channel 2 News anchor, Chris Wragge, has graciously volunteered to be our emcee.  Join with us to celebrate all of our victories in the Down syndrome community.  Not only will there be fabulous refreshments, scintillating conversation, music and dancing, but also stunning views of Manhattan!  And as for the birdhouse?  It’s only one of many incredible offerings on the silent and live auctions!

Check out all the details on our website gigisplayhouse.org/newyork.  Click on “gala”, and while you’re there, purchase your tickets.

And here is a description of that birdhouse:

“Building Blocks” is a custom made Purple Martin birdhouse, featuring five nesting compartments.  Purple Martins thrive in a communal environment, just as we do at GiGi’s Playhouse.  They are also a loyal species, the fledglings returning to the same nest the next year.  To watch them in aerobatic display, dipping and diving, catching their dinner of insects, is a joy.  They appear to be having fun while hard at work.  This is similar to what happens everyday at the Playhouse.
We all love building blocks.  First comes the simple fun of stacking one on top of another, then knocking them down.  But there is another side to building blocks, actually six sides, and somewhere between the building up and knocking down, learning takes place.  Exactly when the connectivity of shape and color, the recognition of number and letter occurs is different for each of us.  For persons with Down syndrome, this learning is a significant step forward, a reinforcement of the best practices of visual and repetitive methods.

GiGi’s Playhouse is a learning lab of building blocks.  Our very first premise is that each individual has greater potential, and all of our therapeutic programs offer a journey to discover it.  These initiatives foster cognitive and physical development that results in greater achievement, building self-esteem and confidence.  We all fall down; at GiGi’s Playhouse we learn to get back up.  For those with Down syndrome this is a key to independence, a means to a purposeful and positive future.

Welcome to GiGi’s Playhouse!  Looking forward to seeing you at the Gala!
Richard Reilly
The Grandparent Connection
GiGi’s Playhouse-NYC