At the time, I didn\u2019t know anyone in our community that had a child with Down syndrome. We knew of some grown-up individuals who were 20, 30 or 40 years old at that time\u2026but didn\u2019t know them well.\u00a0While we had a new baby to love and care for, we didn\u2019t know what it would mean for our family.\u00a0 I often felt very alone and very worried.\u00a0 I wished that I would have had someone to connect with and share my concerns, fears, and joys with that would understand me and how I was feeling.<\/p>\n
I remember driving to a \u201cBuddy Walk\u201d in the Quad Cities with Jack when he was 1.5 years old, by myself, not telling anyone (except perhaps Terry). I never made it to the walk that day, running late and rain were factors\u2026 Michelle Hornbuckle Hughes had invited me.\u00a0 She worked at the Children\u2019s Therapy Center at the time and was the mother to 3 boys.\u00a0 One of these boys, Nate, happened to have Down syndrome also, sadly he had passed away too early in life.\u00a0 Michelle loved on Jack every time she saw him.\u00a0 At that time, she would eagerly talk about a place she was excited to start in the Quad Cities, called GiGi\u2019s Playhouse.<\/p>\n
The support over the years that our family has received for Jack and Team JackaRoo has been overwhelming and we are humbled by it.<\/p>\n Being a top team is really about the love and support we receive from OTHERS.\u00a0 At first (in 2013) when we began fundraising, we heard \u201cwhat is GiGi\u2019s Playhouse?\u201d\u2026. and we still hear that sometimes.\u00a0 However, this past year, we received donations for Jack\u2019s team from 9 different states<\/strong>. People know Jack, they love him, and they support him.\u00a0 I have been asked several times to talk with new moms or families who have a child born with Down syndrome.\u00a0 Being there for others means so much to me.<\/p>\n I love GiGi\u2019s programs that help our younger kiddos learn, and Jack has especially enjoyed Literacy Tutoring in the summertime.\u00a0 Other families are grateful for the adult programs too; my friend Danika takes her brother, Levi, to these and it is a place where he is comfortable and has friends he enjoys being with.\u00a0 The Superhero walk, the summer picnics, and holiday parties are all organized events that bring families together so we can create relationships that we can support and learn from one another.\u00a0 The calendar of programs and activities is awesome and amazing, and I wish we lived closer so we could participate more.\u00a0 THANKS to the amazing STAFF, and Pam (our Site Director), and all the volunteers that make this all possible!\u00a0 While we are living our busy lives and taking care of our amazing kids, you make this possible for our families.<\/p>\n THANK you to all that give each year to our team and to other teams too. You make this ALL POSSIBLE! \u00a0We couldn\u2019t do it without your support.\u00a0 GiGi\u2019s is free to families and is run on your donations.<\/p>\n What I have learned in these 10 years is that I have the best kid ever!\u00a0 If I lined up 10 kids in a row, I would choose Jack, my kiddo, just the way he is!\u00a0 We have learned so much about living, about life, and about love.\u00a0 We are grateful and we are blessed.<\/p>\n Love to all,<\/p>\n JackaRoo’s mom, Jodi<\/p>\n Go Team JackaRoo!<\/p>\n Check out this video submitted by Jodi & Jack that sums up all the information above!<\/p>\n Congratulations Team GiGi\u2019s! WE are ALL a TEAM and a Family, and I am so grateful for that! As I ponder what I should share, I reflect on the past ten years of having our son, Jack, in our lives. First, I want to share that I am so grateful for JACK.\u00a0 I always want…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":120,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-16157","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gigisplayhouse.org\/quadcities\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16157","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gigisplayhouse.org\/quadcities\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gigisplayhouse.org\/quadcities\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gigisplayhouse.org\/quadcities\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/120"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gigisplayhouse.org\/quadcities\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=16157"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/gigisplayhouse.org\/quadcities\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16157\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gigisplayhouse.org\/quadcities\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=16157"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gigisplayhouse.org\/quadcities\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=16157"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gigisplayhouse.org\/quadcities\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=16157"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"\"](\"https:\/\/gigisplayhouse.org\/quadcities\/files\/2019\/10\/72153265_534621530630905_1227659360100941824_n.jpg\")
<\/a>The next year, GiGi\u2019s Playhouse had been opened and we participated in the walk.\u00a0 I observed other infants, toddlers, school-age children and adults with Down syndrome, and I heard a young lady named Kate (who had DS) sing the National Anthem, I got tears in my eyes.\u00a0 I was overtaken with emotion and awe.\u00a0 GiGi\u2019s Playhouse<\/strong>, \u201cThe Walk\u201d<\/strong>, and the fundraising that happens each year in October (as well as the Gala in the spring) are so special to me and my family because it connects all people.\u00a0 Family members, friends, and others come out to support individuals with Down syndrome, and their families.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\nJodi & Jack Video<\/a><\/h2>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"