GiGi’s Playhouse 4th Annual 5k – Team Amelia!

Today we are happy to share our Board President, Janet LaSalle’s, thoughts on why we do what we do and why events like the GiGi’s Playhouse 5k, Fun run/walk and Dash for Down Syndrome are so important to us all!

I think back to the day when I first heard about GiGi’s Playhouse. Amelia and Addison were only 1 ½ years old and on the floor playing. Ally had found information about GiGi’s Playhouse on the internet and asked me to check it out. That evening after Amelia went to bed I sat down and looked it up. Wow I thought, that would be amazing if we could do something like that here in Syracuse!

In December 2011 a group of parents gathered together at the Panera in DeWitt and the journey began. Months of planning, figuring out fundraising and talking about locations. I thought, could this really happen? Could this small group of parents bring this to Syracuse for our kids? 10 months later, October 2012 our first 5k. We hadn’t opened yet, who would come? Who would sign up to help a Center for children with Down syndrome that wasn’t even open? Well, let me tell you lots of people came!! Hundreds!! We could not have been more excited and humbled by the turn out! One month later, November 2012 the Grand Opening of GiGi’s Playhouse Syracuse!! We did it !! Today was the day, the work of fundraising and getting the word out about who we were and what we wanted for this community was here, it was finally here!! Hundreds of supporters showed up and toured the Playhouse. This was it we were on our way!

Fast forward to today. As we prepare for our 4th 5k I can’t help but think that this November we will have been open 3 years!! 3 years!! What was just a small group of parents wishing and hoping for a place for our children has been open for 3 years! I am proud of this organization and the progress we have made in these last 3 years. The lives we have touched, the changes we have made, and the awareness we have created about individuals with Down syndrome and all that they can and will achieve in this life.

I am proud that I have been able to continue to be a part of it all. I am grateful for the people I have met and the friendships I have made, but most of all I am grateful for all that it has meant to our family and for Amelia. I will ALWAYS support GiGi’s along the way, not just for our daughter Amelia but for all the other children and adults in this community that come to GiGi’s. Please help TEAM AMELIA and donate to GiGi’s Playhouse-Syracuse so that we can continue our mission to EDUCATE.INSPIRE and most of all BELIEVE that our children can and will succeed!

Thank you Janet for all you do and the way you advocate!

To join or support Team Amelia click HERE