Programs
Volunteer Spotlight…Olivia!
While all our volunteers are special, we do like to take the time to recognize individuals throughout the year. This month, we are recognizing Olivia M. In the last year, she has put in over 110 hours at the Wausau Playhouse, volunteering for Kids Club and GiGi’s Kitchen Teen & Adult, as well as our…
Read MoreAnna’s Music Best of All!
Anna has been a dedicated participant in the Music Makers program since it began in January 2024. While she typically enjoys grooving in her preferred seat, it often takes a bit of encouragement from volunteers to get her to try an instrument. However, during our last session, something remarkable happened. Volunteer lead Scott provided a…
Read MoreMeet Kristen…Capstone Student for Spring!
Hi there!My name is Kristen, and I am currently pursuing my Doctorate in Occupational Therapy at ConcordiaUniversity, Wisconsin. I am thrilled to be joining GiGi’s Playhouse for a 14-week capstone experience,where I will have the opportunity to learn about the incredible programs and participants that make thePlayhouse such a special place. Over the course of…
Read MoreHenry’s Best of All: Celebrating Milestones with LMNOP
At GiGi’s Playhouse Wausau, we believe in the power of early childhood education to shape the future of our little ones. One of our standout programs, LMNOP (Language, Music N’ Our Peeps), is designed to do just that. This interactive and engaging program guides parents and young children through learning basic sign language and other…
Read MoreI Can Barely Spell and Count: There’s No Way I Can Be a Tutor for GiGi’s Playhouse Wausau!
When many of our volunteers first heard about the opportunity to volunteer as a tutor at GiGi’s Playhouse Wausau, their immediate reaction was, “There’s no way I can do this. I can barely spell and count!” But as they learned more about the program, they realized that their initial fears were unfounded. Here’s why: Volunteer…
Read MoreGiGi’s Playhouse Wausau Awarded $25,000 Grant from Elizabeth S. & Henry Peters Fund
We are thrilled to announce that GiGi’s Playhouse Wausau has been awarded a generous $25,000 grant from the Elizabeth S. and Henry Peters Fund, a donor-advised fund through the Community Foundation of North Central Wisconsin. This incredible support will significantly enhance our mission to provide transformative educational and therapeutic programs for individuals with Down syndrome.…
Read More1:1 Math Coming in 2025!
Exciting News! GiGi’s Playhouse is launching a new 1:1 Math program specifically tailored to how individuals with Down syndrome learn best. Our program aims to provide personalized math education and support to enhance learning outcomes for participants. Knowing that our participants vary greatly in their abilities and challenges in comprehensive math, we combine multiple approaches…
Read MoreVolunteer of the Year 2024!
Most people that are part of the Playhouse in any way have interacted with Jeff Otto at some point or at least has seen his friendly smiling face in passing. He is a one of many dedicated volunteers helping make the world a better place for those with Down syndrome. Over the last year in…
Read MoreHenry’s Best of All
Wow wow wow! I was SO impressed with our first literacy session with Jeff! Henry was able to point out letters and get 90% of them right. We hadn’t even thought he was to that point yet! Jeff tried numerous different methods and made the session fun for Henry. He is such a smart little…
Read MoreDoing a Little Better Than the Day Before – Anna’s Best of All
best of all (noun) \best of all\ is continual, measurable, celebrated and it never ends. It is a daily challenge to do a little better than you did the day before and it’s always celebrated. Possible manifestations: standing just one second longer, reading just one more word, learning just one new number, taking just one…
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