The Theresa Foundation News

FALL 2019 The Theresa Foundation thanks everyone who attended and supported our 22nd Annual Swinging Fore Theresa Gold Outing, held on Thursday, June 28th at North Hills Country Club in . As always, the 22nd ANNUAL Committee, sponsors, and volunteers all worked hard to produce another successful outing, giving their heart and soul to the effort. Our golfers who come out year after year, and those who joined us for Thursday, the first time, collectively felt the positive energy in the air that comes June 25, 2020 from knowing you are making a difference in the lives of children with special needs. Thank you to all for another memorable outing. We are looking forward to our 23rd annual outing next year!

FUNDS RAISED OVER THE PAST 5 YEARS

2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 $18,433.83 $28,631.99 $25,716.32 $15,481.71 $17,650.46 TOTAL: $105,914.31 Thank You For Your Support. Save the Date for Next Year: June 25, 2020

250 Lido Boulevard • Lido Beach, New York 11561 Ph: (516) 432-0200 • Fax (516) 432-0449 www.TheresaFoundation.org Highlight recent grant recipients

TAPA@ The Southampton Fresh Air Home (SFAH) is a not-for-profit residential camp that offers both summer sessions and a year-round program for physically challenged youth. For the past several years, The Theresa Foundation has assisted in providing materials and supplies for their Arts and Crafts workshops well as their music program during the summer camp season as well as the year-round programming.

This summer 150 campers participated in drawing, painting, music, dance, drama, games and cooking classes. In the off season, over 250 students will participate.

All of these activities offer a fun and enjoyable way for each individual to develop their skills and express their thoughts and feelings. The Theresa Foundation is proud and excited to have sponsored this program once again.

TAPA@ The Joyce Theater; The Theresa Foundation provided funding to the Joyce Theater for their Sensory friendly performance of the David Parsons Dance Company this May. This is the third grant that we have provided in order to assist the Parsons Company in their educational outreach to the Special Education district in . This year the Joyce is expanded to include deaf students from the NY School for the Deaf in White Plains.

Prior to their performance members of the Parsons Company visited local schools and worked with the students teaching them dance terminology/vocabulary and talking about what to expect when they get to the theater.

The students then attended a performance by the David Parsons Dance Company at the Joyce Theatre, which included an American Sign Language interpreter on stage during the performance. After the show there was a Q&A. Over 150 students attended the concert this year. Photo Credit Travis McGee

TAPA@ Aspiring Attitudes; This June, Aspiring Attitudes offered a one week dance camp for dancers of mixed abilities. There was no fee for the campers to attend. The Theresa Foundation is proud to have sponsored this amazing dance camp for several years now. Over 47 dancers participated. Shannon Wrights, the Director of Aspiring Attitudes, is legally blind, and she finds that dance gives her positive energy. She has trained in classical ballet, tap, and jazz and has been teaching these dance genres since 1988 in schools, camps and privately. Shannon was one of the first recipients of a grant from the Theresa Foundation! Aspiring Attitudes is not your typical dance studio. It is a dance studio where children with special needs and typically developing dancers take classes side by side. We are pleased and proud to be a part of this unique program.

Campabilities; The Theresa Foundation has helped fund various programs and equipment for this valuable camp experience for many years. Campabilities provides a residential summer camp experience for children who are blind and/or visually impaired. A few years ago they branched out and have now the resources to include deaf/blind students in this amazing camp experience.

This year is especially exciting as the camp provided a new opportunity for campers by introducing a new sport: FIVE-A-SIDE Soccer. The Theresa Foundation is proud to have assisted in the funding of IBSA consultants who know how to safely and efficiently teach this sport, as well as official IBSA blind soccer balls, shin guards and goal posts to assist in shooting drills and work.

The long-term objective is to work with the US Association of Blind (USABA) and help start the program for the creation of a FIVE-A-SIDE Soccer Team to represent the USA at the 2028 Paralympics in Los Angeles! Meet Elizabeth Einhart: The Theresa Foundation’s new Executive Director

Many of you already know Elizabeth, aka “Lizzy”. That’s because she’s Theresa’s older sister, and has served on the Theresa Foundation Board of Directors since 1992, currently as Vice President. Inspired by the gift of Theresa’s life, Elizabeth pursued teaching licenses in both early childhood and special education, earning a masters from James Madison University in Early Childhood Special Education and a post graduate degree from Stonybrook University in both Building Leadership and District Leadership. She worked for seven years as a special education teacher in an integrated early childhood classroom before transitioning into an administrative position for another six years, and is now thrilled to become the Theresa Foundation’s first-ever Executive Director.

Elizabeth resides on Long Island, New York, with her husband of ten years, Eric, and their three young daughters. Upon taking this new role, Elizabeth said:

“I am delighted to embark on this new position. The Theresa Foundation has been a part of my life for nearly as long as I can remember. The opportunity to honor my sister’s memory and become more deeply involved with the inner workings of the Foundation as we seek to make an even greater impact on the population we serve is a tremendous honor. I am excited for the future of the Foundation and I know little Theresa is smiling down on us!”

35th Annual Nassau County Games for the Physically Challenged, “Victory Challenge”

The Theresa Foundation was proud to sponsor the Wheelchair event at the 35th Annual Nassau County Empire State Games for the Physically Challenged, “Victory Challenge”! The event was held May 30th thru June 1st at the Mitchell Athletic Complex. This event is the longest running program of its kind and since 2011 has been kept alive by the help of private and community support.

Over 1200 athletes reunited with friends from across the State, who they only get to see once a year, at the Games. The Games provide a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction to each who has trained to compete and the dedicated volunteers a reason to continue to come back year after year.

Athletes compete in , slalom, , , wheelchair basketball and table . These events offer physically challenged children who are between the ages of five and 21 years old opportunities to participate in sports and recreational activities which are adapted to best suit their unique abilities.

The athletes whose physical challenges include amputees, cerebral palsy, spinal cord injured, visually impaired and deaf/hearing impaired; competed for Gold-Silver-Bronze medals and ribbons.

The Theresa Foundation was proud to be the sponsor the Wheelchair Basketball Event for $5,000. We hope that the Victory Challenge will create greater awareness of the ability of physically challenged individuals. The Theresa Foundation News

Save The Date 2020 Saturday, Thursday, January 18, 2020 June 25, 2020

23rd ANNUAL

Fax (516) 432-0449 (516) Fax • 432-0200 (516)

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