Buddy Walk

Well, tomorrow is the big day...we walk for the Madison Area Down Syndrome Society..Buddy Walk. Thank you to all who donated money to the "Jay Walkers." We appreciated it. I thank you too for helping me surpass my goal.

I will post again after the walk to let everyone know how it went (hopefully with pictures). I'm not sure if I'll post after the walk or not...I have to be there early to help with set up and registration. I also am going to be the photographer of the day so hopefully I'll have lots of pictures to post as well.

Until then!

Thanks!!!

Elkhorn, Wisconsin

I went to Elkhorn this weekend with my girlfriend, Alanna. We stayed with her parents and I had such a lovely time. We had planned on going to the Antique Flea Market today, but unfortunately the weather did not want us to go. But that's okay. On Saturday, we went to the Apple Barn. We bought apples, caramel apples, pear wine, apple cider donuts, a cookbook from the Walworth County 4H, and salsa for Matthew. It was great. Alanna actually picked out some neat gourds too.

We woke up this morning, planning on driving around Elkhorn and Lake Geneva. I also wanted to check out some of the cemeteries in the area. But while we were sitting at the breakfast table eating our apple cider donuts and drinking coffee, the rain started coming in. It was such a beautiful sight and sound to hear the rain coming through the trees again. I remember the sound of the rain coming through the trees when I was little. It was beautiful. All the weeping willows bowing to the weight of the rain. The rain dripping from the trees and the awnings from the house. It was so peaceful. I wish I would have gotten my camera out and taken some pictures but I just could not move. It was definitely one of those special moments. Know what I mean?

We did get to some cemeteries. I actually probably spent too much time in the one just walking around in the rain. It was so peaceful. Alanna was walking around with me with her umbrella. She kept trying to put it over me. I didn't want it. Sometimes you just have to walk in the rain. Get wet. Be one with your surroundings. We did leave as it started to really pour and I feel bad that I ran across so many graves. I should have walked around but we were hurrying to get back to the car...no excuse though. When I get the pictures back, I'll post them.

Till next time! :)

Peace

MADSS Buddy Walk

Well, Buddy Walk is less than a week away. I have raised $120 so far of my personal $100 goal. Thanks to all of you who have donated money. My group, the Jay Walkers, has raised $1655.00 of our $2000.00 goal. I am so happy to be a part of this special event. After the walk next Saturday, October 1st, I will post pictures and tell you all about it. I can't wait.

Till then!

My Blog

Since I have been hit more than once by Comment Spammers, I have decided to add a "security" feature to my comments page. Before you can post a comment on my page, you must first do a word verify. This means, you have to type in a word that is given to you before you can post. I'm sorry for any inconveniences. Please let me know if anyone has any problems with this feature (email me) so I know how well it's working (or not).

Thanks!!!

Hurricane College Victims

Kudos for Edgewood College. I really did not think my college would open its doors to students from the Gulf Coastal States but surprise me, they are. We got an email from Edgewood's new president, Daniel Carey, informing us that there was a great concern among our Edgewood family for those students displaced in the Gulf Coast. Here is President Carey's letter to the Edgewood Family.

Members of the Edgewood Family,

Several of you have asked if Edgewood College could assist students who have been impacted by the hurricane along the Gulf Coast. Early this morning I asked our President's Leadership Team to consider how we might reach out. Immediately after our meeting Mary Kelly-Powell met with the Faculty Council. Both the Leadership Team and the Faculty Council were very supportive of opening our doors to students who may need a place to attend for the Fall Semester.

Scott Flanagan prepared a brief news release which is going out this afternoon. The news release is attached to this e-mail and outlines our willingness to accept students through September 9th. We will send this e-mail to our alums as well in the event they have family members or friends who are impacted by the hurricane.

My intuition is that only a relatively small number of students might accept our offer of help. But for those who may choose, this course of action seems like the right one for Edgewood College.

Thank you.

Daniel J. Carey, PhD
President
Edgewood College
1000 Edgewood College Drive
Madison, WI 53711
www.edgewood.edu

The news release:

Edgewood College to Help Students Affected by Hurricane Katrina

Edgewood College announced today its plans to assist students whose educational plans have been disrupted by Hurricane Katrina. Students who were planning on enrolling at one of the universities affected will be allowed to enroll at Edgewood through the end of the second week of classes, September 9.

Edgewood College President Dan Carey outlined the reasons for Edgewood’s offer: “In keeping with our mission of service to the community, Edgewood College will welcome to our community of learners any students impacted by Katrina. We have every hope that the colleges and universities that have been forced to close will make a quick and full recovery, and we are prepared to assist their students until those students can return. Our thoughts and prayers go out to all of those devastated by this tragedy.”

Course availability, advising, registration, and payment will be handled on an individual basis. “We will work with students and parents to make this as simple as possible. We will ensure that ability to pay will not be an obstacle for any of these students,” Carey added.

Students whose educational plans have been disrupted by the hurricane should contact Christine Benedict in the Edgewood College Office of Admissions at (608) 663-2294 as soon as possible.

It would have been nice for them to actually extend the enrollment date for these students, especially since the news release went out only on the 2nd of September. But at least Edgewood is trying to help.

So, if you are a student who was displaced by Katrina in the Gulf Coast states, contact Christine Benedict as soon as possible. You are welcome at Edgewood College in Madison, Wisconsin.

Edgewood is not the only college that is helping students. I know that colleges in Texas, California, and Florida are among those helping too. If you know of any other colleges, please share them in comments.

Till next time....