Carrie's Heart

Carrie's Heart Blog

2009-04-20T23:30:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the Carrie's Heart Blog!

I'll be posting updates & photos on the blog on a regular basis. I hope this will be an effective way of keeping supporters informed of project updates, needs and upcoming events! You can also check out our Flickr photo albums and view slideshows of our pics from events & mission trips by following the link below:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/carriesheart/

Visit our website at www.carriesheart.org

Carrie

ARCHIVED BLOG ENTRIES:
Valerie Project - in chronological order March 2006 - present
Fund for Teachers Projects in the Yucatan - July 2006

Bowl-a-Rama

2009-04-20T17:51:00.000-07:00

Carrie's Heart Bowl-a-Rama
Sunday, April 26th Times Square in Katy
12 - 3 pm

Registration: Due by April 24
Teams: Max of 6 bowlers per team
Bowling: Each team will bowl one whole game
Times: Be ready to bowl at either noon or 1pm
Buy a strike for $5!! Each bowler can buy up to 6 strikes per game and increase their teams chances to win!
Activities: Enjoy these activities before or after your bowling time: pizza, bottomless soda and cake; free pool; video games (paid by individual); awards ceremony at 2:30pm!!!

More info...at www.carriesheart.org

Condolences for Valerie

2008-10-12T17:05:00.000-07:00

Carrie,

I too felt so sad when I saw that Valerie's time had ended. I know you are heartbroken and I hope you heal soon. She was so lucky to have you in her life. You are an amazing person Carrie.

Take care,
Pam

Dear Carrie

I just wanted you to know how very sad we are to hear we have lost Valerie. You must surely be heartbroken and we have been thinking of you these past few days. I feel privileged to have met Valerie, because she was the inspiration for the work you do and because of her you have made a difference in the lives of so many others. As a parent, I am thinking at this time particularly of Valerie's mother, who now has a job and hope for the future, and for whom Valerie's life now has an even greater purpose.

God bless you
Chris

Oh Carolina ,

I’m so sorry that I apparently missed the email concerning Valerie’s passing away. I know you must be hurting so much. I hurt for you, and I will be thinking of and praying for you. I hope your trip to Mexico went OK. I wish I was closer.

I don’t have the words to express how much I admire all you do and how very special you are. The thing that always helps me is remembering that God doesn’t give us what we can’t handle. So while it might feel so overwhelming for a long time, your pain will get better. Love you lots. Let me know if I can do anything to help. Call me if you just want to talk to someone and someone who is always on your side!

Love,

Donna

Hi Carrie,

It is only by selfless love and efforts on your part and that of others involved with you that kids like Valerie have gotten to lead a better life. As her soul fulfills it's purpose on this earth and moves on to the world unknown to us, all that we can do is serve others in whichever way possible to better their lives.
Thank you for showing us the way to do so by letting us be a part of Carrie's Heart family and by being the torch in the life of so many who would have been lost in the dark without you and your mission.

Luv
jayani

We just got your email. Our hearts are so heavy with Valerie's loss. God has a new angel and Valerie has no more pain. We hope you are doing good...you were her angel on Earth - don't ever forget that.

Our love and prayers,
Sandy, William, Nick & Kaycee

Morning Paige
Am in
Europe and saddend by the news.was hoping for a long life and to meet this little girl one day.
Regards,
Kye Laffoon

Hi Ms. Conn,

I could not believe what I was reading. I thought I would get to meet Valerie and the other kids when I visit Mexico the next time. Please convey my sympathies to Valerie’s family.

Andrea

Olivia and I were truly saddened to learn about little Valerie’s death at the weekend. I can well imagine that you and Paige are heart-broken. You are in our thoughts and prayers.

What a truly remarkable little girl! It is quite obvious that God brought her into the lives of many, many people in order to open our eyes to the desperate needs of children like her throughout the world. Although her time on this earth was brief, she will most definitely live on in the heart of minds of those whose lives she touched. Her life has paved the way for others like her to live a better life, thanks in great part to your incredible work with Carrie’s Heart and the Valerie Project. No doubt during her short life, Valerie suffered great pain and sorrow. We must all be grateful that God has released her of all pain and suffering and picture her jumping from cloud to cloud in Heaven and giggling – God’s newest Angel.

May God bless you richly for all the wonderful work you do in Valerie’s name.

Fiona M. Espinosa

Hi Carolina,
Sorry to hear of Valerie's passing, but glad to know that there is more to life than here on Earth thanks to our Lord and Savior . What you did to help Valerie will create ripples for generations for those involved with her and with you. You may not know how many lives that you touched through helping Valerie, but God knows and it matters.
Thank you for all you do for children with special needs!
With sincere sympathy,
Amy Campbell

Bless you for helping to make Valerie's life happier and more comfortable while she was with us. Praise God that she is whole and well in Heaven now!I feel sad and happy at the same time. Valerie reminds me so much of my own daughter. Thank you for passing on this news. I pray that you have a good trip to Mexico. Blessings,Paula Adams

I just read your e-mail on Valerie and I am at work and I just broke in tears. Like the other e-mail (the one that talks about that now Valerie can eat her ice cream in heaven) and like my husband tells me about our little angel Marcela that when she goes to heaven, she will have a perfect soul and she will be able to talk and to do and do the things she can not do here in earth. I am going to pray for her mom and Valerie.
Bertha

I am saddened !! My prayers are with you and her family…thanks for all you do with these beautiful children!!, love, Trish

Carrie,

I am filled with the beautiful memories I have of sweet little Valerie! The news of her passing has come as a shock to me!

I can not even imagine how you must be feeling right now. Valerie blessed us all, but the relationship you had with her goes beyond any words. The fierce motherly love and advocation you expressed for her was so sacred. While I know that you are at peace knowing that she is freed from the constraints of her physical body, your heart is surely grieving for her as only a mother's heart grieves, and I am so truly sorry for the pain and sadness you are experiencing.

The journey of Valerie's road to better health, joy, and dignity truly
began with YOUR footsteps. YOU were the world to her. Valerie is now an angel among our world and in the heavens, and her sprirt will be watching over you and and your mission here on earth . The bond you had with her did not die with her, it will be with you always.

In honor of Valerie and in gratitude for the birth and life of my sweet Madeline, I have made a small donation to help continue the mission of Carrie's Heart. Thank you for what you do for these precious children!!

Love, Olivia

Carrie and Paige ,
I am so saddened to read this news. Valerie has indeed touched many lives. I feel comfort knowing that my own little angel will take care of her and show her around to her new friends in heaven . And yes , they’re probably dancing, talking and eating ice cream as we speak. I can almost hear the giggles.
I’m thinking of you and Valerie’s family tonight.
Orane

I am so sorry to hear this news. Although I did not know Valerie she has made an impact on my life. From the first picture I saw of her she was forever in my heart. I am praying for all those touched by her life. I am also so blessed to know people that have let someone else's life propel them to do what is so desperately needed. I thank you all for your hard work, dedication and love for all the kids you serve. It is with great pleasure that I learn from you all. My heart truly hurts for you all while dealing with this loss. It is never easy. I will continue to lift you all up in prayer.
Much love,
Jess

I'm so sorry to hear about Valerie. Her story was so hopeful. I'm sorry for your pain, as I know she meant a great deal to you and many others.
Paddi

I'm so sorry to hear about Valerie. You have worked so hard, and with
so much love, on her behalf and for all your other kids, I can't
imagine how you must be feeling. Please take care of yourself and let me
know if you need anything while you are down here these next days.
Tina

Thank you for that beautiful eulogy. Carrie, I will suffer with you as you carry this overwhelming grief. I wish I could take some of the burden off your shoulders. I wish I could write the grants and find the funding needed to sustain such important work as yours. What a blessing you are in so many people’s lives. I wish I knew how to manage real funding issues. Our gala is October 23rd. If you can attend, please be my guest, and stand and say something to new friends about the importance of valuing a neglected child’s life –that sharing the incredible offer of hope and dreams will bring light into a child’s life!

Love to you and let the strength of God be with you during this difficult time.

Terri

dearest carrie, i know your heart must be so heavy and your eyes filled with tears. but, forever you'll know, that for one little girl , your heart was open and she was loved. and her time here on earth was better because you found her and loved her. i am sure a part of your heart has a burning crack in it. valerie was sent to you as a gift. surely a darling, broken little package, who found love with you. to try to understand her short time is very difficult, but, i know, that because of your open heart she led you to an unbelievable humanitarian mission in the yucatan. your ability to encompass these children will always inspire me and make me so grateful that you and valerie were given to each other so that many children will have a better life. with love, doe

Dear Carrie,
I am so saddened at this news.
Bless you for all the love , hugs and smiles you gave Valerie.
I will be in touch..

Love you,
Cindi

For the past few hours I've been thinking of memories I'm so grateful for...

Do you remember that first Christmas when we just went crazy with the presents/decorations for Valerie? And once we saw everything we kinda looked at one another and laughed with a moment of regret thinking we'd over done it. I'm SO glad we did and don't regret a single thing.

And a hilarious memory... our slumber birthday party at the hotel! I still would do that all again, maybe minus Jaunito, even with all the crazy non-sleeping. You and I freakin' shared a double bed! What the heck? I'm so glad we created those memories with Valerie and love that she got to experience those things with us.

She deserved so much more but I am so grateful for what we did get to do with her.

Thanks for being there for all of us. I can't imagine how hard it must be and I'm grateful the boys are with you, bc they can understand a little of what you're going through.

Many hugs - Call anytime...

Paige Whitten

Dear Carolina,
I am so sorry to hear about Valerie. I am glad you able to be at her
memorial. If not for her, so many others would not have been helped. Her
purpose was greater than she knew.
Take care on your travels.
Mary

Carolina~
I FEEL the sweetness and beauty of Valerie's spirit just reading this e-mail and viewing the pictures. And oh, how I can relate in many ways. Tears are streaming. Just her smile alone will stand alone.

Can't wait till we get the opportunity to sit and share! Don't get discouraged, Carrie. Keep on doing what God has placed in your heart and in your soul to do. It's my prayer that God will increase your territory and increase the provision for the vision that He has placed within you!

Talk to you real soon.

Keva

Dear Carrie—

I am so sorry to learn of Valerie’s death. What a beautiful little girl she was—and what a difficult short life she had. Thank you and the rest of the Carrie’s Heart Family for making it better for her.

Best wishes,

Cia

No tengo palabras para decirte mi sentimiento.

te mando un abrazo.....tu amiga: LULÙ

Our Valerie

2008-10-05T09:00:00.000-07:00

Dear Carrie's Heart Family,

Before I travel to Mexico this afternoon, it is with overwhelming grief and sadness that I am writing to let you all know that our little angel, Valerie, has fulfilled her purpose on this earth and has now been released. I received news this morning from Cozumel that Valerie passed during the night. Her memorial service is tonight and I'll return on Wednesday. I can have peace knowing that when we were last with Valerie a few weeks ago she was filled with joy, laughter and light. This was because of each one of us who touched this precious child's life over the past few years. I will miss her smile and laughter but we will continue her work here in her memory and her name.

Many have already asked what they can do to honor and celebrate Valerie's life. We will be accepting donations to the Valerie project in Valerie's name to continue our work. Thank you to each of you.

The following links will help you remember what a remarkable life Valerie lived and the legacy she leaves behind:

http://www.carriesheart.org/valerieprojectsponsorship.html
This link is the homepage of the "Valerie Project" where you can see all of the children Carrie's Heart supports through this project.

http://www.carriesheart.org/meetvalerie.html
This link will take you to Valerie's personal page.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/carriesheart/sets/72157600873734439/
This link will take you to our Carrie's Heart Flickr page that documents Valerie's life.

http://www.carriesheart.org/donations.html
This link will take you to the Carrie's Heart donation page where you can make a donation in honor of Valerie's life. You may choose to make a donation on-line using Paypal or send a check.

Please forward this e-mail to anyone else in your life who might have had contact with Valerie, but is not on our Carrie's Heart e-mail list.

Carrie

Here are words from a Carrie's Heart board member, Paige Whitten...

As tears stream down my face I feel a desperate need to share with you, our Carrie's Heart Family, my broken heart. Even though we only knew Valerie for a few years, she left a permanent imprint on every heart with which she came in contact. She communicated with all of us through her gorgeous brown eyes & infectious laugh. When we found Valerie at 8 years old, weighing only 13 lbs, we knew she needed us and in many ways we needed her. Her desperate need caused Carrie, and the Carrie's Heart family, to seek out other children with severe disabilities in the Yucatan region, thus creating "The Valerie Project." Her life helped save so many others & will continue to live on through the lives of the children in our Carrie's Heart family.

I'm grateful for the little time I got to be with Valerie because she taught me more about loving people... loving them unconditionally, looking for the good in others, and accepting them for who they are. Her life also reminds me of my own calling ... to help children with disabilities live their lives to the fullest.

I try to smile through my tears knowing our angel, Valerie, is dancing somewhere in heaven, eating ice cream (2 things her body wouldn't allow her to do here on earth) and being loved on by all the other angels, but the selfish part of me wishes I could've witnessed it here on Earth, as we had so much more progress to make with her. Just as I have hopes & dreams for my own daughter with a disability, I had those for Valerie.

All my love & tears today,
Paige (Mommy of Anna)

First Tuesday at Fish City Grill

2008-07-15T14:45:00.000-07:00

First Tuesday at Fish City Grill
Tuesday, August 5th

First Tuesday is an all day benefit for Carrie's Heart at Fish City Grill in La Centerra in Katy. Carrie's Heart will receive a percentage back of the total sales for our group. We will be meeting for lunch between 11 and 2 and for dinner between 5 and 8. If those times don't fit your schedule come on in anytime during the day. The benefit also includes take out orders and catering.

This is a great event to bring new friends of Carrie's Heart to. We will have information about Carrie's Heart displayed at the event all day & we look forward to seeing new friends & old!

Karaoke Night was a hit!

2008-07-07T14:37:00.000-07:00

Carrie's Heart Karaoke Night at Wild Wings Cafe was a blast!
On Sunday, July 6th Carrie's Heart and Wild Wings Cafe hosted a Karaoke Night in celebration of Jordan Buckert's birthday. It was a ton of fun for everyone! A huge thanks to Wild Wings Cafe in Katy for providing karaoke for the event & for the wonderful service by their staff. The patrons were also so generous to our group & joined in on the fun! What a great place! Check out the pictures from the event by following this link!

Meet Sheyla

2008-07-03T14:40:00.000-07:00

Sheyla is the newest child being sponsored by Carrie's Heart in the Yucatan. Sheyla lives with her parents and her brother and sister in Playa del Carmen. She is 11 years old and has cerebral palsy. She is nonverbal but very observant of all around her. Sheyla enjoys soft music, cartoons and car rides. Her family moved recently to Playa del Carmen from Felipe Carrillo Puerto (where we have 4 other sponsored children). Carlito's family has offered to help guide Sheyla's family in connecting them to local agencies that could provide Sheyla with needed therapies. Sheyla's needs also include adaptive equipment for the home (feeder chair, bath chair, wedges) and a stroller chair (Convaid type) for transportation. She would also benefit from stimulation activities for the home. Please consider making a monthly pledge or one time donation to Carrie's Heart during the Summer Sponsorship Drive for Sheyla or one of the other sponsored children in the Yucatan!

Summer Sponsorship Drive 2008

2008-06-30T14:04:00.000-07:00

This summer we kicked off our first annual Summer Sponsorship Drive in an effort to bring in needed funds for our children in the Yucatan at a time when giving is not always as frequent. So far we have had great success & each donation is being matched dollar per dollar! This is an incredible opportunity for us to raise the needed funds to care for our sponsored children into the Fall. For more details check out the links below:

Letter from the Board of Directors:
Letter from the Board of Directors

Printable Pledge Sheet:
Printable Pledge Sheet

Help us to Walk-n-Roll for the Carrie's Heart Kids!

2008-02-26T19:18:00.000-08:00

Giving the gifts of JOY, LOVE & HOPE into 2008!

2007-12-26T09:36:00.000-08:00

We just returned from an incredible trip to the Yucatan for Christmas. Thanks to the generosity of all of our Carrie's Heart supporters we were again able to give the gifts of JOY, LOVE & HOPE to our special children in Mexico.

Our journey began with getting as many donations down into the Yucatan as possible. Two special young ladies from the Katy, Texas community had spent part of their holiday picking out special gifts for our new little girl Lucelly. We had to make sure all the special gifts would make it onto "Santa's sleigh" and through Mexican customs without a hitch. Thanks to the cooperative efforts of DIF Cozumel, the Director of Aduana Cozumel & our local Carrie's Heart representative Rosy Pirez we were able to get in everything smoothly.

Having had delays in our flight we had to literally stuff ourselves into the car (our third "sleigh" of the trip) and set off for last minute purchases & to pick up Santa from the ferry prior to the beginning of the CAM Cozumel Christmas Party. We pulled everything off in time and the party was perfect. The staff & students at CAM Cozumel had spent weeks preparing decorations and dances for the audience to enjoy. The creativity of the production was incredible. The little dancing reindeer were adorable. Santa played by Roy Fisher of Playa del Carmen was enjoyed by all the kids. The children's faces were filled with the JOY of Christmas.

The greatest joy that I personally received this year was watching others on my Cozumel team as they for the first time experienced the overwhelming emotions of the fruition of all of their labors in watching the JOY on each child's face. The emotions felt after months of preparations, fundraising, shopping, coordinating, fixing, decorating...all coming out when you see that special child receive with JOY the bike that you had a part in giving him. Thank you to our driver, assistant, & friend...Jorge of Cozumel for sharing his first special moment of true JOY with us...you are hooked now! Another special thanks to Rosy Pirez and Directora Rita of CAM for all their hard work in making this party such a success.

The CAM Playa Christmas Party was equally as beautiful this year. Thank you to Lavonna Redman of Angel Notion for sharing her incredible pictures of her party that Angel Notion and the community of Playa del Carmen helped sponsor!

The time spent with each of our families giving out the gifts of LOVE & HOPE was very special. Each family was given gifts for the children in the family, special gifts for each sponsored child and a gift card to use for the holiday meal / needs. In addition this year Houston based massage therapist Jessi Dickson http://www.massagebyjessi.com/ gave each of our mothers a special gift. Each mother received an in home chair massage session and special personal care products. Such an unexpected gift for these women who work so hard to care for their families and have never experienced the gift of caring for themselves. Thank you Jessi for all of your tireless work!

Some highlights of the family visits include:

Barely fitting into our new Santa's sleigh...our driver & assistant Marco's new Suburban. We had it completely loaded with only enough space for four passengers as we set off to spread LOVE & HOPE to our families! Thank you Paige for the great mix of the best of 2006-2007 Carrie's Heart Christmas tunes CD...thanks to you are sleigh bells were a jing jing jingling!

Carlitos - using a lap desk brought from Houston & his new "Mi Primera PC" leap pad computer learning toy for the first time. Carlitos was amazing! Within 15 minutes he went from learning how to move the mouse to switching between games on the desktop! The lap desk & computer game were two gifts bought seperately by Jessi & Carrie...without knowledge of how he would need them both to be able to use his new toy. An example of one of our great serendipitous moments in Mexico!

Valerie - spending time with Valerie and her "boys" at Ciudad de los Ninos in Chetumal. Valerie is living with 5 boys who also have similar physical & mental disabilities at the center. She has a special relationship with Panchito who has claimed her as his girlfriend since she arrived in May. It is always a highlight of our trips having time to give JOY & LOVE to these special children. They all loved receiving personal care products, clothing, music and storybook CDs. We also spent time in Cozumel with Valerie's mother, sister & cousins. We continue to work with the family in preparation for Valerie's possible return home.

Jose- Jose's family was ready and waiting for Santa's arrival with camera in hand! It was wonderful feeling the warm reception of the family. To our surprise Jose greeted us in English saying "Welcome". He was so proud of the English he has begun to learn. It was an incredible experience celebrating our first Christmas with Jose & his family. One special moment was giving Jose a bracelet that told of the story of Christmas with each stone signifying a part of the story. Another was Jose's huge smile while taking a picture with his two new best friends Marcos (our driver & assistant) and Jorge Carranza Samano (our new Family Psycologist - who taught him his English!).

David's House - Wow! We were welcomed in by close to 40 friends & family. Our two newest girls Lucelly & Perla Ruby and a new boy Christopher (Age 13) were also awaiting us along with their mothers. Prior to beginning the gift giving we were served a special meal by the family - including much needed ice cold cokes. We had begun our trip in Santa's sleigh at 8:00 in the morning & arrived at our final stop with David at 8:00 at night, returning to Playa by midnight! Phew! After refueling we went about spreading LOVE & HOPE to our sponsored children. Each child was given a stock of personal care supplies, diapers and supplement as needed. Christopher received the donation of a blue Convaid special needs stroller. His mother will now be able to transport him more easily within town. Freedom. David was given the donation of a brand new adapted bath chair. His mother will no longer have to have someone hold him in a plastic chair while she bathes him. Independence & safety. Lucelly was given a small suitcase full of bathing supplies, clothing and special gifts. The most poignant moment of the evening was explaining to the families how Lucelly had been adopted this Christmas by two very special girls. How the girls had hand picked her gifts for her with much LOVE. It was especially important for the group to gain the understanding that the stroller chair received by Christopher was once used by the brother with special needs of one of the girls who had sponsored Lucelly. A full circle moment of the families feeling that they are part of a larger community of support....the Carrie's Heart family!

Gladys- Arriving to find the surprise that the family had been able to get their first furnishings in their home since we have known them. The family of 5 lives in a small run down one room rental home. Up until now they have had no furnishings whatsoever - only hammocks and a few plastic chairs. Glady's mother greeted us saying that they had wanted to be able to offer a home and a place to sit for their visitors. This is a HUGE step for this family in moving in the direction of a functional home environment for their family. The ongoing gifts of HOPE given to this family this year allowed them to have the extra finances to begin to create a HOME! We made the day extra special for Glady's mom...I took all the kids out shopping with us for their "cool clothes" while she had her home spa treatment!

Juan Diego - On the first night in Cozumel after the CAM party we had the opportunity to visit with Juan Diego's mom at the small convenience store owned by her sister where Leticia now has a part time job. We enjoyed visiting for about an hour and Leticia enjoyed receiving her extra special treatment by Jessi - her first ever "Mexican Mini-Super Plastic Chair Massage"! We also got to see the new bed that Juan Diego received for Christmas from Paddi & John of Amigos de Jose! Thank you Paddi & John for your work on that project!

Our wish is that the true feelings of each moment will come through in the words and the pictures that we share. Thanks to each of you & your support of Carrie's Heart Christmas we have already had the opportunity to spread your gifts of JOY & LOVE to our children in the Yucatan. We look forward to all the gifts of true HOPE that we, with your help, will continue to spread to our families throughout the New Year!

With JOY, LOVE & HOPE for 2008!

Carrie

Check out all the great Carrie's Heart Christmas 2007 pics on our

flickr page by following the link below:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/carriesheart/collections/72157603570076829/

Carrie's Heart Christmas 2007

2007-12-02T16:24:00.000-08:00

Carrie’s Heart Christmas 2007

The letters to Santa have now been written...and Carrie's Heart is getting ready to help play Santa to over 150 children with special needs in the Yucatan again this year! Santa can not make the wishes of all our children come true without all his helpers! Please consider making Carrie's Heart your charity of choice this holiday season....individually or along with your coworkers, church, school groups, sports teams, social groups & family.

Check out last year's Christmas pics on Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/carriesheart/collections/72157600865859049/

JOY!
Your gift of joy will go towards 150 children with special needs
from the Yucatan region receiving their Christmas wish from Santa!

LOVE!
Your gift of love will go towards providing Christmas and needed
supplies for the six families currently sponsored by Carrie’s Heart.

HOPE!
Give the gift of hope all year long! Sponsor a child with a monthly
gift of hope to assure that their ongoing needs will be cared for.

For information on Carrie's Heart Christmas 2007 Events & Holiday Giving see the Carrie's Heart website Upcoming Events Page or contact Carrie @ carrie@carriesheart.org

Thanksgiving Mission Trip to Mexico

2007-11-26T16:40:00.000-08:00

Greetings to all of you... I've just returned from another amazing trip from Mexico over the long weekend.

I'm exhausted and don't have the energy to give you all the details of one of THEE most amazing weekends, but wanted to share a few of these pics - sorry they are so big!

The greatest news is that we have 2 new little girls for our Valerie Project!

I'd like to introduce to you:
Lucelly is 7 years old and lives in a small Mayan community. Her mother is taking great care of her with the resources she has, but as you can see she is severely malnourished. (She is the one in the little red and blue short set.)

Perla Ruby is 5 years old and lives in Carillo Puerto. Perla's nutrition is good, but she is having seizures and is not on meds.

We will be working with these families to make sure they have everything they need to care for these beautiful little girls!

By the way, Valerie weighs 32 lbs now! Makes me want to cry just thinking about how far she's come. She is doing great, looks amazing and seems really happy!

Off to bed...

Love, Paige

Check out our little Val!

2007-11-26T16:30:00.000-08:00

Valerie is doing well & now weighs 32 lbs!!!

Meet Lucelly & Perla Rubi

2007-11-26T16:20:00.000-08:00

Lucelly

Perla Rubi

Meet our newest children who will be sponsored by the Valerie Project. These little girls were brought to meet us by David's mother.

Lucelly's mother travelled two hours by bus from her small Mayan village to seek help for her daughter. Lucelly has cerebral palsy & a seizure disorder. She is 7 years old and currenly weighs only 20 lbs. We immediately made sure that Lucelly has nutritional supplement to last until we can see her again in December.

Perla Rubi suffered tramautic brain injury from a fall when whe was an infant. She has a seizure disorder that is currently uncontrolled by medication. In the short period that we visited with her she had numerous small seizures. Her mother is a single parent of both Perla Rubi and her infant sister.

We will update you on the progress of the girls. If you would like to sponsor one of these beautiful little girls please contact us at carrie@carriesheart.org

Fall Updates

2007-11-17T16:19:00.000-08:00

In this Update:
Mark Your Calendars!
Fall Yucatan Mission Trip Updates
Valerie Project Updates
After God's Heart Grant
Fall Local Events Updates
Coffee Talk News
Be An Angel Park Project
Carrie's Heart Christmas 2007
Presentations: Help spread the word!
Carrie's Heart Partners
Traveling to the Yucatan?
Volunteer Opportunities
Needs List

MARK YOUR CALENDARS
Pizza for Presents - Carrie's Heart will be hosting a kick off party for Carrie's Heart Christmas 2007 on Wednesday, November 28th from 5 to 8 p.m. at Bollis Bros. Pizza in Katy. See the attached flyer for details. Come see the letters to Santa from our kids in the Yucatan!

Pennies for Presents- School groups in Katy ISD including the Best Buddies (Cinco Ranch High School) and Teen Leadership (Beckendorff JH and McMeans JH) will be participating in our annual "Pennies for Presents" spare change drive during the month of December. All types of groups and organizations are welcome to participate. Spare change will also be collected at our Pizza for Presents kick off party...so clean out those drawers, jars & piggy banks!

Carrie's Heart Open House- Mark your calendars for December 8th from 6:00 to 10:00 pm for the annual Carrie's Heart Open House. Invitations will be coming by mail and email next week. Join us for this special celebration of lives touched and promises for JOY, HOPE & LOVE for our children in the Yucatan this holiday season.

Coffee Talk - This Saturday at 9:00...see flyer for details.
Dunn Brother's Coffee, 6825 S. Fry Rd. #100
http://www.dunnbroshouston.com/

FALL MISSION TRIP UPDATES
August Mission Trip
During the month of August we had the opportunity to celebrate all of our summer birthdays in the Yucatan. All of the boys had their birthdays during August & September so we were able to celebrate with each child! Thank you to all who donated for their birthday gifts. Each boy received a birthday gift and some clothing. All the clothes were purchased new at some awesome clearance sales of summer clothes ($2 t-shirts & shorts at Walmart...wow!) The boys were thrilled with their new duds. Carrie's Heart board member Nora Nasr made her first trip to the Yucatan in August and really enjoyed getting to meet the children & families for the first time. In Nora's own words:

What touched me the most about our visit to Mexico this summer is the network of support you are creating for our families. From doctors to drivers to compassionate friends and sponsors, the circle of support for “our children” has grown quickly in the short time they have been part of the Carrie’s Heart family.

It is obvious that the relationships you’ve formed with our families are based on trust; the families know you do not judge them, you understand their circumstances, and that you have their best interest at heart. You were truly meant to find each of these families. I think they all know you will be involved in their lives for as long as they need you.

The parents in these families are inspirational. Look at how Juan Diego’s mom cares for, speaks to and dotes on her son, and you see the depth of a mother’s love.

Visiting these families in their modest homes was a humbling experience. I cannot imagine the difficulties they face daily, but despite their meager surroundings and trying circumstances, these families are proud and are doing the very best they can for their children.

October Mission Trip
The first weekend of October I made a quick trip down to the Yucatan to deliver tons of schools supplies to the special education schools that had been donated during our annual School Supplies Drive. The CAM schools in Playa del Carmen and Cozumel both received big tubs filled with construction paper, markers, glue, scissors and more! The teachers and students will be busy using the supplies to make their annual letters to Santa over the next two weeks. The letters will be brought back to Houston after Thanksgiving for everyone to see!

Our mission teams are growing! Carrie's Heart is joining with other professionals & organizations to work with schools & families in the Yucatan! Doctors, therapists, educators and volunteers from Mexico, the U.S. & Canada are beginning to pull our knowledge & resources together to better meet the needs of the kids! If you are interested in becoming a part of a mission team email Carrie.

VALERIE PROJECT UPDATES
All six children in the Yucatan who are sponsored through the Valerie Project are doing well. We had some health scares with both David & Jose in the late summer but both appear to be doing better. David's family was able to secure local assistance in getting materials to fix their roof that was damaged in the recent hurricane. Juan Diego is currently in Merida getting neurological evaluations. He went to Merida two weeks ago for his six month follow up & the doctor felt it was neccessary to do some additional studies because Juan Diego's seizures have become more intense and more frequent. If you would like to contribute to cover his medical costs we would welcome the assistance. Carlitos started first grade...and we got to visit him at school for the first time. We donated school supplies for he and his classmates. What an experience! Carlitos was a star for the day with all 35 of his classmates so excited to have visitors! Attached is our most recent Valerie Project newsletter...check it out!

GRANT AWARDED TO CARRIE'S HEART
At the beginning of October we received some exciting news! For the second year in a row Carrie's Heart was given a grant to go towards the work that we are doing through the Valerie Project in the Yucatan! The grant is from a private family foundation that contacted Carrie's Heart in the summer of 2006. The mission of the foundation is to seek out organizations to support that they feel are doing God's work. A foundation board member contacted Carrie's Heart because she was seeking an organization that was working with children with disabilities in the Yucatan! An internet search led her to Carrie's Heart. We are grateful that we have again been awarded the funds that will help to provide for our sponsored children in the Yucatan into the New Year!

FALL LOCAL EVENTS UPDATES
We have had a whirl wind of activity this fall with the start up of a new school year for our local children and lots of fun events!

Burgers for Books / School Supplies Drive
At the end of September we hosted our annual Burgers for Books event at Fuddruckers. During the event school supplies were collected for the School Supplies Drive. Funds raised during the event went towards the purchase of additional supplies and books for the special education schools in the Yucatan.

Trick or Treat Party
On Halloween over 50 ghosts & goblins of all ages enjoyed themselves at the second annual Trick or Treat Party co-hosted by Carrie's Heart and the Parikh family. It was a great party. All of the kids enjoyed refreshments and trick or treating. The parents all enjoyed getting the chance to meet one another for socializing & networking. Thank you to everyone who helped to make this party a great success!

COFFEE TALK NEWS
Coffee Talk resumed this fall for the new school year. Coffee Talk is an informal social and networking group for mothers of children with special needs. New moms are welcome at any time. The last Coffee Talk for the fall will be this Saturday at 9:00 at Dunn Bros. coffee in Katy. See the attached flyer for details. We hope to see you this Saturday. Coffee Talk will resume again in January after the holiday season. Moms who are interested in learning more about Coffee Talk or who want to introduce themselves can contact Paige Whitten at paige@carriesheart.org

BE AN ANGEL PARK PROJECT
Carrie's Heart was invited to serve on the committee of a very exciting new project for our children in our local Katy community. Houston based nonprofit Be An Angel and the City of Katy have joined together to build a new park for all children for the city of Katy. Community leaders, business leaders and local nonprofit organizations serving children with disabilities have been invited to be a part of the project. We will keep you informed about the project and how you can join in on making the Be An Angel park come to fruition!

CARRIE'S HEART CHRISTMAS 2007
The letters to Santa are being written...and Carrie's Heart is getting ready to help play Santa to over 150 children with special needs in the Yucatan again this year! Santa can not make the wishes of all our children come true without all his helpers! Please consider making Carrie's Heart your charity of choice this holiday season....individually or along with your coworkers, church, school groups, sports teams, social groups & family. Please see the mark your calendar section below & watch your mail and email for details to come in the next weeks!

Check out last year's Christmas pics on Flick:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/carriesheart/collections/72157600865859049/

CARRIE'S HEART PARTNERS
Check out our new partners tab on the website! Carrie's Heart community & corporate sponsorships are vital to our success in our local and international projects. We are continually looking to build relationships with businesses & community organizations. For more information please contact Paige Whitten at paige@carriesheart.org

PRESENTATIONS
Help Carrie's Heart spread the word about our organization and the work we are doing locally & in the Yucatan! We have developed presentations about Carrie's Heart for use at any type of group meeting in the community. If you belong to a group, class, organization or work place that you think would like to support Carrie's Heart please contact Paige Whitten at paige@carriesheart.org

TRAVELING TO THE YUCATAN?
Consider taking down supplies for the Carrie's Heart kids!
Will you or someone you know be traveling to the Yucatan? If so...please consider taking down needed supplies for the Carrie's Heart kids in the Yucatan. If you are interested in helping out, please contact Carrie for more details!

VOLUNTEERS
Volunteers are needed for the following events. Please contact Carrie if you are interested in volunteering. Adults, students & groups (school, scouts etc.) are all welcome to volunteer!

Professional Volunteers:
Carrie's Heart is in need of professionals that can lend their expertise to the growth of our organization in the following areas:
Accounting
Non-Profit Law
Marketing / Public Relations
Grant Writing / Fund Development
Medical Professionals
Individuals interested should contact Carrie Conn at carrie@carriesheart.org

Pizza for Presents / Pennies for Presents!
Student volunteers are needed to help out at our Pizza for Presents event and to collect spare change for our Pennies for Present drive. Contact Carrie Conn at carrie@carriesheart.org or 281-856-6251 for details.

NEEDS
For a complete list of needs see the Carrie's Heart website at http://www.carriesheart.org/needs.html

New or Used Van: Carrie's Heart is in need of a new or used van (cargo, passenger or minivan). If you can help out with this need or have a contact that might be able to help us out please contact Paige Whitten at paige@carriesheart.org

Carrie's Heart Sponsored Children: When you are out grocery shopping each week please consider throwing a few extra items in the basket for the Carrie's Heart kids. This is a really easy...and important way that you can help out!
Nutritional Supplement: Ensure & Pediasure or equivalent, Duo Cal
Diapers: Sizes 4 & 5 & 6 (Jumbo)
Adult Diapers: Medium
Equipment: Used wheelchairs, walkers, adaptive equipment & PT equipment for children of all ages.

Specific Needs for the Carrie's Heart Kids in the Yucatan:
A bathing chair & a wheelchair for David.
Educational DVD's and computer programs in Spanish for Jose.
Kangaroo Pump Bags & BARD 18 F extension sets.
Lightweight winter clothing for Gladys(Size 5) & Valerie(Size 4) and all 4 boys (Boys Medium - Sizes 8 or 10)
Monthly sponsorship for Carlitos to attend school & purchase his educational materials / school supplies.
Suction machine for Juan Diego
Diapers - Size 4, 5 & 6 (Jumbo) and Adult M
Nutritional Supplement - Adult & Pediatric (all brands, liquid or powder), Duo Cal

Thank you for your continued support of Carrie's Heart!
Carrie

Upcoming Local Events

2007-09-03T13:03:00.000-07:00

Carrie's Heart has some fun events planned for the new school year!

Coffee Talk: Coffee Talk will resume beginning this Saturday, September 8th at Dunn Bros. Coffee in Katy at 9:00 a.m.. See the attached flyer for details (see website for flyers - on Upcoming Events page) Moms...we hope to see you all there on Saturday! With all the preparations for getting the kids back to school we know that you can use a break for yourself! Let us treat you to a cup of coffee and some girl talk!

School Supplies Drive: Our annual school supplies drive has begun! Please throw some extra school supplies into your basket over the next few weeks! The schools in the Yucatan are in need of all types of school supplies for children in early childhood up to secondary programs. Please consider the weight of supplies purchased...in general we do not need paper products (notebooks, notebook paper etc.) other than colored construction paper and art paper. Jumbo crayons, construction paper, glue, children's scissors...are all favorites. Arts & crafts supplies like paint, glitter, sequins are needed for our holiday letters to Santa project. For a detailed list of needs see the needs list at http://www.carriesheart.org/needs.html

All donated supplies can be brought to the Burgers for Books event. If you are unable to make the event contact Carrie at carrie@carriesheart.org for arrangements for donation drop off / pick up.

Burgers for Books: Our second annual Burgers for Books event will take place on Tuesday, September 25th from 5 - 8 p.m. Mark your calendars & plan to have dinner out that evening. We set the time from 5 - 8 hoping that with all the busy weekday schedules you can plan either a late or early dinner with Carrie's Heart. If you have not been able to make it out to a Carrie's Heart social activity...this is a great one to come to. If you are a regular please extend an invitation to a new family that you may know. We will have information set up about Carrie's Heart and our activities calendar to be handed out. Help spread the word!!! A flyer with details about the event and the Fuddruckers Admission Tickets that must be brought to the event are attached. (see website for flyers on Upcoming Events page)

Local Events Sponsors: Individual & corporate sponsors are needed to help underwrite the cost of hosting our local events. This is a great opportunity for those who like to support their local community. If you or someone you know may be interested in helping Carrie's Heart in this way please contact Paige Whitten at paige@carriesheart.org

Volunteer Opportunities: Local events provide opportunities for students and adults to give of their time and self to others. Students can earn community service hours by volunteering their time at Carrie's Heart events. Adult volunteers are also needed. Have skills, an area of expertise, or a kind heart that you would like to share with Carrie's Heart? Contact Carrie at carrie@carriesheart.org

I look forward to seeing everyone this fall!

Carrie

Yucatan Fiesta

2007-05-29T11:34:00.000-07:00

On Sunday, May 27th Carrie' s Heart held it's second annual "Yucatan Fiesta" to benefit our summer mission trips to the Yucatan. The event was held at Tequila Lopez in West Houston...a big thanks to the Lopez family for hosting the event for us! Despite the rainy weather everyone had a great time & loved the fajitas at Tequila Lopez. The raffle prizes and auction baskets were awesome this year! Daisy the clown from Smile Makerz was definetly the hit of the fiesta...for little kids & big kids too! A big THANK YOU to all of the volunteers who helped to pull off the event! We would also like to thank all of our local business partners and individual donors who gave so generously for the event this year.

Business Partners:

Tequila Lopez Heston Law Firm

Koz Printing Colonade Events

The Great Frame Up Goode & Co. Bar B Q

Slot Cars of Katy Houston Astros

Time Square Entertainment See What Develops

Harold Powell Avenue Nails

Cinemark Theaters Maridawn's Scrapbooking

Nestle Tollhouse The Wine Next Door

The Bath Junkie Coldwater Creek

Johnny Rockets Joseph A. Banks

Ceramics by Tess Chick-Fil-A

TGI Fridays Bolli Bros. Pizza

Life Time Fitness Julie's Cakes

Dunn Bros. Coffee Red Oak Grill

Yarntopia The Paperie

Houston Dynamos Houston Aeros

Alley Theater The Smoothie Factory

Smile Makerz

Individual Donors:

Elaine Monnig

Debbie Palmer

Angi Johnson

Paige Whitten

Carolina D. Conn

Tara Toney

Kim & James Heston

Kassi & Doug Daiker

Jessica Dixon (Massage Therapist)

Volunteers:

Angi & Bennett Johnson

Kim Heston

Terry Quinn-Reyes

Liz Shuler

Sharon Bippus

Rheana Pockray

Paige Whitten

Nora Nasr

Coffee Talk gets off to a great start!

2007-05-10T11:18:00.000-07:00

Carrie's Heart successfully kicked off our monthly Coffee Talk this spring. Coffee Talk is a informal support group for mothers of children with disabilities in the Katy / West Houston area.

Coffee Talk is led by Paige Whitten. Paige serves on the Carrie's Heart board of directors and is a Teen Leadership teacher in Katy ISD. Paige is also the proud mother of a very special little girl named Anna & her little brother Cooper.

Coffee Talk is a casual Saturday morning get together for coffee at Dunn Bros. Coffee in Katy. Mother's of children with special needs of all ages are welcome to attend. Coffee Talk is an opportunity for mom's to get a moment away to relax, have a cup of coffee and visit with other women who share similar life experiences to their own. Through Coffee Talk we hope that our mom's can develop a network of support, share & learn, and take some time our for themselves!

Check the Carrie's Heart website under the Upcoming Events section to see when the next Coffee Talk is scheduled. You can also email Carrie at carrie@carriesheart.org to be put on our email list to receive updates about all of our events & projects. For questions about Coffee Talk or to introduce yourself please feel free to contact Paige at paige@carriesheart.org

Local Events & Activities Spring 2007

2007-04-30T19:02:00.000-07:00

Carrie's Heart was busy throughout the spring hosting inclusive community events for the Carrie's Heart kids locally. We also worked hard & had fun raising funds for our local & Yucatan projects. If you haven't had the opportunity to join in on the fun - as a volunteer or participant - check out the website for our upcoming events!

January 2007 - Carrie's Heart celebrated our One Year Anniversary with friends, food & fun at Taco Cabana! Donations of supplies for the sponsored Carrie's Heart kids in Mexico were collected in exchange for raffle tickets! Thank you to all our local businesses who continue to help Carrie's Heart through donations of great prizes!

February 2007- We all enjoyed getting together for our first annual Ice Cream Social in celebration of Valentine's Day. Thank you to Piccomolo's for allowing us to host our social in their comfy corner in the Mason Rd. store!

March 2007- Carrie's Heart participated in the spring Cougar County Garage Sale to raise travel funds for our spring mission trips to the Yucatan! A huge thanks to all of our volunteers and to those who donated their "junk" for this good cause!

April 2007-Our first annual Bowling Bash was a huge success! Carrie's Heart along with the Cinco Ranch High School Best Buddies hosted a bowling tournament at Time Square in Katy. Carrie's Heart kids and their family & friends formed bowling teams and bowled their hearts out! Proceeds from the event benefited our local Project Potential which provides sponsorship for children with disabilities & financial need to participate in summer enrichment activities. A fun day of bowling for a great cause! A HUGE thank you to our individual and business sponsors for this event:

Impact Construction

Heston Law Firm

Gerken Insurance

Tom Mann Insurance

Happy Hounds

Health Tech Services

Kershner Financial Group

Katy Indian Association

Carolina D. Conn

Jayni Parikh

Wendy Dicken

Bowling Bash Pics!!!

2007-04-29T20:11:00.000-07:00

Nick enjoying himself with mom & dad!

Jordan & his family friend Rick

Kunal & "Ms. Conn"!

Anna with mom & Cooper

Corey...the pool shark!

Jacky & the "Princesses"

Kunal & Chris

Andrew bowling with a Carrie's Heart student volunteer

Joe Aron & buddies enjoying pizza!

Check out all of the Bowling Pics on Flicker!

Bowling Pics Album 2007

Spring Yucatan Missions

2007-04-10T13:34:00.000-07:00

Throughout the spring Carrie's Heart missions to the Yucatan focused on moving needed supplies for our sponsored children into the region. We also focused on building relationships with all of our families. During home visits we collected information about each of child's family background, medical history, disability and overall needs. This information will be used for us to determine how to best help each family improve the life of their child in the home and community. We also continued to build relationships with local community members, visiting professionals, and organizations who are working with us on helping special children in the region.

A highlight of the spring trips was the trip that fell over Easter weekend. Semana Santa is a very special time in Mexico both religiously and also as a time to focus on family. As happens with many of our trips, we have to adjust & adapt our goals of the mission trip based on what is going on in Mexico or in the families' lives when we arrive. Often our best experiences are the ones that are unplanned! This was definetly true at Easter. Our goals before arriving had been to have meetings with each family to go over the beliefs of our organization and our expectations of our sponsored families. We quickly saw however that Semana Santa was not the right time. Our regular drivers were all on vacation & our families were all enjoying time with their family and church communities. So our plans shifted to enoying time with our families and their church communities! The experiences we had were incredible!

Our Easter celebration with each family was very special. We make "Easter Buckets" for each family to share with all the children & adults in the family. Our plan was to make Easter baskets...however no baskets were to be found...so we used wash buckets! A functional alternative! We filled each bucket with plastic eggs stuffed with candies & pesos, pan dulce, cookies & fruit. We also bought a special gift for each sponsored child and plenty of stuffed animals were donated for all the children! At every home we went to we were offered a meal or a drink! A very humbling experience when you consider the needs of the families and their desire to show us gratitude through their offerings. On Good Friday we arrived at Jose's house (a typical Mayan hut) only to find the family was not home. Thanks to the modern convenience in Mexico of almost everyone having cell phones we were able to contact Jose's father. Jose's father quickly arrived to the home and escorted us to their church. Going down winding dirt roads & up a rocky hill we arrived at the church in time to experience the end of their Good Friday service. An awesome experience! Paige, Doe & I snuck very quietly...and without notice (not quite!) into the church next to Jose! The expression on his face was PRICELESS! He was so surprised to see as at his church! The church was a very small open air community church made of stick walls & a palapa roof. The church community was extremely friendly and accepting of us being there. Following the service everyone stopped by to introduce themselves to Jose's friends. It was incredible getting the opportunity to see Jose in his community! After meeting everyone we took Jose and his family down to the van to give them their "Easter Bucket". We arrived at the van only to see that EVERY child had followed us to the van! Luckily our driver Carlos had spent part of the morning filling Easter bunny goody bags with candies and cookies that were intended for the buckets for the Cozumel families the next day. We presented Jose with his families' bucket and couldn't let the others miss out! We passed out all of our goody bags...and even had to begin passing out our melting mini chocolate donuts that Doe had brought along for the road!!! WOW! A great moment!

During Easter weekend on Saturday evening we had a birthday party for Valerie and her sister Veronica & cousins Lupita and Juanito. We had the great plan of slumber party for all the kids chaparoned by Alejandra (Valerie's mother), Paige & myself. We started off with dinner and playing at McDonald's in Cozumel. From there we went to our hotel room and set up the party - complete with cake and presents! Each child received a bathing suit, a new outfit, and a toy. For a group gift we bought the kids pool noodles & sandcastle toys for the beach. We watched movies, had cake and soda and played until way too late! By midnight all of the "chaperones" were wondering who's "great" idea it was to have a sleep over with 4 wide awake kids under 10! But watching Valerie's face light up with joy and laugther with her bubble machine...seeing her snuggle in bed with the other kids...seeing her excitement of having her first birthday party EVER...made it all worth it! Thank you to everyone who helped make the birthday possible...we appreciate all of your donations!

Easter Sunday was particularly special for Paige & I. Following the birthday party the night before we were a little groggy but the experiences of the day got us going! Alejandra began shuttling the kids home by moto. I bathed Valerie and got her ready for the day in her new Easter outfit. (The hair style in her pictures is my fault...I couldn't resist getting her the lambies for her hair!) To bath a child on Easter morning, who only a year earlier you had found close to death, is an overwhelmingly undescribable experience. To even top that...on the way to take Valerie home we saw Easter service about to begin in the main cathedral in the plaza. Valerie, Paige and myself went to Easter service together. Paige & I in our Carrie's Heart t-shirts for all to see...and Valerie in my arms! Changing hearts...changing minds!!!!

After the service we took Valerie home & set off to deliver buckets to Gladys and Juan Diego. All the families were happy to see us & were also perplexed by the whole concept of an Easter Bucket! Try explaining that in Spanish! Our planned trip to the beach for Valerie's family on Easter Sunday afternoon became an impromptu gathering of our families! We had a great time on the beach with Valerie' s family, Juan Diego's family, Jorge's family (our new driver & team member) and Alex's family. Alex is one of the student's at the CAM school in Playa that we have been working with! What a surprise to look up and see his family with us at the beach that day! One of our goals has been to create community amongst our families and to raise awareness in the communities that we are working in....we truly met those goals this day! It was great seeing all the kids and their siblings playing together...and the adults visiting and sharing their experiences!!!

A HUGE thank you to all who help sponsor the children! Whether you help by being a monthly sponsor, giving monetary donations, donating supplies & special items like gifts....or donating your time....we appreciate it all! Most importantly the families are grateful to you all!

BE SURE TO CHECK OUT ALL THE GREAT PICS FROM THE SPRING MISSIONS BELOW ON THE BLOGand YOU CAN CHECK OUT SLIDESHOWS OF ALL THE PICS BY FOLLOWING THIS LINK:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/carriesheart/

Spring Yuctan Mission Pics

Spring Yucatan Missions: Semana Santa Pics

A special thanks to all we supported the birthday & Easter activities this trip:

Donors:

Doe Stowell

Sally Crompton

Nora Nasr

Kristy Crawford

Lisa Williams

Olivia Pelech

Zuiloff Family

Angi Johnson

Paige Whitten

Carrie Conn

Carolina D. Conn

Spring Mission Team Members:

Carrie Conn

Paige Whitten

Doe Stowell

Patricia Carey

Angeles Esparza

Barbara Carlson

Louise Stafford

Gayle Hanna

Pauline Harper

Christine Thomas

Rosy Pirez

Marcos (Main Driver & assistant Playa - Carrillo Puerto)

Carlos (Playa - Carrillo Puerto driver)

Antonio (Cozumel driver)

Jorge (Cozumel driver)

Octavio (Airport transfer driver)

Spring Mission Pics

2007-04-10T13:09:00.000-07:00

Valerie & Lupita on the wheelchair lift!

Antonio loading up Valerie for an outing!

Lupita, Veronica & Valerie out on the town!

Juan Diego's mother getting to meet Valerie for the first time!

Paddi Davies blowing kisses with Jose!

Paddi & John Davies hanging out with Gladys. Paddi & John of Oregon have formed a nonprofit organization called "Amigos de Jose", named after Jose pictured above, that is also helping children with disabilities on the island of Cozumel. Paddi & John have extensive backgrounds in working with children with disabilities and their families.

John & Juan Diego

Carlitos and his mom & dad

David's Home - a typical Mayan style hut

The "Abuelita Maya" and the "Abuelita Guerra"

David's grandmother & Doe Stowell

Jose checking out all his new things!

Jose & Barbara Carlson

Spring Mission Pics - CAM Cozumel

2007-04-10T13:00:00.000-07:00

In addition to working with our sponsored families, we also delivered a donation of school supplies to CAM (Centro de Atencion Multiple) in Cozumel. Utilizing schools supplies donations and funds from our fall school supplies drive we were able to give each classroom at the school some supplies specific to their classroom's needs!

Charity Badge Contest

2007-03-31T12:02:00.000-07:00

This March Carrie's Heart participated in the first Charity Badge contest through Six Degrees and Network for Good. Kevin Bacon, through his nonprofit Six Degrees www.sixdegrees.org, offered $10,000 matching grants for the individuals who could get the most donations on their charity badge during the month of March.

Dan Shoemaker, GM of TGI Fridays in Katy, chose Carrie's Heart as his charity of choice for his family & friends to give to in support of his efforts in competing in the Lone Star Half Ironman. Dan finished the race in 6 hrs 24 min and he helped to raise $145 through the Charity Badge & PayPal donations. Way to go Dan!

Although Carrie's Heart was not a winner of a matching grant, we did raise an extra $365 dollars for our sponsored children in the Yucatan! Thank you to all who participated!

You can still check out & badge and donate anytime by going to the Charity Badge link on the Carrie's Heart homepage or clinking the direct link below.

http://www.carriesheart.org/charitybadge.html

February 2007 Updates

2007-02-26T11:01:00.000-08:00

Meet our newest Carrie's Heart Kids!!!!
During the December & January mission trips into the Yucatan, 3 new Carrie's Heart Kids were identified who are now be a part of the Valerie Project Sponsorship Program. We are in need of sponsors for all of the Carrie's Heart Kids. For more information on the children, pictures & sponsorship information see the updated pages on the website at: http://www.carriesheart.org/valerieprojectsponsorship.html

David:
David's picture was brought to us by Doe Stowell of Puerto Aventuras, a medical missions volunteer for Angel Notion. David had been identified through a Christmas party project led by Pauline Harper also of Puerto Aventuras. In interviewing families in "el poblado" the small community for the local workers of Puerto Aventuras, community volunteer Angeles Esparza met the family of David's aunt. His aunt's family had been identified as in need, however instead of wanting Christmas for themselves....his aunt asked for help for her nephew David. The true spirit of the season. She never imagined the path that her wish for help would take...and what it would bring for David & his family! A Christmas miracle! Help us make more miracles happen for David! http://www.carriesheart.org/meetdavid.html

Carlitos:
Oh Carlitos! What a precious little boy! Carlitos is so full of life and so eager to learn & use his body to be as independent as possible. Carlitos was identified by Angeles through word of mouth in her community. We met Carlitos in January. He was so proud the day we visited, showing us all he knew & all his "moves". Speech pathologist, Patricia Carey, of Canada accompanied us on this mission. Patricia has since gone back into the home & to Carlitos' school to work with his family & teachers on communication & oral motor development. Working with Carlitos will be very rewarding. He is fully integrated into the kindergarten at his community school. In his community there is not segregated special education school...so we are so lucky to be able to have Carlitos at the kindergarten. We plan to support his family & his school in his education to make his school experience a great one! Consider helping Carlitos stay in school! http://www.carriesheart.org/meetcarlitos.html

Jose
Upon returning home from the December mission trip...the first email that I opened was about my new love Jose. Jose's story is a very difficult one. Jose was identified by Angel Notion volunteers who quickly passed the information on to Carrie's Heart. We learned that Jose lost his mother about 7 years ago and since has gone between living with his father & a concerned community members home. Jose has suffered from severe breakdown of skin on his entire lower extremities due to poor seating & lack of knowledge of care by his family. Despite his losses & his living conditions Jose has a happiness and a peace about him that comes from a source greater than himself. I was told before meeting Jose that I would fall in love with him & everyone was right. Jose is a very special human being & I am honored to be able to be a part of his life. You will be too!
http://www.carriesheart.org/meetjose.html

Spring Yucatan Missions
Spring Missions to the Yucatan will be made in February, March & April. The focus of the missions will include:
Supplies: Bringing in the supplies to the families that is needed on an ongoing basis (diapers, supplement, personal hygiene, household cleaning products, clothing, medical supplies, activities / supplies for sensory & cognitive stimulation)
Mobility: Bringing in wheelchairs for sponsored children
Training: Training volunteers from the local community to work with the sponsored families as a liason for Carrie's Heart. Making home visits, inventory & purchasing of supplies, delivery of supplies.
Adaptive Equipment: Bringing in adaptive equipment / PT equipment for use at CAM in Playa del Carmen, working with therapists & teachers on the use of equipment for the students in the early childhood program
School Supplies & Teaching Materials: CAM Playa & CAM Cozumel

Our mission teams are growing! Carrie's Heart is joining with other professionals & organizations to work with schools & families in the Yucatan! Doctors, therapists & educators from Mexico, the U.S. & Canada are beginning to pull our knowledge & resources together to better meet the needs of the kids! If you are interested in becoming a part of a mission team email Carrie.

Presentations
Help Carrie's Heart spread the word about our organization and the work we are doing locally & in the Yucatan! We have developed presentations about Carrie's Heart for use at any type of group meeting in the community. If you belong to a group, class, organization or work place that you think would like to support Carrie's Heart please contact Carrie for more information.

New Carrie's Heart T-shirts
March is "Disabilities Awareness Month". Each year in March Carrie's Heart will be releasing a new Carrie's Heart T-shirt in celebration of diversity, acceptance & awareness! This year's design theme is "Opening Hearts...Opening Minds" and is bilingual representing our kids locally & in the Yucatan! The shirts will cost $20 for adults & $15 for students. Proceeds raised from the shirts will go towards local Carrie's Heart community events & projects. If you are interested in preordering shirts please contact Carrie.

Mark Your Calendar
Carrie's Heart has some great events planned during the spring. Come out & join the Carrie's Heart family.

Katy ISD Special Education Parent Conference & Resource Fair:
Saturday, February 17th 8:30 - 4:30
Carrie's Heart will have a booth at the fair. Come by the booth to pick up information about upcoming local events & projects. This conference & fair hosted by KISD is a very informative event with presenters & exhibitors offering a wealth of information for families.

Coffee Talk
Saturday, February 24th 9:00 a.m.
Dunn Brother's Coffee, 6825 S. Fry Rd. #100
http://www.dunnbroshouston.com
Moms....this one is for you! Moms of special needs children are invited to the first monthly Carrie's Heart "Coffee Talk". This is a time for moms to have a moment all to themselves! Come out to enjoy a free cup of coffee & visit with other moms on a similar journey of raising a child with special needs. We hope that through "Coffee Talk" we can create a network of support & friendship for our moms. We look forward to meeting you all!

Valentine's Ice Cream Social
Piccomolo Italian Ice Cream
1850 S. Mason Road
Date: February - TBA
It's the season of love & friendship! Invite your friends & loved ones out for a sweet treat in celebration of Valentine's Day! Kids are welcome to bring Valentines or goodies to share with friends!

Cougar County Garage Sale
Cinco Ranch High School Parking Lot
Saturday, March 31st
We need your junk!!! We want it all....BIG & small! A great way to help out Carrie's Heart...and to do your spring cleaning at the same time!!! All proceeds from the event will go towards the Spring Yucatan Mission Trips! This is also a fun event to bring the whole family out to!

Volunteers
Volunteers are needed for the following events. Please contact Carrie if you are interested in volunteering. Adults, students & groups (school, scouts etc.) are all welcome to volunteer!

Katy ISD Special Education Parent Conference & Resource Fair:
Saturday, February 17th 8:30 - 4:30
Volunteers are needed to help man the Carrie's Heart booth at this event. The booth will be set up & manned by volunteer Terry Quinn-Reyes from 8:30 - 10:30. Volunteers are needed to man the booth from 10:30 - 4:30 in whatever time blocks you may be available. Volunteers will encourage booth visitors to sign up on our contact list, give out information & answer general questions about Carrie's Heart.

Cougar County Garage Sale
Cinco Ranch High School Parking Lot
Saturday, March 31st
Volunteers are needed on the 30th for pick up of donated items & preloading of trucks / vehicles for early morning drop off. If you have a truck or large vehicle & can help with this...please contact us. On the 31st we will need volunteers beginning at 5:00 a.m. for donation drop up, set up of the booths & for sales of garage sale items and beverages. Everyone can volunteer! Be sure to wear your Carrie's Heart t-shirts! Volunteers will be needed in shifts from 5:00a.m. until noon. This event is a lot of fun!

Needs
For a complete list of needs see the Carrie's Heart website at http://www.carriesheart.org/needs.html

When you are out grocery shopping each week please consider throwing a few extra items in the basket for the Carrie's Heart kids. This is a really easy...and important way that you can help out!
Nutritional Supplement - Ensure & Pediasure or equivalent
Diapers - Sizes 4 & 5
Pull Ups- medium sized

Equipment: Used wheelchairs, walkers, adaptive equipment & PT equipment for children of all ages.

Specific Needs for the Carrie's Heart Kids in the Yucatan:
Nebulizer & a wheelchair for Juan Diego
Mosquito Netting & a bathing chair & a wheelchair for David.
Educational DVD's and computer programs in Spanish for Jose.
Monthly sponsorship for Valerie's mother Alejandra to begin working for Carrie's Heart on the island of Cozumel with our families & for Valerie to attend school. Tube feeding supplies - Kangaroo Pump Bags & BARD extension sets.
Size 3/4 lightweight summer clothing for Gladys.
Monthly sponsorship for Carlitos to attend school & purchase his educational materials / school supplies.
Garage Sale Items: We need your junk!
Bottled Water & Sodas: To be sold at the garage sale.

Thank you for your continued support of Carrie's Heart!
Carrie

Our new Carrie's Heart kids in the Yucatan!

2007-02-25T11:10:00.000-08:00

David, Age 19

Felipe Carrillo Puerto

Quintana Roo, Mexico

Jose, Age 16
Felipe Carrillo Puerto
Quintana Roo, Mexico

Carlitos, Age 6
Puerto Aventuras
Quintana Roo, Mexico

Feliz Navidad y Un Prospero Ano Nuevo

2007-01-01T21:57:00.000-08:00

Christmas in the Yucatan
Thanks to the generosity of many & long days of hard work...the wishes of many special children and their families came true this holiday season! Carrie's Heart had an incredible holiday season with school groups, work groups, church groups & individual donors joining together to allow us to truly share the meaning of the season with the most special & deserving of children in the Yucatan. We were able to truly give from our heart - far beyond what we had planned. Carrie's Heart sponsored over 100 children at Centro de Atencion Multiple in Playa & Cozumel. We literally sponsored the entire CAM school in Cozumel for their first Christmas! Volunteers worked long hours playing Santa...specifically choosing the perfect gift for each child & having it ready the day of the parties! In addition to our 3 families on the island of Cozumel, we also began sponsorship for a new young man named David. All four families were overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and support shown through the Christmas giving for each family. Each family received a gift card for their holiday meal & purchases, gifts for each child in the family, a special "take care of yourself" gift for each mom and supplies specific to each child with special needs to help care for them & to improve their quality of life in the home. Words can not even begin to express the incredible experiences that we had in the Yucatan. Read about Christmas in Mexico - http://www.inside-mexico.com/MNewsletter.htm

Eid in Egypt
In addition to the wonderful holiday celebrations in Mexico, Carrie's Heart also supported an important holiday celebration in another part of the world...Egypt. Carrie's Heart director Nora Nasr coordinated the efforts, working with local contacts in Egypt to host a traditional Eid feast for the entire group of young men who live at the Mareg Foundation for Mental Development in Cairo. http://www.carriesheart.org/Egypt2006.html
The feast was held in celebration of Eid Al-Adha: Festival of the Sacrifice, one of the most important religious holidays that is celebrated by Muslims worldwide. In the spirit of giving and charity practiced by people of Muslim faith during Eid Al-Adha and year round, Carrie's Heart provided the meat and trimmings to make for a wonderful day of celebration for the young men at Mareg. Thank you to Nora & the Carrie's Heart contacts in Egypt who helped make this special day come together. Pictures to come soon!

http://www.dailystaregypt.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=4747
http://www.religionfacts.com/islam/holidays/adha.htm

Wishes for a Prosperous New Year!
We can not express enough our appreciation of the support that each of you have given to Carrie's Heart this year. It has been an incredible year...filled with joy, challenges, laughter, lessons learned, amazing experiences, lives touched & differences made! Joining together we have begun to show that it is possible to make a difference in the world...one child at a time. It is our hope that with each year our organization will grow & prosper, so that we can make the difference in the lives of even more precious children. Thank you for your continued support!

Carrie’s Heart
Incorporated June, 2005
Granted 501(c)(3) status December, 2005

International Missions:
· Eight mission trips since June, 2005
· Visits to eight special education programs in Mexico and Egypt
· Delivery of over 2000 lbs of supplies
(educational, nutritional & medical)
· Delivery of 14 pieces of adaptive equipment
· Provided financial support for the life changing surgeries
of 3 special children from the Yucatan
· Sponsoring 3 children with severe disabilities from the island of Cozumel & 1 child in Carrillo Puerto
Childfind Missions in the Yucatan - Ongoing
· 2 Carrie’s HeART projects at CAM in Playa
· Supported 3 Christmas parties at CAM schools
· Working with local governmental agencies & non profit organizations in the regions served

Local Events:
· Sponsored 3 children in summer enrichment activities
· Sponsored 7 inclusive community events for children with disabilities to enjoy with family & friends
· Upcoming: Carrie’s Heart Coffee Club
· Upcoming: Summer Theater Camp with KVPAC

We wish you a new year filled with
love, joy and hope!
Thank you!

Thank You & Fall / Christmas Updates

2006-11-22T23:50:00.000-08:00

During this season of thanks & giving I would like to express our sincere gratitude to each of you for your support of Carrie's Heart. As our family of support grows...we are able to touch the lives of even more special children!

As we enter into the season of giving, please keep the Carrie's Heart kids in your heart. We are looking towards a Christmas & New Year full of JOY, LOVE & HOPE. For more details see below.

UPDATES:

Web Updates: Lot's of new web pages have been added. Check the "What's New" section on the homepage - it provides direct links to the newest pages to keep you up to date on happenings with Carrie's Heart!
http://www.carriesheart.org/

Fall Events:
We held two successful events this fall that we hope to host annually.
Burgers for Books- We enjoyed burgers & friends at the Burgers for Books event at Fuddruckers. We also were able to collect alot of great school supplies for the fall mission trips to the Yucatan.
http://www.carriesheart.org/burgersforbooks.html
Trick or Treat Party - a ton of fun! http://www.carriesheart.org/trickortreat.html

Fall Yucatan Projects:
Two mission trips to the Yucatan were made during October & November. For the first time, we were able to bring additional Carrie's Heart volunteers on the mission trips. A big thanks to Angi Johnson & Olivia Pelech for their awesome fundraising efforts & hard work that made these missions a success. http://www.carriesheart.org/FallYucatan2006.html

Carrie's Heart Christmas:
This year we will be offering the gifts of JOY, LOVE & HOPE to the Carrie's Heart kids. Watch your mail & email for information about our Christmas projects, Carrie's Heart Open House and opportunites for giving this holiday season.
http://www.carriesheart.org/currentprojects.html
Presentations: We are offering presentations about Carrie's Heart and our Christmas projects to interested school, church & work groups. This is a great opportunity for us to spread the word about Carrie's Heart and expand our family of supporters. If you are interested in more information about our presentations please contact Carrie Conn.
Matched Giving: Carrie's Heart is now eligible for matched giving through Halliburton and Country Wide. This is a great way to double your giving if you or someone you know works for one of these companies. If you work for a company that offers matched giving programs please consider adding Carrie's Heart to the list of approved charities.

We wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving! We thank you for being a part of the Carrie's Heart family!

Carrie

Join Angel Notion & Carrie's Heart in helping Moises!

2006-09-21T18:38:00.000-07:00

Moises is 22 years old and is originally from an impoverished native Maya region. He now works for Kalus restaurant in Paamul. Moises was born with nose bifida, which in an appearance-conscious society has proven to be challenging to live with. His one-in-a-million condition cannot be fixed with the limited medical care and resources available to Moises in Mexico.

Angel Notion has arranged for Moises to go to Michigan at the beginning of October to be seen by Dr. George Polets at Sparrow Hospital in Lansing, Michigan, who has graciously agreed to perform the necessary operation at no cost. In order to make this life-changing surgery happen, however, we still need to raise another $3,000 to cover Moises’ travel and living expenses. His Mexican maxofacial surgeon, Dr. Ricardo Salazar, will accompany and translate for Moises, while also learning how to perform this procedure so that he can bring this life-altering surgery back to Mexico to help others.

Moises already has been approved with a travel visa and is scheduled to leave for the US on September 29, with his surgery scheduled for October 2. Moises has been waiting patiently for years while Angel Notion researched options for his treatment and found a medical team to accept the case. Now it is time to raise the necessary funds to make this mission possible. Together, we can end Moises’ long wait.

Moises is so overjoyed at the prospect of the difference this will make in his life that he has phoned the Angel Notion clinic countless times to thank the staff and promise that he will live the rest of his life in gratitude. He makes a special point to attend as many of Angel Notion’s fundraising events as he can. This special young man always has a smile on his face and is dedicated to making a difference for others in the same way that others have made a difference for him.

Please help Angel Notion & Carrie’s Heart in reaching our fundraising goal and help to change one wonderful, worthy young man’s life. No amount is too great or too small. Thank you in advance for your help.

We are able to give tax deductible receipts in both Mexico and the US.

If you would like to participate changing this young man’s life by making a US tax deductible donation, please go to www.carriesheart.org for PayPal donations or send your donation to:

Account Name: Carrie's Heart
Account #: 3820038435
Routing #: 111901014
Bank: Capital One
Address: 23910 Westheimer Parkway
Katy, Texas 77494

Checks can be made payable to Carrie’s Heart & mailed to:
Carrie’s Heart
14354 Memorial Drive, #1006
Houston, Texas 77079

You may also go to www.angelnotion.org for PayPal or tax-deductible Mexico donations.

Back to school already?

2006-09-06T19:38:00.000-07:00

Justin Manganaro at the Monarch Summer Camp

Wow! Back to school time comes so quick!

With the beginning of the new school year I get really busy & want to make sure I post some quick updates about some of our summer & back to school events.

Summer:
Three Project Potential Scholarships were awarded this summer to local children. Two of the winners attended summer day camps and one attended an art class. I will update the website with pictures of the kids & their experiences soon.

Check out the picture of Justin & the snake!

Check out the new web pages about the Yucatan Project this summer! Also lots of great pics here on the blog.

Carrie's Heart board member & volunteer Nora Nasr made a trip to Egypt this summer and visited two programs for children & young adults with disabilities. I hope to update the website soon with a news paper article written about one of the programs, pictures and Nora's words about her experiences. Carrie's Heart in Cairo...great job Nora!

Back to School:
We kicked off the new school year with two fun events! Basketball....and Burgers!

Thanks to the generosity of the Comets a group attended the last home game of the Comet's season at the Toyota Center. We all had a great time!

We had a nice turn out at the Burgers for Books event at Fuddruckers. Everyone enjoyed their burgers & time with friends and family. Thank you to all who came to the event & to those who donated school supplies for the drive!

I look forward to a great school year and lot's of fun with Carrie's Heart!

Valerie Update - July 22, 2006

2006-07-22T20:42:00.000-07:00

While in Mexico June 6th - July 9th, I had the opportunity to continue working with Valerie and her mother Alejandra. During my stay we had multiple follow up visits with her local pediatrician. Consistant weight gain & positive lab results have indicated that Valerie is doing really well! As of yesterday Valerie now weighs a little over 24 lbs! What I have enjoyed most is watching the changes in Valerie's awareness, expression and activity! She is such a bright little girl! Although the pictures of Valerie show her physical changes...they don't show the spunky character of this little girl. I have videotape (that I hope to be able to put online...with some technical guidance!!!) that shows Valerie "expressing" to me through eye movements & facial expressions that she feels that she has returned to the United States when we are relaxing in the 50's style Johnny Rockets burger joint in Playa del Carmen. Other clips show Valerie smiling and giggling as her little sister jumps on the bed. An even more impressive clip shows Valerie exerting her personality & showing off her little legs as she "bicycles" in an effort to move up her little dress after I lowered it telling her we need to not show too much "leg"! Wow...how rewarding....words can not express the love that I have for this little girl and her mother who so bravely trusted in us all. My hope is that I will have them in my life forever.

In an effort to support the ongoing needs of Valerie and children like Valerie, I am creating a sponsorship program as part of the ongoing Valerie Project. I have begun updating the website and when plans are finalized I will send information out to all the Carrie's Heart supporters. I hope that through this project each of you will be able to feel the personal joy and love that I have felt experiencing the changes in a child as I have helped to improve their life. This is truly an example of EMBRACING THE POTENTIAL IN ALL CHILDREN!

To read the chronological posts about Valerie and her journey go to the archive index to the right of the blog page. Posts begin in March 2006 and continue to the present!

Fund for Teachers: Yucatan Projects

2006-07-10T18:34:00.000-07:00

This year I was blessed to have been awarded a personal grant from the Fund for Teachers. This grant has enabled me to travel to the Yucatan to complete a number of personal & professional projects.

During my five week trip to the Yucatan this summer I had the opportunity to study Spanish, strengthening my professional speaking skills. I took private lessons that have allowed me to focus directly on terminology needed as a special educator. I translated a set of stimulation activities that were given to mothers in the Early Intervention program at Centro de Atencion Multiple, the special education school where I volunteered my time. It was a pleasure working with this group of mothers and their teacher Liliana who is extremely dedicated to these children and their mothers. My hope is that the moms will be able to use the activities along with their physical therapy routines to continue working with their children over their summer break. In addition, I created and translated a list of interview questions that I will use when I go into the homes of children with disabilities during ongoing child find missions in coordination with the Angel Notion clinic.

I had the opportunity to work with each group of students and staff at Centro de Atencion Multiple. Getting to know the students and teachers was a rewarding experience. Directora Isabel set up a rotation schedule for me that began with the youngest students (infants & toddlers accompanied by their mothers) and moved up grade level by grade level. This allowed me to get a good understanding of the skills focused on at each level and the set up of their programming.

I have used the blog to document my experiences and the ongoing projects that I will be working on in the region. A huge thank you to the Fund for Teachers and their sponsors for providing me with this great opportunity.

Intervencion Temprana, Prescholar & Primaria

2006-07-09T12:15:00.000-07:00

During my first week at Centro de Atencion Multiple I had the pleasure of getting to know the younger students and their teachers. A typical day for the students begins at 7:00 in the morning and ends mid-day at 11:00. The students have activities until mid way through the morning and then stop for a small mid morning breakfast followed by a few minutes of "recreo" or recreation. They then return to their classrooms for the remainder of the morning. The school is comprised of 3 long buildings (one classroom in width) made of concrete block. The classrooms have a ceiling fan but no airconditioning. The windows are along both the front & rear of the classroom and have louvered wooden shutters that open to allow for airflow. I was pleased to see that there is a bathroom in each of the classrooms of the younger children. Each classroom has modest furnishings of tables, chairs and desks depending on the size and needs of the children. Decorations are sparce, but reflect the creativity of each teacher.

Intervencion Temprana
I really enjoyed visiting with the Early Intervencion group. This group is comprised of young children anywhere from 18 months up to 6 years depending on the severity of the child´s disability. The students are accompanied by their mothers to class. This serves two purposes, first their is not staffing available to care for the needs of all of the children and secondly, the mother´s learn how to work with their child and support one another. The group focuses on physical therapy and stimulation activities. Weekly each child receives one hour of direct physical therapy with the therapist. The current teacher of the group has also instituted having daily therapy time within the classroom where the moms & children go through their therapy programs. Following physical therapy the group then does stimulation activities focusing on oral, visual, auditory and tactile stimulation. The mothers also receive weekly therapy sessions with the school psychologist to discuss their needs in regard to their child and their family. I was extremely impressed by the dedication of the mothers and their teacher.

Prescholar
The preschool group at CAM is full of energy! Wow! Alot different than working with highschool students! What cuties though! In order to continue into preschool a student must be ambulatory. This for me was very difficult to accept considering I work with children with more involved physical disabilities and I know the benefit they receive from attending school. A large percentage of the kids in the preschool group have Down Syndrome. Most appear to have mild to moderate intellectual disabilities. Most can follow directions well and only a few have disruptive behavior problems. This group really enjoyed having their pictures taken as they played outside. Their indoor activities focus on colors, shapes, puzzles, songs, picture books etc. This group due to size and age would really benefit from structured teaching stratagies in terms of classroom groupings, organization, centers etc. Some future goals!

Primaria (1st & 2nd grade)
The lowest level elementary group is 1st & 2nd grade. What must be understood is that children can be in this group up until 9 or 10 years old. The problem faced by the special education system is that as a whole they are still required to educate their students based on the curriculm taught in the regular education schools. Thus, a child does not pass up until the upper grades until they have either mastered enough of the skills taught or eventually when their need to be with an appropriate peer group. At CAM there are two classrooms of 1st and 2nd grade students. The students in this group begin to learn their letters, numbers, and concepts of numbers, space & location. Some students also begin learning to read and do math depending on their functioning level. The challenge that begins to develop at this level is the divide between the children with mild disabilities who can do academic work (that we would consider resource level students or students who can be integrated into the regular classroom) and those who truly need to do more functional type activities. This issue was raised by many teachers throughout the school and is beginning to be addressed on a state and national level as the practice of integrating students into the regular elementary schools has begun.

FACES OF THE YUCATAN

2006-07-08T17:05:00.000-07:00

Upper Levels of Primaria 3rd - 6th grades

2006-07-07T11:55:00.000-07:00

The second half of my observations were spent observing the older students in grades 3 through 6. Students in the 3rd & 4th grades were students that we would consider junior high age students. The mandated curriculum at these grade levels continues to be a regular education academic focus which is frustrating to the teachers as they see the need to begin to include more functional, life skills and vocational activities for their students. As in the lower grades there were students in the upper levels that I felt would have been in inclusive settings in our school systems. Inclusion is a new practice in the Mexican school system. Currently students are being mainstreamed back into their neighborhood schools and special education teachers are being placed into the schools to provide support to a case load of students. The challenge that is being faced is that not enough teachers are being allocated for the students. Often 1 teacher will have to cover multiple schools in one day. Thus students are not receiving the support they need and are getting "lost" in the system. Students in the 5th & 6th grade are what we consider high school students ranging in age from 14 to 17 years of age. Students graduate from primaria at age 17. Thus, no secondary schooling is provided for students with disabilities in Mexico. They are educated based on elementary curriculum and are in segregated schools until "graduation". Teachers expressed concern that students are not provided opportunities to interact with non disablied peers in their age group. Another large concern is that students are not being taught the skills neccessary for independent living beyond graduation. This concern is echoed by Directora Isabella who will be focusing on the development of workshops at the school during the upcoming school year. The plan is to develop workshops where older students at CAM can focus on developing vocational skills that may lead to employment in the community. I look forward to working with the school on these new projects. I shared ideas with the diretor as to how facilities at the school, including the maintence / carpentery shop and kitchen, could be better utilized to teach students life and vocational skills.

More Faces of the Yucatan.....

2006-07-05T17:21:00.000-07:00

Audicion

2006-07-04T12:35:00.000-07:00

I always enjoy working with the students in the "Audicion" group. This group has students who all have hearing impairments. The students instruction is bilingual focusing on Mexican sign-langauage and written Spanish. At CAM in Playa their is one audicion group with students ranging in age from preschool to sixth grade. What a challenge! Students in the audicion group typically do not have intellectual disabilities and thus the focus is on the regular education curriculum with an emphasis on communication using sign language. It is really interesting observing the group and seeing how skilled the students are at utilizing sign. Again, the challenge faced by special educators is that the educational system in Mexico does not support the need for these children to have any secondary education. Their teacher Manuel spoke with me about the success stories he has experienced of students going on to find employment in the community. Unfortuneately, there are also many instances of students who do not go on to live independent lives and who are even taken advantage of within their colonias. One aspect of CAM that really impressed me is that often former students are hired as teacher assistants to work in the classrooms with younger students after they have graduated. The teacher assistant pictured with the audicion students is a former student who did a really great job working with the students in small group activities.

More pics of the Audicion kids...

2006-07-03T12:48:00.000-07:00

I always love to see the love amongst siblings in the kids' lives...

2006-07-03T11:13:00.000-07:00

Clausura - A beautiful experience!

2006-07-02T12:57:00.000-07:00

One of the most interesting aspects of my time spent at Centro de Atencion Multiple was participating in the prepartations and dance practices for the "Clausura" or closing ceremony. The clausura is an interesting cultural experience that takes place on the closing day of school in schools throughout Mexico. I was excited to see that the students at the CAM schools also get to have a closing ceremony. For weeks the students and teachers practice the cultural dances that the students will perform for their family and friends at the "Clausura". Each group also works on costumes and props that the dancers will use. Such color and creativity! At CAM the students performed traditional dances from various regions of Mexico. In addition, students who were graduating from the pre-school and sixth grade (primaria) groups did special graduation dances and received their certificates. It was a beautiful experience watching this festive celebration!

Clausura Pics....Practice to Performance!

2006-07-02T12:56:00.000-07:00

Fund for Teachers Project in the Yucatan...Closing Thoughts

2006-07-01T13:38:00.000-07:00

Spending weeks observing and volunteering at Centro de Atencion Multiple was a very valuable experience for me that will allow me to work on future projects at the school. Through working with students and staff, I now have a better understanding of the needs at the school which will allow me to provide the school with resources and materials to expand upon their programming. I gained an overall understanding of educational and community resources available to the children and their families. I am always excited to meet other educators that share my passion for working with children with disabilities. I truly believe that passionate teachers are the key to success for our kids. Facilities, resources, budgets...are all very different in Mexico compared to the U.S. - but what truly matters is the love & passion of the teachers.

In addition to working in the schools while in the Yucatan, I continued working in cooperation with Angel Notion (a local non-profit organization in Playa del Carmen, Mexico) on child find missions in the region. Children with more severe cognitive, physical and behavioral disabilities are not being served by the public education school system in Mexico. The school system lacks the staffing, budget, facilities and training to work with these children. The goal of the child find missions is to go into the community, into the homes of the children to find out what resources are available to help families care for their children. Information about child find missions will be updated on the Carrie's Heart website at www.carriesheart.org

You can also read about the Valerie Project on the website. Valerie is a young girl who was identified during a March, 2006 child find mission who has inspired many to help the children of the island of Cozumel. Read about Valerie and the Valerie Project in the blog archives (March until present) and on the website linking to the Valerie Project page from the homepage.

I would like to extend my personal gratitude to the Fund for Teachers and all of it's sponsors for giving me the opportunity to have personal and professional experiences in the Yucatan this summer that will enhance my ability to positively affect the lives of children with disabilities.

Need for Assistance in the Yucatan

2006-06-21T17:58:00.000-07:00

I am currently in the Yucatan observing and volunteering in a state run special education school in Playa del Carmen. My goal is to learn about the special education system in Mexico and the needs of the teachers and students so to better assist them. I am also following up with Valerie and her family on Valerie´s care and ongoing needs. In addition, we will be revisiting 8 additional families with 11 children total who were identified during a child find mission on March 16, 2006 on the island of Cozumel. The need here is immense. Many of these families are struggling to just meet the base needs of their children with disabilities. I hope to take as much supplies into the families as I can when we visit. Our long term vision is to set up community resource centers where families can register their child for assistance. We plan to work alongside local nonprofits and government agencies to make sure that families have the resources and education to enable them to care for their children.

Valerie is at home & doing well. We continue to need support for this family including financial support to help cover medical costs incurred while in Houston, funds to build a safe home for the family and ongoing medical and personal care needs for Valerie. I will be setting up sponsorship opportunities for Valerie & others within the next few weeks. Please contact me if you are interested in sponsoring a child.

With so many people traveling to the Yucatan for their summer vacations & year round, there are many opportunities to help children in this region. If yourself or someone you know will be travelling to Cancun, Playa del Carmen, Cozumel or anywhere along the Riviera Maya please have them contact me at carrie@carriesheart.org We are in need of donations of diapers, nutritional supplement, tube feeding supplies, wheelchairs, walkers, first aid supplies, antibacterial hand sanitizer...a huge list of needs.

In addition to bringing down donations directly, we welcome any monetary donations that you would like to give for these children. Information on how to give can be found at: http://www.carriesheart.org/donations.html

Please indicate on your Pay Pal form or check that your donation is for the children of the Yucatan. Thanks so much for your support & I will keep you updated on the blog!

Carrie

Valerie is doing well at home in Cozumel

2006-06-18T18:37:00.000-07:00

I accompanied Valerie and Alejandra on their return trip home to Cozumel. They were greeted by friends & family at the airport. Valerie´s little sister Veronica was happy to see her big sister and her mom return home. Rosy Pirez of Cozumel had helped the family prepare the home for arrival - including purchasing a new bed, fans & a window AC unit to make Valerie comfortable and to assure that the feeding pumps and supplement are kept at a cooler temperature. A few days after their arrival home, I visited the family to assure that they had everything they needed and that all was going well. We have since had a follow up appointment with a local pediatrician in Playa. She was extremely thorough with Valerie and gave Alejandra recommendations for Valerie´s continued care. Valerie is now over 19 lbs. and looks better and better each time I see her. I will be visiting the family at their home next week & will keep everyone posted!

Welcome home!

2006-06-18T17:44:00.000-07:00

Valerie was welcomed home by friends & family. Pictured are Valerie, her little sister Veronica (middle) and her friend & neighbor Lupita. Veronica is an energetic, happy little girl who loves her big sister. Lupita is very interested in Valerie. I spoke with her and asked her to please visit with Valerie each day to talk and play with her. What beautiful little girls!

The next step in our journey...

2006-06-06T01:23:00.000-07:00

Our little princess is headed back to Cozumel early this morning, Tuesday June 6, 2006. Valerie arrived exactly one month ago & we have had some incredible experiences during this time. Valerie received excellent care while she was here and we will continue that care when she returns home. She has now gained 5lbs since March! She is gaining back her strength & her health. This week she had her follow up appointments and the doctors are very happy with her progress. Thanks to the incredible generosity of supporters of the Valerie Project we have received medical equipment including two feeding pumps that will be going home with Valerie. She also received a jogger stroller to go home with her. On Thursday, Darlene O'Brien and Stephanie Wiggins of NTS came out to visit with Valerie and showed Alejandra basic range of motion exercises, positioning and stimulation activities for Valerie. It was an absolutely incredible experience watching Darlene work with Valerie. It was very powerful seeing Valerie developing into a little girl who has the potential that we all knew existed. A huge thank you to everyone who has been a part of this journey. The next step of our journey now begins...we look forward to your continued support of Valerie as she returns home. She will continue to need our support and our thoughts!

Valerie seeing herself for the first time...

2006-06-06T00:31:00.000-07:00

Girlfriends Forever!

2006-06-06T00:30:00.000-07:00

Darlene & Stephanie working with Valerie

2006-06-06T00:14:00.000-07:00

Valerie Update May 29th, 2006

2006-05-29T20:55:00.000-07:00

We have been in a whirlwind with this little Angel. We have learned a lot from Valerie and her mother Alejandra. Her mother is very young, under educated, poor economically but rich in heart & character. She is a mother who has struggled to care for her child in the best way that she knew how with the resources she has available to her. At first glance we thought that Valerie was a child that was being neglected. We were shocked thinking how could a mother let her child starve? In retrospect we now understand that as we work with families and go into their homes we have to learn to assess situations not from our own eyes, our life experiences, our sense of reality but instead we must gain an understanding of the full picture before making a judgment. A valuable lesson learned.

Going through this experience step by step with Valerie and Alejandra over the past months we have gained a whole new respect and compassion for Alejandra. We now know that she is a mother who always wanted to do the best she could for her child. In order to keep her daughter alive Alejandra has fed her hours & hours each day slowly squeezing milk from a bottle into her mouth to keep her from aspirating. Despite her malnourished state Alejandra had kept Valerie healthy enough to live. It was a wake up call for us in the first days that Valerie was here watching the effort that it took for her mom to feed her by bottle up to four hours to give her an 8 ounce bottle of formula. Alejandra has shared with us the struggles that she has gone through as a young mother with a child with a severe physical disability living in unimaginable conditions with little to no resources available to her. Alejandra was given no options for treatment for her daughter. She was given advice on how to continue trying to feed her daughter and had been told by some that she should take her daughter home to die. Can you imagine?

The quality of life that Valerie and Alejandra can now lead will be so much better. Valerie has responded very well to her medical treatment and she is getting stronger day by day. She is quite the little fighter. She is now being pump fed directly into her stomach through a gastric feeding tube. She went through the surgery well and has responded well to the feedings. She was released from the hospital and is recovering at the Ronald Mc Donald house. Alejandra has done an excellent job of learning about the care her daughter requires and is very confident learning new skills. The changes in Valerie in just a short time with increased nutrition have been amazing to watch. She is bright eyed and responsive. She enjoys music, cartoons, listening to books and having her dolls with her. She uses vocalizations to “talk” and will let you know when she is not happy with something! She is definitely a strong little girl!

What does the future hold?

Medical Issues:
Our sole focus right now is on improving Valerie’s health nutritionally. She will have follow up appointments this week to check her progress. She has been released to return home to Mexico to continue to gain strength before secondary medical issues can be addressed. Valerie’s pediatrician in Houston will continue to coordinate her care along with her local pediatrician in Cozumel.

Improvement of Home Environment:
Rosy Pirez of Angel Notion has gone back to Cozumel to begin preparing the home & family for Valerie’s return. We have plans of how to improve their current home environment to meet Valerie’s needs. Plans include providing proper bedding, positioning equipment, ventilation / air conditioning, nutritional & personal care supplies. Rosy will work with the family on how to create and maintain a clean, healthy environment for Valerie. We will work with the family on ways to provide stimulation for Valerie and include her in their family life.

Currently Alejandra & Valerie and family live in a small roof top shack made of scrap materials on top of her parent’s home. Her house is literally made of ping pong tables and scrap wood along with cardboard boxes. This little home and a newer home that the family was beginning to build on a small piece of family owned land were both damaged during the recent hurricane Wilma. We need your help in building the family a safe, permanent home. The home will be built in coordination with family members and volunteers and should cost under 10 K to construct. Help us to reach this goal!

Transportation:
Alejandra can no longer leave Valerie at home alone, she will have to get assistance for in home care and she will need a safe way to transport Valerie to medical appointments, school and therapy appointments.
Do you have a vehicle that you can donate?

Education:
Alejandra has demonstrated her ability to care for her daughter, has a great capacity to learn and desires to work with Angel Notion and Carrie’s Heart educating and supporting other families in her community who are going through similar situations. Work that we have done on the island has shown that there is great need there. In March we identified 11 other children whom are severely disabled in the community and whose families are in need of resources and education. We know that these families are just the beginning…we have only just begun to scratch the surface. Alejandra has grown a lot and she has a lot of information that she can now share with other families. Alejandra now has hope and is beginning to make plans for her future. Help us to support Alejandra in meeting her goals by sponsoring her continued education and internship with Angel Notion. We would like to find a sponsor to cover her internship pay with Angel Notion and continuing education.

It takes a village:
Alejandra is doing a great job and Valerie is surprising us daily. We look forward to watching Valerie’s health improve over the coming months and years. We all took a leap of faith coming together to work to save the life of Valerie. It has taken the hard work and dedication of many to get us through this first step in Valerie’s care and recovery. We will continue to need this community of support to stay strong and grow so that we can meet all of Valerie’s medical needs and our goals for this family.

A heart felt thanks to all of you for your support of Valerie and her mother. A special thanks to all of the medical professionals who have worked with Valerie, The Ronald Mc Donald House, American Airlines, DIF and everyone else who has participated in Valerie’s healing! It takes each one of us working together to make the difference in the life of a child!

Valerie is recovering well from her surgery!

2006-05-21T23:03:00.000-07:00

Valerie had surgery on Thursday, May 18th to place a gastric feeding tube. She came through the surgery like a champ & is recovering well. She will soon begin feedings through the g-tube. Keep her in your thoughts & hearts!

We are in need of ongoing support of Valerie & her family. Please continue to share Valerie's story with others! It takes our combined efforts to make the difference in the life of a child! As this recent picture of Valerie shows...our efforts are beginning to pay off!

Carrie

Valerie & Mom are doing well

2006-05-10T23:10:00.000-07:00

Valerie and her mother, Alejandra, are doing well. Valerie was admitted to the hospital on Monday and is currently being fed through a nasal gastric feeding tube. Under the guidance of her doctors she is undergoing tests that will help to determine the course of her care. Alejandra is doing an excellent job of caring for her daughter and Lavonna is guiding her in advocating for the care of her child. The family was accepted into Ronald McDonald house which is helping to keep our costs down. We have received an awesome response from donors - giving the family clothing, personal care items, supplies for Valerie & much needed monetary donations. Thanks to our generous supporters we have been able to provide diapers, pediasure, a kangaroo pump along with the neccessary bags, tubing etc. that will reduce the cost of her hospital stay. We will continue to need your support and to broaden our support base as the our needs change. We are dedicated to helping Valerie and her family. Please continue to share her story with others...you never know who will be touched and called to help!

In addition to monetary donations to help with medical costs we have the following needs:

CURRENT NEEDS:

Huggies Diapers - size 3
Unscented wipes
Poise Bladder control pads - Extra
Pediasure - Strawberry is her favorite
Valerie - Size 3 clothing (new or gently used)- long sleeves & pants/long dresses/cardigan sweaters - no shorts or short sleeves for awhile
Size 5 clothing (for sister)
Size 12 bottoms and Medium tops/sweaters/sweatshirts/hoodies for Alejandra
Blankets/Warm robe for Alejandra
Fiesta cards / cash (so they can buy groceries at Fiesta for the Ronald McDonald house to cut down costs - Fiesta is on their shuttle route)
Non-perishable food items to grab for snacks - Nutri-grain bars, crackers, water, soft drinks, gum, raisins, etc.
Trac phone telephone cards for communication with Mexico

Equipment / Supplies:
Small wheelchair that can be adapted for Valerie (preferably a reclinable one)
Positioning equipment (tumble form chair, small cushions & wedges)
Tube feeding supplies
Guaze pads / bandages / tape

Volunteers / Visitors: If you would like to volunteer in supporting the family during this time of healing please contact me directly at carrie@carriesheart.org Visitors are also welcome and initial visits can be coordinated with me through phone or email. We will not be posting specifics on the location of the family on the blog.

Thank you so much!
Carrie

Valerie is here...let's celebrate at the Yucatan Fiesta tomorrow!

2006-05-06T20:18:00.000-07:00

I am so happy to finally announce that Valerie has made it here safely. Valerie and her mother Alejandra arrived today accompanied by Lavonna Redman of Angel Notion. They were met at the airport by myself and our newest board member, Paige Whitten, who has been instrumental in each step of this mission. The family and Lavonna are staying in a hotel located in the medical center until a room at the Ronald McDonald house becomes available. We took them welcome baskets with personal care supplies for both mom & Valerie - along with some fun "girly" stuff for Valerie. We took them to Super Target and got them set up with some necessities. They are now resting in the hotel. We are thrilled to finally have them here and to begin Valerie's treatment. I want to thank each of you for your support. It is truly powerful when a group of people work together to do good for others!

I will keep you updated on the blog. Paige will be putting together a specific needs list for the family. Once the family gets settled and we have a treatment plan in place we will put out the call for specific volunteer & funding needs.

If you are in Katy / Houston please come out & celebrate with us at the Yucatan Fiesta tomorrow!!! Let's make this event a huge success - it all benefits such a great cause....embracing the potential in all children!!!!!

I can't begin to thank you all enough!

Carrie

Valerie Update 5/2/06

2006-05-02T21:54:00.000-07:00

Valerie's arrival date has been postponed for a few days due to family needs and travel arrangements. I will keep you posted as soon as we have a confirmed travel date. Lodging plans & local transport have been put in place. We are doing everything we can to get her here as soon and as safely as possible. Please keep Valerie, her family and everyone involved in this mision in your hearts & minds!

Project Potential

2006-05-02T06:11:00.000-07:00

With the end of school drawing near parents are beginning to plan summer activities for their children. I have begun a project called "Project Potential" for children in our community. The focus of the project is to help children with disabilities reach their full potential through participation in enriching activities in their community. Carrie's Heart will provide scholarships for children whose families are in need of financial assistance for summer activities. This is the first year of this project so the number of scholarships awarded will be small. However, I would love to help a few kids have a great time this summer!

Parents interested in applying for Project Potential can contact Carrie at carrie@carriesheart.org. The deadline for applications will be Friday, May 19th to allow time for parents to be notified of having received funding in time to register for summer activities. If awarded a scholarship, registration fees will be paid by Carrie's Heart directly to the organizations providing the activities.

Carrie's Heart Updates

2006-05-01T22:08:00.000-07:00

WEBSITE UPDATES:
A Picnic in the Park page has been updated with great pictures from the event. It was a great day for everyone! A huge thanks to our sponsors and a great group of volunteers!

Tony Landry at Capital One Bank - Cinco Ranch
Chrisy Conn of Pathfinders Properties
Bonnie Gerken of Gerken Insurance

Check out the new page at: http://www.carriesheart.org/Picnicinthepark.html

Yucatan Fiesta 2006 Sunday, May 7 from 2-6 at Taco Cabana on
S. Mason Road. More information and a printable invitation can be found on the website on the Upcoming Events Page - share the link with all your friends & family! Everyone is welcome!
http://www.carriesheart.org/upcomingevents.html

Volunteers are still needed for the event. Contact Carrie if you are interested in helping out. carrie@carriesheart.org

Carrie's Heart Blog
Carrie's Heart updates, including updates about The Valerie Project can be found on the Carrie's Heart Blog. I have changed blog spots and added a link on the homepage to the newer version of the Carrie's Heart blog.
http://www.carriesheart.org/index.html

VALERIE PROJECT:
Donations for the welcome baskets and ongoing personal needs for Valerie and her mother, Alejandra, are being collected. Donations can dropped off at NTS Therapy Services - a huge thanks to Darlene O'Brien NTS West Director & her staff! NTS truly lives by their mission of "therapy from the heart" as demonstrated by their therapists willingness to donate their time to work with Valerie and her mother when they arrive. More information can be found on the blog http://www.carriesheart.org/index.html

Information about the Valerie project & how you can help can be found at
http://www.carriesheart.org/valerieproject.html Please continue to share Valerie's story.

T-SHIRTS:
There are still some Carrie's Heart T-shirts available for $10. Shirts will be available at the Yucatan Fiesta 2006! Be sure to wear one at the fiesta!

SUMMER PROJECTS:
Yucatan Project 2006
Carrie's Heart President, Carrie Conn, will be return to the Yucatan this summer to continue working with children, families and special education schools in the region.

Read more about the Yucatan Project 2006 at http://www.carriesheart.org/currentprojects.html

Egypt Project 2006
Nora Nasr, Carrie's Heart secretary and Life Skills teacher at Cinco Ranch High School, will be travelling to Egypt during the month of June. During her travels Nora will be visiting special education schools and programs in Cairo. Nora's sister Aida, a journalist, published an article about the special education system in recent years. Using these established contacts Nora will have the opportunity to collaborate with local educators and learn firsthand about the special education system in Cairo. Our hopes are that this initial visit will build relationships leading to future projects in Egypt!

Valerie Update 4/26/06

2006-04-26T20:40:00.000-07:00

Valerie & her mother received their VISAS today! Our expected arrival date will be on Wednesday, May 3rd.

Thank you to everyone who has so generously given to help Valerie. We will continue to need funding throughout this project and appreciate everyone's efforts in continuing to share Valerie's story with others.

Donations for the welcome baskets and ongoing personal needs for Valerie and her mother, Alejandra, are still needed. Donations can dropped off at NTS Therapy Services - a huge thanks to Darlene O'Brien NTS West Director & her staff! NTS truly lives by their mission of "therapy from the heart" as demonstrated by their therapists willingness to donate their time to work with Valerie and her mother when they arrive.

Address:
West LocationNeurodevelopmental Therapy Services, Inc.430 S. Mason Road suite 101,Katy Texas 77450 Click to see map on
E-Mail:
dobrien@ntstherapy.com
Telephone:Fax:
(281)392-4221 (281)392-4225
Hours:
Monday - Thursday 8:00AM - 6:30PMFriday 8:00AM - 6:00PM

On South Mason behind the Blackeyed Pea restaurant and Blockbuster video.

Valerie Update 4/23

2006-04-23T19:00:00.000-07:00

As many of you may already know, there was a delay in getting Valerie & her mother's VISAs this past week. Our new goal date for their arrival is Friday, April 28th. Lavonna and Rosy have been in ongoing communication with the family. Lavonna has been working directly with Alejandra helping with getting needed documentation for the VISAs and supplies ready for travel. Rosy has continued her important role of visiting and counseling with the family in the home.
I have begun receiving a number of responses from Carrie's Heart supporters who want to volunteer with and / or donate supplies for the family when they arrive. I have been very touched by the number of responses that have been from parents who themselves have children with disabilities - all reaching out to embrace Valerie and her mother. This strengthens my belief that together we can create change in the lives of Valerie and her family.
Carrie

Need for Community Volunteers & Support

2006-04-19T19:00:00.000-07:00

MANY HAVE ASKED HOW THEY CAN HELP WITH VALERIE ONCE SHE IS HERE... Please consider how you would like to help Valerie and then respond to this email letting us know what you would like to help with & your availability for volunteering.

VOLUNTEERS:
Caring / loving volunteers to visit with Valerie and provide support to mom
Parents of children with disabilities & professionals who would like to mentor / counsel / teach mom - formally or informally (interpreters can help translate)
Interpreters
Donations coordinator: help to collect & arrange delivery of donations
Drivers for running errands / dropping off donations / taking to appointments
Families or individuals to host lunches / dinners / outings for Valerie & Mom once Valerie is doing better - to help model healthy family & community activities / environments
Have an idea? Let us know how you would like to help!

NEEDS:
Donations for "Welcome Baskets" (organizer: Olivia Pelech)
Valerie: Children's books in Spanish ( appropriate for age 7), stuffed animals, relaxing music,personal care products: lotion, body wash, body powder, body spray, tearless shampoo, soft bath towels & wash cloths, wipes - anything you can think of!
Mom: Magazines / books in Spanish, personal care products, phone cards for calling family in Mexico, healthy snacks - any ideas that you can think of that can make her comfortable / help her care for herself & Valerie.

Donations for Basic Needs:
Diapers
Nutritional Supplements (Pediasure, Ensure)
G-tube supplies
*Clothing - used, new, gift cards (Valerie & Mom)
Personal Care Products / Bathing Needs
Stroller / Car Seat
Adaptive Equipment: Wheelchair, positioning equipment etc.
*we will let you know specific sizes when they have arrived

Please forward to others who may want to help!

THANK YOU!

Carrie

Valerie Update 4/17

2006-04-17T19:00:00.000-07:00

Lavonna Redman of Angel Notion was in town last week working on Valerie's case. Lavonna found a local pediatrician who has a huge heart for children with disabilities and has agreed to see Valerie and guide us through her care. There is a team of doctors awaiting Valeries arrival, we will have every kind of specialist that will be needed to diagnose and treat Valerie in the most successful way.

We plan to have Valerie in Houston as early as this coming Friday - April 21st.

We have come to the decision that in order for us to truly help Valerie long term, we must also help her mother. Valerie's mother, Alexandra, will be coming to Houston with Valerie to take part in getting her the medical care that she needs. Most importantly, she will be here to learn to accept, love and care for her child. Our goal is to surround Alexandra with a community of support that will guide her in making positive changes in her life for herself and her daughter.

Can you imagine living in the conditions that she has to live in? There are no options, no assistance and no education. I personally can imagine being very tired, with out hope or really anything to look forward to. Angel Notion and Carrie's Heart, along with you and other volunteers, are going to give her mother the self esteem and all the tools to be able to handle this job that she has been given. Our vision is that Alexandra will have the experience to be able to teach others in her community what one needs to do in the case their child is born with a disability. I see that Alexandra may have the capacity to hold a job with Angel Notion in a new clinic in Cozumel dedicated to children with severe disabilities. Mothers like Alexandra will assist others in their community who are in similar circumstances. There is great need on the island of Cozumel - children are being born everyday with difficult circumstances on the Island!

The scope of the Valerie Project has broadened. Both Angel Notion and Carrie's Heart operate under the principles of love, acceptance and above all education. It is important that Valerie's mother learns to love and care for her child so that she can return home and share her knowledge with other mothers. The larger goal of the Valerie Project is one of education - educating parents and communities about the rights and needs of their children. Education combined with resources to help families in the care of their children is the way to truly making a difference in each child's life and in the local community.

NEEDS:
Our needs are funding for the Ronald Mc Donald house, air and local transportation, medical costs (which we expect to be approx 10k), needs for Valerie include warm clothes, a stroller, nutritional supplement, personal care products, diapers. For Valeries mother - clothes, shoes, personal hygiene items, counseling / therapy costs (approx 1000.00). We have raised about 45f what we need in order to complete this mission. We expect this particular mission will cost approx 15,000.00 dollars not a lot consider we are changing an Island, a family and most importantly Valeries life!

We thank you in advance for your support of this mission.

Please note that you can receive a tax deduction in the US by contacting carrie@carriesheart.org and tax deduction in Mexico by contacting Lavonna@angelnotion.org

Valerie Update 4/2

2006-04-02T19:00:00.000-07:00

New pictures of Lavonna & Valerie and updates on Valerie's case:

Lavonna Redman (Angel Notion) went to see Valerie in her home on Friday - finalized the medical custody paperwork with both parents agreeing to sign over custody of Valerie so that she can hopefully get to the states for medical care. Lavonna said that Valerie's immediate reaction upon seeing her was to burst out crying - thinking she was a doctor. So Lavonna held her in her arms and whispered into her ear that we are all doing everything we can to help her. Lavonna said that Valerie is still very unkept & was alone when she arrived. But that she has been being fed Ensure on a more regular basis. Rosy Pirez (Angel Notion) visits the home on a daily basis and says she is working to gain the confidence of the family so that we will have their full cooperation during all the steps of getting Valerie's paperwork in order. The mother and grandmother are beginning to share more with her about the family dynamics and what has transpired that led to Valerie being in the state that she is in. It is a very sad and complicated situation. Our focus continues be on getting help for Valerie rather than using our energy on placing blame.

Many have asked why Valerie is still in the home. Please understand that we can not take her from the home until we have a long term plan for her care arranged. There is no where for her in Cozumel. We must first have a facility to take her to on a pro bono basis. Secondly, we have to have all of the paperwork in order to begin this process. We must have the family involved to take these legal steps in getting Valerie help. The process has been painstakingly slow for all of us - especially with the urgency of need. However, we must take care of this situation in way that Valerie is brought to the United States legally & that we have long term medical care for her when she arrives.

We hope to have a final decision made by Tuesday by a hospital that is reviewing Valerie's case. If all goes well Valerie's travel documents will be ready by Friday - we have experienced some delays but Lavonna & Rosy feel that things should go well this week. Lavonna is working on some possibilities for how we will transport Valerie once everything is lined up. Individuals and church & school groups throughout Houston & beyond have pulled together to help raise funds for Valerie. There has been media attention on Valerie's case both in Houston & in Cozumel. Channel 2 News in Houston ran a really good piece on the 10 p.m. news on Friday night. We hope to continue to get individual & community support for Valerie. We have begun tentative plans for a benefit event for Valerie & will keep you posted as plans come together.

I have added a webpage about Valerie on my site. There is a direct link from the homepage. The Valerie project page has links to the Angel Notion blog for up to date reports on Valerie. Many people have chosen to write a personl email to be sent to their circle of friends, family, church family & colleagues. They have found that making their own email for their particular group has been a great way to create a personal connection to others about Valerie.

Check out the new page at:
http://www.carriesheart.org/

A huge thanks to all of the support that each of you has shown. I especially appreciate all of the kind words of support. I received a beautiful card from a friend that I have added to the Valerie page on the website it reads:

To the world
you may be one person,
but to one person
you many be the world.

I know that Valerie is blessed that so many have chosen to be the world to her.

Carrie

Valerie Update 3/24

2006-03-24T19:00:00.000-08:00

We are continuing to work very hard on getting Valerie to the U.S. for medical care. We have had some positive rays of hope in the past few days & some frustrations. But we will not rest until we get a YES & we hope that we will get one soon.

I am attaching an article that ran in the Katy News today. Student council groups throughout the Houston area will begin a donation drive to benefit Valerie beginning Monday.

How you can help:
*Please consider doing a donation drive through your work or church congregation. We are very powerful when we work together.
*Keep Valerie in your hearts & minds
*Think of the contacts you have in your life that can help Valerie now & in the future. Personal contacts make things happen quicker...
*E-mail words of hope, ideas, suggestions.....many minds are better than a few

I was unable to get a direct update on Valerie today. I will keep you posted as soon as I hear any news.

Thank you to everyone who has been so supportive.
Carrie

URGENT - your immediate action is needed

2006-03-19T19:00:00.000-08:00

As most of you know, I am in Mexico. In partnership with a local nonprofit organization Angel Notion we have begun an investigation of children with disabilities kept behind closed doors. On a fact finding mission on the island of Cozumel, we have discovered an 8 year old little girl who is desperately in need of your help.

Click on the link below for detailed information & how you can help. This is very sensitive information with graphic images. It will break your heart. http://angelnotion.blogspot.com/

PLEASE PASS THIS ALONG TO EVERYONE IN YOUR LIFE. IT WILL TAKE US ALL TO HELP THIS CHILD.