Foundation News

Building Memories while Transforming Lives

Good evening. My name is Tina Cadoura. I am a Student Council for Exceptional Children representative as well as the Service Learning Award Coordinator for the Rick Wilkins Foundation at the University of North Florida.

Today, I’m going to have you look down into your own memory to help you understand how we’ve all been impacted by the Rick Wilkins Foundation. Please take a moment to clear your mind as you remember your own transforming life experiences.

PICTURE 1:

You are in the carnival or fair with your family and/or friends. There’s cotton candy, funnel cake, bingo and games. There’s even a dunking booth that you enjoy the most. You are smiling and laughing, as you enjoy the company and atmosphere with your friends.
For adults with disabilities, the Rick Wilkins Foundation provides this memory by establishing a Grand Slam Grill Out. The annual grill outs are held at UNF every spring. There are activities such as bingo and a dunking booth. The UNF baseball team comes out to greet all of the adults, and later on in the evening they attend the baseball game. Presenting these activities that we have all participated in, gives adults with disabilities the memory of friends and fun.

PICTURE 2:

Now you’re in high school. You attend parties with friends, listen to music, dance and eat.
The rooms donated to the College of Education and Human Services, are not only used as classrooms for the students, but also used as a place to provide leisure activities for our adult friends with disabilities. This is important because many volunteers for these activities have not met or socialized with adults with disabilities. It is then that they realize the adults are not different than the rest of us. They come to realize they are just like you and me. Giving the opportunity for typical individuals to realize we’re all the same, is a good example of transforming lives for the better.

PICTURE 3:

College! Struggling to pay bills, tuition, books and even a meal. We’ve all struggled financially.
Rick Wilkins Foundation provides and opportunity to aid education majors at UNF. Education majors are required to spend 60 hours with an adult or group of adults with disabilities. The time spent should be productive, whether playing games, cleaning, shopping, and attending dances. Though the money received to help with schooling is beneficial, it is not the goal of the scholarship. The goal for the award recipients are to build friendships and learn what happens to adults with disability after school. Some of these friendships have lasted for several years. Many times, educators focus on ‘the now’ and don’t prepare for the future. This too, is another way the Rick Wilkins Foundation manages to transform our lives.

CLOSING:

As you recalled some of your past memories, you can now see how it can be the same for everyone. Building memories is part of the journey through life that the Rick Wilkins Foundation provides for ALL OF US. On behalf of UNF’s, College of Education and Human Services, we are all appreciative. Thank you for helping us create our own life changing pictures.