Merry Christmas to all our Seer Family! We have lots to do and only 26 days before Christmas! Do you have your wish list done? Help us with ours!! Installing 3 more wheelchair ramps: 14 days, 1500 lbs of steel, 25 gallons of paint. Seer Snow Teams out serving our citizens: 76 cups of hot chocolate, 25 shovels, 500 pounds of ice melt. We want to say THANK YOU to all of you who make this possible: YOU ARE AMAZING! Stay tuned for daily updates on our wish list!- Seer Group
Archive for November, 2010
SEER GROUP’S WISH LIST
Tuesday, November 30th, 2010SNOW REMOVAL TEAMS
Tuesday, November 30th, 2010
Last week, just in time, Seer Group launched SNOW TEAMS into the city. We hope to serve many senior citizens and disabled families by shoveling out their sidewalks, driveways and steps! Many of our friends in Salt Lake City struggle with snow removal in the winter months and we are asking you to join us in our battle against the fluffy white stuff, there is a whole lot of it.
Throw on your boots and gloves, grab that shovel and help out your neighbor. If you see a SEER TEAM MEMBER out and about in your neighborhood, come on over and say hello, bring us hot chocolate or triple shot lattes and join us, as we live out the golden rule. Bring on the snow!-Seer Group
HAPPY THANKSGIVING FROM KKF
Thursday, November 25th, 2010As I sit here in Denver, about to go down for our team thanksgiving dinner of sushi and chicken-Bulls don’t want us looking sluggish on the floor tomorrow- there is a certain peace that comes with today. Granted a double overtime win last night helps.. lol. But seriously, on a day when you get to sit back and reflect on everything in your life that you are thankful for, your spirit just feels a little lighter. Patience comes easier. Life seems more full. All this because of a perspective of gratitude.
What are you thankful for? Most people say family, friends. Yes. Absolutely! What else? How long of a list can you make? Have you ever taken the time to try?
A very wise woman talked to me the other day about not just being thankful for the things in life that bring me joy and laughter. But also for the things that maybe aren’t quite so funny. For the things that challenge me. That make me have to be more. That push me outside my comfort zone. Most days I am not thankful for those. Because most of those moments are tough. But I think today I am going to be… my Grandpa Korver has a saying that goes “God does his best work in life’s graveyards.” I wish it wasn’t the case, but its true. Life doesn’t always go the way we want it to. Stuff happens. Sometimes it feels like we’re in way over our head.. and we’re not sure which way is up. But when we’re at that point, and we can no longer rely on ourselves, don’t things usually turn? Doesn’t an idea usually hatch? And isn’t it usually something completely different and better than what we were thinking of the day before? When I think of the major lessons I’ve learned in life, they were usually because of a tough moment, or a series of moments. Because of loss. Because of a let down. I don’t like those moments…at all. But now I’m glad they happened. I can be thankful… now that its over!!
To everyone who is reading this, and who follows what we are attempting: Thank you. We are grateful for you. This is a big year for our foundation. We have hopes/dreams/realities that may or may not happen. We have no idea what comes next, but we are thankful for the opportunity. Have a great day.
THE STRONG FAMILY
Monday, November 22nd, 2010
If you were to walk into the Spanish Fork home of Jeff and Debbie Strong, what might you find? Nine children, two teenagers, and a lot of energy would greet you. Perhaps this large family number is not unheard of in Utah, but the hearts of these parents are quite unique, and the dynamics are not so common.
Jeff and Debbie’s parenting began with their four maternal children. After a life-threatening delivery experience of Debbie and her fourth child, the safer option was to stop at number four. Having kids did not stop, however. They later chose nine other children to call their own through the adoption process. These nine vary between African American, Native American, Hispanic, and Caucasian descents, so diversity in this family is not lacking.
To say the least, these two parents have their hands full. With a grand total of 13 kids, and three having special needs, there is never a dull moment. What might a day in the Strong’s life look like? It consists of husband and father, Jeff Strong, arriving home around 7 a.m., from his sergeant of police graveyard shift at BYU. He helps the kids get ready for school and goes to bed, while Debbie is busy with 4-year-old Colby to do all the chores and errands. Midday, 3-year-old Jaxon arrives home from preschool, and a few hours after that, the other nine are home to have snacks, do homework, scouts, cross country, and eat dinner. The two eldest are out of the house, but visit home to help out.
Jaxon, the youngest member of the Strong’s, is the reason the family needed a ramp. He has Cerebral Palsy (CP), and with that, various complex medical challenges. Walking into the family room, you will find some of Jaxon’s equipment, which includes two different types of wheelchairs and his “stander,” a device that is used daily at
four-hour segments for his physical therapy.
It is clear that there is an exceptional amount of love from mother Debbie Strong, as tears came with her recollection of a sweet memory with Jaxon. When he was adopted at two years old, it had only been six days with him in the house that the emotional bond between the two of them was revealed. She had to tend to something in the house and had to leave him on the floor for a minute. When he started to cry, she was overwhelmed with relief and happiness that the adoption wasn’t too late, and he was already showing this bond to her and the family.
Simply having a ramp for Jaxon will help mornings go much smoother. Strong said that it would normally take two adults to get the wheelchair in and out of the house, so most of the time she would carry him into the garage and use the stroller. “It will be so much nicer for him on snowy days to be able to wait inside the house for the bus using his wheelchair, instead of the cold garage,” said Strong. Not only will the ramp help Jaxon, but it will also be of aide to five-year-old Keven, who has complete blindness. Keven prefers navigating the ramp rather than the front steps. Maybe it’s symbolism, but a strong ramp for the Strong family is quite fitting.
COMCAST SPECIAL AND AN UPDATE ON THE WHOLE FOUNDATION
Wednesday, November 17th, 2010
Hey, we want to thank You for stopping by. We’d also like to thank Comcast, for putting together a superb special on Kyle that inspires us to keep doing what we do here at the KKF. If you haven’t seen it, or would like to watch it again, check out the link Comcast Special. We hope you enjoy the different stories and photos here, its pretty rad to be a part of these moments which are slowly but surely becoming a movement.
Just a quick update:
In Salt Lake City, Seer Group has built and installed 42 handicap ramps to date with four more projected in December. We are also working on partnering with new groups across the valley on more projects where the community will be able to come out and help us.
In Philadelphia, the Helping Hands Mission is rocking, our kids are growing and so is an exciting new program! In the post below you can read a letter from our Philadelphia Director, Adam Bruckner.
In Omaha, the Boys and Girls Club is continuing to impact and educate local youth. Thank you to the Creighton University’s Men’s Basketball Program for allowing us to purchase tickets again for the kids. Go Jays!
Here in Chicago, we are settling in and getting acquainted with the city as we search out opportunities to help. A Christmas Event, for a local elementary school near the United Center is currently being planned with Converse and Soul City Church as we gather toys, coats, hats, gloves, anything a child may want and dream about getting for Christmas. Maybe you can help? Contact us at klayton@kylekorverfoundation.com.