- K
Dale Findlay, is . . . Where do we start?
All of us have met with challenges along the way. Some, more than we know, meet those challenges coming out of the gate. Many, maybe most, become bitter, angry, self-absorbed, entitled, consumed with self-pity, and look for every way possible to avoid any responsibility.
NOT DALE FINDLAY!
First, Dale was born prematurely, almost three months, his mother had gotten too much oxygen which led to his being cross-eyed. Then 6- weeks in an incubator, to be followed with an early surgery to repair his lazy eye. At this point, they had no idea to what extent the damage went. This all left him carrying the burden of Cerebral Palsy. From the onset, Dale refused to surrender to the diagnosis defining his life or his worth.
As if, the physical challenges weren’t enough, the authorities in his life tried to shatter his dreams. He always said I will have a job, a house, a car, I am going to live my life just like you live yours. Her response to his dream; “You set your goals too high, there is no way you will ever achieve the things that you want.” Dale refused to surrender to her or anyone else’s restrictions to his abilities.
At nine years of age, he still wasn’t walking without a walker or support around his mid-section. Endured, a wide variety of physical therapies. Also, at nine, he had a hip come out of the socket, no surgery on it, at the time they did not believe it was a big deal, the result of inaction; scoliosis. They tried to train him to crawl to stimulate his brain and teach him to walk. His dad would take his arms and work them and another would take his legs and work them for him, at nine years old he endured this for thirty to forty-five minutes a day. All this work and the seeming limitations didn’t leave a lot of room for playing and just getting to be a boy.
For most, this would lead to resentment and self-pity. NOT DALE FINDLAY! Dale’s response to all of the early challenges; “How can I use this to help others like me live a better life?” Hero? Is that really a question?
Again, at the age of nine, his parents no longer knew what to do with him. They enrolled him in a boarding school, nine months each year for eleven years. The boarding school was where Dale learned about his own independence. His parents weren’t there to do for him. In the school using a wheel-chair was not an option. He had to learn to make due. There were good and bad points to this.
He learned about connection and friendship in the boarding school, everything there was done as a group. He went on to graduate and got to attend the prom, in the regular high-school just like everyone else did.
All, the challenges this man faced and still his one burning desire, his one true yearning, for him, it might be said it was a calling. “How can I help.”
His last year of school at the age of eight-teen he applied to the courage center in the Twin Cities, with minimal tasks, i.e. sorting hangers, nuts, and bolts, and was paid a livable wage. They then told him that when he left this would be the type of thing he would have to do. His only thought when he heard this; ‘This is bogus. I can do better than this. I can do something more meaningful, more in service, I AM CAPABLE OF MORE THAN THIS!
After his time at the Courage Center, his parents assumed he would come home. NOT DALE FINDLAY! His words; “I am going to have a job, a home, a car, just like I have always said I would.” His mother’s response, “You mean you still haven’t given up on that?” I myself can almost hear him chuckle as he said, “No, I have only just begun!”
Dale went on to create that career and worked at Target for thirty years. While simultaneously following his dream of helping others.
Dale’s personal involvement in the community; United Cerebral Palsy of MN for two years, Optimist Club president for two years, where he helped up to twenty-eight hundred kids at community events. He has been president of Mobility for Independence for two years which involved helping people like him get vans equipped for wheelchairs. Dale has done everything he can to use the challenges he has faced to help others.
NOW, THE HERO NEEDS A HERO!
His needs:
--> Personal Care Attendant (PCA)
--> Day to Day needs/housing is up to Dale
--> Medications ($100/mo to state – rest is covered) & partial PCA
--> Wheelchair maintenance
Dale still is not asking for anyone to do this for him. His total commitment is to be as independent as he possibly can. He just needs a leg up to get there.
How, can we achieve this? Our deepest hope is to find places where Dale can use his life’s experiences to help others prevail. He is a capable speaker and teacher. He has learned many life skills that he brings to the table for others to benefit from.
BUT… He also needs immediate help, with rent and other such necessities. Dale, is not one to take the gifts shared with him to be only for himself. If we can help him it is a given, he will only be better able to use his freedom to in turn help others.
Help us help Dale get to a point he can get back on his wheels and do what he loves to do which is help other's with challenges similar to his.
Your donations will help:
Short term – get back on his wheels, find a job and re-engage back in society like you and I
Longer-term - Enable him to focus on volunteerism which is passion
--> Get back to helping ‘Mobility for Independence’
--> Help out with Bolder Options
Many would have surrendered many times over to complete defeat…. NOT DALE FINDLAY!
PLEASE, HELP DALE HELP OTHERS
All of us have met with challenges along the way. Some, more than we know, meet those challenges coming out of the gate. Many, maybe most, become bitter, angry, self-absorbed, entitled, consumed with self-pity, and look for every way possible to avoid any responsibility.
NOT DALE FINDLAY!
First, Dale was born prematurely, almost three months, his mother had gotten too much oxygen which led to his being cross-eyed. Then 6- weeks in an incubator, to be followed with an early surgery to repair his lazy eye. At this point, they had no idea to what extent the damage went. This all left him carrying the burden of Cerebral Palsy. From the onset, Dale refused to surrender to the diagnosis defining his life or his worth.
As if, the physical challenges weren’t enough, the authorities in his life tried to shatter his dreams. He always said I will have a job, a house, a car, I am going to live my life just like you live yours. Her response to his dream; “You set your goals too high, there is no way you will ever achieve the things that you want.” Dale refused to surrender to her or anyone else’s restrictions to his abilities.
At nine years of age, he still wasn’t walking without a walker or support around his mid-section. Endured, a wide variety of physical therapies. Also, at nine, he had a hip come out of the socket, no surgery on it, at the time they did not believe it was a big deal, the result of inaction; scoliosis. They tried to train him to crawl to stimulate his brain and teach him to walk. His dad would take his arms and work them and another would take his legs and work them for him, at nine years old he endured this for thirty to forty-five minutes a day. All this work and the seeming limitations didn’t leave a lot of room for playing and just getting to be a boy.
For most, this would lead to resentment and self-pity. NOT DALE FINDLAY! Dale’s response to all of the early challenges; “How can I use this to help others like me live a better life?” Hero? Is that really a question?
Again, at the age of nine, his parents no longer knew what to do with him. They enrolled him in a boarding school, nine months each year for eleven years. The boarding school was where Dale learned about his own independence. His parents weren’t there to do for him. In the school using a wheel-chair was not an option. He had to learn to make due. There were good and bad points to this.
He learned about connection and friendship in the boarding school, everything there was done as a group. He went on to graduate and got to attend the prom, in the regular high-school just like everyone else did.
All, the challenges this man faced and still his one burning desire, his one true yearning, for him, it might be said it was a calling. “How can I help.”
His last year of school at the age of eight-teen he applied to the courage center in the Twin Cities, with minimal tasks, i.e. sorting hangers, nuts, and bolts, and was paid a livable wage. They then told him that when he left this would be the type of thing he would have to do. His only thought when he heard this; ‘This is bogus. I can do better than this. I can do something more meaningful, more in service, I AM CAPABLE OF MORE THAN THIS!
After his time at the Courage Center, his parents assumed he would come home. NOT DALE FINDLAY! His words; “I am going to have a job, a home, a car, just like I have always said I would.” His mother’s response, “You mean you still haven’t given up on that?” I myself can almost hear him chuckle as he said, “No, I have only just begun!”
Dale went on to create that career and worked at Target for thirty years. While simultaneously following his dream of helping others.
Dale’s personal involvement in the community; United Cerebral Palsy of MN for two years, Optimist Club president for two years, where he helped up to twenty-eight hundred kids at community events. He has been president of Mobility for Independence for two years which involved helping people like him get vans equipped for wheelchairs. Dale has done everything he can to use the challenges he has faced to help others.
NOW, THE HERO NEEDS A HERO!
His needs:
--> Personal Care Attendant (PCA)
--> Day to Day needs/housing is up to Dale
--> Medications ($100/mo to state – rest is covered) & partial PCA
--> Wheelchair maintenance
Dale still is not asking for anyone to do this for him. His total commitment is to be as independent as he possibly can. He just needs a leg up to get there.
How, can we achieve this? Our deepest hope is to find places where Dale can use his life’s experiences to help others prevail. He is a capable speaker and teacher. He has learned many life skills that he brings to the table for others to benefit from.
BUT… He also needs immediate help, with rent and other such necessities. Dale, is not one to take the gifts shared with him to be only for himself. If we can help him it is a given, he will only be better able to use his freedom to in turn help others.
Help us help Dale get to a point he can get back on his wheels and do what he loves to do which is help other's with challenges similar to his.
Your donations will help:
Short term – get back on his wheels, find a job and re-engage back in society like you and I
Longer-term - Enable him to focus on volunteerism which is passion
--> Get back to helping ‘Mobility for Independence’
--> Help out with Bolder Options
Many would have surrendered many times over to complete defeat…. NOT DALE FINDLAY!
PLEASE, HELP DALE HELP OTHERS
Organizer and beneficiary
Maggie Judge
Beneficiary