Raising Funds to Support Special Needs in Honor of Patty Jo Balawender (Ms. Patty)

Our beloved wife and mother, Patty Jo Balawender, passed away on Saturday, August 17th, 2024, after a fierce battle with stage 4 colon cancer.

Patty, affectionately known as Ms. Patty by her students, was an angel on earth. It was her life's mission to care for and support children with disabilities. She spent more than 35 years as a Special Needs Paraprofessional working for a number of elementary schools in Elyria, OH, providing support to children in Pre-K through 4th grade with Autism, Downs Syndrome, and other physical, cognitive or learning disabilities. While the school system has charitable resources to support the arts or sports, there are no specific giving channels that will allow us to directly provide support to the amazing children that Ms. Patty cared for so deeply.

We are collecting funds in Ms. Patty's honor, with the intent of providing gifts to the Eastern Heights Elementary School Special Needs Program. We hope that our collective donations will provide resources that will improve the learning experience for all those in need. We appreciate your support, and are grateful to all who help us keep Ms. Patty's legacy alive.