Save our Gym for Kids with Autism - Brainerd Lakes
Donation protected
Your one-time gift of any size can literally help thousands of kids for years to come!
Our families and children, especially those with Autism, in the BLA and Central MN, need you right now to avoid losing this critical resource.
We'll let them tell you why in their own way first ...
******************************************************
"This is my favorite place in the whole world!" - Ethan, age 7
"Whenever I leave here I feel so happy. We need to make it a thing to come here every Saturday." - Lilly, age 10
"My oldest son has Autism. My youngest has major ADHD. I’m very excited to be able to bring my boys to your gym. Thank you so much for opening that up for our children." - Randee
"Our granddaughter who suffers from epilepsy and whom also has been diagnosed with autism so enjoys We Rock the Spectrum!!! And the look of sheer pleasure on our granddaughter’s face tells the entire story of this program." - Pam
"I have a two-year-old and we wish there was more for kids his age to do in the area. He isn’t on the spectrum though. Are all children welcome?" - Alexis
"When are you going to reopen? Whenever we drive by my [non-verbal] little one smiles big and points to your place." - Sara
"My boy is doing distance learning at home but needs a place for PE to get all his energy out this winter." - Elizabeth
"My son has been looking forward to going for weeks now. He would be very sad if it was closed." - Latoja
******************************************************
WHO WE ARE AND WHY YOU'RE NEEDED:
We Rock the Spectrum Kid’s Gym For All Kids - Brainerd Lakes
is a sensory gym with specialized equipment and activities that address the developmental requirements of children with autism and other special needs while providing a fun and safe environment for ALL kids to learn, explore, build self-confidence, self-awareness and self-esteem.
Our 4200 sq. ft. Baxter facility is the only one of its kind in the state of Minnesota. Within the Brainerd Lakes Area that is central to the larger region from which many of our clients travel (such as St. Cloud like the little girl in the above video), the Brainerd Public Schools district alone serves over 6,700 students per year, over 4,300 in preschool through middle school. That number of course grows significantly when you add private schools and the home-schooled, not to mention the migrant summer population.
Lakes aside, how many places are there in the BLA for these kids to have fun and expend their pent up energy (or "get the wiggles out") especially during inclement weather? Incredibly few. We wanted to give back to our community, so in 2019 we built our indoor playground for them.
Did you also know that 23% of those public-school children alone are enrolled in special education? We can't tell you what percentage of those are classified special needs children, but what we can tell you is that it seemed every family we met in the region either has at least one child with diagnosed or suspected Autism Spectrum Disorder, or is related to or knows somebody who does.
And so we built our gym for them as well. And yes, for infants and toddlers too!
Occupational/behavioral therapists and PCAs from several organizations in surrounding counties have brought their young charges to us for their therapy or respite sessions and, like many of the families they serve, tell us repeatedly how long-awaited and necessary our space, equipment and programs are for our communities and these children. The schools, and the local medical establishment with its burgeoning waitlists and other limitations, have neither the equipment nor the personnel to provide the services families struggling with neurological or behavioral issues need.
But due to COVID-19 impact on both us and area families of all kinds, they're in imminent danger of losing ours too.
A little history: We had just opened our doors in October 2019 after 6-months of personal design, construction, and investment, a true labor of love including sweat equity, much of it on hands and knees, till the wee hours of the night. After a slow start while the community learned about us, we started getting more families in the door and had JUST hit our peak week in mid-March when BLAM! -- coronavirus hit and shut us down for 3 months, during which our primary source of income outside of the gym was also significantly impacted by job loss. When it rains it pours! And still precipitating.
We've had nothing but glowing reviews (see https://www.facebook.com/wrtsbrainerdlakes/reviews/), and our cleanliness and COVID-19 mitigation measures are well-publicized and praised by visitors. Nevertheless, folks have been very slow to return since we reopened in June, whether due to the economy or the unknown, and it looks like it could be several months yet before we get back to where we were and sustainable. We MUST persevere till then somehow for the sake of all those for whom we opened just one year ago. We hope you agree. But we need your help to bridge the gap.
Our costs include, for starters, our Baxter business district rent (and now several months back-rent) plus utilities and maintenance overhead, and some very patient contractors. We also hope to be able to provide scholarships to families for whom attendance at our gym presents financial difficulties but also offers vital hope for their child's developmental ones.
Ours is an inclusive environment for kids of ALL abilities. And, as the sign on our wall says, and many of their parents say, "Finally, a place where you never have to say I'm sorry!"
We truly pray we won't have to close our doors and tell them that we are. But we need our communities and friends to step up and show us that our belief in what we're doing here is not misplaced, and more to the point, that you believe in our kids -- in your kids. Any and all help is appreciated! Please pass it on!
With sincere gratitude,
Anesha and Ben Martinka, Owners
... and those who may not even have voices or words to thank you.
See us on Lakeland News! https://youtu.be/uk8rz-q8jCs
We Rock the Lakes, LLC d.b.a. We Rock the Spectrum - Brainerd Lakes
13495 Elder Dr, Suite 160
Baxter, MN 56425
Facebook/Instagram: #wrtsbrainerdlakes
Website: werockthespectrumbrainerdlakes.com
Our families and children, especially those with Autism, in the BLA and Central MN, need you right now to avoid losing this critical resource.
We'll let them tell you why in their own way first ...
******************************************************
"This is my favorite place in the whole world!" - Ethan, age 7
"Whenever I leave here I feel so happy. We need to make it a thing to come here every Saturday." - Lilly, age 10
"My oldest son has Autism. My youngest has major ADHD. I’m very excited to be able to bring my boys to your gym. Thank you so much for opening that up for our children." - Randee
"Our granddaughter who suffers from epilepsy and whom also has been diagnosed with autism so enjoys We Rock the Spectrum!!! And the look of sheer pleasure on our granddaughter’s face tells the entire story of this program." - Pam
"I have a two-year-old and we wish there was more for kids his age to do in the area. He isn’t on the spectrum though. Are all children welcome?" - Alexis
"When are you going to reopen? Whenever we drive by my [non-verbal] little one smiles big and points to your place." - Sara
"My boy is doing distance learning at home but needs a place for PE to get all his energy out this winter." - Elizabeth
"My son has been looking forward to going for weeks now. He would be very sad if it was closed." - Latoja
******************************************************
WHO WE ARE AND WHY YOU'RE NEEDED:
We Rock the Spectrum Kid’s Gym For All Kids - Brainerd Lakes
is a sensory gym with specialized equipment and activities that address the developmental requirements of children with autism and other special needs while providing a fun and safe environment for ALL kids to learn, explore, build self-confidence, self-awareness and self-esteem.
Our 4200 sq. ft. Baxter facility is the only one of its kind in the state of Minnesota. Within the Brainerd Lakes Area that is central to the larger region from which many of our clients travel (such as St. Cloud like the little girl in the above video), the Brainerd Public Schools district alone serves over 6,700 students per year, over 4,300 in preschool through middle school. That number of course grows significantly when you add private schools and the home-schooled, not to mention the migrant summer population.
Lakes aside, how many places are there in the BLA for these kids to have fun and expend their pent up energy (or "get the wiggles out") especially during inclement weather? Incredibly few. We wanted to give back to our community, so in 2019 we built our indoor playground for them.
Did you also know that 23% of those public-school children alone are enrolled in special education? We can't tell you what percentage of those are classified special needs children, but what we can tell you is that it seemed every family we met in the region either has at least one child with diagnosed or suspected Autism Spectrum Disorder, or is related to or knows somebody who does.
And so we built our gym for them as well. And yes, for infants and toddlers too!
Occupational/behavioral therapists and PCAs from several organizations in surrounding counties have brought their young charges to us for their therapy or respite sessions and, like many of the families they serve, tell us repeatedly how long-awaited and necessary our space, equipment and programs are for our communities and these children. The schools, and the local medical establishment with its burgeoning waitlists and other limitations, have neither the equipment nor the personnel to provide the services families struggling with neurological or behavioral issues need.
But due to COVID-19 impact on both us and area families of all kinds, they're in imminent danger of losing ours too.
A little history: We had just opened our doors in October 2019 after 6-months of personal design, construction, and investment, a true labor of love including sweat equity, much of it on hands and knees, till the wee hours of the night. After a slow start while the community learned about us, we started getting more families in the door and had JUST hit our peak week in mid-March when BLAM! -- coronavirus hit and shut us down for 3 months, during which our primary source of income outside of the gym was also significantly impacted by job loss. When it rains it pours! And still precipitating.
We've had nothing but glowing reviews (see https://www.facebook.com/wrtsbrainerdlakes/reviews/), and our cleanliness and COVID-19 mitigation measures are well-publicized and praised by visitors. Nevertheless, folks have been very slow to return since we reopened in June, whether due to the economy or the unknown, and it looks like it could be several months yet before we get back to where we were and sustainable. We MUST persevere till then somehow for the sake of all those for whom we opened just one year ago. We hope you agree. But we need your help to bridge the gap.
Our costs include, for starters, our Baxter business district rent (and now several months back-rent) plus utilities and maintenance overhead, and some very patient contractors. We also hope to be able to provide scholarships to families for whom attendance at our gym presents financial difficulties but also offers vital hope for their child's developmental ones.
Ours is an inclusive environment for kids of ALL abilities. And, as the sign on our wall says, and many of their parents say, "Finally, a place where you never have to say I'm sorry!"
We truly pray we won't have to close our doors and tell them that we are. But we need our communities and friends to step up and show us that our belief in what we're doing here is not misplaced, and more to the point, that you believe in our kids -- in your kids. Any and all help is appreciated! Please pass it on!
With sincere gratitude,
Anesha and Ben Martinka, Owners
... and those who may not even have voices or words to thank you.
See us on Lakeland News! https://youtu.be/uk8rz-q8jCs
We Rock the Lakes, LLC d.b.a. We Rock the Spectrum - Brainerd Lakes
13495 Elder Dr, Suite 160
Baxter, MN 56425
Facebook/Instagram: #wrtsbrainerdlakes
Website: werockthespectrumbrainerdlakes.com
Organizer
We Rock the Spectrum Kids Gym Brainerd Lakes
Organizer
Baxter, MN
