We Rock the Spectrum San Antonio North
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My wife and I would like to thank you for taking the time to read about our journey. I am a certified teacher in special education and my wife is an accounting supervisor in San Antonio, Texas. Together, we are the proud owners of We Rock the Spectrum San Antonio North. We Rock the Spectrum is an all-inclusive indoor play gym with state-of-the-art sensory equipment. What separates our indoor play gym from any other gym in the world is that we specialize in meeting the needs of children with disabilities. Imagine for a second having a child with special needs and not having a place or any venue to take your child to for exploration or play. Imagine going out in public with your child and worrying about offending someone because of a loud outburst or a behavior deemed not appropriate for society standards. We Rock the Spectrum is a safe and nurturing environment where no one will be judged. At We Rock the Spectrum our motto is “Finally a place where you never have to say I’m sorry”.®
I was a teacher for 13 years in the Special Educational setting. I primarily worked with students with special needs of all ages from elementary to high school. It was the joy of my life watching my students grow up and to know I played a part in their development. We became a family, and I loved each and every one of them. Along with their families, I shared the good times and the tough times, that comes along with raising a child with special needs. As a teacher, I looked for opportunities for my students to engage in and grow. Looking towards the community for help, there were not many places that accommodated special needs children. So, I created the opportunities for them. My students where involved in Special Olympic Events, prom, graduations, cheerleading, field trips, banquets, and anything else we could get into. As a matter of fact, my wife and I’s first date was at a Special Olympic Event!
Throughout my years as a Special Education Teacher, I felt I should be doing more for the community and special needs children. It was by the grace of God that I stumbled across We Rock the Spectrum Kids Gym. After extensive research into the company, I knew immediately I had to be part of their movement! This was exactly what I had been looking for during all my years as a teacher. A place where all children of any ability can play and share in a safe environment together. After having long discussions with my wife about making the leap into another career, I made the decision to leave teaching and open my very own We Rock the Spectrum Kids Gym.
My wife and I were accepted and welcomed into the We Rock the Spectrum Family. We secured funding through a bank loan and began lease hunting. We eventually found a great location and began negotiating the lease. As fate would have it, the world was hit hard by COVID-19 and our city shut down. This included all negotiations with our lease.
We were then told by the bank that they were only processing PPP loans and all other loans were on hold. This was devastating news to us because now we could not gain access to our loan to pay for the lease and build-out. My wife and I are now at a crossroads. Do we give up our dream of opening a desperately needed outlet for Special Needs Families or do we push forward and ask the community for help? We decided the latter.
As our journey continued through these trying times, the good lord shined a light on us and blessed us with a beautiful baby girl in August. In life, the reasons why we take certain paths are not always revealed in profound ways. Sometimes we never know why we made the choice to venture down those paths to begin with. Then there are those revelations that just leave you in awe and all you can do is marvel at why you have taken that path. My daughter’s birth was just one of those astonishing revelations. Our beautiful baby girl was born with Down Syndrome. Here I am dedicating my life to the Special Needs Community and now I have a child who now belongs to that community. We Rock the Spectrum Kids Gym has now taken on a new meaning to our family!
My wife and I are humbly asking for your help in securing funds to finish the lease build-out and additional items needed for opening day. The total amount needed to completely build-out We Rock the Spectrum San Antonio North is $95,000. Currently we have $60,000 to begin but will need help with the remaining portion to continue. My wife and I understand that times are tough so any amount would greatly be appreciated. We also ask that you please share our campaign with friends and family with the hope that people we have never met will see the good we are trying to do and offer to lend a helping hand. Again, thank you in advance and stay safe and healthy. If you would like a tax deduction, you may also donate to our non-profit www.mybrotherrocksthespectrumfoundation.org.
Thank you,
Art and Melinda Garcia
We Rock the Spectrum San Antonio North
I was a teacher for 13 years in the Special Educational setting. I primarily worked with students with special needs of all ages from elementary to high school. It was the joy of my life watching my students grow up and to know I played a part in their development. We became a family, and I loved each and every one of them. Along with their families, I shared the good times and the tough times, that comes along with raising a child with special needs. As a teacher, I looked for opportunities for my students to engage in and grow. Looking towards the community for help, there were not many places that accommodated special needs children. So, I created the opportunities for them. My students where involved in Special Olympic Events, prom, graduations, cheerleading, field trips, banquets, and anything else we could get into. As a matter of fact, my wife and I’s first date was at a Special Olympic Event!
Throughout my years as a Special Education Teacher, I felt I should be doing more for the community and special needs children. It was by the grace of God that I stumbled across We Rock the Spectrum Kids Gym. After extensive research into the company, I knew immediately I had to be part of their movement! This was exactly what I had been looking for during all my years as a teacher. A place where all children of any ability can play and share in a safe environment together. After having long discussions with my wife about making the leap into another career, I made the decision to leave teaching and open my very own We Rock the Spectrum Kids Gym.
My wife and I were accepted and welcomed into the We Rock the Spectrum Family. We secured funding through a bank loan and began lease hunting. We eventually found a great location and began negotiating the lease. As fate would have it, the world was hit hard by COVID-19 and our city shut down. This included all negotiations with our lease.
We were then told by the bank that they were only processing PPP loans and all other loans were on hold. This was devastating news to us because now we could not gain access to our loan to pay for the lease and build-out. My wife and I are now at a crossroads. Do we give up our dream of opening a desperately needed outlet for Special Needs Families or do we push forward and ask the community for help? We decided the latter.
As our journey continued through these trying times, the good lord shined a light on us and blessed us with a beautiful baby girl in August. In life, the reasons why we take certain paths are not always revealed in profound ways. Sometimes we never know why we made the choice to venture down those paths to begin with. Then there are those revelations that just leave you in awe and all you can do is marvel at why you have taken that path. My daughter’s birth was just one of those astonishing revelations. Our beautiful baby girl was born with Down Syndrome. Here I am dedicating my life to the Special Needs Community and now I have a child who now belongs to that community. We Rock the Spectrum Kids Gym has now taken on a new meaning to our family!
My wife and I are humbly asking for your help in securing funds to finish the lease build-out and additional items needed for opening day. The total amount needed to completely build-out We Rock the Spectrum San Antonio North is $95,000. Currently we have $60,000 to begin but will need help with the remaining portion to continue. My wife and I understand that times are tough so any amount would greatly be appreciated. We also ask that you please share our campaign with friends and family with the hope that people we have never met will see the good we are trying to do and offer to lend a helping hand. Again, thank you in advance and stay safe and healthy. If you would like a tax deduction, you may also donate to our non-profit www.mybrotherrocksthespectrumfoundation.org.
Thank you,
Art and Melinda Garcia
We Rock the Spectrum San Antonio North
Organiser
Art Garcia
Organiser
San Antonio, TX