Dear Friends,

Mary's Family hosted their first respite day December 2002. We have never canceled the 2nd Saturday of the month, and have been steadfast and loyal. Hundreds of families who have children with special needs have been able to count on us.

The 1st Saturday of the month is now respite day in Winchester.

But respite day is only the most visible of our activities. We have been very successful in many other ways.

It has been a glorious 5 years.

Every day someone at Mary's Family is doing something that directly helps children with special needs. This past summer, we served on the state's Autism Task Force, created to address the autism epidemic. We have helped create therapeutic recreation activities. We publish a journal called Let Me Tell You - soon to be "published" in blog form. Our name and logo (a computerized photo of 3 children, one volunteer and myself) have been trademarked.

We have gone to hundreds of meetings - IEP, coalition, task forces, associations, Chamber of Commerce, 4-H, churches, schools, businesses, and more. I was honored by the Fauquier Times-Democrat when they named me 2003 Citizen of the Year.

Governor Kaine gave me a great gift when he appointed me to the Virginia Board for People with Disabilities. The VBPD accomplishes a lot of things, and I am pleased to find out the many ways our families can be helped. We have to get the word out about everything the VBPD does.

Did you know that the traditional 5th wedding anniversary present is wood? It's fitting that yesterday Governor Kaine praised the cooperation between the VBPD, the Virginia Home Builders Assn and the VHDA -- these groups are working together to build more community living for people with disabilities. What a wonderful 5th anniversary gift - let's hope a lot of wood gets used up to build handicapped accessible housing throughout the state. The Easy Living Home project is the best present we could ask for.

But the work is never over - the challenges are many. We still need to make more changes.

Want to send us a Happy 5th Anniversary gift? Your tax-deductible contribution will always be appreciated and go a long way.

Martha

P.S. Many of you know that our family loves the United States Virgin Islands. Everyday I go on-line to read their island newspaper Daily News. Today I saw a Letter to the Editor from a mom, Rebecca Russell, who has a 3 year old son with Down Syndrome. She was happy that the Fredericksted Boys and Girls Club was planning a day of fun for children with special needs. They were offering friendship! She also said "We are not human beings going through a temporary spiritual experience but rather, we are spiritual beings going through a temporary human experience."

How true!