Morgan’s Wonderland – A Special Needs Special Place

November 6, 2010

Inspired by my friend Rob’s Facebook status today about Special Education Week, I decided today had to be the day I shared an old article I ran across the other day. I had saved it because I wanted to share it with friends whose new baby has spina bifida. It is Ticket to Ride in the October 4th People Magazine.

Because I know several families with special needs kids, the article struck me as very special. Here was a dad who could do something – and DID it – to make the world a better place for not only his own special needs daughter Morgan, but for others as well.

Gordon and Maggie Hartman created Morgan’s Wonderland in San Antonio, Texas. It is a place where kids can ride a train, a carousel, a swing or they can experience sensory activities such as the interactive music garden – all independent of their physical or mental abilities. Actually it is even better than that because special needs adults can also have these great experiences – maybe even for the first time in their lives.

ABC News ran a special report American Heart: Spreading Joy to Special Kids about the new park that opened last April 2010. Here is the vision for a park for special needs people as documented by Gordon Hartman in its conceptual phase.

The hours, pricing and directions are here.

Check out ideas and activities to do with kids on https://mygrandmasue.wordpress.com by the author of the award-winning children’s book Grandpa, Do It! I Do It, Too!
🙂


Healing Exhibit by Linnea Lenkus

October 5, 2009

Linnea Linkus has a very special exhibit called ‘Healing’ of 35 portraits of children with special needs displayed to benefit The Steel Magnolias, the fundraising group of Stramski Children’s Developmental Center at Miller Children’s Center in Long Beach, CA. I read about it in the Long Beach Press-Telegram in an article written by Sue Manning of The Associated Press. Linnea Linkus’ photography is absolutely beautiful. Do explore her website and her blog! Perhaps consider purchasing her special book Healing which will also benefit The Steel Magnolias.

The ‘Healing’ exhibit opened last Friday, October 2, at the Carpenter Performing Arts Center in Long Beach. On October 10 the GLOBAL public debut of ‘Healing’ will be at the Phantom Galleries LA, 390 E. 3rd St in Long Beach at 8 pm.


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