June 16, 2008

June 16, 2008 update

Project Walk changed its name to Journey Forward. I went to Journey Forward for two days last week with my mom. We stayed at a hotel instead of Dustin's because it was closer and easier. My ultimate goal is to go back there when I get home from camp.

Yesterday with Shannon and Laurie's help I was able to attend a massive fundraiser for Journey Forward in Dedham, Massachusetts. At the fundraiser I was able to sell my photographs that my grandmother and mother helped me prepare. I did very well. I still have left over photos that I am planning to sell at the Bagel Cafe. There were many pieces of sports memorabilia sold, and movie memorabilia too.

Thank you to Shannon and Laurie for driving me down.
Thank you to Pat and his wife. They showed up at the fundraiser.
Thank you Dustin and Mackenzie for showing up.
Thank you Morgan for taking care of me this weekend.

I have been packing for Shake-A-Leg all weekend. I leave for Shake-A- Leg tomorrow morning. I will be there for a month. Shake-A-Leg requires me to pack for a month--clothes, supplies, and many other items.

When I return from Shake-A-Leg I will begin the process of applying to the Photography Department of the Maine College of Art in Portland. They require 20 pieces of artwork done within the past year for my portfolio. The hardest part is not finding 20 pieces, but determining what 20 to choose. You want a variety of images from portraits, to landscapes, to still-lifes.

With the help of Jill Glover, I hope to do updates from Shake-A-Leg. Please make me feel loved and send me lots of mail while I am at camp. My address is:

Shake-A-Leg
Attn: Derek O'Brien, WLT PARTICIPANT
P.O. Box 1264
Newport, RI 02840

Update 6/9/08

June 9 2008


I started Project Walk right when I got back from China it’s the best thing I have ever done but the worst part is they don’t take insurance. Project walk didn’t care to expand so the Canton board decided to turn it into a new company called Journey Forward. They are hoping to decrease their prices by doing the name change and a large fund raiser. The fundraiser is on Sunday, June 15, 2008, 3 pm to 9 pm location: Moseley's On the Charles, 50 Bridge Street (Rt. 109) Dedham,MA 02026 for more information , call 866-680-5636, attention Dan Cummings, there will be some unbelievable things. Like there are going to be celebrities, and many live and silent auction items. The very awesome silent auction items are as follows: 2 VIP tickets and backstage passes to Bon Jovi, meet and greet with Curt Schilling at Fenway Park, plus 4 tickets, 6 pairs of Celtics Tickets (2009) Manny Ramirez Autographed Bat, TomBrady's signed Patriots's jersey Mike Lowell signed jersey and many many other good things.
They are allowing me to have my own table to sell my pictures. I have been really busy getting pictures ready, matted and framed, with the help of my mother and grandmother. Shannon will drive me down on Saturday to the fundraiser. I have been doing Project Walk for the last 3 months but I can’t go for much longer because they don’t take any insurance. I do Project Walk for 3 hours a day on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays intense physical therapy “training." They said when I got back from China to do really intense therapy this is filling that need. Since attending I have become really strong in my upper body and have got some feeling in my legs.
We stay at Dustin and Mckenzie’s house, they aren’t that far from where it is, about one hour. I would love to continue because it is the best thing I have ever done. I know it works because there are people there who are walking, taking steps.

On Mondays, I still attend the YMCA for pool therapy.

Once a week, I attend hand therapy to work on my left hand, strength. And I am going to Dr. Buckley’s and he works magic.

On June 17, I go to Shake A Leg for a month in Newport, Rhode Island. While I am there I will do various therapies and I learn so much from others and their experiences. I will be bringing down the Ibot wheelchair to Shake A Leg.

My address at Shake a Leg is:
Shake a Leg
Attn: Derek O'Brien
WLT PARTICIPANT
P.O. Box 1264
Newport, RI 02840

A few weeks ago I got my manual chair fixed. It desperately needed it after my trip to China.
I got brand new castors, brand new back rest, brand new brakes; brand new tires that won't go flat, and new push handles. It feels like a brand new chair it really needed the work. I had out grown it. My needs have changed but my chair hadn’t changed. I will try to do an update at Shake A Leg if you want more information about the fundraiser you can email me at dobball40@yahoo.com. BYE