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 Throughout the year we have been busy and May was no different for SMILE Mass. After the Ragnar Relay Cape Cod, we kept our running shoes laced up and partnered with the CASE (Concord Area Special Education) Collaborative for the Better Together 5K/10K/kids fun run on May 30th. We had beautiful weather, hotter than most runners would prefer, but fun was had by all. Click here to see the results and photos from the 5K and 10K races. Our photos were taken by our fantastic volunteers Judy Kendall and Biene Jandl. A big shout out goes out to Stop & Shop of Wayland, whom kindly donated all the water, oranges, bananas and granola bars! THANK YOU!
It is summer time and the living is easy, we all hope! As I spend my days creating yet another schedule to keep the kids happy, SMILE Mass is always in the back of my mind. Just like last year, we will continue the trend of blessing more communities by donating floating beach wheelchairs to public beaches. This year we are off Cape Cod. We are heading further north on route 95, however, still along the south shore. We have so many beautiful beaches and ponds across Massachusetts that the decision of where to go next was a hard one. But our yearly tradition of donating floating beach wheelchairs to public beaches and ponds across Massachusetts, to create a more accessible world, must go on! Our next drop will be happening today, June 24th at Plymouth beach, 130 Warren Ave., Plymouth, MA at 12:30 pm. Please join us if you are in the area. Today's donation will bless several beaches on the south shore in Plymouth, New Bedford and Sharon. On Monday we have the privilege to do yet another donation - Boston here we come!
Please join us on Monday, June 29th, for a donation celebration at Carson Beach in South Boston at 1pm, when we will be donating 8 additional floating beach wheelchairs to the Boston Area! Five area beaches, all run by the DCR will each receive a floating beach wheelchair: Carson Beach (Boston), Spectacle Island (Boston Harbor Islands), Nantasket Beach (Hull), Revere Beach (Revere) and Nahant Beach (Nahant). In addition, the towns of Wayland, Natick and Harvard will all be receiving one floating beach wheelchair each. To see a full list of beaches, please go to our
website.
These donations of beach wheelchairs and the many programs we run through SMILE Mass would not be possible without your support. Over the years we have received so many letters of appreciation, that I thought you might want to read some of them
here. Knowing with your help, together we have had the privilege to touch so many families lives by giving them the joy of a beach day and so much more. What we try to create at SMILE Mass is the ability for for families to enjoy life together, the ability to do what the typical family takes for granted; a bike ride with their siblings, friends or the whole family, going to the beach, perhaps a long walk, a local 5K, the sky is the limit!
Thank you to all of you for your continued trust in me and the SMILE Mass team so that we can continue our mission of creating a more accessible world where everyone belongs, despite disability. There is still so much to be done. We, at SMILE Mass, will continue to fund-raise, raffle off Red Sox tickets, sell t-shirts, whatever it takes, to create a better tomorrow.
For now I will leave you, as I lace up and go for my daily run, 5 miles is all I have time for today. But tomorrow is a new day!
Make it a great day!
Lotte Diomede
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SMILE Mass has 10 bib numbers in the Falmouth Road Race
August 16th will be here before we know it. SMILE Mass was privileged to receive 10 bib numbers in the Falmouth Road Race. Of those 10 bib numbers, 3 of them are duo numbers, or as SMILE Mass refers to them, running with strollers. Although many of our runners requested to run with strollers, 3 numbers were all SMILE Mass was allotted per the the Falmouth race director. The 3 lucky duos are:
George running with his daughter Julie
* Lotte running with her son Nicholas
Susan running with Lily, who has a need for speed, therefore Susan is the right runner for the job
SMILE Mass has created a couple of fun fundraisers for you to support the team. The first one we know many of you will love -
Red Sox vs. Yankees - it doesn't get more competitive than that! To take part in the raffle that will be drawn on July 10th, all you have to do is
sponsor one of the runners with a $25 donation. For each $25 donation, SMILE Mass will create a raffle ticket in your name. Details:
Red Sox vs. Yankees on Sunday, July 12th at 1:35pm
2 tickets, loge box 164, row LL, seats 1&2, (Face value $196)
Beat the heat in the summer with these cool tees!
 This fundraiser runs the month of July. Each t-shirt is only $25 and are available for men, woman and kids in 5 different colors with the saying "You can make a difference if you try".
Purchase your t-shirt today while supporting one of our Falmouth Runners (please enter the name of the runner in the comment box). Please note, you should receive your t-shirt in mid-August.
As always, if you simply wish to sponsor one of our runners or support SMILE Mass,
click here.
SMILE Mass has
1 bib number left, as one of our runners got hurt. If you would like to join us,
let us know.
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Looking for SMILE Mass Ambassadors and Captains
If you love to run or just like to be outside, this opportunity might be for you!
We welcome Lily as our newest Captain. We are thrilled to have Lily as part of our team.
SMILE Mass is looking for Ambassadors and Captains
to participate in regional races throughout the year. Our motto is: "We run for all those who can't."
SMILE Mass Ambassadors have the privilege of enabling kids and adults with disabilities the chance to do it all! We've created a junior and adult Ambassador team. Our Ambassadors support Captains (individuals with disabilities) through an entire race, allowing them their moments of glory in finishing a road race and being part of their community-- in other words, doing what so many other families take for granted!
Click here for details about becoming an Ambassador or Captain.
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It's time for the beach!
Summer is finally here - Don't forget to request your beach wheelchair!
Now that school is out, our equipment loaner calendar is filling up fast! Whether it be a floating wheelchair, an adaptive bike or a freedom stroller, make sure to reserve the equipment you need through our Loaner Program!
Although many of our weeks are getting tight , keep the requests coming. We will do everything we can to accommodate you. Where there is a will, there is a way - and we will find a way. However, the sooner you make your reservation the better. See you at the beach!
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DCR Universal Access Program Turns 20!
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the DCR's Universal Access Program. The Department of Conservation and Recreation's Universal Access Program is dedicated to providing outdoor recreation opportunities in Massachusetts State Parks for visitors of all abilities.
For more information about the DCR Universal Access Program,
click here to visit their website.
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66 Dudley Road
Sudbury, MA 01776
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