A HEART CHANGING EXPERIENCE
It was a year ago this month that I was on the phone with my fianc�, Ben, as he rode his motorcycle to work one Tuesday evening. (He would like everyone to know he had a headset in his helmet). He worked overnights as a security guard while I attended the University of Arizona in Tucson. I remember as we spoke all the sounds suddenly changed, as did the rest of our lives. I immediately booked a flight to Dallas, where I would finish my bachelor's degree and come to realize what the Lord had in store for my life.
While the change in our lives was drastic, it was nothing I would ever hope to reverse. Last year Ben and I had been together for a year and a half with many years of friendship prior to that. We were just a four months from our wedding, with a honeymoon all planned and paid for and a life plan in order. In one night it all changed. Ben came out of ICU four weeks later with a traumatic brain injury and a T-12 spinal cord injury which has left him paralyzed from the waist down. We postponed our wedding an extra six months and learned to live life a little bit slower and with much more prayer.
Today I have learned what it means to be patient, display love and tenderness, to have compassion, and to have a servant's heart. For me, Ben's accident was a heart changing experience. I want to serve others and use my voice to share their needs and work for ways to meet those needs. Ben has a desire to use his accident and the struggles he faces to encourage those who may be in equally difficult situations. We have grown together in God's love and feel His hand leading us to be an encouragement, an advocate, and a friend to those who feel discouraged and disheartened by handicaps in their lives.
Ben and I are married now, honeymooning at Baylor hospital as Ben recovers from a recent surgery to heal a severe pressure sore. We are enjoying the times we get to spend together and pray for opportunities to outreach to others. We have been given perfect peace in knowing that God controls all aspects of our lives and what he has in store for us we can accept with a joyful heart.
"This I recall to my mind, therefore I have hope, The Lord's lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, for his compassions never fail". Lamentations 3: 21-22
Joy Hetrick
NAF was honored to provide Ben & Joy with home modifications after his injury. Wheelchair ramps were added to their home as well as widening doorways for wheelchair entry. It was such a joy to help these two wonderful people and we wish them many years of happiness.
|
|
Closing out 2013 and
Looking Forward
|
Amazing Year in 2013 
Looking forward, we anticipate helping 110+ people adjust to their "new normal" in 2014 thanks to the generosity of our supporters.
Left: Douglas at home. NAF was proud to provide a specialized shower chair and standing frame to Douglas.
|
SCI Support Groups
Are you looking for a support group for someone with a spinal cord injury or a caregiver? We know of two in the Dallas/Fort Worth area you might like to join.
A new group was just formed in the Fort Worth area and will be held on the 4th Thursday of every month at Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital in Fort Worth. The group meets from 2:00 to 3:00 pm in the Richardson Tower. For more information, you can contact Dorothy Conway at 817-250-2445 or [email protected].
If you are closer to the Dallas area, Baylor Institute for Rehabilitation offers a group meeting on the 2nd Tuesday of each month called Support, Challenge, Inspire! It is a community outreach program for anyone living with, dealing with and adjusting to the problems, pressures and challenges that occur with spinal cord injuries. Meetings are held in the Baylor Institute for Rehabilitation building in Dallas. For more information, you can contact Lea Stewart at [email protected] or at 214-823-6003.
|
Matching Donation Programs
Are you employed by one of these companies?
Bank of America
Wells Fargo Bank
BNSF Railway
PepsiCo
If so, your charitable donations are matched by your company.What does that mean? It means that your company is encouraging you to make a donation to NAF, and when you do, your company will match that donation with their own.
For instance, if you work for Bank of America, their Charitable Foundation Matching Gifts program offers a way to double - up to $5,000 (US) per person each calendar year - employees' cash or securities contributions to their favorite charitable organizations and thus improve their communities.
If you work for PepsiCo, your donation could be matched up to $10,000 per year!
For more information about these programs, click on the company names above. In the meantime, we'll continue to look for other companies that offer this perk. If your company offers a matching donation program and we don't have you listed above, please let us know.am
|
Upcoming Events
Here's what we're planning for 2014
2nd Annual Mike Stine Wheelchair Run - A fun motorcycle run in honor of one of our family, Mike Stine. This event is planned for late April and details will be coming soon.
2nd Annual Pastors Masters Golf Tournament at Lantana Golf Club - This event is planned for early May and details will be released soon.
6th Annual Hot Hatch Chile Run, Walk & Roll -
August 23, 2014
Central Market Southlake will once again be our presenting sponsor for this popular event.
|
|
|
Sponsor Highlight:
Wagon Wheel
Tennis Center &
The City of Coppell
950 Creekview Drive
Coppell, TX
972-393-5687
On Valentine's Day weekend, NAF had our first Love, Set, Match Tennis Benefit at Wagon Wheel Tennis Center in Coppell. It was a great event with beautiful sunny skies, lots of great tennis and Central Market food, silent auction items, vendors, wine pull and awards. On Sunday's mixed doubles event, our players were treated to Hard Eight BBQ and beer after the tournament. Fun was had by all and lots of money was raised to help those living with paralysis in our community. We can't wait for next year!
Wagon Wheel Tennis Center is open 7 days a week and has a Pro Shop and private or semi-private lessons.
|
Thanks, Richard!
Richard Mudd is a very inspiring guy. He contacted NAF late last year to say that he wanted to train for the Cowtown 10K in February and he wanted to raise money for NAF while he was doing it. Richard set up his own page on GoFundMe and started his training. He raised money through his page as well as asking a local Keller store, Active Outfitters, to give a percentage of their sales to NAF for a set period of time. The wonderful thing about Richard is that he wants to keep raising money for us while he trains for other races this year! Wow!
You may wonder why Richard chose to raise money for us. He was inspired by one of our family members, Mike Stine. Richard works as a contractor and helped to modify Mike's home to make it wheelchair accessible. In the process, he was inspired by Mike and his daily struggles to live in a wheelchair. He decided to give back by helping the next person.
We can't thank Richard enough! If you would like to learn about how you can raise money for NAF with your own page on GoFundMe, just contact us at the email below. You don't have to train for a race to raise money. Check out the GoFundMe website to see what others are doing. It's a great way to help provide wheelchairs and ramps for those whose insurance can't or won't pay.
|
|
_________________________
We Need Your Help
Donate
Sponsor
Volunteer
Change lives; make a difference; give back to those who've been devastated.
Your $25 donation will help provide clean catheters to a paralyzed child for one month when their insurance won't cover the expense.
Your $100 donation will help build a wheelchair ramp so we can get our clients out of rehab and through their front door at home.
Your $200 donation will help widen the doorways in their homes so their wheelchair can fit through the bathroom door. Insurance doesn't covers home modifications.
Your $500 donation will help provide life-changing medical equipment: wheelchairs and specialized shower chairs, etc. Most insurance only covers a small part of wheelchairs, if any, and no "bathing aids" are covered.
No donation is too small. Click here for information.
Neuro Assistance Foundation
2320 Bridgewood Drive
Keller, TX 76262
www.neuroassistance.org
Contact: Cindi Cooperman [email protected]
501(c)(3) Organization
|
|
 |
|
