Today, I had the opportunity to be with the amazing women of the Patricia Hart Society – Williamson County women who get things done. Kids On The Block was honored by having our founder, Alva Duke, speak to their organization. There were over 350 caring women in attendance with former Fox-17 anchor Laura Faber, as host for the day.
In case you don’t know, the Patricia Hart Society’s mission is “women dedicated to improving lives in our community by using their strengths, experiences and resources to promote and support the United Way of Williamson County. ” We are proud recipients of their support and Mrs. Hart’s. Alva Duke, founder of Kids On The Block, shared her passion about the organization she founded in 1981 after her son was born with Downs’ Syndrome. Her own lack of experience with people with disabilities gave her this impetus to bring Kids On The Block to Middle Tennessee with the goal of helping younger kids grow up with an awareness and sensitivity to children who are regular kids but just “do things differently” and “to recognize and embrace those differences.”
From his cool “cruiser,” Mark Riley, our puppet friend who has Cerebral Palsy or CP, shared with the ladies our disability awareness program we use with our second graders. It was wonderful that Mark and six other “kids” were able to share with these supportive women one of the many programs we have successfully used with almost 40,000 kindergarten through six grade children throughout Middle Tennessee. Thanks ladies of the Patricia Hart Society.
