When Sarah Gardels was asked to write down how long she’d been participating in programs at the University of Nebraska Medical Center’s Munroe-Meyer Institute, she penciled in ‘100 years.’
For as long as the 25-year-old can remember, she’s been coming and going under the yellow awning that is synonymous with MMI.
First it was to the "Brace Place" to be fitted for adaptive leg braces and footwear that helped her learn to walk.
Then she came to Camp Munroe where she got to have fun with her peers who became friends by the end of the week.
Next was Girls’ Group where she not only learned about makeup and hair care, but also attended slumber parties for the first time.
Now, she comes to MMI on Thursday nights, where she and other adults with developmental disabilities gather to listen to music, cook meals and create art.
"The Thursday night adult programs at MMI provide parent-free hangout time," said Sarah’s mother, Linda Gardels, who serves on MMI’s operating, consumer advisory and Hattie B. Munroe Foundation boards in addition to her position as chair of the Nebraska Developmental Disabilities Council. "It’s also a chance for her to learn peer behavior that we as parents just can’t teach."
It is the adult recreation therapy programs that Sarah attends that stand to benefit from the fifth annual Walk and Roll at Westroads Mall in Omaha on Feb. 22.
Sarah will serve as an honorary captain this year, along with former Husker football star and 2001 Heisman Trophy winner, Eric Crouch, and KETV Channel 7’s Mike’l Severe.
Sponsored by The C. Louis Meyer Foundation, No Frills Supermarkets, Crouch Recreational Design and KGOR-FM radio station, the event begins at noon on the second level of the mall next to Dick’s Sporting Goods. Check-in and late registration begin at 11 a.m.
"Part of what the Walk and Roll hopes to do is remind people that kids with long-term disabilities grow up to be adults who still need quality recreation opportunities as they get older," said Michael Crawford, Re.D., director of recreation therapy at MMI.
"The Thursday night adult recreation program, which Walk and Roll is designed to support, receives no federal or state money," said Jan Leuenberger, president of the C. Louis Meyer Foundation. "The program is funded entirely by contributions."
In addition to sustaining the adult program, the goal of the Walk and Roll is to create community awareness and, ultimately, inclusion.
To sign up for the event online, visit www.unmc.edu/mmi and click on the registration link. The registration fee is $20 per person and includes a T-shirt.
New this year, those who are unable to participate can donate online at www.firstgiving.com/walkandroll. In addition, No Frills Supermarkets are once again conducting a “Round It Up” campaign to support the event. From Feb. 11-28, No Frills customers can choose to round up their bill to the next dollar and the spare change will go to benefit MMI’s recreation therapy programs for adults with developmental disabilities.
UNMC is the only public health science center in the state. Its educational programs are responsible for training more health professionals practicing in Nebraska than any other institution. Through their commitment to education, research, patient care and outreach, UNMC and its hospital partner, The Nebraska Medical Center, have established themselves as one of the country’s leading centers in cancer, transplantation biology, bioterrorism preparedness, neurodegenerative diseases, cardiovascular diseases, genetics, biomedical technology and ophthalmology. UNMC’s research funding from external sources now exceeds $82 million annually and has resulted in the creation of more than 2,400 highly skilled jobs in the state. UNMC’s physician practice group, UNMC Physicians, includes 513 physicians in 50 specialties and subspecialties who practice primarily in The Nebraska Medical Center. For more information, go to UNMC’s Web site at www.unmc.edu.