Hello Everyone!
Welcome to my "Second Summer Cycle" fundraising page! You all know how passionate I am about Latham Centers, the incredible staff who dedicate themselves and their extraordinary efforts to care for my "FAVORITE COUSIN" Drew (all my other cousins have come to terms with Drew's title) and his fabulous peers living with complex social needs including Prader-Willi syndrome. I think I can safely say, Drew is living his best life because of all that Latham Centers has to offer. The opportunities are far and few between for adults and children living with PWS (Prader-Willi syndrome), a very sad and true fact. To be able to have an incredible organization like Latham Centers just one town away from me and it be the best place in the world for Drew...well that is nothing short of a miracle!
Drew has been at Latham Centers since we was 18 and he just celebrated his 32 birthday. I can remember when he first arrived and he would tell me quite frequently that Latham Centers was just a place we was going to be for now but he would be going home soon. As the years past, his wonderful place with Latham Centers has become home. He gets to enjoy his friends, his programs and of course his cousin outings with me! I am forever blessed that he gets to call Cape Cod home and I get the chance to be so close to him. He shows me on a daily basis what it means to persevere, never give up, carry on, don't look back, try, try and then try one more time. Well, if I can have just a fraction of his will and enthusiasm for everything he attempts then why not try and ride 60ish miles to help support my FAMILY and friends at Latham Centers.
I am very excited to be a member of Team Latham for the Second Summer Cycle on Sunday, September 17th, 2023. I hope that you will consider supporting my ride with a donation to Latham Centers. Gifts of every size are meaningful and appreciated!
I can not wait to take on this adventure for my favorite cousin, Drew, and his fabulous peers!
Latham Centers - Second Summer Cycle
A Charity Ride across Cape Cod
What:
Be part of the inaugural Second Summer Cycle! This is an exciting new event led
by the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce-- a fully supported, cape wide, charity
ride benefiting 19 nonprofit organizations on Cape Cod. Ride a route of your
choosing: 30, 60+ or 100 miles on beautiful back roads (and the rail trail if you
choose).
100% of the funds raised by riders go directly to the beneficiary of their
choice.
Participate in a celebration at the end of the ride with food, music and
Barnstable Brewing beverages Second Summer Cycle Cans as memorabilia. Enjoy
a special day of riding the Cape landscape while also benefiting tens of thousands
of Cape Codders.
You don’t want to miss it!!!
When:
Sunday, September 17, 2023
Where:
The Century starts in Mashpee, The Metric Century (60+) in Sandwich and the 30
Mile Plus in Orleans. Safety is a top priority, expect support vehicles and police
presence, along with signage and volunteers along the route. All of the rides end
on the Outer Cape with a celebratory event for riders and volunteers.
The routes are not finalized yet. The permitting process is on going but we are very close.
Who are the beneficiaries?
The Non-Profits that benefit from this event include a wide range of Cape based
organizations-- those in the arts, human services, healthcare, economic
development and youth development:
American Red Cross-SE MA Chapter
Calmer Choice
Cape Abilities
Cape Cod Children’s Place
Cape Cod Symphony Orchestra
Cape Wellness Collaborative
CCYP (Cape Cod Young Professionals)
CHAMP Homes
Community Connections
Cotuit Center for the Arts
Cultural Center of Cape Cod
Duffy Health Center
Latham Centers
Love Live Local
Cape Symphony
Cape and Islands United Way
WE CAN (Women’s Empowerment through Cape Area Networking)
YMCA
Youth Athletic Foundation
Team Latham is thrilled to participate as a beneficiary charity for the inaugural Second Summer Cycle and we are grateful for your support. All funds raised through this year's event will support the kitchen renovation project at Latham School. This priority project will include necessary upgrades to building systems, improved ventilation, new commercial kitchen equipment, and the creation of an expanded kitchen prep area. When finished, our creative and talented kitchen staff will have a safe, appropriate kitchen to prepare nutritious and delicious meals.
Founded in 1970 in Brewster, MA, Latham Centers, Inc. is a nationally accredited treatment program providing therapeutic, residential, educational, recreational, and vocational services to individuals with complex special needs. Nearly half of the individuals who call Latham Centers home are diagnosed with Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS.) PWS is a serious, randomly occurring genetic disorder. A complex syndrome, PWS manifests with characteristic symptoms, including insatiable appetite, mild-to-moderate intellectual disability, emotional and behavioral problems, obsessive-compulsive behaviors, and slow body metabolism. There is no cure for PWS, and successful interventions in therapeutic and skill-building programs enable individuals to learn coping skills. The syndrome occurs approximately once in every 15,000 births and occurs in all races and ethnic groups. Latham Centers is the only residential facility in the United States specializing in treating children and adults with PWS.
Additionally, Latham provides care to children and adults with intellectual disabilities and other diagnoses, such as PTSD, autism spectrum disorder as a secondary diagnosis, bipolar disorder, and reactive attachment disorder. Latham's team of educators, clinicians, nurses, and direct support professionals provide a nurturing environment where vulnerable children and adults can feel safe, recover from past traumas, and receive individualized education, treatment, and therapy.