Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Walking For Dreams 2012

Walking for Dreams 2012!
We have begun our annual fundraising effort for the Jackson Center for Conductive Education, which will culminate with the Walking for Dreams event on June 3.


Read on if you would like to help a great organiation!


Dear Friends and Family:

We are asking for your support to raise money through Walking for Dreams, an annual walk that benefits both the Jackson Center and Cole directly. The money raised by our team will split on a percentage with a portion being credited directly toward Cole's tuition and the remainder being used to help defray Jackson Center operating expenses, especially staffing, to give Cole and his friends caring, qualified, one-on-one attention.

The Jackson Center is the only conductive education program in Indiana and while it's not a "cure" for Cole's cerebral palsy, we can testify it's been tremendously effective for him. Conductive education is a program that helps children and adults with motor disorders develop motor skills through repetition, peer interaction and positive reinforcement. The goal of conductive education is to help each participant achieve the highest quality of independent life.

Since Cole began attending the Jackson Center, he has accomplished so much...

The rigorous physical therapy aspect of conductive education has helped him increase his muscle strength, enabling him to walk in his gait trainer farther and with less assistance.

He is demonstrating new abilities to use his hands to reach, grasp, and manipulate objects.

His vocabulary has multiplied, allowing him to form sentences to express his wants and needs. He also (when he wants to) can count to 30, recite his ABC's, and name his colors.

He has shown much progress, but needs to continue the 5 day a week intensive therapy to avoid complications such as scoliosis, muscle atrophy or hip dislocation resulting in major hip surgery.

Because of this and more, we are committed to ensuring that conductive education remains available in Indiana and have set a goal to raise $4,000 for Cole and the Jackson Center. If you are willing to help, you can make a donation by:


  • Visiting walkingfordreams.org to make a donation online. Cole's team is registered on the site. Click "Donate," select "individual walker," then choose "Johnson, Cole."
  • Mailing a check to the Jackson Center, 802 N Samuel Moore Pkwy, Mooresville, IN 46158. Make your check out to Jackson Center- Walking for dreams and include Cole's name in the memo line.
  • Calling the Jackson Center at 317-834-0200

Your gift, no matter the amount, will help us achieve our goal. More than that, it will give Cole and all of his friends at the Jackson Center a greater chance at independence. Thanks for your help! If you would like to walk with us, please join us in Indianapolis on the White River Canal, Sunday, June 3rd at 2:00 p.m.