Open Letter to Debbie Hickey, Wellness Director, West Broward YMCA Family Center

[Guest guest]

Debbie Hickey

Wellness Director

West Broward YMCA Family Center

dhickey@...

Dear Ms. Hickey,

Thank you for your response to my email dating 8/28/2008 on my

question of " What programs do you have for special needs programs? "

Per your email you state that you have on several occassions have

tried special needs sports programming and failed and that you are

continuing to look for opportunities to provide special needs

programming. I am blind copying a number of interested parties to

help us find those oppotunities.

I hope this helps, but I also notice that other organizations in the

Weston Sports Alliance seem to have issues around their programming.

I can not help to think part of these past failures have sprung from

not seeking the input of families of these children on what is needed

to be succesful, especially as it pertains to integrating these

children with their peers. I think you will find that when the needs

of the families and children are utilized, programming has been

wildly succesful.

Thank you for your wishes for " Best of Health " , but I think if you

use the community as a resource you will have greater success in

improving the physical, mental and emotional health of both the

children who you state you can not help, and their peers who can

learn so much from these great kids.