Creativity and fundraising go hand in hand

By Abby Braithwaite

In the fall of 2009, Bill Fallis, beloved grandpa of Riley and an avid golfer, died unexpectedly. His family decided that they wanted to pay tribute to his life, and his love for Riley, and so the Tee Up for Down Syndrome Golf Tournament was born. For two years in a row Melanie Fallis, together with her daughter Jennifer Johnson (Riley’s mom) worked tirelessly to build a wonderful event. They brought together friends, co-workers, and a host of local businesses and were able to raise critical funds that provided the seed money for NWDSA’s innovative Kindergarten Inclusion Cohort. Thanks to their work and commitment to inclusion we were able help two dozen families become strong advocates for their children entering school. We are forever grateful to the Fallis and Johnson families for their energy effort and creativity, and it was impressive to watch this motivated group of people bring their web of support together to support NWDSA and the Kindergarten Cohort. Their work was a clear illustration of the concept that a few committed people can, if fact, change the world.