The Tommy Ross Memorial Fund: Maryland Recreation and Parks Association

It has been proven, that children with special needs, greatly benefit from recreational opportunities such as therapeutic horseback riding or swimming. Quality of life is what it is all about, and there are many families, who cannot afford these activities, due to having to pay for medicines, specialized equipment, and legal services to advocate for their cherished boy or girl. Here is a way to help these fighters, and their champions out by donating to http://www.mrpanet.org/docs/MRPA%20TRMF%20application.pdf. This is the Tommy Ross Memorial Fund, which my father Tom Ross and the Maryland Recreation and Parks Assocation, created to help those who want the best for their children. I am proud of my father and this organization, and to all of their kind people, who have not only established this but donated to this great cause. The night this was established, upon my father's retirement, was a moment that shall never be forgotten. It was an emotional night in many regards, as Tommy is greatly missed by our entire family, as he passed away from an Angelman Syndrome related seizure in November of 2009.

Yet what MRPA and my father have done, is in many ways, continued Tommy's legacy. He learned how to walk in a pool with his "Pop Pop", and it was an incredible night in the summer of 2009, when my wife and I were surprised by this. There is no doubt that this walking in the pool, led to his being able to walk across the living room, the week before he went to God. Too soon no doubt, yet he did it. So what can be done to guarantee other children with special needs, are given an opportunity to do the same, to not only make them happy but also provide smiles to grandparents, parents, uncles, aunts, siblings, and friends? By making a tax deductible donation to http://www.mrpanet.org/docs/MRPA%20TRMF%20application.pdf, you will help a person with a disability get a chance to flourish. If that is not beautiful, I do not know what is, and therapeutic activities are of great benefit to all whom are able, to participate in them.

Sometimes it is hard to visit the pool Tommy walked in, for the very first time. There is a picture of my wife and I walking him through the front gates, a few months prior to his passing. It hurts so much to look at that, yet at the same time, it provides a bit of hope. There are other children out there, right now, who could use that extra hand, so that they might be able to walk, sit up stronger, or just let them have some fun. If you can help this fund, you will not only help the current generations of children, but so many more, including family members who have the dream of an extra step of progress made. This is one way, that guarantees them, a chance at that. Just like Tommy, each step means more than words can ever express.