eSpecially Ben

We have come a long way with Ben's bathroom. NARI and Rebuilding Together Charlotte have kept the project running smoothly with subcontractors coming through to do the foundation, framing, electrical, plumbing, HVAC and insulation. Drywall starts this week and then it's downhill from there. A shout out and BIG thank you to the contractors (all are NARI members) who have donated time, labor and materials to Ben's bathroom so far: DeRhodes Construction  - contracting and managing Queen City Lumber  - framing package and siding Andrew Roby Contracting  - framing labor Bedford Falls Builders  - drywall WAC Contracting  - foundation All About the Pipes  - plumbing Aldred Electric  - electric ABS Insulation  - insulation Quality Comfort  - heating and air conditioning

We raised $4,515! Thank you everyone for your support. The likes, shares and donations brought us to #1 Fundraising Team in North Carolina - no small feat. There were 106 teams. Here are a few of the 1000 photos that were taken! It was an incredible feeling to be a part of this event - most likely, a once in a lifetime opportunity. Our team! Waiting for the torch to come our way. This was our group of family and friends who came out to support us. At the end of our 1/2 mile segment, we passed the torch to a father and son team. Amy, Jolanda and Lorcan Hats were meant to be removed, says Ben. Impressive motorcade of police from Charlotte and Los Angeles. This team passed us the torch. Passing on the torch to our team. Here we go! All the team members had a chance to carry the torch. For more photos through Special Olympics, go here .

Tomorrow at 5pm, our Special Olympics Unified Relay Across America Team will carry the Flame of Hope for 1/2 mile as it makes it way toward the World Games in LA.   Our fundraising efforts have landed us #1 Team in NC. There are 106 teams so this is quite an accomplishment. Our competitive nature got the best of us - but for a worthy cause.  Thank you for your support and donations. I will post photos from event on Friday.  If you have not had a chance to donate but wish to do so, please check out:    Ben's Page

Ben at the 2015 Special Olympics Mecklenburg Spring Games Ben is just ONE athlete who participates in the Special Olympics. There are many children and adults with intellectual disabilities who benefit from the sports programs, coaching relationships and fellowship that comes along with competing in the Special Olympics. There are no costs involved for the athletes. They attend practices, local tournaments, state games and world games - with no cost to them. All expenses are paid through donations. Today at 6:54am, a message on Facebook popped up from John, "hi vanessa". John is one of the adult athletes I met through the Special Olympics steering committee. After hellos and how are yous, John told me that he was going to the state games today for track and field. He competes in the softball throw and the 25 and 50 meter races. He proudly shared with me that he has been involved with track since 1972 .  After he assured me that he would stay hydrated at today's g

Ben and I are participating in the  Special Olympics Unified Relay Across America Team .  Our Team is in 2nd place in fundraising among ALL 106 teams in North Carolina. We are only $135 behind. If you want Ben's team to be #1 (and help out Special Olympics programs), please donate here: Ben McCall A fundraising page for Ben McCall URAA.DONORDRIVE.COM Our Team: Six Strong in Charlotte! On May 14 th , the Flame of Hope was lit in Athens, Greece-the site of the last Special Olympics World Games in 2011.  It arrived on American soil and is currently making its journey across the country via the Unified Relay Across America to Los Angeles for the 2015 World Games in July!  Our team of passionate parents, students, and coaches will be running the torch on a segment in Charlotte, NC next Thursday, June 4 th .  This is a once in a lifetime experience to be a part of this movement to create awareness and unite communities in acceptance of th

For the first time, we attended the 29th Annual Special Olympics Night at Lowe's Motor Speedway. Wow! What an impressive event for families, group home residents, teams and schools. We were greeted by the United States Air Force National Guard and handed t-shirts and flags. After dinner, dancing and even some frisbee play, we all headed over to the speedway in golf carts. We went to a NASCAR race in 2011 with Grin Kids , but we were newbies and did not know to bring headphones or seat Ben in a wheelchair area. We spent the entire time fighting Ben as he "interacted" with the NASCAR enthusiasts and driven crazy by the noise of the roaring engines. This time we came prepared - headphones, earplugs and special seating for Ben. We made it through the practice rounds and all three qualifying races. We finished the evening with a thrill ride through the parking lot in a wheelchair ramped golf cart driven by a man who missed his calling as a race car driver.

Larry Sprinkle is a local celebrity in Charlotte, North Carolina. He is the long time weatherman for NBC Charlotte Today. He also supports several organizations like Special Olympics, making him a popular man in this city. Mr. Sprinkle has been announcing for the Special Olympics Opening Ceremonies for many, many years. He does not let up on his enthusiasm on any of the over 100 schools. Ever. It is genuine and heartfelt. He does a truly amazing job of making each athlete feel special as they parade past the cheering crowds. After the opening ceremonies, I was heading to our car with my kids and friend, Tracy. Tracy noticed Larry Sprinkle walking by himself across the parking lot. I instantly said, "I want a photo with him." Tracy, who is never in need of extra prompting for spontaneity, told me he would take the photo. We sprinted across the lot and caught up with Mr. Sprinkle. Without a care in the world or even a "who is this crazy lady and her friend" loo

UPDATE: Our URAA team is the #2 Fundraiser in North Carolina! Help us be #1 -  Ben's Page Who thought a picture of a map would bring chills and excitement? We just received our team's route for the Unified Relay Across America for Special Olympics. We will walk, jog, run or roll this 1/2 mile segment with our teammates. I hope there will be a crowd cheering us on - we are close to our own neighborhood (hint, hint). If you have not had a chance to donate, Ben is now an official member of the team and you can donate directly in his honor:  Ben's Page .

The media interviewing Special Olympics' staff asked why it is important for the community to support the athletes. In a three minute interview, it is hard to give the full answer. The quick reason is to show support to the athletes who have been working hard to participate and then compete in an event. The longer answer to this question, according to me, is to raise awareness in the community about a group of people who get left out, but who desperately want to be a part of something. They want to be included, noticed, liked, asked to join, befriended and accepted. "They" are no different than you or I. Filling the stands at the opening ceremonies with people who may be new to the Special Olympics organization and the population they serve may help people with intellectual disabilities be seen with athletic abilities, leadership qualities and communication skills. One friend took her two boys out of school to attend the opening ceremonies. The boys already asked

Just last week, we received a letter from the Social Security Administration letting us know that we proved our case, and we do not have to pay back Ben's past Social Security Income. This was incredible news and lifted a huge amount of stress off of us. It all started over 18 months ago when we received a letter cancelling Ben's SSI payments. Here is what I learned along the way and if one person learns from our mistakes and is able to avoid some of the frustration we faced, I will be pleased. I did not add any specifics because they may change or be different for your case. * Know the requirements  - SSA has very specific requirements about what makes a person qualify for Supplemental Security Income. It may all be found online. Know what these requirements are, determine if you meet them and be able to backup everything that proves that you qualify. Not knowing will only bite you in the butt later. Lawyering Up - If you want an attorney to help you resolve a case on a

*This SSI issue has been going on for some time. It is now resolved. I wrote this in February, but waited to post until resolution was final. There was no line to get into the Social Security Administration office, which was unusual. The security guards, the same ones I have seen each time I have paid a visit, do everything but frisk us. Luckily, my weapons and belt were at home. The government issued walls were gray, seats for 100 people were tucked in tightly. The saying, snug as a bug, came to mind, with bug bolded and underlined. Windows around the perimeter served as some of the meeting space for Social Security workers and their clients. Windows had thick plexiglass strips about every five inches. I imagined it kept someone from jumping through and throttling the staff. When the case manager called our name, we followed through the door into the bowels of SSA. She did not speak, but expected us to follow. She was an older woman, whose demeanor seemed unpleasant. She showed us

Yesterday, I took Ben to the YMCA, and we watched men play a lively game of basketball. Later, in the lobby, Ben's strap on his wheelchair broke. I had to take him out of the chair and enlist help to fix it. In the minute it took me to find someone, Ben crawled back into the gym to watch the game. Ben was intense at this point, watching the game and yelling when they were about to score. He started sliding his little behind toward the court.  He was trying to get in the game. More than anything, he wanted the ball. This was a serious pickup game, and Ben did not even get a nod. It was nothing against Ben, these men only had eyes for the basket. At the same time, two or three boys about Ben's age started playing on the court when the men's game took them to the other end. Ben was doing his best to get someone's attention - if the large men wouldn't share the ball, perhaps one of these boys would. I was ready to pay cash for someone to throw the ball to Be

Ben with his school PT, Vanessa. Walking to the start line. Face of an athlete - photograph by brother Sean. Justin & Daniel, two buddies helping Ben for the day. Ben received two gold medals for 25m and 10m assisted walk. As per his usual response, he pulled off the medals faster than you can say, "Gold Medalist."