When it involves children with special needs, every milestone needs to be celebrated. That’s why Beth Deiter, founder of C.I.T.Y of Support, is determined to make the support group’s second annual Graduation Celebration something to cheer about.
Due to the coronavirus, this year’s free event June 6 will be virtual, but always one to look for the silver lining, Deiter says that just means more families can celebrate. It’s especially important this year as people might not be in the mood to celebrate anything, she says.
The graduations don’t have to be the typical “graduation” milestones either. Anything the family wants to celebrate qualifies at the event.
“We just hope it’s going to be a very positive and uplifting event,” Deiter says. “It’s a chance for parents to acknowledge all the hard work” their child has done over the year.
She plans three mini ceremonies of no more than 25 Zoom windows at each ceremony, but if more families sign up, she’ll add more mini ceremonies and celebrate all day long with families.
Each family who signs up with receive a free celebration kit, which includes a medal and other goodies to go along with the day’s theme. To receive the kit, families must sign up by May 30.
Deiter says she also expects to be able to tell each family when their turn will be so they won’t have to wait long on Zoom.
In addition to the medal presentation at home (by mom or dad), the event will feature a craft, a snack together, special guests and music therapists’ performances. One even changed the words of the Frozen 2 song, “Some Things Never Change,” to fit the celebration, Dieter says.
“COVID or no COVID, we want this to be able to happen,” she says.
To learn more about C.I.T.Y. of Support, visit its website to sign up for their monthly newsletter of activities.
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