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  • Past Events
    • 2019 >
      • 5/4/19 Friends Night Out
      • 4/11/19 Meet the Author of "Raising Henry"
      • 4/1/19 Coffee Talk
      • 3/30/19 Bouncing Bears Open Gym
      • 3/24/19 World Down Syndrome Day Celebration
      • 3/23/19 Let's Make Art
      • 3/22/19 WDSD Two Roads Brewery Fundraiser
      • 3/21/19 DS ACT & Chapel Haven WDSD Celebration
      • 3/13/19 Hamden Police DS ACT Fundraiser at Mickey's Restaurant >
        • 2/2/19 Adults Night Out
    • 2018 >
      • 12/9/18 21 Strong Family Holiday Party
      • 12/1/18 Holiday Party for Adults
      • 11/2/18 Playdate at Erin Wells' Home
      • 10/20/18 Halloween Party
      • 10/13/18 DS ACT Annual Conference
      • 10/5/18 Mom's Night Out
      • 9/8/18 Buddy Walk - Stepping Up for Down Syndrome
      • 8/19/18 21 Strong Picnic
      • 7/21/18 DS ACT Annual Picnic
      • 6/3/18 Beardsley Zoo Bridgeport, CT
      • 6/2/18 Mom's Night Out
      • 4/14/18 Playdate at Bodie's Place Playground
      • 4/6/18 WDSD Two Roads Fundraiser
      • 4/5/18 Coffee Talk/Playdate in Stratford
      • 3/31/18 Bouncing Bears
      • 3/27/18 Coffee Talk Trumbull
      • 3/25/18 Fire Station Party
      • 3/18/18 World Down Syndrome Day Celebration
      • 3/15/18 Coffee Talk Stamford
      • 3/11/18 Forever 21 World Down Syndrome Day Event New Haven
      • 3/10/18 Bouncing Bears
      • 3/3/18 Bouncing Bears
      • 2/24/18 21 Strong MNO Potluck
      • 2/21/18 Coffee Talk Trumbull
      • 2/17/18 Forever 21 Bowling Party
      • 2/15/18 Coffee Talk Danbury
      • 2/3/18 Bouncing Bears
      • 2/2/18 21 Strong Brewport Dinner
      • 1/23/18 KidCity Playdate
      • 1/20/18 Legal Guardianship Process presentation
      • 1/20/18 Bouncing Bears
      • 1/13/18 Bouncing Bears
    • 2017 >
      • Jan thru June 2017 >
        • 6/3/17 Tween Beat Meet Up
        • 6/2/17 Playdate in Stamford
        • 5/30/17 Born This Way Viewing Party
        • 5/30/17 Coffee Talk
        • 5/6/17 Mom's Night Out
        • 5/5/17 Coffee Talk
        • 4/30/17 Spring Fling
        • 4/28/17 Beauty & the Beast
        • 4/25/17 Coffee Talk
        • 4/13/17 Earthplace Playdate
        • 4/11/17 Family Breakfast
        • 4/1 Bouncing Bears
        • 3/28/17 Coffee Talk
        • 3/12/17 World Down Syndrome Day Celebration
        • 1/28/2017 Tween Beat Bowling
      • July thru Dec 2017 >
        • 12/17/17 Tween Beat Hibachi Dinner
        • 12/9/17 21 Strong Holiday Party
        • 12/5/17 Coffee Talk
        • 11/6/17 Tween Beat Dinner Stamford, CT
        • 11/4/17 CDSC Annual Convention
        • 10/21/17 Halloween Party
        • 10/14/17 21 Strong Photoshoot
        • 10/7/17 Tween Beat Get Air Stamford
        • 9/30/17 CDSC Buddy Walk - Stepping Up for Down Syndrome
        • 9/23/17 - Star Factory, Stratford, CT
        • 9/21/17 - El Rocoto Event, Stamford, CT
        • 9/19/17 - Chipotle Event Fairfield, CT
        • 9/9/17 - Stepping Stones Museum
        • 8/23/17 Flamig Farm Tour and Picnic
        • 8/22/17 Mom's Night Out, Milford, CT
        • 8/19/17 Tween Beat Mini Golf
        • 8/17/17 FUNdraiser Lenny and Joe's Fish Tale
        • 8/15/17 Storytime for the Young DS Community
        • 8/12/17 21 Strong Picnic
        • 8/10/17 Mom's Night Out, Milford, CT
        • 7/21/17 Storytime for the Young DS Community
        • 7/12/17 Playdate Picnic West Hartford
        • 7/8/17 CDSC Family Picnic
    • 2016 >
      • Jan thru June 2016 >
        • 6/13/16 Breakfast
        • 6/6/16 Sesame Place
      • July thru Dec 2016 >
        • 12/3/16 Holiday Party for Adults
        • 11/22/16 Mom's Night Out
        • 11/4/16 Family Movie Night
        • 10/28/16 Moms Night Out
        • 10/22/16 Halloween Party
        • 8/20/16 FAMILY PICNIC
        • Fall Group Music Therapy
        • 10/14/16 Breakfast Get Together
    • 2015 >
      • 10/17/15 Halloween Celebration
      • 5/8/15 Guys night out
      • 5/1/15 Ladies Night out
      • 4/30/15 Playdate in Stratford
      • 3/29/15 World Down Syndrome Day Celebration
      • Bouncing Bears 2014-2015
    • 2014 >
      • 10/18/14 Halloween Gathering
      • Special Needs Playgroup: Tuesdays 3-5 at Tot Town Party and Play, Brookfield, CT
      • 7/19/14 Family Picnic
      • 3/23/14 World Down Syndrome Day
    • 2013 >
      • 10/12/13 Halloween Festival
      • 8/4/13 Family Picnic
      • 5/16/13 Breakfast
      • 3/24/13 World Down Syndrome Day
      • 3/9/13 Parents' Gathering
      • Bouncing Bears
    • 2012 >
      • 10/20/12 Halloween Gathering
      • 10/5/12 Family Library Time
      • 9/25/12 Moms Night Out
      • 6/19/12 Playgroup
      • 6/9/12 Beardsley Zoo
      • 5/4/12 Reading Seminar
      • 3/29/12 Mom's Night Out
      • 3/21/12 Mom's Night Out
      • 3/18/12 World Down Syndrome Day
      • 1/19/12 Mom's Night Out
      • 1/6/12 Playgroup
    • 2011 >
      • 5/26/11 Moms Night Out
      • 5/13/11 Playdate
      • 3/20/11 World Down Syndrome Day Celebration
      • 2/15/11 Chinese New Year Luncheon
    • 2010 >
      • 11/17/2010 Breakfast
      • 10/30/2010 Halloween Gathering
      • 10/17/10 Walk in the Park for Abilis
      • 10/16/10 Buddy Walk CT
      • 10/3/10 Romp for Research
      • 4/8/10 Preparing your child to read seminar
      • 3/20/10 World Down Syndrome Day Flyer
  • Resources
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    • Fun and Unique Resources >
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21 StrongThrough the acceptance and respect of all individuals, we allow everyone to thrive and their gifts to shine. ~21 Strong

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“John is 5 years old and he is the youngest of 5 children (21,19,15, and13 yo).   Joel and I elected to have amniocentesis to be sure John had Down syndrome.  By the time John was born, we had had time to adjust not only to the diagnosis of Ds, but also, the idea of having a baby at 47yo.  John has opened a whole new wonderful world for the entire family.  We have enjoyed him and the gifts of silliness he brings to our lives.  Having John has humbled us.  We realize that we were so wrong about what our life would be like and how a child with Ds would be, it makes us think, “What else do we have wrong opinions about with no direct, or accurate experience?” We find ourselves becoming better listeners and less likely to ignorantly chime in.


Like many, when John was born, I turned to Facebook to explore the people, places, and stories of Ds.  I discovered Reece’s Rainbow and would often look at children, like John, who were orphaned.  It took 4 years to accept our calling, but in Jan 2017, Joel and I began the process to adopt an 11yo orphan girl from another county. Reece’s Rainbow refers to her as “Eloise” and she also happens to have Ds.  We expect to meet “Eloise” soon, and are fundraising now that all our paperwork has been submitted.


We embrace the challenges raising John with a pretty good attitude and keep any comparisons at bay.  John is John, and he only really needs to progress within his own potential to be successful.  This will go for our “Eloise” also.  And by the way, it goes for us and our other children too! (Potential does not equal comfort zone.)


John’s current kindergarten activities show he has the potential to read, play on a sports team, and be a caring and fun friend.  So, these are the goals we focus on for now.  I’ve been fortunate to witness the “zig -zaggy” paths of my other children and I can see now that worry is a wasted emotion, but flexibility and understanding are really good gifts.


On Facebook in the days of pregnancy, I found advice that was simple and sound: “When that baby is born, all they need is for you to love them.  To commit to love them.”  It was an epiphany, “I can certainly do that!”  At the end of the day, after concerns of medical stuff, schools stuff, behavior stuff, it is calming to think John is going to be okay because he is loved by us. Here are pictures of us soon after committing to love him forever.


I would say that because I don't live in SW CT, 21 Strong is more of a Facebook presence for me.  It is a place where I can go to read about all types of topics relating to Ds. It is a vibrant, active group of people who are on the cutting edge of information. 21 Strong work to enhance the efforts of the CT Down Syndrome Congress and helps to distribute information coming from other groups.”


~Ellen
​


For more information about their journey of the adoption of “Eloise”:  https://reecesrainbow.org/118104/sponsorsefransky
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