Brooklyn Kit (3 HO buildings)

Full Steam Ahead is not my day job … it is my late, late night job : ). During the day I am Head of Special Education at the Owen Sound Collegiate and Vocational Institute. (I”m the old looking guy on the left) My position is varied and I deal with all levels of students from the Developmentally Delayed to the Gifted. I am also responsible for students with Learning Disabilities and I run a Resource Room to help with any and all students struggling or in need of educataional accommodations. One very special student that I have come to know over the last 3 years is Brooklyn Marx. Brooklyn Marx is this months’ Model of the Month.

Brooklyn academically is a high achieving grade 11 student with a 90+ average in University level courses (these are Math, Science and English credits earned to apply to University studies). What makes Brooklyn so unique is that she was born with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA). SMA is a neuromuscular disease that progressively causes weakness in her muscles. Brooklyn undertakes physical therapy and respiratory therapy at home and school everyday because of SMA. She also is involved with Occupational Therapy to help her with her daily living and challenges at school. Brooklyn gets around in her power wheelchair … she has never walked. Whenever Brooklyn is away I have a panic attack because she is very prone and susceptible to respiratory problems. This past winter she missed a month of school because of a collapsed lung and complications. Never once have I heard Brooklyn complain.

While Brooklyn does have many tools and equipment at her disposal we have never found a computer or device that she can personally handle, manoeuvre or operate … until now. We have trialed the new Ipad and found that because of its’ size and less than 1.5 pound weight Brooklyn can personally and without assistance operate it. My school and budget could buy the Ipad but in the end it would not be Brooklyn’s.

Why the Ipad?

Brooklyn has recently started a blog entitled – forthewhitecrayons.blogspot.com Brookly often feels like a white crayon. Remember using your crayons? How often did you get out your white crayon and use it on your white paper? It was invisible and because of her SMA and confinement to a wheel chair she often feels invisible. She would use the Ipad to write up her blogs.

Remember your first summer job? Owen Sound is a small remotely located city and finding summer employment for a summer student in a wheelchair is difficult at best. Brooklyn has a great idea to start up her own business that is linked to disabilities. Brooklyn would review the accessibility of a business for people with a disability, write a review with recommendations and publish them to her website. Businesses would pay for advertising and have a direct link on the website to their business. Each week would have a theme such as: family restaurants, hair salons, banks, grocery stores, etc. Brooklyn wants to work and this is an opportunity that is flexible, unique and she has a personal commitment and passion for this cause. On a personal note my wife’s grandmother has recently suffered a stroke and is confined to a wheelchair. We are finding that everytime we plan an outing we have to call and ask questions about accessibility and a website like Brooklyn’s would benefit not only our physcially disabled population but also our aging population. She would use the Ipad for her business enterprise. NOTE: Brooklyn has applied to several jobs and continue with her business plan even if she finds some summer work.

Brooklyn would also like to write a freelance column in our local newspaper and other close by municipalities about her life, disability and business. She would use the Ipad for her column.

What can I do? What can you do? Below is a list of all the things you can do!

1. Full Steam Ahead is going to make a limited quantity (40) of the 3 buildings (pictured below … there maybe slight modifications such as roofing and castings in design) in HO scale that you can purchase. The cost of the fundraiser kit will be $32. $25 dollars will go directly to the purchase of the Ipad and a few accessories. $7will pay for postage & Paypal fees … Full Steam Ahead is covering all of the material costs and laser cutting for Brooklyn. Payment can be direct through a money order, chequre or Paypal. The kit will be available for shipment by mid June. Please email me if you would like a kit and are sending payment so that I can track the 40 kits joe@fullsteamahead.ca

SHIPPING WILL BE MID JUNE

THIS KIT SOLD OUT IN LESS THAN A WEEK BECAUSE OF YOUR HELP! THANK YOU FROM BROOKLYN AND JOE.
Thank-you,

Brooklyn and Joe

Circus Ship (May Model of the Month) House

Hi:

Below are the photos for the for the ‘Circus Ship’ diorama. The model is one of the house illustrated as Mr. Payne is walking up to the village centre. Enjoy … more to come.

Thanks Joe