| Identifying, Evaluating, Connecting - One Buddy at a Time! |
:: in brief... ::
one last, truly special thanks...
organization overview...
Kenny's Connection is a non-profit organization that was founded following the
tragic loss of our son, Kenneth Peter Griffin.
In his short life, and primarily over the last two years, Kenny was reaching out and
connecting with Autistic children. Having spent a significant amount of time with
his best friend's brother, Kyle who is Autistic; volunteering at the Precious Feet
Dance Studio (specializing in children with Autism and related developmental
disorders); and participating in the Walk for Autism, we felt inspired to carry-out
Kenny's efforts and in some way we hope he will live on through our efforts.
Please visit our "about us" page for additional information about Kenny's
Connection.
tragic loss of our son, Kenneth Peter Griffin.
In his short life, and primarily over the last two years, Kenny was reaching out and
connecting with Autistic children. Having spent a significant amount of time with
his best friend's brother, Kyle who is Autistic; volunteering at the Precious Feet
Dance Studio (specializing in children with Autism and related developmental
disorders); and participating in the Walk for Autism, we felt inspired to carry-out
Kenny's efforts and in some way we hope he will live on through our efforts.
Please visit our "about us" page for additional information about Kenny's
Connection.
our organizational plan, in brief...
As the founders of Kenny's Connection, we have created a detailed mission
statement and case statement for our organization - please visit our "about us"
page to review the complete mission statement.
In brief, the mission statement outlines problems that have been identified within
our small community of Tiverton, RI and surrounding communities within the East
Bay area. Our immediate area lacks the services needed to treat Autistic children,
primarily with regard to buddy groups and social skills classes. Additionally, there
are many treatements/treatment plans available that are either not covered by
insurance and/or cost prohibitive. Kenny's Connection intends to establish
programs that will subsidise the cost of some of these services and ideally, make
some of the services (like buddy groups) available within the local community.
Again, our mission statement provides a detailed description of the problems and
our proposed solutions, please take a moment to read it.
statement and case statement for our organization - please visit our "about us"
page to review the complete mission statement.
In brief, the mission statement outlines problems that have been identified within
our small community of Tiverton, RI and surrounding communities within the East
Bay area. Our immediate area lacks the services needed to treat Autistic children,
primarily with regard to buddy groups and social skills classes. Additionally, there
are many treatements/treatment plans available that are either not covered by
insurance and/or cost prohibitive. Kenny's Connection intends to establish
programs that will subsidise the cost of some of these services and ideally, make
some of the services (like buddy groups) available within the local community.
Again, our mission statement provides a detailed description of the problems and
our proposed solutions, please take a moment to read it.
Meet K-Griff
Kenny Griffin is the inspiration
for all of our efforts, please
select the image above to meet
Kenny and to understand
everything he represented in life
and love.
for all of our efforts, please
select the image above to meet
Kenny and to understand
everything he represented in life
and love.
AUTISM - a growing epidemic
One in every 150 children born
in the U.S., are diagnosed with
Autism, this has grown
significantly over the last
decade from 4 in every 10,000
children born; additionally,
Autism is four times more
common in boys than girls.
Autism is currently the fastest
growing developmental
disability in the U.S. with a 10-
17% annual growth.
In Rhode Island alone
(according to the RI Dept. of
Education Special Education)
the documented diagnosis of
children with ASDs (between
the ages of 3-21) between 1993
and 2003 grew 1900%.
As a nation, $90 billion is spent
in annual costs with 90% of the
costs for adult services. The
cost of life long services can be
reduced through early
diagnosis and intervention.
Many child care professionals,
educators, and parents aren’t
even aware of the initial
symptoms which traditionally
occur between 18-months of
age and 3-years old. The
number of children diagnosed
under the age of 3, in Rhode
Island according to the
Department of Health’s Early
Intervention Program which is
intended for children up to the
age of 3 with developmental
delays, indicates that most
children are not diagnosed until
after the age of 3 and in March
of 2000 and September of
2002, out of 3,950 children
enrolled in the Early
Intervention, 45 were identified
as having an ASD.
In 2005, 925 students with
ASDs were receiving special
education services in the State
of Rhode Island.
ASD is not curable, but with
early intervention and the right
treatment plan the child will
have better long term results.
in the U.S., are diagnosed with
Autism, this has grown
significantly over the last
decade from 4 in every 10,000
children born; additionally,
Autism is four times more
common in boys than girls.
Autism is currently the fastest
growing developmental
disability in the U.S. with a 10-
17% annual growth.
In Rhode Island alone
(according to the RI Dept. of
Education Special Education)
the documented diagnosis of
children with ASDs (between
the ages of 3-21) between 1993
and 2003 grew 1900%.
As a nation, $90 billion is spent
in annual costs with 90% of the
costs for adult services. The
cost of life long services can be
reduced through early
diagnosis and intervention.
Many child care professionals,
educators, and parents aren’t
even aware of the initial
symptoms which traditionally
occur between 18-months of
age and 3-years old. The
number of children diagnosed
under the age of 3, in Rhode
Island according to the
Department of Health’s Early
Intervention Program which is
intended for children up to the
age of 3 with developmental
delays, indicates that most
children are not diagnosed until
after the age of 3 and in March
of 2000 and September of
2002, out of 3,950 children
enrolled in the Early
Intervention, 45 were identified
as having an ASD.
In 2005, 925 students with
ASDs were receiving special
education services in the State
of Rhode Island.
ASD is not curable, but with
early intervention and the right
treatment plan the child will
have better long term results.
 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Identifying, Evaluating, Connecting - One Buddy at a Time! |
This thank you required an individual dedication. We apologize for the latency of
this thank you, but we were awaiting permission from Heather Horton to use her
name and image on our website; however, she is quite busy and thanking her and
introducing her to our family and friends can wait no longer.
Heather is, as a friend describes at www.hhroxx.com, "...every time you think you’ve
got her all figured out, she morphs into something even more wondrous and
amazing before your eyes..."
And that, she does - for those of us who know her personally, she is a beautiful
butterfly, with wings of amber and gold that reach across the miles and brush your
cheek softly, warming your heart and soul. To think we have been blessed with her
friendship, is unimaginable - to know the spirit that lies within her, is unimaginable
- to think that a chance meeting could impact a life and that a friendship would
grow immediately is unimaginable...that's how Heather has touched our lives.
Heather, a Nashville Recording Artist, that coincidently became friends of the
family, took the time out of her busy schedule to write and record a song in
memory of Kenny. While writing and recording this song, and finally e-mailing it the
day before the Bike Run, she was also navigating through her busy schedule in
Nashville, which had her in the recording studio the following Monday, August 18th.
Heather, we can't thank you enough for your thoughtfulness and the
thoughtfulness of your lyrics - that truly reflect and capture all of what Kenny was
and what he continues to be in our hearts, memories, and this organization.
time for the event details...
Kenny's Connection was fortunate enough to raise nearly $9,317 after expenses,
expenses that were less than 20% of our total earnings and most of which was
the cost of the lunch...pretty good for our first annual bike run.
The bike run started at the Moose Cafe (1160 Stafford Road in Tiverton, Rhode
Island) continuing to the Beech Grove Cemetery in Westport, Massachusetts in
memory of Kenny, and ending at Francis Farm. Approximately 138 bikes
participated. read more...
this thank you, but we were awaiting permission from Heather Horton to use her
name and image on our website; however, she is quite busy and thanking her and
introducing her to our family and friends can wait no longer.
Heather is, as a friend describes at www.hhroxx.com, "...every time you think you’ve
got her all figured out, she morphs into something even more wondrous and
amazing before your eyes..."
And that, she does - for those of us who know her personally, she is a beautiful
butterfly, with wings of amber and gold that reach across the miles and brush your
cheek softly, warming your heart and soul. To think we have been blessed with her
friendship, is unimaginable - to know the spirit that lies within her, is unimaginable
- to think that a chance meeting could impact a life and that a friendship would
grow immediately is unimaginable...that's how Heather has touched our lives.
Heather, a Nashville Recording Artist, that coincidently became friends of the
family, took the time out of her busy schedule to write and record a song in
memory of Kenny. While writing and recording this song, and finally e-mailing it the
day before the Bike Run, she was also navigating through her busy schedule in
Nashville, which had her in the recording studio the following Monday, August 18th.
Heather, we can't thank you enough for your thoughtfulness and the
thoughtfulness of your lyrics - that truly reflect and capture all of what Kenny was
and what he continues to be in our hearts, memories, and this organization.
time for the event details...
Kenny's Connection was fortunate enough to raise nearly $9,317 after expenses,
expenses that were less than 20% of our total earnings and most of which was
the cost of the lunch...pretty good for our first annual bike run.
The bike run started at the Moose Cafe (1160 Stafford Road in Tiverton, Rhode
Island) continuing to the Beech Grove Cemetery in Westport, Massachusetts in
memory of Kenny, and ending at Francis Farm. Approximately 138 bikes
participated. read more...
You Ain't So Little Anymore
(Never, Ever, Ever)
- By Heather Horton
(all rights reserved and the
property of Heather Horton)
Nothing you can say about a
mama's pride
Like the first note to her ear
Upon her first baby's cry
And all the dreams she held for you
And somehow she could tell you
knew
From the gates of your little bed
Nothin you can take from your
daddy's fear
That you'd make the same
mistakes
Of his younger years
As he let's go to let you grow
And hold his breath and lets you
fall
You somehow never let him down
And hey, little boy,
You ain't so little anymore
And the sky will dry those earthly
tears
As they are born
Cuz there ain't no answer
Just a lack of reason
Why you're stronger way up here
Yeah, baby
You ain't so little anymore
There's nothing you can do about
a perfect soul
Where it's guided, where it's called
So it can heal us all
You touched our hearts
In which you'll lie forever
Never, ever, ever die
For that, we ain't so little anymore
And hey, little boy
You ain't so little anymore
And the sky will dry our earthly tears
As they are born
Cuz there ain't no answer
Just a lack of reason
Why you're stronger way up here
Hey baby,
You ain't so little anymore
(Never, Ever, Ever)
- By Heather Horton
(all rights reserved and the
property of Heather Horton)
Nothing you can say about a
mama's pride
Like the first note to her ear
Upon her first baby's cry
And all the dreams she held for you
And somehow she could tell you
knew
From the gates of your little bed
Nothin you can take from your
daddy's fear
That you'd make the same
mistakes
Of his younger years
As he let's go to let you grow
And hold his breath and lets you
fall
You somehow never let him down
And hey, little boy,
You ain't so little anymore
And the sky will dry those earthly
tears
As they are born
Cuz there ain't no answer
Just a lack of reason
Why you're stronger way up here
Yeah, baby
You ain't so little anymore
There's nothing you can do about
a perfect soul
Where it's guided, where it's called
So it can heal us all
You touched our hearts
In which you'll lie forever
Never, ever, ever die
For that, we ain't so little anymore
And hey, little boy
You ain't so little anymore
And the sky will dry our earthly tears
As they are born
Cuz there ain't no answer
Just a lack of reason
Why you're stronger way up here
Hey baby,
You ain't so little anymore