Monday, November 13, 2006

Variety Orlando Helps Children With Our Donations


By Erica Lopez

As many of you know, the partnership between Fred Astaire Dance Studios and Variety – The Children’s Charity has continued to grow. At this year’s national competition in Florida, Variety of Orlando was able to share its mobility story about helping children at a local elementary school thanks to donations made by Fred Astaire owners, teachers and students at last year’s Mix and Match competition.

Variety of Orlando received a letter from Andrea Cushman, a young mother of four girls. Two of them, twins named Abigail and Emily, have severe cases of cerebral palsy. Abigail and Emily are two of about thirty children who attend Winter Springs Elementary School, Seminole County’s only elementary school that caters to physically impaired children. Despite funding from the county, the school was unable to collect the total amount needed to put in an automatic door opener that would allow handicapped children to come in and out of the school’s front door unassisted.

Variety of Orlando used the money donated by Fred Astaire Dance Studios to purchase the automatic door opener for Winter Springs Elementary. Abigail, Emily, their grandparents, sisters and mother came to this year’s competition and presented Jack Rothweiler with a thank you card from all the children at the school.

After the presentation, an anonymous dancer generously donated $10,000 to Variety of Orlando to help more children in need!

Variety of Orlando and Variety of the U.S. are incredibly grateful to Jack Rothweiler, Pahjmon Lipsey and all the students and dancers from Fred Astaire Dance Studios who helped make this wish a reality for Emily and Abigail. The generosity of everyone associated with Fred Astaire Dance Studios humbles and overwhelms us. Thank you!

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