Miami Valley Spina Bifida Organization (MVSBO) Newsletter

Fall 2017

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Hope everyone is having a wonderful fall!!

MVSBO at Young’s Dairy

When: Saturday, September 23rd, 2017
11:30 AM (lunch served at noon)

Where: Young’s Jersey Dairy (youngsdairy.com), 6880 Springfield-Xenia Road, Yellow Springs, OH 45387

What: Fun for all ages including batting cages, putt-putt golf, a corn maze, driving range, a chance to feed the goats & much more …not to mention delicious ice cream! Each person will receive a wristband allowing access to everything for the day.

Lunch will be served in the shelter near the putt-putt and driving range. You are welcome to stay as long as you like – the wristbands are good all day, so feel free to try everything out!

RSVP: Please RSVP by Friday, Sept. 15th with the number of adults and kids (please include ages) who plan to attend. Please also include if you intend to only stay for lunch (no activities) or the whole day (includes all activities). You may RSVP by email: mvspinabifida@yahoo.com or phone (call or text): (937) 236-1122

MVSBO will gladly pay for those affected by Spina Bifida and their immediate family members.

Six ride-on toy cars modified for kids with Spina Bifida at local GoBabyGo! event

co-sponsored by MVSBO, Dayton Children’s and the University of Dayton

Drs. Tim and Megan R eissman, engineering faculty at the University of Dayton, partnered with the Miami Valley Spina Bifida Organization and Dayton Children’s to host the first ever GoBabyGo! event in the Dayton Region. The goal of GoBabyGo! is to encourage independent mobility for kids using powered, ride-on toy cars. The cars were modified by volunteers to meet the needs of each individual, including hand controls, upper body support, and safety features. Although not replacements for motorized wheelchairs or other devices, the modified toys give children with Spina Bifida independent mobility in a package that is fun and the envy of their siblings and friends!

Six modified cars were given to kids in MVSBO during the June 24th event, and a seventh car was modified as a demo car for future use. This event would not have been possible without financial support for MVSBO from Corvette Troy. We are so thankful for their continued support to our organization. Additionally, four members of Corvette Troy volunteered their time modifying cars and even brought their own Corvettes to the party!

We also want to thank Dayton Children’s for hosting the event, providing Physical Therapists and Physicians to assess the needs of each child, and providing a fantastic breakfast and lunch. Finally, the modifications could not have been completed without volunteers from many different organizations in the Miami Valley. Special thanks to:

University of Dayton
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
- Department of Physical Therapy
Dayton Children’s
Corvette Troy
American Society of Mechanical Engineers Dayton Section
Washington Heights Baptist Church
Annette Miller Architects

Meet The Nixons

Dan and Katie Nixon live in Celina, Ohio and are active on the MVSBO board. They are parents to Dawson (4 years old) and Jackson (2 years old). Jackson was born with Spina Bifida in 2015 and, according to Katie, “amazes us everyday!” The Nixons joined MVSBO in 2016. Make sure to get to know them at the next MVSBO event!

Corvette Troy Raffle at the Tipp City Mum Festival

Corvette-Troy’s Benefit Drawing for the Miami Valley Spina Bifida Organization and other Dayton area charities will be held on Friday, September 22nd at 7p at the Tipp City Mum Festival Car Show. Corvette-Troy is MVSBO’s largest donor, and we like to show our appreciation by having a large representation of our families at this event. Please come join us! More details can be found at corvette-troy.com or tippcitymumfestival.org

Event Recap: Columbus Zoo Outing

Over 60 people enjoyed MVSBO at the Columbus zoo on August 5th! The weather was fantastic and we had a great time connecting with folks during the luncheon. We are thankful to everyone who joined us for this new event. We would love to hear from you if you have any feedback on the event or suggestions for new events!

Call for Board Members

Did you know that MVSBO is run completely by volunteers? Did you know that you are perfectly qualified to join us? Our Board is made up of parents and grandparents whose lives and families have been directly affected by Spina Bifida, and we would happily welcome new members to our board for 2018. If you have questions, comments or want to sign up, send us an email (mvspinabifida@yahoo.com) or talk to one of our current Board Members.

President: Jeremy Evans
Vice-President: Kristy Thome
Treasurer: Queena Greene
Secretary: Lana Miller
Members-at-Large: Tiffany Evans, Matthew Greene, Lisa Maas, Joe Miller, Katie Nixon

Equipment Assistance Request Form

The Purpose of this program is to help offset expenses incurred by individuals with Spina Bifida or their families. (See application form below.)

Guidelines

Participation in fundraising events is encouraged
Applications are available from the address listed below or by calling (937)236-1122
The fund covers only expenses for Spina Bifida that have not been paid for out of any state aid, insurance or other funding source
Completed applications must be accompanied by copies of itemized bills or prescriptions, and insurance allowance or denial statements
All information is considered confidential
Grants are subject to the availabilty of funds

Items Covered (Examples)

Orthopedic equipment (crutches, brace, walkers, shoes, wheelchairs)
Urinary and bowel control supplies (gloves, lubricant, catheters)
Home & vehicle modifications
Other medical expenses not covered by insurance or state agencies
Adapted recreational equipment
Other Needed services

If you need assistance with obtaining Spina Bifida equipment, please download the Equipment Assistance Request Form.

Previous Newsletters

You can access previous issues of the Miami Valley Spina Bifida Newsletter here: