Struttin' My Stuff Photography

<div align="center"><a href="http://struttinmystuffphotography.com/wandering-the-world-with-zander/" title="Wandering the World with Zander "><img src="http://i55.tinypic.com/k1e4rd.jpg" alt="Wandering the World with Zander " style="border:none;" /></a></div>

Meet just a few of the children with Central Florida Pediatric Therapy Foundation! CFPT Foundation is a local non-profit organization that helps children with special needs. Amy Gomes, one of the founders of this organization, has a dream and her dream has inspired many, including myself. Her dream has now become the FAITH Project and as a result of her inspiration Wandering the World with Zander was created!

I am so excited to introduce to you my latest project, Wandering the World with Zander! Zander is a sock monkey who has heart full of love for children with special needs.

The FAITH Project was once a dream and is now becoming reality. FAITH stands for Families Achieving Independence through Him and this project will soon consist of a huge 100,000 square foot sports facility in Central Florida called the Dreamplex. Although Amy’s dream is rather large, there’s so much we are achieving and more we hope to achieve soon. The FAITH Project offers many things including a variety of Tae Kwon Do classes, Dance classes, Hippotherapy, a transitional home called the FAITH House, and the making of the Dreamplex.

Let me tell you what the FAITH Project has achieved so far. One of its many achievements has been the FAITH House, the FAITH House is a transitional home in Central Florida where three physically impaired adults can live together on a short term basis. By living in this home, they learn to share the financial burden and make adaptations to the house that will allow full access in all areas of the house resulting in complete independence. This home is used as an educational/learning base for occupational therapy services to expand functional independence with money management, activities of daily living, and yard care.

Another achievement the FAITH Project is proud to present is Hippotherapy. The term Cequine assisted therapy is the use of a horse, its movement and the equine environment by licensed therapists to achieve treatment goals. The specific practice of using the horse’s movement is called “Hippotherapy”, which is defined as “a physical, occupational or speech therapy treatment strategy that utilizes equine movement.” The therapists use the horses as their primary treatment strategy. The use of these horses offer unique benefits to patients who were often unresponsive to other therapies. The horse’s gentle rhythm improves not only ones balance but also their coordination and it increases strength and flexibility.

As for Dance and Tae Kwon Do classes, CFPT Foundation’s first Dance class is scheduled for May 5th and is open for children ages 2.5 through 4 and the first Tae Kwon Do class is soon to follow. The dance classes will be held at Clermont Academy of Dance and will be taught by an instructor from Clermont Academy of Dance with consultation from a physical therapist, these dance classes will take place every Thursday morning at 9:30 for six consecutive weeks. Tae Kwon Do classes will be held at World Class Tae Kwon Do in Clermont and will be taught by Master Mark who has experience working with special needs children.

Now let me tell you what the FAITH Project hopes to achieve. CFPT Foundation is working very diligently to build a 100,000 square foot building called the Dreamplex. The Central Florida Dreamplex began as a simple idea to open an ice rink to provide new entertainment and athletic options for people with disabilities in the city of Clermont. When the two dreams were united, the Dreamplex and the FAITH Project, the idea evolved to reach and serve a much wider community. What was once just an idea of an ice rink soon expanded to multiple functions and users. CFPT Foundation’s hope is for the Dreamplex to offer therapy and rehabilitation services for pediatrics, athletes, the disabled, and the elderly. Another dream they want to achieve is to have athletic programs available for disabled individuals.  They hope to gain partnerships with other local and national non-profit groups to unite the community and bring hope to thousands of individuals who at times can feel forgotten.

The Dreamplex will include two NHL-size hockey rinks with a snack bar, pro shop, party rooms, and spectator seating for approximately 500 people (each rink).  Public skating, ice hockey, figure skating lessons, broomball and much more will be offered.  The ice rinks will also be used during the day for therapeutic and rehabilitative purposes.  One rink will convert to indoor field turf during the summer months to allow for box lacrosse and indoor soccer.

The latest technology in aquatic therapy and rehabilitation will be provided through the availability of two therapeutic pools.  These pools will be used for pediatric, athletic, and geriatric therapies.  They will be equipped with underwater treadmills, resistive jets, and elevator-style entrances.  A spa will be included to offer massage therapy.  Indoor racquetball courts and a karate and dance room will also be available for public use.  Finally, a food court and arcade will overlook the ice rink, giving visitors a perfect view of the ice surface as they eat and play.

Although the general able-bodied public will be welcome to enjoy this facility, what will set it apart are its programs for the disabled population.  Sled hockey, wheelchair and amputee soccer, and Miracle League baseball are just some of the unique uses of the ice rinks and indoor field.

People, like the children above, with disabilities such as, Cerebral Palsy, Down Syndrome, Hydrocephalus, Spina Bifida, and Autism, just to name a few, will benefit from the Dreamplex. You can read more about the Dreamplex as well as the many other things the FAITH Project has to offer here.

Meet CFPT Foundation’s Board Members. These people are helping this dream come true.

CFPT Foundation was created as a non-profit corporation in November 2009 and was created to instill FAITH in the community of patients:  Families Achieving Independence Through Him.

Young adults with physical disabilities have the same life goals as the able-bodied.  They want to lead independent and purposeful lives.  They want to participate in community activities with their peers, be financially independent and stay physically fit.

CFPT Foundation wants to provide the disabled with a place to live, a place to work , and a place to maintain their health and enjoy recreation with their peers.

My goal for this project is to help CFPT Foundation raise money to make Amy’s dream come true. Amy and her hard work have truly inspired me, and because of the inspiration she has given me, I want to help make her dream come true by launching Wandering the World with Zander. Amy’s mother, Bonnie Estell, hand-stiched Zander for the project and is also excited to get the project started. I will be gathering a group of photographers and friends from all around the world who will volunteer their time and skill to photograph Zander, as he travels around the world from photographer to photographer and friend to friend. I will then compile these photos into a book that will be published via Blurb and the proceeds from the sale of these books will go directly to the FAITH Project and the making of the Dreamplex. Anyone can sign up at anytime, there is currently no cut off date for submissions.

Interested in participating?

Please fill out this form.

Thank you so much for taking time to read about this project! With the help of Zander, the sock monkey, and you, I can’t wait to see what a difference we can make for CFPT Foundation and the Dreamplex! If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to ask me at kayla@struttinmystuffphotography.com.