T.K. Martin Center hosts 12th annual Trick or Trot fun run
Over $27,000 was raised for T.K. Martin Center's Project IMPACT, providing tuition free preschool and therapies to children with disabilities.
STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – Kasee Stratton-Gadke, Mississippi Institute on Disabilities executive director, described how fortunate she feels for the T.K Martin Center.
“We’re really fortunate to have the T.K. Martin Center,” Stratton-Gadke said. “Folks ask me, where else does a place like this exist? And I say, I can’t find it.”
Mississippi State University’s T.K. Martin Center for Technology and Disability is a safe space where children with special needs can learn and grow with pre-school classes, and specialized therapies provided by the center’s Project IMPACT program.
Project IMPACT parent, Anna Griffin, said the program is life-changing.
“Oh, it means everything,” Griffin said. “We moved here to Starkville so that our little boy could go to school here. He goes to the preschool every day. He goes, gets ABA, OT, speech. And it’s just everything it’s changed our lives. And it’s really helped him progress.”
Another Project IMPACT parent, Alta Knizley, said the program has been a blessing.
“We just started back in the summer, and it’s been a real blessing,” Knizley said. “And we’ve seen a lot of growth since, she’s joined in there.”
Griffin describes some of the progress her son has made since joining the program.
“Without it, we wouldn’t be able to do the things that we do,” Griffin said. “Our little boy’s learning to talk. He’s learning to play and socialize and it’s just a miracle. Like, we’ve seen so much progress since he’s been here.”
While some funding for Project IMPACT is provided by the state, the more specialized therapies like speech, occupational (OT), physical (PT), and applied behavior analysis therapy (ABA), rely on donations.
Thats why the overwhelming support for the 12th annual Trick or Trot fun run meant so much to Stratton-Gadke.
“They get to have a fun trick or treat experience we get to have our community involved to show their love to everybody,” Stratton-Gadke said. “And what more fun way to raise money than just have a whole bunch of fun.”
Griffin described how the event made her feel.
“It makes me so excited because people need to know that children do have special needs,” Griffin said. “They need to be aware that there are different children and they need to be included too. So the fact that everyone’s out here and so excited is just just amazing.”
Knizley said how she felt about the event.
“It’s great, I love seeing all the all the people out here,” Knizley said. “And I can see a lot of parents that I could meet. And, you know, connect with as well. A lot of friendly faces, a lot of, students. That makes me really happy to see all the student involvement here as well as student volunteers.”
Stratton-Gadke shared how she felt about the community support.
“We are just so thrilled by our community support, the sponsorships that we’ve had here, because those resources really come back to us tenfold to help support our students,” Stratton-Gadke said. “You know, so hearing that first word for the first time, watch them walk for the first time all of the resources that we need, we’re able to have to help support them.”
Knizley shared her advice for new caretakers of a children with disabilities.
“Be patient,” Knizley said. “Take it one day at a time and, find the biggest support network that you can find.”
Griffin also gave some advice.
“Just take it one day at a time,” Griffin said. “And you’ll be surprised at how much progress your child will make. And it’ll make you happy. And it’ll be an experience like no other.”
The United Nations reports that children with disabilities face a 24% lower likelihood of receiving early stimulation and responsive care.
