Ability Foundation Article, which appeared in the Valley Planet Magazine, October issue, 2003

All you have to do is look at pictures of Lynn Hays and his students and you’ll understand why he loves what he does. He is a special-education teacher with an even more special connection to his job.

Each picture shows a child with unimaginable circumstances, the odds of fate stacked against them. Many are physically and mentally disabled, wheelchair-bound, and others may die before high school graduation.

But nothing can stop the glowing smiles across their faces, the looks of innocence and enduring hope as they put our "normal" worlds of stress and headaches into perspective. Their lives are challenging...yet, nothing can stop their souls from beaming with sunshine.

When Lynn first came to me with his idea, it was always understood that I would help. However, I never thought this would become the inspiration of my life, the main reason I get up every morning...the ultimate reason I would leave my job as a TV writer/producer and help co-direct a non-profit organization.

Lynn said he wanted to raise money for his students and he saw an incredible need for funding within special-education programs. He watched his students come to school every day and not get into their own school buildings. They could go up the handicap ramps but then need someone else to help them open the doors.

He said it was frustrating in class every day trying to tell his students they were just like everybody else at school and could do anything they put their minds to. But he could read it in their faces - they felt like something was holding them back. All they wanted was to be able to open their own school door. If shopping malls and grocery stores could have these automatic doors, why couldn’t their own schools?

When Lynn brought up his plan for a fund-raiser, I knew without a doubt, "This is what I want to do. I want to help." So, together, we formed a non-profit organization called the Ability Foundation. The more we made phone calls and talked with city and school officials, the more we realized the need for funding and the wide, open support for such a program.

It started off with lots of meetings with Lynn and I brainstorming ideas, a game plan, and a budget. We were so brand-new to the world of non-profit that we knew we had to consider any ideas and suggestions.

We also knew we needed to raise money and build our charity. So we started writing countless letters each week to national and local corporations asking for funding. We also made dozens of phone calls asking for help and sponsorships.

Then we came up with two fund-raising events: our Ability Foundation Children’s Benefit Dinner and an event Lynn had intended for all along, Ability Fest.

We’re hosting the children’s benefit dinner at the Sci-Quest Museum on October 16^th. The dinner will let us explain what our Ability Foundation is all about and the reasons behind our fund-raising goals. A sit-down dinner catered by the Chef’s Table restaurant, Frank Sinatra singing by Dave McConnell, and a silent auction of donated and autographed items will be just some of the evening’s highlights.

And the best part? Guests will sit and mingle between the Sci-Quest exhibits and games, keeping with the theme children are at the forefront of this charity, allowing each person to remember the child in all of us.

The Ability Foundation is also hosting a "Battle of the Bands" among high school marching bands. Each school will perform right on the pitcher’s mound in front of their family, friends, and a celebrity panel of judges. This will be the first of its kind for our area and we’re hoping to keep this friendly rivalry year after year.

And our biggest fund-raiser yet: Ability Fest, June 2004. Ability Fest is a 2-day music festival at Joe Davis Stadium, courtesy of the Huntsville Stars baseball team. A complete line-up of national bands will swarm in on North Alabama and jam right on center stage. You’ll hear some of the best music around, plus visit the kids’ play area and walk through our Health Expo of exhibits. Ability Fest is a benefit concert bringing our community together and providing hope for thousands of disabled children, families, and school communities in our area.

Lynn and I know we have a lot of work to do, but we’ve never felt more energized. The kids are what inspire us, our wanting to do something is what drives us, and knowing that anything is possible is what will keep us going.                                                

Ability Foundation Article, which appeared in the Natural Awakenings Magazine, October issue, 2003

ABILITY FOUNDATION

By Georgina Chapman

I’d heard Lynn talk about his students numerous times and even attended one of his end-of-the-year school ceremonies. To his students, he is Coach Hays. To Lynn, they are the most determined, spirited children he’s ever known.

Lynn teaches special-education and coaches city-wide sports for Special Olympics. As a writer-producer at a TV station, I had tried setting up a story on his students and their Deli Days program. This was an ingenious way for teaching his students how to count money, take food orders, and even run the cash register and itemize supplies. The way Lynn described it: any of his kids could learn, you just had to take the time and show them.

But then his Deli Days program was cut and it was too late to run a news story on them. Even Special Olympics ran into a couple of hurdles. Lynn said he began noticing a lack of funding for his special-education classes and the frustrating impact it was having on teachers and students. He spoke to me often about his concerns and his ideas for raising money. He wanted to put together a music festival called Ability Fest, a name which he said came to him after thinking about his students and the special abilities they had in all of them.

After weeks of talking about it and tossing around the idea, Lynn and I decided it was time to do something and really make some changes. So out of the idea for Ability Fest came the name for our non-profit organization called the Ability Foundation. We met with lawyers, filed with the IRS for our 501(c)(3) classification, and had our name and logos trademarked.

We set up a strategy, meeting several times a week with dozens of emails and phone calls going back and forth in-between. We contacted members of the school board and presented our ideas. We also began the long task of writing letters for corporate funding and meeting with local businesses about our plans.

All money raised by the Ability Foundation will go toward children with physical and mental disabilities, their school special-education programs, and providing bus transportation and uniforms for Special Olympics.

Our ultimate, long-term goal: installing automatic handicapped accessible doors in all elementary, middle, and high schools. Handicap ramps are federally mandated but no regulations require schools to have automatic doors. Thousands of disabled children in our area face incredible difficulties each and every day trying to get into their own schools. Lynn said it was tough convincing his students they were just like everybody else...they just couldn’t open their own school door.

With more than 40 schools in the Huntsville city school system alone, we know we have a lot of work to do. But we’re ready to make the Ability Foundation a strong reality and we’re very energized.

Our first fund-raiser is the Ability Foundation Children’s Benefit Dinner held on October 16^th at the Sci-Quest Museum. The Chef’s Table is catering the dinner and we’ll also have a silent auction and "An Evening with Frank Sinatra", with singing by Dave McConnell. Dinner tickets are $50 a person with all proceeds benefitting our cause.

We’re also putting together many events in the upcoming months, including a Christmas Gala, Charity Softball and Golf Tournament, and "Battle of the Bands" contest among high school marching bands.

Our biggest fund-raiser yet - and Lynn’s plan from the very beginning: Ability Fest, June 2004. This is a 2-day music festival held at the Joe Davis Stadium, courtesy of the Huntsville Stars Baseball Team. We’re inviting musical acts from across the country to perform right on center stage, along with a Health Expo of exhibits and kids’ play area. This will be the perfect way to mix music and fun with our charity and fund-raising goals.

I am no longer working as a television writer-producer and am now dedicating my life to the Ability Foundation. Lynn and I have never felt more sure about anything before in our lives. Instead of talking about the problem, we’re actually doing something to help fix the problem. We’re hoping to bring changes and an inspired hope to thousands of disabled children, families, and school communities who continue to inspire our lives.

Ability Foundation Article, which appeared in the

Valley Planet, December issue, 2003

"THIS IS NO ORDINARY CHRISTMAS PARTY!"

ABILITY FOUNDATION CHRISTMAS BENEFIT PARTY

By Georgina Chapman

     Thank you to everyone who attended the Ability Foundation Children’s Benefit Dinner at in October at the Sci-Quest Museum. And thank you to all those who wrote or contributed toward our charity. The evening was a fantastic success and we owe it to all of you in the community who care about the future of our kids.

     The Ability Foundation is getting ready for its next fund-raising event on Saturday, December 13^th. This another great way for us to promote our non-profit organization and draw in more of your support. Lynn Hays and I, the co-directors of the Ability Foundation, would like to invite all of you to the first ever Christmas Benefit Party at the Crossroads.

     This is no ordinary Christmas party. See for yourself how the Crossroads is turning into a White Christmas Paradise, complete with awesome music and a chance for getting on Santa’s "Good Little Boys and Girls List" by giving toward our charity.

      Halfbrass- a strong mix of saxophone and funk jazz- is headlining the night. MCeing the event and performing his hilarious, stand-up routine is comedian Sean Patton from the New Orleans House of Blues.

     The Huntsville local music scene is also joining hands with the Ability Foundation. Toy Shop and Dog and Pony Show will kick off the night along with their faithful entourage of devoted fans.

Also, don’t miss your chance at the Donation Tree - a way for you to simply help out and give toward our charity. A $1 donation will get your name on an Ability Foundation Ornament.

Tickets are $5 at the door. Call the Crossroads at 533-3393 for advanced tickets. For more information, email the Ability Foundation at georgina@abilityfoundation.com or lynn@abilityfoundation.com

Also, check out our web site at www.abilityfoundation.com You can get all of our updated information, plus see pictures of some of our kids.

We’ll see you at the Christmas Benefit Party!