2008 Woodie Awards
A Project and Home for Nicole
Community Unites to Help Local Family
Kay Traester
Issue date: 4/15/05 Section: News
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As a 12-year-old living with her parents and two brothers in Madison County, Nicole Sawyer has severe brain damage and suffers from cerebral palsy, a seizure disorder, and acute respiratory problems. The combination of medical supplies and equipment necessary for her in-home care is rapidly exceeding the limits of her family's small two-bedroom residence.
The Sawyer family wants to be able to keep her at home. According to a brochure about the situation, the family has pitched in and done all it can with their own limited resources, but building an addition on their own is well beyond what they have available.
This is where Project: Nicole's Home comes in.
To help the Sawyers keep Nicole at home, a number of Colgate students from Habitat for Humanity and interns from the Center for Outreach Volunteerism and Education (COVE) are organizing a 5K Fun Run and Walk on Saturday, April 23 at 11:00 a.m. All proceeds will be used to create an adequate living environment for Nicole and allow her to continue living with her family.
Project: Nicole's Home's seeks to add the space necessary to house Nicole and all of her specialized equipment for her daily medical care and on-going physical therapy. This equipment includes a bed, feeding equipment, roll-in shower, special positioning equipment, track-lift and wheelchair, among other items. According to project leaders, promises have been secured for much of the labor and approximately one-third of the necessary funding.
"[This project] is unique because the Sawyers are such an amazing family," Community Team Coordinator of the COVE Betsy Busche said. "Asking for this sort of help is very humbling for the family. The father, Roger, told me at one point everything they are doing is for Nicole and that she is the most important person in their lives."