WELCOME Friends! Neighbors!
Join our “10/10” team of people that support
Break Through's mission
Help encourage, educate and support
persons with disabilities to fulfill their dreams
Dear Friends,
It has been two years since Dee and I moved to Rapid City,
SD. We took on a one year contract with Black Hills Works which
ended January 30th 2014. The contract ended but we
decided to continue our residency here in Rapid City.
I was at Crazy Horse Monument in Custer, SD in the Black Hills and a
young man came up to me and said thank you for speaking in his class
as he was one of the 7000 students I spoke to in South Dakota in
2012.
We are very honored to have received another grant from the South Dakota
Developmental Disability Council which started in August of 2014 and
ending December 2015. With
this grant we have brought presentations on disabilities and
bullying to Native American and rural
communities and schools.
Dee and I were also at a “Monster Truck Show” in Rapid City last
winter and a
young 5th grader came up to us and thanked us for
speaking at his school in Wyoming. I have many more stories where
people have stopped me to thank me for my presentations. It is
probably not the words I say but the fact that I have a disability
that made an impact on their life and attitudes. Today these youths
will remember my talk for a long time and that is the importance of
these talks and the message that I give to these youths, parents and
educators
Dee and I have been involved with the disability issues within our
church community and also statewide as we were part of
an “emerging summit” and also an “Access Sunday” on disabilities in
Boulder, Colorado and their "Widening the Welcome" conference in
Hartford, CT this September.
We need your help to continue with our mission of education and
advocacy. As you may know the South Dakota grant needs us to raise
30% of the costs for this South Dakota free program to schools and
communities on the subject of disabilities and bullying. Would you
consider giving a gift towards this project? We also need continued
support so we can travel to other states and speak at schools and
thereby reach the our youths in schools. We hope to speak in
Nebraska, Arizona, New Mexico and Montana in 2016-2017.
You can go to my website at www.bendanderson.com and
donate through the Guide Star link (for non-profit donations) or
send your gift to:
Break Through Inc.
217 Stumer Road, #4
Rapid City, SD 57701
We were in Grand Forks, ND in October for a five state TRIO Conference. TRIO is a federal program based in higher
education colleges and universities that focuses on high school
students that are first generation to enter college, low income and
disabilities. In April I was one of the presenters for
the Wyoming TRIO conference where they asked me to come to that 5
state conference.
In 2014 we did “staff training” at three summer camps (Lake Wapogasset in Wisconsin, Lutheran Outdoors in Illinois and Outlaw
Ranch in South Dakota.) We also spoke at another camp in Huron, South
Dakota sponsored in part by Independent Living of Huron. This June
2015 I am speaking at two camps. ( Outlaw Ranch in Custer, SD and
Green Lake in Spicer, MN) and also speaking at the Cheyenne River
Youth Project in Eagle Butte, SD . I am doing in-service
training at the Oglala Lakota College in Kyle, SD. We also
were involved with speaking to 900 students ( K-12) at Standing Rock
Reservation schools in Fort Yates, North Dakota.
We are glad to have the opportunities that we have and look forward
to your continued support on these very important projects.
Our two daughters just got home from summer camp at
Lutherhaven in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. Our oldest (who is 12)
had learned a new word during her week away at camp -
"disability."
It's not that she was unfamiliar with the term, of course,
but more that she'd never given it much thought. We have a
close friend confined to a wheelchair, but as is the nature
of children, our daughter always just sort of "accepted" the
fact that our friend can't walk, and never looked further.
But then she heard you speak at camp, and was deeply
impressed by whatever it was you said. She's been talking
about you ever since. Your topic was reinforced by the fact
that her camp counselor uses a walker despite her young
age. Our daughter came home with a much more mature
understanding of human nature and the ability to see
limitations as gifts and opportunities, as you've done with
your ministry.
I don't know what specifically you talked about at
Lutherhaven, but I thank you very much for speaking. You
certainly made a lasting impression on our pre-teen! "
"Our
mission is one of rehabilitation education and advocacy for
and about people with disabilities to encourage and
enlighten the public about people with disabilities in that
they are people first and have rights and needs and that
they also have gifts and talents to bring to the
community."
Your help can make a real
difference
for families of children with disability.
If you wish to support Break
Through
please mail your tax deductible check to :
Break
Through Inc.,
217 Stumer Rd., #4
Rapid City, SD 57701
or donate below by clicking on the
GuideStar logo
and pay with a credit card
Break Through Inc. is a 501 (3) (c) non-profit
Above are a few photos of the recent
conferences where Break Through has provided workshops and "learning
experiences" for educators and parents
Ben is the main speaker for Break
Through.
Break
Through Inc. celebrated it's 35th Anniversary
in 2013
**********
other reviews:
Reviews
from Sheridan (Wyoming) High School students (and teachers) held on
March 18th 2014-
Presenter
Ben D. Anderson- Break Through Inc.
Below are
some answers to "What did you like best about the program" "What will
you tell others about Ben D. Anderson's presentation?" and "anything
else you would like to share."
*****
"Mr. Anderson
was very motivational. I think he inspired kids to think about the
effects of bullying. I also think he helped kids realize their potential
despite their disabilities. Mr. Anderson was amazing. He is very
inspirational and motivating. He really makes you think about how you
treat others. I enjoyed the presentation a great deal Thank you for your
time and commitment to our youth." (Teacher)content/delivery ( 4
outstanding)
***
"What I
liked about this program the most was Ben's confidence he believed in
everything he said and I am so glad my class went down to watch. I love
how he has always over come any obstacle that is in his way. As soon as
the presentation was over I was talking to everyone about what Ben had
taught me. Although he was not talking directly to me but I felt as if
we were the only ones in the room. This presentation has taught me so
much about keeping on and overcoming your fears and I told my friends
all about Ben and how he looks at life compared to how I look at life.
Ben you are very amazing and you have experienced so much that most
people with cerebral palsy would never experience. I am impressed with
your attitude toward life and I wish I had the same attitude. And
because of your presentation I am going to hold myself to the highest
standards. Thank you so much for coming to our school and I hope you can
come back and talk to the schools as a whole. Thank you again.
--(student)--content 4-outstanding
**************
Attendee at the March 17th 2014 Sheridan College
presentationwrote:
"He(Ben)needs
to be speaking in our Wyoming schools @ the junior and
senior high schools, parent groups, parent /teacher groups"
September 30, 2010 Ben was a guest lecturer
in my graduate level
SPED professional and
family partnership
class. His life story
completely mesmerized my
students. Many of my
students later told me
that Ben's story more
than moved them - it
changed them. Ben taught
my graduate students
something that classes
filled with
textbooks could not -
how to walk in the shoes
of a thriving individual
who has spent a live
time with a disability.
*************
"September 29, 2010 I met Ben at a National Paraeducator Conference in Salt Lake City, UT. He is just an amazing guy and with all of his struggles through his life he has created this great non profit and tool for others to learn. But not only for other adults to learn but a tool to teach with. I might work with students who might not get what Ben is doing but we have helpers in the classroom that do. I love using his story to help them understand you don't pity those in my classroom and you never under estimate them either. I think every teacher should read his book and hear him speak. Being part of the Special Needs area I strongly feel it should be a requirement.
10/10 TEAM PAGE!
