Very nice
The Blind Kids
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Pro
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 543
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The Blind Kids
This weekend was " Prom Weekend " for the kids at the Vinton School For the Blind. Several of us who are members of the Cedar Rapids Corvette Club met about 8:00 AM Saturday morning and drove the 30 miles to Vinton To have breakfast with these kids at the school. These are not just blind kids. These are handicapped phisically, mentally disabled blind kids. They look forward to our coming each year for Prom Weekend.
We had breakfast with the kids, and nurses, and staff. And it was a good breakfast. And the food was good,too. When done eating, the members and nurses and staff helped all the kids find their way to our cars. All the kids got strapped in and away we went. We cruised the rural Iowa countryside for more more than an hour.
As it happened, there were more cars than kids, this year. It wasn't that there were so many cars. There were fewer kids. I had the pleasure of taking one of the nurses with me on the cruise. Nurse Carol has worked at The Vinton School For The Blind for nearly 30 years. Caral has never gone on our Cruise before. Not enough cars. Too many kids. This year is different. Carol gets to go on her first Cruise. Her first ride in a Corvette. The ride through the countryside was good. The time went quickly.
Our wives had stayed behind to help the remaining staff prepare the lunch to come. When we returned to the school, we all went back to the lunchroom. One of our club members had silkscreened a special tee shirt for each student about the Vinton School Prom Weekend and also an 18" trophy about the same. Lots of pictures taken.
After the presentations, lunch was served. I introduced Nurse Carol to my wife and the others at our table. In the course of conversation to follow, it became harshly clear why fewer students. Nurse Carol explained that there was less funding this year and so fewer students.
And next year? Well, there may be no Corvette Cruise, no Prom Weekend, .......no school.
Roger T
We had breakfast with the kids, and nurses, and staff. And it was a good breakfast. And the food was good,too. When done eating, the members and nurses and staff helped all the kids find their way to our cars. All the kids got strapped in and away we went. We cruised the rural Iowa countryside for more more than an hour.
As it happened, there were more cars than kids, this year. It wasn't that there were so many cars. There were fewer kids. I had the pleasure of taking one of the nurses with me on the cruise. Nurse Carol has worked at The Vinton School For The Blind for nearly 30 years. Caral has never gone on our Cruise before. Not enough cars. Too many kids. This year is different. Carol gets to go on her first Cruise. Her first ride in a Corvette. The ride through the countryside was good. The time went quickly.
Our wives had stayed behind to help the remaining staff prepare the lunch to come. When we returned to the school, we all went back to the lunchroom. One of our club members had silkscreened a special tee shirt for each student about the Vinton School Prom Weekend and also an 18" trophy about the same. Lots of pictures taken.
After the presentations, lunch was served. I introduced Nurse Carol to my wife and the others at our table. In the course of conversation to follow, it became harshly clear why fewer students. Nurse Carol explained that there was less funding this year and so fewer students.
And next year? Well, there may be no Corvette Cruise, no Prom Weekend, .......no school.
Roger T
Drifting
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 1,411
Likes: 111
From: Chandler AZ
this weekend was " prom weekend " for the kids at the vinton school for the blind. Several of us who are members of the cedar rapids corvette club met about 8:00 am saturday morning and drove the 30 miles to vinton to have breakfast with these kids at the school. These are not just blind kids. These are handicapped phisically, mentally disabled blind kids. They look forward to our coming each year for prom weekend.
We had breakfast with the kids, and nurses, and staff. And it was a good breakfast. And the food was good,too. When done eating, the members and nurses and staff helped all the kids find their way to our cars. All the kids got strapped in and away we went. We cruised the rural iowa countryside for more more than an hour.
As it happened, there were more cars than kids, this year. It wasn't that there were so many cars. There were fewer kids. I had the pleasure of taking one of the nurses with me on the cruise. Nurse carol has worked at the vinton school for the blind for nearly 30 years. Caral has never gone on our cruise before. Not enough cars. Too many kids. This year is different. Carol gets to go on her first cruise. Her first ride in a corvette. The ride through the countryside was good. The time went quickly.
Our wives had stayed behind to help the remaining staff prepare the lunch to come. When we returned to the school, we all went back to the lunchroom. One of our club members had silkscreened a special tee shirt for each student about the vinton school prom weekend and also an 18" trophy about the same. Lots of pictures taken.
After the presentations, lunch was served. I introduced nurse carol to my wife and the others at our table. In the course of conversation to follow, it became harshly clear why fewer students. Nurse carol explained that there was less funding this year and so fewer students.
And next year? Well, there may be no corvette cruise, no prom weekend, .......no school.
Roger t
We had breakfast with the kids, and nurses, and staff. And it was a good breakfast. And the food was good,too. When done eating, the members and nurses and staff helped all the kids find their way to our cars. All the kids got strapped in and away we went. We cruised the rural iowa countryside for more more than an hour.
As it happened, there were more cars than kids, this year. It wasn't that there were so many cars. There were fewer kids. I had the pleasure of taking one of the nurses with me on the cruise. Nurse carol has worked at the vinton school for the blind for nearly 30 years. Caral has never gone on our cruise before. Not enough cars. Too many kids. This year is different. Carol gets to go on her first cruise. Her first ride in a corvette. The ride through the countryside was good. The time went quickly.
Our wives had stayed behind to help the remaining staff prepare the lunch to come. When we returned to the school, we all went back to the lunchroom. One of our club members had silkscreened a special tee shirt for each student about the vinton school prom weekend and also an 18" trophy about the same. Lots of pictures taken.
After the presentations, lunch was served. I introduced nurse carol to my wife and the others at our table. In the course of conversation to follow, it became harshly clear why fewer students. Nurse carol explained that there was less funding this year and so fewer students.
And next year? Well, there may be no corvette cruise, no prom weekend, .......no school.
Roger t
You are right about next year.......you never know.
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Joined: Aug 2003
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Very good thing that you all did there. 
Tough times for everyone. Hopefully they will find funding.
Tough times for everyone. Hopefully they will find funding.
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Joined: May 2007
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I hope things get better for everyone. Kids with special needs and their families depend on agencies like this one for their survival. Most families just aren't able to provide the care that's needed.
Post pics of the cruise if you've got them. 
Post pics of the cruise if you've got them.
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Nice job (and story)! You made all of us Corvette guys look good!
I love doing that kind of stuff. Our local club visited a county sherriff's youth camp and let some trouble boys check out our Vettes. It's amazing how the car can make almost anyone smile!
I love doing that kind of stuff. Our local club visited a county sherriff's youth camp and let some trouble boys check out our Vettes. It's amazing how the car can make almost anyone smile!
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Very of your car club to do that for the kids. Hopefully, there will be the same opportunity for the kids next year.
of your car club to do that for the kids. Hopefully, there will be the same opportunity for the kids next year.
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Joined: Oct 2008
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From: DC
St. Jude Donor '09-'10
Nice job in supporting them..
NCLB is screwing schools out left and right. They require all schools to take the same tests. That means schools that teach mentally disabled kids are required to take the same tests as school that teach normal kids. It's a f'd up system.. there's another school in Arizona that's only for autistic kids. Best school in the nation for them, but because of NCLB they're about to lose tons of funding. Hopefully that gets overhauled sometime soon..
NCLB is screwing schools out left and right. They require all schools to take the same tests. That means schools that teach mentally disabled kids are required to take the same tests as school that teach normal kids. It's a f'd up system.. there's another school in Arizona that's only for autistic kids. Best school in the nation for them, but because of NCLB they're about to lose tons of funding. Hopefully that gets overhauled sometime soon..
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Jan 2007
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Long-time tradition
There is a huge boulder in the front lawn of the school with a brass plaque saying the school was established back in the late 1800's.
The Vinton Shcool For The Blind has a fine, long tradition, here in Iowa.
Times change. We would like to think they change for the better.
With all the new programs, and all the new funding, and all the new stimulus, and all...... there should be something for those few forgotten.
And I will step down from my soap box, now.
Thank you for listening......and maybe a prayor.
Roger T
The Vinton Shcool For The Blind has a fine, long tradition, here in Iowa.
Times change. We would like to think they change for the better.
With all the new programs, and all the new funding, and all the new stimulus, and all...... there should be something for those few forgotten.
And I will step down from my soap box, now.
Thank you for listening......and maybe a prayor.
Roger T
