The true stars of Vegas organize the apraxia walk
This weekend I was the guest speaker at the Nevada Walk for Apraxia and stayed with the walk coordinator Alyssa Hampson and her family.
I flew in the day before the walk, and her house looked very typical of any other walk coordinator.
It was bursting with items such as goody bags for the kids, prizes for the silent auction, food and beverages for breakfast, signage, T-shirts, and so much more.
If you are a walk coordinator, or help coordinate a walk for any charity event, then you are probably very familiar with this typical décor that hijacks your living room the day before walk day.
I am the mother to a child with apraxia.
Being a walk coordinator is not just professional, it’s personal.
I’m literally fighting to raise funds to go back directly to apraxia research , education, and programs so that each child who has apraxia in subsequent years has access to appropriate professional services. It seems expected, or at least natural as to why I would have such as invested interest. I’m fighting for my child and those like her.
That’s why watching someone like Alyssa and her family was more than inspiring.
Alyssa is the walk coordinator for Nevada, but she is also a wife of almost 30 years, a mother to two beautiful, young adult children (who don’t have CAS), and an SLP with a passion for Childhood Apraxia of Speech. At her house for the past 3 years, the Walk for Apraxia has been a family affair.
Her daughter came down from college with her friends to help Alyssa run the walk. I was there because Alyssa had asked me to attend as the guest speaker.
Lauren on the left with college friends to help out on walk day.
The night before the walk, her husband helped pick up the bagels and balloons as her daughter printed out forms and signage that were to be used at the walk. As I perused the silent auction items and game station activities, I discovered that Alyssa and her family had paid for much of these themselves. As a fellow walk coordinator, I was struck by their generosity and willingness to spend so much of their own money to ensure the walk was a success.
The day of the event was a full family affair, with another apraxia mom, Ashley Winter joining the 
crew with her husband. Everyone worked diligently setting up an event that had been in the works for months. Alyssa’s husband Dennis set up the silent auction, while his sister and their daughter’s friends helped decorate the park and set up for registration.
Characters that had been secured such as a clown, the princess Elsa, McGruff the crime dog, and Deputy Dripp for the Clark County Police Department all showed up on time to provide photo ops and entertainment for the kids.
I talked to many families and some SLP’s who specialized in apraxia and did my best to connect members from the community with each other.
That is what these walks are about. Community.
The walk is the chance for families to connect with their people. The walk is the place a family can go and not feel judged and just let their kids be themselves free from criticism. There was one child who had to sit on the side watching the event for around 20 minutes before he felt comfortable to join in, and no one batted an eye. There was another child who had a sensory meltdown during picture time and a parent looked at me and said,
“ I want to just give her a universal sign that says, I’ve been there and I feel you. You’re doing a great job.”
Before the walk started, the coordinator Alyssa went live in her event facebook group and talked about the day to come. Another apraxia mom in California commented that she was moved to tears that Alyssa was an SLP, not a mother, but who still was coordinating the walk. Alyssa didn’t know why until I explained.
Alyssa with one of her clients
As a mother to a child with apraxia, my motive for coordinating the walk is clear. I walk for my daughter. For Alyssa, she has developed a special bond with kids like mine, so much so that it compelled her to donate and volunteer her time for kids like MINE. For kids like YOURS! It’s touching that a therapist cares so much for kids with apraxia that she is willing to give up her personal time, energy, and money to coordinating a charity even like that for the Nevada Walk for Apraxia. It’s amazing that she in turn inspired her entire family to do the same!
Usually my favorite part of the walk is the medal ceremony, where the kids are honored with medals for all the hard work they put in every day to learn how to do the one thing many of us take for granted: learn how to speak.
That was still a great part, but at the Nevada Walk for Apraxia this year, I had a different favorite part.
I witnessed a family brought together by the shared mission to help kids like mine.
They had no personal investment accept that the matriarch of the family was passionate about these kids and in turn, had made them passionate too.
I marveled at her sister in law who made the beautiful crafts and decorations like the photo booth picture frames. I looked on in amazement as her daughter, clipboard in hand, managed the day of event details with professionalism and meticulousness. I looked on in admiration, and also amusement as her husband manned the silent auction and was so invested he took every donation personal.
“No one is bidding Alyssa,” he exclaimed in his New York Accent. “Whatevah, it doesn’t mattah,” he continued. “If no one buys it then we will just buy it and that’s it. We’ll buy it all and forgettah about it,” he said before storming off.
As much as I was amused by his accent, I was more inspired by his passion.
What did this man care that no one was bidding? He didn’t have a child with apraxia. He only had client stories from his wife, but he had also become so personally invested and fell such in love with kids like mine that the success of the silent auction to benefit apraxia was now personal to him.
Alyssa and Dennis
Where did people like him come from? I was amazed and touched. My daughter and others like her benefitted from a New York Jew (his words not mine) living in Las Vegas who cared about kids like mine.
How can one NOT be touched by that? How can anyone who loves a child with apraxia not be touched by the dedication of this family? What is more, is how are families who DO have a personal interest in apraxia NOT this dedicated to the cause?
It’s inspiring and the walks for apraxia around the country all have a personal and unique story like theirs.
As I was leaving today, Alyssa pointed out that it was Rosh Hashanah. Other than knowing it was a Jewish Holiday, I asked her the meaning of it. She sent me information that read,
“Rosh Hashanah marks the beginning of the Jewish New Year. We review the choices we have made over the past year, our actions and our intentions, as we attempt to honestly evaluate ourselves.”
I couldn’t help but think of how symbolic it was to have Rosh Hashanah fall on this day I met a Jewish family coordinating the Walk for Apraxia.
My friendship with Alyssa and her family grew this weekend marking the beginning of what I knew was great things to come in the future. In addition, as a time of reflection and introspection, I hope that when her family evaluates themselves this holiday, they are proud for all that they do in their small part of the world raising funds and awareness for children with apraxia.
I was blessed this weekend to get to know Alyssa and her family more intimately than I ever had. In the spirit of Rosh Hashanah, I spent time on the plane reflecting on my last year and my choices, intentions, and actions. Am I living my life with authenticity? Am I true in my intentions and my actions? This is a great task for any of us to participate in, regardless of if we are Jewish or not.
Ghandi once said, “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in service to others.”
This family is living proof. Will you be next?
Shalom and L’Shana Tovah!