2025 Annual Appeal: More than $73,000 raised!
What an incredible response to the Annual Appeal!
Thanks to your generosity, more than $73,000 was raised to support life-enriching programs for participants!
Your gifts—combined with an amazing $12,500 match from The Scott and Trish Karll Charitable Fund—will make an immediate impact in the lives of participants this winter and throughout the year ahead.
Because of YOU, participants will have access to:
- Camps filled with fun, learning, and friendship
- Equipment and fees that make athletics accessible to all
- One-on-one support so everyone can fully participate
- Scholarships that open doors for families in need
- Sensory materials and adaptive tools that make inclusion possible
- And so much more!
Every dollar you gave helps create a place where everyone belongs—and that’s something truly worth celebrating.
You are changing lives!
Thank you!
Funds raised through the 2025 Annual Appeal are a vital part of our FY25-26 budget.
FY24-25 Gratitude Report
The heart of FY24-25 was about making dreams and goals feel within reach — and often turning them into reality.
At WDSRA, special recreation is more than just programs and events — it’s the power to unlock potential, create connections, and transform lives. For some, that magic is found in learning a new skill, competing in a sport, or discovering hidden talents. For others, it’s in the friendships formed, the laughter shared, and the sense of belonging that grows within a supportive, inclusive community.
We could not have done it without YOU! Read how your support made an impact in FY24-25.
2025 Annual Appeal Goes thru 12/31/25!
A message from Dan Leahy, WDSRA Executive Director
There we were, holding our newborn son, in a quiet conference room at the University of Chicago. Around us were 15 doctors, social workers, and therapists, their eyes fixed on us. The doctor spoke gently, but the words carried a seemingly impossible weight: “Your son, has Down syndrome.”
In that moment, time stood still. Fear. Questions. Uncertainty.
All the hopes and dreams we imagined vanished in an instant, replaced by a wave of grief for the future we thought we knew. With two boys just 13 months apart, life was already full but now it was filled with countless unknowns. We found ourselves explaining Tyler’s diagnosis to loved ones while learning to navigate a world we had never anticipated. That first year felt like living on autopilot—no time to nest or simply enjoy those early days—only a constant stream of decisions about therapies, medications, schooling, and safety.
Those early years showed us just how challenging life could be for a child with a disability.
Living with a disability means navigating a world that isn’t always designed for you, and for Tyler, that meant missed opportunities, unanswered invitations, and doors that seemed to close before he even had a chance to step through. When Tyler was a baby, very few places welcomed a child with Down syndrome. As two parents working full time, this meant that while we could easily sign our older son, Camden, up for programs, we often had to fight—reluctantly, but persistently—for Tyler to be included. Every step forward was hard-won.
When we found WDSRA it wasn’t just a resource. It was a lifeline.
It wasn’t just about summer camps or programs, it was about belonging. It was about seeing Tyler not just accepted, but truly celebrated. Free to be his full, brilliant self.
Your gift makes a difference. The dreams we thought we lost that day have been replaced with something far greater than we ever imagined.
If you had told me then—in that very room—that one day Tyler would step onto a stage as a state-level athlete, I would have never believed it. Yet here we are, 26 years later. Tyler is a proud Special Olympics multi-sport athlete, holds a part-time job, and attends WDSRA’s Rec & Roll adult day program two days a week. He’s out on the dance floor at social events, spending time with friends, and surrounded by a community that makes him feel seen, valued, and included. The fears that once filled that conference room have been replaced with pride, joy, and gratitude for the life he is living today.
Your support matters. I’m writing to you as a dad—Tyler’s dad—asking for your help. Stand with kids like mine, families searching for hope, and the belief that every child deserves joy, growth, and belonging.
Will YOU make a gift today?
Corporate Giving Programs
Does your company have one? Employee matching gift programs are part of corporate giving programs in which the company matches donations made by employees to eligible nonprofit organizations.
These are just some of the companies we know offer a matching program: Comcast, Exelon, Constellation, Bank of America, J.P. Morgan, Thrivent Financial, Catalent Pharma Solutions, CVS Caremark, Pfizer, CIT Bank NA, PIMCO, Crowe, Abbvee, Costco.
For questions regarding your company’s programs, please contact your employer’s HR or community giving department. If we can assist in anyway, please contact Ann at annk@wdsra.com or 630-681-0962.
(WDSRA EIN #36-3932924). WDSRA Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and all contributions are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.
Contact Us
For more information on the WDSRA Foundation, contact WDSRA Superintendent of Communications & Development, Lea Jackman at 630-681-0962 ext. 580 or leaj@wdsra.com.