10 Things About Miriam Burke &
Options For All
You get out of life what you put into it.
Options For All exists to create hope and inspire dreams for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Options For All helps their participants achieve success by becoming contributing members of their communities who can experience the pride of personal and professional accomplishment. Regional Director, Miriam Burke is helping to pioneer new strategies for remote services and support to ensure that Options For All participants are engaged and thriving in their communities during these uncertain times.
10 Things About Miriam Burke & Options For All
#1 I grew up in the Inland Empire in the city of Chino.
#2 I think everyone should have the ability to make people feel important.
#3 I visited Poland to experience a culture that had not long ago been freed from a communist regime. I got to meet and interview Lech Walesa (the former Nobel Peace Prize winner and President of Poland) who single-handedly started the freedom movement in Gdansk.
#4 About 10 years ago, I visited Cork, Ireland, for roughly 8 hours. Although, I spent only a few hours there, I had the time of my life. I met the kindest, most down-to-earth, friendly people ever. I want to experience those kinds of moments again.
#5 Despite coming from a very conservative culture where women should only aspire to be housewives, my dad constantly encouraged me to think outside the box. He told me to always put my heart and soul into whatever I was doing or wanted to do, and I would not be disappointed.
#6 I had a promising athletic running career cut short by a car accident.
#7 When I am having a challenging day, I unequivocally remind myself how blessed I am and that this too shall pass.
#8 Windows of opportunity open and close quickly – when the window opens, jump in all the way or you will miss it.
#9 Rafa had not been out of his room in years. He was extremely shy and did not like to be around people. Initially, he would not leave his house when we would pick him up. Eventually, he did come with us, but he would lock himself in the nearest bathroom. We never gave up. We picked him up every day and tried little by little to get him to talk. We learned he loved animals, so we made arrangements to bring him to the farm. He became fully alive and happy around the animals. Before you knew it, he was talking to everyone and came to the program daily, ready to work.
#10 The money raised from the Bow Ties & Sandals “virtual” gala will provide individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, access to customized virtual programing during this time and beyond.
Options For All
Bow Ties & Sandals Gala
Saturday, August 29, 2020
6:00 pm
Virtual Gala (on Zoom)
www.optionsforall.org/2020gala
