Positively Muskegon: No More Sidelines Under the Sea Gala Coming Up March 16th

It's coming up on 13 years of fun now. It's such an amazing and growing organization that has had an impact on anyone who's taken the time to so much as say hello at the Folkert Community Hub. Of course, way back when when it all began it wasn't the Hub or the growing group of kids and families with unique abilities. No, it was a garage, and a request from a little girl...who wondered why she didn't have friends like her siblings.

We're talking about No More Sidelines and it all began when Alivia Blair asked her mom why she didn't have sleepovers like the other kids. Alivia has Autism and that question set in motion a tidal wave in Cyndi Blair. She started seeking other parents who had kids with some differences and a small group formed. The word got out about the small collective and how they were finding ways for their kids to just be normal. The group grew and the reach got bigger. The kids who at one point were "on the sidelines" were now in the game. The kids who were in their own hall way at the school were all of the sudden interacting with their peers from the rest of the school and they were finding in no short order that their differences, were not as big as their similarities. No More Sidelines broke down barriers and continues to do so daily.

As the group grew, the Folkert Community Hub became home and it also became a place for the community to congregate. They use the space for events, receptions, sports and more. They have permanent tenants who work with other kids with challenges and they are beginning the construction of the next phase of the complex, the gym in the back. From a meeting of a few people to a grand affair of a few hundred, the Folkert Community Hub is a home away from home, it's a fundraising tool for the group and it's become an asset to all of Muskegon.

Click Here for Tickets - Make Sure to Note Under The Sea Gala

March 16th will be the No More Sidelines 13th annual fundraising gala. This year, it's got a theme of "Under the Sea". You are encouraged to dress as a beach bum and enjoy the strolling cuisine, the huge slient auction, the live auction and the incredible fun to be had! It's a great night where you have the chance to meet some of the group, see the facility and whoop it up for a great cause. You can stop in to the Hub at 640 Seminole Road for tickets or click on the image to the right for tickets!

I met up with Cyndi Blair to talk about No More Sidelines and the party at the Hub as it was in the beginning stages of getting all decked out for a 75th anniversary party. Take a listen.

It's a great time for a great cause, and to say I have a little bot of a personal attachment, ya...and understatement. If you've never been, come on out! If you've been there before, can't wait to see you again. What was a feeling a isolation by one little girl....now in her early 20's has blossomed into an incredible force to show the world that what we think makes us different, is all just a mindset waiting to be broken. My many thanks to Cyndi Blair for including me for all these years as part of the No More Sidelines family and her own family.