Steve and Dominique Nielander, MSF Fall Classic Golf Tournament Supporters
at the Final Four with SDSU | By Sheryl Wilde
“I didn’t know much about Mountain Shadows when Mandy approached me about playing in the Golf Tournament last year,” says Steve Nielander. “But I knew my friends would like the idea of playing golf at the Santaluz Club.”
Steve is a Partner at Certify Partners, with more than 25 years of experience in the investment management and financial services industry. He is also an Adjunct Instructor in the Finance Department at San Diego State University. His wife, Dominique, also played in the Classic last year, with her own foursome.
“The day of golf was fantastic. The weather was great. I enjoyed a day of golf with some of my good friends. A couple of them had never played at Santaluz and they had a blast! That’s all important, but I think there’s a larger mission at hand." |
Dominique's Foursome with Mountain Shadows Residents at the 2022 Fall Classic Golf Tournament. |
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“It can be pretty difficult for families with special needs children," continues Steve. "At the awards dinner, I remember a family shared their story about their special needs son who lives at Mountain Shadows. He was really severely disabled. He wasn’t able to move much physically and you could tell it was taking a toll on the family. It was pretty tough listening to that and to see all they were going through. But I could also see how much it meant to them, their family, that their son was being taken care of at Mountain Shadows.
“If I ever had a child with similar issues, I’d like to know there are groups, like Mountain Shadows, out there to help.
“I think you’d have to be coldhearted not to appreciate what goes on at Mountain Shadows, and the good work they do to help a lot of people. There’s no way you cannot be touched by that." |
Parker, Mountain Shadows Resident |
“If a parent doesn’t have a special needs child, they can’t fathom the magnitude of what you feel for a son who can’t provide for his own needs,” says Ted Brown, Mountain Shadows Board Member and father of resident, Parker. “And what it means to have a place that will love and protect them for the future. “The way to think of our son, Parker, is – all of the things you and I take for granted – the ability to dress ourselves, the ability to bathe and feed ourselves – these are all things that Parker has challenges with. So, someone has to help him, every day, for many, many hours a day, with all of these daily things.
“As parents of a special needs child, we worry about what will happen to him when we are gone. Your fear as a parent of a special needs child is that your child will not be surrounded by people who love and care for him as much as you do.
“I am so thankful that Mountain Shadows exists. We need a place like Mountain Shadows for so many reasons – for the day-to-day living support, and also for the sense of community, and the ability for people like Parker to be as independent as they possibly can be. We as parents, of course, want to love on him, but we also want him to be his own man. Mountain Shadows enables that. “I know the staff at Mountain Shadows. There are some incredible human beings that work at Mountain Shadows and we should be grateful for them. We, as parents, are grateful for them. “Mountain Shadows has provided to Parker – the word I will use is love.” |
Steve & Dominique at the Pennant in Mission Beach. |
Adds Steve, “It was a great day for us at the Fall Classic at Santaluz last year. For everybody, it’s a special treat to be able to go out and play at Santaluz. The tournament was very well organized, very well run.
"I’ve been to a lot of golf tournaments. This was a great event. All of my friends enjoyed it. The day was great. The dinner was great. Mountain Shadows does good work for a lot of people. That’s why we’ll be playing again this year. The Mountain Shadows Classic is a pretty special deal. “I’ve done pretty well in my work and I’m pretty fortunate. I think I have a responsibility to help others out. Mountain Shadows is a good cause to be involved in and to support." |
The Mountain Shadows Foundation -
Because We CARE |
Thanks to YOUR SUPPORT, the Mountain Shadows CARE program provides recreational and social experiences to residents and participants, like Parker, adding meaning and richness to their lives.
It's easy for you to help us continue to provide activities like this - activities that improve the quality of our residents’ lives in fulfillment of their dreams. Here are some ways you can help ensure these crucial activities can continue for years to come: - Make a one-time donation today by clicking on the donate button below.
- Make a monthly or annual contribution.
- Leave a Legacy Gift.
To learn more about the Mountain Shadows Foundation Legacy Society, to include us in your estate plan, or to let us know if you have already designated Mountain Shadows to receive a legacy gift, please contact Mandy Huiras, Director of Development at: mhuiras@mtnshadows.org, or visit our website by clicking here:
Learn More About the Mountain Shadows Foundation Legacy Society Please share this story with your family, friends and co-workers to help grow our Mountain Shadows Family! |
Mandy Huiras Mountain Shadows Foundation Director of Development
Contact Mandy today to learn more about the Mountain Shadows Foundation and how you can make a difference in the lives of our residents:
mhuiras@mtnshadows.org |
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