Sponsor Updates

We are thrilled to be working with high quality sponsors.

Click here for more...

DownStream 2009

The following is a blog written by Mark Lynn. Mark was one of the many great volunteers at DownStream 2009.

Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do-


"Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do!"


What a great mantra...

and it fits in perfectly with my life of late...

I have some major challenges with which I struggle and deal on pretty much a daily basis.

Yet, I somehow manage to get along and fish on a supra-regular basis.

For me, abstinence from fishing is not an option.

I also find that the less self pity and the more gratitude I indulge in... the better off I am.

The perfect opportunity arose last weekend when fellow AR angler, Ryan Miller invited me to help out at his DownStream Outreach Program.

Ryan grew up with his younger brother, Mark (KOOL NAME@!) who was diagnosed as having Down Syndrome.

As Ryan grew up and metamorphosed into a fishing fanatic... he was diagnosed as having Down-Stream Syndrome and rather than fight it... he became a fishing guide.

Looking back, he realized that his brother actually taught him a good many things most notably, attentiveness, patience, perseverance, and compassion~:)

Mark admired and looked up to his brother and vice-versa I'm sure.

I bet they've fished a good many streams together over the years...

Ryan must have pondered how cool it would be to share his love and passion for the sport of fishing not just with his bro but with many young folks who often, because of their somewhat different appearance and exaggerated behaviors, get shunned by mainstream society.

And hence, DownStream was set into motion.

This was the third year of the annual event Ryan designed to connect special-needs folks with something very real, engaging, and inspirational.

I got a bit lost on the way to the event and not once or twice mind you... but three times. When all else fails, read the address on the directions!

That was what finally got me there.

I hadn't missed much as the band was just starting to move towards the pond.
I decided to just help out wherever needed and try to capture the essence of the day with camera and memory card.

It seems to me that human nature has a tendency towards remorse and sympathy for folks like Mark and Alison, Oscar and Peter, Chele and Sam who happen to have been born with a condition like Down Syndrome. I have pondered the hows and whys of this many times throughout my life and the best I can come up with is that there is a design far grander and far more purposeful than our mortal minds can conceive... a plan, a purpose which defies our limited comprehension and preconceptions of right/wrong, good/bad, normal/strange...

...and anyone with open eyes, mind and heart could surely see that these folks needed no sympathy. I walked the perimeter of "BOW'S END" 1/2 a dozen times during the course of the day...
and everywhere I went I saw only enthusiastic, jubilant, happy, smiling faces.

I think everyone must have read the back of the shirt that day and taken heed to John Wooden's directive:

The clouds and drizzle subsided and the morning sun emerged. There were 20-something students and at least twice that many volunteers.

I saw some old/new friends whom I'd met on my home river; Adrian, Teresa, Jason H., Rob, Charlie G. and also made many new friends during the course of the day.

It should come as no surprise that veteran angler, Mark Miller would put the bends to the first trout of the day... and what a fish! Way to go Mark!!

The program was divided into 4 sections:

CASTING


FISHING




Sometimes, the individuals who least enjoy 'living in the limelight'... are the ones who most inspire and leave the greatest, lasting impressions... Such is the case with Alison. I asked permission to take her photo at the FISH ART station and she was quite reluctant. Later in the day, I watched her fight and land a trout. The volunteers brought the netted fish to her and while we were all focused on the photo opportunity, Alison was concerned only with getting the fish back to the pond as quickly as possible... "Oh poor fish. We need to put it back NOW so it can LIVE!"
Way to go Alison! Many of our fisheries and anglers thereof could use the guidance of your wisdom and compassion...

FLY-TYING
FISH ART


Making repeated smooth casts, tying up the perfect wooly bugger, painting a 'rainbow-whale' and fighting lots of fish demands much energy so by noon time, everyone had worked up quite the healthy appetite.

Ryan gathered up the troops and passed out some fishing literature courtesy of one of the event sponsors.

I left DownStream 2009 feeling as though we had each accomplished something very worthwhile and had learned a bit more about who we are in the process.

Fundraiser Success

Success and Victory for DownStream Fly Fishing

April 17, 2010, was Kiene's annual fly fishing expo and alaso marked DownStream's inaugural fund-raising event that proved to be a great success. I would like to thank Vic's Ice Cream in Sacramento for setting up a great booth, providing the ice cream, and two talented staff members. One of the neatest features of this was Charlie, an employee of Vic's ice cream, who has Down Syndrome. Charlie has been working for Vic's for over a decade and thanks to his delightful service and expertise they sold over 120 cones!

One hundred percent of the proceeds go right to DownStream and I can assure you this money will go a long way.

Andy Guibord

Speaking of the event, we are well on our way to having a great event. We have 25 students with Down Syndrome and over 70 volunteers. We are working on spreading the word in the hopes of inspiring others.

Thanks again to Vic's Ice Cream and Kiene's Fly Shop.

Updates for DownStream

Great news: Thanks to many hands and determination we are totally full! We have 25 students and over 70 volunteers coming out May 22. Thank you to all who on board!

If you a current participant or volunteer and have questions feel free to see the appropriate links in this blog.

Thanks!

A Mother's Diary: Part 3, At Home in the Living Room

Haven't read Part 2? Click here!

Last bit of part 2, then right to part 3

Soon after, I awoke to another knock on the recovery room door. In walked Yelena carrying Rebecca. Rebecca was wrapped in her mother’s arms. At two years, she was obviously smaller than her peers, but what a cherub; beautiful face of bright blue eyes, platinum blond hair and glowing rosy cheeks. We call her Rosy Posey! Rebecca waved a plump pink hand at me and smiled in her shy way. Yelena sat down with me, as Wendy had done, and shared her two-year journey with Rebecca with me. Like Wendy, she said, “ You can do this! We will help you. There’s lots of support here for you.”

By the time Joann and her son Zachary left me the following day, I had a realistic image of Down Syndrome children, knowledge that our community had many agencies and resources to help raise Mark, a support group, and an armload of pamphlets about raising children with Down Syndrome.

Whatever entity I had directed my Oath to (when I was ten,) was holding me to it.Now I had my chance to redeem my self as Sister Carmella of the Special Needs Child, and the field trip bus was going straight to my house!

Chapter 3: At Home In The Living room

We brought Mark home and set his cradle up in the living room. He slept and was extremely quiet as though he was still finishing his gestation. While he slept, I read. The most influential book was a (working on getting the name). It was almost the only book on caring for an infant with Down syndrome at the time.

Inside there were two children featured throughout the book. The first was a thin little blond toddler with Down Syndrome who slumped as he sat in pajamas that were large and sloppy on him. His sparse hair was dry and his gaze vacant. The other toddler was dressed in cute pajamas. He sat more strongly and his brilliant blue eyes showed a bodily attention in a robust attitude. His bright eyes locked on the camera taking his picture in every pose. Note: In regular child development manuals, the children are usually dressed in stylish clothes!

I made a promise to Mark in those days that he would become as the second child, only always dressed in stylish clothes That visual image glowed in my mind’s eye and sustained me as Mark slept the next few week’s away. When he made any noise at all it sounded like a kitten mewling. There was neither complaint or enthusiasm in it; just the validation,” I’m here.” He breast fed with difficulty, but persisted until he was full, and slept his days away.

In the meantime we were preparing for his Infant Stimulation program. We took off the fuzzy objects on his cradle mobile and replaced them with bold black and white paper designs facing down at him, where his gaze could have no choice but to include them in his field of vision. We duplicated those designs in his crib, over the sink where he bathed, on the back of he car seat he faced in the car seat. Big brother Ryan helped. Then, we lined his cradle with the same shapes but in bright felt shades of color hot glued onto the cradle bumpers. Wherever Mark’s gaze would rest, there would be something easy and familiar to focus on! We read to him, left the TV on and played music of all kinds to fill his world with sound. Mark tolerated his daily bath, but drowsed though it as if it was a welcome return to the womb, Daily infant massage received little reaction as well. Thank heavens, he continue to gain weight.

Waiting for Mark to grow was a challenge of faith. Some days were full of stifled sobs, others we went about daily business as if he wasn’t even sleeping in the living room. Developmental Delays began to take on meaning. We massaged him, took him out with us, kept stimulation up even if he didn’t respond. The idea of Infant Milestones absorbed a surreal juxtaposition to suspended animation.

He took his time deciding to join us, He was giving us the tutorial for raising him on his own terms, and in that, Mark was very clear. It was his life, and he would realize it on own time.

Stay tuned, next week is the Announcement...

Ice Cream Fun Raiser

Maury Hatch of Vic's Ice Cream is teaming up with DownStream Fly Fishing at Kiene's annual fly fishing expo in Sacramento.

This Saturday the 17th Kiene's fly shop will be hosting their annual fly fishing expo. Thanks to Bill Kiene, DownStream Fly Fishing and Vic's Ice Cream in Sac will be doing a fundraiser at the expo.

Vic's will have a booth at the expo and $3 gets you some of the best ice cream on the planet and 100% of the proceeds goes to DownStream.

We need your support!

Vic's Ice Cream 916-448-0892
Kiene's Fly Shop
More on DownStream

The address is:
Kiene's Fly Shop
2654 Marconi Ave.
Sacramento, CA 95821

Saturday, April 17, 2010, 9am till 5pm

Thank you for coming out and supporting our cause! With your support fly fishing can truly be for everyone.

Ryan Miller

A Mother's Diary: Part 2, Friends in the Recovery Room

Haven't read the beginning? Go here to read it.

...Dr. Wagner had just gone through the Down syndrome fact checklist from the magazine in the waiting room, and I knew. I watched Steve’s face closely as Dr. Wagner finished his piece.

“Mark may have been born with a genetic condition called Down syndrome, but he is a beautiful baby boy and you should take him home and love him as a baby first and let nothing else get in the way of that.” God Bless Dr.Wagner! He put Mark, with his toes, fingers, ears, eyes, and the creased little hands into our arms and left us to fall in love and untangle our emotions.

Chapter 2: Friends in the Recovery room

The world of the unknown future pressed around our family. Yes, we cried and worried how this would all play out. My mother cried while my father held Mark, and studied him closely.” There’s nothing wrong with this baby,” he said. Luckily Mark was healthy in every way except for a heavy dose of jaundice. He would spend the next seven days sleeping in a bilirubin box, while I paced in anticipation to start his infant stimulation regimen.

The next day after Mark’s delivery, I woke up to see a strange man sitting on the bed next to mine. He had a small frame, gangly, straight black hair and bight blue eyes. He sat calmly sat with hands clasped in his lap, legs hanging down the side of the bed, and huge warm smile focused directly at me. My first thought was, “ How rude is this!” Who is this stranger in my recovery room? Meet Mr. Mike Mann, Alta California Regional caseworker.

I was astounded at this intrusion until I understood he was there to offer support and services for our family. Alta California Regional was there to provide or guide us into finding any services that we would need to raise Mark into a happy healthy child. Our hospital staff routinely called in the local support services for parents when a special needs child was born. Wow!

Not long after Mike left, I heard a riotous laugh and commotion heading my way. A sudden quiet and a tentative knock, followed by a child’s blond head peeking inside at me, gave me the surprise of the day.Wendy Paye followed her daughter Allison into my room, not really asking to visit, but telling me that they would be visiting! More strangers! Sure, why not!

I had Mark in my arms, and without asking, but filling the room with laughter, Wendy put Allison on the bed next to me. Allison was five years old. Stunning blue green eyes met mine in a smile I will never forget. Allison talked about Markie, talked about her family, talked about five year old type things, made me laugh, smile, and then she boldly took out Mark’s tiny feet and counted his ten beautiful toes for me. She could be a miniature talk show host!

I was still reeling with the weirdness of these people marching into the sanctity of my very birthing recovery room, when Wendy told me that Allison too, had Down syndrome. Allison was beautiful, animated, and engaging. Allison would always be my beacon for visualizing what Mark could accomplish and Wendy became the touchstone I would cling to for the inspiration needed to keep expectations high for Mark. SKY HIGH!

part 3 is here...

Feel free to email us with comments, thank you.