Today we’d like to introduce you to Samantha Snow.
Hi Samantha, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Everything started when our daughter, Reagan, was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder in December 2015. She was two-and-a-half and the diagnosis we received in December was actually the second opinion. The first diagnosis came the month before. While we knew the diagnosis of ASD was correct, we did not agree with the first prognosis; that Reagan would never learn to talk, never read, never go to school, etc… This started our journey of finding out everything we could about Autism and finding doctors and therapies that would set Reagan up for success. Reagan’s current developmental pediatrician is the same one we saw seven years ago and he gave us a ‘roadmap’ of what we needed to do for Reagan; where to start, where to go, who to call, and what to ask. I was coaching college soccer during this time and thankfully, our season was over and the spring season is very short so my husband and I were able to rotate our work days so one of us could drive Reagan an hour away for her therapies three times each week.
My days were consumed with work, research, and Reagan. I remember I was sitting in my office one day in February and saw an article on Sports Illustrated about a college basketball coach who was wearing a blue puzzle piece pin in honor of Autism Awareness. My mind started racing and how could we do something at our college to not just raise awareness but also raise some much-needed funds to help others newly diagnosed. I brought the idea of doing a ‘Light it Up Blue’ game for one our spring games to the players and they were 100% on board. My athletic department was on board and in selling blue shirts and blue brownies that the players lovingly made, we raised $1400 for the Autism Center in Macon, GA where Reagan was currently attending therapies. During this time, I realized how important the people around you are, how important your ‘village’ is and how important my husband and I were for Reagan’s success. We decided that I would stop college coaching and we would move back to my hometown and actually move in with my parents, so we could have the support that we needed and be closer to all of the resources needed for Reagan.
Flash forward to the winter of 2016 and I wanted to take Reagan to see Santa. There was a ‘sensory’ Santa at the mall that we could register for. This was a quiet time with a limited number of children to see Santa in a calm setting. We were given the time slot of 7:50 AM. I remember getting the email when I was sitting with my mom and flipping out that how could anyone who wants to help children with special needs possibly think that anything that early is manageable for the child or for their family. That’s when I declined the spot and my mom and I together said that we were doing our own Santa visits. And we did! My mom and sister helped me organize our Awesome Santa event where children with special needs could have one-on-one time with Santa for up to fifteen minutes in a quiet setting, get free pictures and a present. My dad took all of the pictures, my aunt baked cookies for the event, my late grandmother donated money for decorations and toys, and one of my cousins played Santa and another cousin played Mrs. Claus. For the next five years, my family organized, funded, and ran Awesome Santa.
The next program we started was Awesome Soccer. We started this in August 2021 and it started about the same way Awesome Santa did. Reagan had been participating in adaptive swimming with Swim AngelFish GA since they began in 2017. She has THRIVED! Reagan still participates in the program but the program was halted during COVID-19. The program started back again during the spring and summer of 2021 but when the COVID numbers increased again in the fall of 2021, the county shut their pools so Swim AngelFish was halted again. We don’t have a pool in our county but we do have soccer fields so I said let’s do Awesome Soccer instead! I wanted this first season to be free, just like our Awesome Santa event, so asking family and friends to donate, I was able to get equipment and we held Awesome Soccer on Friday nights at my parent’s soccer fields. We had over 130 children participating our first few weeks and have averaged 40-60 children since. While my background and expertise is in soccer and coaching, I found myself talking with parents more than coaching during the Awesome Soccer sessions. I was listening to their stories, offering what advice that I could, and sharing all of the resources and interventions that helped Reagan. Once again, I remember very distinctly standing on the fields one evening during Awesome Soccer and looking at the land across our drive and told another mom, “I want to put an indoor pool and recreation center right there for our kids.” I talked with my dad about what it would take to make something that big happen and through some great conversations with family and trusted friends, I applied Awesome Kids Inc. as a non-profit in November 2021.
We have learned through our journey with Reagan that some of the most rewarding and effective interventions are the ‘non-traditional’ ones, like adaptive swim, sports, music therapy, and horse riding. Reagan spoke her first words in the swimming pool and started singing while on the back of a horse. She’s an amazing nine-year-old today that plays the piano, can read above grade level and even reads music, teaches herself other languages, and edits her own movies.
She would not be the amazing girl she is today without the support and interventions she received over the last seven years. Unfortunately, most of these interventions aren’t covered by insurance so that’s where my personal vision for Awesome Kids arose from. What can we do to help more children like Reagan and help these families that don’t have the village like we do? That answer has become Awesome Kids Inc. and I could not have done it without my family and our amazing village.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Yes and no. Smooth in terms of the idea becoming reality but the ideas always arose from a challenge. Many of the struggles have been the frustrations of not having the access to certain therapies. We still have a significant commute for the majority of Reagan’s therapies but that’s what sparked the idea for Awesome Kids Inc. My prayer is that one day, we can see our center developed and be able to serve children and their families so they don’t have the added costs of travel. Every obstacle and challenge has been an opportunity to make things better and that’s what Awesome Kids Inc. is doing.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Since being founded in November 2021, Awesome Kids Inc. has grown significantly and we have a phenomenal board comprised of other moms that have children with special needs, including my cousin who used to be our Mrs. Claus for Awesome Santa! The only ‘non-mom’ on our board is my sister, who is a Developmental Pediatrician at Vanderbilt. Although we haven’t been Awesome Kids Inc. for long, we just had our seventh Awesome Santa event on December 10 and are entering our fourth season for Awesome Soccer. We have hosted two Awesome ‘Back to School Splash’ parties during the summer, two Awesome Christmas Crafts and Cookies Party, and two Virtual Races for Autism Awareness and Acceptance. For April 2023, we will plan to host an in-person race in addition to our virtual race. In our short time, Awesome Kids Inc. has been able to reach over three hundred families through Awesome Santa, Awesome Soccer, Awesome Summer and Christmas Parties, Awesome Scholarships for Awesome Kids, and Awesome Mom’s Night Out events. Our mission is to provide recreational and extracurricular activities for children with special needs, provide scholarships for adaptive and assistive therapy and equipment, and host parent and caregiver support and informational groups. Our vision is to build an indoor recreational and aquatic center in Walton County, GA that will serve children with special needs in our county and surrounding areas.
Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
“’For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future. ‘” — Jeremiah 29:11 During my hardest days, this is what I remember. I remember it for me, for Elliot, for my children, for the families that we are serving. There are so many days that I have wondered if what we’re doing is worth the time, tears, and effort but then I remember this promise. We each have a purpose and for some of us, our purpose includes helping others find their purpose. I can’t wait to see what the Lord has planned for my children. Already, because of Reagan, Awesome Kids Inc. exists. She is the original inspiration and through the challenges along her journey, we wanted to provide to others what we didn’t have for Reagan. We have met wonderful people through this challenging journey who are now are part of the Awesome Kids Inc. family and on our Board of Directors. The amount of good that can be accomplished when we face the challenge and remember His promise is just absolutely incredible. Think of how many missed opportunities there have been because we have been afraid to continue or afraid because what we had planned didn’t happen. God’s plans are perfect. His timing is perfect and he uses all things to work for the good of those who love Him. Have faith. Trust in the Lord and accept the help and support from the people He places in your life.
We are currently in the middle of a challenging time for Reagan and there is a lot of uncertainty, but when I look back at where she started, what we have gone through already, and where we are, I feel a peace that I would not have without my faith and without the support of the family and friends in our village.
This song from Steven Curtis Chapman sums it up best for me: “Don’t lose heart. Don’t you dare let go. I’ve been where you are. You are not alone. I know it gets dark. I know it gets hard. But we’re gonna make it home. So don’t lose heart.”
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.awesomekidsinc.com/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/4AwesomeKidsInc
Image Credits
Awesome Santa photos were taken by my dad, David Bird.
