Today we’d like to introduce you to Stacey and Dan Cheney.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
Well, our story really starts with our children. My husband and I are the parents of two boys – one with disabilities and one without. They play together; they laugh together; they learn from one another. It’s awesome – exactly the way things should be. And there’s really no reason this dynamic – the shared experiences, the reciprocity, the mutual benefits – can’t be replicated on a larger scale, in the world outside our home. But, as we set out on our special needs parenting journey, we found that it isn’t. At least not nearly as widely as we would like it to be.
And we just thought that seemed like a big miss – for everyone, really. Obviously, a world without inclusion means that our kiddo with disabilities – and people like him – miss out on some of the experiences that make life richer. But it’s also a shame for people like his neurotypical brother. Because without the opportunity to interact with people with disabilities, he misses out on the diverse perspectives and strengths that they have to offer.
The Guide Project came about as a way to change all that. My husband and I decided that we wanted to create a more inclusive world. Partly because it’s the right thing to do, of course. But also because we know the value that inclusion brings to everyone; we witness it first-hand every day when we watch our boys interact.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
I don’t think too many things worth doing are without obstacles, and The Guide Project has been no exception. The biggest struggle has probably been building this from the ground up with just my husband and me. We have full-time jobs and two kiddos, so our non-profit is truly a labor of love. Emphasis on the labor.
And when you’re not a well-known organization, it can be hard to get sponsors or the kind of attention that can help make things happen. Especially when you’re planning first-time events like we currently are. We’ve had some great responses and support from some really compassionate and community-focused businesses, but we’ve also gotten our share of “thanks, but no thanks.” And rejection is hard. But we just have to shake it off, remind ourselves why we’re doing this, and keep going.
I think, in the end, our commitment and passion will shine through as we get the opportunity to talk to more people and businesses. We’ve got the drive, and we’re in it for the long-haul, so I’m confident we’ll get there.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into The Guide Project story. Tell us more about the business.
The Guide Project’s main mission is to find and create opportunities for inclusion for people with disabilities and their families. Our first events focused on community education about inclusion. We partnered with several local theaters to host screenings of Intelligent Lives, a documentary that showcases what people with disabilities can achieve when we don’t limit or segregate them.
The film is incredible and makes a strong case for inclusion. It sort of offers up the “proof” that what we’re setting out to do with The Guide Project will make a difference.
Our next big push for inclusion is coming this summer: iCan Bike Gwinnett. It’s a five-day bike camp that teaches people with disabilities to ride a two-wheel bike independently.
Now, riding a bike may seem like a small thing. But I’ve always felt, especially as a special needs parent, that sometimes the small things are actually the big things. And riding a bike is a prime example of this. Of course, there are the obvious health benefits, but there are also tremendous social benefits (think about riding with the neighborhood kids or taking family bike rides). It also has huge implications for independence, self-esteem, and confidence.
The program itself is a national program – specially trained instructors tour the country, and they’re hosted by local organizations and non-profits, like The Guide Project. iCan Bike Gwinnett will take place at George Pierce Park from July 15 – 19, and we still have spots open for campers, volunteers, and sponsors.
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
I don’t know that we think of our journey in terms of good or bad luck, but there is certainly the element of chance and the unexpected. Because life is rarely exactly as we plan it, right? There are always curve balls, so to speak.
But what we’ve discovered is that you need to embrace the unexpected. If you focus on what you thought life was going to be, you can easily miss out on what it is. We didn’t know our son would have disabilities. We didn’t plan for that. But he has enriched our lives in ways that we never COULD have planned. And he opened our eyes to a world that we never would have seen. So I guess, in a sense, you could say that’s been the good luck that has shaped our lives and our business.
And it’s our hope that by embracing the unexpected as have, we can help enrich the lives of others. That’s really at the heart of what The Guide Project is all about.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.guideeachother.org
- Phone: 470.322.5005
- Email: stacey@guideeachother.org
- Instagram: @guideeachother
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/guideeachother
- Other: www.guideeachother.org/icanbike-gwinnett
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