CJ in Wonderland:)

A few weeks ago CJ came home with a flyer from school inviting all the kids to try out for the school play "Alice in Wonderland", he was so excited and asked if he could try out. I was very surprised he wanted to try out(considering he hid under the table the whole time during last year's pre-school Christmas program), I was excited he wanted to try out though. He went to try-outs the next day and he made it, he got the part of the tall grass and a tree:) He wasn't very visible during the play since he was dressed all in black to blend in and he was behind a prop., but he kept trying to peek out once in awhile to give me the thumbs up:)He also got to be in the court at the end of the play so we got a couple pics. of him. I am so proud of how far he is coming and how involved in everything he is wanting to be, he told me next year he is going to ask for a speaking part:) He is really coming out of his shell and it is fun to watch!

Underage Drinking and Impaired Driving Prevention Presentation

Last Monday Chad was asked to speak to over 1000 high school studens for an Underage Drinking and Impaired Driving Prevention Presentation in Basin, they had to have it outside at the fairgrounds so they could have a place to hold all the kids. It was an alcohol prevention assembly to stress the importance of not driving while impaired. Chad’s dad was killed by a drunk driver when he was four; they asked him if he could talk about that and how it has impacted his life. He used Quinn as a visual aid since Quinn is the same age he was when he lost his dad to a drunk driver. It was really touching when Chad got up to speak, there were so many kids there, but they were so quiet the whole time he was talking and Quinn was so good, he stood by his daddy while he spoke. It was sad to think of my little guys not having their daddy due to someone’s ignorance.

They also had a mock crash and had several rescue vehicles there to simulate an actual crash (we hung out behind the bleachers and threw rocks and picked flowers during this part, it was a little too graphic for Quinn and Carissa), after the assembly the kids were allowed to walk around the fairgrounds and look at the rescue vehicles and do the climbing wall as well (Quinn was too little to do the rock wall even though he really wanted to, so we talked uncle Tyler into doing a demo). They fed all the kids and had several booths set up with free anti-drug /anti-alcohol items to hand out to the kids. It was a beautiful day and Quinn had a blast checking out all the rescue vehicles.

Chad

Chad is involved in so many things in the community; I thought I needed to start documenting a few of the things he has been involved in. Recently he received a special recognition for all his volunteer time and for the work and effort he puts into his job. He was selected for the 2009 Citizen of the Year Award. He was presented his award at the Chamber Meeting the night of Saturday April 18.
He did such a great job even though he wasn’t expecting to have to give a speech, but as always he did great. My mom sent him a congratulatory e-mail and this was his response, thought it was sweet and wanted to remember it.
Thanks so much, but Lindsay deserves the honor for putting up with me and taking care of things at home while I am off volunteering my time. She should be recognized for all of the things that she does (and does well). I am certainly glad that she is getting better.
Take care, Chad



Chad Lindsay Outstanding Citizen
Chad Lindsay: Giving back to the community that raised him
By David Peck

A man with a strong desire to give back to the community he loves was honored Saturday night as the 2009 Outstanding Citizen by the Lovell Area Chamber of Commerce.
Chad Lindsay was honored Saturday for his tireless work on behalf of the youth of Big Horn County. Currently the director of the Big Horn County Health Coalition, he said he is a living example of the phrase: “It takes a community to raise a child.”
“I’m certainly a product of that concept. So many people have played such an integral role in my life and have helped me to be successful,” he said.
The son of Chet and Joy Lindsay, Chad lost his dad at age 4 when a drunk driver hit him near the Oasis Junction as he was riding his motorcycle, and Chad then lost his mom from ovarian cancer eight years later when he was 12.
That might have been enough to send the average person over the edge, but thanks to the love and support of several adopted parents like Dale and Carol Walker, Carvel and Patty Despain and his sister Jodi, as well as many, many others in the community, Chad not only survived his adolescence, he thrived. He said he can name at least 10 people in the community who took him to events as an extra son and made him feel welcome and included in family events.
Lindsay became a top-notch student and one of the best athletes in Lovell history, excelling in football, basketball and track and field before his graduation in 1989.
He still holds the shot put (62-2½) and discus (175-4) records at LHS, even though they were set 20 years ago. He also still holds the Wyoming State Class 2A record in the shot, 61-10¼, and the record for the Meet of Champions, 61-4, and he continues to compete in masters track and field events nationwide.
Lindsay went on to earn a degree in kinesiology at the University of Wyoming in 1997where he starred for the Wyoming Cowboys track and field squad. He worked as a lab tech at American Colloid in Lovell during and after college.
Health Coalition
Then in 2003 he landed his dream job – director of the Big Horn County Health Coalition, which funds and establishes programs for young people and at-risk students such as after-school tutoring and enrichment and strategies to prevent substance abuse.
The Health Coalition also sponsors smoking cessation programs, parenting programs, New Year’s Eve, After Prom and After Homecoming parties, the Mustang Days Teen Roundup and a brand new program to help at-risk students attend college, the Today’s Choices for Tomorrow program.
“I said it in my interview (for the job),” he said. “I’m addicted to kids. This was an opportunity for me to try to help kids in an expanded role from just coaching. I would have been classified as an at-risk kid. This gave me an opportunity to help kids like me.”
Volunteering
Lindsay administers the many-faceted coalition, writes grants to sustain it and performs hands-on work at many functions and meetings, but it is the work he does on a volunteer basis, away from his “day job,” that most-often puts him in touch with the kids he enjoys working with.
For some 14 years, Lindsay has been a volunteer coach in the Lovell school system for football, outdoor track and field and, recently, indoor track and field. He has also been a paid assistant but likes the flexibility being a volunteer gives him.
Away from the playing fields, Lindsay and partners Kevin Walker and Ken Ferbrache spend time at their business – Better Body Fitness – working with students during weight training or exercising.
He has also served on the Lovell Recreation District Board, the Lovell Fitness Club Board and the Big Horn County Tobacco and Prevention Control Board. He currently serves on the Family Treatment Court Board, the Lovell Inc. Economic Development Board (treasurer), the Big Horn County Suicide Prevention Coalition, the Big Horn Basin Regional Substance Abuse Prevention Board and last fall was elected to the Lovell Hospital Board.
It’s all part of giving back to the community that raised him.
During college, as Lindsay was working his way through school and throwing for the University of Wyoming track and field squad, Chad lived for one summer with the Godina family in Cheyenne. He said they helped him through some tough times, and when he asked what he could do to repay them, Bill Godina said, “Help one kid and you’ve repaid me.”
“Every child I help repays Bill and every person in the community that helped me,” he said.
Chad and his wife, Lindsay, have three children: CJ, 6; Quinn, 4; and Carissa, 2, with a girl due in May.

LHS BIG THREE!!

My baby brother and little nephews have been OUTSTANDING this year in the throws! They are all doing so well; Russ got some really great pics. of all three of the boys and Chad put them together so I made a poster to hang up to give them props. We are so proud of all of them!!

Easter Attire

I wanted to have a couple pics. of the kids in their Easter attire because we missed going to Stake Conference Easter Sunday, we got all dressd up this past Sunday and I only got a couple pics. before we had to rush out the door, but they all looked so cute!

CJ's Special Day!

CJ had a special day just for him at school. He was able to invite anyone he wanted and he had quit a crowd, mom, dad, Quinn, Carissa, Aunt Jodi and Grandma and Grandpa all came to watch him do his presentation. He started of the presentation with a story about his adventures with stinky, the class pet (a stuffed skunk), then he read everyone his special person book, it began with a special note from his mom that Mrs. Strom read to him. The book told about all of CJ’s favorites. After he read his book he was able to share something special, he chose to show one of his PowerPoint presentations that he had made. He loves PowerPoint and has several so it was hard to decide which one to share. After he was done with his PowerPoint presentation, Mrs. Strom went around the room and asked his classmates what made CJ so special. There were several comments from all his friends, everywhere from he is a good friend to he is handsome. I don’t think I stopped smiling the whole time. When he was all done he gave everyone in his class (even his brother and sister) a treat that he helped mom make the night before. We love Mrs. Strom and for all the ways she makes our little guy feel special, he has had such a great time in kindergarten and we are so proud of him!

What a Week!

What a week! This past Wednesday I was getting kids laid down for naps and lunch cleaned up when I started to have some really sharp pains in my back, I have had kidney stones with Carissa and this was feeling VERY similar. Chad was out of town in Casper and I texted him right away to let him know I was hurting. He quickly made phone calls and Kev was out at the house in no time. I called Dr. Ellis to let him know what was going on and he said to get up there right away. After the kids were taken care of we headed up to Powell. The pain I was having in my back sent me into contractions so I was dealing with both, luckily my mom showed up and stayed with me until Chad could get there. They got me into a bed and hooked up to an IV and then started trying to determine what was wrong. They tried Demerol, then a big shot right in the area I was hurting, when that didn’t help they moved to morphine which helped a lot and we got the contractions to stop. They drew a bunch of blood and ran a bunch of tests. Since I had a history of kidney stones and blood in my urine, they concluded that is what it must have been. So right now I am to take it easy and take pain meds. as necessary until my next appointment next week. Good news is that the baby is perfect and was just as happy as could be the whole time.
Chad has been so great this whole time, he stayed with me in the hospital for the three days I was there and has been waiting on me hand and foot while taking care of the kids and keeping the house clean as well. I don’t know what we would have done without my parents; they took care of the kids for us. I got home Friday night and they made dinner for us, too. The next day we had plans to go to Easter Valley, it is tradition to go every year and the kids were really looking forward to it. My parents again saved the day and came and picked up the kids and took them, even though Chad and I couldn’t go with them. They had so much fun and had so much candy, they couldn’t have been happier. Carol made dinner for us that night and Russ came and brought it out to us.
This morning the kids woke up to big surprises as the Easter Bunny still made it even though we had a rough week. CJ’s basket was full of art supplies, Quinn’s had sports Equipment, and Carissa’s had a baby doll with a journal and markers, and of course more than enough candy in each. Chad made a yummy breakfast and then sent me back to bed. We didn’t make it to church as I am on bed rest for awhile, so we didn’t get all decked out in our Easter attire, oh well. We are just happy we are all okay and able to spend the weekend together. I am so grateful for all my friends and family who helped out with kids and for all the phone calls to check on us.

FHE Fun!!

With the weather warming up, we decided to go to the park for FHE. Chad had a paper he had to finish and Grandpa was studying for his class that night so Grandma was nice enough to go with us:)

Carissa decided she wanted to play follow the leader, the leader of course being her and the follower Grandma. She had grandma crawling all over the playground equipment, up ladders, across bridges and even through tunnels. Grandma was such a good sport;)

Grandma and Carissa repelling down the rock wall:)

Then it was the boys turn to play with grandma, they decided they wanted to ride the dinosaurs! Grandma had to turn around and ride backwards so she could go the same way as the boys. The boys thought it was pretty funny:)

We stayed at the park until the sun started to go down, then the boys rode their bikes back to grandma's house to park their bikes so we could all head back home for banana splits with dad and uncle Tyler, too. We got to bed a little too late, but we had so much fun! Thanks for playing with us Grandma:) (Quinn is making his Sonic eyes so that is why it looks like he is scowling, what a kid.)

Under the Big Top!

Q and Carissa on the Elephant (from this past summer when the circus was in town:)

Today Quinn had a fun surprise when he got to
school. We saw a big sign on the front doors that said"Welcome to the Circus!" When we opened the door the whole classroom was decked out like a circus tent. Q-man had a blast. He got his face painted and they even had bubbles the clown come and make balloon animals for all the kids!

When they asked Quinn what he wanted painted on his face he said SONIC, guess they weren't familiar with Sonic the Hedgehog:)

Quinn and Bubbles

These pictures are actually from the past summer when the Circus came to town. I thought I would add them in here so they could be in my blog book, when/if I ever put one together. The kids were really excited to go, at the circus they had a show with acrobats, lions, tigers, elephants, jugglers and clowns. Then they had rides the kids could go on as well, Carissa only wanted to ride the Elephant and CJ only wanted to ride on the ponies. Quinn of course wanted to do both:)

Quinn and Carissa on the Elephant Ride

Quinn and CJ's Pony rides!