To say that fundraising has been a challenge for most charities during the COVID-19 pandemic would be putting it mildly.  

Organizations have cancelled events, walks, runs and other endeavors meant to raise funds for worthy causes.  For the Hannah's Hope Foundation founded in Airdrie its meant cancelling their 6th Annual Golf Tournament that was scheduled for yesterday (June 6th) at the Collicutt Siding Golf Course in Crossfield.  

The tournament has raised about $20,000 annually for the past few years which is a lot of money to try and replace, but the founder of Hannah's Hope, Sarah Rivard says the cancellation has moved them to a creative solution.

"We're doing a putt-challenge, so a Putt 4 Hannah's Hope. It's going to be a fun, online challenge where you submit a video and we want the putt to go over something, under something, through something....the ball....and into a piece of Tupperware."

On Saturday Sarah sunk the first putt of the campaign, even if it was into a giant Tupperware container. The idea is to be creative with your putt and your video and then post it on social media and tag it with the hashtags @hannahshopefoundation, #hannahshopefoundation, #20dollarsin2020, and #putt4hannahshope.  Then challenge at least two of your friends on social media to do the same.    

You can donate at hannahshope.ca or by EMT at hannahshopefoundation@gmail.com.

The challenge will run until the end of June and the foundation has set a goal to raise $20,000.

Rivard says the money is used each year for educational opportunities and to put on a camp for families of children who struggle with complex communication needs and use Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) to communicate.

Rivard founded Hannah's Hope in 2012 when her daughter Hannah was diagnosed with one of the conditions that cause development delays, Angelman Syndrome.  "Angelman Syndrome is a neuro-genetic syndrome," Rivard explains,  "It's very rare, about one in 15,000 live births and it's kind of developmentally delayed across the board so it affects their balance, gross-motor, fine-motor.  Most have seizures and most of the time these kiddos have little to no words."

Rivard says most children learn to communicate using an iPad which is an AAC device.  The children, who are considered non-verbal, are given a "robust language" through an AAC device.

Hannah has become what Rivard calls "an amazing multi-modal communicator."  "If you really sat and listened with your heart, and really watched her you would see how amazing she can communicate. So often we expect kids to communicate with words but, when you really watch, we communicate in so many different ways.  I think she's doing phenomenal, with the barriers that she's been given."

Rivard says there is quite a lot of research going on in an effort to find a cure for Angelman Syndrome.  Researchers have located a gene on a chromosome in the human body that tells them where the genetic marker is for Angelman Syndrome.  "There are many possibilities going through process for clinical studies right now.  Actually, it's pretty cool. There will be a cure."

You'll find more information on the putting challenge, Angelman Syndrome and the Hannah's Hope Foundation HERE.

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