An Oklahoma nonprofit is accepting applications for grants that cover equipment, activities and experiences for individuals with differing abilities.
The Sam the I Can Man Foundation was inspired by Sam Weyrich. He had Aicardi-Goutiéres syndrome, a rare condition impacting white matter in the brain, leading to severe physical impairments. Sam wasn’t supposed to make it past two years old – but he lived until he was almost 24.
His family called him “The I Can Man” because of everything he did despite his differing abilities. That included horseback riding, art classes, adaptive baseball, river rafting in the Grand Canyon, skiing, running, rock climbing, biking and attending concerts and musicals.
Now, the foundation is entering its fourth funding cycle for its “I Can Too” grants. Sarah Weyrich, the foundation’s president and Sam’s sister, said the nonprofit has awarded 99 grants totaling more than $200,000 since it launched in March of last year.
It funds small equipment, items, activities and experiences for individuals with differing abilities to enhance their lives and enable inclusive experiences for them and their families. A portion of these dollars is also available to other nonprofits with aligning missions.
Nearly half of the foundation’s grantees are located in Oklahoma.
Elizabeth Duren was one of those awardees. The Mustang resident’s five-year-old daughter, Gentry, has Down syndrome. Gentry is “spunky, hilarious and doesn’t have a problem speaking her mind.”
When Duren found the foundation online and asked Gentry what they should apply for, she didn’t skip a beat before saying she wanted to hang out with the Oklahoma City Thunder mascot, Rumble the Bison.
Through the grant, Gentry got to go to a Thunder game and watch her favorite player, Chet Holmgren, whom she calls “Chet-Chet,” play. She also attended “Recess with Rumble,” an event where participants could engage in on-court skills challenges and interact with Thunder entertainers.
Duren said Gentry fell in love with the cheerleaders at “Recess with Rumble,” and when she arrived at the game, they remembered her name.
“She felt like a superstar,” Duren said, smiling.
Duren said she and other families who have children with differing abilities often don’t have the time or money to spend on special experiences like Gentry had. Instead, they’re worried about making sure their kid gets the care they need.
“It was just so beautiful and wonderful to get to experience it without the burden of wondering, ‘Are we going to be able to pay for the next thing?’ or ‘Were we too exhausted to plan where we were going to go, or where we're going to park or how we're going to get there.’” Duren said. “All of these details were taken care of through the grant.”
Now, Duren said Gentry and a stuffed Rumble the Bison she got during the experience are attached at the hip. They even bought her a backup bison just in case she loses the first one. And one of Gentry’s favorite shirts is a “Chet-Chet” jersey she got.
Sarah said it’s fun experiences like this that made a difference in her brother’s life.
“Supporting these other families, it's definitely helping our hearts with carrying his legacy on,” Sarah said. “And there's so many ‘I Can Too’ stories out there, and we're just amazed to hear all of them and get to meet the families and the individuals.”
The grant application is open to individuals and organizations through Sept. 30. The foundation will reach out by Oct. 2 to schedule interviews with applicants and will notify awardees by the end of that month.
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