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Incline family’s experience leads to June 4 fundraiser at Tomaato’s
By Kevin MacMillan BONANZA INTERIM EDITOR

 

Nora Behrens and her son Bryan Behrens, 12 months, celebrate his first birthday in November 2005 at Tomaato's in Incline Village. Bonanza File Photo - Emma Garrard

 

Less than four years ago, Incline resident Nora Behrens wasn’t sure if her newborn son would survive after childbirth. Infant Bryan Behrens clung to life for a month, in critical condition at Renown Hospital in Reno after complications at birth.

 

But Bryan Behrens fought hard to survive, and a year later, in November 2005, he celebrated his first birthday with a huge birthday fundraising bash at Tomaato’s Restaurant, which Nora and her husband Scott Behrens own. It was his fight with cerebral palsy that inspired Nora to hold that initial fundraiser. Now, two-and-a-half years later, Bryan Behrens is a healthy three-year-old, and his mother is inspired yet again to hold another fundraiser at her restaurant. Only this time, Nora, who is an AmeriCorps volunteer for the nonprofit organization Friends of Special Children, is reaching out to other young children. “I had been to some events like this before, and I figured since my year is almost up as a volunteer, I was like, ‘why not have a great party?’” Nora said. “So that’s what we’re doing.”

 

Nora and Scott Behrens will host the fundraising party from 5 to 8 p.m. June 4 at Tomaato’s. The event includes a pizza buffet, salad and beverages. It costs $25 for adults and $10 for children 4-12. For children 3 and under, admission is free. A silent auction also will take place to raise funds. All proceeds go to Friends of Special Children. “If we have nominal costs for the event, we could use some of the money from the silent auction or wine sales, leaving all of the entrance fee money for Friends,” Nora said.

 

Nora said she is a volunteer-from-home AmeriCorps volunteer, but her year of service almost is over, and the party is a last hurrah of sorts to help fund the nonprofit. She said she expects to overfill the restaurant for the event, similar to what happened for her son’s birthday party. “We’ve always had great support from the Incline community, and we’re expecting a lot of people to come,” she said. “I think people will, too, because it’s for a great cause. Friends is one of those small nonprofits that really makes a difference.”

 

Friends of Special Children is a nonprofit organization, based in Reno, that is committed to establishing support for young children in Northern Nevada with special needs, as well as helping their families with education, advocacy and inclusion. The organization specializes in education about the early intervention program, Nora said, something she and Scott were able to conduct with Bryan at a very young age, which helped him grow as a child. Early intervention generally applies to children of school age or younger (generally 3 years or younger) who are discovered to have or be at risk of developing a handicapping condition or other special need that may affect their development.

 

 

Raising eight children isn't easy, but Becki and Steve Rodriguez do it without complaints.  "I don't regret it for one moment.  Even when I'm up in my room pulling my hair out, I never regret it," says Becki.

The couple adopted these children one-by-one over the past 15 years. Their job made harder by the fact that everyone of these kids had been exposed to drugs and alcohol. "That's what we were supposed to do, take kids that no one else, most people, won't take and raise them."

The slumping economy has been tough for this family. Becki doesn't work and Steve is on disability. They say their savior has been in the Early Intervention Program which provides free physical and behavioral therapy for their children. "It's giving them the leg up to mediocricity. It gets them to the level that every child starts at."

However over the past few years, it's been tougher and tougher for the Rodriguez's to get their children the services they need. We took their concerns to Janelle Mulvenon, the bureau chief of Early Intervention Services in Reno. "Our budget has been at no growth in northern Nevada. We haven't been able to add any additional positions to address and serve those children."

Mulvenon said currently there are more than 100 children on a waiting list to get developmental services in northern Nevada.

With no new funding coming in, more families like the Rodriguez's won't get the help they need.

"Put the money at the beginning. I'm telling you, put the money in the front end and you'll have less issues at the back end," says Rodriguez.

Just last year alone nearly 4,000 children statewide got intervention services from this agency. Officials say the needs will only go up and they hope the money to fund this crucial program will do so as well.

Governor Gibbons released a statement in response to this story. "Putting more funding into E.I.S. (Early Intervention Services) now would force us to take that money out of Medicaid, prisons, or some other necessary programs. Once Nevada gets through its current fiscal crisis, I hope we're able to restore funding reductions that have been made and address the backlog of potential clients."

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