Keep On Moving

In the beginning of 2008, Steve Smith passed away from health complications. Having been served by Systems Unlimited for the last 22 years of his life he was widely known as a very outgoing and active person. In an effort to keep Steve’s passion for life going, contributions to his memorial fund were used to plan and offset the price of group day trips around Iowa. The name for these trips were coined the “Keep on Moving” Fund by Steve’s parents, Larry and Judy Smith of Coralville. The Smiths along with his entire team of support, including myself, knew that the key to keeping Steve satisfied with life and happy was by keeping him moving. In my ten years of experience with the agency, I’ve seen spectacular outcomes for people with disabilities when they are able to break away from the routine; and get out and see and experience new places. This service is not always available to the people we serve due to budgetary and staffing considerations. In designing these trips, I’ve strived to keep this same philosophy on services going to more and more people served by Systems Unlimited.

Since it’s inception in May ’08, the fund has helped offset costs for large groups of anywhere between 60 to recently 140 people served by Systems Unlimited and their staff. So far, the Steve Smith “Keep on Moving” Fund has supplemented costs of; a trip to the indoor water park and river boat tour in Dubuque, a trip to Adventureland in Des Moines, a dinner theatre trip in Rock Island and most recently a trip to the Omaha Zoo.