INTRODUCING CALLIE CARTER

Leading a fulfilling life through Callie’s Community Project

WRITTEN BY MELISSA KLATT

Callie Carter, 9, resides in the countryside of Holmes County, deep in the heart of Amish country. At her young age, she’s a symbol of determination, as she doesn’t let the challenges she experiences with cerebral palsy and autism stand in the way of growing Callie’s Community Project.

Building Lifelong Skills Through Action

Mom, RaShelle Carter, knew Callie would face challenges in her life. She didn’t want the challenges Callie would face getting in the way of her quality of life, so they started Callie’s Community Project, an organization to grow her skills and set her up for a better, more inclusive future!

“We knew from a young age that Callie would struggle her whole life, and we didn’t want the difficulties she would face to affect her quality of life,” says RaShelle. “In March 2022, Callie was transferred from our local public school to a specialized school. At that point, we really started to focus on lifelong skills for Callie and how we could connect her to the community. We started Callie’s Community Project, where we work together to make t-shirts, in hopes to help Callie increase functional/job skills, all while being a part of something with her family. We want Callie to lead a fulfilling life and to be an asset to her community.”

Hobbies Include Spending Summers On The Mohican River

Some of Callie’s favorite hobbies include swimming and playing in the water! So naturally, to incorporate more of that fun for the whole family, everyone came together to convert a camper to better accommodate Callie’s needs as they go camping. This past summer, they spent camping on the Mohican River, which Callie absolutely loved! Callie tubed down the river with her parents pulling her by kayaks. She had a blast, and the whole family has treasured memories to hold onto forever.

During the rest of the year, you’d probably catch Callie in her specialized racing chair playing with her buddy, Sarah!

NEVER STOP FIGHTING: A MOM’S WORD OF ENCOURAGEMENT do, and encourage others to always see your child as someone who can accomplish anything. It’s easy to feel defeated in the hard moments, but a year from now, you look back and say, “Wow, look at how much we have truly accomplished.”

RaShelle shares the three words she lives by in her journey of motherhood: never stop fighting. “Be the voice for your child and their number one cheerleader,” she says.

RaShelle also attributes so much love and admiration for Susan, the behavioral support person they lean on! “Several years ago, our family was introduced to a wonderful behavioral support person: Susan. She has truly been the biggest blessing to our family. She has helped us find resources and supported our needs as we have encountered different obstacles. She helped guide us through different transition periods with Callie. She has been someone we can confide in, as we know she always has our best interest at heart. She loves our family and Callie as much as we love her. We would not be where we are today if it was not for Susan. We always say, “Every family needs a Susan in their life.”