Hello Maryland Ave. Montessori School Community-

I am reaching out to share a “Hands in for MAM” opportunity in support of the Schneider family.  Stella Schneider is a sweet 2nd grader from Ms. Groh’s RM20. She loves dragons and the color purple and was diagnosed with a medulloblastoma brain tumor in the summer of 2023.  She and her family have been on the road of treatment and healing since July and now are ready to receive support and love from our school community.

Support we will undoubtedly provide 1000x over.

Please read this excerpt from Stella’s CaringBridge site:

We appreciate your love and support! As background, Stella hadn’t been feeling well for a few months. After exploring several possibilities for being sick, we found out that she had a brain tumor on July 7th. She had the tumor removed on July 10th at Children’s Hospital in Wauwatosa and received great care from the staff there. Stella’s brain tumor was a medulloblastoma, which is cancerous, and she is experiencing posterior fossa syndrome, which is a common post-surgery condition that impacts her ability to speak, walk, and coordinate her body. Her particular type of cancer has a good outlook for long-term recovery, but it is slow. Her path for treatment and recovery involved a seven-week stay at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN during August and September to receive proton beam radiation treatment and rehabilitation, including physical, occupational, and speech therapies. She returned to Milwaukee on September 28th and received chemotherapy at Children’s Hospital in Wauwatosa for four months from November 2023 – February 2024. Over the next several months and beyond, she’ll continue her hard work with her therapies. Stella has a long road ahead, but she’s got an incredible village that surrounds her with love and support. Stella is amazingly brave and strong.  More at – https://www.caringbridge.org/visit/stellaschneider

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This is where the MAM Community comes in!  We are hosting a Stella Stroll on SATURDAY, February 24th at 8:30 a.m.  Our WHOLE school community is invited to bundle up and meet up at Kilbourn Reservoir Park to parade around a few blocks of Riverwest and in front of the Schneider family home, where Stella can enjoy our parade safely indoors. #StellaStrong

You are welcome to invite others to take the stroll with us.  If you have something purple, wear it.  If you have a dragon costume, wear it.  Decorated signs, strollers and wagons are welcome.  The parade will go on regardless of weather UNLESS it is dangerously cold – that call will be made by 5pm on Friday, February 23rd.   

#StellaStrong Stroll Staging Area 8:15-8:25

N.E. area of Kilbourn Reservoir Park Corner of  N Bremen St & E Meinecke Ave

#StellaStrong Stroll Begins 8:30

Follow Route to Schneider’s at 2447 N Humboldt Blvd. and then around back to Kilbourn Reservoir Park.

Day of Stroll Volunteers Needed

Staging Set-Up & Clean-Up (4-6 Adults): Cocoa, snacks, headbands??

Safety Dragons (6 Adults): will assist with street crossing and directions for Stella’s Stroll participants. We will have signs with info and QR codes.

1. Bremen & Meinecke
2. Bremen & Weil
3. Bremen & Humboldt
4. Wright & Humboldt
5. Wright & Weil
6. Wright & Bremen

Can we count on you/your family to take part in the Stella Stroll ?  

Please complete this form  https://forms.gle/z97SdsXjFBdZ6jcw6

Other ways to pitch in – 

• Drop off a card or note when you stroll by Stella’s house! Stella loves getting cards from all of her classmates that encourage her to keep fighting and reminding her that she is loved. Unable to attend?  Drop a card in the mail: 

Stella Schneider 2447 N Humboldt Blvd Milwaukee, WI 53212

• Stella’s family has a Stella Strong DRAGON hoodie available for online ordering. If you would like to order a Stella Strong sweatshirt – please complete your order by Feb 9 at the latest to hopefully get them before the 24th! https://inktothepeople.com/stella-strong

• We need folks who can and want to sew!

We are sewing (hundreds) of purple and/or dragon fleece ear warmers for every student/staff at MAM and more – these ear warmers will be worn by MAM students/staff and supporters as a show of solidarity and love for Stella and the Schneider family.   If you sew and want to help, let Ms. Jenni know and she can connect you with fleece, notions and a copy of the pattern.  If you want to make purchases on your own and donate to the cause, that is great and here is the pattern and instructions.

• Do not sew but want to buy some fleece fabric in shades or purple or featuring dragons?   Go for it, reach out to Ms. Jenni to get your fleece connected with our sewers!

Can we count on you/your family to take part in the Stella Stroll ?  

Please complete this form  https://forms.gle/z97SdsXjFBdZ6jcw6