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Birthday Party!




January, 2010

On January 25, we had a wonderful birthday party for Mark at Sebastopol Arts Center on a Sunday afternoon. He is now 27.
Thank you, Nancy and Andy, for the food service. Thank you, Ray, Mari-san, Deborah B. and others for help with the cleanup. The Arts Center was happy to return my deposit. We loved seeing Mark's old friends including a third grade classmate, Julian Sutter; Mark's high school buddies; as well as Mark's current classmates and teachers from Becoming Independent. . Some of Mark's old friends brought their children. That was so exciting. Thank you, one and all, for coming to help celebrate Mark's special day. Many friends whom I knew personally from many different places have made their own friends out here. That is really cute. It is a small world in this small town of Sebastopol, but networking has no limits.
Let's keep doing what has become a wonderful annual tradition, bringing together old and new friends.

With gratitude,
Mark & Hideko



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January, 2000

Mark Petchey celebrated his 17th birthday with a party attended by over 200 friends

Dear Friends,

The surprise birthday party brought joy and happiness to Mark beyond expectation. The overwhelming show of love and support will long be a great source of encouragement as he moves forward along the stony path to recovery. He will be forever thankful.

Caring for Mark at home is very demanding. In addition to attending to his daily needs, we must find our way through a maze of frequently flawed insurance and government bureaucracies to provide for his medical, therapeutic, and educational needs. For Hideko and me, it is a test of strength and endurance that frequently brings us to the limits of our physical and financial capabilities. At such times, our family, friends, and community are our major pillars of support, and we are deeply grateful for the help and assistance we receive. The birthday event will long affirm that we are not alone in our struggle to provide Mark with the help and resources he needs to make his life meaningful and fulfilled.

We thank the owners of the Powerhouse Brewing Company for hosting a wonderful party, the many people who worked to organize it, and all who participated.

Grahame and Hideko Petchey