EVENTS
CALENDAR

Anything boys can do, girls can … have a blast doing too. For the past three years, the Pujols Family Foundation has treated sons with Down syndrome and their dads to Hitters and Splitters, an invitation only-bowling event with Albert Pujols held each August. Meanwhile, Deidre Pujols and the PFF have held two amazing tea parties and a pizza party for special daughters and their moms. But this spring the gals were treated to their very own bowling party with…

John Maucher, brother of two sisters with Down syndrome, Erika and Carli, is a protecting, loving, and caring brother. Last summer he was pushed to the limit of being teased about his sister Erika, and tired of hearing Erika teased. He stepped up and took action. John didn’t use his fist, he didn’t even use hateful words, he used kindness, love, and his Christian ways to turn a negative situation into a positive one. He talked to his parents, Stefanie…

By Jen Cooper One of the most popular events of the summer of 2008 made its return in 2009, this time bigger and better than before. The Pujols Family Foundation hosted its Batter Up! cooking classes again this summer but instead of it just being available to girls with Down syndrome, the boys got a chance to get in on the fun as well. A series of twelve cooking classes were held from the middle of June through the end…

Nestled in the far lanes of the Brunswick Zone, Gary Hemminghaus was having a grand guys night out. Just two weeks earlier, not one but two newspaper articles had been done on Gary, 40, celebrating his 20th anniversary at his job. Now he had just bowled a spare, was talking up a storm with buddies and his stepdad and noshing on all the Imo’s pizza he could eat, all while hanging out with his favorite baseball player at the 4th…

by Anna M. Jones Karen Cunningham’s only goal was to grab her Kleenex and speech and get off the stage as quickly as she could at the Pujols Family Foundation’s annual O’ Night Divine dinner. Then she realized Al ‘the Mad Hungarian’ Hrabosky was standing, and it hit her. “When I saw him stand up, I was blown away,” she said. “For him of all people, then I realized everyone was standing up.” And applauding. Amid a sea of professional…

By Brian Koenig It was sunny, it was cool, it was beautiful…and thank goodness, this year it was inside. On Saturday February 27th, the second annual Winter Wonderland—for the benefit of the Pujols Family Foundation—had Westport Plaza littered with animated children and engaged parents. Upon entering Winter Wonderland, visitors were greeted with winter decorations and amazing ice sculpture demonstrations from Ice Visions.  The exquisite sculptures were scattered throughout the event—a smiling bear, a merry snowman, and a cheerful penguin—which added…

By Anna Jones At just a few minutes after 7 p.m. on a spring Sunday in Chesterfield, an appreciative group of moms and daughters listened as Albert Pujols welcomed them to the second annual Pujols Family Foundation Mother/Daughter Bowling Event. Just a few feet away, the giggles, smiles and hugs of Leah, Emily and Mackenzie, who were all clad in matching pink athletic skirts and tops and neon glow bracelets, said it all. The girls had gotten to know each…

By Erin Brooks The morning downpours turned into a blazing sun on the afternoon of June 17th as over 100 participants gathered at the Miracle Field for their chance to ‘hit like Albert’.  The third Home-Run Derby totaled six home runs, one of which, slammed by Daniel Haynes, hit the scoreboard and created a huge uproar among the crowd.  While coached and cheered on by over 40 volunteers, each participant walked up to the plate, many called their shot, swung…

The Pujols Family Foundation and Dierbergs School of Cooking teamed up again this summer to offer the Batter Up! Cooking Experience to families that have children with Down syndrome. Twelve classes were held starting in the middle of June and going through the end of July. The two-hour hands-on class allowed the child and a parent to be responsible for cooking part of a meal that the entire class got to enjoy. This year’s classes featured a ‘Breakfast for Dinner’…

Hoots and hollers filled the Brunswick Zone Bowling Alley on August 1st as eager fathers and sons anticipated the start of the 5th annual Hitters and Splitters event put on by the Pujols Family Foundation. After a warm welcome from Deidre Pujols, the boys were free to begin their two hours of bowl time, bringing in high scores and building new friendships. The night was filled with strikes and spares, music and impressive victory dance moves, and memories that will…

By Jen Cooper Albert Pujols certainly had his own excited cheering section at the Cardinals’ game on August 4th against the Houston Astros. That is because the Pujols Family Foundation was invited to be a part of Major League Baseball Players Association’s Buses for Baseball program. Buses for Baseball selects a local children’s charity and arranges for 50 kids to ride a bus to the game, check out the home and visiting players warm up, get up-close during batting practice…

“Stop! Get away from me!” These words could be heard loud and clear at stores surrounding the St. Louis Family Martial Arts Academy. Fortunately these yells were not serious shouts for help, rather practice runs for 15 young men and women with Down syndrome who, every Tuesday for six weeks, learned the in’s and out’s of defending themselves. The “Big Bad Wolf: Self-Defense and Peaceful Conflict Resoultion” event held by the Pujols Family Foundation had begun. Owner and instructor, Dwight…

By Anna Jones Marcus Ming-Tatum is no stranger to the Pujols Family Foundation’s Autumn Prom. The valet parking, the applause and cheers along red carpet entrance, fabulous food, dancing the night away with Fredbird, hanging with Albert … what began as a special event in 2007 for teens and adults with Down syndrome has become one of the biggest parties of the year for Marcus and his friends. But he still found himself spellbound when he walked into the Kemp…

By Anna Jones From Woody and Buzz to Batman and Batgirl, and even Michael Jackson, Albert and Deidre Pujols had the chance to mingle with quite a crowd on Friday, Oct. 29. The reason for the gathering of super heroes and celebrities—the first annual Pujols Family Foundation’s Pujols Palooza Fall Festival. Just two weeks earlier, Albert and Deidre had mingled with an older crowd of about 400 older teens and adults at just the same place, the Kemp Auto Museum…

By Anna Jones As diners enjoyed an elegant five-course meal at the Pujols Family Foundation’s Sixth Annual O’ Night Divine Christmas Celebration, Foundation Executive Director Todd Perry rattled off a dizzying array of numbers. The numbers covered everything from players involved in the Foundation’s new Batey Baseball league in the Dominican Republic to the number of local events for those with Down syndrome, and so much more. As he spoke those numbers to a record crowd of 600 people at…

The room was buzzing with conversation and excitement. Stories were being exchanged, pictures shown proudly and relationships being formed. On Saturday, April 9th the Pujols Family Foundation and Down Syndrome Association of Greater St. Louis joined together to host the 2011 New Mothers Luncheon. As each mother checked in and entered into the room at the Pujols 5 restaurant there was an ease in which the mothers interacted with one another. Although it was the first time that many of…

Why should kids get to have all the fun? In this case, the Pujols Family Foundation and St. Louis Family Martial Arts Academy are giving the moms of children with Down syndrome the chance to get in on the fun as well. Last summer the Foundation hosted its first session of Big Bad Wolf Self Defense classes for people with Down syndrome. It was a wonderful success with them learning the verbal and physical skills needed to protect themselves. However,…

by Todd Perry It has become part of St. Louis folklore over the past several years how well Albert hits the ball on “Buddy Walk” or “Walk in the Park” day, when the stands are filled with people who have Down syndrome. Talking with my friend, Jim Hammond, he mentioned that Albert seems to have amazing days anytime he is around the kids with Down syndrome. That got us to thinking: What if Albert really does play better when inspired…

With the weather forecast predicting thunderstorms on and off all day, and Albert coming a day off his wrist injury just the day before, there was a lot of uncertainty in the air. However, as the guests started to arrive to the Hammond family farm in Williamsburg, you knew that this day was going to be special. God couldn’t have blessed us with a more perfect day for our first annual Father/Son Fishing Tournament. There wasn’t a cloud in the…

We are excited to introduce Albert’s Rising Stars, a new program sponsored by the Pujols Family Foundation in conjunction with Leftovers, etc. Albert’s Rising Stars is an ongoing program, designed exclusively for people with Down syndrome, that offers classes in a wide variety of areas including dance, music, art, theater, science, travel, money and hobby. This PDF details the classes that are available for this summer session. It is our hope that your child will take this opportunity to grow…

It’s not everyday that you find yourself in a confrontation, or a stranger follows you down the sidewalk late at night. However, if this were to happen to any one of the students that were involved in the Pujols Family Foundation’s 2nd annual self-defense class, there is not a doubt they could handle themselves. The Pujols Family Foundation teamed up with St. Louis Martial Arts Academy located in Ellisville and gave people with Down syndrome, 14 and older, an opportunity…

By Karen Voda For the past four summers, the Pujols Family Foundation has teamed up with Dierbergs Markets to offer a fun-filled experience to young people with Down syndrome and their parents. Each parent/child team gets a Pujols Batter Up apron and learns to create a delicious meal. The classes were offered on several dates from mid-June through the end of July. Eight parent/child pairs attend each session. The classes were hosted at two locations. The daytime classes were offered…