Page 7 - Hobe Sound Reflections - March '21

Hobe Sound, Page 7

good workS

Martin County Professional Rights of the Challenged) is a 501(c)(3) non-for-profit
The ARC of Martin County, (Advocates for the
Firefighters And Paramedics organization dedicated to empowering children and adults

Association Local 2959 Come with intellectual and developmental disabilities to achieve
their fullest potential through residential, vocational,
To The Rescue For ARC Of educational, behavioral, and other healthcare services.
“Our goal,” said ARC President and CEO Keith

Martin County Services Muniz, “is to provide support, assistance and training
that will enhance the abilities for children and adults with
“Friends are angels that lift us to our feet when our wings disabilities to thrive each day and achieve their fullest
have trouble remembering how to fly.” potential. Without the support from our many wonderful
The ARC of Martin County (ARC) recently received a partners and individuals, we would not be able to provide Chris Norton and wife, Emily, at Chris’ college graduation
delightful surprise. Unbeknownst to ARC, the Martin County many of the supports that we currently do.”
Professional Firefighters and Paramedics Local 2959 dropped Find out how you can support and empower these He and his then fiancée, Emily, moved to Port St.
by one sunny January day to present a $10,000 donation! Their amazing children and adults today, visit our website Lucie, started the Chris Norton Foundation, published a
kindness and the kindness of our community is the generosity at https://www.arcmc.org; and follow us on Facebook, book and became a motivational speaker with his mantra,
that keeps the children and adults of ARC thriving. Instagram and LinkedIn. We are all angels … just learning the power to stand.
Once a year, these outstanding men and women send out a how to fly. Then fatherhood taught him something new: that the
request by mail, called their fundrive, to raise funds that support power to stand – especially for those you love – can come
lifesaving initiatives and other community outreach programs in Local Foster And Adoptive without ever leaving your seat.
our area. These are the men and women who respond to our 911 Parent Teaches ‘The Power To Norton, who spent thousands of hours preparing
emergencies 24/7. In addition to saving lives and putting out fires, himself to walk, first across his graduation stage in 2015,
they give of themselves in multiple ways to their community. Stand’ From Wheelchair and then at his wedding in 2018, said his focus now is on
With 2020 being an extremely challenging year for ARC being a dad and challenging others to foster and adopt.
and all nonprofits, with lost revenues from canceled, yet relied Chris Norton was given a 3 percent chance to move A new documentary, 7 Yards: The Chris Norton Story,
upon, fundraisers, the donation was truly a gift from angels, one again after suffering a spinal-cord injury on the football captures his recovery and his life now as a husband and
that will assist the ARC in their ability to provide much needed field his freshman year of college. He defied those odds father.
services to over 400 children and adults across the Treasure Coast and inspired the nation with a now famous walk across His children, adopted from Communities Connected
with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Iowa’s Luther College graduation stage. for Kids’ system of care in Okeechobee and the Treasure
Coast in 2019, are a large part of that story. He and Emily
have been foster parents since 2016, and he hopes his story
will inspire others to take the same journey.
“I hope people will see me and think, ‘If he can do it,
I can do it,’ ” Norton said.
It started with Whittley, a teenager Emily worked with
when the couple still lived in Iowa. Whittley asked the
Nortons to foster her when she was 17 years old. Two years
later she became the young couple’s adopted daughter.
“Every child deserves to have a safe, loving,
encouraging environment to grow,” Norton said. “If we

Chris in rehab Good Works on page 8

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