Since 1998, the indefatigable Harriet Redman (that's her, on the left, wearing blue) has provided  leadership  for the Fox Valley  Sibling Support  Network.  Based in Appleton, Wisconsin, the FVSSN  hosts picnics and conferences for  adult  sibs as well  as  some of the best  Sibshops to be  found  anywhere.  They are justifiably famous for their annual "Sibshop on the Farm."  The Fox Valley Sibling Support  Network's Sibshop  was even featured on ABC World News.

Below you'll find  testimony from three now-adult sibs about what  FVSSN's  Sibshops meant to them.

I became involved in FVSSN Sibshops as a teenager.  As I grew up with a special needs sibling, none of my friends were able to relate to the issues and experiences my family encountered.  Becoming a part of Sibshops and acting as a volunteer with the younger participants was a wonderful experience for me.  I was grateful to be part of an organization focused on providing a network for kids growing up in a situation similar to mine. 

Sibshops provide a social network for kids to interact and talk about the unique experiences, blessings, and challenges that come with being the sibling of someone with special needs.  I personally developed friendships with other volunteers, with whom I shared common life experiences.  Sibshops is a truly special program, creating an invaluable network of people and resources which families can draw upon for friendship and support.

Rachel (Hyatt) Dahl
University of Minnesota Law school graduate
Late sister had multiple disabilities

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              Personally, I find FVSSN Sibshops to be an incredible experience, both for the participants and the facilitators.  I've been blessed to have experienced both roles.  I remember my first Sibshop on the farm, which must have been 8 years ago.  I had such a great time, and it wasn't just because of the games, the friends, and the eating of s'mores (although those most certainly helped) - it was because I knew that I wasn't the only one with a disabled sibling.  The topic may not have dominated our conversations that day, but was definitely discussed.  And the best thing was that we didn't have to explain the fact that we had a sibling with a disability to each other.  We knew, and we understood.  That was what made it comfortable, and knowing that I had that support was very important to me then, as it is now.

As a FVSSN Sibshop facilitator now, I have come full circle, and I can see the same thing that I began to experience 8 years ago on the farm taking place in the kids that come to Sibshops today.  I see some kids coming to Sibshops all excited about it.  Others a bit scared.  But we all know that everyone in the group has a sibling with a disability.  And the best thing is, we don't care - we're not going to look at them in a different way.  Sure, we'll be there to answer any questions, help in any way we can, or just to listen...but we're there to help them have fun, discover that they are not alone, and that they are special and important.  And I am utterly convinced, with this conviction being strengthened after every program, that Sibshops are incredibly important for these kids, and very much help them to grow in so many ways.

Ben Stern (pictured below)
Student, UW-Madison
Sister has Down syndrome

Sibshops has truly been one of the best experiences of my life.  Not only do they give kids a place to have fun, Sibshops give kids who have a sibling with a disability a place to belong.

Kids at Sibshops don’t have to worry about being “different” because everyone there is in the same situation.  Especially for me, going to a small school, knowing I wasn’t alone in having a sibling with a disability gave me the confidence and strength to face all the challenges that came with my sister.

Alisha Fahley
Student, Marquette University
Sister has autism

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