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Will Voelker (left), founder of Noah's Endeavor, receives a kiss from daughter Laila Voelker as she accepts her trophy Sunday, April 13. Will was the father of Noah Voelker, whom Noah's Endeavor is named after. Will's passion for inclusiveness, along with his love for his children, is the driving force behind everything he does.
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Lindsey Palm (left), Biochemistry major and current senior at UF, shares a laugh with her friend Davide Foote, 5, and his mother, Meila Foote. Lindsey discovered Noah's Endeavor over two years ago while simply enjoying a day at the park. She began to volunteer almost every Sunday as she grew closer to the kids. David and Lindsey became great friends almost instantly.
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Brian Jackson, 10, showcases his trophy with a thumbs up Sunday afternoon. Brian was the survivor of a terrible car accident at the age of 4 in which his mother passed away. Five months later, his father passed away with a broken heart, says Brian's grandmother, Betty Jackson (not pictured). As a result of the accident, he lost many of his motor skills including walking and talking. Now at age 6, Brian can walk and talk and he attends Lake Forest Elementary school as a fourth grade student. Brian's favorite sports to play are basketball and football.
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Four-year-old George Montgomery (center) plays with his new friends Jaiden (left) and David (right) Voelker. Allowing kids from all backgrounds and ethnicities to play together without any form of bias was the basis for the Noah's Endeavor, Inc foundation in 1999.
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Steven Voelker takes charge of the grill this Sunday for the Awards Picnic. Steven is the brother of Will Voelker, founder of Noah's Endeavor. "I always enjoy helping out with the special events. I like to be more behind the scenes but I always help out whenever I can," Steven explains. He grilled an abundance of hamburgers and hotdogs for children, parents and volunteers attending the picnic.
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Noah Voelker (left), awards Daniel Ratovoson, 19, with the Noah Voelker Spirit Award. Daniel was the only recipient of this award on Sunday afternoon. The recipients of this award are known for their positive spirit, genuine heart and cheerful smile throughout the year.
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Will Voelker (not pictured) holds up the Spirit Award in honor of his deceased son, Noah Voelker. Each child who participated in the weekly Sunday softball games was awarded a trophy Sunday afternoon at the Awards Picnic.
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Daphne Kiernan cuts the cake for the children, friends and family attending the Awards Picnic at the Albert Ray Massey (Westside) Park. Daphne discovered Noah's Endeavor from Facebook and quickly decided to allow her disabled son to join. She immediately grew to love the program and became an actively involved parent attending many of the events each Sunday afternoon.
Every Sunday afternoon, children in Alachua County participate in outdoor activities thanks to the Noah's Endeavor program. Softball was a common favorite this spring.
The program's awards picnic took place Sunday at Albert Ray Massey (Westside) Park in Gainesville to celebrate the end of the season.
The Endeavor program was founded by Gainesville resident Will Voelker in 1999 as a way for boys and girls with disabilities to play and make new friends, according to the program's website.
Over the years, the Endeavor program has grown to include a wide array of disabled and non-disabled participants along with their families and student volunteers. The program changed its name to Noah's Endeavor in 2009 in memory of Voelker's son Noah.
Softball isn't the only sport available. Aquatic sports are an option, in which Will and his wife, Shelly, offer swimming lessons. Other options include basketball, bowling and soccer.
Steve Jackson, whose nephew Brian participates in the program, said he was grateful for the love and affection the kids receive..
"It's really nice what they do," he said. "If it wasn't for them [Will Voelker and Noah's Endeavor], these kids would always be overlooked."
Upcoming events include a music day Sunday at 1 p.m., which will allow Noah's Endeavor members to play various instruments in the University of Florida's Music Building.
