It was no surprise at all to me to hear that Nick De Graaf created the MAWS group! I met Nick when he was 11 years old and advertised his 5$ an hour dog walking service on a community notice board. When Nick came for the “interview,”it did not take me long to realize what a special young man he was. Yes, he had a remarkable entrepreneurial spirit for an 11 year old, but, even more, he had a great desire to help others. Nick reached out to kids who were challenged, in one way or another, and tried to make a difference in their lives, often doing this by drawing them into his love of physical activity and sports.I also discovered that Nick and I shared the same birthdate, November 30th, and that we were both born at 5:45 am! Clearly, the connection was deep. So, of course, I was sad and upset that he has had this struggle with mental illness, but, at the same time, I am so moved by his desire to reach out and help others who are struggling also. MAWS is truly Nick – it combines his love of the outdoors, physical activity/sports and, most of all, his desire to be of real service to others. Congratulations, Nick, for creating MAWS. I am so proud of you!
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