What We Do

We Fund Raise

In 2012, Gage Gives Back began collecting toiletries, notebooks, pens, crossword books and then fun toys, books, etc to fill bags for children and adults at St Paul Children's Hospital. Those items were delivered on November 11th, 2012, the anniversary date of Gage's injury. 117 adult and children bags filled with various items were delivered.
In 2013, Gage Gives Back raised funds for The Institute of Exercise Medicine and Prevention (I.EM.PHIT). The money was used to purchase much needed exercise equipment and an adaptive bicycle was donated. After the story aired on Fox 9 News, Gage was contacted by many police officers. I.EM.PHIT conducted his workouts like police training because Gage's dream is to one day be an officer. Many police officers were touched by this story, and so the fun began for Gage. He met many officers, received lots of gifts and was an officer for the day in which Fox 9 News did a follow-up story. When doing this fundraiser, we never expected such an outpouring of support from police officers.
On September 28th, 2014, Gage was asked by the Red Wing Police Department to be a part of the Guns vs. Hoses Fundraiser for the United Way. Gage sold 50 tickets to family and friends, was a member of the Cops Team and was asked to throw out the first pitch.
In 2014, Gage Gives Back hosted fleece tie blanket events at La Quinta hotels in Fargo, ND and Savage, MN. Children's books were also collected. Since Gage had extensive leg surgery at Gillette Children's Specialty Healthcare that year, we donated items to them. Gillette gives tie blankets to each child who has surgery at their facility.

We Raise Public Awareness

Gage and Penny have spoken at many events for the Institute of Exercise Medicine, were featured in news stories, participated in a video for St Paul Children’s, appeared in the Minds Matter magazine for the Minnesota Brain Injury Alliance, spoke at a Candlelight Vigil for Child Abuse and tied blue ribbons on police cars for child abuse awareness and got tours of the police department in Red Wing and Cannon Falls.
Gage Gives Back had a booth set up at the Badger/Gopher Marathon "Battle of the Border" to educate on Traumatic Brain Injury and Shaken Baby Syndrome.
Gage Gives Back also adopted four 11-year-olds at Christmas time through the Hope Coalition.
Gage Gives Back hosts many knit-ins throughout the year to collect purple newborn hats that are donated each year to Iowa Click for Babies to help in educating parents on shaken baby syndrome and the purple period of crying, a period of time when infant crying increases; beginning when babies are about two weeks old, peaking in the second month and ending around the third to fifth month.
On April 15th, 2014, Gage had to have an extensive leg surgery where he had his hips and femurs rotated on both legs, plates put in at his knees and his right tibia rotated. The day before surgery, he had 18 Police Cars from Red Wing Police Department, Prairie Island Police, Cannon Falls Police Department, Goodhue County Sheriff and Minnesota State Troopers who gave him a police escort home from school. While in the hospital, he received visitors and lots of mail from police officers from all over. Also Gage received a letter and a Senate Resolution from Senator Matt Schmitt for his efforts on raising child abuse awareness
The team, Gage Trotters was formed and took part in the Walk for Thought by raising funds and walking as a team. Gage and Penny were recognized at Walk for Thought in 2014 for their efforts with Gage Gives Back.