Every February, Memorial Health Foundation and HealthWorks! Kids’ Museum hold the Life of a Child Celebration. This event was established in 2001 with three purposes in mind: raising community awareness of the significance of investing in the earliest years of a child’s life, honoring members of the community who have made a significant contribution to improving the quality of lives of local children, and celebrating the birthday of HealthWorks! Kids’ Museum. In 2004, the honor will be extended to include local organizations who have made significant contributions to the lives of children as well.

The week long Life of a Child Celebration consists of events that pay tribute to those who will be receiving the award. Events include an award luncheon or reception, sessions at HealthWorks! that are homage to how the honorees have worked with children, and HealthWorks! annual birthday party for the community. Children heavily influence and participate in all of the events. Honorees are selected from a large pool of qualified individuals and organizations by the board of Memorial Health Foundation. In 2001, the first honoree was Dr. G. Walter (Rick) Erickson, followed by Bonnie Boilini Baxter in 2002 and Maritza Robles and Jim Tallman in 2003.

The Life of a Child Celebration provides many opportunities for involvement for those who are interested in promoting children's’ health. Many sponsorship and volunteer opportunities are available. For more information, please call Buddy Builder Peggy King at 647-KIDS (5437), ext. 405.

G. Walter (Rick) Erickson, 1915- 2003
2001 Life of a Child Recipient

Dr. G. Walter Erickson practiced as a pediatrician in South Bend from 1950 to 2000. It has been estimated that he treated 8,000 to 12,000 patients in a year, adding up to almost half a million children being treated during the 50 years of his practice. His life’s practice as a pediatrician is defined in the book he authored, To Save One Child.

Dr. Erickson was born in Springfield, Massachusetts. The early death of his sister, Dorothy, had a strong impact on his life and inspired him to become a doctor. He graduated from Antioch College in June 1940 and received his medical degree from the Medical College of Virginia in September 1944. Soon after, he was drafted in to the U.S. Army, and served two years as a captain in the Medical Corp.

Dr. Erickson began his pediatric training in 1947, with a residency at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. Before coming to South Bend in 1950, he took a sixth month residency at Belmont Hospital for Contagious Diseases in Worcester, Massachusetts during an epidemic of polio. Five years later, in 1954, St. Joseph County Health Officer Dr. Nicholas Carter appointed Dr. Erickson to head the Polio Field Trial in St. Joseph County due to his prior experience with treating polio. The field trials he conducted with 3000 South Bend children contributed to the approval of the Salk vaccine.

Though kept very busy by his practice, Dr. Erickson always made time for his family. He and his wife Martha enjoyed 59 years of marriage together. Their children are Garwood, Robin, and Quincy. In spite of making approximately 1000 house calls a year, Dr. Erickson made sure to be home every evening by 6:00 pm for dinner. He often took his family on sightseeing trips, ski vacations, and Colorado adventures.

Throughout his lifetime, Dr. Erickson spoke at many medical conferences and contributed articles to medical journals. He also received a number of awards. In 1990, he received the Sagamore of the Wabash Award from Governor Evan Bayh and the Key to the City of South Bend from then-Mayor Joseph E. Kernan.

Dr. Erickson passed away on August 20, 2003. He left behind a legacy of making a difference in the lives of children and their families that will never be forgotten.

Bonnie Boilini Baxter, 2002 Life of a Child Recipient

Bonnie Boilini Baxter is the Artistic Director Emeritus of the Southhold Dance Theater in South Bend, Indiana. She also teaches dance classes at the South hold Dance Theater, Stanley Clark School, and the Early Childhood Development Center.

Ms. Baxter was born and raised in North Judson, Indiana, as the only daughter in a family with three brothers. She began taking dance classes in third grade, and only five years later she began teaching dance methods to neighborhood children. After high school, Bonnie attended DePauw University in Green Castle, Indiana, where she earned her B.S. in Microbiology in 1968. While at DePauw, she earned the Junior Woman of the Year Award for her leadership in outreach in the community. She also met her husband Jim Baxter during her four years at DePauw. They were married in June of 1969. From 1968 to 1970, Bonnie worked in New York City performing medical research in the pediatrics department at New York University Hospital.

Bonnie moved to South Bend in 1970. She founded Dancenter in August of 1975, a school for dance and performance space for Southold Dance Center. Southold held its first concert at Dancenter in November of 1975. After 6 great years of teaching dance, Bonnie sold Dancenter in 1981 due to high costs of heating- but she continued to teach dance classes at the Century Center.

In 1982, Ms. Baxter became the Artistic Director for Southold Dance Theater. She would hold this position for 15 years. Under her leadership, The Nutcracker Ballet grew to serve public audiences of 5000 and youth concert audiences of 12,000; children’s roles in this production were expanded to three casts totaling 275, and the ballet brought in nationally recognized guest artists from major ballet companies. Bonnie’s major works while at Southold were Hands (1968), Time Enconium (1969), Two Solos (1975), Missa Luba (1975), Vivaldi’s Four Seasons (1976), Awakening (1993-1994), and Anniversary Finale (1999). Ms. Baxter also served several terms as the board president of Southhold from 1986 – 1989. Under her presidency, she created the annual patron gala, Nutcracker Nostalgia, and Keep Our Dancers on their Toes annual fund. She has served as a grant panelist for the Indiana Arts Commission and has been a board member for the Michiana Arts and Sciences Council, Firefly Festival, and the Arts Literacy Task Force. After two years as the Director of Southold Dance Theater in 2000 and 2001, Ms. Baxter retired in 2002.

Ms. Baxter is the mother of three children: Claire, 27; Leah, 25; and James, 19.

Martiza Robles, 2003 Life of a Child Recipient
Maritza Robles is the director of Bilingual Education for the South Bend Community School Corporation in South Bend, Indiana. She is an accomplished administrator and is very involved in civic and community affairs in St. Joseph County, where she resides. She has participated in numerous presentations on multicultural issues. Ms. Robles serves as chair of the Indiana Step Ahead Panel.

Ms. Robles was born and raised in Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico. She received a Bachelor of Arts in Education from the Unversity of Puerto Rico in 1963, with a concentration in science and mathematics. Ms. Robles came to South Bend in 1972 to attend the Unversity of Notre Dame, where she earned a Master of Arts Degree.
Above all, Ms. Robles considers herself an educator, having taught in classrooms almost continually from 1963 to 1981. She taught math, science, Spanish, and English-as a-Second-Language classes for K-12 and adults. She also taught mathematics to blind high school students in Puerto Rico in a setting of inclusion. Ms. Robles has been with the South Bend Community School Corporation since 1976. In 1981, she was appointed to the position of Director of the Bilingual Education Department. In this capacity, she has developed and expanded programs for migrant, limited English proficient and refugee students, and has been a constant advocate for bilingual families in the area. Her most outstanding professional accomplishment has been receiving the US Department of Education Secretary’s Initiative Award for three consecutive years in recognition of her strong leadership in the Summer 1989, Summer 1990,and Summer 1991 migrant programs conducted by the Bilingual Education Department of the South Bend Community School Corporation.

She is a member of the Board of Directors of Memorial Hospital, Community Foundation of St. Joseph County, 1st Source Bank- CRA Advisory Board, St. Joseph County Scholarship Foundation, and the Juvenile Justice Center of St. Joseph County. In 1998, Ms. Robles was inducted into the South Bend Hall of Fame for her volunteerism in the community.

Jim Tallman, 2003 Life of a Child Recipient

Jim Tallman is the Athletic Director of grades 4-8 and the Director of Transportation at the Stanley Clark School in South Bend, Indiana. He has held this position since 1972. During the past 22 years, he started and directed a gymnastics camp for girls and started and continues to direct World Cup Soccer Camp.

Jim was born and raised in Mount Holly, New Jersey. Jim graduated from Grace College in 1971 with a Bachelor of Science. In 1972 he graduated from Ball State with his Masters in Athletics and Health. After moving to South Bend and taking the position with Stanley Clark School, he started the Michiana Soccer Association in 1977. In 1980 he coached soccer at John Adams High School.

Jim is married to Ann and they have three children: Cori, 28, Clint, 26, and Chad, who is 21.

2003 Life of a Child Donors

Pursuit of Dreams Donor
Jenny Burkhart Miller

Changing Lives Donor
South Bend Medical Foundation
The Stanley Clark School

Building Character Donor
1st Source Bank
Linda & Bruce Bancroft
Woodcox Construction
The Shields Family
Ann & Rob Bartels
Lisa & Steve Haines
Pam & Chip Newman
Michele, Isabella, & Dominic DeStefano – In Memory of Vincent DeStefano

Special Thanks to community kids from
The Center for the Homeless
Robinson Center
Leran.Fun at Studebaker School