Teacher Gives Retirement Gifts to Help Stepping Stones

Date posted: October 28, 2014

When Mike Valdrini retired after 35 years as a special education teacher, family and friends surprised him with stacks of retirement gifts – but none of them were for him. 

Valdrini’s retirement party turned into a windfall of garden equipment, sheets and blankets, cosmetics and games for Stepping Stones’ programs for children and adults with disabilities. 

“I taught multi handicapped students for 25 years in the Lakota School District. My students have gone to Stepping Stones for summer camp and students and parents have volunteered at Stepping Stones. I’ve never heard of anyone having a bad experience at Stepping Stones,” Valdrini said. 

Valdrini’s wife and daughter surprised him with the Stepping Stones retirement party. “But, if they’d have asked me where I wanted presents to go, I would have picked Stepping Stones,” he said. 

The Valdrini family spent an afternoon at Stepping Stones’ Given Campus in Indian Hill, visiting some of the children who will be using his retirement gifts. 

“It’s easy to see why they love it,” he said. “When you step out of the world and step onto the Stepping Stones grounds, all your troubles melt away.”

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The Valdrini family, from left: Jaylen Valdrini and his mom, Kelly Valdrini of Colerain; Chrissi Valdrini of Walnut Hills; Jenny and Mike Valdrini of Springfield Township; daughter Katelyn Tighe and Kevin Tighe, of Norwood.