The public is invited to a ribbon cutting and open house of the new Elgin location of Easter Seals DuPage and the Fox Valley Region from 4 – 7 p.m. Thursday, March 8, at The Jayne Shover Center, 799 S. McLean Blvd., Elgin.
At 4 p.m., a ribbon cutting will take place. A child who attends Easter Seals will wield the scissors, and on hand will be members of the Elgin Chamber of Commerce including President Carol Gieske, Elgin village officials, Easter Seals staff members, Easter Seals families and the public.
“We are happy to invite the entire community to our new space,” said Theresa Forthofer, president and CEO, Easter Seals DuPage and the Fox Valley Region. “The quality of our facility was achieved with careful planning in order to match the excellence of our skilled and experienced therapists.”
The open house will include guided tours, hors d’oeuvres, beverages, and an activity center called the Kid Zone for family-friendly activities. In addition, free hearing screenings will be available to adults.
The new Elgin location features a new bilingual social work program, the first at Easter Seals DuPage and the Fox Valley Region.
“We are very happy to offer our social work therapies in Spanish as well as in English,” Forthofer said. “With the goal of helping more families, this is a vital step.”
Also, the Elgin location has increased space – 7,200 sq ft.; a more open design with spacious halls; warm, natural light; and larger therapy rooms. All improvements create a warm and welcoming ambiance.
Easter Seals DuPage and the Fox Valley Region has three locations: Elgin, Villa Park and Naperville. It serves nearly 3,200 infants, children, and adults with therapy and audiology services each year. Its mission is to enable infants, children, and adults with disabilities to achieve maximum independence and to provide support for the families who love and care for them.
Founded in 1952, Easter Seals is one of the largest and most highly regarded pediatric outpatient rehabilitation centers in the nation. Key services available include:
• evaluations,
• physical therapy,
• occupational therapy,
• speech and language therapy,
• assistive technology,
• social services,
• community outreach programs,
• specialty clinics,
• continuing education and
• audiology services.
“We have a staff of more than130 dedicated people, all of whom believe in a family-centered approach,” Forthofer said. “Our 65 therapists have knowledge, medical expertise and many years of skilled experience in child development.”
However, the professional staff doesn’t rest on its laurels. Through continuing education courses, the therapists are constantly creating new treatment options to assist children through infancy and beyond.
The open house is free and open to the public. For more information about the event, call Jill Garrett, project manager, at 630-261-6190, email jgarrett@eastersealsdfvr.org or visit: http://www.eastersealsdfvr.org.
