With a decisive poke to the keyboard resting on his wheelchair, Carl Lasco added his thoughts to those of several speakers at a recent ground-breaking ceremony for a $5 million state-of-the-art therapy facility, a partnership of DuPage Easter Seals and United Cerebral Palsy of Greater Chicago.
“I’ve spent many years coming to Easter Seals working with great therapists . . . this new building will help more kids learn to do everyday tasks and use technology to help themselves,” said Lasco, a 22-year-old University of Illinois student with cerebral palsy, through his augmented communication device, which has syllables and words programmed into its oversized keys.
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The 31,000 square-foot facility is being built near portions of the present center on Addison Avenue, which will be demolished for a parking lot.
“It is going to assist us for the first time in our 55-year-history in DuPage County to offer services in a facility that is designed specifically for those services, ” said Easter Seals executive director Mary Alice D’Arcy. “Up until now our facilities have been former school buildings, and we’ve adapted to the location.”
The new facility will offer programs in physical therapy, occupational therapy, audiology, family support and disability awareness training, as well as DuPage’s first fully integrated child-care program enrolling children both with and without physical challenges and an accessible playground sponsored by Toys `R’ Us and Ronald McDonald Charities.
Assistive technology resources like that used by Lasco will be showcased through a technology resources center called Infinitec West, which will be the first major joint venture of the two charities. Its name is derived from the slogan “infinite potential through assistive technology.”
The charities were brought together over the years through the assistive technology contracted by Easter Seals to United Cerebral Palsy.
The facility will be funded through a bequest from the Arthur and Mary Rubloff estate and proceeds from a capital campaign under way by Easter Seals being led by Service Master Co. in Downers Grove.