September is Bike for the Kids Month and many children have reached their goal to ride a bike! |
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One of the most popular summer activities is riding a bike with friends or family. This summer, the activity was at a record high with bikes sold out everywhere and bike shops busy with maintenance requests. Children at Easterseals DuPage & Fox Valley grew this skill with the help of their physical therapists and joined friends and family in thrilling new views on two (plus) wheels!
This milestone along with the response to our Virtual Bike for the Kids was greater than we ever imagined. We were overwhelmed with the response, which left our $15,000 goal in the dust! Dozens of fundraisers and hundreds of donors have helped to raise more than $20,000 to support therapies and services for children with developmental delays and disabilities – and they aren’t done yet... There’s still time to join the virtual ride before September ends.
Every dollar in the door helps ensure that children have the therapies they need to meet their milestones such as walking, talking, eating new foods and cycling! View the Facebook event page to read more cycling accomplishments!
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News
Thank you to all who help propel our mission forward and help more children with developmental delays and disabilities receive therapy services.
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Thank You Special Kids Foundation! |
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Thank you to the Special Kids Foundation for supporting our pediatric therapies for children under age five with developmental delays and disabilities. The $23,000 grant we received will help us serve low income, uninsured and under-insured households in West Suburban Chicagoland. |
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300 Mile Bike Ride for Easterseals |
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Easterseals Board Member Tom Lettenberger completed a 300 mile, three-day, bike fundraiser for our services, raising nearly $8,000. By setting up a Facebook fundraiser, he provided updates to friends and family on his ride through Wisconsin and easily collected fee-free donations.
As a father of two children with disabilities, Tom is a dedicated volunteer and supporter of our mission to help children reach greater independence. We are honored to be a recipient of his amazing achievement!
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Interested in starting your own Facebook Fundraiser in honor of a birthday, milestone or special event?
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Help our Physical Therapy Department win a Robotic-Assisted Walker! |
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An item on our wish list is available to win! Trexo is offering an amazing giveaway of their robotic assisted walking device to two hospitals or clinics. This pediatric device offers maximum support for children who are not able to roll, sit or stand, or with minimum support to provide just the right level of help to keep children who can walk, walking the right way.
This is a popular giveaway and we can use all the nominations to win. Please submit before October 7 and help more children experience independent walking. The one-time entry takes about a minute to complete. Please put Laura Hellier's name and email, LHellier@eastersealsdfvr.org, as the contact at our organization.
The Physical Therapy Department thanks you for the nomination!
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Free Community Webinars
Join our experts to help your child develop at home or in school.
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How is the school year going for your family? What resources and support do you need? Join Parent Liaison Sharon Pike and Brad Dembs, J.D. from Matt Cohen & Associates, a special education, disability rights & human services law firm for a special education learning check-in.
This free session will provide parents of children with disabilities or developmental delays the opportunity to ask any questions or share concerns regarding issues that have come up due to remote learning, IEP or 504 plans, potential issues when school returns in person, or any other problems they're facing related to special education.
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Caring for a child during a pandemic is difficult and it can be hard to know the proper supports for early child development. This panel discussion will share methods to track a child's development and what to do if a parent or caregiver has concerns.
The panelists will also discuss in-person and virtual community resources for families, the current social/emotional needs of children, and how to assist children with developmental delays and disabilities.
Featuring:
- Peter J. Smith, MD, MA, Associate Professor of Pediatrics, University of Chicago Medicine
- Theresa Forthofer, CEO & President, Easterseals DuPage & Fox Valley
- Maureen Karwowski, OTR/L , Vice President of Clinical Services, Easterseals DuPage & Fox Valley
- Vickie Robinson, MS, CCLS, DT, Developmental Therapist, Easterseals DuPage & Fox Valley
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Upcoming Events
Virtual and family-friendly options to support children reaching maximum independence.
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Associate Board Family Trivia Night |
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The Associate Board will once again be hosting a trivia night. The theme is Disney. Come join the magical fun on Wednesday, October 7th at 7:30 p.m. It will be kid friendly so feel free to invite your client families. It is free to play but there is a suggested donation of $10. All proceeds will benefit our center. A link to register will be coming soon.
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Children's Showcase!
This year's event will look different, but the chance to celebrate the children we serve remains.
How to get Involved (starting October 10):
- Subscribe to the Children's Showcase YouTube Channel
- Volunteer to Host a Virtual or In-Person Fundraising Party (Oct. - April)
- Submit a Video Sharing a Child's Talent/Achievement
- Bid in the Online Auction
- Purchase Raffle Tickets
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Connect With Us @eastersealsdfvr |
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