Church Group Donates Tootsie Roll Sale Proceeds

When people roll down their car windows to buy Tootsie Rolls from the Knights of Columbus every September, they probably don’t realize that most of their donation goes back to the local community to help the intellectually disabled, people such as Downers Grove resident Elliot Sanderson.

This year the Bishop Fitzgerald Knights of Columbus in Downers Grove donated $2,000 from its annual fundraising effort to SEASPAR, the Southeast Association for Special Parks and Recreation, to support the group's work with cognitively disabled adults. The Knights of Columbus is a Catholic fraternal organization, and the Bishop Fitzgerald Knight of Columbus is associated with St. Joseph Parish in Downers Grove.

Lisa Rasin, SEASPAR fund development coordinator, recently accepted the money from the Knights. According to a Knights' press release, she said, “I talk to a lot of organizations, and it really warms my heart when I feel we have a community partnership. I feel that way with your organization, and I want to thank you very much for your generosity to SEASPAR.”

The donation will help one of SEASPAR's programs, the EAGLES, Enhancing Adult Growth through Lifestyle Education and Service. It was started two years ago, and is housed in the Sportsplex in Darien.  The program serves disabled adults between 18 and 35 who need a place to go during the day. Since many cognitively disabled adults still live at home, the program provides needed support to parents who can’t take care of their adult children because of work or other family commitments. The program runs Monday through Friday, and has a waiting list.

Commenting on the program, Steve Sanderson said in a Knights' press release, “The experience with EAGLES has been absolutely amazing.” He said the program has been a “lifesaver” for his son, Elliot, who has autism. It provides him with an opportunity to get out into the world, adding. “He is more alive. He interfaces better with people. He is more active.”

Sanderson explained there are not many alternative programs serving adults with cognitive disabilities, and EAGLES is one of the very best. He believes the EAGLES program, with its many activities, is set up to help participants live, as opposed to just exist.

In addition to providing recreational activities, the EAGLES program teaches important life skills. For example, participants learn how to read the newspaper and use the Internet. The EAGLES center also features a mock apartment for instruction in laundry and cooking skills. The program also coordinates with various community organizations to provide its participants with volunteer opportunities.

“To see the smile on his face when [Elliot] participates in activities that he likes and he comes home and tells us about them, that to me, is heartwarming,” Sanderson said.

Sanderson credits the success of the program to the vision and kindness of its staff. “The fact that they thought of this and put it together, and got the right people as the staff is just absolutely wonderful. Not every place is going to have great people who are part of the staff, but EAGLES has the right people in the right places.”

Raisin said her goal is to keep the 2-year-old program in existence. She said older adults with cognitive disabilities need positive interaction with their disabled and non-disabled peers. She explained, “They need community involvement, and they need to be out in the community volunteering.”

Raisin also explained how the recreational therapy offered through SEASPAR has benefited her 14-year-old nephew, who has Down’s syndrome.

“He has just blossomed because he is able to go to a place… where he is with his friends, people who respect him and understand him on his level. He has just grown immensely.” She also said some people view SEASPAR as a lifeline for their children.

SEASPAR works with 11 community park districts across the western suburbs, providing recreation programs for both physically and cognitively disabled people. The organization has been in existence for 35 years.

This year the Bishop Fitzgerald Knights also donated money to other organizations helping the intellectually disabled, such as RRAF in Lombard and Misericordia.