Special Recreation Foundation Receives $500 Rotary Grant

A $500 grant to the Western DuPage Special Recreation Association Foundation is going to help children with disabilities participate in park district programs with their family and friends who do not have physical challenges.

The Foundation received a grant of $500 from the Glen Ellyn Rotary Club in May during the group’s meeting at the Glen Oak Country Club.

The money will be used to provide inclusion services for children with disabilities, allowing them to participate in programs at the Glen Ellyn Park District, according to a news release from the Foundation. The services are customized based on a child’s needs and may include a one-on-one aide, physical adaptations or other necessary support.

“WDSRA believes that any child with a disability should be allowed to be included at their highest ability level in the least restrictive environment and have full access to the community in which they live,” the Foundation said in the release.

When individuals are included in activities they show improvement in cognitive and social measures, the Foundation said. In addition, they become more connected to their community, while those without disabilities learn to appreciate and become more comfortable with each person’s differences.