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Celebrate National Therapeutic Recreation Week July 10-16th!
Therapeutic Recreation improves your health and quality of life. Therapeutic Recreation uses treatment, education and recreation services to help people with illnesses, disabilities and other conditions to develop and use their leisure in ways that enhance their health, functional abilities, and quality of life. It optimizes your ability to enjoy activities by reducing the affects of impairments, restrictions, and limitations that a person with disabilities may be living with.
The ultimate goal of recreation therapy is to make possible a full and optimal involvement in community life.
WDSRA provides a variety of therapeutic recreation programs for individuals of all ages living with disabilities.
Do you know some of the benefits Therapeutic Recreation provides for persons with developmental disabilities?
• Improves quality of life
• Increases independence
• Focuses health promotion
• Promotes valued health care outcomes
• Increases social skills
• Expands social network
• Improves community living skills
Therapeutic Recreation also has physical and cognitive benefits
• Improves fine and gross motor skills
• Improves athletic skills
• Improves agility and balance
• Increases attention span
• Improves decision making
• Increases independence for making choices
The entire community benefits too
• Increases friendships among peers with and without disabilities.
• Increases participation in community
• Increases peer acceptance
• Develops transferable skills for employment and independent living
For more information about therapeutic recreation, visit www.nrpa.org.
Wildcats 4 Play the United Center
The Wildcats 4 team hit the court at Chicago’s United Center April 5th during halftime of the Chicago Bulls vs Phoenix Suns matchup. The team was selected by the Illinois Special Olympics to play a seven minute exhibition game against the Rockford Park District Rockets. Nice job Wildcats 4!
Windy City Warriors Ranked Eighth at Nationals
Fresh off their 6th unprecedented Illinois High School Association (IHSA) Wheelchair Basketball State title, the Windy City Warriors wrap up the season ranked 8th out of 32 teams competing at the National Wheelchair Basketball Association (NWBA) Championship Tournament in Denver April 7-10th.
The Warriors started with a win against the Long Island Lightening. They went on to lose games against the Nebraska Red Dawgs (the eventual 1st place team), Utah Jr. Wheeling Jazz (by 1 point), and the Rancho Renegades (on a buzzer beater at the end of OT by 1 point).
Windy City Warriors Team Roster
#13 Amy Chapman, Batavia
#32 Blake Harmet, Clarendon Hills
#10 Justin Harrison, Shorewood
#15 Matt Molenkamp, Itasca
#30 Chris Murphy, Naperville
#20 Jonathan Ruiz, Carol Stream
#43 Nick Umek, Joliet
#45 Douglas Davison, Wheaton
#1 Erik Todd, Wheaton
#23 Kyle Gribble, Hoffman Estates
#22 Mary Kate Callahan, Western Springs
#5 Jessica Lindsay, Inverness
#35 Kyle Picchetti, Roselle
Coaches: Kevin Hosea and Brittany Luxton
Windy City Warriors Interviewed by NCTV
Check out the Windy City Warriors interview by NCTV’s Ben Hutchinson. Hutchinson spent the afternoon at a recent practice learning just what makes the Warriors champions. Click here
Windy City Warriors Take IHSA Championship…for 6th Time!
Congratulations to the Windy City Warriors on your unprecedented 6th Illinois High School Association (IHSA) Wheelchair Basketball State title. The Warriors swept the tournament with a 5-0 record in Peoria and now head to Nationals in Denver.
Hodgkinson Named 2011 Hall of Fame Inductee
This year marks 30 illustrious years at the helm of WDSRA for
Executive Director, Jane Hodgkinson. Nothing was more fitting to acknowledge her commitment and dedication to WDSRA than to present Hodgkinson with the 2011 Hall of Fame Award. Hodgkinson has been a driving force in efforts to carrying out the WDSRA mission of developing individuals through recreation and the vision of Equal Fun for Everyone.
The Hall of Fame award was presented by Steve Scholten and Cory Atwell, former WDSRA Association board members, at the WDSRA Foundation’s 17th Annual Charity Dinner and Auction held Saturday, February 26th, at the Abbington, Glen Ellyn.
The WDSRA Foundation’s Hall of Fame award is given to individuals, agencies, clubs, and businesses that have been instrumental in carrying out the WDSRA mission of developing of individuals through recreation and our vision of equal fun for everyone.
What do Kermit the Frog, the Grinch and WDSRA have in common? They are all very happy being GREEN. Yes, we at WDSRA are proud of the many GREEN initiatives that we have adopted over the last year. We have even earned an Earth Flag from SCARCE.
Being kinder to the environment has become a dedicated cause here at WDSRA. According to Kurt Hinterkopf, WDSRA program coordinator and GREEN committee co-chair, "I think it is important to intentionally think about and enact sustainable ways to better take care of our environment, both individually and collectively. We are making a conscious effort to be more eco-friendly, energy efficient, and an example for the community."
To date, just some of our GREEN initiatives include:
- Supporting worm composting in our offices
- Printing our seasonal brochures and newsletters on recycled paper
- Installed a new roof made with material for reducing energy use
- Offering business cards made from recycled materials
- Transitioning to energy efficient lighting and appliances in our offices
- Actively promoting recycling in both our offices and programs
- Consciously reuse material for special events and programs
Did you know that we coordinate themes for the auction and our Spring Formal? This allows us to reuse materials for both big events.
WDSRA Awarded The No Employee Left Behind Award
WDSRA is proud to be the first SRA recipient of The No Employee Left Behind Award, given by IPRA's Health and Wellness Committee. This award signifies that WDSRA has met or exceeded the standards and compliance guidelines for its employees in all six domains of wellness: physical, intellectual, emotional, social, environmental and spiritual.
