Published: Thursday, February 9, 2012
Willow Place program for developmentally disabled adults in Marysville has expanded quickly
Karen Harper's sister participates in Willow Place, a day activity program for adults with developmental disabilities
-
Karen Harper (right) enjoys a visit with her sister, Leslie Venables (left) at Willow House.
-
Mark Mulligan / The Herald
Karen Harper (right) visits on Monday morning with her sister, Leslie Venables (left) at Willow House, a provider of day programs for adults with disabilities in Marysville.
-
Mark Mulligan / The Herald
Robert Brenner (left) and Bruce Hampton, Brenner's caregiver, work together Monday morning to make a paper chain at Willow House, a provider of day programs for adults with disabilities Marysville.
-
Mark Mulligan / The Herald
Leslie Venables plays drums during a session at Willow House.
-
Mark Mulligan / The Herald
Robert Brenner tosses a balloon during a music session Monday morning at Willow House, a provider of day programs for adults with disabilities in Marysville.
-
Mark Mulligan / The Herald
Leslie Venables (left) and Jamie Denton, who works as Leslie's caregiver, laugh and compare their red hands as they play drums during a music session Monday morning at Willow House, a provider of day programs for adults with disabilities in Marysville.
MARYSVILLE -- Karen Harper waved to her younger sister from across the art room at Willow Place.
Leslie Venables, 64, called out Harper's name but didn't stop working on the stitching project she held in her hand. It wasn't long before Venables, who is developmentally disabled, started joking around.
"Take me out for a cheeseburger," she said and laughed.
The comment was a joke, explained Harper, 62. She's a vegetarian and Venables knows that fact.
Venables is the oldest participant at Willow Place, a day activity program for people with developmental disabilities. The program is run by Quilceda Community Services, an organization founded in 1976 to provided housing for developmentally disabled adults.
The idea for the activity program got its start in 2007 in a church basement, said Harper, who for the past four years has volunteered as the organization's board president.
At that time, her sister didn't have a place where she could routinely go and socialize with others, do the activities she loved and be accepted for the person she is, Harper said.
"I figured when I retired I wanted to do something for me and, well, the same is true for Leslie," she said. "Leslie likes to play Old Maid, over and over and over. We visited the senior center and they play killer bridge so she can't go there."
Harper, a retired kindergarten teacher who taught mostly special education classes, helped to organize a walking program for her sister and other developmentally disabled adults. The organization in 2008 began renting a small space on State Avenue for Willow Place. The program began offering three-hour activity sessions, twice a day Mondays through Thursdays.
It wasn't long before Willow Place grew from serving four people to more than 70, and needed more than their roughly 1,200-square-foot space to successfully operate, Harper said. She and other volunteers started looking for a new, larger location.
They found it at 9610 48th Drive NE. The organization bought the 2,500-square-foot building and moved into the space in December.
The daily schedule and fees for participants have stayed the same, Harper said. People pay $10 if they come to a session with their caregivers and $15 if they come by themselves. The first hour of every session consists of exercise and wellness activities, the second hour is arts and crafts, and the final hour is reserved for music and games.
The new space gives participants an opportunity to do more individual projects, activity manager Jacinda Guenthner said. During a recent session, people sat at tables in the art rooms. Some worked on drawings while others built and decorated a paper chain for Valentine's Day.
"It's great we've expanded so much," Guenthner said. "This allows us to utilize a lot of resources we couldn't use before."
Willow Place was given three kilns for ceramics, Guenthner added. The addition of an exterior kiln room would add another activity for the program's participants.
Harper said the organization also plans to build a residential unit for up to 16 developmentally disabled people on the 1.25 acre property. She's applied for grants for the organization in the past that have helped pay for the new building and buy conga drums for people to play during the musical part of sessions. She would like to open a thrift store to raise money for the nonprofit and said she plans to apply for other grants to help fund the future residential building.
Harper's mother, Hazel Venables, was one of several people with developmentally disabled children who originally founded Quilceda Community Services. Leslie made a difference in her family, Harper said. She plans to continue to help her and others who need the services the organization provides.
"When they developed this agency, the hope was the second generation, the siblings of the original people would become the board members," she said. "We know services are needed."
Amy Daybert: 425-339-3491; adaybert@heraldnet.com.
How to Help
An open house for people to learn more about Willow Place is set from 3 to 6:30 p.m. Feb. 16 at 9610 48th Drive NE in Marysville. People who are interested in volunteering or donating to Willow Place can contact Quilceda Community Services at 360-653-2324.
Leslie Venables, 64, called out Harper's name but didn't stop working on the stitching project she held in her hand. It wasn't long before Venables, who is developmentally disabled, started joking around.
"Take me out for a cheeseburger," she said and laughed.
The comment was a joke, explained Harper, 62. She's a vegetarian and Venables knows that fact.
Venables is the oldest participant at Willow Place, a day activity program for people with developmental disabilities. The program is run by Quilceda Community Services, an organization founded in 1976 to provided housing for developmentally disabled adults.
The idea for the activity program got its start in 2007 in a church basement, said Harper, who for the past four years has volunteered as the organization's board president.
At that time, her sister didn't have a place where she could routinely go and socialize with others, do the activities she loved and be accepted for the person she is, Harper said.
"I figured when I retired I wanted to do something for me and, well, the same is true for Leslie," she said. "Leslie likes to play Old Maid, over and over and over. We visited the senior center and they play killer bridge so she can't go there."
Harper, a retired kindergarten teacher who taught mostly special education classes, helped to organize a walking program for her sister and other developmentally disabled adults. The organization in 2008 began renting a small space on State Avenue for Willow Place. The program began offering three-hour activity sessions, twice a day Mondays through Thursdays.
It wasn't long before Willow Place grew from serving four people to more than 70, and needed more than their roughly 1,200-square-foot space to successfully operate, Harper said. She and other volunteers started looking for a new, larger location.
They found it at 9610 48th Drive NE. The organization bought the 2,500-square-foot building and moved into the space in December.
The daily schedule and fees for participants have stayed the same, Harper said. People pay $10 if they come to a session with their caregivers and $15 if they come by themselves. The first hour of every session consists of exercise and wellness activities, the second hour is arts and crafts, and the final hour is reserved for music and games.
The new space gives participants an opportunity to do more individual projects, activity manager Jacinda Guenthner said. During a recent session, people sat at tables in the art rooms. Some worked on drawings while others built and decorated a paper chain for Valentine's Day.
"It's great we've expanded so much," Guenthner said. "This allows us to utilize a lot of resources we couldn't use before."
Willow Place was given three kilns for ceramics, Guenthner added. The addition of an exterior kiln room would add another activity for the program's participants.
Harper said the organization also plans to build a residential unit for up to 16 developmentally disabled people on the 1.25 acre property. She's applied for grants for the organization in the past that have helped pay for the new building and buy conga drums for people to play during the musical part of sessions. She would like to open a thrift store to raise money for the nonprofit and said she plans to apply for other grants to help fund the future residential building.
Harper's mother, Hazel Venables, was one of several people with developmentally disabled children who originally founded Quilceda Community Services. Leslie made a difference in her family, Harper said. She plans to continue to help her and others who need the services the organization provides.
"When they developed this agency, the hope was the second generation, the siblings of the original people would become the board members," she said. "We know services are needed."
Amy Daybert: 425-339-3491; adaybert@heraldnet.com.
How to Help
An open house for people to learn more about Willow Place is set from 3 to 6:30 p.m. Feb. 16 at 9610 48th Drive NE in Marysville. People who are interested in volunteering or donating to Willow Place can contact Quilceda Community Services at 360-653-2324.
Comments
(
