Adaptive Toy Lending Library Opens This Month

Jack’s Helping Hand offers toys and equipment to children with special needs

Jack’s Helping Hand is pleased to announce the opening of Jack’s Adaptive Toy Lending Library for children with special needs. A Grand Opening will be held on Monday, November 17th, 2008 from 1pm to 3pm at Central Coast Gymnastics in San Luis Obispo. Now, children with special needs can find toys of all kinds that are specially designed and technologically advanced – the kinds of toys and equipment that are often too expensive for many families to afford.
Library hours will be Mondays 1pm to 3pm when a bilingual staff person will be available; Wednesdays 12pm –2 pm; and Saturdays 11:30am – 12:30pm. New, Ability Classes will be offered at Central Coast Gymnastics on Mondays from 3:10-4pm for ages 2-5 years and Saturdays from 11-12pm for ages 6-14 years.
“Jack’s Adaptive Toy Library operates in much the same way that a book library does,” said Jack’s Helping Hand’s Charitable Administrator, Mary Illingworth. “We’ll offer an extensive inventory of equipment and toys that special children can check out at no cost to enjoy at home with their families and friends,” she explained. “Like a typical library, the children can return the item and choose a new one.”
Jack’s Helping Hand is grateful to Central Coast Gymnastics owner Mimi Phene-McKellar, who is providing the space for the library at her facility at 21 Zaca Lane, Suite 100. Phene-McKellar is herself the mother of a special needs child and understands the value of giving all children every chance to play and to grow in a safe environment. Toward that end, Central Coast Gymnastics is offering a brand new program for special needs children called Ability Classes, scheduled on the same days that the library will be open.
“Our pre-school age Ability Classes will be offered on Mondays and will run for eight weeks,” said Phene-McKellar. “Our recreation Ability Classes for ages 6 through 14 will be offered on Saturdays. Children with physical and mental challenges that range from Attention Deficit Disorder to autism and everything in between will have the chance to experience creative movement, learn and use sign language, dance & sing, along with gymnastics during these classes designed to improve their motor skills and just have fun.”
The public and the media are invited to attend the grand opening where toys will be on display and refreshments will be served. For more information, call (805) 547-1914 or (805) 549-8408.
Now in its fourth year of service, Jack’s Helping Hand is a non-profit organization that assists children with illnesses and disabilities, providing special treatments, services, equipment and transportation not provided by other sources, or that exceed family financial capabilities.
Central Coast Gymnastics is a child focused facility that, since 1991, has been committed to inspiring children of all ages a place to learn, grow, and develop through a wide range of programs in gymnastics, cheerleading, dance, acrobatics, trampoline, dance and karate for ages 9 months and up, from beginning preschool gymnastics to high level competitors.