HR1053 98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR1053 LRB098 21106 MST 58913 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are pleased to congratulate Countryside Association for People with Disabilities, Inc. on the occasion of its 60th anniversary; and

WHEREAS, Countryside was conceived when several concerned parents of children with disabilities met to discuss what the future would bring for their children; and

WHEREAS, In 1953, to support their children's developmental and educational needs, the Goodmonson, Gusewelle, Hughes, Naggatz, Phelps, Smyth, Steinfeld, and Stelling families founded a special school tailored to the exceptional requirements of their children; and

WHEREAS, The school initially served 5 developmentally disabled children; and

WHEREAS, After operating for a short time in a home in Lake Zurich, the school moved to an 8 acre farm in Palatine purchased with a mortgage that the parents signed for personally; and

WHEREAS, Founder Goodmon "Bud" Goodmonson stated that the purpose of starting the school was "for our children to be happy and content in their lives"; and

WHEREAS, The school incorporated as the Countryside Association for Retarded Children on March 17, 1954, and, over the next few decades, several programs were added, including Client and Family Support, Respite, and Supported Employment; and

WHEREAS, Countryside opened the Lakeside Work and Training Center in 1973 and purchased a 27,000 square-foot food store in 1982; and

WHEREAS, The name was changed to Countryside Association For People With Disabilities, Inc. in 2004, and, over the next 10 years, its services continued to expand; and

WHEREAS, In 2005, the Document Destruction Business debuted at Lakeside Center to offer jobs and career opportunities to persons with developmental disabilities; and

WHEREAS, School-to-Work Transition Services, a program designed to help high school age adults with developmental disabilities in learning about and preparing for the work world, and Golden Opportunities, a daily support services program for adults over 55 with developmental disabilities, were initiated; and

WHEREAS, Both School-to-Work Transition Services and Golden Opportunities received national accreditation in 2011; and

WHEREAS, Countryside has earned 12 consecutive 3-year accreditations from the Commission of Rehabilitation Facilities since 1978; and

WHEREAS, In 2012, the Illinois Governor's Hometown Award was given to Countryside for the creation of a community volunteer program for persons with disabilities; and

WHEREAS, In 2012, the Countryside Center building was expanded to add more production area, modified washrooms, a home for the seniors program, and program space for productive activities of all kinds; and

WHEREAS, Countryside's vision is to create a community where all people can reach their goals of independence, employment, and full participation in society; and

WHEREAS, Countryside plays a vital role in the community, advocating on behalf of persons with disabilities and their families and supporting them in their efforts to live and work successfully in their chosen community; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Countryside Association for People with Disabilities, Inc. as it celebrates the 60th anniversary of its founding; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Countryside Association for People with Disabilities, Inc. as a symbol of our esteem and respect.