Nonprofit aims to improve lives of children with disabilities

Community Connections has a mission to improve the lives of children with disabilities.

The nonprofit arm of Pediatrics Plus Therapy Services was started to provide extracurricular activities that developmentally disabled children can participate in, and it has grown to offer several programs. Executive Director Courtney Leach explained the nonprofit's programs.

She said Todd and Amy Denton, owners of Pediatrics Plus, noticed that children with disabilities did not have a very good quality of life. They mainly went to therapy and went to school but were unable to participate in extracurricular activities like their siblings. Also, their parents did not have much support.

"It kind of creates a sense of hopelessness in the parents when you find out your child has been diagnosed," Leach said.

The younger of her two sons was diagnosed with developmental delays when he was eight months old, and that is how she was introduced to Pediatrics Plus. Over time, she came to work for Community Connections.

"I thought it was very worthy, so I came on board," she said.

Leach said the nonprofit is continuing Acts Jr., a drama program in the fall and spring for children with and without disabilities. This summer the nonprofit will hold its first Be a Star Camp at Central Baptist College. The day camp will be an extension of Acts Jr., she said. Another continuing program is the Triumph Soccer program, which kicks off today with its first practice. Children with disabilities who cannot participate in a regular soccer program can play in the adapted soccer program, and those who need assistance have volunteer "buddies" to help them. Leach said Community Connections may add a fall soccer season because there has been much interest in the program.

A developing program is the Autism Resource Center of Arkansas. Leach said autism is increasingly prevalent, and the state is severely lacking in resources, funding and information. Community Connections started the Autism Resource Center a year and a half ago, forming an advisory board with parents of children with autism, professionals and experts in the field. Dr. Betsy Hendrix, the state's only Defeat Autism Now doctor, is on the board, Leach said. In 2009 the ARC will focus on monthly educational/support meetings for parents and caregivers with simultaneous activities for the children; creating a parent resource guide with information on treatments, funding, support groups, school interaction, reference materials, etc.; and a summer day camp for high-functioning autism and Asperger's-diagnosed children.

Eventually, Leach hopes the nonprofit will raise enough money to set up a Web site with video links to all its educational/support meetings and any conference or speaker they can get permission to videotape, because some parents are driving up to two hours to attend meetings in Conway, and it would be helpful for them to be able to view the information online. To donate to the library, go to http://www.firstgiving.com/autismresourcelibrary.

Another program of Community Connections is I Can Dance, a dance class in Little Rock started by Julie Mayberry when her second of four daughters, who has spina bifida, wanted to dance like her older sister. Leach said girls with disabilities and who are in wheelchairs can dance with the help of "buddies" in the class. They have been invited to Disney World to a workshop with professional dancers, and an online fundraising campaign is at http://www.firstgiving.com/icandance, Leach said.

Community Connections is planning a flag football league to start in mid-September, Leach said. The nonprofit also has started Showstoppers Cheerleading for ages 3 to 15, and the cheerleaders will cheer at soccer and football games and have already performed at a statewide cheering event, she said.

On June 6, Community Connections will hold a Kids Helping Kids Trike-A-Thon, a tricycle and bicycle race involving all local schools and preschools, Leach said. Students will be invited to raise a minimum of $25 for the program. It will be held at 10 a.m. at the New Life Church parking lot, and there will be food, drinks and a jump castle for the children.

(Staff writer Rachel Parker Dickerson can be reached by e-mail at rachel.dickerson@thecabin.net or by phone at 505-1277. Send us your news at www.thecabin.net/submit)