A new outdoor space at Avita Health System is giving children room to move, explore and build important developmental skills beyond the walls of a traditional therapy clinic.
Family members, community supporters and Avita leaders gathered Thursday, July 16, for the dedication and ribbon cutting of the newly named Cangelosi Family Pediatric Park. Designed for children receiving pediatric nutrition and therapy services, the park combines physical activity, sensory experiences, therapeutic play and opportunities for families to participate together. The project was funded entirely through more than $500,000 in contributions from Avita employees, community organizations and nearly 100 individual donors.
A vision takes shape
The idea originated several years ago with Avita Chief Development Officer Chuck Cangelosi, who envisioned an outdoor therapeutic environment for children with diabetes, disabilities and other specialized healthcare needs.
Matt Horn, chair of the Avita Health Foundation Board, said Cangelosi’s leadership helped secure the full amount needed to complete the project.
“Naming the park in honor of Chuck, Robin, and the Cangelosi Family is a fitting tribute to their vision, philanthropy, and the lasting impact on children and families throughout our region this project will have,” Horn said.
The park is expected to benefit more than 1,500 children each year, including children with disabilities, juvenile diabetes, eating disorders and other conditions requiring specialized pediatric care.
Lead gifts from The Timken Foundation and Sol Systems helped move the project forward during its earliest stages. Their support is reflected in the park’s two principal components, the Sol Systems Activity Area and the Timken Foundation Playscape.
Activity, nutrition and healthy habits
The Sol Systems Activity Area includes a renovated activity court supported by Covert Manufacturing, a raised greenhouse donated by Richard and Janet Harer and a refurbished pavilion funded through the Walter R. Hessenauer Charitable Trust.
The area is already being used for the Avita Health Foundation’s Happy Healthy Habits Camp, created in partnership with Avita Nutrition & Therapy Services and Gordon Food Service. Now in its second year, the camp combines exercise, gardening, nutrition education and healthy snack preparation. The goal is to help children develop habits that can continue well beyond the program.
The greenhouse and activity court allow lessons about food, movement and health to become hands-on experiences rather than subjects discussed only in a classroom or clinical setting.
Therapy through exploration
The Timken Foundation Playscape includes 10 interactive therapy stations developed with Avita’s Pediatric Therapy Team. Each station was selected to support skills such as balance, coordination, sensory processing and imaginative play. Features include a shade sail sponsored by Dr. Joseph and Susan Shadeed; a gem-mining area supported by the Elizabeth Heckert Fund; a barn wall provided by 89 Homes and Les and Lori Miller; and a bridge dedicated in memory of Dr. Tom and Marian Huggins.
Additional stations include a stone arch supported by Moritz Concrete and Adam Moritz; steppingstones sponsored by Lydia Herrnstein and Lauren Warren of Edward D. Jones in Galion; Echo Valley, supported by the Ralph E. Boyd Foundation; Stonehenge, sponsored by Dr. Andrew and Tammy Lee; Mt. Avita, supported by the City of Galion and the Freese Fund; and musical drums funded by Loren’s Cancer Care Fund.
While the features are intended to be fun, each serves a therapeutic purpose. Holly Frankhouse, speech, audiology and therapy manager at Avita Health System, said Avita’s pediatric team works with primary care providers to help children strengthen communication, feeding, sensory, fine motor, gross motor and social skills.
“This new outdoor therapeutic playscape extends our therapy environment beyond the clinic walls, creating an accessible, sensory-rich space where children of all abilities can learn, explore, play, and grow through meaningful experiences,” Frankhouse said.
She said families travel from throughout the region for Avita’s pediatric services because of the team’s commitment to family-centered care.
“Watching children gain confidence and reach goals alongside their families is what inspires our team, and this new space will create even more opportunities to best serve our families,” she said.
Support extending into the future
Cangelosi said access to healthcare designed around the individual needs of children is important to the long-term health of the communities Avita serves.
“Avita’s outstanding pediatric therapy and primary care programs have made a profound difference for countless families, including our own,” he said. “Robin and I are deeply honored to be associated with these programs and grateful to everyone who helped make this vision possible.”
The dedication also included the announcement of a perpetual pediatric endowment created through gifts from the Cangelosi Family and Avita President and CEO Jerry Morasko, with matching support from the Avita Health Foundation. Annual distributions from the fund will support pediatric programs, future improvements to the park and related services.
The Foundation’s first Loren’s Hugs & Lemonade Stand, held the week before the dedication in memory of Loren Grubel of Bucyrus, raised more than $2,600 for those programs.
“What has been created here for the children of our communities is both meaningful and lasting,” Morasko said. “By establishing this endowment, we’ve ensured that resources will continue to support these important pediatric initiatives for generations to come.”
More information about the Avita Health Foundation and its pediatric endowment is available by calling 419-468-0566 or visiting avitafoundation.org/endowment.
Source, Photo: Avita Health Systems