St. David’s serves young adults with disabilities
Shirley Meyer, director of the Marion Bolger program, celebrates her birthday with ‘angels.’
By Christie L. Chicoine
CS&T Staff Writer
WILLOW GROVE — Shirley Meyer, director of the Marion Bolger Recreational Program, says her interaction with five young adults with severe cognitive and physical impairments is “like working with angels on earth.”
An outreach effort of St. David Parish, the program is named after Marion Bolger, the sister of Msgr. Richard T. Bolger, who is the pastor. Marion Bolger was born with Down syndrome and died in July 2006 at age 70. With Msgr. Bolger’s backing, along with that of other private donors, the program opened in September 2006 — without using a penny of parish money.
All five of the program participants that Meyer describes so glowingly were once students of hers at Our Lady of Confidence Day School, an archdiocesan school of special education that has a site at St. David School. All have since aged out of the school.
None of the participants are able to walk, talk, dress or feed themselves so Meyer, a registered nurse, her assistant, Diana Sawick — a former staff member of Our Lady of Confidence — and Mary Parish, a volunteer, tend to their daily needs.
The program includes physical activities and stimulation through visual, auditory and sensory adaptation. Plenty of fun is factored into the program — games, arts and crafts, and music are all staples of the day.
“It’s such a good program — it’s the Gospel in action,” said Kathy Lande of Our Lady of Calvary Parish in Philadelphia. She and her husband, Michael, marvel at how happy the program makes their 25-year-old daughter, Mary Elizabeth, who was diagnosed with chronic encephalopathy, a form of brain damage, when she was a year old. “She’s very happy going over there,” Michael Lande added. “I feel I’m leaving her in good hands.”
Located in St. David’s lower school, the program runs from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. It follows the school calendar and recesses for the summer.
Parents pay a monthly fee of $250, or $2,500 per school year.
Jerry and Molly Costello of St. Joseph Parish in Cheltenham are happy about how the program is helping their son, 23-year-old Gerard, who was diagnosed with encephalitis when he was 6 months old.
“When I bring Gerard there, his eyes light up,” Jerry said. Although Gerard is generally happy, “being there really accentuates that light,” his father added. “That program is a blessing. We’re very thankful for it.”
Gerard’s mother is also amazed. “It just meets all of Gerard’s needs,” including the practice of the Catholic faith.
“They participate in the Masses” at St. David’s, Molly Costello said. “They’re part of that community also.”
Cole Mars, a 2008 graduate of St. David School, was among a group of eighth-graders who, this past school year, helped push the participants’ wheelchairs from the school building to Masses at St. David church.
Through their travels, Cole believes he got to know each of the young adults. “I hope what I did made a difference in their lives.” He knows it made difference in his.
“It taught me to interact with people better. It taught me how to help people who need my help,” he said.
For registration information or to make a contribution to the Marion Bolger Recreational Program, call (215) 518-5352 or e-mail mbrpsm@yahoo.com.
CS&T Staff Writer Christie L. Chicoine may be reached at (215) 587-2468 or cchicoin@adphila.org.
Catholic
Directory:
