Support group allows parents to learn

When Zach Joyce was diagnosed with Autism, there wasn’t a support group for parents in the area.

His mother, Holly Joyce, heard about one in Cape Girardeau called Ethan and Friends and was able to meet other parents. She was able to hear their stories and ask them questions.

She wished there was something like that locally. She mentioned it to Angel Wright, who was part of Zach’s therapy team.

“She took the idea and got it started,” Holly Joyce said.

The group started having regular meetings.

As more parents got involved, it was decided to take the group in a different direction — one that would reach more people. The focus was broadened to all developmental disabilities such as cerebral palsy and Down Syndrome.

Mark Brockes is the president and Melissa Brockes is the secretary of the Parents Advocating Developmental Disabilities (PADD) group. Amy Dugal is the vice president and Josh Dugal is the treasurer. Jerry Gann and Jessica Harmon are fundraising coordinators.

“I knew Melissa a long time…” Amy Dugal said. “We got to talking that we should do something … not just have a gripe session.”

So now, at each monthly meeting they have a speaker to come in to talk about a variety of subjects that affect the families with a developmentally disabled loved one.

The group meets at the St. Francois County Board for the Developmentally Disabled office on North Washington on Farmington every third Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. Childcare is provided and the group sometimes does social activities like gymnastics.

Five families consistently attend meetings. “Others come and go,” Melissa Brockes said.

For more information about the group visit http://www.paddgroup.weebly.com or send an e-mail to paddgroup@gmail.com or call 1-866-573-8201.

“I’m hoping that more people will find out about this group,” Sahra Cove said.

She said besides giving parents an opportunity to talk to other parents, the group has a lending library and has information about facilities that diagnose developmental disabilities.

Josh Dugal, a paramedic at Rock Township, is working to put together a presentation about Autism for EMS, emergency room doctors, police officers and firefighters.

They want people to know why a child is acting the way he is and how parents should handle it.

“We want to educate everyone so there is more awareness,” said Amy Dugal, who works at St. John’s Mercy Medical Center and is a parent and transition mentor for MPACT, a training/information program for parents of children with disabilities.

Holly Joyce hopes that as her son gets older, the group will also grow, too, and be able to help with resources after high school.

We Play Too

That’s not all the group is doing.

The group wants to be a source to help the community understand about people and families with special needs. 

In July, members of PADD decided to start a project to build an all-inclusive, handicapped accessible playground. It would be a fenced-in playground that children of all abilities can play on.

The project is called “We Play Too.”

Children confined to a wheelchair or who have muscle problems aren’t able to play on a playground in a regular park.

“No one should ever have to sit on the sidelines and wish he could play, too,” Melissa Brockes said. “We want to let the community know that “we play, too” is for everyone.”

This playground would also have sensory features that address the kinds of play children with Autism crave.

Melissa Brockes said the city of Farmington has been generous enough to help them with the project by donating a piece of land at Engler Park.

PADD has entered a contest through Pepsi to receive $250,000, which would cover the whole project.

Each month, Pepsi gives $250,000 to a project with the most votes. A person can vote daily at http://www.refresheverything.com and search for PADD. Projects can continue trying even if they are chosen that month.

If they don’t win a Pepsi grant, they will try for grants, hold fundraisers and ask for donations. A bank account is set up at Commerce Bank in Farmington.

Teresa Ressel is a reporter for the Daily Journal and can be reached at 573-431-2010, ext. 179 or at tressel@dailyjournalonline.com.