CANTON TOWNSHIP, Mich. – There is a program in Canton Township that’s making a meaningful difference in the lives of children and adults living with disabilities.
Therapeutic Recreation operates year-round in Canton Township and people from all over Metro Detroit use it to access the unique kind of care offered there for a nominal fee.
It’s a place where music is made, where friendships blossom and where life’s experiences are accessible to all who seek them.
“If it wasn’t for this program, I really don’t know what we would really be doing with him,” Beth Lowe, of Canton Township, said.
Her 25-year-old son uses the program and the possibilities there are endless.
“He does cardio, drumming, bowling, swimming,” Lowe said.
The highlight of it all is the opportunity he has to connect with people just like him.
“Our participants definitely benefit from the program,” Recreation Specialist Jennifer Girard said. “Friends they meet, activities they do.”
Girard has been working with participants for nearly 20 years.
“They’re like family, and you just can’t find a family like that everywhere,” Girard said.
This family goes everywhere. From the farm to the pool, to dinner, and even the dance floor, there are only smiles here.
“When I see them smiling and having a good time, it shows me that this is working,” said Canton Township Supervisor Annemarie Graham-Hudak.
So much so that a group of mayors and township supervisors from across western Wayne County came together to raise funding for the program to keep costs low for the families relying on this enrichment.
“These programs are here,” Lowe said. “They’re wonderful.”
Lowe is forever grateful, and Girard is so fulfilled by helping each and every person reach their greatest potential.
“I know I’m doing something good in the world, and I’m helping them grow,” Girard said.
Wayne county leaders secured $225,000 to keep the program costs minimal for participants, $150,000 from the Wayne County Commission general fund, and $75,000 from Detroit Wayne Integrated Health Network.
Click here to learn more about Therapeutic Recreation in Canton Township.