1994-02-28 Regular Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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~ ~ LORI RAY Lori was employed by the City of La Porte in October, 1981 to develop a Special Populations Organized Recreation Therapy (S.P.O.R.T.) program. Lori graduated from North Texas State University in 1980 with a Bachelor of Science degree with an emphasis on Therapeutic Recreation and Travel and Tourism. She received her Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist through the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification. Since coming to work for La Porte, Lori has implemented several unique programs for the S.P.O.R.T. group. Some of these are: Cooperative Education Program: In cooperation with the La Porte I.S.D., this program provides additional educational and lifeskills training opportunities. This program began 10 years ago with aquatic activities for the severe/profound multi-handicapped class and was expanded in 1990 to include in-school programs such a~ fine and gross motor skills labs ~a~ holiday craft classes and lifeskills programs such as community field trips to various recreation centers, bowling, and restaurants. Buddy Day Came: Developed for special education and regular education students to interact and play together. Each special education camper has a buddy who is their partner for the week. This program received an Excellence in Programming Award from the Texas Recreation and Parks Society in 1993. Several cities are planning to incorporate this concept into their programming. Project Independence Training (PIT): Incorporates lifeskills and leisure into a fun learning process which will be used for a lifetime. Community Awareness (Post Office, shopping centers, etc.), independence skills (money management, cooking, grooming, etc), and lifetime hobbies (ceramics, sewing, woodworking, needlecraft, etc.) are just a few of the focal points of this program. Lori is very active in the Special Olympics program and, through her efforts, the program has expanded from one sport to five (volleyball, Bowling, Basketball, Track & Field, and Aquatics). She was named Coach of the Year for Area 22 in 1992. From 1985-1992, she was instrumental in hosting a local Special Olympics Track & Field meet which accommodated 350 athletes/coaches and 200 volunteers. Lori has been the Bay Area Coordinator for the Very Special Arts Festival for the past 8 years. In this capacity, she has helped coordinate annual festivals with the Cities of Pasadena, Deer Park, and Baytown giving disabled children and adults the opportunity to experience the arts through hands-on booths, a variety of performances, and a place to showcase their achievements. Lori is planning on spending more time with her husband and three children after leaving the City. Her caring and loving touch will be sorely missed in the S.P.O.R.T. program. She has graciously consented to continue in a part-time, temporary.p,Qsition to make sure the transition _ with a new Therapist will be less difficult and upsetting to the participants and parents. She wants to make sure the program continues while the search for her replacement goes on.