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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3Representatives are pleased to congratulate Countryside
4Association for People with Disabilities, Inc. on the occasion
5of its 60th anniversary; and
 
6    WHEREAS, Countryside was conceived when several concerned
7parents of children with disabilities met to discuss what the
8future would bring for their children; and
 
9    WHEREAS, In 1953, to support their children's
10developmental and educational needs, the Goodmonson,
11Gusewelle, Hughes, Naggatz, Phelps, Smyth, Steinfeld, and
12Stelling families founded a special school tailored to the
13exceptional requirements of their children; and
 
14    WHEREAS, The school initially served 5 developmentally
15disabled children; and
 
16    WHEREAS, After operating for a short time in a home in Lake
17Zurich, the school moved to an 8 acre farm in Palatine
18purchased with a mortgage that the parents signed for
19personally; and
 
20    WHEREAS, Founder Goodmon "Bud" Goodmonson stated that the

 

 

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1purpose of starting the school was "for our children to be
2happy and content in their lives"; and
 
3    WHEREAS, The school incorporated as the Countryside
4Association for Retarded Children on March 17, 1954, and, over
5the next few decades, several programs were added, including
6Client and Family Support, Respite, and Supported Employment;
7and
 
8    WHEREAS, Countryside opened the Lakeside Work and Training
9Center in 1973 and purchased a 27,000 square-foot food store in
101982; and
 
11    WHEREAS, The name was changed to Countryside Association
12For People With Disabilities, Inc. in 2004, and, over the next
1310 years, its services continued to expand; and
 
14    WHEREAS, In 2005, the Document Destruction Business
15debuted at Lakeside Center to offer jobs and career
16opportunities to persons with developmental disabilities; and
 
17    WHEREAS, School-to-Work Transition Services, a program
18designed to help high school age adults with developmental
19disabilities in learning about and preparing for the work
20world, and Golden Opportunities, a daily support services
21program for adults over 55 with developmental disabilities,

 

 

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1were initiated; and
 
2    WHEREAS, Both School-to-Work Transition Services and
3Golden Opportunities received national accreditation in 2011;
4and
 
5    WHEREAS, Countryside has earned 12 consecutive 3-year
6accreditations from the Commission of Rehabilitation
7Facilities since 1978; and
 
8    WHEREAS, In 2012, the Illinois Governor's Hometown Award
9was given to Countryside for the creation of a community
10volunteer program for persons with disabilities; and
 
11    WHEREAS, In 2012, the Countryside Center building was
12expanded to add more production area, modified washrooms, a
13home for the seniors program, and program space for productive
14activities of all kinds; and
 
15    WHEREAS, Countryside's vision is to create a community
16where all people can reach their goals of independence,
17employment, and full participation in society; and
 
18    WHEREAS, Countryside plays a vital role in the community,
19advocating on behalf of persons with disabilities and their
20families and supporting them in their efforts to live and work

 

 

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1successfully in their chosen community; therefore, be it
 
2    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
3NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
4we congratulate Countryside Association for People with
5Disabilities, Inc. as it celebrates the 60th anniversary of its
6founding; and be it further
 
7    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
8presented to Countryside Association for People with
9Disabilities, Inc. as a symbol of our esteem and respect.