YILLA PARK YOUR NEW VILLA PARK ARGUS .nr,r+', I ALSO SERVING OAKBROOK TERRACE ,$;|iii., "! ,r#" r ¿ j r! E l! vJv-+at -0¿I J mversac¡ atugade dsantaromita @siuwmedia.æm @tuwmedÌa¡om @hawrnedia.æm a Administration E Laura Burke, general manager o c) By AIMEE BARROWS [email protected] 630-427-6213, [email protected] Villa Park Suburban Life (USPS #004-127) is pubtished VILLA PARK - Tomas Rosales, 4, is "over the moon excited" about Easter Seals DuPage and Fox Valley's brand new Lego Room, which will be used as a waiting room/play room for children who receive therapy from the organization and their families. "He just loves it," said his mother, Beth Rosales, who is an audiologist at Easter Seals. "I had a hard time getting him out of there. He told me he loves building with giant Legos and knocking them down." Tomas, a Villa Park resident, attends Easter Seals' pre-K daycare program, and was among the first group of children that gotto play in the room during every Friday and delivered to homes by Shaw Media, Iast week's grandopening celebration. 1101 W. 31st St., Suite 100, Easter Seals teamed up with Legoland to renovate the client waiting room, which Easter Seals CEO Theresa Forthofer said rvas "outdated and needed a new look." It was unveiled in a special ceremony March 20, where about 20 children broke through a giant, soft-Lego brick wall and ran into the room to play with their new toys. Bertie, the life-size Lego mascot, also a.i :E G' Bill Korbel, local sales manager 630-427-6230, [email protected] -ct -ct Dave lemery, editor 630-427-6250, [email protected] a E David Good, managing editor 630 -427 -627 0, [email protected] o) :L oñ L ¿ -ct J rt, ô- Iægoland teams up with Easter Seals to build Iægo Room fo phce an ad: Display: 630-427-6230 Clæsiñed;8Tl-264-2527 Legal notice: 630 -427 -6275 [email protected] General information Downers Grove lL 60515. Periodical postage paid at Downers Grove, ll. and ad- ditiohal mailing offices. Refund policy Subscribers may cancel subscriptions wÍthin 45 days offirst delivery. Refunds will be prorated. No refunds after45 days. Pofmasten Send address conectiom to Shaw Media, 1101 W.31st St, Suite lOQ Downen Grove lL 60515. Subscription rates Singlecopy $1.50 Delivery(annual) $47$Tgoutofarea made a special appearance. "It was such a blast," Forthofer said. "The kids had so much fun playing with all the Legos, which are also great *?Åiwxfl,*ldxfiAinsley William, Zoe D'Ambrosia and Ryan Cuevas break through a wallof soft lego bricks to see the new family playroom at Easter Seals DuPage & Fox Valley's Villa Park Center for the first time March 20. Photo provided by Rich Howe for fine motor skills and learning. So it makes it therapeutic at the same time, and the kids don't even realize it." Nick Miller, general manager of Legoland Chicago, said the renovation was made possible through Merlin's Magic Wand, the charity supported by Legoland's parent company, Merlin Entertainment. He said it took about a week for the renovations, which included fresh paint, new carpet and new ceiling tiles. "We wanted to'Lego-ize'the room and put as much Lego into it as pos- Photo provided by Rich Howe Thomas Desalle (center) and Zoe D'Ambrosia (right) play March 20 on the Lego table in the new family playroom at Easter Seals DuPage & Fox Valley's Villa park Center. sible," he said. "Lego is covering the nership with Legoland continues. walls, there's a ton of Duplo bricks, a "Easter Seals isreally important, they sensory bubble tube, Lego soft bricks serve a lot of families and they do an imand other interactive toys. The kids measurable amount of work with few were so jazzed." resources," he said. "lVe'llholdmore spe This isn't the first time Legoland and cial events for Easter Seals families. And Easter Seals have worked together. Lego we'll continue to make sure the room is land conducted a special night for Easter well stocked with Duplos andbricks." Seals families last year, and Miller said That's good news for Charley Pickthe night was a big hit with the families. erill, 4, of Villa Park, who receives "A Iot of families who use Easter therapy at Easter Seals. His mother, Seals have kids who wouldn't feel com- Maria, said her son loves the Legos and fortable coming to Legoland on a regu- described the room as "really cool." Iar busy Saturday," he said. "So it was "Our session ended an hour ago, but perfect to be able to bring everyone he's still in here playing," she said. there for one night." The room isn't just for the children. Easter Seals works with children Maria said she's been having fun playand adults with a variety of disabilities ing with her son in the room, which by providing physical, occupational she likes because it's "so colorful and and speech therapy. cheers you up when you walk in." "We a-l.so have many specialty clin"Iægosbring outthe kids in all ofus," ics, and we see kids with mild develop- she said. "It's just a great idea for the mental delays to kids with medically kids to be in here and be so interested complex disabilities," Forthofer said. in the Legos and building and creating. Mil]er said he was honored to work It helps develop their minds. I see his with Easter Seals, and hopes the part- l0harley'sl imagination coming to life."