The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
ECAD breaks ground on new wellness center
The new facility will house up to eight people and have four bedrooms, each with a private bathroom.
WINSTED » Mayor Althea Candy Perez of Winsted and Steven Sadlowski, Director of Planning and Community Development, were among those who joined Dale and Lu Picard, co founders of Educated Canines Assisting with Disabilities (ECAD) at the groundbreaking celebration for the Canine Education and Wellness Center, which is scheduled to be completed by the end of this year. The center is located on property adjacent to ECAD’s current location on Newfield Road, Winsted. The ceremony was held on June 29.
“It was impossible not to be impressed by ECAD when you hear the stories about the people it has helped,” Perez said, adding that she was pleased that ECAD would go on helping so many more people with the new building.
Also present were representatives of the Draper Foundation Fund, a fund of the Northwest Connecticut Community Foundation, the Grainger Foundation, a private foundation, and the CA based Annenberg Foundation. All have been major contributors to the Capitol Campaign that has allowed the building of the center to go forward as planned. They were joined by a good number of ECAD clients and their service dogs, longtime supporters of ECAD, home handlers, volunteers and local youth who are attending ECAD’s summer camp. About 60 people were in attendance for the festivities.
Both Picards thanked the people who had made this day possible.
Dale Picard stressed that ECAD had “for 23 years been in the forefront of offering service to people with disabilities, as well as to the at risk youth who had participated in their pioneer ECADemy Program of 17 years at Westchester residential facilities.”
Picard went on to describe how ECAD had been in the forefront of providing service dogs to veterans through its Project HEAL Program, and how Rosie, ECAD’s courthouse dog, had impacted the world and caused many more dogs to be allowed to help witnesses during difficult trials.
“When this center is complete, we will continue our tradition of creative programs for Veterans and for local youth by teaching them job skills. The center will be a comfortable, user friendly building, that will in many ways, help us to keep the cost of training each service dog down,” Picard said.
Lu Picard recalled starting ECAD in a two car garage and a $500 donation that she used to cover the cost of food for the dogs. She thanked her family for their support.
“While there have been bumps, I see these bumps as stepping stones,” she said. “I am happy that we are building here. It is a beautiful piece of property and it should be shared with our clients.”
Philip Bonanno, an 18-year-old ECAD client was living proof of ECAD’s work as he addressed the attendees, with service dog Prancer by his side. Bonanno suffers from vertigo and other balance issues. With Prancer pressed against his legs, brace at the ready, Bonanno stood straight and firm, and described his life as a debater, able to compete on a national level.
When completed, the ECAD Wellness and Education Center will consist of 8744 sq. feet. With 5000 sq. feet being dedicated to canine education and 3744 sq. feet of living space. The new facility will house up to eight people and have four bedrooms, each with a private bathroom. Everything will be done in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
The design of the Center was done by E.L.T. Architects o, with construction by Borghesi Building and Engineering Co, Inc.