Brewfest to aid children with disabilities

Leko-who? Leko-what? Lekotek! For 35 years, this nonprofit has been providing children with disabilities an opportunity to have fun, learn and be successful in a low-stress, inclusive environment. is but with or opportunities with lies it innovative The be not sensory to through physical, their adapting ensure to purpose provide peers disabilities technology play. cognitive that toys, to of and Whether interact children therapy Lekotek using fami- have and/ or offering grams, failure-free founder Executive Lekotek of recreational the learning. director Georgia is all about chap- pro- and ter, working cation Helene teacher as Prokesh, a special for had Fulton been eduCounty Jeremy, was when born her with nephew, Down syndrome. nephew in Evanston, While visiting Illinois, her Prokesh’s sister-in-law raved about Lekotek’s program and how Jeremy was learning while playing with his brother and sister at the facility. After visiting the National Lekotek Center, Prokesh returned to Georgia and established a new chapter.

“The Atlanta commu- nity ous, been has successful and been our efforts to very date,” gener- have says Prokesh. we must raise “But, $750,000 every year, to continue funding six sites.” In 1984, Lekotek of Geor- gia received their first grant from the Liz Claiborne Foundation and set up shop in the basement of Easter Seals. Today, they have six sites statewide. In addi- tion to their main campus in Atlanta, they have locations in Alpharetta, Gainesville, Duluth, Peachtree City and Kennesaw.

Fundraising events and sponsorships are key to Lekotek’s success. March 2 marks the nonprofit’s fifth annual Brewfest, which takes place at Monday Night Brewing Company, the Garage location on the Beltline, from 7 to 10 p.m. Activities at the festival include live music courtesy of Fynal Vynal, corn hole games, a live auction and dinner catered by Lovies BBQ.

CONTRIBUTED The purpose of Lekotek is to ensure children with physical, cognitive and/or sensory disabilities have opportunities to interact with peers and families through play.