Connecting for Kids recognizes supporters

Connecting for Kids was to honor five individuals Feb. 24 at its annual fundraiser held at Ahern’s Banquet Center in Avon Lake at 726 Avon Belden Road on Feb. 24.

Connecting for Kids Executive Director Sarah Rintamaki said she was expecting 400 people.

Rintamaki said she the Westlake-based Connecting for Kids wanted to raise $50,000 to provide continued support for their programs.

In addition to honoring the individuals, the fundraiser was to feature a grand raffle with two vacation packages and a silent auction.

Dr. Meghan Barlow of Avon Lake was to be honored as Board Member of the Year.

Barlow is a pediatric psychologist and was instrumental in designing and implementing the organization’s Beyond the Bench program that has helped train thousands of adolescent students in compassion and conflict management.

Avon Lake students Jackson Bolognia and Tom Kuemerle were to receive the Beyond the Bench award that recognizes children younger than the age of 13 who went through the program developed by Barlow, and demonstrated compassion and kindness.

Jackson and Tom helped a student who was having difficulty integrating into a social group and they worked with him to help him become more comfortable.

Mariel Krakowiak of Olmsted Falls was to be honored as Parent of the Year. Speech-language pathologist Ellen Spear of Lakewood was to be honored as Professional of the Year.

After test-marketing their programs at Lorain County libraries in Avon Lake and North Ridgeville, Connecting for Kids will expand to the West River Branch of the Elyria Public Library System.

Rintamaki said Elyria was chosen as a central location to allow Connecting for Kids to reach out to more families.

Their new programs will include a program called Music Therapy and More and is a hands-on training program for children ages infant to 6 struggling with development and their families.

The program will help teach families how to use music to improve their child’s motor, communication and social skills.

Additionally, their Elyria programs will continue a speaker series that will feature professionals who work with children with developmental delays; a Coffee and Chat program to bring parents together to enable them to connect with each other.

Rintamaki started Connecting for Kids in 2011 as a personal journey after both of her children were born with developmental delays.

She said she saw the need for parent education and support in the area and saw an opportunity to find a solution.