News

At the June meeting, the Orchard Village Board applauded and recognized the many years of service of board member Donna Pleason with the gift of a beautiful crystal sculpture. A loyal volunteer, donor, and the sister of a family member supported by Orchard Village, Pleason has served in the past as the Board President, sat on many committees, and chaired the annual Blossom Gala several times. Over the years, Pleason and her husband Gary have been wonderful ambassadors for the agency, raising many dollars and friends for the cause. The board elected Pleason to Emeritus Status, where she will ...

Orchard Village celebrated the life and legacy of Ilene B. Sievert on July 15th with a dedication of our farm and sensory garden in her honor. The ceremony featured remarks from Orchard Village President and CEO Susan Kaufman, a tribute from Ilene’s husband Paul, and the unveiling of the plaque dedicated to Ilene. A luncheon with family, friends, and OV staff followed the ceremony. Ilene, who passed in 2012, was a dedicated gardener, mother, wife, amateur herpetologist, writer, and friend to many. She was always one to share the gift of her green thumb, providing plants and seedlings to ...

Orchard Village is starting a new group called Village Volunteers. This informal group of family and community members will be available to help with client events (like the holiday and summer parties), building and grounds improvement projects (like painting decks, planting flowers, and improving our homes), and helping with special events (such as our golf outing, gala, Cocktails for a Cause event, and Tootsie Roll Tag Days). The Village Volunteers is a great place to meet other family members, make friends, and socialize. At least once each quarter of the year, there will be a project ...

Tacos and table tennis! Wii sports and Bozo buckets! Crafts and dice rolls! While the rainy weather this year was not cooperative, it did not stop OV participants from having a great time. They all gathered in the Orchard Village Activity Center on July 12th for a delicious meal of authentic street tacos. The meal was followed by a multitude of games such as table tennis, arts and crafts, Wii sports, and bucket toss. Thank you to the many people who came together to create this fun event. Mike Cusick, Orchard Village’s Recreational Therapist, oversaw the event's planning, set-up, and ...

In May nearly 200 guests gathered at the Loews Chicago O’Hare Hotel for the 36th Annual Blossom Gala. This year featured a special theme, Blue Skies, to signal a bright future ahead of us. The evening began with cocktails and a silent auction followed by the program and dinner in the flower-filled ballroom. Board President Stephen Green welcomed guests, and Gala Chair Doug Miller thanked the Gala Committee and volunteers who make this event possible. We were honored to recognize the Pelletier family for their exceptional support this year. These 10 siblings have come together to advocate ...

On February 25th, nearly 90 supporters braved the Chicago cold to support our annual Cocktails for a Cause event at the Fremont in River North. The evening featured an open bar, silent auction, raffle, and live auction. Our program featured stories of the people we support who benefit from our employment programs. Mike, a participant of our vocational program, spoke about his experience and how Orchard Village supports him in his job goals and “to get a regular paycheck”. This year our supporters helped raise more than $20,000 to empower individuals with developmental disabilities to ...

After two years with Orchard Village, it is bittersweet that we say goodbye to Dr. Christina Geiselhart, who served as Director of the Behavioral Health Clinic (BHC). Dr. Geiselhart was instrumental in the formation and development of our behavioral health program, helping to launch it in 2021.  Currently, she is stepping back to pursue more teaching and research endeavors. “We are grateful to Dr. G for all she has done to start up our BHC and serve our clients. She is an amazing professional and will be missed,” Susan Kaufman, Orchard Village CEO. We thank Dr. Geiselhart for all the hard ...

The sun shined and faces smiled as golfers arrived at the beautiful Westmoreland Country Club for Orchard Village’s 31st Annual Golf Classic on August 8th. The day started with a putting clinic held by our Day Program Coordinator Dan Leonard with assistance from Denise P., who has been learning golf as part of the therapeutic recreation program. Soon after, golfers enjoyed a bloody Mary bar and delicious buffet lunch followed by a noon shotgun start. Out on the course, Ross Smith was the winner of our jackpot birdie prize.  J.P. Bitting won the Golden Ticket prize of a fabulous vacation ...

Our InnOVations and DiscOVer day programs recently joined the Skokie Park District’s Adopt-a-Park program. Once a week, program participants visit Oakton Park to pick up litter and ensure that all playground equipment is in good condition. While cleaning the area, they also inspect the park for any damage or areas that need improvement. On October 14th, 2022, Orchard Village received a plaque from Skokie Park District Superintendent Corrie Guynn commemorating our dedication to keeping Oakton Park beautiful. We hope to adopt one to two more parks next year when they become available.

Imagine never having experienced the joy of riding a bike. You'd never have felt the power and freedom of zipping along under the strength of your legs. Never felt the wind rushing past you and seeing the landscape flying by... Some of the participants in our adult day programs recently rode a bike for the first time, thanks to grants from the Evanston Bicycle Club and the Oliver-Hoffmann Foundation. With funding from the Evanston Bicycle Club we purchased a new recumbent bike, and with a grant from the Oliver-Hoffmann Foundation we bought three adaptive bikes. The recumbent bike sits lower to ...