News

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 ...

Dear Friends of Orchard Village: The leaves on the trees and the date on the calendar assure me that we are indeed in Fall and racing into Winter. Our summer and fall have been filled with client outings, special events, and new homes. At the end of summer, much was happening at Orchard Village. First, we found relief in the changes in COVID protocols and have been getting together again in person. Many of our staff and most of our clients are now fully vaccinated and boosted. Staff and program participants still wear masks in all program areas, but residents are not required to wear them in their ...

Orchard Village brings people together, and that couldn’t be more true for Anne and Steve. Residents of Orchard Village’s Intermittent Program, they met in an apartment building where they lived right next door to each other. The attraction was mutual, and the community supported their romance. After dating for a while, they married at a church in Skokie surrounded by family and friends. After the ceremony, they celebrated at White Eagle in Niles. They have been married for 23 years as of September. Today, Anne and Steve enjoy spending time together, especially going to community ...

As part of Orchard Village’s “Here We Grow” campaign, we are happy to announce that we’ve purchased two larger, more accessible homes to meet the changing housing needs of our residents. These homes will replace three of our smaller, less accessible, older homes. In May, residents moved into our first new home in Skokie. In August, we held an open house at our second new home, in Park Ridge, and hosted residents, family members, staff, board members, and our neighbors. The neighbors, even the previous owner of the home, stopped by to check out our new renovations. Eight residents ...