We have kept our cedar play set long past the time our autistic son stopped climbing the tower and using the slide and sandbox because swinging has always been a calming mechanism for him to.
Contractor pushes new swing set for child with autism
SOUTH ELGIN — A local contractor has coordinated the donation of a new swing set for a South Elgin resident with autism spectrum disorder. Family and friends celebrated the gift Sunday when it was installed at the home of Summer Sosa and her children, Jordee and Drewn.
Burke, who has known the family for more than a decade, said that as an infant, Jordee cried 24 hours per day. Social, communicative and emotional challenges are still present, but swinging outside is a major comfort and daily ritual for Jordee, Sosa said.
Recently, however, the original wooden set Jordee enjoyed for several years grew wobbly and unstable. Paul Sayers of Elgin was hired to work on the home’s bathroom and he said he knew the set’s days were numbered.
So Sayers began a fundraising crusade. Using Facebook and word on the street, he asked for community support. Home Depot in Elgin donated materials, and several business associates gave cash or in-kind donations, too. Piece by piece, Sayers had $400 worth of materials, so he donated his labor and enlisted some friends to help him build it.
The swing set had been a major calming mechanism for her, her mother said.
“She goes out in the morning, swings until lunch, comes in and eats, and then goes back out til dinner,” Sosa said.
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