01/01/2004
Had it not been for one resident of Trinity Services and
the
generosity of others, 30 people from Trinity Services would have not
been in attendance for this year’s 2004 Chicago Auto Show.
Just
a week before the big opening at McCormick Place in downtown Chicago, a
ten-year Trinity resident expressed interest in attending this year’s
show. He has a lifetime love for cars and has quite a collection of
small and large models. Hoping to fulfill his request, a Trinity staff
member immediately called Trinity’s development office and sheepishly
asked, “Is it possible to get seven complimentary tickets to the show?
We have a small group of people who have wanted to attend the show for
many years and I was hoping that this could be their year. They all
have limited budgets and can’t afford the regular ticket fee.” Without
any hesitation the development staff started making phone calls trying
to locate the seven needed tickets. One call was placed to the Chicago
Auto Show staff who graciously donated the needed tickets. The Trinity
staff and residents were ecstatic! The enthusiasm soon grew throughout
the office and more and more people expressed an interest in going.
Once again, the next day another call was made to the development
office asking for more tickets. Puzzled as to what to do, the
development staff called a few car dealers in the area, knowing that
they sometimes have tickets given to them to disburse to customers and
staff. Within an hour the jackpot was hit - D’Arcy Motors came through
with flying colors. They donated the extra 42 tickets now needed for
the outing.
According to Trinity staff, the man
who originally suggested the trip has autism and rarely smiles – but
smile was all he could do during his four-hour visit to the Expo. He
wanted pictures with all the cars AND the “pretty ladies.”
All
in all over 30 people (a combination of both staff and residents) were
able to attend the show this year, due to the simple generosity of
others. Little do they realize that this was an experience of a
lifetime for many of Trinity’s residents.
Trinity Services is
a non-sectarian, non-profit agency, providing programs and services for
children and adults with developmental disabilities and/or behavioral
health needs.
To receive more information on Trinity Services Inc., please visit them online at www.trinity-services.org or call 815.485.6197.