OWENSBORO, KENTUCKY – Wendell Foster, a local 501(c)3 non-profit organization serving people with disabilities, has announced they will receive a one-time appropriation of $450,000 from the Kentucky General Assembly through House Bill 1. This effort was supported by Senator Gary Boswell and State Representatives Suzanne Miles and DJ Johnson. These funds will be used to construct Wendell Foster’s new state-of-the-art Aquatic Therapy Center.
“Thank you, Senator Boswell, Representative Miles and Representative Johnson, for believing in Wendell Foster,” said Doug Hoyt, Chief Executive Officer of Wendell Foster. “Their leadership to secure this funding, along with the support of the General Assembly, allows us to continue to be a leader in serving and supporting people with disabilities.”
Wendell Foster has been providing services to people with disabilities for over three-quarters of a century. What started with Wendell and Edith Foster opening their home to children and families to provide rehabilitative services and education has become a multi-service organization providing more than 65,000 services annually to people with disabilities.
These funds will allow the organization to begin the construction of the aquatic therapy center within the Latham Outpatient Therapy Facility on campus. “DJ Johnson and Suzanne Miles were very supportive of this project, which I sponsored in the Senate,” said Senator Gary Boswell. “We all agreed that this project was a high priority to serve the valued clients of Wendell Foster.”
The organization has been providing aquatic therapy services since its inception. Aquatic therapy is physical therapy that takes place in warm water. For many with disabilities, this vital service offers muscle relaxation, increased range of motion, pain relief, and promotes independence in daily life. Currently, Wendell Foster is the only provider of aquatic therapy specifically for people with disabilities in the region.
State Representative Suzanne Miles shared her thoughts on the impact of the funding for Wendell Foster. “I am grateful that my colleagues and I are part of a community that values investments for the betterment of our vulnerable citizens. We appreciate the gem in Owensboro we have in Wendell Foster.” State Representative DJ Johnson commented, “I’m honored to have worked with Senator Boswell and Representative Miles to appropriate funds for the aquatic therapy center. The upgraded facility will significantly increase the quality of services provided by Wendell Foster and only serve to improve the excellent reputation Wendell Foster enjoys locally and nationally.”
Wendell Foster Board Chair Tim Allen expressed his gratitude to the area legislators. “This significant investment will profoundly enhance our capacity to provide essential services to individuals with disabilities. We express our heartfelt appreciation to our legislators for their unwavering dedication to our mission.”
The aquatic therapy center will feature an accessible zero-entry pool with multiple therapy stations. Hoyt said construction is slated to begin this summer, with therapy services planned in the new center by the end of the year.
