Petersen Medical Joins in the Festivities at the Utah State Developmental Center

Summertime–blue skies, warmer weather, outdoor festivities, and parades.

What happens when you can't go to the parade?  Then someone needs to bring the parade to you.  That is what the Utah State Developmental Center in American Fork, UT decided.

The Utah State Developmental Center (USDC) is a state operated Intermediate Care Facility for people with Intellectual Disabilities (ICF/ID). The Developmental Center offers 24 hour supervised residential and day training/employment services as well as community outreach services. Approximately 235 individuals, many in wheelchairs, reside at the Developmental Center.

Waiting for Parade to Start

Staff at the center decided to put on a parade for its residents and asked some of community members to participate. Firefighters and police from American Fork, UT, a local boy scout troop, Timpanogos High School band from Orem, Utah, and several local companies, including Petersen Medical jumped on board.

On June 23rd, the residents lined up on the parade route around the facility and patiently waited for the parade to begin.   The parade began with all the proper bells and whistles--or at least honks and sirens--from the fire engines and police cars.

The first "float" contained the USDC royalty chosen from among some of the residents.

At first the royalty was too shy to wave back at the spectators but soon got into the spirit of it all.  In fact, they were having so much fun that they went around the parade route twice!






John Kramer, David Alisa, Amy Demke, Cheyenne Willard, Kiersten Anderson, and Ashley Kramer from Petersen Medical jumped on some scooters and power wheelchairs and raced and spun around, providing one of those "professional drivers; do not attempt this on your own" moments for the residents.

Was the parade a success?  It seemed to be.  The Petersen Medical staff had a blast showing off for the residents.  Did that residents have fun?  It seems so.  This was a note that Petersen Medical received from USDC:  "Thank you so much. Your folks did an amazing job. Everybody couldn't quit talking about it. Please let them know how much we appreciated them. Thank you for your help."  Jenn

Thank you, Jenn, for bringing some summertime sunshine into the lives at Petersen Medical!

There are many in the world who are dying for a piece of bread, but there are many more dying for a little love.  ~Mother Teresa