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Productive Living Center To Have Grand Opening Thursday
The former On Wheels skating rink will once again be alive with activity, this time as a fun haven for the area’s developmentally disabled population.
Mike Fleetwood, chairman of the Ripley County Productive Living Board, announced Monday that a grand opening has been scheduled for April 25 for the new Productive Living Center.
It will be located at 244 Highway Street, across from Mi Casa’s restaurant.
The Productive Living Center will offer classes to teach develolpmentally disabled individuals new skills and to provide them with the ability to explore their own creativity through special activities.
“This will be a place for them to enjoy social activities, games with friends, or just hanging out and relaxing. Every day they will enjoy something new and interesting,” said Fleetwood.
The center will be open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through Friday each week.
“Participants will be welcome to visit the center as many or as few days per week as they desire,” said Fleetwood.
Jessica Wilkerson, who was, in 2022, selected as the Daily American Republic’s Difference Maker of the Year, has been hired as manager of the center.
“We consider Jessica to be a national treasure,” said Fleetwood. “She has been a great community asset, so we were happy to hire her for this job,” he said,
Fleetwood and the PL board feels Wilkerson’s years of experience and passion for working with the developmentally disabled makes her the perfect choice for this new role.
Fleetwood says, “When we spoke to Jessica about this new idea, she saw our vision,” which he said is to provide a safe, nurturing environment with daily opportunities for social interaction, fun, and learning.
The center will be funded and operated by the Ripley County Productive Living Board (SB40 board), but it will not function in the same way that a sheltered workshop does.
When asked why the Productive Living Board is launching this new service, Fleetwood responded, “For a long time there have been developmentally disabled folks in the county who have been left on the sidelines because there weren’t enough slots for them at the Current River Sheltered Workshop.”
Additionally, said Fleetwood, “The workshop can only accept clients age 16 or older, but the Productive Living Center will accept developmentally disabled youth as young as 14 years old.”
“We expect this new facility to be a great help to those folks and their families who have been left out,” he said.
He said the PLC will also provide an opportunity for people looking for volunteer work.
“Anyone who can spare an hour or two to demonstrate a craft or skill, read stories, play musical instruments, lead exercises or provide basic educational and life skill training will be welcome,” said Fleetwood.
He extends an invitation to anyone who is willing to contribute time to enrich the lives of PLC clients, may contact Wilkerson at 417-540-8959.
Fleetwood and the PL board are excited about this new venture and what it will mean to the county’s developmentally disabled and their families.