May 12, 2023
March 16, 2021
March 9, 2021
February 19, 2021
KSRA is seeking a qualified candidate for the Administrative Assistant position. This position is part time working a minimum of 15 hours a week with a typical schedule being Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 9 am – 2 pm. Our Administrative Assistant is tasked with general clerical work, projects as assigned, attendance at meeting to take minutes and staff support as needed. Requirements include passing a background check, previous experience in an office setting, skill in Microsoft Office Suite of programs, the ability to learn new software systems based on agency need and desire to be a part of a team that strives to serve our families in the best way possible.
The KSRA Administrative Assistant is available. Applications should include a cover letter and resume emailed directly to Dawn Schaefer, Executive Director. Applications will be accepted until Friday, March 5. Interviews for chosen candidates will begin the following week. Any questions can be directed to the Executive Director.
February 3, 2021
Check out KSRA’s upcoming February programs!
December 23, 2020
Thank you to all the KSRA families that participated in our first Holiday Home Decoration Contest! What a great way to spread the cheer of the holiday season! A big thanks to OC Creative in DeKalb for sponsoring the gift cards, each family that participated has won a $50 card to their favorite local eatery – we could not pick just one winner! Everyone is a winner!! You will also see the KSRA staff and their holiday decorations this year! We wanted to add to the cheer, too 🙂 We wish everyone a Wonderful Holiday and a Happy and Healthy New Year! #KSRA #happyholidays
Check out all our holiday decorating fun
-Gerald gathered all his favorite holiday decorations to be in the picture! (Image 1)
-Jake F’s Family Home is so festive and welcoming! (Images 2-4)
-Mike C’s Happy Holiday House and Village! (Images 5-8)
-Summer’s Holiday Happiness with Mr. Fox! (Images 9-10)
And KSRA staff showed their holiday decorating cheer, too!
December 18, 2020
November 30, 2020
October 31, 2020
Happy Halloween, and welcome to KSRA’s first Virtual Pumpkin Parade! Enjoy all these wonderful and creative pumpkins decorated by our KSRA participants, families, and staff! We love your creations!! #KSRA #HappyHalloween2020
Check it all out on our Facebook Page (Parts 1,2 & 3): https://www.facebook.com/kishsra/
October 30, 2020
Thank you for being a part of KSRA first House Decorating Contest! And thank you for OC Creative for the sponsoring the gift cards for our winners! KSRA would like to congratulate Summer C and her mom Chrissy N for the winning Fall themed house!! We thank Coco the Shit Zu and her mom Michelle and Gee Gee the Golden and her parents Sharon and David for being a part of the contest also. We look forward to hosting another house decorating contest for the Holiday season in December. We look forward to everyone sharing their holiday with us!
October 7, 2020
September 28, 2020
September 1, 2020
August 25, 2020
A message from our new TR Program Coordinator :)
Hello KSRA families!
I have had the best internship experience here at KSRA over the summer, and thankfully, I can continue these experiences with all of you as the new Therapeutic Recreation Program Coordinator. For those I have not yet had the pleasure of meeting, my name is Sam Morgan. I have recently graduated from the University of Eastern Illinois with my degree in Therapeutic Recreation (TR). What excites me most about the field of therapeutic recreation was the vast array of possibilities within the field. There were many different options of settings to work within, and I always loved how active the field requires you to be. I love being physically active, especially taking my dog (Asher) out for long walks and letting him run through the fields. That keeps us both pretty active so I knew this was the perfect career path. This field also allows me to be social and gives me the opportunity to meet many new people and form new friendships through these interactions. I am very excited to begin programs and get back into the swing of things like it was prior to COVID. I am thrilled to be a part of this wonderful team here at KSRA and cannot wait to see all of you at our programs soon!
June 7, 2020
An update on CML 2020
Dear Camp Maple Leaf Families:
We are excited to announce that we will have Camp Maple Leaf this summer!! The dates will be June 15 – July 31 (altered to accommodate the full 7 weeks of camp). Registration is open for all options! The new deadline to register for camp will be Wednesday, June 10. This deadline if for the full camp session and the first week. If you are choosing later weeks, you have until the Wednesday prior to that chosen week to register.
Payment plans are available for any family. Please contact me directly to discuss. An initial payment will be due in order to secure a spot in camp for your child. I will also be relaxing the timeline to complete registration payments; all fees must be paid in full by July 24 for the camper to attend the last week of camp. KSRA also has a limited scholarship fund available for residents of the five partner agencies.
Since we are working to ensure the safety of all campers and staff, camp will look a little bit different than in years past (Note: all changes are further explained in the Parent Packet). One change that will impact the campers the most is the elimination of pool time in the afternoon. At this time, the fate of the DeKalb Park District pool’s opening is unknown. Allie and Sam are making some changes to the afternoon schedule as we look to include alternate water activities – games or sprinklers.
Some health and safety-specific changes will include the taking temperatures for all campers upon arrival to camp (this will be done while campers are still in the car). Employees will also have their temperatures taken upon arrival. Additionally, this year’s Behavior Code of Conduct will be modified to state that “any purposeful spitting or projecting of any bodily fluids towards any person will be grounds for immediate termination in camp, without possibility of return for the remainder of the camp season”. The camp Sick Policy will follow CDC guidelines such that if a person has a fever or is sent home due to illness, they will be required to be fever-free for at least three days (without medication) before they are invited to return. If the fever is due to something other than the possibility of COVID-19, a doctor’s note will be required before consideration of that individual’s return to camp. In the event that a camper is exposed to anyone with COVID–19, they should quarantine for the full 14 days; if the camper is registered for camp during that time, a full refund will be given. Campers will be strongly encouraged to bring masks to camp and wear them, if they can. Though camp is mostly outdoors, staff will be trained to diligently remind everyone of required social distancing space so we do not have to require masks on.
Again, we are very excited to be able to hold Camp Maple Leaf this year! We have all been working hard to make this possible. We appreciate your patience as we navigate these new guidelines, and we hope that as things change, families will understand that KSRA may have to make additional changes to ensure continued approval from the Health Department to stay open.
If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to us. We are now in the office Monday-Friday, 9am to 5pm.
We hope you come Play, Laugh, Learn and Grow with us this summer at Camp Maple Leaf!
Dawn R. Schaefer MS, CTRS
Executive Director
May 30, 2020
Support KSRA’s T-Shirt Fundraiser!
April 15, 2020
It’s HERE! KSRA’s 2020 Summer Program Guide (click the cover image below to view)
Registration is now open. Due to the COVID -19 outbreak, dates are subject to change. Updates will be shared on our Facebook page, website, and via direct contact with participants if programs need to be altered.
We are all in the this together! Stay Healthy!
March 17, 2020
KSRA Families:
In abundance of care for our participants and their families, Kishwaukee Special Recreation Association will be postponing the following programs until Saturday, April 4th: Strikes and Spares Bowling (DeKalb & Rochelle Locations), Walking Club, & Special Olympics Bocce. The following programs are cancelled: Spring Break Camp, St. Patrick’s Day Dance, and Parent’s Night Out in Rochelle. Participants in the cancelled programs will be credited for the full fee amount. Although there are no known cases of COVID-19 among the KSRA participants or staff, we are executing this plan with the health and safety of our participants, staff and community in mind.
KSRA will continue to work closely with partner members and both state and federal health department authorities to monitor the COVID-19 pandemic and will re-evaluate the situation and inform our families of any decisions. Should there be a confirmed case of COVID-19 by one of our participants or staff, we will assess the situation and make decisions about further closings. We will update you via email, social media, and phone as needed as this situation and the recommendations are changing rapidly. All decisions are being made with the safety and well-being of our participants, staff and community in mind.
Thank you for your patience and understanding as we work through this situation together.
We urge that all families and participants follow the recommendations given by the CDC:
- Know how the virus spreads:
- The best way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed to this virus. The virus is thought to spread mainly from person-to-person contact/proximity
- Take Steps to Protect Yourself
- Wash your hands often (at least 20 seconds); if no soap is available use hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth
- Avoid close contact with others
- Take Steps to Protect Others
- Stay home if you are sick.
- Cover coughs and sneezes with your elbow or a tissue
- Wear face masks if you are sick (if available)
- Clean AND disinfect frequently touched surfaces daily
Remember, while you are with your family during this trying time for all, take a little time to play and laugh together. Sometimes a simple deck of cards can lead to the best laughter together!
Dawn R. Schaefer MS, CTRS
Executive Director
December 30, 2019
It’s here! It’s here! KSRA’s Winter/Spring 2020 Program Guide (Registration now open)
October 15, 2019
Introducing…Sharon Adamchak-Ball!
August 29, 2019
Check out KSRA’s all new Fall 2019 Program Guide!
April 19, 2019
It’s Here! The KSRA Summer 2019 Program Guide!
April 1, 2019
March 15, 2019
Today is the day!
KSRA’s all new Max Galaxy registration software goes LIVE!
WHERE CAN I FIND IT AND HOW DOES IT WORK?
- The system will be connected to our website’s registration page.
- You will be able to browse through all current program offerings by age and make selections by clicking “Add to cart”.
- After selecting all your programs, you will move to a purchase screen, where you will complete the necessary information to make the payment – a credit card or debit card can be used.
- Your registration is complete once you have submitted your payment.
- When you access the Max system for the first time, you will need to create an account: This account will be your new registration command center: giving our families up-to-date records of past programs (which may be useful during tax time), saving your credit card/debit card number as an encoded item, and acting as the portal to complete any necessary forms or waivers. That way, when it comes to the Annual Information Form each year, a quick read and update is all it will take!
WHAT IF I PREFER ANOTHER FORM OF PAYMENT / NEED A PAYMENT PLAN OR SCHOLARSHIP?
- If you are not a credit card user and prefer to pay by cash or check, those forms of payment will still be accepted through mail or in-person.
- While this is a pay as you play program, KSRA does still offer payment plans and scholarships, but you must contact the office prior to registering.
- For camp: the site also give you the option to have camp amounts deducted from a card of your preference, making payments easy.
We certainly hope this new system will run smoothly, but we are ready to handle any bumps in the road. If you encounter any problems along the way, please let us know!
March 1, 2019
Camp Maple Leaf 2019 Early Bird Registration is OPEN!!!
Max Galaxy online registration system and downloadable CML 2019 registration packets coming soon. Until then, please visit the KSRA office to register and collect/complete the registration packet.
February 20, 2019
KSRA is launching a *new* online registration software!
KSRA’s new online registration system, Max Galaxy, is about to go live! You will no longer have to wait for an email response or an invoice to let you know you are registered for our programs! This system is designed to give our families and friends the freedom to register whenever they have the time, with coffee on Saturday morning, during a snow storm, while watching TV, or whenever else is more convenient. This system is being implemented to give the families more flexibility in registering and increased security when it comes to the use of credit cards.
*Payment must be received in order to confirm registration.
KSRA will no longer invoice families.*
WHERE CAN I FIND IT AND HOW DOES IT WORK?
- The system will be connected to our website’s registration page.
- You will be able to browse through all current program offerings by age and make selections by clicking “Add to cart”.
- After selecting all your programs, you will move to a purchase screen, where you will complete the necessary information to make the payment – a credit card or debit card can be used.
- Your registration is complete once you have submitted your payment.
- When you access the Max system for the first time, you will need to create an account: This account will be your new registration command center: giving our families up-to-date records of past programs (which may be useful during tax time), saving your credit card/debit card number as an encoded item, and acting as the portal to complete any necessary forms or waivers. That way, when it comes to the Annual Information Form each year, a quick read and update is all it will take!
WHAT IF I PREFER ANOTHER FORM OF PAYMENT / NEED A PAYMENT PLAN OR SCHOLARSHIP?
- If you are not a credit card user and prefer to pay by cash or check, those forms of payment will still be accepted through mail or in-person.
- While this is a pay as you play program, KSRA does still offer payment plans and scholarships, but you must contact the office prior to registering.
- For camp: the site also give you the option to have camp amounts deducted from a card of your preference, making payments easy.
We certainly hope this new system will run smoothly, but we are ready to handle any bumps in the road. If you encounter any problems along the way, please let us know!
December 12, 2018
It’s here! Check out our 2019 Winter/Spring Program Guide
November 21, 2018
Meet Allie Basken, KSRA’s New Therapeutic Recreation Coordinator!
Dear Families and Friends of Kishwaukee SRA;
I am Allie Basken, the new Therapeutic Recreation Coordinator at KSRA! I am honored to have been selected for this position, and I couldn’t be happier to be a part of this amazing organization. I am very excited to be here and see where the future will take us all together!
I wanted to take a moment to enthusiastically say “Hello!” to everyone and share a little bit about myself. I’d love to start off by sharing with you all my background in the field of Therapeutic Recreation. I have my Bachelor’s degree in Therapeutic Recreation from the University of Wisconsin–La Crosse. I am
certified by the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation as a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS). For the last year, I have worked in the field at the Rockford Park District. I have had the opportunity to run a multitude of TR programs and services in the Rockford area. I’m thrilled to continue delivering valuable, enjoyable and strong TR programs and services here at the KSRA.
I’m originally from northern Wisconsin but have lived in this area for a little over a year. I am looking forward to becoming more engaged with this community as I get more familiar with the area. I am a big NIU football fan, you may catch me at Huskie Stadium in the fall! I am a huge animal lover, so I also look
forward to spending time and getting acquainted with animal rescues and shelters in the area.
I look forward to meeting and growing with you all! In the meantime, if you have any questions, concerns or would like to talk, please feel free to contact me by phone or e-mail.
I hope you are excited as I am for the opportunities of development and growth, we will experience together in the years to come!
Allie T. Basken, CTRS
Therapeutic Recreation Coordinator
abasken@kishsra.org
(779)777-7286
October 30, 2018
Have you met KSRA’s new Executive Director? Here’s your chance!
Meet Dawn: Open House Events
An invitation to come share stories and ideas or just say “Hi” and visit with the new Executive Director of Kishwaukee Special Recreation Association, Dawn Schaefer. This is an open time to chat and learn more about some ideas for the future of KSRA along with give your input.
November 10
- Sandwich Park District 10:00 – 11:00 am
- Genoa Park District 12:30 – 1:30 pm
- Flagg/Rochelle Park District 3:00 – 4:00 pm
November 14
- DeKalb Park District @ Hopkins Community Center, Terrace Room 6:00 – 7:00 pm
December 5
- Sycamore Park District @ Sycamore Community Center 6:00 – 7:00 pm
September 25, 2018
September 11, 2018
Meet Dawn Schaefer, KSRA’s New Executive Director!
Dear Kishwaukee SRA Participants, Families and Friends;
I send a warm and happy “Hello” to all of you. I am Dawn Schaefer, the new Executive Director at our KSRA! It is a great honor to have been chosen to lead this wonderful organization. I am excited and look forward to the future that we will build together.
Allow me to share with you my time and experience in the field of Therapeutic Recreation (TR). I have been in this field for a little over 20 years. I have a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from St. Louis University and a Master’s degree in Recreation Administration with an emphasis in Therapeutic Recreation Administration from Aurora University. I am nationally certified as a Certified Therapeutic Recreational Specialist (CTRS). Much of my time in the field has been with other Special Recreation Associations in the Chicagoland and Champaign – Urbana areas. I have also been a Recreation Therapist with the Illinois Department of Corrections and, most recently, at an acute care behavioral health hospital for youth and teens in central Illinois. Throughout my career I have served on many statewide boards that work to improve and grow the services to community Parks and Recreation providers and Special Recreation Associations. I have held seats on the Illinois Parks and Recreation Association (IPRA) as the Central Illinois Representative along with serving as the Chair of the Illinois Therapeutic Recreation Section (ITRS). I have spoken at local, state, and national level conferences on topics that impact TR services. I have also served as an Adjunct Professor at Aurora University. While my career has allowed me many experiences, my passion for delivering TR programs and services has been strong and steadfast.
Once my relocation is complete, I look forward to learning about all the local restaurants and bakeries. I enjoy baking and cooking when I am at home and love to eat at great places. I am also looking forward to spending more time with my family. My move to the area will bring me closer to my family, whom reside in the Chicagoland suburbs.
In the coming months I will be hosting Open Houses within the five member agencies. I hope you will consider attending one or all of these events as it will be a chance for me to meet and chat with you to learn about what you want for the future of KSRA. I will post the dates and locations on our website and send invitations to the families that live within the specific community. If you are unable to attend the Open Houses, I always welcome communication via email or phone, or if you prefer, we can set a time to sit and chat in person. I have an open-door policy and enjoy hearing from people.
I am looking forward to our years together learning and growing while having fun along the way!
Dawn R. Schaefer, MS, CTRS
Executive Director
dschaefer@kishsra.org
779-777-7284 (direct line)
Welcome, Dawn!!
August 28, 2018
August 6, 2018
It’s finally here!!! KSRA’S *BRAND NEW* Fall 2018 Program Guide!!!
May 27, 2018
A huge thank you to Diveheart for teaming up with KSRA, Adventure Works of DeKalb County, and the Kishwaukee Family YMCA to provide and support educational scuba diving for our participants! We learned so much AND had a BLAST!!!
May 6, 2018
We finished the 5th Annual Give DeKalb County Day with such strong support! Not only did we raise over $1,000 from giving alone, but KSRA will also receive a percentage of the matching pool, bringing us so very close to our goal!!!
A GREAT BIG thank you to all our supporters.
It is through your generous giving to the scholarship fund that we will be better able to serve our awesome families!
April 30, 2018
Early Bird Registration for CML 2018 Ends TODAY at 5PM!
Register NOW to save money and a spot!
April 16, 2018
Have you heard about 211???
211 connects people in need with social service organizations providing health and human services assistance. You can learn more at: www.211.org.
April 8, 2018
Kishwaukee SRA is participating in Give DeKalb County on May 3,2018 – DeKalb County’s day of giving to help nonprofits connect to the larger community! Please join our campaign and help us reach our goal of $1,500 to assist participants in accessing important programming!
On May 3, starting at 12AM visit this page to make a donation to KSRA! You will have 24 hours to make your donation – all giving will end at 11:59PM on May 3. You will have the chance to become a Light Blue, Dark Blue, Purple, or Gold Level donor for our organization. As ever, donations of any amount are welcome!
Questions? If you have any questions or would like more information, let us know. Contact Julie Eggleston at 779-777-7284 or jeggleston@kishsra.org.
Thank you in advance for your generosity to our organization!
April 3, 2018
IT’S HERE! IT’S HERE! Our 2018 Spring/Summer Program Guide
March 15, 2018
A HUGE THANK YOU to everyone who made our Second Annual Spring Forward for Accessibility Fundraiser a success!
WE HAD SO MUCH FUN!
Congratulations to all our teams and especially to our winning team, Barely Managing, and the runners up, Dirty Truckers on their success! Our winners went home with the Gift Card Palooza prize and our runners up received the Golf Course Tour!
You made the night a success and raised a total of $1,586 – all going to the scholarship fund to assist families in attending KSRA programs! Thank you so much to our sponsors, Inboden’s Meat Market, Charles Rose Law, and First National Bank, and to all of the local business that donated to the raffles, silent auctions, and grand prizes.
A special THANK YOU to the Barbed Wire Betties, our amazing volunteers ! We couldn’t have done it without you :)
March 1, 2018
Early Bird Registration for CML 2018 is officially OPEN!!!
Click here to download the CML 2018 registration packet!
Contact Stacy at 779-777-7286 for more information or to register.
February 1, 2018
February is International Recreation Therapy Month! Help us celebrate! #WeAreRecTherapy
January 31, 2018
Save the date!!
January 19, 2018
KSRA is making the news again with this great Invironments magazine article!
(Click to read the whole article)
And look out for all the latest from Invironments magazine at: http://invironmentsmag.com/.
December 6, 2017
This is why we do what we do!!! WE 
INCLUSION
From one of our amazing families: As you know, you gave our daughter the dream of being a gymnast. She loves doing all the movements, but quietly hopes to be able to do some moves unassisted 
So at the end of her 2nd tumbling program, she achieved her goal!!! An unassisted somersault!! As you can see, she was OVERJOYED!!
KSRA means everything to us – thank you for all you do & give
November 27, 2017
It’s Almost Here!!!!
***REGISTRATION FOR CML 2018 ENDS AT 5PM ON MAY 18th***
November 25, 2017
It’s here!! Check out KSRA’s 2018 Winter Program Guide
October 17, 2017
Check out KSRA’s awesome feature in New Values magazine! Click to read the article.
From our Archives
Thank you to all who made Give DeKalb County such a success!
The first ever Spring Forward for Accessibility was a huge success! Thank you to all of the local businesses that donated silent auction items, the grandest and grand prizes, the wine and beer pull supplies, and those who sponsored the event! Thank you to all who participated in the team tournament and to the audience! Congratulations to the CUBS team and the PDRMA Enthusiasts team on the win!
You guys made the night a success with all of the proceeds going towards the scholarship and accessible van fund! A special shout out to the DeKalb Barbed Wire Betties for being our event crew and a surprise team! You really brought the fire to the event!
