November 23, 2004

Bowling Green, Ky. - Donna Renshaw of Bowling Green has seen first hand how children can benefit from services provided through Western Kentucky University, and now her family is giving back. Renshaw's 8-year-old and nearly 2-year-old sons, Danny and Rush, have both experienced developmental delays and have received services through WKU programs which will be housed in the new Clinical Education Complex (CEC).

The CEC, which will be located at 14th Avenue and Adams Street, will house the following programs: Child Development Center, Kelly Autism Program, Acquired Brain Injury Resource Program, Family Counseling Clinic, and the Communication Disorders Clinic, services which will benefit the Renshaws and many other families.

A few months ago, Renshaw met Suzanne Vitale, who is chairing the fund-raising efforts for the new CEC. Like Renshaw, Vitale had a vested interest in seeing this program come to fruition. Her 5-year-old grandson Phillip has been diagnosed with autism and has received services through Western.

"It was God's hand the way I met Suzanne Vitale," Renshaw said. "Her guidance, friendship, and encouragement have been so helpful to us."

Renshaw's family was so excited about the plans for the CEC that her mother- and father-in-law, Danny and Vicki Renshaw of Bowling Green, recently donated property in Hopkins County to WKU. The property was sold in auction last weekend, and approximately $190,000 in proceeds will benefit the CEC.

Renshaw said her in-laws have been a great source of encouragement for her and her husband. "They, along with my parents, have been the support system for me, my husband, and the boys," she said. "They have pushed me to seek the right answers and to find the best help possible for the boys."

Renshaw and Vitale met when Vitale's grandson and Renshaw's son were attending basketball camp at Western. "We had both signed our boys up for basketball camp not knowing if they could do it or not," Vitale said. "An important thing to realize is that parents and caretakers of developmentally delayed children want the same things for our kids that normally developing kids have."

Vitale praised Coach Darrin Horn and the Hilltopper basketball players for the care and sensitivity they showed to the boys. "Without fail, each of them said our boys could make it."

Renshaw and Vitale stayed at the camp with the boys every day and got to know one another. When they left the last day, Vitale said Renshaw expressed a desire for her family to help the CEC.

"Their donation came about right when I realized I had come too far to stop but had no clue how to go forward. It gave the entire program a huge boost," Vitale said. "Through my new friendship with Donna, I have come to realize even more that the CEC will be a great source of networking for all of these families."

Vitale said a news conference and informational meeting on the CEC will be held at 9 a.m. Dec. 2 in the lobby of the Carroll Knicely Center (WKU's South Campus at 2355 Nashville Road). The following points will be covered during the press conference and informational meeting: fund-raising progress, plans for the building renovation, introduction of the building design and program development to date.

Additional information on the CEC is available online at http://www.wku.edu/news/releases04/june/clinical.html

More WKU news is available at www.wku.edu. If you'd like to receive WKU news via e-mail, send a message to WKUNews@wku.edu.

For more information, contact Tom Hiles at (270) 745-6208