2nd Annual IFSA Family Day at Morton Arboretum a Success

On Saturday, September 24th, the Illinois Fire Safety Alliance hosted its annual Family Day event for young burn survivors and their immediate families at the Morton Arboretum in Lisle. The goal of the event is to create an environment of mutual acceptance, respect, and support, while participating in family-friendly events and activities. It was provided at no cost to Illinois families with children between the ages of infancy and 12 years old who have been adversely affected by a burn injury.

The program was held from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and included educational presentations, lunch, and some games. Each family in attendance also received t-shirts, goodie bags and were visited by Sparky the fire dog and the Lisle-Woodridge Fire Department!

Kelly McElligott, a social worker from Loyola Medicine, presented on what stress is and how everyone copes with it. Other presentations were highlighted other IFSA programs such as Camp “I Am Me” (presented by volunteers Dennis Bryar and Hosam Hadid), the Young Adult Summit (presented by Executive Director Philip Zaleski and Hosam Hadid), and the IFSA’s scholarship program (presented by Hosam Hadid). The last discussion of the day revolved around an idea of a parent of a Camp “I Am Me” camper. The concept of an IFSA Parent Ambassador Program was pitched by volunteer David Hoppe. The idea is to build a group or community of parents who have or had children attend IFSA programs such as Camp “I Am Me.” It would provide the means to network and reach out to other parents who have gone through similar situations with their young ones. More information on this new endeavor will be announced at a later time.

“This newer event allows us to reach out to families of young burn survivors and provide them with educational information regarding burns and the effects they may have on children,” says Philip Zaleski, Executive Director of the IFSA. “But more importantly, it offers parents and children the opportunity to network by sharing stories, suggestions, and ideas amongst one another and to enjoy various activities in a fun atmosphere.”

According to Zaleski, the Family Day event fills an important gap in IFSA’s programming; it is the organization’s first outreach program for burn-injured children under the age of eight years old. The IFSA also hosts two other free programs for burn-injured individuals, Camp “I Am Me” and a Young Adult Summit. The weeklong burn camp, which recently celebrated its 26th anniversary in June, is open to children eight to 16 years old, while the Young Adult Summit is a three-day weekend retreat for individuals aged 18 to 25.

ABOUT THE ILLINOIS FIRE SAFETY ALLIANCE: Since 1982, the Illinois Fire Safety Alliance (IFSA), a 501(C)(3) nonprofit organization, has been promoting and disseminating fire safety and burn prevention materials and resources. The IFSA also hosts a variety of support programs for burn survivors including the Young Adult Summit, Family Day, and Camp “I Am Me,” a unique weeklong camp for children who have experienced severe burn injuries. For more information, visit www.IFSA.org.