VIDEO: ECC Receives CVS Grant To Fund Music and Movement Program

Editor's note: This article was corrected with teacher Theresa McLennan's name on Wednesday, Oct. 19 at 2 p.m.

On Wednesday morning, representatives from the toured the , which has received a $2,500 dollar CVS Caremark Community Grant.

The grant will fund an inclusive music and movement program at the ECC called Kidzfun, which promotes social, emotional and cognitive growth for all children. ECC Director Jenny Corduck said that the program teaches the motor development activities cruicial to pre-school age children, and can have life-changing effects on children with disabilities.

The ECC’s mission is closely aligned with All Kids Can, CVS Caremarks' signature philanthropic program focusing on support children with disabilities.

Corduck led Melrose CVS Pharmacist Nancy Anderson, Store Manager Charlie Bissitt and District Manager Dianne Sica through several of the ECC's classrooms and outside, where teacher Theresa McLennan was leading a Kidszfun session funded by the grant. Elizabeth Christopher, co-president of the Franklin ECC PTO, joined them on the tour.

Watch the quick video above for scenes from the tour.

The following is a press release provided by the Franklin Early Childhood Center:

The Franklin Early Childhood Center (ECC) PTO announced today that the school has received a $2,500 CVS Caremark Community Grant.

The Franklin ECC’s mission is closely aligned with CVS Caremark All Kids Can, the company’s signature philanthropic program focused on supporting children with disabilities.  The grant from CVS Caremark will enable the ECC to fund an inclusive music and movement program called Kidzfun that promotes social, emotional, and cognitive growth for all children.

The ECC serves approximately 260 preschoolers from the local community, including students with wide-ranging cognitive, social-emotional, and intensive physical disabilities. Through lively music and movement activities, Kidzfun enables children to learn and develop coordination and control, cooperation, teamwork, and fair play.

“Kidzfun teaches the gross and fine motor development activities so essential to children of this age group,” said Jenny Corduck, Director of the Franklin ECC. “We’ve witnessed the life-changing effects Kidzfun has had on children with disabilities, providing them with a vital opportunity to gain a sense of achievement and belonging.”

“We are committed to making a positive impact in the communities where we live and work and the CVS Caremark Community grants program does just that by supporting organizations that truly make a difference in the lives of children and families,” said Jennifer Veilleux, Director of Community Relations, CVS Caremark Corporation.  “We are proud to support the work that The Franklin ECC does in the community and we look forward to working with them in the year ahead.”

The Franklin ECC was selected to receive a grant through the CVS Caremark Community Grants 2011 grant application process.  Grants were awarded to organizations that share a common vision with CVS Caremark’s All Kids Can program, which strives to make life easier for children with disabilities.  The goal of the All Kids Can program is create more inclusive environments for children with and without disabilities to build self-esteem, lasting friendships and social skills, and to help children without disabilities learn diversity and tolerance.

“CVS Caremark is committed to helping children with disabilities learn, play and succeed in life,” said Scott Wasikowski, Area Vice President, CVS/pharmacy.  “Through this grant, we are able to help make an impact on the lives of children in the Melrose community.”

The Kidzfun program will be led by owner Theresa McLennan, who has been an early childhood educator and fitness instructor for 30 years and who offers Kidzfun classes in local schools. “With this grant, we will be able to offer several 30-minute sessions to all 18 classrooms at the Franklin ECC this fall,” said Elizabeth Christopher, Franklin ECC PTO co-president.