photo source:thewarrencenter.org
Every parent remembers the moment they first get to see and hold their infant.
For Beverly and Bill Warren, the birth of their son John was, of course, a beautiful and miraculous moment; but from the beginning they knew something was not quite right. The neonatal specialist told them John had very low muscle tone and his chances of survival were not very high.
At 2 months, John still wasn’t reaching developmental milestones so they started meeting with specialists at Scottish Rite.
“We were not leaving until we had a plan,” said Bill. “The doctors couldn’t give us a diagnosis, but finally one pulled out a of piece paper and wrote down the words Richardson Development Center.”
Within days John was evaluated at the Center by therapists and they put together a plan. “They were a ray of sunshine and turned our prayers into action,” added Beverly. “The therapists worked with John and us. By the time he graduated from their Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) program at three years old, he rolled across the stage with a walker by himself.”
Beverly and Bill then knew that John was going to be okay and so were they.
John attended public schools and graduated from Plano West Senior High School in 2003 and then headed to Austin College. “John did everything all of the other kids did, except he couldn’t walk or run. He never thought of himself as different, and we were surrounded by a community that felt the same way we did.” Today John is married and lives in California.
Even though John graduated from the ECI program 30 years ago, Beverly and Bill have never stopped being a part of it. Beverly jumped in and helped the agency create their “Fantasy Football” fundraising gala which celebrated its 25th anniversary on August 24th . “We invited our friends to support this event, and 25 years later they are still coming to the event and helping us raise money and awareness,” said Beverly.
In 2006, Bill was asked to run the capital campaign to help the center fund and build a building. Through his leadership and financial guidance, the agency opened their current facility in Richardson in 2007.
The Board changed the name to The Warren Center to honor Beverly, Bill and John for their incredible support throughout the years.
The Warrens continue to support the agency through work on the Board and the Fantasy Football gala. They also enjoy attending family events for the agency. “We love seeing the kids and watching them reach new milestones. I always congratulate the parents for their dedication and for seeking the help they need,” said Beverly.
“There are so many families that need the help that The Warren Center offers, and the therapists are truly a remarkable and dedicated group. They are literally changing the lives of hundreds of children and giving families hope and guidance when they need it the most,” said Bill.
Through their support of The Warren Center, Beverly and Bill are helping ensure that the community resource that was there to help their family continues to grow and serve other families in need.
For more information about The Warren Center visit thewarrencenter.org.
Jessica Taper, APR is the President of Team T, an event management and marketing solutions company. Along with her corporate clients, she has a passion for helping the company’s nonprofit agency clients with their fundraising and ‘friend-raising’ efforts. teamtaper.com