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Mission Statement
The mission of RePlay for Kids
is to increase the availability of toys and assistive devices for children
with disabilities. We pursue this
mission by repairing existing devices, adapting mainstream toys, designing new
devices, and educating families and clinicians.
Why It's Important?
Young children learn through play and social interaction. Children with disabilities are no exception, yet frequently require adapted toys and other assistive devices to fully experience the thrill of play. Due to the limited market, the adapted toys are more expensive than their mainstream counterparts. Fortunately, many service organizations provide switches, adapted toys, and other assistive devices to children who cannot otherwise afford them. However, when a toy or device breaks, the supplying organization usually does not have the expertise or resources to repair the broken item. RePlay for Kids provides these repair services free of charge to participating organizations. RePlay for Kids also adapts mainstream toys for use by children with disabilities.
History
In 1990, toy repair and modification services
started to be provided to a local agency on a voluntary basis.
In 1994, in association with the Case Engineering
Service Group at Case Western Reserve University, toy repair workshops were
organized to increase the number of toys repaired and adapted, and to increase
the number of agencies benefiting from this service.
In 1999, RePlay for Kids was formally
established as a nonprofit corporation to further increase the productivity of
this toy repair and modification effort.
Since then RePlay
for Kids has continued to grow, with steady increases in the numbers of workshops, volunteers, toys and devices repaired, and toys adapted. See the News section for updates.
Board of Directors
President
Bill
Memberg, M.S.
(parent of a child with a disability)
Biomedical Engineer
Cleveland FES Center
Vice President
Robert Brock, B.S.
Software Engineer
Northrop Grumman IT
Secretary
Subba
Shankar, Ph.D.
Director of Engineering
MicroMedical Devices, Inc.
Treasurer
Kent Darragh
CEO
Avalon Technologies, Inc.
Jeanne Longmuir
Attorney
Longmuir Intellectual Property Services Co., LPA
Fred
Montague, M.S.
Manager, Hardware/Implant Development
Dept.
of Biomedical Engineering
Case
Western Reserve University
Edward J. Rapp, B.S., P.E.
(parent of a child with a disability)
Director of Engineering
Cleveland Medical Devices, Inc.
Ronald J. Triolo, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Orthopaedics
and
Biomedical Engineering
Case
Western Reserve University
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