Anna Bruce, Program Coordinator and Board V.P. for Gigi’s Playhouse of the Southern Tier, was the guest speaker at an Apalachin Lions Club Meeting held Jan. 25.
GiGi’s Playhouse is a network of Down Syndrome Achievement Centers, with the Southern Tier Playhouse being number 45 out of the 56 Playhouses throughout the country. They opened their doors in Vestal (near Joann’s Fabrics store) in May of 2019 and offer free educational, therapeutic and soon career development programs, from birth through adult.
Amazingly, the organization is 99% volunteer run. All of the programs are research-based to meet the universal challenges of individuals with Down syndrome but are free and available for anyone in the community that can benefit.
Anna was the team lead for the startup and transitioned into board Vice President and Program Coordinator. Her background is in elementary and special education, having taught 3rd and 5th grade special education for the Binghamton School District before staying home to raise her family, which includes three children – 19, 16 and 11, the youngest being a son, who also happens to have Down syndrome and is her reason for bringing the Playhouse to our area.
To contact Anna Bruce, email to Abruce@gigisplayhouse.org or call (607) 766-9337.
Why does certain ppl get arrested time after time and just get released time after time????