The Grand Opening for Canton’s New TLC Sensory Place

June 10, 2024

Original coverage in CANTON (25 News Now) by Gianna Njau. Click the link to see the video of the news coverage.

The community of Canton gathered for the new Trinity Lutheran Church Sensory Place on Sunday. It is for children who have autism and sensory disorders.

Spinning, touching, and turning things around is how children with autism and sensory disorders can help them explore different activities with the new TLC sensory place.

“It’s a way where we can try to offer resources for people. It might not be as good as therapists, but it’s something here locally when you can’t get to the therapists, said Micah Garnett, Pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church.

Garnett said he wanted to bring something locally. This was due to traveling a total of 200 miles per week for about three years with his two children who needed physical and occupational therapy.

The church also hosted disability ministries where he would see children with autism. He wanted parents and their children who had these disorders to have a space closer to home.

“We have a lot of autistic children in our Sunday School, and they have a wonderful time here. So this is a natural outgrowth of that,” said Garnett.

Birth to Five Illinois is a statewide and community system that helps families with early care education, which has helped support this project.

“A lot of families are looking for things locally. I was talking to an individual, and they were here yesterday for two hours with their two kids,” said Paul Larson, Birth to Five Illinois Regional Council Manager of Region 26.

The items on the fence can be effective for children with sensory disorders.

“We castor wheels and switches and levers and who knows. Just a lot of really odd stuff, but it creates a nice buffet almost of sensory activities,” said Garnett.

Garnett says this is a way to bring this type of action to light in small communities.

“To share some good news of resources and services options with people with disabilities in a rural county,” said Garnett.