2004

Lou Castriota Jr. gazed at the illustration of Leg Up Farm and could envision one day scooping up a handful of dirt with a shovel to break ground on the project.

"After seven years of working on the project, we're actually seeing how the building is going to come to life," he said. "We're trying to create the look of an English riding stable. To a child, it's going to look like a fun place to go; it's not going to look institutional."

Castriota said he received the illustration in July. It was designed by architect Ruth Landsman of Seth Harry and Associates, a firm that specializes in designing therapeutic riding facilities.

Leg Up Farm will be an all-inclusive therapy facility set on 18 acres in East Manchester Township, where traditional programs such as occupational and physical therapy will be offered alongside such non-traditional programs such as hippotherapy (horseback riding).

Castriota has been spearheading the project since 1997, and said several crucial steps have taken place recently. On May 25, the East Manchester Township Planning Commission recommended for approval the 89,000-square foot facility's land development plan. What remains is for the township board of supervisors to approve the plan, which Castriota thinks will happen in October.

"We are now designing the interior and the exterior of the building," he said.

He's also formed a programming committee, made up of York County medical and educational professionals, who will weigh in on what is to be offered at the facility.

But what appears to be one of the project's biggest challenges is its $9 million price tag, half of which Castriota is hoping to receive from Gov. Ed Rendell.

"I continually send them (the governor's office) updates and ask for them to release the funds," he said.

Leg Up Farm continues to receive donations from businesses and grants from the federal government, such as the $175,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Education. In September, the 3rd Annual Matthew Allen Potter Memorial Golf Tournament at the Country Club of York will benefit Leg Up Farm.

Matthew, a 7-year-old York Township boy, was fatally injured on a ride at the York Fair in September 2001. Matthew's grandfather, Ken Potter Sr., former president and CEO of Martin's Potato Chips, is organizing the tournament.

Castriota called Potter "a great advocate and champion of the project."

Potter said his love for children and the fact that Leg Up Farm is such a unique project keeps him reaching for his long list of contacts to help spread the word.

"It's really a needed project -- it's going to be fabulous," he said.

Castriota, 33, of New Freedom, began planning Leg Up Farm after recognizing the difficulty in shuttling his daughter Brooke, now 8, to various therapies. Brooke suffers from mitochondrial disease, which is similar to cerebral palsy. After consulting parents and therapists, Castriota developed the idea for the farm, where he thought it would be much easier on parents and children with disabilities to offer a wide range of therapies under one roof.

Castriota said that after seven years, he keeps from getting discouraged by focusing on small accomplishments, knowing that they will eventually lead to his goal of breaking ground.

"Concentrating on that next step really keeps you motivated and excited," he said.

By TED CZECH, The York Daily Record/Sunday News

About every two or three weeks, Lou Castriota, Jr. sends Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell’s office an update on Leg Up Farm – just so officials won’t forget that he’s applied for capital redevelopment assistance funds.

Castriota is hoping that Rendell will match the $4.56 million he says he will raise, for a total of slightly more than $9 million, for construction of a 77,000 square-foot, all-inclusive therapy facility for children with disabilities in East Manchester Township.

“When he’s ready to release the money, we’re ready to put a shovel in the ground,” said Castriota.

Leg Up Farm would provide traditional therapies such as occupational and physical therapy, but would also include less traditional programs such as horseback riding.

The main challenge Castriota faces this year is that Rendell already has reached the ceiling in funds he can dispense this year – $1.51 billion – said Abe Amoros, deputy press secretary for Rendell.

Tough competition: Vying for the funds is very competitive – Rendell received $9 billion in requests this year, Amoros said. “Some may never get it,” he said.

The only hope Castriota has for funding this year is if the Senate approves Rendell’s bill to increase the annual amount by $640 million, when it resume its session it May. The state House approved the bill March 31, Amoros said.

Raising the money: Rendell’s staff examines all of the requests for funding, said Amoros. Some of the more popular requests are for projects such as baseball stadiums, visitors’ centers and convention centers.

Projects must demonstrate an ability to raise the matching funds, through such methods as private funding, and fund-raising campaigns. If they are chosen, they raise the first half of the funds, submit receipts to the state, and then the state will reimburse them, Amoros said.

“You have to have somebody come forward, or a list of people, you have to show the money’s going to be there,” Amoros said. “It does no good for a project to fall flat on its face because that’s a disservice to the community.”

Daughter’s inspiration: Castriota said Leg Up Farm has shown it has the ability to raise the necessary funds.

“Currently, I would say with the funds we’ve raised and our land, we already have $700,000 toward that match,” he said, “with other fundraisers planned for the near future.”

Castriota says the project also has the backing of local legislators such as state Reps. Stan Saylor, R-Windsor Township and Keith Gillespie, R-Hellam Township, as well as U.S. Rep. Todd Platts, all of whom have written letters to Rendell in support of Leg Up Farm.

Castriota began the non-profit in 1997, after realizing the difficulty in shuttling his daughter Brooke, now 7, to various therapies. Brooke has mitochondrial disease, which is similar to cerebral palsy. After talking with many parents and professionals in the industry, he decided to bring all of the various therapies under one roof.

Until Rendell releases the money, Castriota continues to move his project forward – he’s working with an architect to design the building, and hopes to have a land development plan approved by the township in June.

By TED CZECH, The York Dispatch/Sunday News

A federal grant will allow Leg Up Farm to continue working on the design of its 77,000 square-foot treatment center.

“Now, we’re going to finally start to see pieces coming together,” said founder Lou Castriota, Jr. 33, of New Freedom.

U.S. Sens. Arlen Specter and Rick Santorum announced Thursday that the comprehensive therapy center for children will receive $175,000.

Castriota was surprised and enthusiastic about the news.

“That money will be used immediately for building development, so it’ll go toward the architecture, civil engineering, electrical engineering, for the design of the building,” he said.

The facility will offer traditional therapies like occupational and physical therapy, as well as less traditional programs such as horseback riding.

It will be built on land in East Manchester Township owned by Barbara Warren.

The land development plan will be presented tomorrow to the township’s planning commission, which may recommend its approval to the board of supervisors.

Castriota said he is waiting for Gov. Ed Rendell to release $4.56 million in capital redevelopment assistance funds. Through fundraising efforts, Leg Up Farm will match that amount for a total of $9 million to build the facility.

Castriota has the support of several Pennsylvania politicians, who have written letters to Rendell, urging him to release the money.

In a Jan. 12 letter to Rendell, state Rep. Daylin Leach, D-Montgomery County, said, “Leg Up Farm will provide a necessary service for the most vulnerable of our citizens as well as provide economic development for a rural community.”

Leg Up Farm was incorporated as a non-profit in the fall of 1997, just months after his daughter Brooke, now 7, was diagnosed with mitochondrial disease.

By TED CZECH, The York Dispatch/Sunday News

The disease has symptoms that are similar to other, more common diseases. It has no cure, and the most recent statistics indicate one in 2,000 babies may exhibit some of its features.

Sounds like something the public should be aware of, says the United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation. That’s why the foundation and its members were pleased to hear that the Pennsylvania General Assembly designated this week as Mitochondrial Disease Awareness Week.

“It’s not going to be one of these ‘mito-what?’ It’s not going to be something from outer space when somebody talks about it,” said foundation spokeswoman Kara Strittmatter.

Mitochondrial disease – brought on by defects in the mitochondria, the “powerhouse” of a cell – can cause problems in the brain, nerves, muscles, liver and eyes and more. Researchers also theorize that mitochondrial failure may play a role in Alzheimer’s disease, stroke, diabetes and heart disease. It is inherited through either parent, although some individuals can be carriers and never see the disease manifest itself. When it does, it’s typically when the patients are children.

Symptoms stemming from the brain include developmental delays, mental retardation, dementia and seizures. In the nerves, there can be absent reflexes, gastrointestinal problems, and fainting. In the muscles, weakness, cramping and muscular pain can be present. Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) and liver failure can occur in the liver. Visual loss and blindness can occur in the eyes.

Fighting back: For Lou Castriota, Jr., who is a foundation member, learning that the disease had been recognized by the legislature was an important step in the battle against it.

“A lot of people haven’t come in contact with anyone with the disease don’t understand it, (but) it affects a lot of people,” he said. “My hope is that by creating awareness, people will donate more money for research so that a cure can be found.”

The week is also important if a parent senses that something is wrong with their child, but is not sure what it is, that they may be compelled to have their child examined, in the event they may be suffering from mitochondrial disease.

Therapies include exercise regimens, vitamin cocktails to boost cell function, and various medications to control symptoms. However, there are no FDA-approved drugs that target mitochondrial disease.

Castriota’s 7-year-old daughter, Brooke, suffers from mitochondrial disease. His search for the various therapies that Brooke needed led him to develop a plan for a comprehensive child therapy facility, called Leg Up Farm.

Leg Up Farm was incorporated as a non-profit in the fall of 1997, just months after Brooke’s diagnosis, said Castriota, 33, of New Freedom, who is a general sales manager with FOX 45 in Baltimore.

The facility will offer traditional therapies like occupational and physical therapy, as well as less traditional programs such as horseback riding. The 77,000 square-foot facility will be built on a portion of an East Manchester Township property owned by Barbara Warren.

Castriota said the project’s land development plan is being developed, and will be presented to the East Manchester Township Planning Commission on Jan. 27. He’s also waiting for Gov. Ed Rendell to release $4.56 million in capital redevelopment funds. Through fundraising efforts, Leg Up Farm will then match that funding, to accumulate the $9 million necessary to build the facility.

U.S. News and World Report contributed to this report.

To learn more

To contact the United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation, call 412-793-8077 or visit www.umdf.org

By TED CZECH, The York Dispatch/Sunday News

The U.S. Senate approved a catch-all funding bill Thursday that will send more than $1 million to York County for new buses, sewer infrastructure and children’s therapy.

Leg Up Farm in East Manchester Township received one of the highest allocations in York, and founder Lou Castriota of New Freedom said the $175,000 grant comes at the right time.

“It is truly a key piece to continue moving the project forward to opening our doors, and it comes at a very critical time because until this point we continue to pay for the development as we go,” Castriota said.

Plans for the $9 million center include therapy customized for children with special needs. Castriota said he hopes the center becomes a model for others across the country.

The York County Transit Authority plans to put its allotment of $100,000 toward buses that need to be replaced after 12 years in service, spokesman Richard Farr said.

“It’s about time,” he said regarding five Rabbittransit buses with up to 600,000 miles scheduled for replacement this year, to the tune of $230,000 each.

Jim Gross of the York City Sewer Authority said a $250,000 grant will help eliminate storm and rain water from the city’s sewer system to prevent unnecessary water treatment. The project, estimated to cost $1 million, will lower costs and improve water efficiency by processing only water that needs treating, Gross said.

The Senate voted Thursday on the Consolidated Appropriations bill for 2004, which rolled seven spending bills that were never finalized last year into a single $820 billion piece of legislation nearly 1,200 pages long.

THE PLANS

Several York County projects will get money from a federal spending bill approved Thursday. Listed is amount, recipient, project and which members of Congress helped the project be included in the bill.

$250,000: York City Sewer Authority, for infiltration and inflow removal infrastructure improvements (Rep. Todd Platts, R-York County)

$175,000: Leg Up Farm, for comprehensive therapy and rehabilitation for children (Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., Sen. Rich Santorum, R-Pa., Platts)

$150,000: York County Common Pleas Court, for records improvement (Platts)

$100,000: York College, for technology upgrades for the Schmidt Library (Specter, Santorum)

$100,000: Strand Capitol Performing Arts Center, for facilities renovation (Platts)

$100,000: York County Transit Authority, for new buses (Santorum, Platts)

$100,000: Springettsbury Township, for bio-solids treatment facility replacement project (Platts)

$50,000: York County Human Life Services, Inc., for abstinence education (Specter, Santorum)

$50,000: York Health Corp., for expanded services of the nurse-family partnership program (Platts)

Total: $1,075,000

By LAUREN FITZPATRICK, Medill News Service