Support Grows for Leg Up Farm
12/11/2003
Lou Castriota, Jr. is convinced that success comes in bundles, especially when it comes to the project he’s worked on for the past six years, Leg Up Farm.
And if a few more bundles come his way, Castriota hopes to break ground next year on the comprehensive therapy child center in East Manchester Township,
“The momentum is moving forward in a big way right now. All of the hard work we put into this project is coming together,” he said.
Leg Up Farm will offer traditional therapies like occupational and physical therapy, as well as less traditional programs such as horseback riding. On Tuesday, the East Manchester Township Board of Supervisors approved a subdivision plan, and a land development plan is expected to be presented to the township planning commission later this month, Castriota said.
Earlier this week, the U.S. House of Representatives passed an appropriations bill that includes $175,000 for Leg Up Farm. If it’s passed in the Senate, Castriota hopes the president will sign it into law before the new year.
“I’m thrilled with this dollar amount, because I think it opens up the future for us to get even more federal funding,” he said.
Castriota said in the past few weeks, a health insurance company donated $25,000 to Leg Up Farm, and the second annual Matthew Allen Potter Memorial Golf Tournament raised $42,000 for the project.
Hoping for large payment: Castriota said most of the federal grant would go to pay for building design.
“We really want to create an environment that’s easy for children with special needs to move through and enjoy all of the things we have to offer,” he said, and to do that, extra care needs to be taken when designing the building.
Castriota hopes that support from state politicians will lead Gov. Ed Rendell to release $4.56 million in capital developmental assistance funds. If Rendell releases the money, Leg Up Farm will have to match that amount, to reach the projected start-up goal of slightly more than $9 million, he said.
In 2001, Barbara Warren offered a portion of her 200-acre property at 4248 North Sherman Street Extended. Leg Up Farm will be built on 15 acres.
By TED CZECH, The York Dispatch/Sunday News