ASHWAUBENON – When you visit You Belong, a nonprofit that serves people of all abilities and ages, you’ll likely be cheerfully greeted by 12-year-old Keith — and promptly asked to play.
Keith has childhood apraxia of speech, which makes it difficult to employ the complex muscle movements needed for speech. Over the past three years, he went from being nonverbal to being able to communicate in almost full sentences.
But one thing has always remained constant: his talent at forming fast friends.
“He’s never been shy,” said his mom, Jamie Bernetzke of Freedom, with a smile. “Even when he couldn’t communicate, he would get groups of people to play with him that we wouldn’t even know.”
On Feb. 10, You Belong, 2960 Allied St., Suite 103 and 104, will open its new indoor accessible learning and play center, The Adventure Zone, to the public, allowing Keith to share one of his favorite spaces with more new friends.
Every aspect of this play space — from wall murals depicting dinosaurs of various abilities to the double-wide ramp leading up to the Animal Adventure Tree House — is designed to be fully accessible and foster an environment where people of all abilities can play, explained You Belong founders Greg and Amy Behrend.