Celebrating 50 Years | 2/01/2004, back

PRESS RELEASE

From: Janet Ketcham, Executive Director
Re: McMains Center Celebrates 50 Years with a Birthday Party

The McMains Children's Developmental Center, formerly known as the Cerebral Palsy Center, hosted a 50th Birthday Party on Wednesday, March 24th. The party was a celebration of 50 years of serving children in the Greater Baton Rouge area, as well as a family reunion for current and former clients, staff, and other friends of the Center.

Some of the clients from the Centers original location in the old A&P building on 19th Street were in attendance, including the very first patient, Claude Sanchez. Dr. Frank McMains, the first medical director and the person for whom the Center is now named was there, as well as the first physical therapist, Jo Anne Thurman. Other special guests included Ken Hinrichs, President and CEO of Capital Area United Way and Linda Collier Ellison who was the poster child for the Cerebral Palsy Center in the early 1960s. Ms. Ellison had her picture taken with Bob Hope when she was the poster child, and drove in from Madisonville to attend the party and have her picture taken holding the photograph.

The party featured photographs and other memorabilia dating back to the Centers inception in 1954. For the childrens entertainment there were clowns and dune buggy rides provided by the Al Azar Grotto. There was also birthday cake, balloons, refreshments and flowers donated by the Cut Flower.