Posts by mvance
Volunteer Spotlight: Kailyn
At GiGi’s Playhouse Canton, our volunteers bring creativity, passion, and joy to every program—and today we are excited to celebrate Kailyn Butt! Kailyn is full of energy and enthusiasm. She loves crafting, dancing, and trying new things, and she shares her life with her fiancé, Ayden, and their dog, Zoro. Her favorites give a peek into her…
Read MorePractice, Positivity, and Progress: Alaina’s Story
At GiGi’s Playhouse, “Best of All” moments are all about celebrating progress, persistence, and pride, and Alaina embodies every bit of that spirit. Alaina is a dedicated participant across multiple programs, including GiGiFIT, Dance, and literacy tutoring. No matter where you find her in the Playhouse, one thing is always consistent: her incredible work ethic.…
Read MoreVestibular Sensory System
Starting off with the vestibular system, which is the most impactful sensory system in our body. We have tiny structures in our ear that tell our brain where our head is positioned in relation to gravity. Our vestibular system is extremely important for balance, postural control, stability, gross motor development, self-regulation and arousal. Vestibular input can be alerting or calming…
Read MoreVolunteer Spotlight: Allie
At GiGi’s Playhouse Canton, our volunteers are the heart of everything we do, and today we are thrilled to shine the spotlight on someone who helps work behind the scenes to raise funds and awareness for GiGi’s Playhouse…Allie Shrake! Allie brings an incredible passion and dedication to our Playhouse community. She has spent 12 years…
Read MoreBreaking Barriers, One Step at a Time: Celebrating Matt
Growth doesn’t always come in big, dramatic moments. Sometimes, it shows up quietly through small steps, brave choices, and a willingness to try again. And that’s exactly what we’ve been celebrating with Matt. Over the past several months, Matt has been working hard to build his confidence and take on challenges that once felt overwhelming.…
Read MoreSensory Processing Challenges
So, what happens if our sensory system is dysregulated? The purpose of our sensory system is to keep us alive. It helps us interact with the environment in a purposeful way. When we think about the ways our bodies modulate, react, or respond to sensory input, we can appropriately respond, or if we have sensory processing challenges,…
Read MoreVolunteer Spotlight: Deann
At GiGi’s Playhouse Canton, our volunteers bring heart, energy, and dedication to everything they do—and today, we are thrilled to celebrate Deann Moore! Deann is a retired nurse with 40 years of experience, and even in retirement, she keeps busy working a few hours a week at Chico’s, enjoying a totally different pace of life. She and her husband, Jeff, love…
Read MoreFrom Shy Beginnings to Confident Connections
Three years ago, we shared the story of a shy little girl just beginning her journey at the Playhouse — carefully stepping into a new environment, building trust, and celebrating small but meaningful “Best of All” moments. Today, Hadlie’s story is one of incredible growth, confidence, and connection 💛 Since that blog post was written,…
Read MoreWhat is Sensory Processing?
Sensory processing is something we all do, at all times of the day. It’s something that our brain does subconsciously and automatically. It helps us stay alive and function in our day-to-day lives. You may have heard that we have five senses (smell, taste, touch, hearing, and seeing). What most people don’t know is that we have three more sensory systems (proprioceptive, vestibular, and interoceptive) that play…
Read MoreWillow’s Incredible Willpower
At 14 months old, Willow is already showing incredible determination as she works toward meaningful developmental milestones through our Occupational Therapy program in partnership with Stark State College. One of Willow’s greatest strengths is her engagement—she makes beautiful eye contact and is deeply connected to the people around her. This strong social connection helps her…
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